Advice on Queen Mary Sailing

[DEEDIA]

We have never sailed Cunard before, and thinking how different can it be from Royal Caribbean. Will we be informed on dress code, is it Formal every night, are there themed nights, are we allowed to carry on any wine, so being a Cunard Virgin is like being a Virgin Cruiser all over again. Thanks Chris.

[Ray66]

No, it's not formal every night. It's usually about three times a week. It will tell you in your Voyage Personaliser which nights. First and last nights are always informal.

Yes, there are theme nights but most people don't bother dressing to them, apart from masks on Masquerade night and some wear hats for the Ascot Ball. The theme is mostly the different banners etc. in the Queens Room.

 

Check this out for which night is which:

https://ask.cunard.com/help/life-on-board/dress_code_all

 

Yes, you are allowed to carry wine on.

 

Here's Cunard's FAQs page:

 

http://www.cunard.co.uk/already-booked/ask-cunard/

Edited January 15, 2016 by Ray66

[Lanky Lad]

We have never sailed Cunard before, and thinking how different can it be from Royal Caribbean. Will we be informed on dress code, is it Formal every night, are there themed nights, are we allowed to carry on any wine, so being a Cunard Virgin is like being a Virgin Cruiser all over again. Thanks Chris.

 

The dress code is printed on the daily programme which will be either in the "post box" or on your bed after dinner the night before.

 

It's not as formal at it used to be, but on a two week cruise you can expect 3 or 4 formal nights.

 

There are themed balls with themes like black band white, Ascot and London.

 

Yes you can take a small amount of wine on board, at embarkation and in the ports of call.

 

Cunard make very few announcements so if you want to know what's on and when you need to check the daily programme. This also gives you the meal times, and opening times for all bars shops etc.

[DEEDIA]

Thank you for the replies, looking forward to our TA.

[BigMac1953]

Thank you for the replies, looking forward to our TA.

 

The dress rule is: Transatlantic - 3 Formals per week, Cruises - 2 formals per week.

 

You may take on board as much alcohol as you wish. We always take 6 bottles of the Widow. Furthermore, if you are visiting any ports, you may top up your wee personal mini bar with anything you want. It's allowed.

 

Stewart

[choirpres1]

"Informal" on Cunard is what most cruises consider "formal".

Full tuxedos on Cunard formal nights and jacket and tie on informal Cunard nights (begrudgingly, "tie" has become acceptably "optional" for some)

[MCC retired]

I feel very comfortable with a dark suit and tie on formal nights with a jacket

without tie on informal nights. That meets Cunard dress codes .

If you like to really dress up , go ahead .

Edited January 16, 2016 by MCC retired

[Capt_BJ]

"Informal" on Cunard is what most cruises consider "formal".

Full tuxedos on Cunard formal nights and jacket and tie on informal Cunard nights (begrudgingly, "tie" has become acceptably "optional" for some)

 

As compared to RCCL ... CUNARD is FORMAL every night and they DO enforce it

 

we did our first Cunard - a west crossing Hamburg to NYC - this June and one evening a couple was sittin' in a lounge in jogging suits .... when "the time changed" they were "invited" to leave within minutes. . . .

 

For a man: INFORMAL is a jacket but you can skip the tie.

 

Formal is dark suit MINIMUM. This was "enuf" for us . . .

 

 

On a 9 nite trip we had 3 formals (these were really 3 formals on a 7 day crossing as they don't try a formal nite on the short Hamburg to Southh' hop .... but even here INFORMAL requires a jacket for a man)

Edited January 16, 2016 by Capt_BJ

[sb44]

We did crossing 2014 and brought way too much. Formal nights a long skirt and a some packable tops will do nicely. Husband brought a tux but many men in suits. Also many more wore sport coat with tie. After dinner many men in bars with no tie and some no jacket. They're not going to throw you overboard. The people in the high end suites have their own dining rooms and are more formal. If you love wearing your gowns bring them but if you don't want to drag 5 or 6 bags and have to deal with what becomes excess luggage on the flight home, less is more!

 

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

[tartanexile81]

My experience was very different to SB44's. We found it much more formal than any other line we've been on. There were 3 Formals on our crossing and most men wore a tux and ladies evening gowns. The other 4 evenings men must wear jackets and my OH wore his suit with / without a tie and I wore a dress. We didn't do any themed evenings although I think there was a dance venue where you could dress up.

Edited January 17, 2016 by tartanexile81

[sb44]

I think my point is to relax and enjoy the crossing. I was so uptight about whether we would look proper and fit in and discovered that it didn't all have to be all about the clothes. We had 4 formal nights and 4 coat and tie nights but felt that there were lots of people who were not quite as formal and they had a good time too. Our crossing was with James Taylor & family as well as Juilliard Jazz Ensemble so maybe it's was a different group than the usual passengers. We had a lovely trip and a new experience as we are normally on Windstar small sailing ships which are casual day and night. QM2 was so interesting on many levels and a relaxing way to travel. Will do it again when itinerary coincides with other cruises but will take fewer clothes.

 

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

[Capt_BJ]

if you don't want to drag 5 or 6 bags and have to deal with what becomes excess luggage on the flight home, less is more!

 

true, you don't need a completely new outfit every nite. I took a suit and a jacket with a couple pair of nice trou .... a handful of ties and shirts and good to go. DW took 3 long dresses and an assortment of nice mixables. This with free washing machines and easy and reasonable laundry service and clean/press and we had NO problems.

 

We were coming back to US after 3 weeks in EU (river cruise and some exploring on our own) and certainly tried to avoid dragging too much stuff . . .

 

waiting for an ICE train in Germany on our way to Hamburg and QM2

Edited January 17, 2016 by Capt_BJ