Themed Balls

[Colin_Cameron]

There used to be a description and 'suggested attire' for the different themed balls somewhere on the Cunard FAQ and/or on here but I'm having trouble finding it. Anyone have a link?

 

The usual ones are OK and the likes of 'Valentine's Ball' and 'St Patrick's Day' are self explanatory. But what about the 'Mariner's Ball? And how do an 'African Ball' and 'South Pacific Ball' fit with a formal night?🤔

 

Colin.

[PORT ROYAL]

2 hours ago, Colin_Cameron said:

There used to be a description and 'suggested attire' for the different themed balls somewhere on the Cunard FAQ and/or on here but I'm having trouble finding it. Anyone have a link?

 

The usual ones are OK and the likes of 'Valentine's Ball' and 'St Patrick's Day' are self explanatory. But what about the 'Mariner's Ball? And how do an 'African Ball' and 'South Pacific Ball' fit with a formal night?🤔

 

Colin.

 

Does this link assist a little?

 

 

[bluemarble]

Here's a link to a document describing the suggested attire for the themed balls.

 

https://carnivaluk.metafaq.com/resources/carnivaluk/life-on-board/CU_dress_themes.pdf

 

This document is for the 2018 regular balls and the 2019 world voyage balls. I haven't seen a later version of this document, but presumably the theme descriptions will not have changed much if at all for future voyages.

[megr1125]

One of my 3 gala evenings is just listed as Gala.  The Black & White and masquerade are listed as such.  I have a black & gold dress so that'll have to do for Gala if they expect red and/or gold.  I'm done shopping now and have already started packing!  👗

[bluemarble]

11 minutes ago, megr1125 said:

One of my 3 gala evenings is just listed as Gala.  The Black & White and masquerade are listed as such.  I have a black & gold dress so that'll have to do for Gala if they expect red and/or gold.  I'm done shopping now and have already started packing!  👗

 

On QM2 crossings, the normal routine is for only two of the three gala evenings (the first and third) to be themed and the other (the second one) to be non-themed. Looks like you're probably on a westbound crossing where it's usually "Black & White Ball" on the first gala evening and "Masquerade Ball" on the third gala evening.

 

Often times Cunard will describe the second (non-themed) gala evening on a QM2 crossing as "A night at the Ballroom" in the daily programme. There is no special suggested attire for that evening beyond the regular gala evening dress code.

 

The red/gold theme corresponds to a "Royal Cunard Ball" gala evening. Those are usually scheduled as the first gala evening on eastbound crossings (with "Roaring Twenties" as the other themed gala evening). Looks like you won't be having one of those on your voyage.

[Colin_Cameron]

6 hours ago, bluemarble said:

Here's a link to a document describing the suggested attire for the themed balls.

 

https://carnivaluk.metafaq.com/resources/carnivaluk/life-on-board/CU_dress_themes.pdf

 

Thanks bluemarble. That’s exactly the document I was looking for.

 

Colin.

[majortom10]

We have always found that not many actually dress up in the actual theme for named theme balls.

Edited September 23, 2019 by majortom10

[Radar boomer]

As per the first reply that was directed to my question about the Cunard ball, the answers received help me plan for our cruise last summer.

 

our experiences to date have been as follows:

 

royal Cunard ball - red or gold, in our case, I wear a red gown with gold accessories, shoes etc and my husband wears red bow tie

twenties night - lots of flapper gear..men sometimes have older style hats/shoes and some with tails etc. (But the number of men dresses other than stand tux are lower).., my husband wears a white vest and tie with his tux. I have both long sequin gown and a flapper dress with gloves, pearls, feather head piece and Mary Jane style shoes

masquerade - we just wear regular formal gear, some have mask etc and bring to dinner, whether they wear to the ballroom, we do not know

black and white ball - as it sounds, usually wear a black gown, and husband wear tux, vest and tie. 

Gala night - dress up in formal gear

Christmas - the couple of times we have been on board at Xmas, I like to wear a red gown and husband matches with bow tie

new years eve - glitter formal gear for me, tux and matching bow tie to my dress for my husband 

 

[megr1125]

On 9/23/2019 at 1:44 PM, bluemarble said:

 

On QM2 crossings, the normal routine is for only two of the three gala evenings (the first and third) to be themed and the other (the second one) to be non-themed. Looks like you're probably on a westbound crossing where it's usually "Black & White Ball" on the first gala evening and "Masquerade Ball" on the third gala evening.

 

Often times Cunard will describe the second (non-themed) gala evening on a QM2 crossing as "A night at the Ballroom" in the daily programme. There is no special suggested attire for that evening beyond the regular gala evening dress code.

 

The red/gold theme corresponds to a "Royal Cunard Ball" gala evening. Those are usually scheduled as the first gala evening on eastbound crossings (with "Roaring Twenties" as the other themed gala evening). Looks like you won't be having one of those on your voyage.

 

 

I am, and thanks!  

 

[Sue from Canada]

On 9/23/2019 at 9:15 AM, bluemarble said:

Here's a link to a document describing the suggested attire for the themed balls.

 

https://carnivaluk.metafaq.com/resources/carnivaluk/life-on-board/CU_dress_themes.pdf

 

This document is for the 2018 regular balls and the 2019 world voyage balls. I haven't seen a later version of this document, but presumably the theme descriptions will not have changed much if at all for future voyages.

Goodness gracious.  I'm going on my first Cunard (QM2) cruise next year for 21 days.  I'm going to need a steamer trunk for all these balls.  How on earth do ladies decide what clothes to bring?  

[bluemarble]

1 hour ago, Sue from Canada said:

Goodness gracious.  I'm going on my first Cunard (QM2) cruise next year for 21 days.  I'm going to need a steamer trunk for all these balls.  How on earth do ladies decide what clothes to bring?  

 

Far be it from me to provide any fashion advice, but I can probably help with which themed balls are likely to be on your voyage. I see from your other posts you will be on the 21-day "Transatlantic Crossing, Iceland and North America" voyage next July/August. That's the 14-day voyage from New York to Southampton via Canada, Iceland, and Scotland and then a conventional 7-day crossing back to New York. We did a similar itinerary in reverse this past July (7-day crossing from New York followed by a 14-day voyage back to New York via Liverpool, Iceland, and Canada).

 

On your way over you are likely to have 4 gala evenings with 2 or 3 of them themed. Two of those themes are likely to be "Royal Cunard Ball" and "Roaring Twenties". If you have a third themed evening, that will be a little harder to predict, but it might be a "Royal Ascot Ball" or perhaps a "Masquerade Ball".

 

On your return, you should have 3 gala evenings with 2 of them themed. Those two themes are likely to be "Black & White Ball" and "Masquerade Ball".

 

The actual dress code and themed ball schedule for your voyage will eventually appear in your voyage personaliser next year closer to your voyage. It may also be posted elsewhere on this forum before then. But perhaps this will be of some help with your long-range planning to anticipate what you might want to bring if you think you would like to dress according to the themes on each of the themed gala evenings.

Edited September 28, 2019 by bluemarble

[Sue from Canada]

On 9/28/2019 at 1:55 AM, bluemarble said:

 

Far be it from me to provide any fashion advice, but I can probably help with which themed balls are likely to be on your voyage. I see from your other posts you will be on the 21-day "Transatlantic Crossing, Iceland and North America" voyage next July/August. That's the 14-day voyage from New York to Southampton via Canada, Iceland, and Scotland and then a conventional 7-day crossing back to New York. We did a similar itinerary in reverse this past July (7-day crossing from New York followed by a 14-day voyage back to New York via Liverpool, Iceland, and Canada).

 

On your way over you are likely to have 4 gala evenings with 2 or 3 of them themed. Two of those themes are likely to be "Royal Cunard Ball" and "Roaring Twenties". If you have a third themed evening, that will be a little harder to predict, but it might be a "Royal Ascot Ball" or perhaps a "Masquerade Ball".

 

On your return, you should have 3 gala evenings with 2 of them themed. Those two themes are likely to be "Black & White Ball" and "Masquerade Ball".

 

The actual dress code and themed ball schedule for your voyage will eventually appear in your voyage personaliser next year closer to your voyage. It may also be posted elsewhere on this forum before then. But perhaps this will be of some help with your long-range planning to anticipate what you might want to bring if you think you would like to dress according to the themes on each of the themed gala evenings.

OMG.  7 gala evenings!!!  I'll never get all my clothes in one suitcase.  Thanks for your answer.

 

[Sauer-kraut]

14 hours ago, Sue from Canada said:

OMG.  7 gala evenings!!!  I'll never get all my clothes in one suitcase.  Thanks for your answer.

 

 

Basic black gown, and accessories that will make up the balance.  Masquerade just bring a mask *easy to pack*

Royal Cunard, wear a red belt or red bling and shawl

Roaring 20's you can get by with a cocktail dress and again accessories

Anything but the Elizabethan Ball is going to be easy! 

Plus you don't have to go "full monty" at dinner time, if you have early seating there is time to don your extra bits and pieces before the ball starts in the Queen's Room.

[Host Hattie]

Or bring an extra case (if you can)

[Radar boomer]

And depending on how much we eat/gain. I bring an extra one just in case last one planned does not  fit 😀😀😀

[Radar boomer]

And depending on how much we eat/gain. I bring an extra one just in case last one planned does not  fit 😀😀😀

[Sue from Canada]

On 9/29/2019 at 5:01 PM, Sauer-kraut said:

 

Basic black gown, and accessories that will make up the balance.  Masquerade just bring a mask *easy to pack*

Royal Cunard, wear a red belt or red bling and shawl

Roaring 20's you can get by with a cocktail dress and again accessories

Anything but the Elizabethan Ball is going to be easy! 

Plus you don't have to go "full monty" at dinner time, if you have early seating there is time to don your extra bits and pieces before the ball starts in the Queen's Room.

Thanks you for the great tips.  Makes me feel better.  And I do have early seating.

[Gwendy]

10 hours ago, Radar boomer said:

And depending on how much we eat/gain. I bring an extra one just in case last one planned does not  fit 😀😀😀

Many cruises over 20 nights,  couple more than 50 nights.  Have never put on weight.  Last year on a 34 night cruise actually lost 2 kg.  I never go to the gym or exercise, just eat pretty much what I do at home, except for lobster, we don’t have that at my house unfortunately. Lol. It comes down to portion size.  A few years ago I lost 30 kg just by being careful with portion size.

[BigMac1953]

At this rate, the ballroom is going to be packed with record numbers!

 

It's normally just a couple of hundred pax.

 

I can't dance, so that's me out.

 

Stewart

[lissie]

OK we doing a 14 day cruise to PNG from  Sydney round trip. The gala nights are all themed: black & white, masquerade, Royal Cunard and South Pacific .

 

Its South Pacific is my issue - I can dress for south pacific - sarong, jandals, flowers in my hair, my man has a Hawaiian shirt. But this doesn't seem to go with Cunard formal wear  LOL. Any clues - any pictures? 

[Colin_Cameron]

11 hours ago, lissie said:

Its South Pacific is my issue - I can dress for south pacific - sarong, jandals, flowers in my hair, my man has a Hawaiian shirt. But this doesn't seem to go with Cunard formal wear  LOL. Any clues - any pictures? 

That's exactly the problem I'm having so await any answers with interest. Similarly for "African", "Neptune" and "Mariner's Balls".

[BigMac1953]

As has been stated before, only about 10% of pax actually dress up for the ball theme.

 

The Black and White is easy, as is the Masquerade.

 

The normal dress code still applies and only those keen on attending the dancing in the ballroom bother to get anywhere near the theme.

 

The rest of us just carry on as usual.

[lissie]

Yeah but I have to buy fancy dress for the galas anyways - so might as well go with their theme LOL The normal dress code is pretty unnormal for most people in this part of the world