Effortless elegance with Cunard's Grill Suites

Celebrating over 180 years of cruising, Cunard is a name synonymous with the Golden Era of cruising, when Hollywood stars such as Cary Grant, Elizabeth Taylor, and Charlie Chaplin graced their decks, not to mention British Royalty, all enjoying Cunard’s elegant, unparalleled service, sparkling spaces, and sublime comfort. Their current fleet of four stately ‘Queens’ uphold all these traditions and are inspired by their prestigious heritage, whilst being reimagined for the modern traveller.

Emily, Assistant Manager from our Felixstowe store, and Rose, Branch Manager at Ringwood, were lucky enough to enjoy a 4-night cruise from Southampton onboard Cunard’s flagship, Queen Mary 2. As the last of the world’s true ocean liners, Queen Mary 2 was designed for long-distance ocean travel, offering ultimate stability and speed with the onboard space and facilities to accommodate and entertain on an extended run of sea days. Emily was enchanted the moment she stepped onboard, “I thought it would feel traditional and quite formal, but it was a lot more relaxed than I thought it would be, yet still retaining a really classy feel.”

Emily and Rose were to enjoy a stay in a Grill Suite whilst onboard, Cunard’s luxury option, with an array of additional benefits for guests to enjoy. The curious name is derived from the ‘Grill Room’ on RMS Aquitania, which was a private dining area for first-class passengers, where the privilege of dining there became associated with a tradition of an elevated, high-class experience. The name echoed a restaurant on a competitor’s ship of the era, where guests enjoyed grilled meats for an additional charge, but Cunard’s Grill Room was inclusive for its first-class passengers. The Grill experience evolved over the years - in the post-war period the Verandah Grill had an intimate supper-club feel with highly personalised service and late night dancing – and it has gradually evolved into today’s offering of two categories onboard, Princess Grill and Queens Grill, with the exclusive benefits starting as soon as you arrive at the cruise terminal, “Grill suite passengers bypass all queues and go straight to check in,” confirms Rose, with priority disembarkation ensuring a smooth return journey too.

Once onboard Princess Grill Suite guests enjoy:

Exclusive Access: to the Grills Lounge and outside Grills Terrace on all Cunard ships, with an additional Grills Courtyard on Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth, all peaceful areas away from the main ship. “The Grills private lounge is a great place to relax with a coffee or drink when the rest of the ship is busy, like on a wet sea day.” confirms Rose.

Enhanced Service: Grills guests have a dedicated concierge for on board reservations and Shore Experiences

Spacious Accommodations: each Grill Suite features a private balcony with seating and sea views. “We had a Princess Grill Suite,” says Emily, “It was large with 2 single beds, a good size balcony, a walk-in wardrobe, tea/coffee making facilities and a good size bathroom with a bath with shower attachment.” Other in-room benefits include a welcome bottle of sparkling wine and chocolates, fresh flowers, complimentary spring water, fresh fruit delivered daily on request and a Pillow Concierge service.

Fine Dining: “We dined in the Princess Grill restaurant, with a dedicated table reserved for us each night - the surf & turf meal was delicious!” confirms Emily. “The menu is fabulous,” continues Rose, “They also offer an a la carte menu with some speciality dishes for two that are cooked at the table.” If you fancied taking dinner on your balcony one night there is the option to dine in-suite from the Princess Grill menu, or take advantage of the 24 hour room service menu too.

In addition to exclusive dining, Grills guests have an elevated afternoon tea served in the Princess Lounge, with Cunard’s legendary white gloved service.

In addition to the Princess Grills benefits, Queens Grill Suites boast even more sumptuous accommodations with a dedicated butler and an exclusive Queens Grill restaurant. And of course, all of these exclusive facilities are in addition to all the public areas of the ship, such as the indoor and outdoor swimming pools, grand ballroom, casino, theatre, and the world's first planetarium at sea. Passengers can enjoy the fitness centre, paddle tennis and golf, walk the walking track and play various deck games, or maybe browse the well-stocked library, and each of these areas are just as gorgeous as the Grill spaces, “I was very impressed, the public areas were lovely, and very informal. They have a fantastic spa with a sauna/steam room, and a large two storey theatre, where there always seemed to be enough seating.” confirms Emily. “I was struck by how well organized, calm and elegant the ship was.” says Rose. And this doesn’t just hold true for human passengers - the Queen Mary 2 is also one of the only cruise ships in the world to offer dog kennels on board!

“What makes this ship different to others is its’ really warm and homely feel,” says Emily. “Some ships are very modern and light, but this was full of memorabilia, artwork and dark wood, giving a real classic feel. The staff were very attentive, always with a smile and remembering what I liked to drink.”

Emily & Rose’s cruise stopped at Zeebrugge, where they visited Bruges, and Rotterdam. “There was lots of choice of excursion for both ports, including trips into Amsterdam from Rotterdam,” confirms Rose. “Bruges was lovely to explore, endless chocolate shops and eateries! The local specialties include beer, mussels, loaded fries and waffles.”

“I love Bruges,” agrees Emily, “I’ve been a few times before, and each time I notice something new! We found the famous Belgium chips and pulled pork!”

Emily concludes, “I was really surprised by how relaxed it was onboard. I recommend anyone to give Cunard a try – it will surpass your expectations and really open your eyes to a different way of cruising – something so iconic needs to be experienced.” Rose agrees, “If you like good food and being made to feel special, with fabulous service and attentive staff, then Cunard is the perfect cruise for you.”

You can find Emily at our Felixstowe store, and Rose at Ringwood. To find your nearest store click here.