Dress Code--more questions (oh no!)

[keithm]

I actually found the UAE to be a very welcoming country. They even had Christmas trees around at Christmas!

 

The people (locals and fly in workers) were a lot nicer than, say the French (in my experience).

The UAE is much more moderate. Many of their people were educated in western countries. Dubai would be a place that YES I would definately visit.

[Austcruiser84]

Oh!! It's ALWAYS the FRENCH!! LOL! Obviously any group has it's nut cases. It's just some really know how to get the world's attention better than others.

 

Well, sadly my experience was generally negative in Paris. I probably should have said Parisians than French.

 

Outside the capital, people are nicer.

[candle in the wind]

Sadly, the madness continues to spread. I won't try and parse the story of Buddists going on a rampage in Myanmar, but you can read it here http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/12/world/asia/buddhists-get-prison-terms-in-myanmar.html?ref=world

 

Madness.

 

Thank You for providing those links, I sure am getting an education through C.C. Radical Buddhists !? Almost unbelievable.

[Pushka]

Loved Paris. Loved France. It is on my bucket list to do a River Cruise through France and into the Med area (Avignon).

 

I can understand the Parisian's being sick to death of sharing the city with so many tourists. But individually I found them to be very pleasant. They just are very demure in the way they treat people (and each other). They don't want to be everyone's bestest friends.

[Aussieflyer]

Loved Paris. Loved France. It is on my bucket list to do a River Cruise through France and into the Med area (Avignon).

 

I can understand the Parisian's being sick to death of sharing the city with so many tourists. But individually I found them to be very pleasant. They just are very demure in the way they treat people (and each other). They don't want to be everyone's bestest friends.

 

Agreed - Paris is perhaps my favourite city in the world and France is right up there for countries. I just keep going back and back and....

[Pushka]

Agreed - Paris is perhaps my favourite city in the world and France is right up there for countries. I just keep going back and back and....

 

Fancy a River Cruise? :)

 

I've only been to France once. That must be remedied.

[Aussieflyer]

Fancy a River Cruise? :)

 

I've only been to France once. That must be remedied.

 

Five times

[Whitemarsh]

I’m sorry, John, if again I’m reading you wrong, but your high ground seems to have you looking down from above on others who feel they have rightfully held concerns over a safety issue.

 

best regards,

seasidegal

 

Well said Seasidegal.

[Whitemarsh]

Well, sadly my experience was generally negative in Paris. I probably should have said Parisians than French.

 

Outside the capital, people are nicer.

 

Back in the 90's the French weren't the most gracious hosts, but they have really improved.

[Aussieflyer]

Back in the 90's the French weren't the most gracious hosts, but they have really improved.

 

My experience is different from yours then. I was in France and Paris in the 90s and found that people were helpful and interested in where I was from. I did detect some anti-English sentiment in places but when people found we were Australian and did speak some French (poorly) they were more than happy to help. I think it is always important to remember that when we travel we are a visitor in another country.

[Whitemarsh]

My experience is different from yours then. I was in France and Paris in the 90s and found that people were helpful and interested in where I was from. I did detect some anti-English sentiment in places but when people found we were Australian and did speak some French (poorly) they were more than happy to help. I think it is always important to remember that when we travel we are a visitor in another country.

 

I think that's the key, to at least make an attempt to speak some French. I certainly felt better for making the attempt and they seem to appreciate it. The only issue with that is when you get too fluent in a small number of phrases and they think you're French. They continue talking and you have to stop them and explain (in English) that you don't speak French.

[Pushka]

I totally agree on trying to speak a little French. And making sure people realised you were Australian. In the Epernay district (of course, where Champagne is produced) Australians are welcomed with open arms.

 

We found in France that as soon as you tried to speak the language they would have little games with you. One of our waiters in Avignon wouldn't (playfully) serve me unless I repeated it in French - and they gave us wonderful service with extra wines when we played along with the game.

[cybergidget]

Having attended parochial schools, I much prefer nuns and priests to stay in uniform. At least that way I can see them coming! The shoes always give the nuns away. :D

[hardydog]

Coming back to the original intention of the thread. I have just booked on the Queen Victoria for an August cruise. There are four formal nights. 1 A black and white night... I understand this and have a white dinner suit to look good in. 2 A Victoriana night ... what does anyone wear. 3 A masquerade night .. well I have a lone ranger mask to go with my white dinner suit. 4 A Royal Ascot night.... sorry no top hat and tails.

Seriously does anyone or everyone make the effort to dress according to these themed nights or will my formal suits surfice. :confused:

[lucky white heather]

Coming back to the original intention of the thread. I have just booked on the Queen Victoria for an August cruise. There are four formal nights. 1 A black and white night... I understand this and have a white dinner suit to look good in. 2 A Victoriana night ... what does anyone wear. 3 A masquerade night .. well I have a lone ranger mask to go with my white dinner suit. 4 A Royal Ascot night.... sorry no top hat and tails.

Seriously does anyone or everyone make the effort to dress according to these themed nights or will my formal suits surfice. :confused:

 

We have seen some people who bring masks or purchase on board for the masquerade ball. You are asked to participate in a walk round the dance floor with all others wearing their masks during the break before the Professional dancers come on to do their demo.Numbers taking part vary from cruise to cruise in our experience.

 

We have seen only a few who actually do make a big effort and wear appropriate outfits for the Victoriana and Royal Ascot nights.

 

Most people find the B&W night fairly easy... Not much effort required.

[Cruachan]

Coming back to the original intention of the thread. I have just booked on the Queen Victoria for an August cruise. There are four formal nights. 1 A black and white night... I understand this and have a white dinner suit to look good in. 2 A Victoriana night ... what does anyone wear. 3 A masquerade night .. well I have a lone ranger mask to go with my white dinner suit. 4 A Royal Ascot night.... sorry no top hat and tails.

Seriously does anyone or everyone make the effort to dress according to these themed nights or will my formal suits surfice. :confused:

 

There's no obligation to dress to the theme - as long as you conform to the dress code in force on that night you will be fine.

 

Playing along with the theme is patchy at best - I would guess that maybe 10 to 15% of passengers, at most, go at least some way in terms of dressing to the theme.

 

Personally, I have never done so and I have never felt obliged to do so.

 

J

[Underwatr]

With the exception of Black & White night, I've never seen anyone dressed according to the theme for dinner, at least not at first seating.

[Jimsgirl]

It is difficult to bring theme costumes when you have to fly to the port. However within these constraints I try (even though I am on first sitting for dinner)

 

Of course I find Black and White easy, for Masquerade, I wear Black and Gold and have a Black and Gold mask. For Ascot I wear muted multi pale pink chiffon dress, with a pale pink lace chiffon stole pink bag and pink sandals, but cannot bring an Ascot hat due to flying.

 

Victoriana has me beat , then I just wear formal.

[lucky white heather]

On our most recent cruise on QE..the evening designation is a wee bit different from QV and one couple we sat near actually went to a lot of trouble to present themselves in the appropriate ball outfits.

They came one evening in black suits with white shirt/ blouse, red ties and a nice bowler hat .On the mediaeval night the husband wore slashed red /black velvet pantaloons and jacket with a matching and also quite fetching velvet slouchy hat with feather , worn at a rakish angle , while wife wore a pink velvet dress...both wore white ruffs at the neck .One other lady made her ruff herself..it was huge and looked as if it was made of long grey feathers and wore it with a long black gown.

I have photos of them all being cheered by the assembled crowd in the ballroom .We assumed they had come by car given the packing involved..

On QV last year we saw a couple with their pearly king and queen outfits and a guy dressed in morning suit plus topper..so some people do go to a lot of trouble to bring stuff.

They actually had to have two circles of people showing off their masks on QV too on one cruise last year .... there were so many masked people walking round the ballroom.

We don't participate as we are tied with airline luggage restrictions too but admire what the others we've seen have conjured up!

[paulista1950]

Back in the 90's the French weren't the most gracious hosts, but they have really improved.

 

Now they act like human beings! :D

[keela1eva2]

Well Yvonne All packed and ready for the off 6.30am Both Julie and Paul are driving down. They can share the driving. Maybe they will even stay over.

Don't talk about baggage!!!! as we are going by car I have everything but the kitchen sink with me!

Had a big splurge last and most of the dresses are now hanging in the wardrobe. Love to shop till I drop and can'r resist a bargain when I see one.

I like Cunard in that there are more formal night so get to wear my finery! The 16 nights I did Singapore to Sydney on the Solstice had I think no more than 4 formal and the rest were casual or above. They seem to have dropped the semi formal dress code but I wear don't do casual on cruises except for 1st and last night.

June my friend has been on the Fjords this week travelling with her Daughter. First time on Cunard and despite the weather and it has been wet and cold at time they have had a great time. They did PG and Vantage as June would not book a room that she didn't know where it was on booking. To my mind not worth an extra £1000 plus. They have been dancing and she says "Nice boys" June is good fun so no doubt I will hear all the news. I have given her the DVD's and they both bought a lot of new dresses etc for evening. Strange for me in that I have been cruising with her I think 7 or 8 times over the last few years. We each book our own rooms would not want to share but will with Becky and I did with my SIL but that is different. My Brother and Eileen took their first cruise together. Singapore to Hong Kong. He enjoyed it but said the ship was a bit of a rust bucket. Costa Atlantica Eileen of course had the Solstice to compare it to. He is keen for Eileen and I to cruise together again and this time she will pay for it he says Don't think so! Where I don't know she will fly 10 hrs she says so we can meet somewhere inbetween. Perth WA and me the long flights seem to bother me less as I get older.

OFF OFF topic!!! You are always so glamourous and I know you love to dance. By the time I come back you will be heading off on your QV cruise.

Becky is dying to wear her little dress from the Designer Room a lovely shop that sells only evening wear. Not seen it just a photo. The rest of her things she kept going on line to show me the dresses she has got.

Time I was asleep !! it has been so hot here no doubt the same in Edinburgh also! I don't ever remember heat like it and for such a prolonged period.

Enjoy your own trip and I will keep an eye on the roll call. Nite nite

 

Sue

[lucky white heather]

Well Yvonne All packed and ready for the off 6.30am Both Julie and Paul are driving down. They can share the driving. Maybe they will even stay over.

Don't talk about baggage!!!! as we are going by car I have everything but the kitchen sink with me!

Had a big splurge last and most of the dresses are now hanging in the wardrobe. Love to shop till I drop and can'r resist a bargain when I see one.

I like Cunard in that there are more formal night so get to wear my finery! The 16 nights I did Singapore to Sydney on the Solstice had I think no more than 4 formal and the rest were casual or above. They seem to have dropped the semi formal dress code but I wear don't do casual on cruises except for 1st and last night.

June my friend has been on the Fjords this week travelling with her Daughter. First time on Cunard and despite the weather and it has been wet and cold at time they have had a great time. They did PG and Vantage as June would not book a room that she didn't know where it was on booking. To my mind not worth an extra £1000 plus. They have been dancing and she says "Nice boys" June is good fun so no doubt I will hear all the news. I have given her the DVD's and they both bought a lot of new dresses etc for evening. Strange for me in that I have been cruising with her I think 7 or 8 times over the last few years. We each book our own rooms would not want to share but will with Becky and I did with my SIL but that is different. My Brother and Eileen took their first cruise together. Singapore to Hong Kong. He enjoyed it but said the ship was a bit of a rust bucket. Costa Atlantica Eileen of course had the Solstice to compare it to. He is keen for Eileen and I to cruise together again and this time she will pay for it he says Don't think so! Where I don't know she will fly 10 hrs she says so we can meet somewhere inbetween. Perth WA and me the long flights seem to bother me less as I get older.

OFF OFF topic!!! You are always so glamourous and I know you love to dance. By the time I come back you will be heading off on your QV cruise.

Becky is dying to wear her little dress from the Designer Room a lovely shop that sells only evening wear. Not seen it just a photo. The rest of her things she kept going on line to show me the dresses she has got.

Time I was asleep !! it has been so hot here no doubt the same in Edinburgh also! I don't ever remember heat like it and for such a prolonged period.

Enjoy your own trip and I will keep an eye on the roll call. Nite nite

 

Sue

 

 

Have a great time Sue...you know the glamour on Cunard yourself...so enjoy it all again.

Since Celebrity went more casual we have stuck with Cunard and feel we fit in there better.

I do hope your granddaughter loves her first cruise experience and gets a taste for cruising....it really is a lovely age to get started.

I saw on thenfjords blog the weather they had was rain rain and more rain...just like Scotland really!Like you , we can't recall Such a hot spell as this has been but we could get to like it!

 

Safe travelling and have an absolute ball on the ship.....Bon voyage and hope Becky enjoys the cruising experience to the full.

Hope the sun shines for you.

Yvonne

[fantasy51]

Someone mentioned that national costume is acceptable on board. So help, please, Fashion Police. Would you accept this version of it? (seen on facebook)

[Louise D]

Someone mentioned that national costume is acceptable on board. So help, please, Fashion Police. Would you accept this version of it? (seen on facebook)

 

No, it is not acceptable. But on the upside, if you dressed like that you would receive immediate (and free) transfer to cabin 8129 where our burka-clad SWAT team will take special care of you.

[fantasy51]

No, it is not acceptable. But on the upside, if you dressed like that you would receive immediate (and free) transfer to cabin 8129 where our burka-clad SWAT team will take special care of you.

 

:D :cool: