Is over dressed as bad as under dressed?

[seasidegal]

I agree .

 

There are so many ships out there, offering so much choice, that almost everyone can find a ship, or line, with an onboard style and atmosphere to suit them, where they can feel comfortable. Surrounded by people with similar tastes and interests . I wouldn't book Disney (amongst others), for example.

 

Why book the very opposite to what you want/where you'll feel comfortable/where you'll be happy. That is illogical . It makes no sense. It is similar to touching wet paint, despite the sign, and complaining that your hand has paint on it.

 

Would they:

Book Disney and complain about children?

Sail Carnival and complain about burger outlets?

Book Costa and complain about noise on board?

Sail Saga and complain about the number of old people?

Book AIDA and complain about the number of Germans?

Sail on a small yacht-like ship and complain there was only one/no pool?

 

So why is it OK to sail with Cunard, and then complain about the dress-code?

 

Please people, if you don't like; the dress-code, libraries, guest speakers, many quiet spaces, board games, afternoon tea, traditional understated decor, reading the Daily Programme (as apposed to being told what to do and when in an announcement), don't book Cunard.

 

If you're looking for; zip-lines, climbing walls, champagne fountains, on-deck movies, ice-rinks, noise and neon, wearing your gym-wear to dinner, don't book Cunard.

 

I don't understand what is so hard about that :confused: .

 

Best wishes to all :) .

 

 

I think in your 'language', pepper, this post would be defined as 'Spot On' and 'Right on the Money' in mine!;)

 

BTW, those zip-lines, climbing walls and ice-rinks are quite fun actually :D, there is a place for them and the QM2 is not one of those places, however, when lugging along multi-aged grandchildren with you those activities come in quite handy (you left out the surfing pool, mini-golf and soon to be bumper cars:eek:)

 

"reading the Daily Programme (as apposed to being told what to do and when in an announcement)"

 

One of my favorite things about Cunard....no blaring announcements and 'barkers' encouraging you to buy the gold by the inch, the bingo card special deal and facial specials. Peace and quiet from the Cunard microphone...heavenly!

 

Cruachan: Just summarising your excellent post in verse: A+

 

when I first came to USA (Boston) I said to someone who was very glum "Keep your pecker up" which in East End of London ("Call the Midwife " Poplar) means "look on the bright side of things" You can guess the horrified looks I received and what the "yanks " thought I meant ! .

 

LOL!

 

 

"I will be one of the "Overdressed "19 nights starting Saturday"

 

Good for you, Lynn!

 

best regards,

seasidegal

[Whitemarsh]

On the question of over - under dressing some bloggers have obviously not been on a Costa cruise. On one occasion, formal night, a newly married couple appeared direct from a Milan Haute Courtier establishment some others appeared in jeans and tee shirt, no one batted an eyelid. It takes all kinds.

 

Precisely why I won't be sailing Costa anytime soon. :)

[fantasy51]

To Cruachan, The Bard: fantastic!

[pepperrn]

I think in your 'language', pepper, this post would be defined as 'Spot On' and 'Right on the Money' in mine!

Thank you! :)

BTW, those zip-lines, climbing walls and ice-rinks are quite fun actually , there is a place for them and the QM2 is not one of those places, however, when lugging along multi-aged grandchildren with you those activities come in quite handy (you left out the surfing pool, mini-golf and soon to be bumper cars)

I agree. Friends of mine, Cunard regulars, had a wonderful time with their grandchildren on board either Oasis or Allure of the Seas (I can‘t recall which). They praised the ship very highly, thought it superb for families, astounding in every way, with every possible distraction, an outstanding adventure; they’ll be going back I’m sure. :)

Sincere best wishes. :)

[pepperrn]

Just summarising Pepper's excellent post in verse :D J

If children you cannot abide

Then Disney you'd better avoid

If buckets of beer make you spew

Then Carnival isn't for you

If you aren't a fan of hard rock

Then, on Costa you could get a shock

If seniors drive you quite gaga

Then you'd better not sign up with Saga

If German is not your own lingo

Then steer well clear of AIDA, by jingo

If small ships you find pretty cool

Don't gripe when there's only one pool

Now, if all of that you find hard

Here's a word of advice from your bard

If you don't mind a DJ or Tux

And you like dressing up, well then, shucks

Is it really so tricky?

Just dust off your dicky*

And splash out on a cruise with Cunard

* NB: UK slang - informal term for a bowtie

:) WONDERFUL !!! :)

 

Thank you Sir Cruachan of the Three Breakfasts, for saying it so much better than I did! :)

 

Brilliant. :)

[north east girl]

I won't be changing my Cunard wardrobe when we go on QV in November. I intend to dress for the occasion as we are trying queens grill for the first time and I can't wait, 16 weeks and counting.

 

It is just a shame that no body had joined me on the roll call board. Still waiting for anybody to join in the chat.

 

Catherine

[NeilT66]

Would they:

Book Disney and complain about children?

Sail Carnival and complain about burger outlets?

Book Costa and complain about noise on board?

Sail Saga and complain about the number of old people?

Book AIDA and complain about the number of Germans?

Sail on a small yacht-like ship and complain there was only one/no pool?

 

So why is it OK to sail with Cunard, and then complain about the dress-code?

 

I wouldn't book Disney (don't want children), Carnival (big ships and down market), Costa (ditto), Saga (too many oldies), Aida (I have no idea who they are), but would book a small boutique cruise.

 

We chose Cunard for our first cruise because the ships are smaller, elegant, and still notionally British despite being registered elsewhere now. But, I fail to see why there is so much fuss about wearing a bit of coloured material around my neck. Most of those in Britannia on our recent cruise went tie-less on informal evenings, yet we all dressed smartly in my opinion. And on formal evenings, the great majority (myself included) wore DJs, but there were a few lounge suits on show. I don't complain about the dress code but about those who would impose it too rigorously.

 

In these times, people are a little more casual when appropriate and I applaud that. I am a local councillor and when I started 18 years ago a suit was almost required for meetings. These days we often dress casually, especially at committee meetings which are not as formal as full council. I also have the privilege to be Mayor of my town last year and this, and have been to rock concerts wearing my chain of office, open neck shirt and jeans - because that's what the other people there expect. The Fashion Police here would have me wearing suit and tie to such events resulting in complete embarrassment to all.

[NeilT66]

Just summarising Pepper's excellent post in verse :D

 

Applause :D:D:D

[balf]

I many, many other lines where "casual" clothes can be worn morning, noon and night.

Best wishes to you :) .

 

Some maybe but not many.

 

David

[Whitemarsh]

I wouldn't book Disney (don't want children), Carnival (big ships and down market), Costa (ditto), Saga (too many oldies), Aida (I have no idea who they are), but would book a small boutique cruise.

 

We chose Cunard for our first cruise because the ships are smaller, elegant, and still notionally British despite being registered elsewhere now. But, I fail to see why there is so much fuss about wearing a bit of coloured material around my neck. Most of those in Britannia on our recent cruise went tie-less on informal evenings, yet we all dressed smartly in my opinion. And on formal evenings, the great majority (myself included) wore DJs, but there were a few lounge suits on show. I don't complain about the dress code but about those who would impose it too rigorously.

 

In these times, people are a little more casual when appropriate and I applaud that. I am a local councillor and when I started 18 years ago a suit was almost required for meetings. These days we often dress casually, especially at committee meetings which are not as formal as full council. I also have the privilege to be Mayor of my town last year and this, and have been to rock concerts wearing my chain of office, open neck shirt and jeans - because that's what the other people there expect. The Fashion Police here would have me wearing suit and tie to such events resulting in complete embarrassment to all.

 

I think a suit without a tie can look quite smart. Most people didn't wear ties on the elegant casual nights, I presume most won't on the new informal nights.

 

No one would expect you (or anyone else) to wear a suit and tie to a rock concert.

[brigittetom]

- because that's what the other people there expect.

 

 

That's the key phrase.

[Strictly Ballroom]

Greetings,

 

I do hope this isn't the wrong place for this question, but since the topic is Cunard dress, I suppose this dovetails into the discussion.

 

While I'm no stranger at all to cruising or trans Atlantic crossings (long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away aboard the QEII), the longest I've spent aboard ship is 14 days previously.

 

Having said that, I've just booked half of one of next year's World Voyages (hoping to add the other half!), and I really am at a bit of a loss as to what to pack for such a long voyage. It's been three decades since I've been aboard Cunard, and in my childhood memories I do remember first class dining (I've booked Queen's Grill) being an affair we dressed for each and every night. We also dressed quite nicely during the day, but that was a bit of a different era back in the late '70's.

 

What exactly should I bring for daywear? Living in the Southwest, I'm very much a shorts and sheer clothing type of person during the day, and while that works on say, Royal Caribbean, I truly don't want to be horrifically under dressed. Since we're at the tail end of availability for summer type clothing, I have to make my related purchases now!

[brigittetom]

Wow....lucky you. We recently did a 14 day TA crossing on RC and there was absolutely no difference in daytime dress between that and Cunard although that wasn't the same crowd as, say, a 7 day Caribbean cruise. I've seen everything on Cunard including gym clothes, straight from the gym, for afternoon tea in the QR.

 

I always feel totally appropriate in nice casual attire during the day....including shorts with nice tops, depending on the weather. Light weight shift dresses with sandals are also a favorite in warm climates, and casual pants with tops or light sweaters in cooler weather. Basically, I take the clothes that I would wear to lunch in a restaurant at home.

 

You simply can't go wrong with nice mix and matches if you remember your QE2 days. :)

[Q-step]

If I understand this thread, there are people who wear tuxedos on semi-formal or elegantly casual nights. OMG. What's a disaster. While I agree one can overdo it, such as tails & gown for lunch, dressing up should not be a problem.

 

On a semi-formal night I wear my tuxedo, but with a long tie instead of a bowtie and cummerbund. Some of this has to do with packing limitations as I want to leave as much room for my wife's clothing. But most of the time I want to give Mrs. Q an opportunity to strut her stuff. She has a great collection of gowns, cocktail dresses and accessories, many of them vintage from the 30's. Me, being dressed in black, supplies a solid looking backdrop to ensure that all eyes focus on her.

 

For full disclosure I need to say that I wear tuxedos, both with bowties and long ties, frequently at home for the same reason. Dinner in one of Boston's finest restaurants, concerts at Symphony Hall and even just for cocktails at the Ritz's or Four Season's bar or Claridge's when we're in London. People are always coming up to my wife and saying "You look amazing." And then they look over at me and as an afterthought say "Oh-and, and you look good too."

[Cruachan]

...For full disclosure I need to say that I wear tuxedos, both with bowties and long ties, frequently at home for the same reason. Dinner in one of Boston's finest restaurants, concerts at Symphony Hall and even just for cocktails at the Ritz's or Four Season's bar or Claridge's when we're in London...

 

How about lunch at Durgin Park?

 

:D

 

J

[Germancruiser]

I don´t see anything bad about beeing overdressed, each his own. Underdressed- well I wouldn´t even feel comfortable when people around me are dressed to nines and I go shabby baggy big pants. If one cruises Cunard one ( at least I do) expects the dressing a bit more formal than on other cruise lines. Cunard´s Mummy- Carnvial- well I have seen pictures from the main dinning room. Flipps Flops- shorts, tank tops everything ( male and female) - not on a formal night ( I quess Carnival still has them, too) of course- anyway that was a bit " disturbing in my opinion. So it is a good thing that there are so many options out there!

By the way thank you Whitmarsh for this great website- wonderful pictures and interessting, too!

 

Michael

[turquoise 6]

Precisely why I won't be sailing Costa anytime soon. :)

LOL, Costa Line doesn't sail from New Zealand Or Australiz

[turquoise 6]

How about lunch at Durgin Park?

 

:D

 

J

Hehehe A seafood place,with sawdust floors in Boston from the 70's,

Is it still around?

[turquoise 6]

In a word; depends... (:D).

 

I've been on short cruises where there was no formal night listed... but passengers decided independently that they were going to have a formal night without Cunard's permission! So, on one cruise, around 10% of the passengers were dressed "black tie" on a semi-formal night. And very fine they looked too, well done them I say (and wish I'd taken my formal wear as well).

On the other hand, someone wearing formal wear to lunch... or wearing "white tie" or "court dress" to dinner would be considered, by many, as "over-dressed" these days. Whereas "white tie" on men was almost universal in 1st class for dinner on board the great liners before WWII, these days, for dinner on land, it is very rarely seen, other than State Dinners, in the UK.

 

So, while I don't think you can be over-dressed for dinner, there are limits if one doesn't want to stand out. Or look foolish.

 

Surely the whole point of "black tie" is NOT to stand out...

A gentleman should allow the lady on his arm, in her stunning gown, to gather the attention, not divert eyes to his over-colourful bow tie/dinner jacket/cummerbund/waistcoat etc. :eek:

 

To be correctly attired for every occasion is my aim... :)

it appears to me that this Dress Code thing has become all HYPE! : to the point that everyone here on this post,(this is not the real world)made to feel the need to consume it.

Take your formal dresses,your diamonds,your tux, and ENJOY IT ,as has been done since before and after TITANIC

[Whitemarsh]

By the way thank you Whitmarsh for this great website- wonderful pictures and interesting, too!

 

Michael

 

No worries, it's a great site isn't it. The pictures are great, but it's true what they say - the past is another country.....

[The Real PM]

Just summarising Pepper's excellent post in verse :D

 

J

 

If children you cannot abide

Then Disney you'd better avoid

 

If buckets of beer make you spew

Then Carnival isn't for you

 

If you aren't a fan of hard rock

Then, on Costa you could get a shock

 

If seniors drive you quite gaga

Then you'd better not sign up with Saga

 

If German is not your own lingo

Then steer well clear of AIDA, by jingo

 

If small ships you find pretty cool

Don't gripe when there's only one pool

 

Now, if all of that you find hard

Here's a word of advice from your bard

If you don't mind a DJ or Tux

And you like dressing up, well then, shucks

Is it really so tricky?

Just dust off your dicky*

And splash out on a cruise with Cunard

 

* NB: UK slang - informal term for a bowtie

 

Your poetry is always excellent and this is just as outstanding with one exception--that being--the first verse because there were over 300 kids, running, jumping and misbehaving on the 20 July QM2 crossing, probably rivaling the Disney cruises. I really don't know what happened because I have seen very few children on previous QM2 sailings.

[Cruachan]

Your poetry is always excellent and this is just as outstanding with one exception--that being--the first verse because there were over 300 kids, running, jumping and misbehaving on the 20 July QM2 crossing, probably rivaling the Disney cruises. I really don't know what happened because I have seen very few children on previous QM2 sailings.

 

UK school holidays?

 

J

[Sweetpea711423]

Hehehe A seafood place,with sawdust floors in Boston from the 70's,

Is it still around?

 

 

Hi. I live in Boston, and yes, Durgin Park is still there. However, it is not really known as a seafood place. Its claim to fame is large slabs of red meat, falling over the sides of the plate. Haven't been there in many years -- more of a tourist place these days.

[Q-step]

Yes. Durgin Park is still here. With slabs of meat and fairly decent seafood as well.

 

As some have pointed out, being under-dressed is more of a problem than being overdressed. Mainly because it detracts from the fairytale story of being on a Cunard crossing. It impacts those around you who enjoy the look and mystique of formal nights.

 

On our crossings I usually relinquish the stateroom to my wife to get ready on formal nights and I go shower and shave in the Canyon Ranch Spa. By the time I head back to the room to get dressed, many guests are already walking about in tuxes & gowns. Even though the CR Spa is on deck 7, I will not walk through deck 7. I always use the stairs to get away from the main public areas to get back. I don't want to spoil someone else's fairytale.

[Cunard's Queen]

It depends on my mood that day. Sometimes I prefer to be overdressed, whereas other times, I prefer to barely meet the "acceptable requirements" for entry into the dining hall.

 

Personally, neither scenario takes weight over each other as I don't let how others dress devalue my cruise nor would I expect the way I dress influence the experience of other guests.

Edited March 24, 2015 by Cunard's Queen