QM2 venues off limits to Britannia guests

[Victoria2]

30 minutes ago, D&N said:

We have some M&S ladies wear, shirts and ties that we have worn in the evening on Cunard but only shirts and ties on an advertised gala. My wife's two black M&S suits will probably be used on evenings next time, again not gala nights.

 

In terms of 'dumbing down' that was discussed here recently I find it quite amusing that M&S keep sending me promotional emails proclaiming their latest in occasionwear or smart outfits, and when I open the emails all I see is casual wear!

Considering M&S stock/ have stocked evening dresses up to £500 online, I think the days of ignoring their stock for Gala evenings, are dead and buried.

[Victoria2]

Just now, Victoria2 said:

Considering M&S stock/ have stocked evening dresses up to £500 online, I think the days of ignoring their stock for Gala evenings, are dead and buried.

and who cares what the labels inside say.

 

As my very wise mother used to say, no one has x-ray eyes which enables 'you' to see what the size the label in any article of clothing says and that goes for brand labels too.

[King Amo]

I can't believe we're even having this conversation. Oh wait, yes I can. 

 

It doesn't matter in the slightest where your clothes came from, nor how much they cost. I recognise much of the comment here has been said in jest, but to even joke about the origins of clothing that meets the dress code simply perpetuates the myth of Cunard clientele being snooty, and somehow some people just won't make the grade. 

 

 

[King Amo]

4 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

and who cares what the labels inside say.

 

As my very wise mother used to say, no one has x-ray eyes which enables 'you' to see what the size the label in any article of clothing says and that goes for brand labels too.

Completely agree. 

[exlondoner]

4 minutes ago, King Amo said:

I can't believe we're even having this conversation. Oh wait, yes I can. 

 

It doesn't matter in the slightest where your clothes came from, nor how much they cost. I recognise much of the comment here has been said in jest, but to even joke about the origins of clothing that meets the dress code simply perpetuates the myth of Cunard clientele being snooty, and somehow some people just won't make the grade. 

 

 

In a different sense, it certainly matters to me where my clothes come from, what with not wishing to buy from exploitative regimes or stuff that’s too environmentally unsound. It is very difficult, certainly far too difficult to worry what others are wearing. 

[D&N]

2 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

Considering M&S stock/ have stocked evening dresses up to £500 online, I think the days of ignoring their stock for Gala evenings, are dead and buried.

I just did an online search and picked M&S EU results for Formal dresses and Women's Occasion Dresses. All the formal stuff was Jaeger and most expensive was €199. It would really need to be an exceptional item for us to consider paying that for a dress. But the biggest problem is it all looked frumpy. Everyday wear perhaps, but would need significant accessorising to wear on a night out.

The emails I've received in recent times have gents suits in pastel colours, no sign of ties. And other casual garments.  They suggest I might be interested in such styles for an event? Wednesday morning grocery shopping? 😀

 

 

[D&N]

3 hours ago, exlondoner said:

 I apologise in advance because I am so fatuous, but you can imagine the picture summoned up by ‘only shirts and ties…’ Actually, some passengers might moan about having to wear a tie even then, because of the extra luggage space. 

If I hadn't shrunk, the tux suits would have been M&S as well, and more of the shirts. If someone can prove that all their shoes and handbags and any other empty spaces have been filled with clothing, I might believe they don't have space for a tie. Even things like camera bags. Do they have packing to protect the camera? Why not replace that with clothing?

[Mudhen]

Speaking of the environment AND our price point, we’ll always check our local thrift, consignment, and Sally’s (Salvation Army) before buying “new”.

Most amazing goodies at pennies on the dollar.

How’d you think we got as far as the PG? giggle!

[D&N]

3 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

As my very wise mother used to say, no one has x-ray eyes which enables 'you' to see what the size the label in any article of clothing says and that goes for brand labels too.

🤣🤣 Some of the size labels could be quite confusing.

[Victoria2]

1 hour ago, D&N said:

I just did an online search and picked M&S EU results for Formal dresses and Women's Occasion Dresses. All the formal stuff was Jaeger and most expensive was €199. It would really need to be an exceptional item for us to consider paying that for a dress. But the biggest problem is it all looked frumpy. Everyday wear perhaps, but would need significant accessorising to wear on a night out.

The emails I've received in recent times have gents suits in pastel colours, no sign of ties. And other casual garments.  They suggest I might be interested in such styles for an event? Wednesday morning grocery shopping? 😀

 

 

M&S bought the Jaeger brand a couple of years ago which is why it’s online and in store.

 

Two  of my long evening dresses are Gina Bacconi, bought online from M&S. My favourite, as I have said, is a Per Una, bought in a sale around six years ago, so not only was it reasonable to start with, at under £25, an absolute steal.

 

As an aside, I don’t possess frumpy clothes. 🙂

[Winifred 22]

8 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

M&S bought the Jaeger brand a couple of years ago which is why it’s online and in store.

 

Two  of my long evening dresses are Gina Bacconi, bought online from M&S. My favourite, as I have said, is a Per Una, bought in a sale around six years ago, so not only was it reasonable to start with, at under £25, an absolute steal.

 

As an aside, I don’t possess frumpy clothes. 🙂

I bought a beautiful ballerina length cocktail dress from White Stuff in the M and S sale in store. Not a brand I associated with evening wear but for winter cruising it’s perfect. As you say ordering is so easy. With a next day annual delivery pass and now with the self service return points it could be simpler. I too do not consider my wardrobe frumpy and I dress appropriately for my age. 

[Winifred 22]

22 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

If it wasn't for Sainsbury's and Tesco plus the local market I'd have nowhere to buy most clothes locally, even Matalan have shut down here since Novichok and the pandemic. We do have M&S still but they no longer stock what they describe as "smart and wedding wear" or suits of any description for men so it's a 40 mile round trip trip to Southampton if we need those and quite often they don't have the sizes in stock either.  As a result most of my cruise wear is bought online from Ebay, sometimes new but generally "preloved".  In 2019 for my world cruise my entire wardrobe cost £200 and I still wear a great deal of it on subsequent cruises. 

Have you considered M and S at Castlepoint ? It’s not that much further than Southampton from Salisbury. It is a much bigger store than West Quay.(Not as big as Hedge End.)It has free parking and lots of other shops too including Asda and Sainsbury’s  It’s unusual as it’s an outdoor precinct/ mall. You can get there by bus from Salisbury but you have to change at the hospital - Bournemouth but that’s very straightforward. Once I get my bus pass in November I shall always go by bus. 

[exlondoner]

53 minutes ago, Winifred 22 said:

Have you considered M and S at Castlepoint ? It’s not that much further than Southampton from Salisbury. It is a much bigger store than West Quay.(Not as big as Hedge End.)It has free parking and lots of other shops too including Asda and Sainsbury’s  It’s unusual as it’s an outdoor precinct/ mall. You can get there by bus from Salisbury but you have to change at the hospital - Bournemouth but that’s very straightforward. Once I get my bus pass in November I shall always go by bus. 

It’s not very nice, but nor is anything else much about Castlepoint. Only good thing is it does have shops still, unlike the town centre.

[Megabear2]

1 hour ago, Winifred 22 said:

Have you considered M and S at Castlepoint ? It’s not that much further than Southampton from Salisbury. It is a much bigger store than West Quay.(Not as big as Hedge End.)It has free parking and lots of other shops too including Asda and Sainsbury’s  It’s unusual as it’s an outdoor precinct/ mall. You can get there by bus from Salisbury but you have to change at the hospital - Bournemouth but that’s very straightforward. Once I get my bus pass in November I shall always go by bus. 

Thank you for the information. No, I've never considered it as I did not know it existed! My trips to Bournemouth are generally by bus to walk along the sea or by car for the BIC for a concert.  I've never thought of shopping there or in the surrounding area as I recall a lot of shops being closed down, much like here.  I will look into it, thank you.

Edited July 22 by Megabear2

[exlondoner]

12 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Thank you for the information. No, I've never considered it as I did not know it existed! My trips to Bournemouth are generally by bus to walk along the sea or by car for the BIC for a concert.  I've never thought of shopping there or in the surrounding area as I recall a lot of shops being closed down, much like here.  I will look into it, thank you.

Yes, you are right, the town centre is empty of shops. All the ones you might have heard of have probably closed down. Castlepoint, the out of town shopping centre, near the Cooper Dean Roundabout, does have lots of shops, but I have never found it very welcoming. Certainly a better bet than the town centre though.

[david63]

Always intriguing to see how some topics deviate. I'm not sure how we have moved from discussing off limit venues on QM2 to clothes shopping in UK shopping centres😕😇

[Winifred 22]

3 hours ago, exlondoner said:

It’s not very nice, but nor is anything else much about Castlepoint. Only good thing is it does have shops still, unlike the town centre.

Oh I like it there. I go every week. Buy my food and clothes and pick up or return orders  from M and S  and and odd bits from Asda. Plus like Boots Superdrug etc.. 

[Winifred 22]

3 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

Thank you for the information. No, I've never considered it as I did not know it existed! My trips to Bournemouth are generally by bus to walk along the sea or by car for the BIC for a concert.  I've never thought of shopping there or in the surrounding area as I recall a lot of shops being closed down, much like here.  I will look into it, thank you.

Get the X3 from Salisbury runs every half an hour peak times. Depending where you live in Salisbury can pick on the way. Starts from Blue Boar Row then out onto Downton Road via Brown Street and Exeter Street then change at Bournemouth Hospital terminal lots of choice. Alternatively by car turn off at the main road at the Hospital Law Courts roundabout - Cooper Dean go right  and it’s sign posted not far. Don’t have  to touch Bournemouth centre. Parking free too 

Edited July 22 by Winifred 22

[D&N]

@Victoria2, @Winifred 22

 

We did look at the M&S UK site rather than the two individual search links to Formal dresses and Women's Occasion Dresses.

That presented much more choice including dresses that didn't look frumpy. 😀

Nothing that Nora thought was great but stuff from Phase Eight and Hobbs that were more to her taste.

They could sort their filters out though. Some results for "mini" length, used a very generous amount of fabric. 😀

[rsquare]

On 7/17/2024 at 11:25 AM, Bellarion said:

Recently on this site, a passenger said she was admonished by staff for being in an off limits area, which I believe she said was outside.  

Actually, my first thought was that the admonished passenger was caught outside on the promenade deck at a time when the outside decks were closed.  There are devious ways to get outside when there are ropes across the doors, and some of us enjoy a few minutes of wind and spray in our faces, and see Cunard as being a little too quick to close the outside decks. 

[WantedOnVoyage]

Not in my experience... I often "sneak" out on the open decks in blustery weather. Love it. And last time I did so on QUEEN VICTORIA, I had a nice chat with a passing officer, too. Not sure why "they" are so keen to close access to the open decks since you'd get the same blast from your balcony without the exercise. I travel on ocean liners for the ocean. Can't get enough of it. 

 

 

[Mareblu]

20 hours ago, david63 said:

Always intriguing to see how some topics deviate. I'm not sure how we have moved from discussing off limit venues on QM2 to clothes shopping in UK shopping centres😕😇

You may be new to Cruise Critic.  If so, a hearty welcome to topics and conversations that drift like stranded vessels on the currents of the seven seas ⚓

[exlondoner]

5 hours ago, rsquare said:

Actually, my first thought was that the admonished passenger was caught outside on the promenade deck at a time when the outside decks were closed.  There are devious ways to get outside when there are ropes across the doors, and some of us enjoy a few minutes of wind and spray in our faces, and see Cunard as being a little too quick to close the outside decks. 

Once on a windy day on QV, I went out of a door near the CC for a morning stroll aft, only to find when I got to the other end all the doors were taped off and and I couldn’t get back in again. I can’t remember how I did get back, whether by crawling under they tape or fighting my way back to the front through the gale. 

[david63]

2 hours ago, Mareblu said:

You may be new to Cruise Critic.

If you look at my profile you will see that I have been a member of this board for more than 14 years with 2.7k posts so I am more than well aware about topic drift.

 

I would also add that I have been using, running and writing forum software for over 30 years so nothing surprises me any more.

 

It was just an attempt at some light hearted humour.

[TowandaUK]

On 7/22/2024 at 7:16 AM, Winifred 22 said:

Have you considered M and S at Castlepoint ? It’s not that much further than Southampton from Salisbury. It is a much bigger store than West Quay.(Not as big as Hedge End.)It has free parking and lots of other shops too including Asda and Sainsbury’s  It’s unusual as it’s an outdoor precinct/ mall. You can get there by bus from Salisbury but you have to change at the hospital - Bournemouth but that’s very straightforward. Once I get my bus pass in November I shall always go by bus. 

My husband often gets M and S vouchers from the children for Xmas and Birthday. Castlepoint is our store of choice for M and S as it’s the largest in our area- although it does entail 1 1/4 hour car journey.  We don’t tend to spend long there but like to visit the Lakeland shop. We often travel on to either Mudeford Quay or the New Forest to make a day of it.