P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

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CaroleF
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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#76

Post by CaroleF »

Fascinating! Maybe I can convince John to try Cunard again.


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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#77

Post by Midlandslass »

GillD46 wrote: 15 May 2019, 09:19
Midlandslass wrote: 15 May 2019, 08:36
Maybe your inner snob calling to you :lol:
Seriously, friends of ours who regularly travel Cunard have taken a couple of Caribbean fly cruises on P&O and first thing they commented on was the “tattoo and vest brigade”.
We will be in 5191 (QV) in July and looking forward to the wonderful wake view with an iced drink from the mini bar. Maybe that’s my inner snob ;)
5191 is our favourite: we’ve had that one several times. 4191 too.
Yes, it was very kind of Cunard to downgrade these wonderful aft cabins :)

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Mervyn and Trish
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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#78

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

Okay so this afternoon the steward turned up on the upper terrace offering ice cream. I'm hooked.

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Stephen
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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#79

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Mervyn and Trish wrote: 16 May 2019, 15:42
Okay so this afternoon the steward turned up on the upper terrace offering ice cream. I'm hooked.
I've heard you'll do anything for a 99 :D

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GillD46
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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#80

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Mervyn and Trish wrote: 16 May 2019, 15:42
Okay so this afternoon the steward turned up on the upper terrace offering ice cream. I'm hooked.
We have been known to go to the Grill’s deck just before 3pm for just that :lol:
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Gill W
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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#81

Post by Gill W »

Happydays wrote: 11 May 2019, 15:23
We used to like Azura but after our last one in the Caribbean last year I wouldn't be in a hurry to go on her again :(
When on FO in January lots of people had the drinks package and we never noticed the type of behaviour you have mentioned.
I was on FO Balmoral last year, and people wandering round with a glass wasn't a 'thing'. Also, we've just come back from CMV Columbus, and there weren't people wandering round with glasses all the time. I think it's probably because the FO and CMV drinks packages are at a reasonable cost and people don'tfeel the need to drink 24/7 to get their money's worth!

We are on Azura in September, so I'll be curious to see what happens.
Gill

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Stephen
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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#82

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We like Azura and am on her again next year.

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Mervyn and Trish
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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#83

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

Yes we still love her. Hope it's a one off. We'll be interested to hear from others sbout different cruises. It may be a short cruise thing.

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Kenmo1
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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#84

Post by Kenmo1 »

We are on the one immediately following the April refit, 14 nights, so hope it is ok. I think the Easter holiday one was cancelled to bring forward the refit so hopefully not too many children/teenagers on there then.

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Manoverboard
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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#85

Post by Manoverboard »

Stephen wrote: 16 May 2019, 16:32
Mervyn and Trish wrote: 16 May 2019, 15:42
Okay so this afternoon the steward turned up on the upper terrace offering ice cream. I'm hooked.
I've heard you'll do anything for a 99 :D
Naah …. it was a 69 :roll:
Keep smiling, it's good for your well being

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Mervyn and Trish
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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#86

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

Back home. Comparison coming soon. Along with the diet.

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GillD46
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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#87

Post by GillD46 »

Looking forward to reading your thoughts. Welcome back.
Gill

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Dancing Queen
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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#88

Post by Dancing Queen »

GillD46 wrote: 19 May 2019, 19:18
Looking forward to reading your thoughts. Welcome back.
And me !!

Whilst I would never 'knock' P&O because we have had some wonderful cruises with them I know we made the right decision to ditch them and return to Cunard.
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Mervyn and Trish
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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

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Post by Mervyn and Trish »

So here goes. The results of our survey. This will come in bite sized chunks. Unlike the Princess Grills Duck A L'Orange, which was massive! More on that later.

As a reminder neither of these trips was our norm. Our greatest aspiration before was a Superior Deluxe Balcony Cabin on P&O or a mini-suite on Princess Cruises, which are both pretty much the same thing.

For this trip we wished to revisit Azura, our current favourite P&O ship, and we found a seven-nighter taking in Cherborg, La Coruna, Santander and Guernsey. Two brand new ports for us and two where we planned to do things we'd not done before. Our original plan was to book our normal cabin, but we booked early and found we could get a mid-ships suite for £1329 each. So we did.

Then we fancied trying either Queen Victoria or Elizabeth, having only been on QE2 and QM2 before. We spotted QV was doing 7 nights in the Fjords departing just one day after our Azura return, so we booked that too, also booking early, and getting it for £1994 each in the Princess Grills. Now that is less than £100 each below what we paid for two weeks in a SDB on the Britannia Maiden. But we decided to do it anyway.

The plans was to do some excursions from Azura, but just wander in the QV ports, all but one of whiuch were familiar to us, and to spend the time enjoying the Grills facilities.

We got a healthy chunk of OBC on both ships so we grabbed that and booked the Southampton Hilton for an overnight stay before, another one between the two trips and car parking.

So to begin with boarding. We got priority on both ships courtesy of our cabin choice (and also our loyalty level on P&O). Our boarding times were listed as 12.30 in both cases. Both times we were there by 12.00 and on board straight away.

The experience differed becasue we were directed to the priority lunch on P&O while we awaited cabins. In fact they were ready by around 1.15, pretty much the time we'd finished eating. There was no evidence of the expected Butler to escort us but we know our way round and found the cabin ourselves. The butler arrived to introduce himself a little later, along with the Steward.

On Cunard the cabin was ready as we boarded so it was straight there and settle in. We hadn't twigged that the Grills Restaurant was open for lunch (lesson learned!) so we grabbed a very small snack in the buffet. Our first impression of that (and to be fair we didn't see much of it later in the week) was that it was much less frenetic than on Azura. I think that may be a feature of having far fewer passengers than anything else. Then we headed to the Grills area to have our first nosy around and check out our table. We got the requested table for 2, right by the window, set at 45 degrees so we both had a view straight out. Lovely. In fact we had the impression that any struggle in the Grills is to get a larger table, rather than the tables for 2, which are the gold dust in the MDRs.

We had copious quantities of fizz in the cabins on both ships. We never quite worked out why we got so much but, with an anniversary gift on Azura, we totalled 4 and a half bottles across the fortnight.

Finally in this instalment the cabins. A win for P&O. The Azura midships suite would be a Q3 on QV. Square, two normal cabins wide, with walk in show and separate whirl pool bath, and a door between that and the toilet and washbasin in a separate room, making it possible for one person to use the loo while the other is showering or bathing. And more space to move around.

The Princess Grills mini-suite is still lovely, but longer and thinner and the same layout as the Azura SDB's. The one fault is the dressing table is close to one side of the bed making it hard for one person to access their drawers and getr ready while the other is slapping on the makeup. Since the latter is always Trish it is a mystery to me that I have never yet succeeded in booking one of these cabins with the dressing table her side. I'm sure they alternate down the corridor but I've never cracked it.

Of course both cabins on both ships come with robes, slippers and upgraded toiletries. Both also get a fruit bowl, that on QV being replenished daily. Azura gets the usual two small bottles of water, then it's pay as you go. QV gets a big bottle, replaced free as you use it. Azura gets daily canapes. Azura gets normal room service, except the Butler lays it out for you. QV has room service from the Grills menu if required. Both have a mini-bar stuffed with drinks at daft prices - rather more daft on QV, in common with the rest of the ship. By the way on Cunard you have to be Queens Grills to get a butler, but we did have a share in a concierge.

The balcony furniture is nicer on QV, but still not over comfortable. You get a table and chairs as well as recliners on the Azura Suite balcony, which is of course wider. The Princess balcony is not overlooked, like the equivalent cabins on Azura, but is smaller. Quite adequate for us though, when you consider what awaits upstairs.

Oh another finally! Muster Drill. Same procedure and same script for the captain on both lines. Scanned in so no escape. And I can report that both lines have passengers for whom the line "please do not put on your lifejackets yet, please just watch the demonstration" apparently does not compute and the first few instructions are drowned out in the roar of ripping velcro!

To be continued.

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david63
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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#90

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Mervyn and Trish wrote: 20 May 2019, 14:39
two where we planned to do things we'd not done before
Too much information :D :D

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Stephen
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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#91

Post by Stephen »

Mervyn and Trish wrote: 20 May 2019, 14:39
Oh another finally! Muster Drill. Same procedure and same script for the captain on both lines. Scanned in so no escape. And I can report that both lines have passengers for whom the line "please do not put on your lifejackets yet, please just watch the demonstration" apparently does not compute and the first few instructions are drowned out in the roar of ripping velcro!

To be continued.

You do wonder what goes through some peoples head when they can't follow simple instructions :roll:

Enjoying the review.
Last edited by Stephen on 20 May 2019, 15:35, edited 2 times in total.

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david63
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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

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Stephen wrote: 20 May 2019, 15:34
You do wonder what goes through some peoples head when they can't follow simple instructions
Nothing - and that is the problem!

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Mervyn and Trish
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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#93

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

The same applies to lifts. I do think compulsory lift instruction should follow muster.

1. A button with a down arrow should be pressed if you wish to go down.

2. A button with an up arrow should be pressed if you wish to go up.

3. Pressing all the buttons simply annoys other passengers in lifts which stop unnecessarily.

4. An illuminated up arrow indicates a lift is going up.

5. An illuminated down arrow indicates a lift going down.

6. There is no need to ask passengers in the lift which has just arrived which way they are going. Look at the arrows. See 4 and 5 above.. They will be very annoyed if they are going down and you are going up but have pressed all the buttons. See 3 above.

7. Half of them probably don't know anyway. They are going down to go up. Or up to go down.

8. Passengers going up to go down or down to go up, will be sent down the gangway at the next port and not allowed to go up again.

9. Passengers who breach any of these instructions will have their foreheads tattoo'd for identification and will be barred from the lifts for the rest of the cruise. They may go down the stairs to go up, or up the stairs to go down as often as they please.

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Stephen
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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#94

Post by Stephen »

And that includes wheel chair users :D

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Manoverboard
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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#95

Post by Manoverboard »

Our one and only P&O Butler was appreciated but one's ( shared ) Concierge on Calamity had far more ranging powers.
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GillD46
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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#96

Post by GillD46 »

Did you notice that the lift pings once for up and twice for down? Maybe it’s the same on P&O, it’s been some time so I can’t remember.
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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

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Post by Mervyn and Trish »

We didn't notice that. Presumably to.help visually impaired. Clever.

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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

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Post by Mervyn and Trish »

So the next instalment. Food. This is a big win for the Grills.

In a P&O suite you get to use Epicurean for breakfast. But beyond that food arrangements are as for the rest of the cabins, with the usual choices of first or second sitting or Freedom Dining in the MDR, the buffet and the select dining venues at extra cost.

In the Grills you have your own same reserved table for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with the option of outdoor lunchtime eating in the Courtyard, a suntrap outdoor area, shared with with the Queens Grill, subject to first come first served availability of tables. I understand there is no Courtyard on QM2. Dining is flexible between 6.30 and 9, but of course no waiting and the same table and waiters every night.

Although it wasn't the same table every morning in Epicurean the staff soon learned our preferences. Of course the same was true in the Grills, where they also knew our names by day 2.

We ate dinner in Epicurean once as an extra.

Overall we rated the food marginally better in Epicurean, but there wasn't as much choice at either breakfast or dinner. And most of our dinners were in the MDR on Azura. The food there was good, but of course not in the same league as the Grills.

There is another bonus in the Grills of afternoon tea. That's a shared experience for Princess and Queens passengers, served in the Princess restaurant, so not at our regular table. And we only managed it once. On Azura we also got daily canapes in the cabin, not so on QV.

Unusually for us we made the effort to get up for a waiter served breakfast every day. Usually we're later risers and use the buffet. On this trip we only used it on either ship for a quick cake and cuppa.

As I said at the start, a clear win for the Grills experience.

Our MDR dinners on Azura raised a question. We've always favoured Club Dining and enjoy getting to know our fellow passengers across the cruise. One thing we've always noticed is P&Os ability to put together tables of similar people, I guess largely on an age basis.

We don't like Freedom and remained unimpressed on this trip. We saw several people who had to leave part way through the Captain's Gala Reception because their pagers summoned them.

But my question is, for those who've done it, if you don't request a table for two and are happy to share a larger table, do they still try to match people? Or is it by chance and could a chronologically experienced couple such as us find ourselves seated with a bunch of well oiled, loud, impossibly tight lycra clad 20 somethings?

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Stephen
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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#99

Post by Stephen »

To answer the last bit of your review Merv.

We have dined in club dining in the past but now opt for freedom dining, mainly for the flexibility and the variety of dinner guests. Tables for two on P&O freedom dining are like gold dust unless you are at the front of queue as doors open, so we often end up on a larger table of either six or if push comes to shove eight. I prefer to avoid the tables of eight as I can never hear what the person opposite is saying which leaves me hoping I'm smiling and nodding at the correct time.

Table companions ages are often variable but not usually too far off from our own (old ish ;) ), and as yet we have not experienced any uncouth table guests. I personally find the older guests such as yourself ;) offer a better conversation.

The only thing I find with freedom dining, and it may happen with club, is that sometimes table guests will leave early to catch a show which I find a bit rude.
Last edited by Stephen on 22 May 2019, 17:15, edited 1 time in total.

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GillD46
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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#100

Post by GillD46 »

I understand what you’re saying about guests leaving a larger table before everyone has finished. But on the other hand, I wouldn’t want to miss the show/quiz/concert every night as would happen on one table we were on. Every single night - it ruined the cruise for us. We have never shared a table since!
Gill

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