Upgrade worth it?

[Goldeye]

We currently have a Brittania balcony suite booked midship deck 6 with a larger balcony on the Queen Victoria. I just received an offer to bid on an upgrade for about 500.00pp on a Brittania Club suite. Is there any big advantage to upgrading? Or upgrading to a Princess Grill suite for 1200.00pp? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

 

 

 

[Pushpit]

It's a bit tricky to say - is this for one day? One week? One month? Is that CAD? GBP? USD?

 

Broadly speaking fares double from Britannia to Club and double again from Club to Grills. Lots of variations, but that's the general position. And then it gets a bit personal: if your upgrade meant you would go without something vital like food or rent for a month then it would appear not, but if you are Warren Buffett then maybe it doesn't matter much. WB probably wouldn't upgrade from what we know of him but that's the point, there is only a subjective view of this: some will upgrade, some won't travel less than Grills ever, some won't upgrade. 

 

The advantages of Club and Grills are well advertised on the Cunard site and this Board, but essentially it revolves around better quality cabins for Grills; improved dining arrangements for both Grills and Club, along with some prioritisation at boarding and disembarkation.

[exlondoner]

8 minutes ago, Pushpit said:

It's a bit tricky to say - is this for one day? One week? One month? Is that CAD? GBP? USD?

 

Broadly speaking fares double from Britannia to Club and double again from Club to Grills. Lots of variations, but that's the general position. And then it gets a bit personal: if your upgrade meant you would go without something vital like food or rent for a month then it would appear not, but if you are Warren Buffett then maybe it doesn't matter much. WB probably wouldn't upgrade from what we know of him but that's the point, there is only a subjective view of this: some will upgrade, some won't travel less than Grills ever, some won't upgrade. 

 

The advantages of Club and Grills are well advertised on the Cunard site and this Board, but essentially it revolves around better quality cabins for Grills; improved dining arrangements for both Grills and Club, along with some prioritisation at boarding and disembarkation.

PG cabins on QV are miserable, though you might think the other perks worth it.

[Wonky]

For me it would be based on your outlook on food and outside space. I would upgrade to PG for the use of the terraces but only if it was going to be a good weather cruise. I actually prefer the environment in Club over PG which might be controversial but I found there to be a lot more space.

Edited July 14, 2023 by Wonky
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[moses0]

We are being offered to bid on upgrade on our Crossing. I don't see much advantage going from Balcony to Club. Now to Grills is a different matter.

[Goldeye]

This is for a 12 day British Isles cruise in August.

[Pushpit]

3 hours ago, Goldeye said:

This is for a 12 day British Isles cruise in August.

Well £500 would pay for a separate 3 day cruise for 2 people, and £1200 would get a 5 night cruise for 2 people. If the upgrade is £500 per person then that's is well below the current fare differential - Balcony is £1500 per person, Club is £2500 per person for 30 August 2023 itinerary on QM2. So it's not an outrageous offer. But only you can put that in context of how you normally spend money on leisure and other activities, it's a very personal perspective we all bring here, subjective not objective.

 

Incidentally if you don't want to bid AND your paid fare is now being advertised at a cheaper rate, then it's worth ringing up to see what the fare difference is, and taking into account that at the moment the UK site is offering a generous US$420 OBC for Club. I have done that and been pleasantly surprised by the low differential. Cunard will give a price and there is no bidding involved, you will get the upgrade if the price is right for you.

 

Be warned: if you go upmarket "just the once", it's often tricky to go back down to Britannia!

[Host Hattie]

5 hours ago, exlondoner said:

PG cabins on QV are miserable, though you might think the other perks worth it.

Still bigger than balcony cabins 

[palomarboy]

Been on the Mary many times and was just offered the upgrade to Club from sheltered balcony for our 8/18 crossing.  Almost 4 years now so I'm ready for my return.  The main advantage in Club is having your table for breakfast and lunch and just being able to eat at your table whenever you want.  No lines, no wait for anything.  The food is the same, but you are able to get special requests more easily and definitely better service.  Never been in QG but did PG several times and for that one, better food and service.  We do like the grills deck but mostly the awesome jacuzzi with the amazing unobstructed forward view.  

[Guest SilverHengroen]

5 hours ago, exlondoner said:

PG cabins on QV are miserable, though you might think the other perks worth it.

I think "miserable" would be one of the last words I'd associate with my trips in PG on QV & QE 🙂

 

As for Britannia club, I don't personally care for it. It usually looks really poor value compared to splashing out a bit more for Princess Grill, or having much the same experience in a regular balcony cabin (and/or putting the money saved towards dinners in an extra tariff venue). But then it seems there must be plenty who value flexible dining times enough for Cunard to add it to Queen Victoria, and expand it dramatically on Queen Anne. 

[roscoe39]

1 hour ago, Host Hattie said:

Still bigger than balcony cabins 

and miserable is a strong word when you are on the most beautiful ship afloat...

[MrsPeel55]

To me, there is one detail that made us not want to upgrade, 

There is this thing about where in the ship you will end up.

 

We chose our cabin on booking. 

If you are offered the upgrade and then you dislike the cabin they give  you in Club Category, you. can't refuse, they may send you to the category you had before but you may not be able to get the one you had initially....

 

My daughter (she is 27) her line of thought is the one @Pushpit points to, we can pay for another cruise with the money needed for the upgrade.... 

Edited July 14, 2023 by MrsPeel55

[Goldeye]

Is the dining room food the same with Britannia Club and Britannia Suite?

[WantedOnVoyage]

To be clear, this is some sort of "bidding" gimmick... the min. amount is just that so it doesn't mean you are going to be just upgraded for that amount. 

 

I got the same e-mail from Cunard today... for us, it's an upgrade to QG from PG and since we are happy with our QV Princess Grill  "miserable" (!) cabin and location... no thanks.  We rather like the idea of paying up front for what we like and afford than bait and switch by "bid," thanks very much. 

[david,Mississauga]

2 hours ago, Goldeye said:

Is the dining room food the same with Britannia Club and Britannia Suite?

My experience in the Club is twice  on the QM2. The daily menu appeared to be the same as Britannia but there is an à la carte menu at dinner, although not as extensive as the Grills. Each night there was a flambéed dessert offered in addition to what was on the menu.  

[NE John]

11 hours ago, exlondoner said:

PG cabins on QV are miserable, though you might think the other perks worth it.

I believe you mean the PG suites on Vistas are “miserable” vs PG suites on QM2?
The overall narrowness of the PG room and smallish bathrooms do look anemic vs the larger PG bathroom, living area, and balcony on QM2’s PG. I loved the space of PG on QM2. 
Yes, outdoor perks on Vista Grills areas do look more spiffy vs QM2’s kinda blah outdoor offering. 

[WantedOnVoyage]

Curious... I think the Britannia Club restaurants on QE and QV are, hands down, the best looking rooms in both ships... and far nicer than either of the Grills in appearance and attractiveness plus higher ceilings. But the Britannia Club restaurant on QM2 looks what it is... an improvised section off the impressive main Britannia Restaurant, low ceilinged and just really boring.  It's like a larger version of the children's dining rooms ships used to have attached to the main one. Instead of feeling special, it looks like you're shoved off to one side.  

 

We've never been tempted to do Britannia Club... I don't care for the cabin location on QE/QV at all and it's an "in between" that seems to fall into too many cracks to be satisfactory and on many cruises, it's extraordinarily expensive for what it offers. The set table is the big plus. 

[exlondoner]

12 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

Still bigger than balcony cabins 

Indeed, half as big again, but the extra is all length, not width, making the PGs seem long and narrow and gloomy, with no bigger a balcony. Also, because of the rounded bit that sticks out near the bed, it is hard to see the sea while in bed. I like to see the sea whenever possible.

[exlondoner]

11 hours ago, SilverHengroen said:

I think "miserable" would be one of the last words I'd associate with my trips in PG on QV & QE 🙂

 

As for Britannia club, I don't personally care for it. It usually looks really poor value compared to splashing out a bit more for Princess Grill, or having much the same experience in a regular balcony cabin (and/or putting the money saved towards dinners in an extra tariff venue). But then it seems there must be plenty who value flexible dining times enough for Cunard to add it to Queen Victoria, and expand it dramatically on Queen Anne. 

The cabins are miserable. Your emotions are obviously your own, though the cabin might affect them, if, for instance, like me, you are claustrophobic.

[exlondoner]

11 hours ago, roscoe39 said:

and miserable is a strong word when you are on the most beautiful ship afloat...

Why? You could be recently bereaved, or very seasick, or coming to realise you no longer like your travelling companion. All of these would make me worse than miserable, even on a Cunard ship. But in fact I said the PG cabins were miserable, by which I suppose I meant gloomy and disappointing, which, to me, they are, unlike the ones on QM2.

[Petulia]

19 hours ago, Goldeye said:

We currently have a Brittania balcony suite booked midship deck 6 with a larger balcony on the Queen Victoria. I just received an offer to bid on an upgrade for about 500.00pp on a Brittania Club suite. Is there any big advantage to upgrading? Or upgrading to a Princess Grill suite for 1200.00pp? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

 

 

 

Hi, I know the cabin(s) you are referring to as we have stayed in the starboard side one on QV. The balcony is much larger than the neighbouring Britannia cabins and the Princess Grills cabins next door and along the corridor back up to midships. 
 

For us it’s all about location and the position of Club balcony cabins forward on deck 8 under the pool decks aren’t quite so good. 

 

Regarding the upgrade to PG we have stayed stayed in those cabins a number of times, including the identical ones on P&O and Princess, and now find them to be a bit tired and dated, particularly the bathrooms. In the past couple of years Cunard seemed to have hiked up the PG prices dramatically and so we no longer find them good value. 
 

So to sum up, you already have a cabin in a great location like the grills cabins and have a much larger balcony, which was also supplied with two sunloungers and chairs when we stayed there. 
 

All IMO of course 😀

[foodsvcmgr]

Goldeye we are also on this sailing and twice have received the upgrade bid offers.

I enjoyed Club on QM2 but am concerned to lose the port side balcony we currently have as it seems all/most of the potential coastal views and scenic cruising will be from that side.

For that reason I suspect the upgrade cabins available will be starboard.

[GonzoWCS]

Thanks formal of the inputs here.  We received a similar upgrade offer on the QM2 and have a Britannia Balcony currently.  This is our first Cunard and think we will stay where we are.

 

Cheers

[Goldeye]

Thanks for the replies. Any extra money will we have go to specialty restaurants and tours instead.

[bitob]

I got offer to bid on penthouse from qg

 

i put in offer

 

you never know