Dresscode survey

I just got a Cunard survey by e-mail. It asks opinion on the current dresscodes & whether people not following it causes issues with those who do.I liked the current dresscode, but was willing to let the elegant casual slide to dress shirt & Chinos(or khaki). I stressed I was ok with that but said NO jeans at night & Khakis & dress shirt(long or short sleeve) had to follow certain guidelines.I'll wait for replys.The e-mail, by the way came from the British office of Cunard(I'm from the US).

I just got a Cunard survey by e-mail. It asks opinion on the current dresscodes & whether people not following it causes issues with those who do.I liked the current dresscode, but was willing to let the elegant casual slide to dress shirt & Chinos(or khaki). I stressed I was ok with that but said NO jeans at night & Khakis & dress shirt(long or short sleeve) had to follow certain guidelines.I'll wait for replys.The e-mail, by the way came from the British office of Cunard(I'm from the US).

Hi Keith.

I am glad you brought this up. After so many times on board, I had formal and semi-formal down pat. With the fairly recent changes, I had to re-adjust my thinking. I found that many of my semi-formal cocktail dresses could really pass muster as formal, so that is what I am doing now. I now limit the long gowns and mix it up with short formal (previously semi-formal). I find it works for my wardrobe collection. To me, informal would be country club casual. If the code changes to anything lower than that, I will feel like I am wearing the same clothes on an expensive holiday that I wear to go to the supermarket. Does not make me a snob, just someone who enjoys an escape from the mundane every day existence.

Jeanne

... I liked the current dresscode, but was willing to let the elegant casual slide to dress shirt & Chinos(or khaki). ...

Hi Keith.

 

I am glad you brought this up. After so many times on board, I had formal and semi-formal down pat. With the fairly recent changes, I had to re-adjust my thinking. I found that many of my semi-formal cocktail dresses could really pass muster as formal, so that is what I am doing now. I now limit the long gowns and mix it up with short formal (previously semi-formal). I find it works for my wardrobe collection. To me, informal would be country club casual. If the code changes to anything lower than that, I will feel like I am wearing the same clothes on an expensive holiday that I wear to go to the supermarket. Does not make me a snob, just someone who enjoys an escape from the mundane every day existence.

 

Jeanne

Ciao Andiamo. Your post resonated with me on several levels. I have also found that what I wore on semi-formal nights now is more appropriate on formal nights.

For my first QM2 voyage in 2008, I purchased 2 new gowns and two cocktail dresses and various accoutrements. Every voyage thereafter, I bought a new gown and a new cocktail dress plus accessories. After twelve QM2 voyages, I have a closet stuffed with items that rarely see the light of day. (My fault, no doubt, but it was a lesson learned.) Some gowns can be re-designed/shortened, or donated to various charities such as http://wgirlsnyc.com/getinvolved/projectglam

The vagaries of Cunard dress code have lead me to the inevitable conclusion that the line between Formal and Informal has been further blurred from the previous 3 tier dress code, and chances are the distinction will further dissolve, just as it has on other cruise lines.

My guess is that "county club casual" has little meaning for passengers who don't belong to a country club.

The direction the dress code will take on Cunard ships is open to speculation, but I don't see Cunard holding the line on Formal attire when so many fares are at "pack and go" rates. -S.

I just got a Cunard survey by e-mail. It asks opinion on the current dresscodes & whether people not following it causes issues with those who do.I liked the current dresscode, but was willing to let the elegant casual slide to dress shirt & Chinos(or khaki). I stressed I was ok with that but said NO jeans at night & Khakis & dress shirt(long or short sleeve) had to follow certain guidelines.I'll wait for replys.The e-mail, by the way came from the British office of Cunard(I'm from the US).

Oh Keith. You do realize that currently, the majority of nights on board have an Informal Dress Code. So you advocate that for most nights, men wear chinos or khakis and a long or short sleeve shirt, no jacket or tie? What do you think would be a compatible outfit for women?

Well, I suppose I can't argue with you since casual is the way most people dress in the evening...unless, of course they are going to restaurant or venue with a dress code more in keeping with the surroundings.

perhaps a different view completely is needed,, the formal, informal, casual discussion will go on for ever but what if -----

instead, the standard could be smart casual (no jeans or shorts) as is now found in most restaurants or social functions, Then have 2 or 3 Traditional , heritage nights.

perhaps a different view completely is needed,, the formal, informal, casual discussion will go on for ever but what if -----

 

instead, the standard could be smart casual (no jeans or shorts) as is now found in most restaurants or social functions, Then have 2 or 3 Traditional , heritage nights.

Passenger may decide his swimshorts are smart.

Plenty of cruise lines offer smart casual nights. People can choose sail with them.

Smart casual tomorrow. Casual next week. Slumming it week after. Backward facing baseball caps worn to dinner next month and t shirts soon be norm as seen in some "restaurants and social functions" on land.

No stick with jacket required and in my opinion ties mandatory as well. That almost guarantees certain minimum standard of dress which term smart casual does not.

More formal nights not less.

Cheers.

We had 5 formal nights out of 14 on our last cruise and we loved it. DH took two sports coats and switched them around on the casual nights. We loved that too. He is one of those people who looks totally dashing and elegant in a sports jacket with a T-shirt so he does that at times on the ship. He also looks totally amazing in a sport jacket with a T-shirt and jeans when we travel. I love that look, but he, obviously, doesn't do that for dinner on the ship.

I hope that Cunard doesn't relax their dress code. I like to see men dress for dinner.

Sub,you beat me to it baseball caps at tables next, that is a real pet hate of mine, if they seriously start to downgrade formal, semi formal them we might as well go down the roadside diner attire road, I love cruising much to the wife's surprise because it gives the opportunity to dress up. Yep I'm a working class bloke ,that likes putting on a tux

The only thing I dislike about the current dress code, is the allowance of dark suit & tie on formal night. Formal Night should be tux & a bow tie for Gentleman. I'll wear a suit with/out a tie on the other nights, but I will always don a tux for Formal evenings. It's a massive part of what makes Cunard special for us.

If it's a very special occasion, I'll even wear my proper bow tie and not the ready made ones!

We'll keep an eye out for this survey and respond accordingly.

Sports jacket with jeans, shoes (not trainers), and either a shirt or tee shirt has become very trendy recently in the UK, and, judging by what I saw over the last 3 weeks in the States, the US as well.

We like the dressing up, I tend save my long gowns for formal nights, and use other evening wear for the informal. I really don't understand what the problem is. The ships are lovely and they are following in the traditions of evening attire for dinner. I don't think Cunard are having a problem filling their ships. It is probably the last cruise line of its ilk. If that goes informal, then I for one would be sad, but more importantly it would naturally direct me to other ships.

Who defines what smart?

Passenger may decide his swimshorts are smart.

Plenty of cruise lines offer smart casual nights. People can choose sail with them.

Smart casual tomorrow. Casual next week. Slumming it week after. Backward facing baseball caps worn to dinner next month and t shirts soon be norm as seen in some "restaurants and social functions" on land.

No stick with jacket required and in my opinion ties mandatory as well. That almost guarantees certain minimum standard of dress which term smart casual does not.

More formal nights not less.

Cheers.

makes me feel like a dentist

Did I miss a change in code? Is it no longer penguin suit / jacket & tie / jacket no tie?

Just had the info come through for our next voyage - maybe we need to study it more thoroughly than usual.

.

Sports jacket with jeans, shoes (not trainers), and either a shirt or tee shirt has become very trendy recently in the UK, and, judging by what I saw over the last 3 weeks in the States, the US as well.

I think it is known as doing a "Clarkson" for the 50 somethings struggling to decide which decade they are now actually in

I think it is known as doing a "Clarkson" for the 50 somethings struggling to decide which decade they are now actually in

I think you'll find it's all ages, not just 50 somethings. But I agree that it's worn more by the older, smarter male.

Oh Keith. You do realize that currently, the majority of nights on board have an Informal Dress Code. So you advocate that for most nights, men wear chinos or khakis and a long or short sleeve shirt, no jacket or tie? What do you think would be a compatible outfit for women?

 

Well, I suppose I can't argue with you since casual is the way most people dress in the evening...unless, of course they are going to restaurant or venue with a dress code more in keeping with the surroundings.

In my survey I DO currently suport the dresscode. I just said I'd be ok on casual nights wearing a nice pair od khakis(and I mean prprly pressed etc.) and a nice shirt such as a Ralph Laren dress shirt. Some said, I said country club casual(which I did not say!)I still have my large catalog from 2004-2005. Casual night said exactly what I stated for informal night.Cunard actually changed their informal nights late in 2005 to include jacket with tie optional.I just feel that informal can allow what I stated, but it does need to be enforced or pax will become too lax. As you know we did Celebrity last Jan. We did a 2 week trip & the were really quite rigid on the dresscodes(except the buffet,where poor dress was definately the norm)Once you were out of the dining room, there really wasn't enforcement,however.We're looking at a 15 day trip on QV in early Feb.It's as low as $1150pp for an inside. Hard to argue with prices like that. I still have all this month to make the choice.Again, Richard says he's getting bored with the cruises every year. I tell him to look at booking a 14 day trip to a resort & compare prices!

Did I miss a change in code? Is it no longer penguin suit / jacket & tie / jacket no tie?

 

Just had the info come through for our next voyage - maybe we need to study it more thoroughly than usual.

 

.

Not yet! I think the survey was to get pax feelings on possibly changing the codes.I don't mind relaxing the informal nights a bit(just a bit!)the clothes still have to be top quality.

Shame on you, keithm. I took the same survey yesterday and I endorsed the current Formal and Informal definitions; they are clearer than the Formal, Semi-Formal, and Elegant Casual definitions they replaced. I would prefer Informal to be "Jacket and tie required for gentlemen (tie optional on port days)" instead of "Jacket required, tie optional for gentlemen".

Go find a brochure from 2005. Informal night was collared shirt(no tie) with sweater optional! Khaki or Chino pants.So in the past Cunard did actually have a less "formal" informal night. I do follow the codes as anyone who's read my posts will agree. I just don't have an issue if Cunard goes back to the informal night style back in 2005. As I've said, the Khakis(Chinos) have to be properly pressed(pleated would be better)a good quality & shirts need to be a good quality dress collar shirt(long or short sleeve)and most important GOOD SHOES!! Being in a Gay relationship I'll leave the Ladies attire to be discussed by the Ladies here.

No no no...keep it as it is,anymore relaxing of the dress code then I may as well go P@O....😱

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When Semi-formal was dropped, I found myself becoming far more dressy on the Informal nights. The sequinned cocktail dresses that I had bought for Semi-formal, suddenly because used for Informal. I like long dresses for Formal, so I still had to get a use from the cocktail dresses.

I do feel that the current system is blurred. Cocktail dresses can now be worn for both Formal and Informal.

I enjoy dressing up! My sisters travel on HAL. One sister has looked at photos of some of my dresses and said she'd love to wear clothes like that. She's been getting rid of her dressy clothes. Obviously HAL must have a more informal system of dress.

Did I miss a change in code? Is it no longer penguin suit / jacket & tie / jacket no tie?

 

Just had the info come through for our next voyage - maybe we need to study it more thoroughly than usual.

 

.

When Semi-formal was dropped, I found myself becoming far more dressy on the Informal nights. The sequinned cocktail dresses that I had bought for Semi-formal, suddenly because used for Informal. I like long dresses for Formal, so I still had to get a use from the cocktail dresses.

 

I do feel that the current system is blurred. Cocktail dresses can now be worn for both Formal and Informal.

 

I enjoy dressing up! My sisters travel on HAL. One sister has looked at photos of some of my dresses and said she'd love to wear clothes like that. She's been getting rid of her dressy clothes. Obviously HAL must have a more informal system of dress.

Totally agree with you about dressing up. There are so many cruise lines that are dropping formal that I sincerely hope Cunard don't go down this route. If you don't want to do formal then my I politely suggest that you cruise with a different line. Please do not come to Cunard and then try and change it. Just my thoughts.

Regards

Pat

How about a football shirt night , with baseball caps on sideways followed by a bit of twerking in the ballroom,, now that would be wicked

Sports jacket with jeans, shoes (not trainers), and either a shirt or tee shirt has become very trendy recently in the UK, and, judging by what I saw over the last 3 weeks in the States, the US as well.

I think it is known as doing a "Clarkson" for the 50 somethings struggling to decide which decade they are now actually in

Its because all those 50-somethings are trying to emulate what they wore back when they were 20-somethings...... a touch of Miami Vice anyone?