QM2 - 2016 Blue Note Jazz at Sea dress code

Just received an email from Cunard for these sailings and it indicates "One formal night and smart dress for all other evenings(jacket required, denim pants without rips or holes permitted)". Is this something new and is the future of QM2 ??

This has been discussed at some length hereb

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2245275

Apparently the North American office pushed for the special dress code for this crossing.

Are you also aware that Natalie Cole has canceled?

The OP is talking about 2016. I'm surprised that they have already scheduled the next one before testing out the first one.

Ah, I missed 2016.

Anyway, they're doing the same with dress codes on the 2015 Blue Note crossing.

This has been discussed at some length hereb

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2245275

 

Apparently the North American office pushed for the special dress code for this crossing.

 

Are you also aware that Natalie Cole has canceled?

Probably didn't like the new dress code.

The OP is talking about 2016. I'm surprised that they have already scheduled the next one before testing out the first one.

Three were scheduled: Oct 2015, Aug 2016 and Oct 2016.

Perhaps there was some tie-in with Cunard sponsoring the Monterrey Jazz Festival 2015? http://www.cunard.com/cunard-experience/media-centre/press-releases/cunard-announces-sponsorship-of-monterey-jazz-festivals-2015-jazz-legends-gala/

Rumour has it that Peter Maffay was such a resounding success in attracting the cash rich German market that Cunard has been trying to attract...and as a result, jeans are on (having nothing to do with "the North American office")

Thank you for the research, Salacia. I would imagine the Peter Maffay Harley trip was a very coveted trip, unlike the jazz trip, which many didn't know about until after booking.

For those that love jazz, this should be a wonderful trip. And, seeing the pictures.....I can understand where the "dressing down" came from.

Rumour has it that Peter Maffay was such a resounding success in attracting the cash rich German market that Cunard has been trying to attract...and as a result, jeans are on (having nothing to do with "the North American office")

Wow - Definitely shooting for the beer and skittles crowd on those sailings. Glad there is money in it for the marketers.

The 2015 Blue Note crossing has been heavily discounted (even before the dress code became known here) so I don't expect to see it repeat in 2017.

While not booked in either Blue Note Jazz or Peter Mafay, I'm grateful for the "heads up" on the revised dress codes. It lets me know which sailings to avoid.:rolleyes:

Wow - Definitely shooting for the beer and skittles crowd on those sailings. Glad there is money in it for the marketers.

Ii don't think the crowd that appreciates jazz is very much into beer or skittles.

I'm certainly not, but then I'm not much into denim either. Unfortunately, if we did a westbound crossing next summer, August 1 would probably be the only date that would fit our schedule. But since we're talking about an eight-day transatlantic with jazz, not a four-day jaunt with Peter Maffay out of Hamburg, perhaps there's less to fear than the dress code would suggest.

I just happened to notice that Cunard seems to have revised the dress code schedule for the 2016 Blue Note Jazz at Sea crossings on their North American web site. "Smart casual" with denim allowed remains on the schedule for 2016. But it looks like Cunard have increased the number of formal nights from just one to the more typical three.

I found this at http://www.cunard.com/cruise-types/speciality-cruises/#tabbedModule6305 (my emphasis added).

However, as was typical of the 2015 Blue Note Jazz at Sea crossing, mention of the dress code seems to be hard to find on Cunard's UK web site. The link I provided above from cunard.com redirects to a page on cunard.co.uk where I can find no mention of the dress code.

Regards,

John.

I was on the 2015 trip (booked long before it was announced). The regulars were not happy and I suspect as a result of the complaints registered at the Purser's Desk they added a formal night listed as optional but the majority of diners in Britannia were formally dressed.

I didn't see too many jeans in the dining room in the evening except for the lady at the table next to us on an Informal night wore jeans, rolled up to the knee.

I was on the 2015 trip (booked long before it was announced). The regulars were not happy and I suspect as a result of the complaints registered at the Purser's Desk they added a formal night listed as optional but the majority of diners in Britannia were formally dressed.

I didn't see too many jeans in the dining room in the evening except for the lady at the table next to us on an Informal night wore jeans, rolled up to the knee.

Glad to hear that there is some push-back against de facto abandonment of evening dress on these Blue Note sailings. Cunard otherwise ceases to be Cunard.

Nonetheless these are sailings to avoid, as the US Cunard site lists two 2016 Blue Note Jazz Crossings:

• M613 August 1, 2016 8-day EB
  
• M624N October 25, 2016 7-day EB
  

I just happened to notice that Cunard seems to have revised the dress code schedule for the 2016 Blue Note Jazz at Sea crossings on their North American web site. "Smart casual" with denim allowed remains on the schedule for 2016. But it looks like Cunard have increased the number of formal nights from just one to the more typical three.

 

I found this at http://www.cunard.com/cruise-types/speciality-cruises/#tabbedModule6305 (my emphasis added).

 

The 1 August and 25 October 2016 sailings will consist of

three

formal nights with smart casual dress for all other evenings (jackets required, denim pants permitted but cannot be torn or have holes in them).

 

However, as was typical of the 2015 Blue Note Jazz at Sea crossing, mention of the dress code seems to be hard to find on Cunard's UK web site. The link I provided above from cunard.com redirects to a page on cunard.co.uk where I can find no mention of the dress code.

 

Regards,

John.

Thank you for posting this. Unfortunately, given our schedules, if we were to do a TA this summer, we would probably have to sail on August 1. So the additional formal nights are very good news for us.

Glad to hear that there is some push-back against de facto abandonment of evening dress on these Blue Note sailings. Cunard otherwise ceases to be Cunard.

 

Nonetheless these are sailings to avoid, as the US Cunard site lists two 2016 Blue Note Jazz Crossings:

 

• M613 August 1, 2016 8-day EB
  
• M624N October 25, 2016 7-day EB
  

I have booked this cruise to enjoy the music.

I have booked this cruise to enjoy the music.

(I hope they get the music scores sorted out for next time, or at least agree on playing in a roughly similar key. A passenger told me that on the last "jazz crossing" one musician was playing Tuesday night's concert, whilst simultaneously another was playing notes from Wednesday evening's performance. The other two appeared to be still trying to find "A" when the show finished).

:D ;)

Music? :D ;) .

 

(I hope they get the music scores sorted out for next time, or at least agree on playing in a roughly similar key. A passenger told me that on the last "jazz crossing" one musician was playing Tuesday night's concert, whilst simultaneously another was playing notes from Wednesday evening's performance. The other two appeared to be still trying to find "A" when the show finished).

 

:D ;)

Thats jazz for you. :D:D

This reminds me of the old adage "If you want to know the truth - follow the money". I suspect that the Universal Music Group (the parent company of Bluenote) is paying Cunard a chunk of money to have a "Bluenote Jazz at Sea".

Most of the successful "jazz cruises" on other lines appear to follow the same methodology as major land based jazz festivals where they feature the different musical styles of many jazz artists, not just a particular group of musicians who happen to record for one recording label. It is a shame that Cunard has not chosen to follow the artist selection model that has its roots in the original 1954 Newport Jazz Festival.

Good Jazz and casual dress do not have to go hand in hand. IMO, someone in charge made a very poor decision. On the QM2, one only needs to go as far as the Chart Room to hear great jazz from the Mark Hodgson Trio on most nights. I've not heard anyone complain about having to follow the dress code there.

I hope this lessening of the Cunard dress code for anby jazz voyage will not eventually sweep through the three Queens. Fewer formal nights, more informal nights, allowing denim after six p.m. to me seems to diminish using Cunard ships as destination. Black tie nights and informal nights of jackets and tie for men after six throughout the ship have been Cunard style for years. Yet today on QM2 it is pushed if you don't care to dress at night, use King's Court for food and the Winter Garden for relaxing. Times change.

On forums like this the Cunard dress code is often questioned, "do we really have to dress?" Questions are usually from first-timers or those traveling Europe not wanting to carry a case of formal-wear, or "we don't dress like that at home" people or "DH never wears a suit, what to do?" worried wives. Cunard people are usually kind and not too censorious here, yet responses to "must I?" dress questions often are "oh, do what you want, have a good time," rather than "well, it's outlined for you, this is how it is done, how we do it, get with the program." Still, must admit any voyage I've been on I've seen very few outfits, conduct even, to alarm The Fashion Police of old. I take it as a given the usual Cunard load prefers black tie evenings on crossings and cruises. The new people at the company now running the three Queens may feel a lessening of "dress standards" will attract a larger customer base. We will see in future.

As for theme voyages, I did two "jazz cruises" on the QE2, only because any voyage NY/NY was easy to do. It only took the two to further check and not book any future jazz cruise. Both voyages seemed extremely different in tone and in dress from previous times on. Now future jazz voyages are on offer and the Cunard dress code is lessened for them. Bad sign!

Music? :D ;) .

 

(I hope they get the music scores sorted out for next time, or at least agree on playing in a roughly similar key. A passenger told me that on the last "jazz crossing" one musician was playing Tuesday night's concert, whilst simultaneously another was playing notes from Wednesday evening's performance. The other two appeared to be still trying to find "A" when the show finished).

 

:D ;)

I freely admit that I am not a fan of jazz, but the "music" I heard on the Oct 29, 2015 TA was a very close cousin to hearing a tom cat caught in a fan belt --- in MHO!:eek: Many folks walked out of the performances -- most likely never to return.

...

 

Good Jazz and casual dress do not have to go hand in hand. IMO, someone in charge made a very poor decision. On the QM2, one only needs to go as far as the Chart Room to hear great jazz from the Mark Hodgson Trio on most nights. I've not heard anyone complain about having to follow the dress code there.

You've expressed it far better than I did. Cunard's loosening of the evening dress code implied that those who would book these voyages will not dress for dinner. And I don't care to sail with those who will not dress for dinner whether the attraction is Blue Note Jazz or the London Philharmonic.

... Cunard's loosening of the evening dress code implied that those who would book these voyages will not dress for dinner. And I don't care to sail with those who will not dress for dinner whether the attraction is Blue Note Jazz or the London Philharmonic.