Formal Attire/Theme Nights/Dining - newbie has questions.

Hi, my husband and I have taken one cruise and that was on Carnival a number of years ago with 2 of our children and another family. It was a great experience and we enjoyed it immensely. For our 30th anniversary, we want to do something really special. We have decided on a Queen Mary 2 cruise from New York to the Caribbean: for the first time it will be just the 2 of us!!

We are really looking forward to the formal and theme nights (there are 5!!!). I want to look like I fit in without looking like I'm trying to fit in :confused:. So my question is (silly as it may be :o); on the theme nights (Black and White ball, Masquerade ball, Christmas Eve ball, Christmas ball, New Year's Eve ball), do I wear my formal wear (ball gown or in the case of the Buccaneer ball, Pirate outfit) to dine in? We will be dining in the Britannia early sitting. Also, are long (floor length) dresses the norm for these events? How elaborate are the Pirate outfits? My husband is particularly looking forward to this night.

Thanks for your patience (with the newbie), all info and advice in advance. :)

do I wear my formal wear (ball gown or in the case of the Buccaneer ball, Pirate outfit) to dine in?

Absolutely, always, without exception. :)

I wear strapless ball gowns but I have also seen many women wearing floor length dresses that are formal without really being a "ball gown". Both are completely fine. On informal nights I wear cocktail dresses of a shorter length. I have been on 7 Caribbean voyages on QM2, and the "day wear" tends to the less formal than the New England/Canada or a crossing. I still never wore jeans on board though, just not my thing.

Always wear you gowns to dinner, you have to take every opportunity to show them off. ;) Lots of black dresses at the black and white ball. I don't know if you have the masked ball but that is fun - I have seen as many as 40-50% of passengers wearing masks. The Buccaneer Ball is great fun and I miss it since we have not done the Caribbean in a while. Full pirate costume! Make them great and you could win a prize. I remember one guy who went all out and even had the "fake parrot" on his shoulder- he and his wife won some prizes for their efforts. The New years Eve is fun because they do a huge pyramid of champagne glasses (traditional style, not flutes) then pour the champagne over the top and let it cascade down. Enjoy the QM2 - it's wonderful and since we started we've been going back every year....can't seem to stop!

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

Yes, as others have said, dress for dinner and the rest of the evening. Formal nights on Cunard are always wonderful, but people really pull out the stops for a Christmas cruise, and the atmosphere around the ship on formal nights is amazing.

Since you're from Canada, I have to warn you that a tropical Christmas can feel strange. We did a Christmas cruise about 10 years ago. It was the first time I'd had Christmas in a place that doesn't have winter weather. I remember going to the beach on St Thomas on Christmas Eve. DH and I were swimming in the sea and I kept saying, "Tell me again, it's really Christmas Eve?"

You have the right spirit--go with it! There will be many pax who have a lot of fun with dressing to theme! And yes, throw in a Santa hat or something Christmas-y. I agree with 3rdGen, it's surreal to be in the Carib over the holidays, but so fun to see how the traditional touches of Noel are incorporated along with swimsuits, snorkels and the like, plus it's a delightful cultural experience to see how the islands celebrate the holidays!

PS, when we"vs taken holiday cruises, we've made packing room for a few bits of cabin decor to set the mood, ranging from miniature trees to balcony lights--you get the idea! Others will do the same, so don't feel shy if you are so inclined! Half the fun is getting creative with crafting and shopping for those small things you can fly with that will give you an added bit of festive pleasure.

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You have the right spirit--go with it! There will be many pax who have a lot of fun with dressing to theme! And yes, throw in a Santa hat or something Christmas-y. I agree with 3rdGen, it's surreal to be in the Carib over the holidays, but so fun to see how the traditional touches of Noel are incorporated along with swimsuits, snorkels and the like, plus it's a delightful cultural experience to see how the islands celebrate the holidays!

 

PS, when we"vs taken holiday cruises, we've made packing room for a few bits of cabin decor to set the mood, ranging from miniature trees to balcony lights--you get the idea! Others will do the same, so don't feel shy if you are so inclined! Half the fun is getting creative with crafting and shopping for those small things you can fly with that will give you an added bit of festive pleasure.

 

 

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Your post reminded me of a funny sight on our Christmas cruise. We rode the Sugar Train in St Kitts. Along the route we passed a house that had icicle lights hanging from the eaves. Other Christmas lights didn't seem odd at all, but icicle lights in a place that never has icicles seemed funny.

I recommend a trip to a dollar store for some inexpensive decorations you won't mind leaving behind. I bought a tiny tree and just a few ornaments. Then each day, I cut out things from the daily programme and that "junk mail" you get in the cabin and added those to the tree. So by the end of the trip I had a little cruise tree. I hung tinsel garland somewhere in the room and put a small wreath on the door. Fortunately, we were a car ride from the port, so I didn't have to figure out how to pack all of that for flying. I just carried it on in a large Christmas gift bag.

Gift bags are another good way to decorate your cabin if you're traveling on Christmas. It doesn't matter if they're empty (do NOT tell my DH I just said that!). Just a few bags and some tissue paper in the top makes it look as if Santa has been there.

There are many passengers who have to fly to board the ship, and therefore they do not have the space for "costumes". If you do not have the space do not worry, just wear the appropriate code of dress for the night, you will not be alone.

Storage space in the cabin is also limited, which is another thing to consider. Any costume will have to be packable, wrinkle proof, easy to wear and have ease of movement.

For a 19 day cruise I already have 2 suitcases to check at the airport, and of course to pay for also. I will not be taking any "extra" items, and every dress will have to be worn on several different evenings, with different bags, stoles, and "jewels".

Now back to my packing/............

You have the right spirit--go with it! There will be many pax who have a lot of fun with dressing to theme! And yes, throw in a Santa hat or something Christmas-y. I agree with 3rdGen, it's surreal to be in the Carib over the holidays, but so fun to see how the traditional touches of Noel are incorporated along with swimsuits, snorkels and the like, plus it's a delightful cultural experience to see how the islands celebrate the holidays!

 

PS, when we"vs taken holiday cruises, we've made packing room for a few bits of cabin decor to set the mood, ranging from miniature trees to balcony lights--you get the idea! Others will do the same, so don't feel shy if you are so inclined! Half the fun is getting creative with crafting and shopping for those small things you can fly with that will give you an added bit of festive pleasure.

 

 

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Wonderful Artemis! I forgot to mention that! We always put a small tree up with little lights though did not pack ornaments. Instead, I bought a box of "Bob's" candy canes, took them out of the box, rubber banded them together and plopped them in my suitcase; I put them in a glass cup from one of the bars on board & set them next to the tree (you can plug the tree in on the desk). We used a silver tinsel tree with white lights because it folded up so thinly. Very festive, and the cabin steward looked at the candy canes rather longingly so I gave him a few. Target has trees which fold up the branches and the tripod stand so that it is pretty much just a few inches in diameter, with twist ties around it, and can fit in the side of your suitcase. You can also buy a poinsettia on board at the florist, and put that on the coffee table. Voila, you are decorated for Christmas! I really loved having that tree on board. Great idea Artemis in cutting out little "decorations".

We met a very nice married couple who worked on board the ship. They loved the fact we put a tree up, and so we gave them our tree at the end of our cruise to use the next year.

And one last thing you can do to get the real Christmas feel which I did, I bought some bath & body works Christmas scented hand soap on line, so that the bottle was sealed in plastic when they shipped it. When it arrived, I threw it wrapped in my suitcase, so I had gingerbread hand soap which made the cabin smell wonderfuland allows for great "shipboard hygiene", (plus the bar of hand soap they give you is miniscule) Add a travel size bottle of B & B "Tree" room spray and you've got your live tree scent :D:D

I had a friend who brought a lovely large Christmas doily for the coffee table. Very festive and takes up zero space. :)

Other than the black and white ball (in which the evening's dress is different ensembles in black and/or white) the overwhelming majority of passengers don't dress for the theme nights, and many who do, do so in the form of accessories that may be added between dinner and the dance. Don't feel as though you must don pirate wear for dinner (although it's entertaining for the rest of us ;) ).

Oh, and by the way, please join the roll call thread here (I'm assuming you're joining us in 2014):

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1832994

This is a great cruise and you'll discover that literally a majority of passengers book every year.

You have the right spirit--go with it! There will be many pax who have a lot of fun with dressing to theme! And yes, throw in a Santa hat or something Christmas-y. I agree with 3rdGen, it's surreal to be in the Carib over the holidays, but so fun to see how the traditional touches of Noel are incorporated along with swimsuits, snorkels and the like, plus it's a delightful cultural experience to see how the islands celebrate the holidays!

 

PS, when we"vs taken holiday cruises, we've made packing room for a few bits of cabin decor to set the mood, ranging from miniature trees to balcony lights--you get the idea! Others will do the same, so don't feel shy if you are so inclined! Half the fun is getting creative with crafting and shopping for those small things you can fly with that will give you an added bit of festive pleasure.

 

 

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The two pillows from the sofa fit nicely into the pillow cover.

Jeanne

^ wow, that is so attractive and clever. Thanks for sharing! It's delightful to discover more easily-packable items to add a seasonal touch.

I confess, when we've do drive-to-port holiday cruises, we look more like what 3rdGen described...the Clampett family (a reference that only older Americans will get!). It is a fun challenge to figure out what will pack and fly!

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During the Masquerade Ball, is it just a mask added to normal formal attire, or can you wear some type of costume instead....never been to one, so not sure...

During the Masquerade Ball, is it just a mask added to normal formal attire, or can you wear some type of costume instead....never been to one, so not sure...

Yes just a mask. I've never seen anyone in a costume. Bring your own mask as the ones Cunard sell are pretty basic.

^ wow, that is so attractive and clever. Thanks for sharing! It's delightful to discover more easily-packable items to add a seasonal touch.

 

I confess, when we've do drive-to-port holiday cruises, we look more like what 3rdGen described...the Clampett family (a reference that only older Americans will get!). It is a fun challenge to figure out what will pack and fly!

 

 

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Hee hee, love the Clampett reference. But for the record, I did not look like a Clampett. No plain brown bag for me--I used a large Christmas gift bag. Fortunately, I had Mom's mink coat on, so I prefer to think I looked festive, :D rather than like a bag lady. :eek:

That was the only time part of my carry-on luggage for a cruise was a shopping bag. I even had a tin of my own home-made cookies because it couldn't be Christmas morning without MY cookies. Talk about coals to Newcastle, there were cookies everywhere on the ship! Christmas morning Dad, DH and I went up to Sun Deck with a bottle of champagne, the cookies, and our gifts (we'd agreed on just one small thing for each of us). A steward who was up there setting up the bar for the day offered to take our picture. That picture is one of my favorite family photos. The only thing that could have made it better would have been if Mom had been with us. (Of course she'd have worn the mink at embarkation, leaving me holding the bag.)

Oh, 3rdGen, my phraseology was poor--I certainly didn't mean to suggest *you* looked liked the Clampetts or a bag lady! Nor I! It was all about the image of our vehicle driving up loaded to the max (even the roof carrier) with four excited (and smartly dressed--we do love to dress!) holiday revelers plus not only our luggage, but also many wrapped gifts and boxes containing the accoutrement of Christmas! All perfectly stylish and presentable...just a lot of stuff!

Thanks for sharing your story. I am sorry your mom wasn't there to be a part of the wonderful holiday memory you all created. (But then there's that mink...tee hee!)

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I am sorry your mom wasn't there to be a part of the wonderful holiday memory you all created. (But then there's that mink...tee hee!)/QUOTE]

 

I believe you might want to rethink that one as well.

I apologize for being insensitive, 3rdGen. I did not intend any harm.

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I apologize for being insensitive, 3rdGen. I did not intend any harm.

 

 

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Don't worry, I am not insulted or upset. The Clampett remark was very funny. (and yes, I'm old enough to remember the Clampetts. Probably can get through most of the theme song, too.) I recall that Dad made some remark about my "paper luggage" and rolled his eyes at all the Christmas frills.

And the mink did have a lovely time. It was particularly pleased to swank on with the diamond/platinum passengers and not have to loiter around the West Side cruise terminal. Mom and I wore the same size for many years, and there were a couple of gowns borrowed back and forth (also shawls, evening bags, etc.). We used to joke that some of the clothes had been on more cruises than either of us.

3rdGenCunarder, thank you for your generous and gracious reply. Your contributions to this forum are always such gems precisely because of your family's long history of Cunard voyages and the many rich anecdotes you recount. I admire your family's shared love of cruising, and I appreciate the joy and pride that goes into mothers and daughters sharing finery. It's so lovely you are able to continue to honor your mom and help the whole family feel connected with her by wearing those things that were so special to her. The image of you "swanking on" is priceless!

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I am so happy and blessed with the responses to my post. Shamefully, I had not even thought of Christmas decorating. My DH is all about the decorations and everything we do at home. I think I may just surprise him with some of these wonderful ideas. Thanks so much!!! And I will definitely pull out all the stops for dining and the theme nights. At least as much as

possible!!!!

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I saw another idea that I liked. Large vinyl decals for the walls. Santa, candy canes, and the best one was a large Christmas tree. :)