Grill Room Bar

[Cabin 2066]

Myles, it's my remembrance that the PG bar was restricted until '93 or '94, but generally only passengers booked for the PG used it. Since it was so far out of the way, hardly any others would use it and were discouraged by the bar staff due to the size of the space available. In the early years, your ID card was marked with PG, although after the Queens Grill and Bar were added, my card with PG admitted me to the QG bar as well. Additionally, the PG bar was only open in the evening starting an hour before dinner and closing an hour after the PG ended serving, unlike the QG bar which opened late morning until an hour after the conclusion of dinner.
Many times, especially during world cruises, the PG bar would host small parties and a PG diner would be admitted but usually chose to have their before-dinner drink at their table upstairs. Often, if we just wanted to chill out after dinner, we would head to the QG bar before retiring to the cabin because the QG bar was larger and had more comfortable seatingand the PG bar staff seemed impatient to close.
As to the wild tales, there were VERY few, once again due to the confined space available and the restricted hours the PG bar was open. However, I have one tale! Early summer in 1971 enroute from NY to Southampton to join my grandparents at horse farms in Surrey, I was having a predinner drink in the PG bar with my girlfriend(at the time and many years afterward)when a gentleman, very mod and with an english accent stood up from a nearly table and exclaimed that he was going to"slide the rail" from the top of the spiral stairs(he also wasn't in good shape to go to dinner). Despite the protests of the bar staff and his table mates, he climbed to the top, perched himself on the rail and let go. He made the first turn only to fall outbound. After leaving the PG bar on a stretcher, we learned the following day that he had minor back injuries and was confined to his cabin for the duration of the voyage. So much for "sliding the rail", especially at sea!

[Adam Hodson]

Thanks for sharing with us Tom. 

[Rob Lightbody]

Attached please find a super rare photo of the brand new Grill Room Bar.

This photo is part of The QE2 Story's collection, and not to be reproduced without permission.

[Greg Rudd]

What a feast for the eyes!

[June Ingram]

Spectacular and awesome - if only we could go back !

[Bob C.]

My interest has been renewed on this space.  I remember exploring the ship in '74 and seeing the the area used as a storage space and then mistakenly arriving at the floor in '79 as the C stairway lift doors opened - I had no clue where I was as I thought I would be seeing something along the lines of a typical stairway instead of a fancy public/private area.

I do have to make a minor correction to Graham's comment on the lift being a private lift.  Perhaps there had been a special access button added since the 70's but back in the 70's one could easily press Q or 1 on the lift from any other deck on Stairway C and arrive at the Grill Room/Princess Grill or Grill Room/Champagne Bar, respectively.

[Malcolm]

back in the 70's one could easily press Q or 1 on the lift from any other deck on Stairway C and arrive at the Grill Room/Princess Grill or Grill Room/Champagne Bar, respectively.

As far as I'm aware that was the case right up until the end. I remember being met by a very annoyed and objectionable Andrew Nelder on my first time in PG  - that was annoyed until he knew I was supposed to be there - then he just became objectionable! 

[Michael Gallagher]

Here is the Grill Room Bar in 1969.

[Bob C.]

The center photo lists Stairway C as Stairway 7.  Must be the 7th stairway from the bow; crew and passenger combined.

[Rob Lightbody]

Here is the Grill Room Bar in 1969.

I am so, so honoured to have experienced that bar, and that restaurant, for 10 days in 2008.  To experience the bit of the ship that was most original, meant so much to me.  That I can see the table we dined at nearly 40 years after in that original design drawing, is all the more amazing.

[Trevor Harris]

Isabelle has a couple pictures from her QE2 Autumn Colours Series.  https://flic.kr/p/5BKER6

[cunardqueen]

Not to forget the private parties held there with an open bar or the very rare FOD gatherings...

[Joy]

Skip & I adored this cozy little bar.  Thanks Michael G for all the details!  Joy

[Twynkle]

Skip & I adored this cozy little bar.  Thanks Michael G for all the details!  Joy

Joy - And Skip!
How fantastic that you have arrived here - and a very warm welcome!
The Grill room bar was just about the only place that we (S and I) never even knew existed.
So please, please do carry on and talk about it here!

Another time, we Must tell Michael G and the interested others too, about John's quiz -
and how it came that Skip and I knew All the answers!

Take good care, Both
And very much hope that you'll enjoy this great website.
Rosie xx

[Cunarder Man]

‘Another time, we Must tell Michael G and the interested others too, about John's quiz -
and how it came that Skip and I knew All the answers!’

I recall Skip saying, ‘ I wish I’d taken more notice when I was on board!’ Indeed, I have it on video! What fun we had.