2024 Gala Theme Schedule

[exlondoner]

1 hour ago, Victoria2 said:

Why use an agent?

 

Excellent travel agents are also there as an added insurance when life goes toes up as it did march '20 onwards.

They will go the extra mile for their clients ro either sort  onward travel out, asap, makes sure refunds are given, asap, and aqre genreally very good eggs at giving excellent service.

 

As I have said many a time, some agents might not discount, but when the chips are down, they are there for their clients. When booking with them, you are an individual, not one of nearly a thousand trhying to get through/book direct and yes, they have the same booking arrangements as \the Cunard staff member at the end of a phone eg our '25 cruises were all booked within one and a half  munutes of the cruises goin g live.

 

My agent ended up advising non clients [well they were non at the time of advice, many are now clients] what to do during the disastrous cruise seasons of '20 and '21 when their own agents were dragging their feet.

 

He has also helped us with Cunard when we have had two problems. I'm sure it helped we are excellent clients of Cunard but he did the legwork.

 

You will never know how good an agent is, until you really need one. For us, we look upon it as another layer of travel insurance.

 

Hope that will do for starters. 🙂

All true. At its most basic, if someone is going to spend tedious time on the phone to Cunard to sort things, I should much prefer it was a TA, who is paid for it it, than I, who is not.

[Victoria2]

5 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

All true. At its most basic, if someone is going to spend tedious time on the phone to Cunard to sort things, I should much prefer it was a TA, who is paid for it it, than I, who is not.

Yep. Tedious waits on the phone are not on my agenda.

 

Hopefully, agents are also better at crafting messages without errors. Having read through my post, I think I should have had double coffee before commenting. Not exactly my finest hour but I stand by the sentiments. 😀

[NE John]

5 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

Yep. Tedious waits on the phone are not on my agenda.

 

Hopefully, agents are also better at crafting messages without errors. Having read through my post, I think I should have had double coffee before commenting. Not exactly my finest hour but I stand by the sentiments. 😀

A couple shots of Illy perhaps?

[Victoria2]

40 minutes ago, NE John said:

A couple shots of Illy perhaps?

I'd get more benefit from watching Ilie Nastase shots than an Illy coffee machine!

Luckily, I'm no coffee connoisseur so my instant is fine. I just should have had two, to wake me up as I played in a Bridge tournament online last night and was wide awake until around 3.30am so was pretty tired this morning.

 

Don't play Bridge late at night if you want a decent night's sleep! 🙁

[NE John]

Just now, Victoria2 said:

I'd get more benefit from watching Ilie Nastase shots than an Illy coffee machine!

Luckily, I'm no coffee connoisseur so my instant is fine. I just should have had two, to wake me up as I played in a Bridge tournament online last night and was wide awake until around 3.30am so was pretty tired this morning.

 

Don't play Bridge late at night if you want a decent night's sleep! 🙁

Luckily most here remember Ilie Nastase!

[HopefulCruiser123]

On 10/31/2023 at 6:33 PM, e&mcruise said:

It's not that big a deal you are correct but it was part of what we were sold on to Cruise with Cunard....the traditions, the dressing up, afternoon tea, old world etc etc. As someone who researches and reads T&Cs for fun, when things start changing before we have even boarded, I get nervous. 🙂

 

Certainly not looking for a Halloween experience but loved the idea of a sea of elegant formal red & gold or black & white or masks or flapper dresses as an experience.......just for one night. 😞

 

Regardless, as you say, it will be a sea of beautifully dressed people instead! 🙂

 

Let the countdown begin.......

I get it. Wanting to get into the spirit of things,  I was looking at dresses that might have been fun for a roaring 20’s theme, but I fear would look foolish any other time.  I am glad I read this thread.  I will just shop for nice dresses instead. Either way will be fun, but it is helpful to know what my fellow passengers will be wearing.

[D&N]

10 hours ago, HopefulCruiser123 said:

I get it. Wanting to get into the spirit of things,  I was looking at dresses that might have been fun for a roaring 20’s theme, but I fear would look foolish any other time.  I am glad I read this thread.  I will just shop for nice dresses instead. Either way will be fun, but it is helpful to know what my fellow passengers will be wearing.

As others have said the important thing is to dress for a Gala Evening.

Last time my wife wore an ankle length beaded dress from a UK supplier "Chesca" that specialises in wedding guest dresses.  It wasn't promoted as being "20s".  It was going to a wedding last April as well but she decided it wasn't glitzy enough for that.

She's since acquired these three. Ranging from €20 to €30. They'll probably be used on crossings in 2025, 2026 & 2027.

She wouldn't hesitate to wear these to local restaurants/events. From a practical point of view the gown length one might not be suitable for walking to a restaurant if it was raining.  I'd describe our local restaurants as being mainstream, all independent but in no way upmarket.

 

 

 

 

[HopefulCruiser123]

For me (and I am just speaking for me), the green dress alone does looks more like a modern dress to go dancing or to a cocktail party or restaurant.  The shorter red dress with or without the headgear looks more like a theme outfit and I personally would not want to wear it to a venue where that theme was not in play for the evening.  The gown at the bottom looks like a gown that would be suitable for a non-theme gala cruise event, and with added accessories could become a roaring 20's theme gown.  

 

Your wife is the perfect model for both of those dresses and they look like they were made for her.  

[D&N]

44 minutes ago, HopefulCruiser123 said:

Your wife is the perfect model for both of those dresses and they look like they were made for her.

😀That's the vendor's model, unless you're referring to her photos in other threads.

But she'd certainly consider the red tasselled one without 20s accessories going out here.

[HopefulCruiser123]

6 hours ago, D&N said:

😀That's the vendor's model, unless you're referring to her photos in other threads.

But she'd certainly consider the red tasselled one without 20s accessories going out here.

Ooops.  I have seen some of the beautiful dresses you wife sports, however!