I'm pretty sure the dress code has changed

[bluemarble]

4 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

It's only one musical session per crossing. I  wonder what the premium is for this. It might look as if no premium, but people may be foregoing better deals elsewhere. 

 

The website for the Vintage themed Transatlantic crossings on Queen Mary is advertising

• 5+ Private parties featuring (band/orchestra)
• Private Cocktail Party

Some very rough calculations of mine come up with somewhere around $50 per person per night extra for this vintage experience, when comparing their advertised fares to the standard refundable "Cunard" fares found on the Cunard US website. That premium does increase when comparing to other promotional fares offered by Cunard or elsewhere.

[Jack E Dawson]

43 minutes ago, bluemarble said:

 

The website for the Vintage themed Transatlantic crossings on Queen Mary is advertising

• 5+ Private parties featuring (band/orchestra)
• Private Cocktail Party

Some very rough calculations of mine come up with somewhere around $50 per person per night extra for this vintage experience, when comparing their advertised fares to the standard refundable "Cunard" fares found on the Cunard US website. That premium does increase when comparing to other promotional fares offered by Cunard or elsewhere.

According to the site, you select any category of cabin you want from Inside to Queens Grill, book through that agency and there is an additional  $295pp premium. There are 5 evening parties with band/dancing in the Queens Room (6-8), one cocktail party and 5 daytime events like; meet the band members, the Glenn Miller story, etc. 

I'm not sure I could take 5 nights of "Swing" plus there is always one night of "Big Band" music in the Queens Room by the Cunard band on each crossing anyway. Add to that the 6 other nights the Cunard band performs in the Queens Room. One of the things we love about sailing on the QM2 is that there is live music all over the ship from lunch time on and there is no premium for any of it. However, for those who REALLY enjoy the Glenn Miller Band, I hope they have a great time of it. The good news is that since this is being billed as a period or vintage event (40's), they will likely be very nicely dressed to the benefit of everyone. As we are already booked on the May 8th Crossing, I look forward to talking to some of the participants to see how they enjoy it. 

 

Jack

[elmsliebev]

On 9/21/2021 at 9:41 PM, bluemarble said:

 

@Sabrina66's post got my curiosity. Here's what I've found. There's a travel agent based in Texas advertising "Vintage themed Transatlantic crossings on the Queen Mary 2". They are currently advertising these three westbound crossings and performers.

 

April 24, 2022 - Alex Mendham & His Orchestra

May 8, 2022 - The Glenn Miller Orchestra

October 18, 2022 - Dandy Wellington & His Band

 

Their FAQ says

"Our vintage group will be an intimate private party of approximately 300 people so that everyone can fit comfortably in the Queen’s Room to enjoy the private events."

and

"Throughout the voyage, there will be five private performances plus a cocktail party along with the option of additional daytime meetups. Our main events will usually take place in the Queen’s Room between 6pm and 8pm."

Alex Mendham and his orchestra are superb, I can see they would be perfect on the QM2. Don't know Dandy Wellington, and of course I know the Glenn Miller band. 

[Windsurfboy]

so this means for 5 nights , other guests are excluded from Queens  room 

[Bell Boy]

22 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

so this means for 5 nights , other guests are excluded from Queens  room 

The Queens Room will be closed for their private event from 6pm -to 8pm ( two hours) for five of the seven night  crossing.

As a dancer myself I was originally booked for this voyage ( via my TA in the UK) I have since found out that only those who have booked via a particular 'TA in the USA' will access to the Queens Room ( between 6-8pm) 

I have since transferred my booking.

 

I sincerely hope Cunard Line do not make a habit of closing off public venues around the ship for 'private group activities' . 

Edited September 25, 2021 by Bell Boy

[david,Mississauga]

Without passing judgement on anyone else, I ignore the dumbing down of the dress code. After all, the standards are a minimum. As recently as 2008, the last year the QE2 was in service, the standard of dress for gents (at least on crossings) was a minimum of jacket and tie every night. It was only when we started crossing on the QM2 that I noticed "jackets required, tie optional" on certain nights.

 

On our QE Alaska cruise in 2019 it was "jacket optional" on the first night and possibly the last night. I had never seen this before on Cunard.  Our friend and I were by no means the only ones to wear our usual jacket and tie.  I won't go as far as wearing a DJ on non-formal nights, but Cunard can lower their standards all they want and I will pay no attention to it. 

 

I am frequently a guest at my friend's club in Toronto. Despite the recent "smart casual" dress code - except for special events - three-quarters of the men wear a jacket and tie to dinner. 

[foodsvcmgr]

David your point is entirely correct and I hope and believe that many if not most on Cunard will continue to dress as they always have, not simply to the stated minimum.

[Lakesregion]

2 minutes ago, kohl1957 said:

Of course, all those "Great Liners" that Cunard and seemingly so people are in rapture over had no "dress code." Just imagine such a thing on QUEEN MARY or NORMANDIE.  One did not need to be told how to dress. Ladies and gentlemen knew how to and when to.  I sailed Rio to Genoa aboard Costa's flagship EUGENIO C. in 1990 in First Class and it was dinner jacket every single night for 12 nights. How easy is that? Well for men, at least!  

 

Like David, I dress as I think appropriate and respectful for the venue and occasion.   Including jacket and tie when flying. Always. People complain that air travel is like bus travel now yet most dress as if they were on the night bus to Allentown.  Cunard has adopted the dress code more appropriate to a bowling alley with the totally dumbed down "smart casual". But my wife and I are planning to dress formally 8-10 times on our upcoming QM2 28-day Southampton-West Indies cruise in January instead of the absurd designated four formal evenings. How ridiculous is that? Four formal evenings with 18 days total at sea. Cunard couldn't dress a window. 

kudos for going for the highest end of attire rather than simply "passing" I am booked on the 100th anniversary world cruise NYC - NYC on the QM2 and plan on doing the same. On the final QE2 world cruise no one had any problems dressing formal for all at sea evenings. 

[Host Hattie]

5 hours ago, kohl1957 said:

Cunard has adopted the dress code more appropriate to a bowling alley with the totally dumbed down "smart casual".

 

Just to clarify there is no "smart casual" evening dress code on Cunard, it's Smart Attire.

[rakkor]

50 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

 

Just to clarify there is no "smart casual" evening dress code on Cunard, it's Smart Attire.

 

Some of the horrors on show on our Sun Voyage  could never have beene classed as 'Smart Attire' Most people followed the old code, but that just highlighted the fact that some just couldn't be bothered.

[PORT ROYAL]

42 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

 

Just to clarify there is no "smart casual" evening dress code on Cunard, it's Smart Attire.

Whatever it’s officially named (Smart Attire et al), the result is the appearance of pax dressing in what one, also kohl1957, would consider to be “smart casual”, not what one, plus kohl1957, would deem to be correct “Smart Attire”.   Smart Attire, for one is considered as a tailored jacket or blazer with a tie.  But Cunard declares it as a “Jacket” (no description) with the option of a “Tie”.  Therefore it’s actually “Casual” not “Smart”.

The Casual Fifth Column Brigade will think “Casual” is the top end of “Smart”, while others with consider it to be the lower end.  Thereby the difference between pax., it’s down to personal interpretation, based on what they have been brought up with as being correct.

 

[Victoria2]

3 hours ago, PORT ROYAL said:

Whatever it’s officially named (Smart Attire et al), the result is the appearance of pax dressing in what one, also kohl1957, would consider to be “smart casual”, not what one, plus kohl1957, would deem to be correct “Smart Attire”.   Smart Attire, for one is considered as a tailored jacket or blazer with a tie.  But Cunard declares it as a “Jacket” (no description) with the option of a “Tie”.  Therefore it’s actually “Casual” not “Smart”.

The Casual Fifth Column Brigade will think “Casual” is the top end of “Smart”, while others with consider it to be the lower end.  Thereby the difference between pax., it’s down to personal interpretation, based on what they have been brought up with as being correct.

 

This is often where the problem lies on many a dress thread. One or two members deciding to cast aspersions on those who don't meet their own personal standards, even though the required standard is met, in this case by Cunard. 

 

The idea one's upbringing is brought into play when following an advised path is insulting and quite frankly, does nothing to enhance the reputation of the authors. 

 

All I can say is thank goodness in my hundreds of nights on with Cunard, I have never had the misfortune to dine with anyone who would question our upbringing  because my husband decides to eschew ties occasionally with his jackets on a Smart Attire evening, and I often wear separates to a Gala dinner instead of full ball gown and tiara.

 

 I really hope any newbies take onboard  Cunard is a very friendly experience and the aspirational elitism displayed by a few, does not exist.

[Victoria2]

17 minutes ago, kohl1957 said:

Well, one of the reasons my wife and I gave up on the otherwise excellent Oceania Cruises after many cruises was the morphing of "Country Club Casual" into a wasteland of polo shirts and "chinos" not to mention baseball caps worn at dinner. I kid you not. 2-3 every dinner.   I suppose one might consider a YMCA as one's club but more than a few dressed as if it were.

 

In the not so old days, I think Cunard had formal and "semi formal" which was cocktail wear... suit, or jacket and tie (always) and cocktail wear for ladies. and "casual" which meant no tie.  It certainly did not presume going into dinner on a Cunarder in shirtsleeves.  

 

So call it "Smart Attire" or "Smart Casual" and the result is the same I think.  It basically means Cunard is Oceania (and most other lines) now a free for all except for a lousy 2 formal evenings on a fortnight cruise. Which is hardly worth the effort.

 

Anyway, I think after 18 months people are sick of being told what to do on any score so many I hope will ignore the "rules" and err on the side of smart, respectful and elegant.  While a few will occasion a chance for the rest of us to exercise our eyebrows.  

As upbringing has been brought into the chat, I will say I have been brought up to accept all-comers without a flicker of attitude, despite what one is thinking.

Luckily for those of raised eyebrow tendencies, I think this is a huge storm in a small teacup and the majority of passengers will enjoy 'dressing for dinner' to a standard which will not cause apoplexy amongst those disposed to strokes or seizures at the very thought of anything less than dress codes harking back to QE2 or the Golden Age of Cruising.

 

[Windsurfboy]

I can only talk about men's clothing  , the nuances of Ladies wear are beyond my little brain.

 

Ideally I'd  prefer every night to be formal " black tie "with a DJ no suits. But no chance of that

 

For smart attire night

 

I think  we are going round in circles because  Smart attire does not exist. Not in the way Cunard was trying to define it. 

 

A jacket with a tie , is just plain old fashioned, and anyway it was at best lunch time dress never evening wear. It's not smart dress for an elegant dinner. 

 

A jacket without a tie is a half hearted attempt at smartness. Unless the jacket and shirt are a well chosen fashionable  pairing, it  just looks like the man forgot his tie. 

 

Let's not even think about a room full of old men in suits as an alternative. 

 

So ; None of the above Cunard mandated dress codes are SMART.  All it does is perhaps stop jeans and Tshirts.

 

Ladies can basically wear what they like, it's up to them how they define smart. As a result  overwhelmingly they tend to be more elegant than men.

 

Give men the same freedom as Ladies, then we may see smart attire

 

Most people do want to dress up at night. I  think  the message should be, simply please dress as if for a special occasion in the main dinning rooms and leave it at that. 

Edited September 26, 2021 by Windsurfboy

[Lakesregion]

7 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

 

Just to clarify there is no "smart casual" evening dress code on Cunard, it's Smart Attire.

Parsing words. It is still yard clothing without a jacket and tie. Which I might add was worn by all yard workers until WWII. Odd they could get the work done in such constricting attire.

[Victoria2]

I said many moons ago it will take careful planning on our part to ensure going tieless with a jacket has an appropriate shirt.

'We' manage it as do many hundreds of others because despite what the tie'd brigade would have you believe, tieless has been around for a few of our cruises and I haven't seen much of a problem but then, I don't look for them.

 

Judgement has been passed by some before the reality has bitten [I'm ignoring the Seacation cruises as anomalies at the moment]. A shame but those who find the change too abhorrent can go vote with their feet. We will continue to 'dress for dinner' appropriately and enjoy all Cunard has to offer.

[nybumpkin]

16 hours ago, kohl1957 said:

 

Like David, I dress as I think appropriate and respectful for the venue and occasion.   Including jacket and tie when flying. Always. People complain that air travel is like bus travel now yet most dress as if they were on the night bus to Allentown.  

My first flight was as a teen in 1973. RT Charlotte-Philadelphia (Eastern Airlines, anyone?) Yes, we dressed up. But in the intervening years the airlines started treating passengers as if they're on "the night bus to Allentown." Cramped seats, lousy food (if you even get more than a couple of biscuits that are reminiscent of hardtack), and extra charges for everything. It's not pleasant, and I hate flying. On our last flight DH splurged for business class seats just to avoid that experience. If I'm flying in baggage class, I'll dress respectably but that's about as far as I'll go.

 

DH often wears a jacket when flying, if for no other reason than it's one less item he has to pack. We have yet to book our next sailing on QM2 (we still have a deposit from our June 2021 sailing that didn't happen), but when we do sail I don't expect that we will dress any differently than we did for our 2019 sailings.

[MaisonRose]

In August, 1963 I sailed the QM to Le Havre and my experience may be an anomaly: a large number of Rhodes scholars and junior year abroad passengers in tourist class sat on benches at long tables somewhere down low on that elegant ship. No one wore jeans but we were all dressed like the students we were. We never saw the passengers in the other two classes, who no doubt were kitted out beautifully: the classes on the ship were physically separated! So much for the grand old days of sailing.

but along those lines perhaps the special dining rooms dedicated to suites guest could keep up standards with formal attire

Still, in December I shall wear my long dresses and DH will once more get to amortize that Brooks Brothers tux in which he looks so sexy. I hope to see Scots in skirts, too.

[Electra 7]

8 hours ago, MaisonRose said:

In August, 1963 I sailed the QM to Le Havre and my experience may be an anomaly: a large number of Rhodes scholars and junior year abroad passengers in tourist class sat on benches at long tables somewhere down low on that elegant ship. No one wore jeans but we were all dressed like the students we were. We never saw the passengers in the other two classes, who no doubt were kitted out beautifully: the classes on the ship were physically separated! So much for the grand old days of sailing.

but along those lines perhaps the special dining rooms dedicated to suites guest could keep up standards with formal attire

Still, in December I shall wear my long dresses and DH will once more get to amortize that Brooks Brothers tux in which he looks so sexy. I hope to see Scots in skirts, too.

 

[Electra 7]

Just now, Electra 7 said:

 

very nice to say you would like to see Scots in skirts but it is not skirts it is Kilts if you do not want to offend a Scots man women wear skirts

[Electra 7]

Hubby likes to take his KILT but due to gala night dress code not possible

that's the thing I find funny all the talk about dress code and they are saying what we should wear on gala nights black and white, red and gold, twenty's night 

so one one hand you do not get to choose for formal nights then it has to be more casual on other night I find the whole thing strange 

I have been so looking forward to going on Cunard but I am not so sure if it is for me time will tell

[Electra 7]

Read an interesting article yesterday white bow ties were worn in the twenty's changed to black ties in 30s and people thought this was down grading to change from white to black bow tie wonder what they would think now 

[2BACRUISER]

3 minutes ago, Electra 7 said:

I have been so looking forward to going on Cunard but I am not so sure if it is for me time will tell

This is a bit how i feel, obviously due to Covid we never got to do our Cunard cruise in 2020 or this year and had started to look at a Baltic on QV for 2022 as a special splurge after not holidaying at all for over two years and missing two milestone events but the more posts i read on the Cunard page the more i am having deep reservations. I know forums like this tend to bring out those with extreme views and the vast majority of Cunard customers probably dont take part in things like this but none the less its putting me off pressing the buy button at present whilst i ponder further spending a lot of money that we've worked bloomin hard to earn and save............???

 

[Victoria2]

27 minutes ago, Electra 7 said:

Hubby likes to take his KILT but due to gala night dress code not possible

that's the thing I find funny all the talk about dress code and they are saying what we should wear on gala nights black and white, red and gold, twenty's night 

so one one hand you do not get to choose for formal nights then it has to be more casual on other night I find the whole thing strange 

I have been so looking forward to going on Cunard but I am not so sure if it is for me time will tell

Comments such as yours, is why I'm a bit vocal as far as Cunard and their dress codes are concerned. Cunard needs new passengers as well as the faithful.

 

Do not take ANY notice when posts tell you WHAT you should be wearing. I have hundreds of nights on Cunard and the only time I comply with a Gala night suggestion, is when it's a Black and White suggestion and that's only because my long evening dresses [dresses, not gowns!!!] are  black!

 

We have never dressed to any other theme. Never, and neither do the majority of passengers. When you ask for advice on a site such as this, you will get the Old Guard who harken back to the Good Old Days of the QE2;  the 'I'm not going formal at all Guard and then those in between like us who will make up the vast majority of passengers.

 

We go black tie and long evening dress for Gala/Formal nights but National Dress is also encouraged so if you have space in the suitcase, the Kilt will be marvellous to wear.

 

Any other questions re dress, ask away but take note of those who give advice what they'd like to see worn, and those who advise what actually is worn and the two are often miles apart.

 

Please give Cunard a try. It isn't fuddy duddy, it isn't full of those who will look down on others, if they don't meet their criteria  and it is, very friendly.

[exlondoner]

46 minutes ago, Electra 7 said:

Hubby likes to take his KILT but due to gala night dress code not possible

 

I don't understand this. Why is it not possible? Nearly always I see a kilt or two on the Gala Nights.