New Dress Code Designations?

This too has been our experience on Cunard. I do not believe that the the opinions on this thread necessarily represent the majority of people who cruise with Cunard. We will be taking our first transatlantic cruise next month and I will be watching what people actually wear on formal and informal nights with great interest.

Would you please come back with a review. I will be sailing on her next year.

Thanks.

Absolute nonsense. Companies like Carnival and their subsidiary Cunard spend many thousands of dollars doing extensive market research before making a decision like this. You can’t exit risk out of every decision in the business world but Cunard/Carnival are extremely conservative and would not be doing this if that market research indicated they didn’t have a large, eager group of customers to step in.

You are possibly right regarding the research but I think the clue is that you suggest they spend "thousand of DOLLARS".....I would be interested to know if they have done any research in anywhere other than the USA as no UK based Cunard manager has suggested the changes are the result of market research.There is a great deal of comment on this subject from EXISTING customers so why do Carnival/Cunard want to alienate existing known customers and substitute them with "possible" new customers.If the dress code is going to be no different from other ships why would anyone pay a Cunard premium.Do you suppose they have factored into to their research results a reduction in income per passenger ???

We have been following this thread from the beginning and have the same question a few others have raised namely- for those of you who have cancelled or are cancelling your Cunard voyages because of a language change to the dress code, which line(s) are you going to switch to that require a dark suit or sport jacket for men, every night in every venue? A quick sampling: Oceana-no, Regent-no, Azamara-no, Silversea-no, all river cruise lines-no. After 50 plus cruises on ships of all sizes and types, we will be "test driving" Cunard for the first time next year. One of the deciding factors was that I can & will wear some of the beautiful clothes I own which spend most of their time in my closet. We fully intend to comply with the dress code as written, but I don't imagine our voyage experience will be decided by what someone may wear in the pub or casino. So for those apparently giving up Cunard voyages (and cruising in general) it will be interesting where they find the always formal atmosphere they are looking for.

It would appear people are still missing the point/s behind cancellations or upgrades to Grills. It is the ambience people require when dining.

Added to this is the persistent refusal by Cunard to confirm the dress suggestions and requiement codes will be strictly enforced throughout the ship, including dining, the Theatre, plus all other areas outside the dress restrictions.

The changes of wording would appear to be a precursor to becoming casual Carnival, RCL et al.

This week I was emailed a survey from Cunard which asked about my feelings on dress code and how many formal nights I would want per week.

This week I was emailed a survey from Cunard which asked about my feelings on dress code and how many formal nights I would want per week.

As I have not received this survey I wonder if you might either post a copy or a link. The last one I received a while ago had the questions worded in such a manner to obtain answers they appeared to be seeking rather than a true survey. Sort of like so many questionnaires we all receive in the US from politicians. They are only looking to confirm an opinion not to seek anything new.

I am sorry but you obviously know nothing about business.If your current customers do not support your philosophy they you will die waiting for your new customers to spend their money

I think it's the current customers who will die and the new ones who will keep Cunard afloat.

NSWP

I'm finding this thread absolutely hilarious, getting my daily dose of laughs.

We are going on our first Cunard cruise (in fact two) in June after numerous mass market (this threads description, not mine) cruises. We love cruising and my husband and I love to dress up, so we will be doing the ball gown/tuxedo thing, but will be too intent on having a great fun time to worry about what others are wearing. What a waste of my time. I don't care if someone else doesn't want to get dressed up, I do, so that's all that matters to me.

I will wear what ever I like during the day.

Our cruises are out of Southhampton.

 

Cheers

Great attitude. And I'm sure you'll enjoy your cruise far more than those whose eyes are roving to others' attire.

Lakesregion, I have deleted the email so am unable to provide a link for you. I was surprised to be asked how many formal nights I would like.

Lakesregion, I have deleted the email so am unable to provide a link for you. I was surprised to be asked how many formal nights I would like.

I also received this, and have also deleted it.

You are possibly right regarding the research but I think the clue is that you suggest they spend "thousand of DOLLARS".....I would be interested to know if they have done any research in anywhere other than the USA as no UK based Cunard manager has suggested the changes are the result of market research.There is a great deal of comment on this subject from EXISTING customers so why do Carnival/Cunard want to alienate existing known customers and substitute them with "possible" new customers.If the dress code is going to be no different from other ships why would anyone pay a Cunard premium.Do you suppose they have factored into to their research results a reduction in income per passenger ???

They are not existing customers, they’re there already.

DAVID.

I think it's the current customers who will die and the new ones who will keep Cunard afloat.

Your assertion bears no financial support. However, as our stateroom spend is North of £30,000.00 every year with Cunard, plus onboard spend, grats and envelopes, then one thinks Cunard will need about 45 new ($1000.00) once a year high spending people, returning every year, to replace my Wife and me.

Been given to understand, that the Red Top to Silver take up is not that great.

We have been following this thread from the beginning and have the same question a few others have raised namely- for those of you who have cancelled or are cancelling your Cunard voyages because of a language change to the dress code, which line(s) are you going to switch to that require a dark suit or sport jacket for men, every night in every venue? A quick sampling: Oceana-no, Regent-no, Azamara-no, Silversea-no, all river cruise lines-no. After 50 plus cruises on ships of all sizes and types, we will be "test driving" Cunard for the first time next year. One of the deciding factors was that I can & will wear some of the beautiful clothes I own which spend most of their time in my closet. We fully intend to comply with the dress code as written, but I don't imagine our voyage experience will be decided by what someone may wear in the pub or casino. So for those apparently giving up Cunard voyages (and cruising in general) it will be interesting where they find the always formal atmosphere they are looking for.

I am not quite sure I understand the statement. You can always wear what you want. You could wear a tuxedo each night at diner on Oceania, Regent, Azamara, Carnival, etc. I have not sailed them (yet) however I doubt anyone would stop you. For me, I would not give up cruising, just that the price on Cunard would have to be price competitive with other cruise lines

and they will not be able to charge ANY premium based on dress code.

Personally, having a cruise booked for July I hope not too many people wear bathing suits, baseball caps and sleeveless t-shirts to afternoon tea. Dressing like that for the dining rooms or Verandah for lunch wouldn't bother me that much but not tea.

Your assertion bears no financial support. However, as our stateroom spend is North of £30,000.00 every year with Cunard, plus onboard spend, grats and envelopes, then one thinks Cunard will need about 45 new ($1000.00) once a year high spending people, returning every year, to replace my Wife and me.

 

Been given to understand, that the Red Top to Silver take up is not that great.

I think the proof lies in the luxury lines that are a step or two above Cunard. Carnival owns one and has first hand knowledge of that space and it’s demographic. Wealthy people as a whole travel more casually these days than they ever have. Seabourn embraced this with a generally casual dress code. If they required tuxedos every other night those ships would sail at significantly reduce capacity. Every single one of those passengers spends what you spend per cruise on Cunard and some significantly more. Look at the others- Silversea, Regent, all the same when it comes to dress.

Someone had said it before- Carnival Corp is like General Motors. They have many different brands for different buyers but in the end they usually get your money. Cunard can easily fill Grills berths with already loyal Seabourn folk who will respond to a changed dress code and frankly spend more money. Is it a fluke that while this is happening the Grill suites now receive free booze to mimic Seabourn’s model? Not likely.

The two things I’ve noticed throughout this thread is that there’s such a narrow focus that people don’t realize how much more casual the world is today in business and travel and the die hards take it so personally. Cunard isn’t doing this to upset you- they’re making changes and responding to market conditions so they can continue to be successful. As a traveler I’m a little disappointed but as a shareholder I’m quite pleased.

Your assertion bears no financial support. However, as our stateroom spend is North of £30,000.00 every year with Cunard, plus onboard spend, grats and envelopes, then one thinks Cunard will need about 45 new ($1000.00) once a year high spending people, returning every year, to replace my Wife and me.

Been given to understand, that the Red Top to Silver take up is not that great.

There are already more than 45 once a year passengers for every Cunard £30,000/year passenger, and I suspect as many new passengers annually.

I think the proof lies in the luxury lines that are a step or two above Cunard. Carnival owns one and has first hand knowledge of that space and it’s demographic. Wealthy people as a whole travel more casually these days than they ever have. Seabourn embraced this with a generally casual dress code. If they required tuxedos every other night those ships would sail at significantly reduce capacity. Every single one of those passengers spends what you spend per cruise on Cunard and some significantly more. Look at the others- Silversea, Regent, all the same when it comes to dress.

 

Someone had said it before- Carnival Corp is like General Motors. They have many different brands for different buyers but in the end they usually get your money. Cunard can easily fill Grills berths with already loyal Seabourn folk who will respond to a changed dress code and frankly spend more money. Is it a fluke that while this is happening the Grill suites now receive free booze to mimic Seabourn’s model? Not likely.

 

The two things I’ve noticed throughout this thread is that there’s such a narrow focus that people don’t realize how much more casual the world is today in business and travel and the die hards take it so personally. Cunard isn’t doing this to upset you- they’re making changes and responding to market conditions so they can continue to be successful. As a traveler I’m a little disappointed but as a shareholder I’m quite pleased.

I have a question. I don't have the experience to make a comparison. Why would a Seabourn customer travel on Cunard even with a change of dress code? Except for the change of dress code, is the experience identical? The Seabourn ships seem to have much less capacity.

I have a question. I don't have the experience to make a comparison. Why would a Seabourn customer travel on Cunard even with a change of dress code? Except for the change of dress code, is the experience identical? The Seabourn ships seem to have much less capacity.

The differentiator between the two is obviously the size of ship. But from a product standpoint a Queens Grill passenger and Seabourn passenger would find things very much similar from quality of food, service, and accommodations.

And it’s not a coincidence- Cunard used to run Seabourn and the Grills product we see today was developed under the same management that ran Seabourn.

Your assertion bears no financial support. However, as our stateroom spend is North of £30,000.00 every year with Cunard, plus onboard spend, grats and envelopes, then one thinks Cunard will need about 45 new ($1000.00) once a year high spending people, returning every year, to replace my Wife and me.

Been given to understand, that the Red Top to Silver take up is not that great.

And why do you make the assumption that the people who will be replacing won't also be spending £30000+ every year on their cruise. For every person who throws their toys out the pram and cancels their booking there will be another person willing to book, now that they don’t have to dress up so formally on board.

I so agree with all who assert that Cunard is a BUSINESS and they would NOT be making changes unless their market research indicates that the changes are necessary for the business to prosper. Face it, those of us who are 60 or 70+ years old will not be around forever! And I do realize that there are younger folk who like to dress formally, but I think they are in the minority. To me, Cunard is so much more than the dress code.

I so agree with all who assert that Cunard is a BUSINESS and they would NOT be making changes unless their market research indicates that the changes are necessary for the business to prosper. Face it, those of us who are 60 or 70+ years old will not be around forever! And I do realize that there are younger folk who like to dress formally, but I think they are in the minority. To me, Cunard is so much more than the dress code.

I agree. But surely the point is that Cunard is in the minority as a formal line. It is the only line that can continue to attract that minority that still want to dress up. We are in our 50's and love dressing up. I would like to think Cunard would be getting another 20 years out of us. Also my son (who is 30) recently (before the change) booked his first cruise. They could get 50 plus years of bookings from him. I am certain there are enough people in the minority who want to keep dressing up, to keep filling Cunard ships for many years to come if they kept the formal dress codes.

I think they are making a marketing mistake. Many large companies completely screw up. I have yet to hear a clear explanation of why people would cruise on Cunard instead of another line once the dress code changes. If you travel Britannia there are other lines that would provide the same experience at lower rates. If you travel Grills there are other luxury lines where the WHOLE ship is a luxury class.

There is a building in Manhattan that I still happen call the Pan Am building because that is what it was called when I was young.

We will have to see.

I think they are making a marketing mistake. Many large companies completely screw up. I have yet to hear a clear explanation of why people would cruise on Cunard instead of another line once the dress code changes. If you travel Britannia there are other lines that would provide the same experience at lower rates. If you travel Grills there are other luxury lines where the WHOLE ship is a luxury class.

 

 

 

There is a building in Manhattan that I still happen call the Pan Am building because that is what it was called when I was young.

 

 

 

We will have to see.

Regular transatlantic crossings on a purpose built ship for one. Extensive long voyages and world cruises for another. They don’t want Cunard to be radically different.

Britannia has always been in the same class as Celebrity/HAL and the Grills have always been about par with a Seabourn/Regent/Silversea. The unique part was that they are on one ship.

Cunard was sort of done for me when Caronia and then QE2 withdrawn. They were traditional ships that today’s just can’t match. The QM2 is unique and I enjoy her on a transatlantic trip every once and a while. The Elizabeth and Victoria are just tarted up Caribbean cruise ships in my opinion masquerading as transatlantic ocean liners.

So I don’t think it’s the dress code so much as Cunard used to operate authentic tonnage that they don’t anymore. You would feel out of place on QE2 without a tux- she had a sense of occasion about her. What we are left with today is this odd game of make believe on modern cruise ships. Cunard needs to evolve and it looks like they’re taking the steps they need to.

Some have indicated that they think that Cunard is behind the times and needs to change to meet the norms of today. There is an interview on Youtube where

I worry that the dress code may only be the beginning of changes. Very few ships today have real, large, dedicated ballrooms for dancing like those on Cunard. Even though it is very popular with current passengers, will it survive long term or will it be scaled down like the QM2 casino to pack in even more revenue generating rooms for todays casual life style.

There are already more than 45 once a year passengers for every Cunard £30,000/year passenger, and I suspect as many new passengers annually.

And to which cruise line with a sore suitable dress code will you take your 30K GBP per year?

And not every one else spends only 1K GBP. Some, like myself, travel only in QG and will continue to do so. But the points they have a lot of berths to fill, especially with a new ship coming, and they have concluded it will be easier to do that with a more relaxed dress code.

It should be the staff who police dress code, I'm not on vacation to tell others what to do.

 

Every set of boarding documents should stress how important the elegant ambience is to all the people who cruise with Cunard and that dress code will be enforsed

 

However it goes back to young marketing departments who are out of touch with the basic economic fact that Our generation, 60+ are the ones with the disposable income. Instead they design policies based on what their generation want. The fault lies with the board of Cunard, who must fight for their brand and it's USP, the reason people pay more. If it becomes a mass cruise ship, it will hit bottom line in the end, can't management understand this

You are right - the marketing hipsters are putting forth policies they like. I am way below 60 though! But, I feel like they are making a mistake and I answered the poll on the other thread as such:

 

I’m also interested to know which Cunard cruise you havebeen on which includes free alcoholic drinks in the fare? On board creditperhaps, but that is something different.

My Grills fare includes drinks