New Dress Code Designations?

I always try to pay attention to a cruise line’s marketing to see the tone they’re trying to set. So from this link, is it supposed to be lunch? Because judging by the comments here there aren’t any restaurants without a jacket except the buffet.

http://www.cunard.com/life-on-board/dining-and-bars/

Stop Press !!! I had drinks in the Commodore Bar last night ( Q. Vic 26th March) with Angus Struthers , he informs me there is no change in the dress code descriptions. Hopefully, all this sounds like a glitch in the system.:confused:

I'd love to believe that this is all some glitch or April Fool joke. Sadly though we have seen things show up in the system before there was a formal announcement - like deck 13 statesrooms online before it was announced that there would be any up there. I'm so mad I want to cancel my June sailing because what they are delivering is a substantial departure compared to that at time of booking. I'm stuck unless I want to eat a huge cancellation penalty. Not too late to cancel my later sailing however.

I would say "smart attire" still includes a jacket! Sorry!

While I wish that you were correct. Smart attire here in the US means clean jeans and no grass stains on your t shirt. It has been a slow decline in the US to the point where now the homeless look better dressed than the wealthy. Time to seek alternate vacations where one does not have to deal with the "unwashed".

One can sail on most lines now with a simple gym bag of clothing. One pair of shorts, a t-shirt no socks a pair of flip flops and if brave go commando. All can be rinsed in the bowl at night and be ready for the next days bucket of beer.

My last cruise on Holland America was shortly before they changed "formal " to "gala." The definition of formal included "jacket or tie" and it wasn't enforced. The majority of gents, however, did wear jacket and tie and there were several in dinner jackets/tuxedos, including me. There were also two young men wearing T-shirts and baseball caps. HAL's definition of gala has been dumbed-down from what it was for formal.

 

Some on this forum have mentioned the number of dress codes. When we first started crossing on the Queen Mary 2 there were three dress codes: formal, semi-formal and elegant casual. Each had a definition.

 

If the dress standards are lowered, it is not mandatory for any of us to follow it. I think most regular Cunard travellers view the dress code as a minimum. I have never gone to dinner on a Cunard ship without a jacket and tie since our first crossing in 1973 and I don't intend to lower my standards.

Sadly what happens is that the atmosphere of the ship changes and while you might be in jacket or jacket and tie as I always do, it rubs to have to be seated next to those who chose to dress as if they are at a local fast food joint. It is not longer an elegant cruise but simply another means of transportation.

Eventually one ends up like carnival where they do not even offer linen on the tables nor a full compliment of flatware. Bar food and atmosphere at its worst.

Hi

It is clear to me that Cunard is going to dumb down the dress code otherwise why just change the terminology? Its like management is in a race to the bottom. Its like they are afraid of being different from the other lines in their wish to be all things to all people. Soon there will be no reason to choose Cunard over any of the other cruise lines out there with exception of the transatlantic crossings for which they have no real competition.

It is such a shame and it would not surprise me if Stein Kruse is behind this. He did such a great job with Holland America Line! Not! I think my days with Cunard are going to be very limited going forward if this change of dress code comes to pass. What is next? Reducing the number of musicians and staff which is what happened to HAL under Stein Kruse. Oceania, Azamara and Viking here I come!

I messaged Cunard on their Facebook page raising objections to this development. I hope everyone else does the same.

Deck Chair

What if...........Cunard passengers kept wearing tuxes & gowns on (gala) formal nights and jacket and ties on (smart attire) informal nights? What if.......we still danced traditional ballroom dances?

Talk with your pocketbook by selling out their cruises and hauling on board all the stuff you need to maintain these standards.

We are taking our first cruises on the QM2 this June. The fjords and then a westbound TA. DH with two left feet is taking ballroom dance lessons with me to prepare for our wonderful evenings in our formal attire.

I hope we have the joy of cruising with Cunard traditionalists for our cruises. Please don’t cancel and abandon us!

I'd love to believe that this is all some glitch or April Fool joke. Sadly though we have seen things show up in the system before there was a formal announcement - like deck 13 statesrooms online before it was announced that there would be any up there. I'm so mad I want to cancel my June sailing because what they are delivering is a substantial departure compared to that at time of booking. I'm stuck unless I want to eat a huge cancellation penalty. Not too late to cancel my later sailing however.

I share your pain, BR; we have just made final payment on our upcoming cruise on QM2 in June. We will wait to see what happens in the reality of being on the ship, but like you we feel we are being sold something that is different from what we booked and paid for. Of course we will still enjoy the destination, but the main reason we switched to Cunard in the first place was our perception of the elegance, ambiance and style, especially on QM2, and for us the dress code is a very big part of that.

We were planning a number of future cruises, which we were intending to book whilst on board in June. We also had ambitions for a future World Cruise with Cunard, but I’m feeling less confident about that now. Not that Cunard/Carnival will care, but I do feel disappointed. I also don’t quite get the logic behind it, if it truly is a dumbing down; wilfully removing your USP as a business makes no sense to me. It’s a huge part of their marketing, though perhaps that will change now. If it does, like others I’m struggling to see what differentiates Cunard from any other mainstream line.

We're due to go out on the QE on 01 Jul 10 to the Fjords, I have not yet paid the balance and am seriously thinking of cancelling. I have written to Cunard asking what the dress code policy is for 'Smart Attire' if I get a response I will let you know

Regards

We're due to go out on the QE on 01 Jul 10 to the Fjords, I have not yet paid the balance and am seriously thinking of cancelling. I have written to Cunard asking what the dress code policy is for 'Smart Attire' if I get a response I will let you know

 

Regards

"I just called Cunard and they think the dress policy is changing. My Voyage Personaliser now states Smart Attire for some nights (used to be informal) and Gala Evening for what used to be formal nights.

Will be a couple of weeks until new definition.

I think the changeover will depend on the date of your cruise."

For what would seem to be a major change in the marketing strategy of Cunard this all seems very amateur. It gives the impression of a real timidity and uncertainty about possible changes

These could just be marketing terms, mere words, and nothing will actually change.

The term "Formal" has, for many people, negative connotations. Furthermore, many would like to feel that their entire vacation/holiday is always relaxing and "informal".

So Cunard may stipulate that "Gala Night" means the dress-code is what "Formal" previously meant, and the same for "Smart Attire" and "Informal".

However, this could also mean that Cunard have finally thrown away their USP, something that set the line apart from other mainstream lines. If so, and they confirm that they are abandoning any meaningful dress-code (ie wear "anything you like" most nights and "please wear a clean shirt" on certain special evenings) then I for one won't be sailing with Cunard in future.

I was about to book 2019 voyages, but will hold back until clarification from Cunard is given, I could save myself a lot of money.

I'd love to believe that this is all some glitch or April Fool joke. Sadly though we have seen things show up in the system before there was a formal announcement - like deck 13 statesrooms online before it was announced that there would be any up there. I'm so mad I want to cancel my June sailing because what they are delivering is a substantial departure compared to that at time of booking. I'm stuck unless I want to eat a huge cancellation penalty. Not too late to cancel my later sailing however.

The dress code is very much Cunard's USP as others have said. Without it there is very little insentive to book with them when you can get the same standards on other lines at a lower price.

Does anyone know where I might find the email address of anyone at the top level of Cunard so that I can register my disappointment? I realise it won't do any good but I will at least feel I have done something.

Cunard are saying there is no change -

"Hi Kate,

No worries with this, the wording is just slightly different on there. They mean the same things (so smart attire is informal, and gala evening is formal).

The atmosphere on Cunard is important, and the dress code contributes to this atmosphere. So rest assured there are no plans to change this :)

Kind regards,

James"

I have suggested that they should update the website to match the VP names or revert back to the old names.

No... I think you have two. "Gala Evenings" and "Smart Attire". "Informal" is gone.

Pardon me for disagreeing with you, but my VP states THREE dress codes: Gala Evenings, Smart Attire AND Informal!

Cunard are saying there is no change -

 

"Hi Kate,

 

No worries with this, the wording is just slightly different on there. They mean the same things (so smart attire is informal, and gala evening is formal).

 

The atmosphere on Cunard is important, and the dress code contributes to this atmosphere. So rest assured there are no plans to change this :)

 

Kind regards,

 

James"

 

I have suggested that they should update the website to match the VP names or revert back to the old names.

Cunard may be saying there is no change but that is not true !!

I sent a complaint to Cunard after our trip this years on QM2 to Australia.We had the obvious problems where many men did not bother to wear jackets at dinner,we saw denim and flip flops in the dining room.One woman thought her leather studded bikers jackets was suitable for dinner but the best we saw was a man in the theatre wearing boots,denim jeans,a scarf,a t shirt and a flat cap !!!!!!

Here is part of the reply I received from Simon Palethorpe(Cunard Senior Vice President)

I've taken on board your comments onthe dress code. We do on occasion have issues of the type you describewith shorter cruises. While short cruises are a good 'taster' ofCunard they sometimes attract people who have spent less time understandingthe Cunard experience and the standards that we try to uphold.

To reduce this we have reviewed theway in which we break up our cruises into segments and have been endeavouringto have fewer short segments and with less inventory allocated to them. In addition we have reviewed the way in which our dress standardsare communicated, both before and during a cruise, and believe that thiswill help significantly when rolled out over the coming months.

It appears the communication of the new standards will " help significantly" by allowing Cunard to say to anyone complaining that smart attire depends where the ship is positioned i.e. if you are travel on Cunard to a country that doesn't like formal wear then hard luck !!!!!

Cunard are saying there is no change -

 

"Hi Kate,

No worries with this, the wording is just slightly different on there. They mean the same things (so smart attire is informal, and gala evening is formal).

The atmosphere on Cunard is important, and the dress code contributes to this atmosphere. So rest assured there are no plans to change this :)

Kind regards,

James"

 

I have suggested that they should update the website to match the VP names or revert back to the old names.

Why not ensure that all is clear, concise with no ambiguity, before changing sections of the website?

Cunard are saying there is no change -

 

"Hi Kate,

 

No worries with this, the wording is just slightly different on there. They mean the same things (so smart attire is informal, and gala evening is formal).

 

The atmosphere on Cunard is important, and the dress code contributes to this atmosphere. So rest assured there are no plans to change this :)

 

Kind regards,

 

James"

 

I have suggested that they should update the website to match the VP names or revert back to the old names.

Thanks for that Host hattie.

I wonder how long it will be before the reality sinks in elsewhere. :evilsmile::evilsmile:

Actually Princess is more formal than Holland America. I was on Princess in January and for the most part men wore suits or tuxedos on "formal" night and it was still called formal night.

 

Although there was no restriction on what you could wear in other parts of the ship outside the main dinning room.

 

Although I saw it on the itinerary Princess does not really do ballroom dancing.

 

On other nights the suggested attire was smart casual which appears to be more formal than Holland America's other evenings.

 

It will be funny if Princess lines is more formal than Cunard for a period of time.

 

If the ambiance goes away and the food on Cunard is not really much better than the other cruise lines they will have to reduce their prices.

Well if Princess is more formal than HAL then I'll steer clear of the latter.

I have just returned from a 15 Night cruise on Star Princess and am busy writing my review but am happy to state that the dress code and standard of dress on the 3 formal nights bordered on the abysmal.

If it hadn't been for the 278 Brits on board upholding a decent standard one could have been forgiven for thinking one was sailing on a Salvation Army floating vessel for the homeless.

I'm feeling very much the same. I have other cruises booked and feel that I will not be getting what I booked for any more.

 

The dress code is very much Cunard's USP as others have said. Without it there is very little insentive to book with them when you can get the same standards on other lines at a lower price.

 

Does anyone know where I might find the email address of anyone at the top level of Cunard so that I can register my disappointment? I realise it won't do any good but I will at least feel I have done something.

Hi Camgirl.

Like you I have a longish Cunard cruise booked for next year and would be most disappointed with any changes to the dress code.

Of course, on the reverse side, the saving on additional flight costs for excess luggage would enhance the wine fund (I jest of course) and my wife and I will always remain standard bearers for formality: come what may.

Indeed, three weeks ago, prior to joining a Princess Cruise from Los Angeles, we stayed overnight on the Queen Mary and dined in Sir Winston's: fully upholding the the dress standard of yesteryear...

Cunard are saying there is no change -

 

"Hi Kate,

No worries with this, the wording is just slightly different on there. They mean the same things (so smart attire is informal, and gala evening is formal).

 

The atmosphere on Cunard is important, and the dress code contributes to this atmosphere. So rest assured there are no plans to change this :)

Kind regards,

James"

 

I have suggested that they should update the website to match the VP names or revert back to the old names.

What a load political double speak. This is insulting. "Formal attire" has defined parameters while "elegant" does not. Even more outrageous is Angus Struthers lying to Bell Boy about it. Cunard apparently thinks that we are children and don't know the difference.

Where has "elegant" come from ?

Formal nights are now Gala Evenings and we are told the definitions are the same.

Carnival UK (Cunard and P&O) have been overseen by Stein Kruse of Holland America Group since July so nothing should come as a shock. Dumbing down began made when management changed from Princess to P&O in autumn 2007. It's all about attracting the new demographic and profit.

This is bad news. Even if the dress code does not change as much as some of us fear, we might be treated to other aspects of "dumbing down." We could see the restaurants closed for lunch on port days; the full range of entertainment and lectures (something for all tastes) reduced; tea-pots replaced with slightly hot water poured over a weak tea-bag in a cup; the afternoon tea treats reduced to bite-sized scones and some other tiny items.

I would like to think that Carnival wouldn't be so stupid as to tinker with a well-established brand - any more than they already have. One can hope.

Cunard are saying there is no change -

 

"Hi Kate,

 

No worries with this, the wording is just slightly different on there. They mean the same things (so smart attire is informal, and gala evening is formal).

 

The atmosphere on Cunard is important, and the dress code contributes to this atmosphere. So rest assured there are no plans to change this :)

 

Kind regards,

 

James"

 

I have suggested that they should update the website to match the VP names or revert back to the old names.

if that is so why bother changing the terminology ?

if that is so why bother changing the terminology ?

Not to belabour the point, but I think this is more than just words. It's the lack of words that the issue here: "Smart Attire" is different from "Informal (Jacket Required). And "Gala Evening" is different from "Formal". It's like telling an eight-year-old he or she "might do their homework" vs. "do your homework".

Anyway, we shall see.. maybe they will get enough blowback to change their minds. But I think minds have been changed and it's all quite in keeping with Carnival "management" decisions over the last eight years affecting all their lines. If anything, Cunard has been more immune than the others, certainly Holland America and P&O and as such is the last refuge of we scoundrels who appreciate traditional ocean travel.

Oh, I e-mailed Cunard World Club about this and typically, got a reply in 30 mins. They said they were "referring my query to Guest Relations" so I would imagine I'll hear back sometime in mid May. If at all...

Everyone who has asked on Twitter has been told the same thing, it's just a change of wording.