Formal Nights

[Shellbackx3]

For anyone who has been on one of the QM2 Canadian/NYC cruises recently, what was the breakdown between tux and dark suits on formal nights? I took one of my tux on an QM2 crossing two years ago, but my wife points out there were many guys in dark suits on formal nights. Thanks for your help.

[2Oldpeopleinlove]

If guys had any clear idea how hot they look in a tuxedo, they'd all be wearing one at every opportunity!

[Shellbackx3]

My wife says the same thing. We are ballroom dancers and spend a lot of time at formal dances with formal wear, so i do not mind wearing a tux. It is just that a tux takes up a lot of luggage space.

 

Thanks for your response. I think you have persuaded me to take a tux.

4 minutes ago, 2Oldpeopleinlove said:

If guys had any clear idea how hot they look in a tuxedo, they'd all be wearing one at every opportunity!

 

Reg

[Jeffrey1950]

2 hours ago, Shellbackx3 said:

For anyone who has been on one of the QM2 Canadian/NYC cruises recently, what was the breakdown between tux and dark suits on formal nights? I took one of my tux on an QM2 crossing two years ago, but my wife points out there were many guys in dark suits on formal nights. Thanks for your help.

I was on the June 30th. cruise Canadian/New York this year and there were two men at my table they did not wear a Tux. I would say they made very little effort to dress up on formal evenings. I was very disappointed in the dress standards in the Britannia Restaurant to the point I complained to Cunard who in turned pushed the blame onto the Restaurant staff but most men did make the effort. If someone cannot do it for themselves then at least do it for the sake of passengers who do dress up. Cunard needs to work harder at maintaining the standards that they are famous for. 

[nybumpkin]

We were aboard the 7/7 Eastbound and the 7/14 Westbound (via Liverpool, Reykjavik, Corner Brook and Halifax). We were seated at the same 10-top for both crossings and DH was the only male who always wore a tux or dinner jacket on gala nights. Lots of dark suits. DH likes formal dress, and customized it with a variety of  bow ties and pocket corners. If others aren't into that, fine - no problem for us, others were dressed as requested with a dark suit.

 

Funny, but today I commented to a work colleague that DH probably packed more than I did for this three-week journey. He had to pack formal wear and a suit in a suitcase while I just packed up my very suitcase-friendly cocktail dresses, long skirts and tunics, and put them in the same suitcase as my casual clothes. 😉 

[BlueRiband]

I was on that sailing in PG.  One gala night a man arrived attired in a zip-front leather jacket and took his seat at a two-top.  A waiter approached him.  The zip-front leather jacket wearer then left the dining room. 

[bluemarble]

Likewise during those same July 7-28 crossings, on one of the smart attire evenings in Britannia, a gentleman attempted to enter for dinner without a jacket. He was politely yet firmly turned away. He protested that all he had was an ugly plaid jacket and he would look better without one, but he was told a jacket was required nonetheless. The dress code enforcement appeared to be pretty good during those crossings.

Edited August 14, 2019 by bluemarble

[Se1lad]

On my last TA I would estimate 1/3 gents wore dark suits instead of a tux.  On none TAs it can be higher again - so you certainly wouldn’t look out of place.

 

its your holiday after all so wear what you like provided it fits within the dress code 🙂 

[naturelovergirl]

On our upcoming port-intensive Cunard voyage, my husband will be one of the men in a dark suit with tie or bow tie on formal evenings... I know he will look sharp and fantastic with lots of style on the Gala nights. 

(I’ll report back after we go about what we observe of the % of suits to tuxedos) 

 

Regardless of choosing a tuxedo or dark suit, I believe that the effort put into making the formal night special is key. 

 

(Last month I was on Caribbean cruise on a different line with family- really great and fun trip- but dress code was essentially non-existent on the line... our family all looked lovely for dinner- but the variety of clothes worn for dinner was vast... so I applaud that Cunard still has a dress code)

 

 

 

 

[Stella1250]

I just completed the Baltic Highlights cruise on QV in Queens Grill. There was one man who came to dinner in black jeans and a bomber jacket EVERY NIGHT. I think he was a repeat cruiser, but the standards were not maintained. Another man came on one night in jeans and a sports jacket. Nothing was said.

 

My husband was a little miffed that he lugged and wore his tux on this cruise when some others didn't even bother to dress for dinner.

[naturelovergirl]

1 hour ago, Stella1250 said:

There was one man who came to dinner in black jeans and a bomber jacket EVERY NIGHT. 

Wow... you would have thought he would have gotten tired of wearing the same exact thing... you were all on a many night cruise!

 

I’ve also seen the designer jeans and sports jackets look consistently coming into play at the nice restaurants in the States in recent years... We specifically noticed last year at a wonderful and famous (jacket required) restaurant we have gone to for years... last year, the amount of designer jeans worn in the restaurant was quite noticeable- where in years before they would not have been allowed outside of the bar area... We will be going to this same restaurant again this week for a special occasion, and I expect we will see it again.

[Shellbackx3]

Many thanks to all who responded.  Whether it is tux or a dark suit, i will make sure that I meet the dress code!  

[Camgirl]

On QV in June we spotted one man entering Britannia without a jacket. He got away with it the first night but was sent back to get his jacket the second night. He wore a jacket from then on and was in a dinner suit (tux) on formal nights. 

[hamrag]

10 hours ago, Stella1250 said:

.......Another man came on one night in jeans and a sports jacket. Nothing was said.....

 

Whilst I personally would never dress like that, whether you like it or not, I believe that complies with the smart attire dress code according to Cunard!

[luckymal]

On 8/14/2019 at 3:17 AM, BlueRiband said:

I was on that sailing in PG.  One gala night a man arrived attired in a zip-front leather jacket and took his seat at a two-top.  A waiter approached him.  The zip-front leather jacket wearer then left the dining room. 

Well done that Waiter, but I do think it would have been better , if, one of the Head Waiters had addressed the matter .🍷🥃

[luckymal]

On 8/14/2019 at 3:17 AM, BlueRiband said:

I was on that sailing in PG.  One gala night a man arrived attired in a zip-front leather jacket and took his seat at a two-top.  A waiter approached him.  The zip-front leather jacket wearer then left the dining room. 

 

Have you ever thought, Head Waiters do not say anything for fear of losing a traveller who pays to use the GRILL $$$$$ ? 🥃🍷

[exlondoner]

On 8/14/2019 at 10:59 PM, hamrag said:

 

Whilst I personally would never dress like that, whether you like it or not, I believe that complies with the smart attire dress code according to Cunard!

 

The voyage information booklet for our next cruise does specify smart trousers for men, even on non-gala nights. Whether jeans are smart trousers is a somewhat contentious question, I should imagine.

[Victoria2]

23 minutes ago, luckymal said:

 

Have you ever thought, Head Waiters do not say anything for fear of losing a traveller who pays to use the GRILL $$$$$ ? 🥃🍷

Nothing like a bit of speculation to stir the pot.

[hamrag]

9 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

 

The voyage information booklet for our next cruise does specify smart trousers for men, even on non-gala nights. Whether jeans are smart trousers is a somewhat contentious question, I should imagine.

 

Yes, ours did too, and I'd imagine if Cunards' intention is to explicitly exclude jeans then that would be stated. We have no issue with the dress code, and I do not possess jeans, but many would argue that there are 'smart' jeans out there...and they certainly fit the 'trousers' description.

 

We came to the conclusion on our recent voyage (1st Cunard since 2012) that many are in denial re dress code, inasmuch as the long redundant semi-formal attire seems to be alive and still kicking! With 45 cruises on 15 different cruiselines including a handful on luxury lines whilst we thoroughly enjoyed the QV cruise it would take a special itinerary now to draw us back to Cunard mainly because of the silly requirement for a jacket on smart attire evenings. We knew that when we booked, and always respect dress code on every cruiseline.

[Host Hattie]

I would read this to mean that non-ripped jeans are considered for the casual areas not smart attire. 

 

[exlondoner]

47 minutes ago, hamrag said:

 

Yes, ours did too, and I'd imagine if Cunards' intention is to explicitly exclude jeans then that would be stated. We have no issue with the dress code, and I do not possess jeans, but many would argue that there are 'smart' jeans out there...and they certainly fit the 'trousers' description.

 

We came to the conclusion on our recent voyage (1st Cunard since 2012) that many are in denial re dress code, inasmuch as the long redundant semi-formal attire seems to be alive and still kicking! With 45 cruises on 15 different cruiselines including a handful on luxury lines whilst we thoroughly enjoyed the QV cruise it would take a special itinerary now to draw us back to Cunard mainly because of the silly requirement for a jacket on smart attire evenings. We knew that when we booked, and always respect dress code on every cruiseline.

 

I would have thought the word smart precluded jeans entirely, but clearly the matter is contentious.

 

As for jackets, in my experience, the air conditioning in the restaurant, while somewhat inconsistent, usually verges towards pretty cool. So, if you don't wear a jacket, how do you keep warm?

[hamrag]

2 hours ago, exlondoner said:

 

I would have thought the word smart precluded jeans entirely, but clearly the matter is contentious.

 

As for jackets, in my experience, the air conditioning in the restaurant, while somewhat inconsistent, usually verges towards pretty cool. So, if you don't wear a jacket, how do you keep warm?

 

On our cruise, QV Baltics 14-28 July, the weather was incredibly sunny and being in Northern climes the nights were light through 11pmish. The Britannia restaurant was very warm, with sunlight through the extensive floor to ceiling windows, to the extent many wondered if air conditioning was even deployed!

[hamrag]

3 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

I would read this to mean that non-ripped jeans are considered for the casual areas not smart attire. 

 

 

I agree Hattie, and actually hate jeans....even 40 years ago in my youth....never owning such in my 63 years! The problem Cunard have, along with all the other mass cruiselines, is inconsistency in language. The Voyage Booklet is silent on the matter of 'more relaxed attire' in the casual venues. For Smart Attire it simply states gentlemen should wear a jacket with shirt, tie optional, and'smart trousers' which is wide open to interpretation. 

 

Many do not go near the website, but rely on the booklet etc. that Cunard send to all UK passengers.

[Host Hattie]

My original photograph is from the Daily Programme so hopefully available for everyone to read once on board.

This one is from the Voyage Booklet for our next trip. Perhaps the wording has been updated since you sailed ?

 

[bluemarble]

1 hour ago, hamrag said:

... The Voyage Booklet is silent on the matter of 'more relaxed attire' in the casual venues.  ...

 

There are two places in the pre-voyage booklets I have from both 2018 and 2019 that discuss the dress code. The first is found on page 4 titled "Explore on board" under "What to Wear". This may be what you found that is indeed silent on the matter of more relaxed attire. There it simply states the following.

 

"Of course, if you prefer to spend your evenings in more relaxed attire, a selection of casual dining and entertainment venues is always available for your enjoyment."

 

Later in a section titled "Those final preparations", the pre-voyage booklets go into more detail in a "Dress code guidance" section. That's where I am seeing the more detailed wording about more relaxed attire including the reference to "Non-ripped jeans" that Host Hattie posted.