Proper Cunard dress

[pepperrn]

We are eyeing a crossing in the next year or two. Dumb question but can I get away with wearing one dark suit all week (with multiple ties/shirts)? ...

Hi sppunk,

 

Yes, you can. A dark suit is perfectly suitable (pun intended!) for all nights on board.

As you suggest, mix the shirts and ties and no-one will notice (or care!) that it is the same suit, except you and your partner.

 

Have the most amazing time on board :) , best wishes.

Edited May 27, 2016 by pepperrn

[sppunk]

Hi sppunk,

 

Yes, you can. A dark suit is perfectly suitable (pun intended!) for all nights on board.

As you suggest, mix the shirts and ties and no-one will notice (or care!) that it is the same suit, except you and your partner.

 

Have the most amazing time on board :) , best wishes.

 

Thank you! I figured no one would care/notice. We've eyed a crossing fr yeas bit other things have gotten in the way - looks like a group of friends will join us in 2018 so yay!

 

I've read so many of your helpful posts so let ie say thanks for helping us prepare already!

[NSWP]

Have a wonderful time, the fly cruises in the Med have jacket optional nights on embarkation days.

We are booked on our first Cunard ship - QM2 in March 2017, Sydney - Hong Kong. On non formal nights I have read on here that due to recent dress code changes that jackets may be optional and even if jacket is required on non formal , ties are optional. Am I correct?

 

We were on Aurora/Oriana last year and on 'jacket nights' ties were optional, although many men still wore ties. But even on smart casual nights, eg shirt and trousers, quite a few pax still wore jacket and tie, is that the norm for Cunard too?

 

I like to be forewarned rather than having to walk the plank or be thrown into ye olde brig by the Cunard dress police !!

Edited May 28, 2016 by NSWP

[Lakesregion]

This is far more promising and a welcoming attitude. We have three voyages planned--Canada/New England this fall, 21 nights on QE next February and 25 nights on QV next March. We are a family of five--so two cabins. I certainly hope to meet kind, like minded people on our voyages. How I wish this board were not rife with negative dress code chatter. The meanness and snobbishness really spoils the feel of the board. It's not an nice image for a new poster to witness. Glad to hear it doesn't spill over to the ships.

 

I am confused. Why is it that folks that state they are strong proponents of a strict adherence to the dress code are called out for being mean, snobbish and judgmental but those who are boorish and disrespect the code and wish to do as they please are tolerated and not called out?

 

I am sure that we who feel strongly for the formality of the ship would not be posting strong opinions if every third day there was another post from someone who after reading the brochures or reading all the other posts about attire on a Cunard ship come on this board and ask if they can get away with dressing under the code.

 

Heavens knows there are at least 100 other ships plying the high seas where one can dress in almost anything and do. Why can there not be three ships where formality is the rule.

[Salacia]

There used to be a great expression that applied to those undesirables - blackballed.

 

I well remember a time in the Princess Grill when a particularly nice lady was travelling with her teenage son. She complained on the first evening that her son was refusing to wear the formal wear she had bought him.

 

On leaving the Grill that evening myself and the other gentleman on the table (it was a table for 6) joined the son in the Gents.

 

The following evening mum was delighted that the table was fully formally dressed.

 

:):)

 

WHAT? That's some kind of crazy:eek:

[Salacia]

Talk like this is what has me considering cancelling my FIFTY THREE nights on board. I have every intention of dressing up, but the pettiness and unkindness that goes along with any talk of dress has me fearing that Cunarders are people I'd rather not encounter in real life. We sailed back in 2008 and had a lovely time, but perhaps things have devolved in recent years. With everyone's talk of dress, I find it disappointing that there seems to be little regard for avoiding pettiness. Final payment is first week of June. It's not looking good. I can't imagine Cunard would appreciate having a vocal contingent that is so unwelcoming and unfriendly. Not a way to fill berths.

 

Quandrea, I don't blame you for having second thoughts. But - for what it's worth- my husband and I have enjoyed 12 voyages on QM2. During those voyages, we met many delightful fellow passengers from around the world. Never did anyone mention another's clothing, except to compliment (and compliments were plentiful).

 

I don't know why it works so well, but interesting and engaging conversation is the norm. We have also found an unusual percentage of people with a good sense of humour on board QM2.

 

I'm sorry that there are unwelcoming posts here sometimes (I'm guilty of that), but please remember that posters here represent a microcosm of Cunard passengers.

 

Again, best wishes to you and your family for a wonder- full trip.

 

Cheers,

Salacia

Edited May 28, 2016 by Salacia

[Adammara]

We have booked Cunard because of the dress code, our last few cruises have been with Celebrity, there have been many changes there, but 'Chic' evenings were the last straw. No doubt there have been changes on Cunard as well, but we won't notice, or remember from our only other Cunard cruise on QE2 in 1991!

[quandrea]

I am confused. Why is it that folks that state they are strong proponents of a strict adherence to the dress code are called out for being mean, snobbish and judgmental but those who are boorish and disrespect the code and wish to do as they please are tolerated and not called out?

 

I am sure that we who feel strongly for the formality of the ship would not be posting strong opinions if every third day there was another post from someone who after reading the brochures or reading all the other posts about attire on a Cunard ship come on this board and ask if they can get away with dressing under the code.

 

Heavens knows there are at least 100 other ships plying the high seas where one can dress in almost anything and do. Why can there not be three ships where formality is the rule.

 

Calling an individual out on a breech in etiquette is in itself a breech of etiquette. You yourself have commented in other threads that one's table mates should call out individuals who do not meet your standard. There is mention of black balling. True grace is rising above such pettiness. I will never understand how someone else's attire can spoil your holiday. I'm not saying flouting the dress code is appropriate, but as your mother always said, "two wrongs don't make a right." I would find the notion of blackballing and calling offenders out far worse crimes than not wearing a tie. It is not charitable and in my opinion, the absolute height of bad manners.

[BlueRiband]

Calling an individual out on a breech in etiquette is in itself a breech of etiquette. You yourself have commented in other threads that one's table mates should call out individuals who do not meet your standard. There is mention of black balling. True grace is rising above such pettiness. I will never understand how someone else's attire can spoil your holiday. I'm not saying flouting the dress code is appropriate, but as your mother always said, "two wrongs don't make a right." I would find the notion of blackballing and calling offenders out far worse crimes than not wearing a tie. It is not charitable and in my opinion, the absolute height of bad manners.

 

I have to disagree with your assessment. This is exactly why decorum and civility have slipped. Those who ignore the requested dress code for an event do so with impunity while those with the courage (or bad manners depending on the viewpoint) to call them out in some way are instead seen the ones in the wrong. "Don't judge people....be kind and charitable.." we're admonished.

 

How can someone else's attire spoil a holiday? If I come to the dining room wearing a formal evening dress and someone else comes with a sport jacket over a polo that's not exactly a formal atmosphere, is it? I sail on Cunard because of its formal atmosphere. If others are allowed to spoil it for those of us there for this very reason than I'm not getting what was advertised and paid for.

[DadTheBigKid]

I have just come off the QM2.

My first and not last time I hope.

The surroundings and dress code are important of course but the holiday is made by people.

I would give more tolerance in dress code than people's attitude any time.

We met great people dressed in various ways at various times of the day.

The decorum would be lowered much more by bad attitude than dress and I am glad that on board, as many people have stated on here, the people are impeccable and made the holiday while the environment and dress code was overall as requested but not always and NEVER in a way that upset anyone

Happy holidays to all.

[quandrea]

I have to disagree with your assessment. This is exactly why decorum and civility have slipped. Those who ignore the requested dress code for an event do so with impunity while those with the courage (or bad manners depending on the viewpoint) to call them out in some way are instead seen the ones in the wrong. "Don't judge people....be kind and charitable.." we're admonished.

 

How can someone else's attire spoil a holiday? If I come to the dining room wearing a formal evening dress and someone else comes with a sport jacket over a polo that's not exactly a formal atmosphere, is it? I sail on Cunard because of its formal atmosphere. If others are allowed to spoil it for those of us there for this very reason than I'm not getting what was advertised and paid for.[/quote

 

We will just have to disagree. I have far more important matters to focus upon while on holiday rather than what others may or may not be wearing. The post after yours sums it up nicely. I am far more likely to be put off by someone's bad attitude than what clothes they choose to wear. I understand that adherence to the dress code is the gold standard and what we would hope for at all times, but failure by someone to heed the code would never bother me.

Edited May 28, 2016 by quandrea

[quandrea]

I have just come off the QM2.

My first and not last time I hope.

The surroundings and dress code are important of course but the holiday is made by people.

I would give more tolerance in dress code than people's attitude any time.

We met great people dressed in various ways at various times of the day.

The decorum would be lowered much more by bad attitude than dress and I am glad that on board, as many people have stated on here, the people are impeccable and made the holiday while the environment and dress code was overall as requested but not always and NEVER in a way that upset anyone

Happy holidays to all.

 

Beautifully said. And let's hope this is the prevailing attitude on board.

[Lakesregion]

Calling an individual out on a breech in etiquette is in itself a breech of etiquette. You yourself have commented in other threads that one's table mates should call out individuals who do not meet your standard. There is mention of black balling. True grace is rising above such pettiness. I will never understand how someone else's attire can spoil your holiday. I'm not saying flouting the dress code is appropriate, but as your mother always said, "two wrongs don't make a right." I would find the notion of blackballing and calling offenders out far worse crimes than not wearing a tie. It is not charitable and in my opinion, the absolute height of bad manners.

 

Ordinarily I would agree but after watching what 77 years of being polite has gotten me I no longer will simply roll over and allow the philistine's at the gate have their way. One only needs look at the rest of the world where they have allowed such things to happen and no one is speaking out or only a few to see that being "Nice" rarely works with those intent on pushing over the apple cart.

[DWhit]

Will it spoil my vacation if I see people in casual dress on formal night? No it won't. But if Cunard and Cunard's passengers allow the dress code to be consistently violated, then pretty soon Cunard will be like all the other lines, and I think that would a great tragedy.

[Katgoesonholiday]

I'm all for dress codes and we are super excited to be experiencing Cunard in July and to wear our formal clothes....but surely the dress codes are up to Cunard and its designated representatives (i.e. the staff) to enforce and not other passengers? For a group that claims to boast such refined tastes, there is some remarkably ugly talk being posted. 😕

[quandrea]

I'm all for dress codes and we are super excited to be experiencing Cunard in July and to wear our formal clothes....but surely the dress codes are up to Cunard and its designated representatives (i.e. the staff) to enforce and not other passengers? For a group that claims to boast such refined tastes, there is some remarkably ugly talk being posted. 😕

 

Yes that is my point. The ugly talk is so much more disturbing than an individual not adhering to the dress code. Referring to people as undesirables in this day and age is shocking to me.