Queens Grill Gratuity

[DA-DG]

Looking for some advice on how to tip in the Queen Grill.  The current package from Cunard is 16.5 per person a day (included in the fare).  Is this reasonable?  It seems low given the level of service.  Also, does anyone know how much goes to hotel vs wait staff members?

[Victoria2]

Onboard at the moment.

From the UK, grats aren’t included in our fare and paying,  or not, the grats/ service charge is a personal and somewhat contentious subject so I will just say we keep the auto grats on and very discreetly give envelope each to our wait staff, head waiter and occasionally, the M'd. We also do this for cabin staff too.

To say they help make our holiday, is an understatement and we show our appreciation of that.

Others will remove grats and give, or not, personally to the members of staff they interact with.

 

It is an entirely personal choice. I am aiming to ask about distribution before we disembark if I see someone I can discuss it with rather than just get a blanket reply from the front desk.

[exlondoner]

Pay the $16.5 and that is it. There is absolutely no need to give anything further. As  V2 says, if they have been brilliant, you might want to give something extra to some, but, for me, that has to be something out of the ordinary, like having to bring every meal when I had Covid and never seeming to mind.

[Pushpit]

6 hours ago, DA-DG said:

Is this reasonable?  It seems low given the level of service.  Also, does anyone know how much goes to hotel vs wait staff members?

"Is this reasonable?" is a subjective question which only you can answer. Some people will add their own direct tips, some people will not, some do occasionally, some people remove the auto-tip and won't tip at all. I gather some people make a voluntary additional auto-tip at the Purser's Desk. Different cultures approach the question differently and on an objective level there isn't a right or wrong, subjectively one approach or another may work for you.

 

The auto-tip (Hotel Service Charge) is currently in a "Tronc" system which gets divided up between all staff on board (below a certain senior management level, but the Head Chef is in the Tronc). So that means your Hotel Service Charge will also go to (for example) the guys and gals that paint and renovate the ship, who probably won't get a personal tip.

 

https://www.cunard.com/en-gb/the-cunard-experience/service-charges

Edited July 30, 2023 by Pushpit

[Se1lad]

You’ll also be paying the service charge on any drinks you purchase 

[exlondoner]

37 minutes ago, Pushpit said:

"Is this reasonable?" is a subjective question which only you can answer. Some people will add their own direct tips, some people will not, some do occasionally, some people remove the auto-tip and won't tip at all. I gather some people make a voluntary additional auto-tip at the Purser's Desk. Different cultures approach the question differently and on an objective level there isn't a right or wrong, subjectively one approach or another may work for you.

 

The auto-tip (Hotel Service Charge) is currently in a "Tronc" system which gets divided up between all staff on board (below a certain senior management level, but the Head Chef is in the Tronc). So that means your Hotel Service Charge will also go to (for example) the guys and gals that paint and renovate the ship, who probably won't get a personal tip.

 

https://www.cunard.com/en-gb/the-cunard-experience/service-charges

I didn’t realise it went to the painters and maintenance people as well. That is good. Incidentally, I have never seen a female painter on board.

[exlondoner]

I think the important thing to remember is that a Cunard ship is not a suburb of New York or London or Tokyo, so what you do there is not what you do aboard. It is its own place with its own system.

[RJChatsworth]

This is a tricky subject.  We are just off QG on a QM-2 B2B to New York.  We always leave the auto-grat on and give extra only for exceptional service.  
 

Osman was on holiday and there was a relief Maitre d’.  We just couldn’t warm to him and he never smiled.  He once in 14 days walked us to our seat.  On a second occasion he came from behind his podium to do so until he saw passengers from the Q1-4 end come into the restaurant and left us.  We don’t really want to be escorted into the restaurant but that is not the point.  It had been noted by others as well that he concentrated his efforts on certain tables, almost always those of US passengers as far as we could judge.  Other examples were talking to them endlessly, relieving the Head Waiter of his flambé duties in favour of himself and at lunchtime asking them in particular whether they wanted a special meal that evening and not asking anyone else like those in the Q5 section at the rear of the restaurant.  I wonder why this was?  They couldn’t all have been related to him.

 

I did see one passenger thrust money into his hand even before we sailed.  I note this giving of extra tips is not so discrete these days as if some are saying we auto-tip but look at us now!
 

On QV a few years ago I had just started a conversation with a PG Maitre d’ when we were interrupted by someone giving him a tip.  He seemed so embarrassed he wanted to talk about it.  He said he was salaried and well paid and the money should be given to those poorly paid behind the scenes.

 

The tables in the Q5 end of the restaurant were poorly spaced, about 6 inches for many of them.  This is far worse that PG and Britannia Club.  At the other end of the QG restaurant they are wide-spaced. As Osman once told me if you want to be nearer the entrance to the restaurant you have to pay more for your stateroom. Thera are some 6 cabin categories in the QG so it’s always go into be a bit hierarchical.  This is not the case in PG where there are only two categories and the passengers seem more integrated.

[exlondoner]

9 minutes ago, RJChatsworth said:

This is a tricky subject.  We are just off QG on a QM-2 B2B to New York.  We always leave the auto-grat on and give extra only for exceptional service.  
 

Osman was on holiday and there was a relief Maitre d’.  We just couldn’t warm to him and he never smiled.  He once in 14 days walked us to our seat.  On a second occasion he came from behind his podium to do so until he saw passengers from the Q1-4 end come into the restaurant and left us.  We don’t really want to be escorted into the restaurant but that is not the point.  It had been noted by others as well that he concentrated his efforts on certain tables, almost always those of US passengers as far as we could judge.  Other examples were talking to them endlessly, relieving the Head Waiter of his flambé duties in favour of himself and at lunchtime asking them in particular whether they wanted a special meal that evening and not asking anyone else like those in the Q5 section at the rear of the restaurant.  I wonder why this was?  They couldn’t all have been related to him.

 

I did see one passenger thrust money into his hand even before we sailed.  I note this giving of extra tips is not so discrete these days as if some are saying we auto-tip but look at us now!
 

On QV a few years ago I had just started a conversation with a PG Maitre d’ when we were interrupted by someone giving him a tip.  He seemed so embarrassed he wanted to talk about it.  He said he was salaried and well paid and the money should be given to those poorly paid behind the scenes.

 

The tables in the Q5 end of the restaurant were poorly spaced, about 6 inches for many of them.  This is far worse that PG and Britannia Club.  At the other end of the QG restaurant they are wide-spaced. As Osman once told me if you want to be nearer the entrance to the restaurant you have to pay more for your stateroom. Thera are some 6 cabin categories in the QG so it’s always go into be a bit hierarchical.  This is not the case in PG where there are only two categories and the passengers seem more integrated.

All interesting. I really cannot see any distinction between a tip in advance and a bribe. 
 

We’ve travelled in QG on QM2 in Q5s and Q6s (all these Qs!) a number of times. I had no idea there was a Q5 end of the restaurant. Once we were near the entrance (by far the worst), once we were next to the window, once we were in the middle, and once we were at the back of the indentation. I’m not sure what this means. Where is the Q5 end?

[RJChatsworth]

There was a concentration of Q5’s at rear of restaurant by the open deck.  Interestingly on the way out to NY in the corner table by the open deck was a guy who on formal nights was displaying about a 12 inch bar of medals.  He also had a large Star shaped medal around his neck.  He was getting the attention and we wondered whether he was a knight of the realm.

[exlondoner]

3 minutes ago, RJChatsworth said:

There was a concentration of Q5’s at rear of restaurant by the open deck.  Interestingly on the way out to NY in the corner table by the open deck was a guy who on formal nights was displaying about a 12 inch bar of medals.  He also had a large Star shaped medal around his neck.  He was getting the attention and we wondered whether he was a knight of the realm.

That would be absolutely my ideal place, but we’ve never been there.

Were the 12ins of medals miniatures? If not, rather ostentatious. If so, a hero indeed.

[RJChatsworth]

Yes, I agree, even though a bit squeezed in.  Don’t remember about the medals but there were many and the bar was level with the end of his shoulder.

 

We were first allocated a not very nice table in the indentation, particularly so we considered, because of the number of times we’d been on Cunard. I requested a move by the relief Maitre d’ but perhaps I made a mistake in asking the whereabouts of Osman.  He said he’d look into a move for us.  A day later I reminded him as we hadn’t heard from him.  We then turned down a share and accepted a table for 2 at the rear of the restaurant.  A few days later he told us we would be moved in NY as he was changing two tables for 2 with a round table for 6.  
 

In NY we were moved a row forward but the table for 6 didn’t materialise.  Instead 3 tables for two spaced so you couldn’t walk between them.  We therefore benefitted from that move.

[NE John]

5 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

Onboard at the moment.

From the UK, grats aren’t included in our fare and paying,  or not, the grats/ service charge is a personal and somewhat contentious subject so I will just say we keep the auto grats on and very discreetly give envelope each to our wait staff, head waiter and occasionally, the M'd. We also do this for cabin staff too.

To say they help make our holiday, is an understatement and we show our appreciation of that.

Others will remove grats and give, or not, personally to the members of staff they interact with.

 

It is an entirely personal choice. I am aiming to ask about distribution before we disembark if I see someone I can discuss it with rather than just get a blanket reply from the front desk.

Follow-up on Grills perks for UK’ers: do you get any perks for the Grills premium?

I went on the UK Cunard site last month “whilst” I was in England and may have noticed parking or some sort of transfer that is a Grils perk? 
If you get nothing while we get Drinks and Grats, that’s unfair. 

[exlondoner]

3 minutes ago, NE John said:

Follow-up on Grills perks for UK’ers: do you get any perks for the Grills premium?

I went on the UK Cunard site last month “whilst” I was in England and may have noticed parking or some sort of transfer that is a Grils perk? 
If you get nothing while we get Drinks and Grats, that’s unfair. 

The obc/parking/transfer is not a Grills perk. It is associated with booking the Cunard Fare. We get the cabin bar but usually no other drinks.

Edited July 30, 2023 by exlondoner

[Victoria2]

5 minutes ago, NE John said:

Follow-up on Grills perks for UK’ers: do you get any perks for the Grills premium?

I went on the UK Cunard site last month “whilst” I was in England and may have noticed parking or some sort of transfer that is a Grils perk? 
If you get nothing while we get Drinks and Grats, that’s unfair. 

No particular  perks but as Q G'rillers, we get the butler and also the bar set up. Which of course everyone does but as pricing/ booking t&cs is so variable between the booking countries, it’s hard to define unfair. We’re more than content with the deal we have hen booking so I’ll leave that hot potato to others. 🙂

Edited July 30, 2023 by Victoria2

[NE John]

Same benefits as non-UK’ers for QG, according to the US site. 

[DA-DG]

Helpful responses!  Thank you all for the advice.

[techteach]

@RJChatsworth rumor on another thread is that Osman is moving to Queen Anne. Can you describe the new Maitre ‘D? A large blond man or a tall thin man? I suspected one or the other would be replacing Osman. We’ve wondered about seating assignments in the past. We’ve been window (Q4) and 2nd from window (Q5) both times middle of the restaurant. Both nice tables. We didn’t ever notice Osman ignoring tables, but at lunch always inquiring if he could prepare something special.

[Victoria2]

5 minutes ago, techteach said:

@RJChatsworth rumor on another thread is that Osman is moving to Queen Anne. Can you describe the new Maitre ‘D? A large blond man or a tall thin man? I suspected one or the other would be replacing Osman. We’ve wondered about seating assignments in the past. We’ve been window (Q4) and 2nd from window (Q5) both times middle of the restaurant. Both nice tables. We didn’t ever notice Osman ignoring tables, but at lunch always inquiring if he could prepare something special.

I have no idea which restaurant he would move to, but it won’t be QG on QA. I have  been told who it will be but won’t reveal, just yet until I get further confirmation.

What I will say is thirty percent of staff from each ship will join Anne, with the remaining ten I presume, being new to Cunard, and they will board in April in order to bond, before the Maiden.

Sadly for us, the staff we have a 'bond' with, will be staying on QV. Darn it!

[techteach]

Interesting @Victoria2. The rumor mill has been wrong before. Guess we’ll wait and see.

[RJChatsworth]

Indian guy I guess. We didn’t know him.  He was rarely at the entrance podium when you arrived or left. Didn’t look at you and muttered a low level ‘Hello’ if he spoke at all.  I was told he was a relief Maitre d’ to cover all restaurants.

 

On outward journey there were many Americans where we were seated but they all disembarked in favour of Brits on the way back from NY and then he was rarely seen. The US citizens might have a different view as he was probably quite visible to them.  I don’t know why.

 

I  didn’t hear the rumour about Osman moving to QA.  However, one of the Head Waiters (I won’t identify him) with whom we got on very well said he’d had enough after a long spell on QM-2 and had been accepted for a transfer to QG on QA next year.  He might be following Osman or fed up he wasn’t asked to act up to Maitre d’ in QG.  Who knows!

 

The acting M d’ is, in my opinion, certainly no Osman who is away until September!

[Windsurfboy]

Firstly ,If this MD favoured US  passengers , multiple reasons,  but the fact that the US tipping culture encompasses tipping the MD not only waiters,  is what springs to mind. Some may say cynical .

 

As I've said before,  the best service is always in those countries and hotels that dont expect a tip. Or those hotels that make it clear that, we are a team , service above and beyond what you should expect,  individual members of staff do not expect tips .

 

Secondly,  I  don't think there is a  Q5 ghetto in QG. Standard sized rooms Q5 and Q6 make up 85% of QG. There are not that many Q1 to Q4. Q4 and above have paid well over the odds so I don't begrudge them a bit of pampering. In the same way all of QG expects more attention than Brittania. 

 

 

[ajpeter]

This will be our first on cunard. Yes, we know about the class system when it comes to restaurants/Grills. But then even have class hierarchie within one restaurant is somewhat sad. Or should we be happy/lucky to have booked a Q3 and therefor a 'better' table. Well i guess at least we all get the same quality of food.

Happy cruising to all

[Victoria2]

1 hour ago, ajpeter said:

This will be our first on cunard. Yes, we know about the class system when it comes to restaurants/Grills. But then even have class hierarchie within one restaurant is somewhat sad. Or should we be happy/lucky to have booked a Q3 and therefor a 'better' table. Well i guess at least we all get the same quality of food.

Happy cruising to all

I don’t know which ship you’re sailing on, but on Victoria, and I would imagine Elizabeth too, there are tables deemed to be more desirable and they are usually the window tables. However, not every passenger can be seated by the window however much they might want.
 

Working out the seating plan must be a nightmare for staff, as shown by those asking to swop to a window table before the first lunch. There is a very loose seating plan eg 1sand2s generally get tables for two ( if asked for) by the window in the smaller area of the restaurant, but to call it class hierarchy is pushing it.

[tv24]

This is a total mine field with different cultural tipping habits, different gratuities included packages on board, and different experiences with service in QG.  Recently we sailed on QM2 on a crossing and had grats included.  We are from the US, a tipping culture, so are used to tipping.  The service we received in QG was adequate, nothing special.  Same with the service in the stateroom.  We felt a little shake down on the last day as our stateroom attendant was hovering, so we gave him and his assistant a little extra.  Then we went to QG for breakfast and as we left it seemed as though the wait staff were also hovering.  We did not hand over any envelopes as we were not all that impressed and witnessed a bunch of frowns.  Not White Star Service.  Just weird.  Like I started, a total mine field.