CUNARD - So Much Best and a little Worst

[Winifred 22]

1 hour ago, MrsPeel55 said:

 

curious about this too...

 

you mean when waiters come to the table and announce the dish expecting the person who ordered to confirm it is to go to their place on the table?

 

Well if that’s what it means I would have no issue with that however I have never sat a table when the group wasn’t family friends or colleagues and I don’t do high end dining at home so perhaps this is not a thing? Certainly the chains or pubs I have eaten in have done this before. 

[Wonky]

18 hours ago, foodsvcmgr said:

However was informed by the onboard sales folks that QV will be using Starlink by mid month, the fiber optic cables are in and just waiting for the new satellite transmitter.

Great news! We board on the 19th so will update. Anyone experienced Starlink on QM2?

[majortom10]

13 hours ago, richstowe said:

Well perhaps outside of big cities in Britain and small villages in India but compared to other cruise brands it is cheap . 🍺 Cheers .

If they tried to sell cans/bottles of beer for $8 about £6 approx in many pubs in the UK they wouldn't sell and would soon close down. That is why many Brits think the drinks prices on Cunard are high obviously not as high in America/Canada.

Edited September 2, 2023 by majortom10

[Wonky]

Blimey Major, think maybe you haven’t been out for a while. I live in Southampton and although you can get a cheap beer in student bars or ‘Spoons most nice bars will be more than £6 now. And no sea view!

[MrsPeel55]

53 minutes ago, Winifred 22 said:

Well if that’s what it means I would have no issue with that however I have never sat a table when the group wasn’t family friends or colleagues and I don’t do high end dining at home so perhaps this is not a thing? Certainly the chains or pubs I have eaten in have done this before. 

 

oh I have. no issue either, was just curious and that was first thing that came to mind.  

Edited September 2, 2023 by MrsPeel55

[exlondoner]

8 minutes ago, Wonky said:

Blimey Major, think maybe you haven’t been out for a while. I live in Southampton and although you can get a cheap beer in student bars or ‘Spoons most nice bars will be more than £6 now. And no sea view!

Yes, you have to consider the view, the fact you are at sea, are served at your table, the live musical accompaniment (at times), and the free canapés (if you are lucky). 

[bananavan]

20 hours ago, WantedOnVoyage said:

Pleased you were pleased....

 

The beer prices are cheaper than most "happy hours" in the U.S.   Nothing beats a San Miguel in the Commodore Club sailing out of Stockholm through the archipelago.  And unlike the Grills Lounge, the crisps are not stale shards. 

 

Me... I just like to see another Expos fan .. like QE2, they date from 1969!

 

 

Well, well, well, another Expos fan. Went to the second home game in 1969. Little did I know that my husband was there too but we did not meet until the end of June 1969. 🙂

[fourmile.ranch]

On 9/1/2023 at 6:28 AM, seasickphil said:

 

What beers were less than $6 please. Were they a special as i can't remember any being that price.

Glad you had a lovely time, we will be on her again next month.

Tanglefoot was the previous special at $4.50 as the lot was approaching 'Best By' date. I assume Lookout Stout from Haines Brewing will be the next special as QE transitions further from Alaska. Lobster Rolls have been the pub special since we boarded with a $10 supplement.

[carlmm]

On 9/1/2023 at 4:08 PM, richstowe said:

I was wrong . I meant less then $7 . Here's a pic taken from the pub menu .I hope you can read it.

 

Do have pictures of the other pages, too, and if so, would you be so nice to post them?

[Desert Cruisers]

On 9/1/2023 at 11:30 PM, MrsPeel55 said:

 

curious about this too...

 

you mean when waiters come to the table and announce the dish expecting the person who ordered to confirm it is to go to their place on the table?

 

"Auctioning" can be asking the person to claim the announced dish.  It can also include actually serving the wrong dishes to the wrong person at the table or even the wrong table.  Well-trained service teams are taught how to keep track of who gets what dish.

 

I have been a "mystery diner" for a large American restaurant company with restaurants ranging from casual to fine dining.  One thing that they looked for was "auctioning" especially at their fine dining establishments.  Cunard promotes itself in such a way that one should expect a certain level of fine dining especially in the evening. If it is just a pub or casual restaurant, then why all the fuss about dress code?  If I dress formally, I expect more than a pub experience [which can be pleasurable but not when I'm in formal attire].

 

I've followed the discussion of of beer/ale prices with interest.  I live in Las Vegas where drink prices on the Strip are HIGH.  Found the prices for all alcohol on the QE to be reasonable as compared with the Strip hotels and restaurants.  Yes, it's more expensive than a favorite local place but it's not out of line with resorts and upmarket hotels.

 

[MrsPeel55]

43 minutes ago, Desert Cruisers said:

"Auctioning" can be asking the person to claim the announced dish.  It can also include actually serving the wrong dishes to the wrong person at the table or even the wrong table.  Well-trained service teams are taught how to keep track of who gets what dish.

 

I have been a "mystery diner" for a large American restaurant company with restaurants ranging from casual to fine dining.  One thing that they looked for was "auctioning" especially at their fine dining establishments.  Cunard promotes itself in such a way that one should expect a certain level of fine dining especially in the evening. If it is just a pub or casual restaurant, then why all the fuss about dress code?  If I dress formally, I expect more than a pub experience [which can be pleasurable but not when I'm in formal attire].

 

I've followed the discussion of of beer/ale prices with interest.  I live in Las Vegas where drink prices on the Strip are HIGH.  Found the prices for all alcohol on the QE to be reasonable as compared with the Strip hotels and restaurants.  Yes, it's more expensive than a favorite local place but it's not out of line with resorts and upmarket hotels.

 

 

hey.  @Desert Cruisers    thanks for the explanation 🙂 ... I understand, and yes, agree, Cunard's overall promise is of a higher class of treatment/experience.

 

About the beers (and the whole list of drinks in the bars we looked up online on My Cunard) also agree. So much that we had thought about going alcohol free for the duration, the drinks package would get lost on us because I can't drink that much with all medication I take, but precisely because the prices are good we decided to visit the bars as many as we can in the week we'll be on board.

 

I know we live in central London (and in one of the supposed to be upper class area, so drinks tend to be more expensive) but not only the prices aren't too high for us...we have family & friends in Nottingham, Sheffield, Shrewsbury and Leeds, they agree that Cunard's prices are not too expensive, if we consider that they (once again) promise a luxury experience... 

Anyway, so looking forward to step into the Cunard world this week...!!! 

Edited September 3, 2023 by MrsPeel55

[Host Hattie]

I've never heard of the expression and I've not experienced it on Cunard. Servers will usually tell you the name of the dish as they place it on the table but that's not the same as not knowing who is having which dish. A common problem at large family gatherings !

[Winifred 22]

No still doesn’t bother me. I would only ever be on a table with my family or by myself so not relevant I suppose but even if I was with a group of friends or colleagues  I don’t have a problem but again I am never likely to go to fine dining establishment so don’t really know what the standard is. As long as the service is friendly,  timely  and efficient I am good. 

[richstowe]

5 hours ago, carlmm said:

Do have pictures of the other pages, too, and if so, would you be so nice to post them?

Here's a few 

[richstowe]

And Golden Lion menu. Highly recommend the duck wings,lamb shank and excellent burgers. The service was hit or miss 

[Desert Cruisers]

5 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

I've never heard of the expression and I've not experienced it on Cunard. Servers will usually tell you the name of the dish as they place it on the table but that's not the same as not knowing who is having which dish. A common problem at large family gatherings !

We hadn't really experienced it on Cunard until this recent trip on the QE.  Servers sometimes didn't announce the name of the dish but just plopped it down in front of the person.  It was up to the individual to announce that they had been served the wrong dish. There was just something off about service in the MDR on the QE. Hoping for better experience on our October QM2 voyage to Europe.

[techteach]

Oh, I hope you are all wrong…there shouldn’t be confusion about who gets what, at least not in any restaurant on Cunard, IMHO. I’ve never heard the term “auction” and I hope I don’t ever have the experience on a Cunard ship. Waiters are trained to remember the order of each diner and to not remember should be an embarrassment. It has never happened to us in QG QM2. I hope it doesn’t happen on QE or we may not be sailing to Sydney on her. I might become a TA Queen!

[Mareblu]

On 9/1/2023 at 8:14 PM, TowandaUK said:

Thank you for this. As we have booked our first Cunard cruise next May it is reassuring to read your comments. It confirms we have chosen the right line to transfer to from Celebrity. We are going on Anne, so I’m hoping internet may have improved on the new ship. 

We are also sailing on QA next May.  We have chosen to do so because of our truly enjoyable experience on QE (three weeks sailing to New Zealand and Tasmania from Sydney, return).  It was our first Cunard experience, and we resolved then and there to ensure it wasn't our last.  Are you also doing the "British Isles" cruise?

[Wonky]

7 hours ago, richstowe said:

And Golden Lion menu. Highly recommend the duck wings,lamb shank and excellent burgers. The service was hit or miss 

No fish and chips 😞 

[Host Hattie]

8 minutes ago, Wonky said:

No fish and chips 😞 

From a previous discussion, this is the Dinner menu,  Fish and Chips is available at lunchtime 

[Wonky]

Just now, Host Hattie said:

From a previous discussion, this is the Dinner menu,  Fish and Chips is available at lunchtime 

Phew!!😋

[carlmm]

10 hours ago, richstowe said:

Here's a few 

Thank you very much. That is very helpful.

[Winifred 22]

Does the Golden Lion do a dinner menu ? I am sure I have not seen that on QV or QM2 Been on QM2 3 times since June ? Wondered where my favourites were. My embarkation day ritual is Golden Lion Chicken curry. 

[Host Hattie]

7 minutes ago, Winifred 22 said:

Does the Golden Lion do a dinner menu ? I am sure I have not seen that on QV or QM2 Been on QM2 3 times since June ? Wondered where my favourites were. My embarkation day ritual is Golden Lion Chicken curry. 

On Queen Elizabeth it does

[Winifred 22]

Just now, Host Hattie said:

On Queen Elizabeth it does

Oh great thank you that explains it.I was last on QE just after the restart before she went back to Australia and to resume her normal itineraries.