bluemarble

Yes, that's just about all there is for the Gala Evening dress code description on the Cunard US website. I'll post the complete wording. I think this is identical to the Cunard UK website expect the "Formal dresses" and "Formal suits" sections no longer appear on the US site. "At least twice on each seven-night voyage we’ll host a Gala Evening, where we do ask that you observe an elevated dress code. Again, it’s your choice whether to participate in these evenings or not. Many of our guests choose to sail with us specifically because they look forward to these events. Gala Evenings follow one of a few themes, with voyages of seven nights or more offering a chance to attend more than one. You’ll find many nods to these themes throughout the ship, so you'll want a wardrobe to match. Click below for our advice; whether you want to put on a show or give the theme a more subtle nod with an embellishment or accessory, the choice is yours. Theme Ideas" The "Theme Ideas" link does offer some suggestions for the themes the same as on the UK site so that is something further at least.

I do think Cunard have chosen to be deliberately vague on the "What to pack" page of the US website when it comes to describing the Gala Evening dress code (emphasis mine). "At least twice on each seven-night voyage we’ll host a Gala Evening, where we do ask that you observe an elevated dress code." There isn't much more than that available on the main Cunard US website about the Gala Evening dress code other than a link to "Theme ideas". At least those of you in the UK have the "Formal dresses" and "Formal suits" sections (with the "James Bond" reference) I mentioned earlier to provide some further guidance. Once you've booked, My Cunard still provides this earlier description of the Gala Evening dress code. "At least twice on each seven-night voyage we’ll host a Gala Evening, where we do ask that you observe a black-tie dress code."

And once on board, the dress code for Smart Attire reads "collared shirt and trousers". The term "dress shirt" does not appear in the Smart Attire dress code description found in the daily programmes once on board. That's were some the muddle with the dress code we've been discussing here comes from.

Given a 12:00 departure tomorrow, that gives QA 6 days, 3 hours, 45 minutes to make her scheduled arrival at 14:45 on 30 April (she gains one hour time zone change). Using 2805 NM sailing distance between Venice and Southampton (thanks, @sogne), she can make that schedule averaging 19 knots.

The James Bond reference is still there on the Cunard UK website. The UK site has "Formal dresses" and "Formal suits" sections on the "What to pack" page which are not found on the US site. The "Formal suits" section includes this wording. "Most of our guests ... relish the opportunity to put on a Tuxedo for one night and channel their James Bond alter-ego."

Right. That was the original plan to have QA arrive in Southampton on 27 April accompanied by a flotilla escort. I think it's equally interesting to note that Cunard's press release makes no mention of QA's arrival date in Southampton. "Queen Anne, the 249th ship to sail under the Cunard flag – and the third built by Fincantieri – will now set sail for Southampton ahead of her seven-night maiden voyage to Lisbon on May 3." I think it's fair to conclude Cunard have been aware of the delay in QA's departure from Venice which is probably what prompted the cancelation of the test cruise on April 29th. I'll also note this quote from their recent email. "We'll be posting the latest updates throughout her journey home, as well as sneak peeks of what is in store for guests across our social channels, so be sure to follow us." So far they've been providing plenty of the promised "sneak peeks" but no updates about the journey home. Fair enough I suppose since that journey hasn't started yet, but confirmation from Cunard about the delay and the scheduled departure date from Venice would be welcome.

In my self-appointed role as documenter of the Cunard dress code and theme schedules, may I ask if they have updated the dress code and theme schedules in your My Cunard calendar for the altered itinerary? The previous schedule I was given has a gala evening scheduled on 13 April 2025 which is now going to be a port day in Walvis Bay so that will almost certainly be changed at some point if it hasn't already. I suspect there might be some fine-tuning to the dates of the other gala evenings as well. Here is what I have now for the gala evening and theme schedule. If you (or anyone else on this voyage) could let me know of any changes to this schedule, I'd appreciate it. Thanks. 29 March: Roaring Twenties (sea day) 4 April: Gala Evening, no theme (sea day after Port Louis) 8 April: Black and White (sea day after Durban) 13 April: Gala Evening, no theme (port day in Walvis Bay) 19 April: Masquerade (sea day before Dakar) 25 April: Gala Evening, no theme (sea day)

Here are the coach transfer details I have from the past several crossings we've made on QM2 from New York the Southampton. Cunard operate coach transfers to Heathrow and Gatwick airports as well as to Victoria Coach Station and St Pancras International Station. There are separate coaches to each of those destinations and possibly multiple coaches to each destination depending on demand. The coaches to the airports were scheduled for an approximate call off time of 8:30am. The coaches to Victoria and St Pancras were scheduled for an approximate call off time of 8:45am. You will be given luggage tags specific to the transfer you have booked. Most guests on the coach transfers will leave their luggage out for collection and then collect them in the luggage hall before proceeding to the coach. There wouldn't be much advantage to doing self-help disembarkation with a coach transfer other than to possibly assure yourself a place on the first coach to your destination if there are multiple coaches. It won't depart until it is full and most of the other guests on the transfer probably will not have used self-help disembarkation. As you might expect, the time the coaches depart for London depends a lot on how prompt the process is for disembarking the ship, collecting luggage and proceeding to the coaches, as well as how prompt everyone is in disembarking the ship when called off for their transfers. Sorry, I can't recall the actual departure time the last time we booked the coach transfer to Victoria Coach Station several years ago.

Thanks. I'm pretty far off using 3200 NM then. I was using the figure quoted by ports.com.

Thanks, that does help confirm QA is unlikely to be in Southampton on April 27th. Figuring roughly 3200 NM from Venice to Southampton and 20 knots sailing speed, that works out to 6-2/3 days sailing time. If QA does depart Venice at noon on Wednesday, April 24th, then a rough estimate might be the morning of Wednesday, May 1st for her earliest possible arrival at Southampton. Will be standing by for further details as they become available concerning QA's voyage from Venice to Southampton.

Might that qualify as "Formal National Dress" for someone from Bermuda, I wonder? Now we really are getting into a deep dive of the dress code details aren't we? 🙂

Here's a link to the Cunard press release which has been posted now on the Carnival Corporation New Releases page, in case anyone wants to see the original press release at this point. https://www.carnivalcorp.com/news-releases/news-release-details/cunard-officially-welcomes-new-ship-queen-anne-ceremony

I certainly don't want to start any unfounded rumors, but there is a possibility QA's voyage to Southampton will be delayed a few days. Cunard have notified travel agents their previously scheduled "test" cruise on April 29th in Southampton has been canceled. There are also a few unconfirmed posts elsewhere on social media claiming QA won't be leaving Venice until April 22 or 23. No need for any alarm concerning the maiden voyage departing as scheduled on May 3, but her arrival in Southampton on April 27 might be in jeopardy. I'll be glad to be proven wrong about this by seeing QA depart soon. I will add the Southampton VTS Cruise Ship schedule still shows QA arriving on April 27.

Yes, indeed. The Italian Line has a long history. I'm sure our ocean liner experts can fill in some of the details, but a couple of the most notable pre-World War II Italian ocean liners were Rex and Conte di Savoia. Rex held the Blue Riband briefly. Unfortunately, neither of those ships, along with several others, made it through the war unscathed.

Interesting tidbit. When I ask Google Translate to translate "ocean liner" from English to Italian it comes up with "transatlantico".