P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

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

#126

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

You can do that next time Stephen. And I'm sure you'll be up for a next time because it's my round. Well Trish's.

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Stephen
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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#127

Post by Stephen »

I'd forgotten all about that :sarcasm: ...right, now where's the brochure.

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Gill W
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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#128

Post by Gill W »

Thank you for all your reports, I found them very interesting.

I have one question. What did you think of the butler in the P&O suite? The idea of having a butler has always put me off having a suite as there is nothing I can think of that I’d need him to do, and that he’d always be hanging around wanting to be given something to do. I think I’d feel a pressure in trying to find tasks for him!
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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#129

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

Ours was great. I had the same fear but David's advice that the Butler does food and the Steward does the cabin was about right. Ours wasn't obtrusive, but when we asked for Earl Grey tea bags they appeared and were topped up. When we ordered room service breakfast, unless it was very early, he delivered it and set it out on the table. We asked for ice one day because we'd saved the bottle of champagne in the cabin, having used our loyalty vouchers for a free sail away glass on day one. He delivered it, chilled the bottle and then came back and opened and served it with the canapés, which he delivered every day. Turns out he took away dirty cups etc too. He would also have sorted out speciality dining reservations for us but we'd already done it. He was able to answer questions we'd have otherwise visited reception for. He also sorted out a minor maintenance issue for us. Our fears about how to use him were unfounded.

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david63
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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#130

Post by david63 »

Gill W wrote: 26 May 2019, 18:16
I have one question. What did you think of the butler in the P&O suite? The idea of having a butler has always put me off having a suite as there is nothing I can think of that I’d need him to do, and that he’d always be hanging around wanting to be given something to do. I think I’d feel a pressure in trying to find tasks for him!
Like most things - it is a learning curve.

First time we had a butler we were not sure what to do but once you realise how the system works you use them as much or as little as you want.

The key thing, as I said to Merv, is that the butler deals with food and drink and the cabin steward deals with the cabin. The butler comes in each evening with the canapés and will have a chat and quite often will give you some good tips about the next day/next port.

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Jan Rosser
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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#131

Post by Jan Rosser »

Enjoyed your reports Merv - gave me an insight into something I’m highly unlikely to be able to afford unless I win the lottery. The solo traveller supplements are a killer - a balcony cabin on Britannia at Christmas was just over £4000 for just me so goodness knows what a suite would cost :crazy: I’d love to try the Cunard experience but reading about all your “extras” I think I’d be disappointed with steerage class cabins :lolno:

I once had the services of a butler although I was in an inside cabin just across from the suites - he was very attentive and I only wanted a lend of a charger - I think he thought I needed looking after :roll:
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Mervyn and Trish
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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#132

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

I'm going to start a crowd funding page to pay for our next cruise......

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GillD46
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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#133

Post by GillD46 »

Great read, thank you.
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Stephen
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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#134

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Gill W wrote: 26 May 2019, 18:16
Thank you for all your reports, I found them very interesting.

I have one question. What did you think of the butler in the P&O suite? The idea of having a butler has always put me off having a suite as there is nothing I can think of that I’d need him to do, and that he’d always be hanging around wanting to be given something to do. I think I’d feel a pressure in trying to find tasks for him!

Same thoughts here Gill, not that I will ever see us in the etulons of a suite.

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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#135

Post by Stephen »

...or even echelon

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Manoverboard
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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#136

Post by Manoverboard »

I enjoyed the read and remembered well our own reservations about having a Butler and what he / she was supposed to do given that we didn't really want one.

It was a ' He ' and ' He ' was well acquainted with the tasks required to please his customers. It was a 50th anniversary on Aurora for us and ' He ' instinctively knew what we wanted and delivered accordingly. He added a special touch and we appreciated it very much but are all Butlers so inspired ?

Our thoughts regarding Cunard were and still are that snobs are, or can be, attracted to this Line and sadly you wish to fall into that category … we, on the other hand, would not. Destinations rather than impressions has deffo always been the way to go for us.
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david63
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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#137

Post by david63 »

Manoverboard wrote: 27 May 2019, 18:36
are all Butlers so inspired ?
In my experience - probably yes

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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#138

Post by Manoverboard »

david63 wrote: 27 May 2019, 18:41
Manoverboard wrote: 27 May 2019, 18:36
are all Butlers so inspired ?
In my experience - probably yes
That's nice to know. :thumbup:
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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#139

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

Manoverboard wrote: 27 May 2019, 18:36
I enjoyed the read and remembered well our own reservations about having a Butler and what he / she was supposed to do given that we didn't really want one.

It was a ' He ' and ' He ' was well acquainted with the tasks required to please his customers. It was a 50th anniversary on Aurora for us and ' He ' instinctively knew what we wanted and delivered accordingly. He added a special touch and we appreciated it very much but are all Butlers so inspired ?

Our thoughts regarding Cunard were and still are that snobs are, or can be, attracted to this Line and sadly you wish to fall into that category …
we, on the other hand, would not. Destinations rather than impressions has deffo always been the way to go for us.
My self definition of us as snobs is largely based on not wishing to be distracted from our enjoyment by over loud drunks! :sarcasm:

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GillD46
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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#140

Post by GillD46 »

Manoverboard wrote: 27 May 2019, 18:36

Our thoughts regarding Cunard were and still are that snobs are, or can be, attracted to this Line and sadly you wish to fall into that category … we, on the other hand, would not. Destinations rather than impressions has deffo always been the way to go for us.
Harsh words MOB.

I don’t know if you have ever tried Cunard, but particularly harsh if you haven’t. Having done about 25 + Cunard voyages, and Jo (and others) a good many more, I’d say that in my experience the snobs are few, and definitely no more than we encountered on P&O. Most are ordinary people that have just found a product they like.

We all cruise for different reasons, and get different things out of our travels. And I think we should all be allowed to enjoy whichever experiences are right for us, without fear of being thought snobs!
Gill

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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#141

Post by Manoverboard »

GillD46 wrote: 28 May 2019, 06:22
Manoverboard wrote: 27 May 2019, 18:36

Our thoughts regarding Cunard were and still are that snobs are, or can be, attracted to this Line and sadly you wish to fall into that category … we, on the other hand, would not. Destinations rather than impressions has deffo always been the way to go for us.
Harsh words MOB.

I don’t know if you have ever tried Cunard, but particularly harsh if you haven’t. Having done about 25 + Cunard voyages, and Jo (and others) a good many more, I’d say that in my experience the snobs are few, and definitely no more than we encountered on P&O. Most are ordinary people that have just found a product they like.

We all cruise for different reasons, and get different things out of our travels. And I think we should all be allowed to enjoy whichever experiences are right for us, without fear of being thought snobs!
Read my posting again, perhaps …. I did NOT say nor mean to imply that everybody who cruises with Cunard is a snob. In reality I was simply aiming to have a bit of banter with Merv. My apologies to the OP for side tracking his Topic.

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GillD46
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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#142

Post by GillD46 »

Ok, then I apologise too. Obviously I misread your intentions.
Gill

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

#143

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

Where are the off topic modplods when you need them?

Oh!

:crazy: :lol:

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Stephen
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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#144

Post by Stephen »

Grope group hug everyone ;)

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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#145

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

Okay but can we do it discretely in the Grills area so the unwashed riff raff don't join in please? :D :sarcasm:

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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#146

Post by Stephen »

Snob :o .........who said that :D

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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#147

Post by emjay45 »

I haven’t posted for a while but I was most interested in Merv’s thread. Mainly because it was a comparison of being in a suite on P&O and being in the Grills on Cunard. We have always had suites on P&O. We actually have had 2 world cruises in the Penthouse suite on the Aurora(our son was in the balcony cabin next door for anyone who wondered if we’d tucked him away under the bed.)😉 Last year we jumped ship to Cunard and we were in the Queen’s grill. We enjoyed everything that Merv did with the addition of a butler and a free mini bar. In our opinion there really is no comparison between having a suite on P&O and being in the Queen’s grill. Cunard for us won hands down. The food and the service in the QG restaurant was fabulous. I know it’s more expensive on Cunard but we felt we had better value for our money. Nothing to do with snobbery just better value. As for butlers we’ve had a few, and the best one we had was I believe experienced by MOB. We were fortunate to have him on our world cruise in 2013. Unfortunately they aren’t all as professional as he was and some have been dreadful. I think with P&O you pay for a bigger cabin and a butler who may or may not be particularly good. We are back on Cunard this year and I can’t see us going back to P&O.

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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#148

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emjay45 wrote: 30 May 2019, 21:48
… As for butlers we’ve had a few, and the best one we had was I believe experienced by MOB. We were fortunate to have him on our world cruise in 2013. Unfortunately they aren’t all as professional as he was and some have been dreadful.
You remembered :D … we compared notes at the time I recall but I can't remember his name now :?
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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#149

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

Emjay's post kind of reinforces our conclusion that on P&O it is mainly about the very nice cabin. The Cunard package is the complete deal. You just have to judge whether, for you, it is worth the money.

I'm slightly envious of the voyages in the Aurora penthouse suite - though I doubt it would be for us. Not just way out of our money league but in the wrong place. We have to be midships ideally and definitely not way forward. The story is the designer only conceived those two suites there because they couldn't think of a better way of using the awkward shaped sloping space.

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Re: P&O Suite v Cunard Princess Grills

#150

Post by emjay45 »

Manoverboard wrote: 31 May 2019, 09:14
emjay45 wrote: 30 May 2019, 21:48
… As for butlers we’ve had a few, and the best one we had was I believe experienced by MOB. We were fortunate to have him on our world cruise in 2013. Unfortunately they aren’t all as professional as he was and some have been dreadful.
You remembered :D … we compared notes at the time I recall but I can't remember his name now :?
Hi Mob
It was Anil. Aw he was so lovely. I wish he'd been our butler on the 2015 world cruise. Sadly he'd moved on.

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