Proper Cunard dress

We are new to Cunard(very excited about cruising on the Queen Victoria July 30-Aug.13) and want to properly dress. We have cruised

on many lines including Oceania, Azamara, Celebrity, and others, but I am hearing the dress codes on Cunard are more formal that those cruise lines. Not wanting to offend anyone and break any dress code rules, I am asking for your help and it will be greatly appreciated. I know for dinner that my husband should wear a jacket and tie and formal nights, a black suit or his velvet jacket. I should wear a dressy blouse and long skirt on formal nights. Is that correct? During the day on the ship, is my husband OK to wear black jeans(no rips or tears in them) or long Bermuda shorts and print shirts or does he have to wear slacks and a polo shirt? Last, when going on tours, can he wear the black jeans or Bermuda shorts and print shirts or does he have to wear slacks and polo shirts? Many thanks for your time.

You can wear whatever you like during the day and on tours, no rules or restrictions except for a few obvious ones like not wearing a swimsuit in the dining room and so on.

Ladies have it easier at night. Frankly as long as you look smart you can get away with just about anything on both formal and non-formal nights. There are guidelines, but no hard and fast rules for ladies. It's up to you how much you dress up. We've seen completely opposite ends of the spectrum from smart casual to ballgowns and everything in between. It's impossible to 'overdress' on Cunard.

Men do have rules that should be followed. It's a jacket and trousers (tie optional) on non-formal nights and a tux/DJ or a dark suit and tie on a formal night. It's not always strictly enforced, especially in the theatre and bars, but he would feel very much in the minority if he didn't dress according to the rules.

We are new to Cunard(very excited about cruising on the Queen Victoria July 30-Aug.13) and want to properly dress. We have cruised

on many lines including Oceania, Azamara, Celebrity, and others, but I am hearing the dress codes on Cunard are more formal that those cruise lines. Not wanting to offend anyone and break any dress code rules, I am asking for your help and it will be greatly appreciated. I know for dinner that my husband should wear a jacket and tie and formal nights, a black suit or his velvet jacket. I should wear a dressy blouse and long skirt on formal nights. Is that correct? During the day on the ship, is my husband OK to wear black jeans(no rips or tears in them) or long Bermuda shorts and print shirts or does he have to wear slacks and a polo shirt? Last, when going on tours, can he wear the black jeans or Bermuda shorts and print shirts or does he have to wear slacks and polo shirts? Many thanks for your time.

Do not worry, you'll be fine. What you suggested will be acceptable to the MTD. Just go and enjoy the ship, the service, the food, the activities and most importantly the Cunarders. Be prepared to discover there will be no going back. :)

Just one suggestion, pre dinner drinks in The Commodre Club, being a great place to discover the essence of Cunard and meet some very nice people.

You are absolutely spot on with regard to evening attire. It is a little more formal and people do adhere to the dress code. Your planned outfits sound perfect. However during the day time you can wear what you want. Your husband can wear black jeans and his shorts. He can also wear blue shirts if that's what he wants. Enjoy your cruise and don't let worrying about what to wear spoil any of the experience for you. People on board are lovely and you will see all sorts of dress code just like on your other cruises.

One of many reasons (but certainly not the only) people are drawn to Cunard is the more formal attire, particularly on transatlantic crossings...

For those who see it as such, it is fun, festive, lovely.

The vast majority of passengers adhere to the dress code, and it's a great thing to be a part of. The ladies dress in various gowns, various colors; the men in tuxedos or dark suits.

If one is lucky enough, you also see military dress uniforms, kilts with all the regalia, saris, kimonos.

I have seen all of the above and it is wonderful !

The spirit and sentiment, I feel, is to be different, do something out of the ordinary...where else can you experience something like this this days ??

Assuming you have looked at a few of Cunard's brochures, just follow the dress level of those passengers (models) appearing in the brochures and you will be fine. My motto is always dress to or above the top of the dress code and both the crew and the rest of the passengers will appreciate sailing with you as you will help set the tone of gracious opulence that Cunard tries to achieve within each ship.

where else can you experience something like this this days ??

...on the Orient Express where we were a couple of weeks ago, on the London - Venice round trip, including a 2 night stay at the Cipriani.

The dress code was followed by 95+% of the passengers.

Stewart

We are new to Cunard(very excited about cruising on the Queen Victoria July 30-Aug.13) and want to properly dress. We have cruised

on many lines including Oceania, Azamara, Celebrity, and others, but I am hearing the dress codes on Cunard are more formal that those cruise lines. Not wanting to offend anyone and break any dress code rules, I am asking for your help and it will be greatly appreciated. I know for dinner that my husband should wear a jacket and tie and formal nights, a black suit or his velvet jacket. I should wear a dressy blouse and long skirt on formal nights. Is that correct? During the day on the ship, is my husband OK to wear black jeans(no rips or tears in them) or long Bermuda shorts and print shirts or does he have to wear slacks and a polo shirt? Last, when going on tours, can he wear the black jeans or Bermuda shorts and print shirts or does he have to wear slacks and polo shirts? Many thanks for your time.

The photographs in the brochures are, for the most part, aspirational rather than the norm for the majority of passengers and there will be a quite a mix of dress code interpretations. Yours sounds fine to me.

The photographs in the brochures are, for the most part, aspirational rather than the norm for the majority of passengers and there will be a quite a mix of dress code interpretations. Yours sounds fine to me.

Since when is aspirational not a goal. Maybe that is why the world is in such turmoil, no one aspires to anything better.

Since when is aspirational not a goal. Maybe that is why the world is in such turmoil, no one aspires to anything better.

I don't think the turmoil in the world will be affected by the majority of Cunard passengers dressing well as opposed to the very few who manage the brochure perfect look.:) Treasure4two is asking for realistic advice and that is what she's getting.

I don't think the turmoil in the world will be affected by the majority of Cunard passengers dressing well as opposed to the very few who manage the brochure perfect look.:) Treasure4two is asking for realistic advice and that is what she's getting.

I am a bit confused as I thought the brochure look to be quite easily obtainable and not perfect. So I fail to see why my advice is not realistic. But then we all have our definition of well dressed depending on up bringing, economic and social status at the moment and our aspirations. So we shall leave it at that you do your thing, the OP asked for opinions and they have mine also. Fair enough!

I am a bit confused as I thought the brochure look to be quite easily obtainable and not perfect. So I fail to see why my advice is not realistic. But then we all have our definition of well dressed depending on up bringing, economic and social status at the moment and our aspirations. So we shall leave it at that you do your thing, the OP asked for opinions and they have mine also. Fair enough!

Obviously, the beautiful people will feature in any brochure trying to sell a perceived life style. It's called marketing. Most companies do this. When I walk around the ships I see passengers enjoying themselves and day wear ranges from the simple elegant dress and chinos and polo shirt, to a tees, jeans and shorts style, the latter being the most prevalent [and remember we are advising on Victoria here, not a TA on QM], especially in warmer climes, which is where treasure is going.

As very frequent passengers with Cunard [Queens Grill just for interest with reference to part of your comment], we have a collection of present and past brochures. It's interesting to note the present brochures don't have as many photographs of the Gala style of dress as they used to. Gala gowns and the beautiful people are certainly present on all ships, but the majority of ladies wear long dresses and not the gowns brochures depicted, [subtle diffference those of us who have inferior status and who were dragged up, know about;) ] and cocktail wear of an evening. Treasure's suggested evening and daytime wear will be fine. No need to peruse photographs. She already has it nailed.

One of many reasons (but certainly not the only) people are drawn to Cunard is the more formal attire, particularly on transatlantic crossings...

 

For those who see it as such, it is fun, festive, lovely.

 

The vast majority of passengers adhere to the dress code, and it's a great thing to be a part of. The ladies dress in various gowns, various colors; the men in tuxedos or dark suits.

 

If one is lucky enough, you also see military dress uniforms, kilts with all the regalia, saris, kimonos.

 

I have seen all of the above and it is wonderful !

 

The spirit and sentiment, I feel, is to be different, do something out of the ordinary...where else can you experience something like this this days ??

The kimonos, saris, kilts etc sound so wonderful! I'm going on my first cruise on RCCL next January but the dress code on Cunard makes me want to book my next cruise with them.

I wonder if my husband could wear a kilt on RCCL?

One last point, the daytime dress code only extends to 6pm after which you are supposed adhere to the evening code in the bars and public areas, that is not to say a curtain comes down and you get ejected from the bars at 6pm promptly, I've frequently been sat in the Commodore Club post 6pm finishing my drinks, but I wouldn't expect to get served with another after this time. Plus you do feel a bit out of place when the early sitters start arriving in all their glam rags and you're sitting in shorts and t-shirt.

The kimonos, saris, kilts etc sound so wonderful! I'm going on my first cruise on RCCL next January but the dress code on Cunard makes me want to book my next cruise with them.

 

I wonder if my husband could wear a kilt on RCCL?

No reason not

The models in the brochure are just that, models. Perfectly featured, early 40's, slim but not thin and obviously quite well off. Cunard passengers sadly don't quite come up to scratch in comparison. They, we, are the usual human mixture and only the very few look really elegant. A short overweight gent and his dumpy wife will never get the "model" look, and why should they wish to. A cruise is just another name for a holiday.

David.

The kimonos, saris, kilts etc sound so wonderful! I'm going on my first cruise on RCCL next January but the dress code on Cunard makes me want to book my next cruise with them.

 

I wonder if my husband could wear a kilt on RCCL?

Is he Scotish?

David.

Is he Scotish?

 

David.

Irish :)

It's a well known fact that all the suave and elegant men and the all the smiling sophisticated ladies that you see in the Cunard brochure all get off the ship at the previous port to the one in which you embark.

Naturally we are the exception to that rule. You lucky people!

The kimonos, saris, kilts etc sound so wonderful! I'm going on my first cruise on RCCL next January but the dress code on Cunard makes me want to book my next cruise with them.

 

I wonder if my husband could wear a kilt on RCCL?

I just got off RCCL and saw one man in his kilt and looked great and was totally acceptable!

Many thanks to all the people that commented. I feel much better now and know we will be dressed appropriately! Happy cruising!

PS-this is one of the reasons I love Cruise Critic-kind people like you all!

We are new to Cunard(very excited about cruising on the Queen Victoria July 30-Aug.13) and want to properly dress. We have cruised

on many lines including Oceania, Azamara, Celebrity, and others, but I am hearing the dress codes on Cunard are more formal that those cruise lines. Not wanting to offend anyone and break any dress code rules, I am asking for your help and it will be greatly appreciated. I know for dinner that my husband should wear a jacket and tie and formal nights, a black suit or his velvet jacket. I should wear a dressy blouse and long skirt on formal nights. Is that correct? During the day on the ship, is my husband OK to wear black jeans(no rips or tears in them) or long Bermuda shorts and print shirts or does he have to wear slacks and a polo shirt? Last, when going on tours, can he wear the black jeans or Bermuda shorts and print shirts or does he have to wear slacks and polo shirts? Many thanks for your time.

Very simple answer here...READ YOUR BROCHURE!!! It will list the dress codes & what is expected. The daily paper will post the expected dress code of the evening. The dress code is for the entire ship not JUST the MDR. The only Casual(relative)location is in the buffet & most pax there dress fairly nicely as well.

Just one addition to the discussion. OP asked about what to wear ashore. In most places, the shorts are fine. I don't know QV's itinerary, but OP should check the ports and any local dress requirements. For example, I remember being in a church somewhere in Italy, and tourists not dressed conservatively enough were not admitted.

Very simple answer here...READ YOUR BROCHURE!!! It will list the dress codes & what is expected. The daily paper will post the expected dress code of the evening. The dress code is for the entire ship not JUST the MDR. The only Casual(relative)location is in the buffet & most pax there dress fairly nicely as well.

I never received a brochure.

Just one addition to the discussion. OP asked about what to wear ashore. In most places, the shorts are fine. I don't know QV's itinerary, but OP should check the ports and any local dress requirements. For example, I remember being in a church somewhere in Italy, and tourists not dressed conservatively enough were not admitted.

Thank you. We are traveling from Venice, to Zadar, Kotor, Corfu, Naples, Rome, Barcelona, Ajaccio, Monte Carlo, Livorno, and ends in Rome. We just came back from Oman and Israel and the dress codes were very strict and we were always properly dressed. We have never been improperly dressed on any cruise ship and cruise port, and most of the time, over dressed. We plan on packing to cover all possible dress codes enforced on the Queen Victoria. We appreciate all the kind and helpful comments we received on this thread and will go forward with packing, using those suggestions. Thank you all.