New Cunarder in Queens Grill

[Tingaling0]

Hi we leave for our first Cunard cruise next week on the Queen Mary and need some help re Queens Grill and any other insider tips on all things Cunard you can give me.

Specifically with the bar set up does it get replenished? Or is it a one time deal. Does the boarding time advised really mean that time? We have 1pm and wonder if we can board earlier as we will have left our hotel.

Many thanks

Jeanette

[BigMac1953]

Your bar includes spirits or wine. The spirits are litre bottles and providing you are polite and civil to your butler they will be replenished when nearly finished, even on the last day!

 

Beers and mixers are replenished daily and if you ask nicely, extra tins can be stored in the adjacent cupboard.

 

Boarding usually commences around midday. Aim to get there around 11:45 am. It's QG first, then PG, then Diamond, then Platinum, then by lettered card issued on a first come basis. Often we are in our room before 12:15 pm. Luggage will arrive within 2/3 hours.

 

The QG restaurant opens at 1:00 pm precisely so it's worth waiting in the lounge which opens earlier. The card in your room lists your table number. Check your table is suitable and speak to the Maitre d' Hotel if you have any concerns.

 

The much sought after window seats are allocated in a pecking order. Q1-3 will probably get one. If you're not in these categories, and as a newbie, you probably will not be at the window. It's not so important on QM2 as there is not much of a view, unlike QE and QE. It's still a fabulous restaurant and will completely spoil you for the future.

 

Stewart

Edited February 26, 2020 by BigMac1953

[hypercafe]

Great information, thanks. We are taking our first Cunard trip in 38 years in June to Boston in the QG and I had the same question about the bar setup. I have been going back and forth on buying a drink package, guess because we have been going on the lines that include drinks and paying as I go seems odd. Anyway thanks again!!!

[exlondoner]

2 hours ago, BigMac1953 said:

Your bar includes spirits or wine. The spirits are litre bottles and providing you are polite and civil to your butler they will be replenished when nearly finished, even on the last day!

 

Beers and mixers are replenished daily and if you ask nicely, extra tins can be stored in the adjacent cupboard.

 

Boarding usually commences around midday. Aim to get there around 11:45 am. It's QG first, then PG, then Diamond, then Platinum, then by lettered card issued on a first come basis. Often we are in our room before 12:15 pm. Luggage will arrive within 2/3 hours.

 

The QG restaurant opens at 1:00 pm precisely so it's worth waiting in the lounge which opens earlier. The card in your room lists your table number. Check your table is suitable and speak to the Maitre d' Hotel if you have any concerns.

 

The much sought after window seats are allocated in a pecking order. Q1-3 will probably get one. If you're not in these categories, and as a newbie, you probably will not be at the window. It's not so important on QM2 as there is not much of a view, unlike QE and QE. It's still a fabulous restaurant and will completely spoil you for the future.

 

Stewart

 

Your procedure for boarding is very similar to ours. But that is at Southampton. I would add the slight caveat that NZ ports may function differently.

[Tingaling0]

Hi Thanks so much for the information. Certainly not easy to find answers on the Cunard website. By the way we board in Sydney.  Jeanette

Edited February 28, 2020 by Tingaling0
Addition

[Cruise Raider]

On 2/26/2020 at 3:10 AM, hypercafe said:

Great information, thanks. We are taking our first Cunard trip in 38 years in June to Boston in the QG and I had the same question about the bar setup. I have been going back and forth on buying a drink package, guess because we have been going on the lines that include drinks and paying as I go seems odd. Anyway thanks again!!!

 

I had the same questions as well as I am a long time Princess and Celebrity cruiser and was curious as to how it goes for the alcohol in terms of having a drink. 

 

Does anybody know if the wine is replaced as well ... in the event we don't want the spirits?  

Also, in the Queen's Grill room, does the breakfast come with specialty coffees or maybe, mimosas?  

Does the lounge outside the restaurant come with a pre-dinner cocktail?

Is wine served with dinner or would you bring one a bottle from your room?  

Or ... is any of this included ... would we need to also have a beverage package?  

[hypercafe]

I asked the Cunard rep questions about special coffees and different alcohol drinks, soft drinks and she said none are included except what's in the room. She said the room setup is replace as it's used up.

[bluemarble]

hypercafe and Cruise Radar,

 

Concerning drinks packages, since you are both in the US, check to see if your booking includes the "Grill suite offer" (promotion code "ZED"). Most fares for grill suites in the US on voyages of 7 nights or longer, except for some limited-time promotions, include that offer. In that case, you would have a free drinks package for drinks priced at $12 and under included in your fare.

Edited March 1, 2020 by bluemarble

[hypercafe]

Funny thing, when I first booked I had a p2 room in the very front of deck 10 with drinks, tips and some obc. I called to see if I could get a midship room and they said for just a few hundred more I could upgrade to a midship, q5 room on deck 9. I took it and later found out I lost the drinks, tips and obc, when I asked what happened they said it was because of the low fare. It is what is!! Read the fine print.

[bluemarble]

Oh yeah, hypercafe, I now remember your post about losing the perks of the "Grill Suite Offer" from the "... opportunity in Queens Grill ..." thread. Sounds like you may have rebooked under the terms of the "Presidents' Day Sale", "Chinese New Year Offer", or a similar limited-time US promotion which could not be combined with the "Grill Suite Offer".

[orvil]

You will get unlimited bottles of wine as well as bottles of spirits and mixers in your cabin.  Just ask your butler.  You can also ask for snacks such as peanuts and potato chips or crisps.  A fruit basket is replenished daily.  If there is a particular fruit that you would like, just ask.  They will accommodate.

 

If you are on a promotion that includes drinks, review the drinks menu.  Anything under $12 is included.  It used to be $15, but I think that has changed.  This means order multiple small glasses of wine rather than one large glass in order to avoid a charge.

 

We always bring a bottle or two special wines aboard and have them served in the dining room.  You can take it up to the sommelier yourself or ask your butler to take it up if you are otherwise engaged.  They will open it and serve it to you for a small corkage charge.  There have been occasions where that charge wasn't made, but they were the exception. 

 

If you want to order off menu, you must make your request at lunch time in order for them to be able to accommodate you.  If you need a special meal accommodation, arrange for that with the concierge or when you make your reservation.  Be certain to confirm that they have the order when you board.  

 

When you board, make a point to dine in the QG dining room at lunch.  This way you can determine if your table is acceptable.  If it is not, discretely and quiet ask for another table.  They will tell you that they will try.  But, they have always accommodated me that evening.

 

If you want to take a ship's tour behind the scenes and on the Bridge, see the concierge immediately upon boarding right after you drop you hand luggage.  They will start a list and you will be at the top of it.  There is a charge for this, but it's worth doing.  She's an amazing machine behind the doors and below decks. 

[Bigmike911]

On 3/1/2020 at 2:19 PM, Cruise Raider said:

 

I had the same questions as well as I am a long time Princess and Celebrity cruiser and was curious as to how it goes for the alcohol in terms of having a drink. 

 

Does anybody know if the wine is replaced as well ... in the event we don't want the spirits?  

Also, in the Queen's Grill room, does the breakfast come with specialty coffees or maybe, mimosas?  

Does the lounge outside the restaurant come with a pre-dinner cocktail?

Is wine served with dinner or would you bring one a bottle from your room?  

Or ... is any of this included ... would we need to also have a beverage package?  

The wine will be replaced, there may be limits in the number. In the Queen's Grill you can get espresso but I think that is it. The Queen's Grill Lounge sells pre-dinner cocktails as well as mimosas and champagne (note I said sell). You can purchase wine for your meals, and if you don't drink the whole bottle, it will be corked, your table number written on it and it will be presented to you at the next lunch or dinner. If you bring a bottle from your cabin, you will be charged corkage.

 

You can get voyages for Grills passengers where there are 'free' drinks up to $12 per drink, if it's over $12 you pay the total cost, not just the difference. As to whether or not you want a package you can order one on board. Every one in the cabin must buy the same package and they tend to be pricey. You really have to drink a lot to make it economic. 

Edited March 4, 2020 by Bigmike911

[aussiedisneyfan]

If we are supplied with a bottle of wine in the cabin, can we take that do the dining room and not pay corkage as it is ship wine?  Or is still treated as if it is your own brought onboard?  I plan on bringing some of my own favourite for dinner which I understand has corkage but I wondered about the stateroom setup wine.

[exlondoner]

7 hours ago, aussiedisneyfan said:

If we are supplied with a bottle of wine in the cabin, can we take that do the dining room and not pay corkage as it is ship wine?  Or is still treated as if it is your own brought onboard?  I plan on bringing some of my own favourite for dinner which I understand has corkage but I wondered about the stateroom setup wine.

 

No, I'm afraid they tell you that the wine provided in the cabin is for consumption only in the cabin. I've never tried taking it to the restaurant though, so who knows if they might be kind.

[aussiedisneyfan]

Thanks, I'm not really worried about it.