majortom10

I personally dont think there is any "dumbing down" of the dress code just that it has been changed to avoid confusion.

I can understand what you are saying but Cunard make the rules for the dress code and like I say is clearly stated on website and should make sure all staff enforce this in areas of the ship wherever dress code applies. I know when I first started cruising with Cunard it was dinner suit/tuxedo on formal nights and every other evenings were suit and tie. If you tried to get into MDR in the evening withoput a tie on they Restaurant Managers would stop you from entering and either ask you to return to your cabin to get one or they would lend you one from a draw at the entrance. If Restaurant Managers enforced Cunard's dress code and staff refused to serve anyone in a bar or lounge if not adhering to dress code then I dont see a problem wherever in the world you are cruising. There are well known areas around the ship if you dont want to adhere to dress code for the evening and there are well known areas around the ship where they can dress casually.

If anyone wants to know the dress code and what is acceptable it is easy enough to go on Cunard's website where it can clearly be found. The last place and expect a definitive answer is to ask on here because you get so many differing views that it just ends up being more confusing than when you started.

Simple really if you don't like the dress code on P&O then perhaps you should not have booked with them. MSC Virtuosa is sailing on Friday and throughout March perhaps you should have booked with them.

Unfortunately whether we like it or not mass market cruise lines seem all to be heading this way if not already operative. Princess have had their Medallion Class on operation since at least 2019. Theirs is a proper App unlike P&Os and you download it at home pre cruise and can book MDR times and theatres weeks before your cruise. Eventually P&O will expand theirs into a proper App and others will follow suit.

That is fair enough and good manners as it's your choice and out of respect you will state that you go to areas where you don't have to adhere to dress code. What annoys me when people know it is a formal night and has a dress code but still think they can try and get into areas where they know they are inappropriately dressed.

Yes and then those that don't agree with dress code cruise elsewhere instead of booking and then moaning and whinging like some do.

Well we are on the same cruise and I will definitely be wearing my dinner suit and black tie on both 6th/16th and think many others will do the same. Perhaps if you don't like adhering P&Os dress code then perhaps you should have not booked to cruise with them and stayed with MSC.

That is just splitting hairs. I was talking generally there is always somewhere to go if you don't want to adhere to the dress codes Andrew that has always been the case. I was talking about the official Cunard dress code where they have changed to Smart Attire and jackets are not required where in the past jackets were required every night if eating in MDR.

Doesn't matter where you are in the world the dress code for Cunard now is black tie with dinner suit or dark suit and tie on formal nights. The rest is classed as smart attire where collared shirt and trousers and no jacket is required.

But will you drink that amount on port days where you are off the ship.

No only on formal nights do you have to wear a dark suit or tuxedo. The remainder of the nights are now classified as smart attire where a collared shirt and trousers will suffice.

We always stay overnight in hotel after a past experience during done on the day. So for us an earlier time is ideal for us as less time to kill between leaving hotel and embarking. On our upcoming cruise on Iona we have to leave hotel room by 11am so a check in as a Caribbean of noon is ideal for us.

Perhaps so but they are still ripped jeans.

Saving the environment is corporate claptrap used as an excuse to what they really mean is they are doing it to save money.

Posted in error

We have done roundtrip TA from Southampton a few times and due to go again on May. Cunard do a small selection of excursions for those doing roundtrip and they also do a return transfer into Manhattan and drop you off at Macy's but is not cheap. My advice is what we do and will be doing is to at h the NYC Ferry which departs virtually next to the ship and goes to Wall St for 4$ pp each way. Regular service and excellent value for money. Take a look at their website for further details.

When we opened a Flexplus account last year and then once it was open you had to phone insurance company UK Travel to confirm price for pre existing health issues and they then gave you a quote of what extra on top of £13 per month and we paid £40 extra for cruise cover. Don't know if the system has changed since. Local Nationwide branch gave us a phone number to ring to get quote for pre existing health issues to make sure it was worth switching current accounts. Like I said once account was open we rang back to confirm pre existing health issues were added to policy.

Spain and Portugal

We are Caribbean and have been given 12 noon as boarding time on our cruise on Iona in March.

You could deposit that amount into your onboard account which would negate the cost of drinks package/grants. One worry is when you have to complete check online prior to your cruise you have to nominate a credit/debit card and if you don't you will not be able to print boarding pass/luggage labels.

You definitely won't be able to pay at check in and best way forward is to ask at reception. I think what they will suggest is adding drinks package to your onboard to account and then deposit cash throughout the cruise and pay final balance on last night of cruise

Don't know if pre allocation for Olive Grove has sold out because there was no available to book at 7am. Not that I was bothered only wanted to book Epicurean, Sindhu and possibly Beach House. Managed first two but Beach House not bookable and wasn't interested in Limelight when I saw the acts.

They hadn't been released for sale at 1230am when I last looked.

Unfortunately they weren't available to book at midnight don't know what time they actually what time they did but they were available to book at 7am this morning.