New to Cunard, so a few questions.

We're considering a Med Queen Elizabeth cruise and have a few questions. We have not sailed Cunard previously.

Dress Code:

I am aware the the dress code has changed in recent times.

I am assuming from what I have read that men must wear a jacket on informal nights in any restaurant other than Kings Court and Winter Garden?

Formal nights we would either have room service or eat in Kings Court. I assume that on formal night you are able to be dressed more casually in Kings Court? What is classed as casual. Jeans? Short sleaved shirt?

Room Service:

Do standard balcony cabins enable room service dinner from the main restaurant, as opposed to just the room service menu? We tend to dine on our balcony a fair bit, so it's important to us.

Is there full room service breakfast for standard balcony cabins?

Purchase of bottled alcohol onboard:

Are you able to purchase bottles of liqour e.g. vodka for in-room consumption? We do that on Holland America for example at a reasonable cost. Does anyone have a price/product list?

Thank you.:)

We're considering a Med Queen Elizabeth cruise and have a few questions. We have not sailed Cunard previously.

 

Dress Code:

I am aware the the dress code has changed in recent times.

 

I am assuming from what I have read that men must wear a jacket on informal nights in any restaurant other than Kings Court and Winter Garden?

 

Formal nights we would either have room service or eat in Kings Court. I assume that on formal night you are able to be dressed more casually in Kings Court? What is classed as casual. Jeans? Short sleaved shirt?

 

Yes. One can be very casual, even for dinner, in the lido. (Kings Court is only on QM2.)

 

Room Service:

Do standard balcony cabins enable room service dinner from the main restaurant, as opposed to just the room service menu? We tend to dine on our balcony a fair bit, so it's important to us.

 

Is there full room service breakfast for standard balcony cabins?

 

Full room service is available to all cabin grades but only from the room service menu which tends to be limited. Menu items from the restaurants are available only for Queens Grill passengers.

 

Purchase of bottled alcohol onboard:

 

Are you able to purchase bottles of liqour e.g. vodka for in-room consumption? We do that on Holland America for example at a reasonable cost. Does anyone have a price/product list?

 

In cabin liquor can be ordered from the ship but anything bought in the duty free shop is held until the day before embarkation. See this link. I didn't dig deep enough to find the list.

 

Thank you.:)

A lot of answers can be found at this link: http://ask.cunard.com

Full room service is available to all cabin grades but only from the room service menu which tends to be limited. Menu items from the restaurants are available only for Queens Grill passengers.

Thank you for the link. I had not seen this information about balcony dining for Queen's Grill passengers. But room service of the full Princess Grill menus is offered to PG passengers, even if they cannot have balcony dining.

Welcome aboard, richardukcruise. Cunard's online FAQs are a fun resource to browse.

Thank you for the link. I had not seen this information about balcony dining for Queen's Grill passengers. But room service of the full Princess Grill menus is offered to PG passengers, even if they cannot have balcony dining.

We found that balcony dining was offered by our waiter in the Queens Grill. We found it too windy on the QM2 to try it out. We were in a Q-6. If we had been in one of the Q-2 (or higher)suites, we definately would have tried it.

Dress code applies in the evening not only to the dining rooms, but to the rest of the ship as well.

It would be a shame to miss all the evening entertainment. After dinner, there are offerings in the theater as well as cinema (many nights) in Illuminations.

There is plenty of opportunity to dress casually during the day.

Would it be impossible to bring a blazer and khaki trousers so you could wander about the ship and engage in the pleasures offered on the informal nights?

You would be amazed at how inexpensive a tuxedo can be! Buy something second hand! You don't have to spend all that much money and you would be equipped for future voyages.

Why not just conform to the dress code? It really isn't all that difficult, or expensive.

The idea of staying in cabin and/or only eating in the King's Court seems so restrictive!

I don't understand why anyone would choose to go to great lengths to avoid something that isn't (in reality) overly demanding. You aren't being asked to join in cult worship or engage in human sacrifice.

DH actually admits his tuxedo, worn with suspenders instead of a belt, is more comfortable than wearing a suit.

I ask you, dear poster, to reconsider and join in instead of thinking about separating yourself. The rest of the ship's passengers (the ones all conforming to the dress code) are really very nice people. You would enjoy meeting tablemates and sharing evening hours with them (and they with you).

DH and I own and wear blue jeans frequently. They are comfortable. But, they aren't a badge of honor or representational of some philosophical stance.

One can expand one's wardrobe for the occasion of sailing and still maintain one's inter-most identity. Conforming to the dress code isn't a betrayal of anyone's principles. It is a small matter which makes all your fellow passengers happy and will, in the end, bring about a better experience for you as well.

Have a great voyage!

We're considering a Med Queen Elizabeth cruise and have a few questions. We have not sailed Cunard previously.

 

Dress Code:

 

I am aware the the dress code has changed in recent times.

 

I am assuming from what I have read that men must wear a jacket on informal nights in any restaurant other than Kings Court and Winter Garden?

 

Formal nights we would either have room service or eat in Kings Court. I assume that on formal night you are able to be dressed more casually in Kings Court? What is classed as casual. Jeans? Short sleaved shirt?

 

Room Service:

 

Do standard balcony cabins enable room service dinner from the main restaurant, as opposed to just the room service menu? We tend to dine on our balcony a fair bit, so it's important to us.

 

Is there full room service breakfast for standard balcony cabins?

 

Purchase of bottled alcohol onboard:

 

Are you able to purchase bottles of liqour e.g. vodka for in-room consumption? We do that on Holland America for example at a reasonable cost. Does anyone have a price/product list?

 

Thank you.:)

I'll try a few of these as well:

Dresscode)Yes it is rather formal. This is a reason many of us love Cunard. Shorts are ok anywhere on board up through lunch. Afterwards the nightly dresscode applies.In Lido/KingsCourt shorts are not permitted at night. Nice shirt(long or dress short sleeve is fine)& khaki style pants are fine there. Do at least bring a suit coat & tie to mingle on the rest of the ship on formal nights.

Roomservice)the standard menu is pretty limited. If you book either Queens or Princess Grill, you may order from the menu that is put in your room each night.

Purchase of Alcohol)Yes, you can purchase booze/wine etc. to consume in your room. We never had our on shore booze purchases held by the ship. I think you do need to carry it on board yourself, however. If you do buy enough to stock a small liquor store, then I think they'll hold it until you disembark.

Dress code applies in the evening not only to the dining rooms, but to the rest of the ship as well.

 

It would be a shame to miss all the evening entertainment. After dinner, there are offerings in the theater as well as cinema (many nights) in Illuminations.

 

There is plenty of opportunity to dress casually during the day.

 

Would it be impossible to bring a blazer and khaki trousers so you could wander about the ship and engage in the pleasures offered on the informal nights?

 

You would be amazed at how inexpensive a tuxedo can be! Buy something second hand! You don't have to spend all that much money and you would be equipped for future voyages.

 

Why not just conform to the dress code? It really isn't all that difficult, or expensive.

 

The idea of staying in cabin and/or only eating in the King's Court seems so restrictive!

 

I don't understand why anyone would choose to go to great lengths to avoid something that isn't (in reality) overly demanding. You aren't being asked to join in cult worship or engage in human sacrifice.

 

DH actually admits his tuxedo, worn with suspenders instead of a belt, is more comfortable than wearing a suit.

 

I ask you, dear poster, to reconsider and join in instead of thinking about separating yourself. The rest of the ship's passengers (the ones all conforming to the dress code) are really very nice people. You would enjoy meeting tablemates and sharing evening hours with them (and they with you).

 

DH and I own and wear blue jeans frequently. They are comfortable. But, they aren't a badge of honor or representational of some philosophical stance.

 

One can expand one's wardrobe for the occasion of sailing and still maintain one's inter-most identity. Conforming to the dress code isn't a betrayal of anyone's principles. It is a small matter which makes all your fellow passengers happy and will, in the end, bring about a better experience for you as well.

 

Have a great voyage!

Well said!

There's a limited selection of alcohol available via room service. It's on the order of $50-60 per liter bottle and includes 6 cans of mixer (club soda, Coke/Diet Coke (or is it Pepsi now?) etc.). Cheaper than by the drink but better to plan ahead in ports of call.

...I don't understand why anyone would choose to go to great lengths to avoid something that isn't (in reality) overly demanding. You aren't being asked to join in cult worship or engage in human sacrifice.

 

DH actually admits his tuxedo, worn with suspenders instead of a belt, is more comfortable than wearing a suit.

 

I ask you, dear poster, to reconsider and join in instead of thinking about separating yourself. The rest of the ship's passengers (the ones all conforming to the dress code) are really very nice people. You would enjoy meeting tablemates and sharing evening hours with them (and they with you).

 

DH and I own and wear blue jeans frequently. They are comfortable. But, they aren't a badge of honor or representational of some philosophical stance.

 

One can expand one's wardrobe for the occasion of sailing and still maintain one's inter-most identity. Conforming to the dress code isn't a betrayal of anyone's principles. It is a small matter which makes all your fellow passengers happy and will, in the end, bring about a better experience for you as well.

 

Have a great voyage!

What a wonderful way to put it! My dress code rants would have been far more positive had they had been expressed as well as you just did.

Thank you, BlueRiband and keithm. You are both very kind.

Jimmybean

Thank you for these insights into sailing on Cunard.:D

A Navy suit and a pair of khakis are the simple answer. Suit for formal nights and the Suit jacket going undercover as a blazer with the khakis for informal nights.

A Navy suit and a pair of khakis are the simple answer. Suit for formal nights and the Suit jacket going undercover as a blazer with the khakis for informal nights.

That's exactly what I do! :) I have 50+ sailings on Cunard ships and have never had a problem...simple solution.

That's exactly what I do! :) I have 50+ sailings on Cunard ships and have never had a problem...simple solution.

I think I have a plan now, thanks.:D

A Navy suit and a pair of khakis are the simple answer. Suit for formal nights and the Suit jacket going undercover as a blazer with the khakis for informal nights.

I've seen the term "khakis" a lot on here - usually from the Left Hand Side of the Atlantic - but I have not got the foggiest clue what clothing item relates to

Can anyone enlighten a sartorial challenged Brit?

J

I've seen the term "khakis" a lot on here - usually from the Left Hand Side of the Atlantic - but I have not got the foggiest clue what clothing item relates to

 

Can anyone enlighten a sartorial challenged Brit?

 

J

Army surplus?

David.

Army surplus?

 

David.

Well, I was wondering whether, before the next cruise, it might be worth my while digging through the boxes in my garage and unearthing a couple of pairs of my old Army denims.

J

In general the reference is to a pair of slacks (trews) of a light tannish/green colour.

In practice it is usually (nut not always) a pair of cotton twill pants styled more smartly than jeans but not as well as dress pants. Often it is used interchangeably with 'Chinos'.

A pair of dress khakis in worsted or gabardine looks very smart with a navy blazer.

I like the look with a nice pair of cordovan loafers.

In general the reference is to a pair of slacks (trews) of a light tannish/green colour.

 

In practice it is usually (nut not always) a pair of cotton twill pants styled more smartly than jeans but not as well as dress pants. Often it is used interchangeably with 'Chinos'.

 

 

A pair of dress khakis in worsted or gabardine looks very smart with a navy blazer.

 

I like the look with a nice pair of cordovan loafers.

Good Lord! There's a whole world out there that I never knew existed. What in the name of heavens are "Cordovan loafers"? For that matter, what are loafers?

J (who told you he was sartorially challenged) :D

Excellent photos, sarafinadh!

In the US, khaki colored pants are still casual, but a nice step up from jeans.

Maybe, not a color/style worn as much in Europe??? I hadn't thought of that.

Good Lord! There's a whole world out there that I never knew existed. What in the name of heavens are "Cordovan loafers"? For that matter, what are loafers?

 

J (who told you he was sartorially challenged) :D

That's alright you wag... I suspect you look so devastating in your plaid that you have no need for a broader understanding of mens sartorial splendour.

Wear the kilt dude. Love those sexy knees ; -)

Excellent photos, sarafinadh!

 

In the US, khaki colored pants are still casual, but a nice step up from jeans.

 

Maybe, not a color/style worn as much in Europe??? I hadn't thought of that.

Oh it's a pretty global look I think...

But the Scots are a bit backward about these things ; -D

Good Lord! There's a whole world out there that I never knew existed. What in the name of heavens are "Cordovan loafers"? For that matter, what are loafers?

 

J (who told you he was sartorially challenged) :D

Do you know who James Taylor is?

David.

sarafinadh--- ANOTHER great photo (worth a thousand words)

: )

Balf, I know James Taylor. He is a has-been who must offer a pretty strong performance to be elevated by Cunard to the status of "entertainment draw" this July… Hard for me to believe… I look forward to some CC reviews!

I also remember (gossip magazine said) James Taylor wasn't very nice to Carley and didn't show up at the hospital when their (still a child) son was hospitalized (a billion years ago)…. None of my business, but I've also never forgiven Woody Allen for how he treated Ms Farrow…

Sorry---definitely OFF TOPIC…. Please don't chastise me….