Jazz Cruise Info

[colonialinnkeeper]

We are booked on the Aug. 1 QM2 sailing, the Herbie Hancock Jazz cruise. We have never been on a "themed" cruise before and don't know exactly what to expect. If anyone has done this before, could you tell us what kinds of things go on (lectures, jazz combos, etc.) and how this is different. This is our first Cunard cruise and we want to be prepared. Thanks. Lauri

[bluemarble]

We are booked on the Aug. 1 QM2 sailing, the Herbie Hancock Jazz cruise. We have never been on a "themed" cruise before and don't know exactly what to expect. If anyone has done this before, could you tell us what kinds of things go on (lectures, jazz combos, etc.) and how this is different. This is our first Cunard cruise and we want to be prepared. Thanks. Lauri

 

We were on last year's Blue Note Jazz at Sea voyage on QM2 where Gregory Porter was the featured performer. The main differences between that crossing and other crossings that I can recall were:

 

1. There were numerous late afternoon and evening performances by the various Blue Note Jazz musicians in venues such as G32, the Chart Room, and Illuminations.

 

2. Gregory Porter and the Blue Note Jazz musicians were the featured performers for the evening show in the Royal Court theatre on two consecutive evenings. Access to those shows was controlled by tickets. Guests received complementary tickets delivered to their staterooms for one or the other of those evenings.

 

3. One other evening show in the Royal Court theater was a performance by the Blue Note Jazz "All Star Band".

 

4. There was the usual complement of four enrichment speakers offering lectures on topics unrelated to jazz. But a few of the time slots that would normally have been used for enrichment lectures were devoted to Q&A sessions with Don Was of Blue Note Records, the Blue Note Jazz musicians, and Gregory Porter instead.

 

5. There was a fair amount of confusion about the dress code for last year's voyage. The dress code was advertised in the U.S. as one formal evening with the remaining evenings designated as "smart casual" with jeans allowed. Within the UK, the usual dress code was advertised until shortly before the voyage when it was changed to reflect what had been advertised in the U.S. In the end, a second "formal optional" evening was added to the schedule once on board. For this year's Blue Note Jazz voyages, Cunard will be using the standard dress code. The August 1 crossing will have four formal and four informal evenings.

 

Other than those differences, I felt last year's Blue Note Jazz crossing was quite similar to other crossings.

 

Regards,

John.

Edited June 6, 2016 by bluemarble

[BlueRiband]

FWIW, here are some previous threads regarding Blue Note Jazz crossings:

 

Jazz on a Crossing

 

Blue Note Transatlantic 1st Aug 2016

 

2016 Blue Note Jazz at Sea dress code

[tv24]

Thanks for the info. We are on the Blue Note crossing this fall and looking forward to it and all the good music.

[Salacia]

:eek: Looks like there's some conflicting information out there regarding the dress code for the Blue Note Jazz at Sea - Aug. 1 and the Oct. 25 2016 transatlantic crossings:

 

"There will be three formal nights with smart casual dress for all other evenings. For the smart casual evenings, jackets are required for gentlemen and smart jeans are permitted (but cannot be torn or have holes in them)." - copied from http://www.cunard.com/cruise-types/speciality-cruises/

Edited June 6, 2016 by Salacia

[Thaxted]

I just checked my Voyage Personaliser for the August 1 sailing. If it's correct, as I hope it is, there will be four formal nights on this eight-night crossing.

[bluemarble]

:eek: Looks like there's some conflicting information out there regarding the dress code for the Blue Note Jazz at Sea - Aug. 1 and the Oct. 25 2016 transatlantic crossings:

 

"There will be three formal nights with smart casual dress for all other evenings. For the smart casual evenings, jackets are required for gentlemen and smart jeans are permitted (but cannot be torn or have holes in them)." - copied from http://www.cunard.com/cruise-types/speciality-cruises/

 

Oh, my! I hadn't seen that page, Salacia. Just what we need is more confusion about the dress code for the Blue Note Jazz at Sea voyages again this year.

 

Voyage Personaliser for the August 1, 2016 voyage with Herbie Hancock does indeed show four "formal" evenings and four "informal" evenings. But based on that "Specialty Cruises" page you found, I suppose the "informal" evenings might actually end up being interpreted as "smart casual" with jeans allowed, the same as was advertised last year.

 

I can tell you during last year's Blue Note Jazz at Sea voyage, the daily programmes we received on board never actually mentioned the "smart casual" dress code that was advertised before the voyage. They still listed the dress code as "informal" with the standard description for informal that made no mention of jeans being permitted from what I could see.

 

Regards,

John.

[colonialinnkeeper]

When we booked our cruise, our TA had spoken with Cunard and been told that it was four formal and four informal--nothing about smart casual.

 

I think I will call to be sure. We certainly hope that this is the case.

[Wordzz]

I just checked my Voyage Personaliser for the August 1 sailing. If it's correct, as I hope it is, there will be four formal nights on this eight-night crossing.

 

Hallo Thaxted,

 

I'd be very interested to hear if that proves to be the case. We are booked on the Oct 25 EB, and are sincerely hoping that the dress code is as advertised, i.e. adhering to the normal number of formal nights.

 

Thanks!

[colonialinnkeeper]

I just called Cunard to verify the dress code. The customer service rep read this: "four formal nights and four informal nights. Please note that smart jeans (no tears or holes) would be acceptable for informal evenings".

 

We will pack based on this information and hope that it is accurate. In my mind, jeans, regardless of their cost are still dungarees. Perhaps it is my age that is showing:eek:!

[bluemarble]

I just called Cunard to verify the dress code. The customer service rep read this: "four formal nights and four informal nights. Please note that smart jeans (no tears or holes) would be acceptable for informal evenings".

 

We will pack based on this information and hope that it is accurate. In my mind, jeans, regardless of their cost are still dungarees. Perhaps it is my age that is showing:eek:!

 

Thanks for the update, colonialinnkeeper.

 

I suspect the part about "smart jeans" being permitted on informal evenings may come as a surprise to our friends in the UK again this year. Once again it appears this information is not being provided on Cunard's UK web site.

 

The link Salacia posted that mentions jeans being permitted can be readily located on Cunard's U.S. web site by following the "Blue Note Jazz at Sea" link found on the home page there. I see no such link on the home page of Cunard's UK web site. All I have been able to find on the UK web site is this "Musical Events Cruises" page at

 

http://www.cunard.co.uk/cruise-types/music-cruises/

 

Concerning the August 1, 2016 crossing, that page simply states

 

Herbie Hancock & Blue Note Jazz at Sea

 

On board Queen Mary 2’s Jazz at Sea Crossing from the 1st to 9th of August 2016, all guests will be able to enjoy a special performance from Herbie where he will be joined by fellow Blue Note musicians: Vinnie Colaiuta (Drums), James Genus (Bass) and Lionel Loueke (Guitar).

 

Guests will also have the opportunity to attend gala balls, spectacular production shows in the Royal Court Theatre and famous Insights lectures conducted by leading experts in their field.

 

Oh, well. At least they aren't cutting back on the number of formal evenings this year. That's the main thing.

 

Regards,

John.

[colonialinnkeeper]

John, agree with you completely.

 

Are you flying into Southampton or will you be in the U.K. already?

[bluemarble]

John, agree with you completely.

 

Are you flying into Southampton or will you be in the U.K. already?

 

We are doing the round trip (back-to-back) from New York on QM2. New York to Southampton, July 24-August 1 and then Southampton back to New York, August 1-9. We haven't done a back-to-back before or even a westbound crossing for that matter. Our four previous crossings on QM2 have all been eastbound. Really looking forward to the extended voyage on QM2 this time, especially after her refit.

 

Regards,

John.