ClipperinSFO

Glad the SHH gets so many votes -- we are booked there for three nights prior to our upcoming late May crossing.  Looking forward to some good quality time in Southampton rather than racing to get on the ship.

@WestonOneI think it is perfectly reasonable to expect a high(er) level of attention and detail paid to the sourcing of cheeses in the QG cheese trolley.  Cunard goes on and on about the superlative dining experience in QG, and a thoughtful sourcing of cheese, and training of the staff accordingly does not seem at all out of proportion with the expectations they set.  That also said, with the market they aim to attract would also come with an elevated tastes/interest/knowledge of cheese.  Not everyone perhaps, but enough well traveled/well dined people to make it noticeable and worthwhile for them to reinforce the brand (hence this thread).

Is the QG cheese cart ok? Yes, it fits the bill.  Other than its appearance, does it meet the expectations set or the superlative image dining experience that Cunard is going for in QG , no.   

As of last December, there were still cheese carts in both QG and PG, and for (even semi-)serious cheese lovers they are underwhelming.   Never seen Epoisses (alas!), although they did once have a Delice de Bourgogne that was really good.  The current cheese cart(s) will do though, esp the some of the English cheeses like Stilton and cheddar.

It does my heart good to see that in 2022 a Cunarder is being dry-docked at Harland and Wolff.  Even if H&W is/was more of a White Star Line shipyard, what with the merger and all, and considering it's 2022 and not 1922, I am good with this!   

Hmmm..  now I am thinking beef stroganoff with spätzle - a personal fave.  Although the filet mignon Lili sounds out of this world, and much more unusual for me, which of course pops it to the top of the list. 

3 hours ago, MarkBearSF said:

Back in the day, on the QE2, the shirred eggs came with caviar, if I recall correctly.

Thank you!  Now envisioning a special order brekkie: "Shirred eggs with a bit of caviar please" on our May crossing.

8 hours ago, techteach said:

Fascinating @ClipperinSFO Tell us how it was different from the classic tartare.

Not sure of the exact ingredient, as it arrived at the table in the form you see above. Not even sure of type of meat at the base (beef/ lamb? other?) but it was delicious. Lots of "middle eastern" herbs and spices folded in, which, looking at recipes online, could have consisted of among other things (from wikipedia) "Other ingredients are mild onions, scallions, parsley, and usually green pepper. Variants of the dish may use tomato sauce, Tabasco sauce, and mint leaves".)

Whatever was in it, it was delicious a different, and I was grateful Osman shared it.   I always appreciate it when the national diversity of the crew is reflected on the plate!

Re: steak tartare, a couple of years ago, Osman prepare a version of his native cig köfte (a Turkish steak tartar of sorts) and offered it to willing diners in the QG.  It was delicious!  

30 minutes ago, MarkBearSF said:

I honestly cannot recall a difference in the QG breakfast menu from Britannia. 
 

There isn't one!  I think they do one breakfast across the whole ship with no differentiation by dining room.   

You have all inspired me for my next QG crossing in May.  I find the breakfast menu in QG and PG really underwhelming in terms of creativity.  That said, I consume plenty of calories during the day, so not looking for more, but still.

I may request some of my favorite breakfast dishes next trip  - like pasta with eggs, a frittata or the shorted eggs mentioned above .  Happy to make it to brekkie at a specific time for a dish ordered in advance.

2 hours ago, starquake said:

 

Yes *some*,  and the bartenders tend to be able to make "most" drinks under the $12 if asked.   

To your point, we did get the aforementioned Makers Mark Manhattan made in a manner that kept it below the $12 limit (at the seldom visited Verandah bar).  I think it had to do with charging separately for the ingredients (1.5  oz of Makers Mark plus the requisite amount of sweet vermouth) and then throwing in a "free" dash or two of bitters.  All those machinations to get a drink included kind of takes away some of the no-stress benefit of having a drinks package in the first place imo.

12 hours ago, kshannon5 said:

 Interesting, but I'm guessing the Champagne bar and Commodore Club still have options within the package?

My Gordon's martini (pictured above) was included in the package in the CC.  Interestingly my DH's Makers Mark Manhattan was not - it was just over the limit, yet they seem like very parallel drinks in terms of quantity and quality grade/shelf level of spirit.

14 hours ago, wynkys said:

I have just booked Queen Elizabeth's seven night Tasmanian cruise out of Melbourne in December2022.

This will be my fifth journey with Cunard with the first seventy years ago and the others spaced out over the

years/

In August 1952 I was on the Georgic crossing to New York then in 1979 on the QE2 in conjunction with the

Concorde. In 2004 I travelled with my mother on QM2's inaugural crossing which left Southampton on what

was my 60th birthday. Then in New York we transferred to QE2 for the first tandem  crossing back to

Southampton.

So, I have been travelling Cunard as long as Her Majesty has been on the throne.

This is so wonderful to read!  If you have any sort of documentation from any these trips, you might try submitting it to Cunard for CWC credit if you don't have it already.  I few years ago, I was able to get them to credit me for my 1981 crossing (on a student fare) on QE2 from NY to Southampton. I had saved every scrap of paper from that trip, including a badly faded ticket and embarkation photos, and they were very nice about giving me credit for those 5 nights.  

I do hope they bring back the bar stools with normal spacing.  It diminishes both the CC and the Chart Room not to see them in full swing  .  

On 3/23/2022 at 3:58 PM, Mudhen said:

You can drink in any bar other than the Queen's Grill lounge. That lounge is only for grill class passengers. Having recently been there, you wouldn't be missing much. It was our least favorite...boring and pretty stuffy imho.

I wouldn't say the GL is stuffy and boring, so much as its just a relatively character-less room, esp in comparison to the much snappier CC or Chart Room -- both gorgeous and so full of character and style.  Still, the GL is conveniently located and usually always has a seat available, even on gala nights, when the cooler, prettier lounges fill up, even for we late diners.  That said, it's always worth trying for a seat in the CC for that pre-dinner martini.  

3 hours ago, majortom10 said:

You are very lucky because in the UK we do not get free drinks packages or gratuities.

Free drinks and gratuities are by no means standard for US POS, it varies with the crossing and pricing level.  

I should add that my prices above are for US point-of-sale, and don't take into account any inclusions such as drinks, gratitudes or OBC.

I casually and unofficially track QG prices on the TA crossings, and for what is available it all seems pretty much in line with the past couple of pre-pandemic years.  Basically runs the gamut from $4,000 - $6,000 pp (+/-) for a 7 night Q5/6/7.  Prices vary, it seems to me, based on direction, time of year, and proximity to sailing and of course, demand.  

It's their "cow" to milk.  If they overprice it, people will go elsewhere.   

Stayed at the Vier Jahreszeiten last September and loved it, but went over to visit the Atlantic for drink because of its iconic status as the pre-TA crossing hotel.  Loved it too, so in this case I would vote for the Atlantic.  The murals over the elevators (below) say it all!  Plus, who doesn't love a portrait of the Kaiser over the fireplace?

On 2/14/2022 at 2:38 PM, kohl1957 said:

The problem with a "steak restaurant" as some extra special, extra cost venue is that Cunard always feature a pretty decent steak or beef dish every night.  Frou-Frou nonsenses like being presented with the raw hunk of beef (why they might trot the cow by next) or choosing one's steak knife just don't make it worth $45 extra in my opinion.  There is so much more than could be done with the space if someone, anyone connected with Cunard wasn't really more concerned with Princess-P&O.

 

I am glad I am not the only one underwhelmed by the current use of the Verandah.  The very predictable  steakhouse menu is discordant with the sophistication of the decor.  We now go once a crossing just for a change of pace and to enjoy the room, but it is not my favorite meal of any trip on QM2.  The first time we we went was just after the 2016 refit when it was a really interesting and well executed upscale restaurant menu (venison tartar anyone?).  It is missed opportunity in need of another transformation.

On a visit to the original Queen Mary in Long Beach right before the pandemic, we were able to see the original Verandah Grill. Wow, just wow.  

@bitob We did one of the Crystal Serenity Bahamas cruises last summer, as first timers on Crystal, with mostly Cunard QG to compare it against.  I didn't find the gap as wide as I was led to expect.  

In addition to everything discussed, the main thing about being on a Cunarder vs Crystal, is you will probably note the vibe is different. Cunard ships are bigger and more formal and traditional in decor, and while the Cunard crews are friendly and give great service, I never sense that intimate bond between passengers and crew that I found on Serenity.  Serenity did feel like a family reunion -- maybe because it was the 3rd cruise after start-up.  This last December, we were just on QM2's third voyage after start-up and while it was a warm experience, and lots of joy on both sides, it was a bit more formal and distant.

I have no doubt you will have a great time on QE, and look forward to hearing all about it upon your return.. 

We actually had some fun comparing they merits of the two dining rooms.  I eat in the dining room for B, L and D every day and so really like the set table at any time aspect.  As for dinner,  I actually appreciated the fact that PG seemed to have fewer carts rolling around with the flambé floor shows, and my DH likes the decor of the PG better than QG, which he refers to as “Dubai Banquet Hall” (I don’t agree, but it’s fun to go back and forth).  Interestingly the Maitre D’ said that the seating capacity of PG was around 175 and QG slightly more crowded at 205.  The cheese cart (a Francophilic obsession of mine) was equally underwhelming in both dining rooms.

In terms of the cabins (and I think this may different dramatically with a like-like comparison on QV/QE), we missed the larger walk-in closet of the Q5/6 but that was it.  The butler was never that important for us, we never used the whirlpool bath, and the size of the PG cabin seemed more than adequate.  

 We have a couple more crossings booked in QG, but going forward, I think I will have a hard time justifying any future bookings in QG.  In fact, now I am even more eager to try Britannia Club.

7 hours ago, Mudhen said:

Thank you for that info. We are in a Princess 1 cabin and are considering an upgrade to Queen's Grill, however, we are not a fan of the current M'd in the Queen's grill dining room. Most people think he's wonderful.....we, not so much!

This was our first crossing in PG and we loved it.   We were extremely well looked after by Thomas, Vasant and the team, and the food was top notch.  Other than caviar, it was hard to notice the difference between PG and QG in terms of dining. We also lucked into a fantastic table right at the stern in the corner.  QG is great, but we came away thinking PG was the sweet spot.  

As of the December Transatlantic to New York they were the venerable Osman in the Queen’s Grill and Thomas looking after the Princess Grill.  I would imagine they are still onboard.  

2 hours ago, lissie said:

The captain only does annoucements into cabins if its a real emergency - like abandon ship emergency .  

Interestingly, on the recent SOU-NYC crossing, Captain Hall did such a ship-wide, in cabin announcement at around 1700h on Thursday December 16 to explain the very pronounced heel of the ship to port side.  A very strong and unexpected wind was hitting the QM2 broadside on the starboard side, causing the very prolonged and pronounced heel.  He wanted to calm nerves and tell us there was nothing to be concerned about.  

When the chimes sounded in the cabin as we were getting ready for cocktails, and Captain Hall came on, it really got my attention!    

1 hour ago, frankp01 said:

I created the list after a few crossings, so we'd still have something new to try each time. Here's my list

Having drinks at the Lounge at the Verandah - it's a nice, quiet little lounge
 

 

We've spent lots of time on those red chairs on deck 2 or 3 (can never remember which deck it is). Even with gale force 10 and 11 winds during the 13 Dec crossing the waves never crashed against those windows. I was a bit disappointed!

2 hours ago, exlondoner said:

 

What about the galleries with the tables for board games and the little pink chairs, where, if you are lucky, the spray washes up over the windows?

We did have drinks in the Verandah lounge this last trip, and it was lovely, if empty.  it would be improved by a few more people sitting in there with you, maybe even a few more tables.  On a previous visit we sat at the bar stools, and they are *very* uncomfortable.  The windows and blanquettes are very "liner-y" (almost SS US imo).

And yes, @exlondoner I was thinking of including those galleries on my list.  They have some of the most dramatic views on the ship, but like Frank for all the time I spent there on this last crossing, not one wave washed over.  Its the first place I go once the waves kick up though!