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Is Cunard going downhill?


Fox trotter
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Boarded QM2 today and not off to a good start.

 

We are in Queens Grill and expected priority embarkation but we were sent to tha back of a very long queue. I asked one of the attendants if we were in the right queue and even showed our boarding passes. She assured us we were in the right queue, but we were seeing others bypassing the queue. After a while I asked another steward who advised us we should have bypassed the queue.

 

Next problem we had specifically asked for a table for two. The MD said I have a nice table for six. After 10 minutes arguing he suggested we have lunch on the 6 table and he would try and arrange something for dinner, so we now wait and see what happens. Unfortunately I am partially deaf and find it difficult to join in the table conversation, hence it he needs for table for 2.

 

Next we are asked to attend our muster station. We knew where to go, but two staff members directed us to the wrong station, before a third pointed us in the right direction. When we reached the correct station we were advised that we had already checked in, but we definitely hadn't.

 

Things can only get better, hopefully!

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We always said some combination of priority, Queens Grill, or in-transit as appropriate and those words seemed to be understood most of the time.  We did notice both in Southampton and Brooklyn there were few signs and mostly it was asking people where to go.  We did get wrong answers at times, and when we were directed to long lines we quickly asked someone else and got the better answer.

 

What is your World Club status level?  I'd hope that even if it is Silver but certainly Gold or higher you would get the two top without having to argue at all.  Still, the immediate right answer (and what Osman would have said) is "please sit here for lunch, I'll see what I can do tonight".  Should have been immediate response not a long discussion.  I think Osman is on vacation now.


I guess I'd say don't let these things stay on your mind, enjoy the trip!

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18 minutes ago, stan01 said:

We always said some combination of priority, Queens Grill, or in-transit as appropriate and those words seemed to be understood most of the time.  We did notice both in Southampton and Brooklyn there were few signs and mostly it was asking people where to go.  We did get wrong answers at times, and when we were directed to long lines we quickly asked someone else and got the better answer.

 

What is your World Club status level?  I'd hope that even if it is Silver but certainly Gold or higher you would get the two top without having to argue at all.  Still, the immediate right answer (and what Osman would have said) is "please sit here for lunch, I'll see what I can do tonight".  Should have been immediate response not a long discussion.  I think Osman is on vacation now.


I guess I'd say don't let these things stay on your mind, enjoy the trip!

We are gold status. I'm sure it was Osman we were talking to.

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1 minute ago, exlondoner said:

It beggars belief that the QG should argue about giving you the table size you require. I am amazed. I do hope it is sorted tonight.

Really? There are only so many different tables in there of each size, so I'd have thought it was almost inevitable that some would have to be placed on one that wasn't first choice? I'd be stunned if a Diamond or Platinum had to, but even that too could happen depending on the passenger roll. 

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2 minutes ago, King Amo said:

Really? There are only so many different tables in there of each size, so I'd have thought it was almost inevitable that some would have to be placed on one that wasn't first choice? I'd be stunned if a Diamond or Platinum had to, but even that too could happen depending on the passenger roll. 


 

No, the tables can mainly be moved and mixed and matched.

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5 minutes ago, exlondoner said:


 

No, the tables can mainly be moved and mixed and matched.

Sure, but not the large rounds. Agree that whipping a two off of a rectangular table made up of three two-tops would be relatively easy (even if the level of privacy may be questionable). 

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Posted (edited)
2 minutes ago, King Amo said:

Sure, but not the large rounds. Agree that whipping a two off of a rectangular table made up of three two-tops would be relatively easy (even if the level of privacy may be questionable). 

I’ve seen a large table completely removed on one of the Vistas. No that is not true. I didn’t see it removed, but it was there at lunch and gone at dinner.

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1 minute ago, exlondoner said:

I’ve seen a large table completely removed on one of the Vistas.

Fair do's, I bow to your experience here, and this may well happen in time for dinner (hopefully so for Fox trotter's sake). Not a chance should they do it over a lunch service though. 

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Table size is always on request, not guaranteed. Last time we were in QG we asked for a 6 and got a table for 2. There were obviously some changes between lunch and dinner as we had the same table number but it had moved !

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I've seen a large table removed from QM2 QG - just after lunch. They then shuffled over some small and medium tables and added a 4 top table (2 x 2 tops pushed together under a large tablecloth). It is easy to watch them doing it on that ship!

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Sorry you have had difficulties already. Would you consider a switch to anytime dining if a two top is not available on fixed dining? We easily got an anytime two top each time on QA recently. Hope the rest of your voyage is happier. 

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3 minutes ago, TowandaUK said:

Sorry you have had difficulties already. Would you consider a switch to anytime dining if a two top is not available on fixed dining? We easily got an anytime two top each time on QA recently. Hope the rest of your voyage is happier. 

Sorry just noticed you are in Queens grill. Hope you can get it sorted. 

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11 hours ago, Pushpit said:

I've seen a large table removed from QM2 QG - just after lunch. They then shuffled over some small and medium tables and added a 4 top table (2 x 2 tops pushed together under a large tablecloth). It is easy to watch them doing it on that ship!

Table configurations, as you say, are flexible. Table size has nothing to do with it.

The table set up in QG around us, apart from direct window two tops and the banquettes, is quite different from our May cruise.

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@Fox trotterWere they able to get you a two person table?  I saw on another forum that there was a mix up on the table size (reservation may have said you wanted table for 6 which is the default unless changed to 2).

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Yes we got a 2 person table which I think was squeezed in between two others, so very close together. Not really any better than the six seater. Had a quick look in Brittania restaurant and tables were much better spaced. Our previous cruise in Queen Elizabeth Queens Grill was much better.

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On 7/14/2024 at 5:26 PM, King Amo said:

Really? There are only so many different tables in there of each size, so I'd have thought it was almost inevitable that some would have to be placed on one that wasn't first choice? I'd be stunned if a Diamond or Platinum had to, but even that too could happen depending on the passenger roll. 

Without the WC status, there is a huge difference in £/$s which people pay for the suites. This is possibly even more so now, with some being in QG on bids, that are somewhat lower than the Cunard fares.

We love some of the Q6s aft or the Q4s, been Diamond for years and never had a window table yet. Had some close 2 tops and other lovely tables, but whatever, it is the ambience we enjoy along with the food.

If you are still on the ship Fox trotter, make sure you enjoy it: you will miss the service once home!

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I find it ludicrous in QG there are so many larger tables as it is clear,the majority want to dine at tables for two,they even cut down the larger tables on QV as nobody wanted them. I love meeting people,don't get me wrong but sometimes,trying to eat and talk is just bothersome, I leave the chatting when we are in the bar area.

we have also been put into the wrong queue (twice now)when boarding,clearly showing the woman assisting we were priority, it may seem trivial but when you are paying a lot of money,you expect things to be done correctly 

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Just now, jaypo63 said:

I find it ludicrous in QG there are so many larger tables as it is clear,the majority want to dine at tables for two,they even cut down the larger tables on QV as nobody wanted them. I love meeting people,don't get me wrong but sometimes,trying to eat and talk is just bothersome, I leave the chatting when we are in the bar area.

we have also been put into the wrong queue (twice now)when boarding,clearly showing the woman assisting we were priority, it may seem trivial but when you are paying a lot of money,you expect things to be done correctly 

Not quite sure what you mean.

On the Vistas and now, presently on QA, there are no 'set' large tables as table layouts  change with the request of passengers. If more passengers request large tables, then that’s what the layout shows.

If two tops are more popular, then that also is shown in the restaurant configuration.

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1 minute ago, Victoria2 said:

Not quite sure what you mean.

On the Vistas and now, presently on QA, there are no 'set' large tables as table layouts  change with the request of passengers. If more passengers request large tables, then that’s what the layout shows.

If two tops are more popular, then that also is shown in the restaurant configuration.

I was just about to say that it has always been my impression that the number of tables of difference sizes varies, depending on what passengers request.

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I was getting a bit worried as the pix online showed QA with a lot of big tables,or the bench seating,my OH said, don't want to be looking at the wall all the time.......cheek of it,he'd be looking at me 😳😂

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3 minutes ago, jaypo63 said:

I was getting a bit worried as the pix online showed QA with a lot of big tables,or the bench seating,my OH said, don't want to be looking at the wall all the time.......cheek of it,he'd be looking at me 😳😂

The banquettes are non negotiable. They are static features although I think the fact some passengers are disappointed with them has been noted.

 

There are those though, who like them so it remains to be seen what happens to them in a future refit.

The QA restaurant is growing on me, as is the ship in general, apart from its size and that too, is a static feature which can’t be changed even in a future refit 🥴.

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1 minute ago, jaypo63 said:

I was getting a bit worried as the pix online showed QA with a lot of big tables,or the bench seating,my OH said, don't want to be looking at the wall all the time.......cheek of it,he'd be looking at me 😳😂

We nearly cancelled our cruise in May the day before sailing for exactly that reason. But it didn’t turn out too badly, because we swapped places every meal, so I was only staring at a wall for half the time, and there was a sort of sideways view towards the end windows, so you could see the sea through there. 

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4 hours ago, Fox trotter said:

Yes we got a 2 person table which I think was squeezed in between two others, so very close together. Not really any better than the six seater. Had a quick look in Brittania restaurant and tables were much better spaced. Our previous cruise in Queen Elizabeth Queens Grill was much better.

 

Yes, almost all of the two tops on QM2 QG are close together.  The room is not big enough to do something different while accommodating all of the passengers who want two tops.  Princess Grill tables are spaced out a little more than QG.

 

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7 minutes ago, stan01 said:

 

Yes, almost all of the two tops on QM2 QG are close together.  The room is not big enough to do something different while accommodating all of the passengers who want two tops.  Princess Grill tables are spaced out a little more than QG.

 

It’s obvious really, in any of the restaurants.

A large table has a relatively small footprint compared with well spaced two tops so if the majority of tables are two tops, then they are going to be 'close' as opposed to being spaced.

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