Dress code for men on Cunard gala

[furrrball]

Do men need to wear a dark suit or is a light grey suit okay for the gala nights

[rog747]

1 hour ago, furrrball said:

Do men need to wear a dark suit or is a light grey suit okay for the gala nights

Around 99% of the Gents do wear a Formal Dinner suit on Gala evenings (Black Tie, or some chaps don a white Tux**)

but a dark suit and tie is OK.

The major difference between the two** is that white dinner jackets are usually worn only in the warmer summer months or in a tropical venue (preferably at an outside function).

Edited June 13 by rog747

[Bell Boy]

Do men NEED to wear a dark suit , no they don't need  to , however, as another contributor has pointed out the majority of gentlemen on Cunard will probably opt for something more formal than a light grey suit.  A dark suit would be more appropriate on a formal/gala evening if not wearing formal attire.

 

Edited to add;   Queen Mary 2 'Transatlantic Crossings' are more formal after 6pm especially on a gala evening than on a regular warm weather cruise itinerary.  

Edited June 13 by Bell Boy

[MCC retired]

Never witnessed 99% wearing tux's onboard17 Cunard sailings?

Perhaps the Grills guests but not Brittania.

Dark suit will be just fine.

[D&N]

Ahh, Hurrah!! A dress code thread! 🤣

 

There were a couple of YouTubers recently. One of them was wearing an ill fitting black tux on a Gala night, the other pointed out that his medium grey large checked suit didn't really match the dress code, but it would appear he got away with it. So you'll probably not have a problem either.

 

Personally I plan to wear a black tux on all four of our Gala nights and for the ten smart attire nights I will use my cream tux, my new navy tux, and the black tux. Saving on luggage by not taking any casual wear.

 

Perhaps 99% isn't accurate statistically, but the vast majority of men on QM2 crossings wear tuxes on Gala nights.

[exlondoner]

59 minutes ago, MCC retired said:

Never witnessed 99% wearing tux's onboard17 Cunard sailings?

Perhaps the Grills guests but not Brittania.

Dark suit will be just fine.

But possibly not light grey, which was the original suggestion.

[Bell Boy]

1 hour ago, MCC retired said:

Never witnessed 99% wearing tux's onboard17 Cunard sailings?

Perhaps the Grills guests but not Brittania.

Dark suit will be just fine.

You'll find Britannia Category guests are much more formal than those in the Grills.

It may not be exactly 99% but far more gentlemen will opt for full formal evening wear rather than a lounge suit.  

[WantedOnVoyage]

A light grey suit is to me, old fogey that I am, a city suit for the day or cocktails afterwards. Or, egad! wear when flying.   Not something to change into for dinner for a formal experience.  

[Silverspringcruiser]

3 hours ago, Bell Boy said:

You'll find Britannia Category guests are much more formal than those in the Grills.

I thought it was the other way round.

[Victoria2]

27 minutes ago, Silverspringcruiser said:

I thought it was the other way round.

I would like to think there is little difference between any of the restaurants, dress wise,

 

I do think however, itinerary plays a small part. On the Vistas, we have been on hot weather cruises as part of worldies, cold weather cruises and cruises which encompassed shorties and there were definite differences.

[furrrball]

Thanks everyone for the replies. This is our first Cunard and the only suit my husband is a light grey suit.  I guess we need to buy a dark suit for gala nights.  I can’t see him wearing a tux after this cruise

[exlondoner]

3 hours ago, furrrball said:

Thanks everyone for the replies. This is our first Cunard and the only suit my husband is a light grey suit.  I guess we need to buy a dark suit for gala nights.  I can’t see him wearing a tux after this cruise

Yes, but…there is a strong chance you might like it so much you decide to book another cruise, perhaps even while on board, then another, and so on. You might get more wear from a dinner jacket than you imagine.😀

[Bell Boy]

3 hours ago, furrrball said:

Thanks everyone for the replies. This is our first Cunard and the only suit my husband is a light grey suit.  I guess we need to buy a dark suit for gala nights.  I can’t see him wearing a tux after this cruise

Thats exactly what I said in 1981 when my Mother was adamant I needed one for our QE2 cruise.

Fast forward, I believe I now own at least 7 formal Evening Jackets in various colours. 😅     

[david63]

4 hours ago, furrrball said:

I can’t see him wearing a tux after this cruise

If I had a £ for every time I have heard that I would never have to pay for another cruise😄

[2BACRUISER]

8 hours ago, furrrball said:

Thanks everyone for the replies. This is our first Cunard and the only suit my husband is a light grey suit.  I guess we need to buy a dark suit for gala nights.  I can’t see him wearing a tux after this cruise

Hmm my DH took his wedding/funeral suit for our first cunard he owned no other formal jackets, he's now the proud owner of 2 more jackets and we have QE booked for next year so never say never. 😉 

[NE John]

5 hours ago, Bell Boy said:

, I believe I now own at least 7 formal Evening Jackets in various colours

I still have my tux I bought in 2008 for my first Crossing and will be used again in Alaska next week. Still fits!

[D&N]

I'm thinking of having two pairs of dress trousers bought in 1997 professionally taken in by two sizes. Not sure if I need the extra pairs though.

I disposed of the black jacket and white tux already. I did try shrinking the latter in a hot wash, and it did reduce a little but I decided new ones would be better.

[Ocean_Liner_Traveller]

Cunard has made cruise dressing for men easy.

 

For my upcoming Queen Anne cruise (as on all Cunard cruises) I only have to take my black tux (for gala nights) and a dark suit (for the rest of the nights). I wear the dark suit either with, or without a tie.

 

It saves time to choose and weight in luggage/money on plane. Not only stylish, but practical as well.

 

One could take even only a dark suit, with tie on gala nights, without it on the rest.

[Tattycoram]

Also:  98% of men look stunning in tuxedos.  

 

 

[Ocean_Liner_Traveller]

Fine dressing in Cunard complements beautifully the stunning interior decor. 

 

I remember coming to QM2 after a Holland America cruise and seeing how elegant people, women and men, contributed to an upscale ambience. Now, I have only good words to say about HAL - but the difference was marked. One feels like participating in a special event.

 

In no other company can one find it.

[exlondoner]

1 hour ago, Tattycoram said:

Also:  98% of men look stunning in tuxedos.  

 

 

No, men may well look better in DJs, but very few of them (or indeed women) look stunning in anything, less so out of everything. Many people, and I include myself, look best behind gauze. 😀 Or on radio.

[BklynBoy8]

45 minutes ago, Ocean_Liner_Traveller said:

Fine dressing in Cunard complements beautifully the stunning interior decor. 

 

I remember coming to QM2 after a Holland America cruise and seeing how elegant people, women and men, contributed to an upscale ambience. Now, I have only good words to say about HAL - but the difference was marked. One feels like participating in a special event.

 

In no other company can one find it.

 

BRAVO

 

Besides the traditions and meaning of Cunard and the (QE2) QM2, this is one of the Main Attractions for sailing with them. We look forward to joining all those After 6 on Gala Days and even spur of the moment decision to change into Tux for an evening.

 

I even though I should thru out the year, lose weight to fit in the Tux to enjoy the feeling of Elegance.

 

I feel bad for those on the other lines of what they are missing celebrating the true meaning of Sailing.

[Ocean_Liner_Traveller]

15 minutes ago, BklynBoy8 said:

 

BRAVO

 

Besides the traditions and meaning of Cunard and the (QE2) QM2, this is one of the Main Attractions for sailing with them. We look forward to joining all those After 6 on Gala Days and even spur of the moment decision to change into Tux for an evening.

 

I even though I should thru out the year, lose weight to fit in the Tux to enjoy the feeling of Elegance.

 

I feel bad for those on the other lines of what they are missing celebrating the true meaning of Sailing.

 

Very well said. I agree wholeheartedly.

 

I would say to newcomers to Cunard: please don't hesitate, do this little extra step, dress elegantly and contribute to a long tradition and ambience now lost on most of the other lines.

[BklynBoy8]

9 minutes ago, Ocean_Liner_Traveller said:

 

Very well said. I agree wholeheartedly.

 

I would say to newcomers to Cunard: please don't hesitate, do this little extra step, dress elegantly and contribute to a long tradition and ambience now lost on most of the other lines.

 

Thank you.....

 

One thing I don't understand and don't want to make a silly point, but those that don't even dress Smart Dress or Gala do stick out like a "SORE THUMB". 

 

Come on and join the Crowd...As I always say, Gala Evenings make feel "James Bond-ish"...lol.

[Ocean_Liner_Traveller]

We somehow older Cunardians (I was blessed to travel on QE2) were forever spoiled 🙂 by Cunard dress code, when at least a jacket was nessesary for men during 'Elegant Casual' nights, or jacket and tie during 'Semi-Formal' nights. Then every night, not only gala ones, was a feast.

 

Certainly things change and Cunard had to follow suit by relaxing the dress code, but it is so much worth dressing elegantly even beyond gala nights and contributing voluntarily to this special atmosphere.