Question about Queens Grill

[SimonM]

we are thinking of going on one of the short UK cruises this summer in the Queen Elizabeth.  Can someone please tell me how the drink etc arrangements work. I know one gets some free drink in the room - but in the restaurant and bars does one have to pay for drinks ? 

also is there free wifi ?

[Windsurfboy]

For UK passengers , Pay for drink 

Pay for WiFi 

[ClipperinSFO]

Unless it’s specifically included as part your fare, like the promo “Free drinks for Grills passengers” or some language to that effect, you do pay for drinks like all other passengers, both in the dining room and in the bars. Even when “free drinks” are included, it’s only those priced $12 or less. 

[majortom10]

Unfortunately we in the UK dont get, or very rarely, free drinks packages or gratuities when booking QG/PG.

[Bigmike911]

If you are in Queens Grill when you arrive your butler will give you a list of wines and spirits you can choose two from for consumption in your suite. My experience has been if you consume all your spirits they will replace them for you.

 

I have never selected a wine so I don't know about wine replacement. Drinks elsewhere on the ship are your responsibility. 

 

Cunard offers drinks packages, but you have to be a heavy consumer to make them pay off. 

 

If you book through a travel agent who values your business the T/A can some time arrange for On Board Credit to offset your expenses.

[Windsurfboy]

To complement  Bigmike911 answer. We had a new bottle of the Zonin prosseco delivered everyday, even if we didn't  finish it off the night before, so no drinking flat bubbly. 

Edited June 4, 2021 by Windsurfboy

[majortom10]

3 hours ago, Bigmike911 said:

If you are in Queens Grill when you arrive your butler will give you a list of wines and spirits you can choose two from for consumption in your suite. My experience has been if you consume all your spirits they will replace them for you.

 

I have never selected a wine so I don't know about wine replacement. Drinks elsewhere on the ship are your responsibility. 

 

Cunard offers drinks packages, but you have to be a heavy consumer to make them pay off. 

 

If you book through a travel agent who values your business the T/A can some time arrange for On Board Credit to offset your expenses.

We must have been unlucky with our butler then on QE when we arrived in our suite the Cabin Steward came in and said the butler will be along shortly. We didnt see him for 2 hrs  and there was a card on the desk with spirits on was told we couldnt have brandy so we ordered a vodka and whisky. The brand of whisky we had delivered to our suite was different than what we ordered and we did not receive it until late afternoon the next day and was never renewed when empty. Being our first time in QG we were rather "green" and didnt know what to ask for or what we could have and I believe there is a difference in standards across the QG suites from the butler depending on grade as we were in a Q6.

 

Edited June 4, 2021 by majortom10

[Victoria2]

You were unlucky Major T. The service from your Butler has nothing to do with level of cabin, or it hasn't in our experiences and we have hundreds of nights in QG, ranging from Q5 to Q2. There does seem to be a bit of a discrepancy between the efficiency of the Butlers if some posts are to be believed which is a shame. I have nothing but praise for them but then, we are probably the easiest of guests to look after and don't ask for much [not saying you do by the way].

If my gin and wine hadn't arrived by the safety drill, having made a request before lunch, I think I'd have paged to see when I could expect them.

[Windsurfboy]

It's  a few years since our first Cunard and QG but  i would like to thank this forum for helping us "hit the ground running" and knowing what to expect. 

 

There are a few historic threads on the benefits of QG , e.g. ordering off menu , that SimonM could look back over and might find useful

[Victoria2]

1 hour ago, Windsurfboy said:

It's  a few years since our first Cunard and QG but  i would like to thank this forum for helping us "hit the ground running" and knowing what to expect. 

 

There are a few historic threads on the benefits of QG , e.g. ordering off menu , that SimonM could look back over and might find useful

Or to save trawling through some threads which an be pages long, just ask away on this thread.

I would add to off menu ordering eg what can be ordered [just about anything]  and when to order.

Drinks in the lounge which are free and when available

Concierge duties, although if the initial cruise is to be a sun-catcher, no trips will be needed to be booked.

Butler duties when organising a bit of an in-cabin drinks meet for fellow guests one meets.

Ask away as someone will answer you.

[majortom10]

5 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

You were unlucky Major T. The service from your Butler has nothing to do with level of cabin, or it hasn't in our experiences and we have hundreds of nights in QG, ranging from Q5 to Q2. There does seem to be a bit of a discrepancy between the efficiency of the Butlers if some posts are to be believed which is a shame. I have nothing but praise for them but then, we are probably the easiest of guests to look after and don't ask for much [not saying you do by the way].

If my gin and wine hadn't arrived by the safety drill, having made a request before lunch, I think I'd have paged to see when I could expect them.

If my memory serves me right with being in QG suite we were the first to board and went straight to our suite where very shortly after the cabin steward arrived introduced himself and explained a few things. We had lunch and then unpacked and our butler arrived for first time just before we were going to muster drill and he told us we couldnt have brandy so ordered other spirits. These had not arrived by lunchtime the next day but were there when we returned after afternoon tea. We are not very demanding and being our first and only time in QG was not sure about what we could ask for or expect but didnt really see or get a lot of help from our butler throughout the cruise.

Edited June 5, 2021 by majortom10

[Victoria2]

We were lucky on our first Cunard holiday ten years ago.We had been told beforehand, 'just ask'. About anything.

Like you, we didn't know what to expect or how 'things were done'. So we asked. That was hundreds of QG nights ago.

 

We still ask if unsure about anything.

 

I think that's a great mantra for newbies in any situation.

Edited June 5, 2021 by Victoria2

[Nick&Simon]

I tip the Butler on the first day and never have any problems. I don't drink alcohol in the cabin, but have the mini bar restocked with soft drinks, and I have a very impressive spirits collection at home courtesy of Cunard

 

I don't understand the free drinks in there lounge comment?

 

If it's a long trip, I may ask the butler to change the furniture on the balcony. I like a high table and chairs.

 

 Which reminds me of one voyage on the QE2 when I mentioned to the butler that I didn't like the feel of yet varnish on the wooden decking on the balcony. When I can back from lunch it had been astroturfed! 

Edited June 5, 2021 by Nick&Simon

[Victoria2]

30 minutes ago, Nick&Simon said:

I tip the Butler on the first day and never have any problems. I don't drink alcohol in the cabin, but have the mini bar restocked with soft drinks, and I have a very impressive spirits collection at home courtesy of Cunard

 

I don't understand the free drinks in there lounge comment?

 

If it's a long trip, I may ask the butler to change the furniture on the balcony. I like a high table and chairs.

 

 Which reminds me of one voyage on the QE2 when I mentioned to the butler that I didn't like the feel of yet varnish on the wooden decking on the balcony. When I can back from lunch it had been astroturfed! 

I'm the opposite.

I wouldn't dream of tipping for services not yet rendered as it smacks of a sort of  low key bribery and is not required at all as the service is always excellent, but that is entirely my opinion. We personally tip a few members of staff as well as keeping the service charge/gratuities on account,  at the end of the  cruise on but that again is our choice and is not expected. Each to their own as far as supplementary grats. are concerned and indeed any grats and no need to complicate the thread with tipping issues other than to say, extra tips are not expected whatsoever and it is a private matter between guest and member/s of staff.

 

The free drinks in the lounge are teas and coffees which are available whenever the bar is staffed.

 

 

Edited June 5, 2021 by Victoria2

[Mudhen]

We only had the butler experience a few times....on Cunard's QM2 and on Silversea. We've found that the experience varies greatly depending on the luck of the draw. The one thing that we have learned is that even though we are very low maintenance, we do not say that anymore. We've had a couple of occasions in the Q's grill and on SS, that the butlers can get the idea that they don't need to check on you....or will do the minimal. So now we don't make that comment anymore. We've also had the experience of a long wait for spirits to be delivered, while not asking for anything unusual...Grey Goose and Hendrick's. One funny story....I like cucumber with my Hendrick's. When I asked our butler to  have some cucumber for my drink, the message got muddled. I received my cuke alright, but it came sliced in coins served with salt, pepper, knife and fork.....So be careful what you ask for....giggle!

[Solent Richard]

2 hours ago, majortom10 said:

If my memory serves me right with being in QG suite we were the first to board and went straight to our suite where very shortly after the cabin steward arrived introduced himself and explained a few things. We had lunch and then unpacked and our butler arrived for first time just before we were going to muster drill and he told us we couldnt have brandy so ordered other spirits. These had not arrived by lunchtime the next day but were there when we returned after afternoon tea. We are not very demanding and being our first and only time in QG was not sure about what we could ask for or expect but didnt really see or get a lot of help from our butler throughout the cruise.

 

Ah yes, those were the days when all Queens Grill guests were escorted to their suite.

 

It's a service that I found most reminiscent of the good old days when we tried out MSC's Yacht Club recently. And not just on joining either. At ports of call their butlers will also escort you ashore avoiding the queues at the gangway.

[exlondoner]

4 minutes ago, Solent Richard said:

 

Ah yes, those were the days when all Queens Grill guests were escorted to their suite.

 

That must have been a very long time ago, probably before we started in 1997, as it has only happened to us once, in 2004 on QE2, when the man had no idea where our cabin was, and instead of taking us to the highest deck tried to take us to the bowels of the ship for our Q2. When we told him where our cabin was, he did not really believe us. It's so much easier not being escorted.

[Victoria2]

duplicate post so deleted

Edited June 5, 2021 by Victoria2

[Victoria2]

Just now, Victoria2 said:

We've been red carded and escorted when in Q2s on QV and QE over the last few years. Not sure about escorted now as we get escorted anyway these days due to embarkation assistance.

 

[Windsurfboy]

On reading above this reminds me

 

Some advice 're embarkation,  there's NO QG fast track at security as we've come to expect at airports.  There is only a dedicated check in. So if you arrive after 12 noon once general boarding has started you end up in a long queue for security. So if you like to walk straight on, imperative you arrive before 12 noon.

[Victoria2]

20 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

On reading above this reminds me

 

Some advice 're embarkation,  there's NO QG fast track at security as we've come to expect at airports.  There is only a dedicated check in. So if you arrive after 12 noon once general boarding has started you end up in a long queue for security. So if you like to walk straight on, imperative you arrive before 12 noon.

Isn't there? I had no idea.

 

That's a very good point to make then. We usually arrive early to sign in at the assistance pen so have no trouble boarding but with Covid protocols, it will be interesting to see how embarkation progresses with the new supposedly stricter arrival times.

[Windsurfboy]

1 hour ago, Victoria2 said:

Isn't there? I had no idea.

 

That's a very good point to make then. We usually arrive early to sign in at the assistance pen so have no trouble boarding but with Covid protocols, it will be interesting to see how embarkation progresses with the new supposedly stricter arrival times.

 

It caught us by surprise the first time , as I interpreted priority embarkation to encompass both check in and security, like bussiness /first on a plane.  When I complained they said we only offer priority check in. I suggested they look up the meaning of embarkation which is whole process. Anyway since then we arrive about 11.45 and walk straight on.

 

With covid protocols things should be smoother as there will be hopefully less early arrivals clogging up the system

[Pear Carr]

No problem ordering the spirits/wine of choice and delivered mid afternoon.  Wine of choice was off main dining room menu rather than room service menu and replenished on empty - even had a bottle of Hendricks replenished day before disembarkation! If you want brandy ask for it!

[majortom10]

13 minutes ago, Pear Carr said:

No problem ordering the spirits/wine of choice and delivered mid afternoon.  Wine of choice was off main dining room menu rather than room service menu and replenished on empty - even had a bottle of Hendricks replenished day before disembarkation! If you want brandy ask for it!

I did ask the butler if I could have brandy because it was not on the spirits list left on the desk and was told no it was not available so had to order whisky.

[Pear Carr]

As previously stated I think there is definitely a difference in service dependent on staff allocation. We have been fortunate in terms of requests being met off state room menu ‘tick box’. You can only ask and hope for the best!