Will Grills benefits be improved based on the recent enhancements to Britannia and Britannia Club?

[Se1lad]

Do you think Cunard will add any extra benefit for Grills now that Britannia has the open dining option, and Club has enhanced dining options?

[majortom10]

If they don't I can see many, us included, dropping down from PG to BC and saving money.

[Se1lad]

33 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

If they don't I can see many, us included, dropping down from PG to BC and saving money.

I imagine one of the challenges is that there are only a limited number of BC staterooms available - though maybe a number of BC guests will book Britannia in the future now that flexible dining is on offer.

[Victoria2]

1 hour ago, Se1lad said:

Do you think Cunard will add any extra benefit for Grills now that Britannia has the open dining option, and Club has enhanced dining options?

Although the much welcomed Britannia dining change, [which, by the way, was a point of discussion between myself and a senior member of the wait staff, pre Covid who said 'never say never' with a smile and so in my opinion, right or wrong, has been in the pipeline for a while], doesn't immediately affect me, I will watch with interest  to see what ripples, if any, it might send 'up' the dining chain.

 

I think Cunard will now be offering the best dining scenario in Britannia; two set dining times and an open dining time. I can't comment on the 'to Club or not'  or even 'to PG or Club' as that won't affect us but any possible [and I haven't read anything so far to suggest this is proposed] knock on changes to Club, and then possibly PG and finally to QG, will.

 

I haven't travelled in PG but my immediate view would be that it gives access to decks eleven and twelve which are lovely areas on the Vistas and which to my mind, would be the selling point on its own. Add the dining scenario into the mix and I would see no reason to add to that.

 

As a UK [important as the UK and US bookings seem to give different booking advantages] based  Q Grill'er, if 'perks' were upgraded in PG, I can't immediately see other than included gratuities*, what could be added as a knock on sweetner to add to the next grade bearing in mind the presumed necessity to ensure any perks which already exist for Diamond passengers won't be eroded, the internet allowance being the only Diamond perk which has any real significance for us.

 

I certainly wouldn't want anything remotely All Inclusive to be paraded as a QG perk as we organise our own trips and don't want any 'free' drinks package to add to our existing 'free' cabin set up so this might seem very selfish, but  I hope, these excellent Britannia dining changes will  have no effect whatsoever on 'The Grills'. 

Edited September 29, 2022 by Victoria2
* and maybe free laundry

[exlondoner]

8 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

Although the much welcomed Britannia dining change, [which, by the way, was a point of discussion between myself and a senior member of the wait staff, pre Covid who said 'never say never' with a smile and so in my opinion, right or wrong, has been in the pipeline for a while], doesn't immediately affect me, I will watch with interest  to see what ripples, if any, it might send 'up' the dining chain.

 

I think Cunard will now be offering the best dining scenario in Britannia; two set dining times and an open dining time. I can't comment on the 'to Club or not'  or even 'to PG or Club' as that won't affect us but any possible [and I haven't read anything so far to suggest this is proposed] knock on changes to Club, and then possibly PG and finally to QG, will.

 

I haven't travelled in PG but my immediate view would be that it gives access to decks eleven and twelve which are lovely areas on the Vistas and which to my mind, would be the selling point on its own. Add the dining scenario into the mix and I would see no reason to add to that.

 

As a UK [important as the UK and US bookings seem to give different booking advantages] based  Q Grill'er, if 'perks' were upgraded in PG, I can't immediately see other than included gratuities*, what could be added as a knock on sweetner to add to the next grade bearing in mind the presumed necessity to ensure any perks which already exist for Diamond passengers won't be eroded, the internet allowance being the only Diamond perk which has any real significance for us.

 

I certainly wouldn't want anything remotely All Inclusive to be paraded as a QG perk as we organise our own trips and don't want any 'free' drinks package to add to our existing 'free' cabin set up so this might seem very selfish, but  I hope, these excellent Britannia dining changes will  have no effect whatsoever on 'The Grills'. 

Almost always, UK Cunard passengers who book the Cunard fare in effect get free gratuities, because, the obc offered usually covers them.

[Victoria2]

1 minute ago, exlondoner said:

Almost always, UK Cunard passengers who book the Cunard fare in effect get free gratuities, because, the obc offered usually covers them.

I don't class that as 'free' because that obc could be used against other products bought on the ship. If grats. were included, that would free up the obc to be used elsewhere.

[Se1lad]

31 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

 [and I haven't read anything so far to suggest this is proposed] knock on changes to Club, and then possibly PG and finally to QG, will.

 

Cunard have already confirmed there will be changes to club - I received this yesterday:

Britannia Club updates.

Enjoy more choice than ever before with our elevated Britannia Club experience. Look forward to an enhanced menu and special, theatrical table side service celebrating some of our feature dishes, all of which you can enjoy from your own private, reserved table. The luxury continues in your stateroom with brand new complimentary mineral water, your own espresso coffee machine, sumptuous bathrobes, and other amenities.

[Victoria2]

8 minutes ago, Se1lad said:

Cunard have already confirmed there will be changes to club - I received this yesterday:

Britannia Club updates.

Enjoy more choice than ever before with our elevated Britannia Club experience. Look forward to an enhanced menu and special, theatrical table side service celebrating some of our feature dishes, all of which you can enjoy from your own private, reserved table. The luxury continues in your stateroom with brand new complimentary mineral water, your own espresso coffee machine, sumptuous bathrobes, and other amenities.

Thank you. I hadn't seen that.

As I don't like the position of the Club cabins on the Vistas [no idea re QM2], I can't say the elevated experience would persuade me to book Club now I would have my choice of Britannia dining unless the added premium paid was relatively insignificant..

 

Hopefully, this enhanced experience will have no  knock on effect for the  PG and QG experiences.

[majortom10]

50 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Almost always, UK Cunard passengers who book the Cunard fare in effect get free gratuities, because, the obc offered usually covers them.

No it doersnt it all depends on the cruise booked and we have never booked a cruise where we have been given OBC enough to cover gratuities, except for the odd occasion when we have booked onboard and got the extra OBC.

[majortom10]

One thing for sure with the upcoming enhancements of BC and possibly PG/QG it will give Cunard an excuse to increase prices which I am sure they will do. Already prices of QG/PG have risen significantly since pre covid.

[Se1lad]

11 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

 

Hopefully, this enhanced experience will have no  knock on effect for the  PG and QG experiences.

I hope it will result in improvements to PG/QG.  The cheese for example in QG could really do with improving - some decent Comte and Époisses for example.  Offering a drinks package would also be appreciated.

 

Cunard may have been really smart here of course - often the only cabins available near sailing date are Britannia - by enhancing the experience here they may be able to fill Britannia and still fill Grills without offering any additional benefit.

[Victoria2]

59 minutes ago, Se1lad said:

I hope it will result in improvements to PG/QG.  The cheese for example in QG could really do with improving - some decent Comte and Époisses for example.  Offering a drinks package would also be appreciated.

 

Cunard may have been really smart here of course - often the only cabins available near sailing date are Britannia - by enhancing the experience here they may be able to fill Britannia and still fill Grills without offering any additional benefit.

If an upgrade of the cheese trolley [I have had both cheeses mentioned] is all it takes to 'upgrade the experience', then I'll go with that! 😄

 

 

[Lakesregion]

2 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

Although the much welcomed Britannia dining change, [which, by the way, was a point of discussion between myself and a senior member of the wait staff, pre Covid who said 'never say never' with a smile and so in my opinion, right or wrong, has been in the pipeline for a while], doesn't immediately affect me, I will watch with interest  to see what ripples, if any, it might send 'up' the dining chain.

 

I think Cunard will now be offering the best dining scenario in Britannia; two set dining times and an open dining time. I can't comment on the 'to Club or not'  or even 'to PG or Club' as that won't affect us but any possible [and I haven't read anything so far to suggest this is proposed] knock on changes to Club, and then possibly PG and finally to QG, will.

 

I haven't travelled in PG but my immediate view would be that it gives access to decks eleven and twelve which are lovely areas on the Vistas and which to my mind, would be the selling point on its own. Add the dining scenario into the mix and I would see no reason to add to that.

 

As a UK [important as the UK and US bookings seem to give different booking advantages] based  Q Grill'er, if 'perks' were upgraded in PG, I can't immediately see other than included gratuities*, what could be added as a knock on sweetner to add to the next grade bearing in mind the presumed necessity to ensure any perks which already exist for Diamond passengers won't be eroded, the internet allowance being the only Diamond perk which has any real significance for us.

 

I certainly wouldn't want anything remotely All Inclusive to be paraded as a QG perk as we organise our own trips and don't want any 'free' drinks package to add to our existing 'free' cabin set up so this might seem very selfish, but  I hope, these excellent Britannia dining changes will  have no effect whatsoever on 'The Grills'. 

If this in considered an upgrade to Britannia with open seating then possibly Cunard will also improve the BC and Grills with fixed seating times to go along with show up when ever.

[Victoria2]

5 minutes ago, Lakesregion said:

If this in considered an upgrade to Britannia with open seating then possibly Cunard will also improve the BC and Grills with fixed seating times to go along with show up when ever.

We're talking upgrades/improvements,  not down grades.  😄

[Lakesregion]

1 hour ago, Victoria2 said:

We're talking upgrades/improvements,  not down grades.  😄

Why are they considered up grades for the rowing class but down grades for the ruling class?

[BigMac1953]

One of the many reasons that we travel QG, is because it is any time dining at a fixed table.

 

It would certainly be a downgrade if dining times were allocated.

[Host Hattie]

12 minutes ago, Lakesregion said:

Why are they considered up grades for the rowing class but down grades for the ruling class?

I think you're going to have to explain what you mean as I guess I am not the only one who doesn't understand what point you're trying to make.

[Jailhousepete]

Probably seems a stupid question to many out there. We have only ever cruised Cunard so never experienced Open Dining in Brittania except once or twice in PG. so is this like lunchtime when you take your chance on whatever table you get and whom you might be joining.  Or do you still have your own table for the duration with your own waiters but dine at any time.

[Se1lad]

1 hour ago, Lakesregion said:

If this in considered an upgrade to Britannia with open seating then possibly Cunard will also improve the BC and Grills with fixed seating times to go along with show up when ever.

There’s nothing stopping you eating at a fixed time in BC and Grills now - simply turn up at 6.30 or 8.30 every night?!

Edited September 29, 2022 by Se1lad

[Se1lad]

24 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

I think you're going to have to explain what you mean as I guess I am not the only one who doesn't understand what point you're trying to make.

I think what Lakesregion is saying that if adding back fixed late seating dining is considered an upgrade to Britannia, then why wouldn’t adding it to BC and Grills be an upgrade too?  There’s no need to offer fixed time seating though as every guest in BC and Grills had their own table for the duration of the trip..

 

As per my previous post there’s nothing stopping you eating at the same time each night - however if you are part of a shared table there is no guarantee that you will be eating at the same time as your table companions.  Saying that, there aren’t many shared tables in QG/PG.  On my last TA there was a shared table of 6 - it looks like they coordinated between themselves so they arrived at more or less the same time.

Edited September 29, 2022 by Se1lad

[Victoria2]

8 minutes ago, Se1lad said:

I think what Lakesregion is saying that if adding back fixed late seating dining is considered an upgrade to Britannia, then why wouldn’t adding it to BC and Grills be an upgrade too?  There’s no need to offer fixed time seating though as every guest in BC and Grills had their own table for the duration of the trip..

 

As per my previous post there’s nothing stopping you eating at the same time each night - however if you are part of a shared table there is no guarantee that you will be eating at the same time as your table companions.  Saying that, there aren’t many shared tables in QG/PG.  On my last TA there was a shared table of 6 - it looks like they coordinated between themselves so they arrived at more or less the same time.

Is fixed late dining  an addition in Britannia? I thought it had always been there. The excellent Britannia upgrade as far as I can see is the addition of the 'anytime' dining when offered.

 

We fix dine to a certain extent in QG, as we try and make the table between 7.45pm and 8pm depending on pre dinner drinks etc.

[Victoria2]

50 minutes ago, Lakesregion said:

Why are they considered up grades for the rowing class but down grades for the ruling class?

I'm not a member of any ruling class but am/was classed as fairly competent a rower. Indoor ergs only these days.

[Se1lad]

4 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

Is fixed late dining  an addition in Britannia? I thought it had always been there. The excellent Britannia upgrade as far as I can see is the addition of the 'anytime' dining when offered.

 

We fix dine to a certain extent in QG, as we try and make the table between 7.45pm and 8pm depending on pre dinner drinks etc.

Fixed late dining was removed for a while when crushing restarted after Covid - the second sitting was open with a bit more flexibility on when you could arrive.

[Victoria2]

1 minute ago, Se1lad said:

Fixed late dining was removed for a while when crushing restarted after Covid - the second sitting was open with a bit more flexibility on when you could arrive.

Thank you

 

I think it's great Cunard is adding flexibility on quite a couple of issues. Let's hope the modifications encourage newbies to the line.

 

The typo made me smile by the way as we definitely avoided crushing on QV last month! 😀

[Jacqueline]

I can’t see why it  would. Most cruiselines have the option for a anytime dining.

the catch is that it can often result in waits, sometimes long ones. So it’s really not the same as having a dedicated table and server at all.