Have you seen people denied entrance to dining room because not. Dressed properly?

[navybankerteacher]

9 minutes ago, resistk said:

 

No thanks, I am a Cunard Diamond member and they owe me aroud $2500 in FCCs so will surely be back. I find the Grills much more relaxed than Britannia.  I simply find the formal night dress code to be a real pain in the rear end, a pair of black golf slacks and matching light weight black blazer is a great stand in for a tux and weighs much less.  By all means the ladies should dress up but some of the mens' formal evening wear, like their owers, have seen better days.

Most of us who do not live close to a Cunard port find full formal wear to be an unwelcome burden.  The point is - if you wear a dark suit (or what you seem to describe as something that is essentially indistinguishable from a dark suit) you are in compliance with the dress code.  BTW  - is there something in particular that makes black trousers “golf slacks” — or is it just the nomenclature which makes you feel like a free-thinking rebel?

[resistk]

39 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

Most of us who do not live close to a Cunard port find full formal wear to be an unwelcome burden.  The point is - if you wear a dark suit (or what you seem to describe as something that is essentially indistinguishable from a dark suit) you are in compliance with the dress code.  BTW  - is there something in particular that makes black trousers “golf slacks” — or is it just the nomenclature which makes you feel like a free-thinking rebel?

 

The idea is to find the lightest weight possible, there are black mens slacks that are very thin, quick drying and hand washable called golf slacks made by Oakley and other brands that are dead ringers for tuxedo pants.  I used to have a drag that darn tuxedo around Europe for a month until I got wise.

 

[PORT ROYAL]

10 hours ago, resistk said:

 

I think this affection for the dress code is more common in the 65+ age range, who may not be cruising in the near future?  Cunard is going to have a hard time filling its ships unless it changes with the times. 

 

Disagree with you age range, as their are guests of all ages cruising with Cunard.

With regard to "filling", have to state the ship sailed "full" on all but one of our Cunard cruises over the previous five years and know future bookings are always strong.

[exlondoner]

6 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

Most of us who do not live close to a Cunard port find full formal wear to be an unwelcome burden.  

 

This may be true - or it may not. I just wonder how you could possibly know either way. 

[PORT ROYAL]

6 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

Most of us who do not live close to a Cunard port find full formal wear to be an unwelcome burden. 

 

If cruise formal wear has become an unwelcome burden, albeit mental or physical, then may one suggest you end this angst, by completely refraining from cruising Cunard, as this will immediately remove any detriment to your mental or physical wellbeing.

One thinks you'll find a more casual cruise operator more suited to your physical, and/or phycological needs.

[majortom10]

12 hours ago, resistk said:

 

I think this affection for the dress code is more common in the 65+ age range, who may not be cruising in the near future?  Cunard is going to have a hard time filling its ships unless it changes with the times. 

Sorry but I am not in the 65+ group and first cruised with Cunard at the age of 38 so that blows your idea out of the water. I think the main problem is the American market dont want to dress formally and is a regular post on other cruise lines especially American who want to go to dinner in jeans and T-shirt like Princess cruises and some if allowed would even wear shorts. Sorry but Cunard should keep the Formal dress code and strictly adhere to it and for those that dont there are many cruise lines who will let you dress as you wish.

[majortom10]

7 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

Most of us who do not live close to a Cunard port find full formal wear to be an unwelcome burden.  The point is - if you wear a dark suit (or what you seem to describe as something that is essentially indistinguishable from a dark suit) you are in compliance with the dress code.  BTW  - is there something in particular that makes black trousers “golf slacks” — or is it just the nomenclature which makes you feel like a free-thinking rebel?

That is nonsense I have flown many times to New York to cruise with Cunard aand never had any problems packing formal wear i.e. dinner suit, dress shirts and bow ties. That reason is just a poor excuse that those that dont want to adhere to the dress code use. If you dont want to adhere to the dress code and there is no Cunard port near to you then I am sure there are many ports you can use were you dont need formal dress and can dress how you like. Jeans , t-shirt and baseball caps on Formal nights is not Formal dress in anyones mind and is often seen on Princess.

[PORT ROYAL]

20 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

Sorry but I am not in the 65+ group and first cruised with Cunard at the age of 38 so that blows your idea out of the water. I think the main problem is the American market dont want to dress formally and is a regular post on other cruise lines especially American who want to go to dinner in jeans and T-shirt like Princess cruises and some if allowed would even wear shorts. Sorry but Cunard should keep the Formal dress code and strictly adhere to it and for those that dont there are many cruise lines who will let you dress as you wish.

 

Brought back fond memories - First Cunard Cruise - Cunard Countess - 1984 - Caribbean - Age 24

Spent hours of enjoyable time with a group of senior UK union officials.  Very nice, amusing and entertaining people.

There were more ladies in "Gowns" every evening then.

So the Cunard ethos of making an effort and respect was engrained back then.  Did not cause any distress, in fact thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

 

 

 

 

[navybankerteacher]

27 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

That is nonsense I have flown many times to New York to cruise with Cunard aand never had any problems packing formal wear i.e. dinner suit, dress shirts and bow ties. That reason is just a poor excuse that those that dont want to adhere to the dress code use. If you dont want to adhere to the dress code and there is no Cunard port near to you then I am sure there are many ports you can use were you dont need formal dress and can dress how you like. Jeans , t-shirt and baseball caps on Formal nights is not Formal dress in anyones mind and is often seen on Princess.

Extremism is rarely sensible. Cunard’s dress code does NOT require black tie - it is made clear that a dark suit is perfectly acceptable.  Because most of my Cunard sailings involve a trans-Atlantic flight, then travel in Europe - carrying formal dress including shoes in addition to everything else is a burden —- it would require an additional bag..  A dark suit with white shirt and tie IS in compliance with the code -it is hardly comparable to. “Jeans, t-shirt and baseball caps...”

 

I have seen a lot of those who rather pretentiously wear a dinner jacket into the dining room and then immediately take off the jacket and hang it on the back of the chair for the whole dinner.  The point of the dress code is to comply with it - to dress in accordance with it - and not just prove that you own a jacket and not wear it.

[exlondoner]

24 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

Extremism is rarely sensible. Cunard’s dress code does NOT require black tie - it is made clear that a dark suit is perfectly acceptable.  Because most of my Cunard sailings involve a trans-Atlantic flight, then travel in Europe - carrying formal dress including shoes in addition to everything else is a burden —- it would require an additional bag..  A dark suit with white shirt and tie IS in compliance with the code -it is hardly comparable to. “Jeans, t-shirt and baseball caps...”

 

I have seen a lot of those who rather pretentiously wear a dinner jacket into the dining room and then immediately take off the jacket and hang it on the back of the chair for the whole dinner.  The point of the dress code is to comply with it - to dress in accordance with it - and not just prove that you own a jacket and not wear it.

 

As a female, I'm baffled as to why a dark suit takes up so much less space than a DJ?

[PORT ROYAL]

11 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

 

As a female, I'm baffled as to why a dark suit takes up so much less space than a DJ?

 

Just a weak excuse.

Possible ...

They have no wish to pay for an additional suitcase on the flight (available on all grades)

They don't own a Tux, shoes, socks, shirts, ties, cufflinks etc

They have no wish to purchase Formal Ware for a Cunard cruise

They have no wish to pay for the hire of Formal ware, on land or on the ship

They don't own a selection of seperate jackets, using the suit jacket on casual evenings to go with their one pair of shoes.

 

The list can be extended....

 

 

 

 

[exlondoner]

2 hours ago, PORT ROYAL said:

 

Just a weak excuse.

Possible ...

They have no wish to pay for an additional suitcase on the flight (available on all grades)

They don't own a Tux, shoes, socks, shirts, ties, cufflinks etc

They have no wish to purchase Formal Ware for a Cunard cruise

They have no wish to pay for the hire of Formal ware, on land or on the ship

They don't own a selection of seperate jackets, using the suit jacket on casual evenings to go with their one pair of shoes.

 

The list can be extended....

 

 

 

 

 

Ah, I forgot about cufflinks... They are probably the final straw.

[navybankerteacher]

43 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

 

As a female, I'm baffled as to why a dark suit takes up so much less space than a DJ?

It takes up the same amount of space as a dinner jacket (which with formal shoes, dress shirts, ties and cummerbunds would require an additional bag, as I need that dark suit for other purposes than dining aboard ship)  and I happen to have occasions to wear a suit while traveling.  I wear a dinner jacket when appropriate — but as long as Cunard asks that I wear either a dark suit or a dinner jacket I am happy to comply - but I am not interested in the moans of the over-the-top pseudo-dandies  who, while only wearing dinner jacket rather than white tie, want to insist that  I dress to their middle level.

 

Pretentious hogwash.

[BlueRiband]

Booking Cunard when one doesn’t like to dress for dinner is like booking Disney when one doesn’t like to be around young children.

[exlondoner]

1 hour ago, navybankerteacher said:

It takes up the same amount of space as a dinner jacket (which with formal shoes, dress shirts, ties and cummerbunds would require an additional bag, as I need that dark suit for other purposes than dining aboard ship)  and I happen to have occasions to wear a suit while traveling.  I wear a dinner jacket when appropriate — but as long as Cunard asks that I wear either a dark suit or a dinner jacket I am happy to comply - but I am not interested in the moans of the over-the-top pseudo-dandies  who, while only wearing dinner jacket rather than white tie, want to insist that  I dress to their middle level.

 

Pretentious hogwash.

 

Still baffled , as my spouse and I are not midgets or unclean, but manage to get our requirements for a 12 day cruise into two medium sized suitcases and two pieces of hand luggage. In any event, nobody has suggested that a dark suit is inadequate or that men thus dressed should be turned away.

[MCC retired]

Recently reached Diamond with nothing  more  than  a dark suit and sport coat on every one of the 15 sailings.

[navybankerteacher]

44 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

 

Still baffled , as my spouse and I are not midgets or unclean, but manage to get our requirements for a 12 day cruise into two medium sized suitcases and two pieces of hand luggage. In any event, nobody has suggested that a dark suit is inadequate or that men thus dressed should be turned away.

PortRoyal and MajorTom10 both expressed the view that a dark suit was not enough and that one not inclined  to bring a dinner jacket should sail elsewhere.

 

In my case, the necessity for an extra bag to accommodate  the not-required dinner jacket, dress shoes, etc. — in addition to the dark suit needed on my three or so weeks in several countries before coming to England to catch my 7 day crossing home —- makes bringing my dinner jacket an unnecessary absurdity.

1 hour ago, BlueRiband said:

Booking Cunard when one doesn’t like to dress for dinner is like booking Disney when one doesn’t like to be around young children.

Since Cunard makes it clear that a dark suit meets their notion of dressing for dinner, adding this last bit is irrelevant and, frankly, stupid.

 

On all my several QM2 sailings (usually T/A’s) I never saw much more than half wearing dinner jackets.

[carlmm]

2 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

On all my several QM2 sailings (usually T/A’s) I never saw much more than half wearing dinner jackets.

 

Interesting. My observations are different: Maybe three, four years ago the numbers dipped down to maybe 80%, for the last two years I would say 95-98% again.

(But, yes, Cunard does need to be careful not to let standards drop even further, especially, on none formal nights.)

 

16 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

Most of us who do not live close to a Cunard port find full formal wear to be an unwelcome burden.  The point is - if you wear a dark suit (or what you seem to describe as something that is essentially indistinguishable from a dark suit) you are in compliance with the dress code.  

 

Most? Who knows. For my last cruise it took me a car, a train, three flights and a coach to get to the port, over 40 hours and no, no burden. I just took two large suitcases and was hopefully covered for all events.

 

21 hours ago, resistk said:

 

I think this affection for the dress code is more common in the 65+ age range, who may not be cruising in the near future?  

 

And again. Sorry. I started Cunard decades ago and I am still far away from 65, yet I do enjoy the dress code. So do the young couples in their twenties I have met onboard. ... ... ...

 

Cunard USP is formality and traditional luxury.

 

 

[BlueRiband]

4 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

...

Since Cunard makes it clear that a dark suit meets their notion of dressing for dinner, adding this last bit is irrelevant and, frankly, stupid...

How was my comment "irrelevant" and "stupid"? 

 

The comparison is appropriate: why book a ship if one already knows it to be a bad match to one's preferred vacation style.  Imagine if I wrote a Disney review where I complained on and on about noisy children and mascot characters interacting with passengers.  Anybody reading it would be right to ask, "What on earth did you expect on a ship marketed to young families?"  The same applies to Cunard's dress code.  Why keep signing on only to complain how burdensome it is.

 

 

 

[david,Mississauga]

Every now and then we hear how difficult it is for a gent to pack formal wear or equivalent. To any man who says this I say you aren’t trying hard enough. My wife and I travel with one modestly-sized suitcase each, even though the airlines we fly with allow us two each. I have never had any difficulty getting my dinner jacket, shoes, etc. into this one case along with the other necessities. My wife takes two simple long dresses – not ball gowns – plus one cocktail dress along with casual wear. We have never had a problem with this, even for two one-week crossings with a fortnight’s holiday in Britain.

 

As for lowering standards, Cunard has done enough of this. Right up to the last crossing we made on the QE2 the dress code called for a minimum of jacket and tie for men every night.

 

Regarding the original question: yes, I have seen men turned away from the Britannia restaurant. In both Princess and Queen’s Grill I have seen jacketless men seated on the first night, but they were spoken to discreetly by the maitre d’.  

[canoncruiser]

Hey all, 

 

Check out old films and still photos of folks dining in the First Class Restaurants of both QM and QE - not publicity shots - and you will see numbers of gents in dark suits. In them thar days- 30s, late 40s and 50s, many business men crossed back and forth regularly and did not often travel with dinner clothes. Their dark suits, good ties and polished shoes were sufficient.  

 

According to Jimmy Merrill, his father -the Merrill of Merrill Lynch - sometimes did so and always dined with his PA/valet in order to avoid , bothersome fellow passengers.😊

[navybankerteacher]

53 minutes ago, BlueRiband said:

How was my comment "irrelevant" and "stupid"? 

 

The comparison is appropriate: why book a ship if one already knows it to be a bad match to one's preferred vacation style.  Imagine if I wrote a Disney review where I complained on and on about noisy children and mascot characters interacting with passengers.  Anybody reading it would be right to ask, "What on earth did you expect on a ship marketed to young families?"  The same applies to Cunard's dress code.  Why keep signing on only to complain how burdensome it is.

 

 

 

Your comment was irrelevant and stupid because it compared my inclination to wear a dark suit rather than a dinner jacket on a Cunard shiip  with someone not liking to sail with young families booking a Disney cruise.    Disney cruises are known for attracting families with young children  -so booking a Disney cruise does not make sense for someone who dies not want to sail with your children.

 

Cunard, on the other hand makes it clear that wearing a dark suit meets their dress code. So my complying with their dress code by wearing a dark suit is enjoying Cunard for what it is.  I happen to prefer traveling with manageable luggage - it is YOUR problem if you do not like the way fellow passengers comply with YOUR reasonable expectations:  that fellow passengers will comply with the dress code.   You are the one who has difficulty with Cunard’s dress code - because it includes my dark suit. 

 

Perhaps you should seek out a line which permits ONLY dinner jackets - rather than persisting with your irrelevant and stupid objection to my complying with Cunard’s dress code.

[BlueRiband]

Wow.  It's unfortunate that my Disney/Cunard post was taken as a personal derogatory remark rather than a general comment towards those who constantly bemoan dressing for dinner.  As you said you do dress for dinner, and what you wear does comply with Cunard's dress code.  Please point out where I said otherwise because I don't recall saying so.   But then I'm "stupid' and "irrelevant" so I won't persist in extending this argument.

[navybankerteacher]

8 hours ago, BlueRiband said:

Booking Cunard when one doesn’t like to dress for dinner is like booking Disney when one doesn’t like to be around young children.

Here is where you indicated that I did not like to dress for dinner.  I do happen to like to dress for dinner, I do it regularly;  and I always make an effort to comply with my host expectations.   

 

13 minutes ago, BlueRiband said:

Wow.  It's unfortunate that my Disney/Cunard post was taken as a personal derogatory remark rather than a general comment towards those who constantly bemoan dressing for dinner.  As you said you do dress for dinner, and what you wear does comply with Cunard's dress code.  Please point out where I said otherwise because I don't recall saying so.   But then I'm "stupid' and "irrelevant" so I won't persist in extending this argument.

 

[resistk]

4 hours ago, canoncruiser said:

Hey all, 

 

Check out old films and still photos of folks dining in the First Class Restaurants of both QM and QE - not publicity shots - and you will see numbers of gents in dark suits. In them thar days- 30s, late 40s and 50s, many business men crossed back and forth regularly and did not often travel with dinner clothes. Their dark suits, good ties and polished shoes were sufficient.  

 

According to Jimmy Merrill, his father -the Merrill of Merrill Lynch - sometimes did so and always dined with his PA/valet in order to avoid , bothersome fellow passengers.😊

 

Additionally since gender is now officially fluid one could wear a dress if one chose to and I certainly have seen national garb such as African formal wear.