e boat out h
Cunard’s Queens Grill experience brings a touch of old-world glamour to cruising, discovers Jeannine Williamson
eads turn collectively as flames rise and the scent of bubbling orange sauce fills the air. I watch this unexpected piece of culinary
theatre in Queen Mary 2’s Queens Grill restaurant with a mix of admiration and puzzlement – and enjoy an encore performance the following night. It’s instantly recognisable as Crêpes Suzette, yet looking at the menu, there’s no mention of this classic dessert. Attentive maître d’ Osman unravels the mystery: requesting off-menu items is among the perks of travelling in Queens Grill Suites, and the flambéed French dish is a popular choice. All clients need to do is pre-order by lunchtime and they can enjoy one of the upsides of staying in Cunard’s most luxurious accommodation category.
STALWART AT SEA I’m on a short hop to Rotterdam on board Cunard’s 2,691-passenger flagship. Designed for long-distance travel, Queen Mary 2 is the world’s only remaining ocean liner offering regular transatlantic crossings.
We might be tackling the North Sea rather than the Atlantic this time, but a mini-cruise is a great way for clients to experience Cunard and its celebrated Grill Suites, which span 172 staterooms across the top-tier Queens Grill and smaller Princess Grill categories. Dating back more than a century, the names come from the exclusive dining room on historic Cunard ship Aquitania, where grilled meat was the best dish on the menu. While other lines have introduced private ship-within-a-ship complexes to offer premium accommodation to big-spending clients, Cunard is the closest you’ll get to the traditional first class of yesteryear. But today’s version is not a relic of the past and never feels stuffy or overbearing.
STAR SERVICE
Having the same table for every meal in the dedicated Queens Grill restaurant means the waiters quickly get to know our likes and dislikes, bringing me the standalone vegetarian menu each meal and taking time to chat about how we’ve spent our day. ²
travelweekly.co.uk 22 JANUARY 2026
DESTINATIONS SUITES | CRUISE
49
PICTURE: Cunard
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