Dress for Cunard

[PORT ROYAL]

1 minute ago, Victoria2 said:

Of course. That's it. This riff raff doesn't get enough 'extras' in QG so we need to freeload as much as possible. I knew there must be a reason we were invited.

The invitation could have been, but was not, declined.

[Victoria2]

7 minutes ago, PORT ROYAL said:

The invitation could have been, but was not, declined.

The thought never entered our heads. You might have declined but as relative newcomers to Cunard, if anyone was kind enough to invite us  to anything like that, we accepted. Common courtesy. Even riff raff have manners.😄

After all, we are on Cunard!! 😉

Edited December 31, 2020 by Victoria2

[PORT ROYAL]

5 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

The thought never entered our heads. You might have declined but as relative newcomers to Cunard, if anyone was kind enough to invite us  to anything like that, we accepted. Common courtesy. Even riff raff have manners.😄

After all, we are on Cunard!! 😉

One can, and has, politely decline an invitation to dine with the Captain. This was not considered bad manners or a lack of common courtesy.

 

[BigMac1953]

They probably need quite a few poor souls to soak up the Pol Acker (or even Asti Spumante that I saw being delivered two years ago).

 

Gone are the days of Champagne, but at least you can order anything you like.

 

In any case, on our last two trips, we went along and took one look, then adjourned to the QG Lounge. Far too many people, and that was the port side (no handshake side) on QM2.

[Victoria2]

24 minutes ago, PORT ROYAL said:

One can, and has, politely decline an invitation to dine with the Captain. This was not considered bad manners or a lack of common courtesy.

 

This is getting tedious. One has never had an invitation to dine with the Captain but one would have accepted out of courtesy if one had.

 

We're no more riff raff than yourself or Big Mac. I can even hold a knife and fork correctly and eat peas without using a fork as a shovel. We are ordinary people with a love of Cunard and who are lucky enough to be able to book the almost top suites on Victoria and Elizabeth, the Q1s being too bumpy in bad weather, and whom, we are led to believe are much welcomed passengers on our return. Your pigeon holing of people is outdated and quite frankly, not to my taste.

 

Just accept there are Cunard passengers out there insiders or top suiters, Red to Diamond tiers who don't fit your ideal, but Cunard and their officers obviously think along different lines. I'm sure you, like us,  have many cruises already in the diary for 2021 and 2022. Enjoy them. 

We will.

 

[PORT ROYAL]

22 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

I can even hold a knife and forkcorrectly and eat peas without using a fork as a shovel

It is perfectly acceptable etiquette to gently push a small quantity of peas onto a fork, with a knife, by way of tines, with the tines facing upwards, like a shovel.

Edited December 31, 2020 by PORT ROYAL
Insert

[Victoria2]

1 minute ago, PORT ROYAL said:

It is perfectly acceptable etiquette to gently push a small quantity of peas onto a fork, with a knife, by way of tines, with the tines facing upwards, like a shovel.

Thank you Port Royal. I'll try and remember.  Pea etiquette is always an important part of dining on Cunard. 😁

 

 

[Mudhen]

I think the term "riff raff" is horrible. If we're talking about manners I've seen folks in "the court" eat with surgical precision and on the flip side, some Queen's Grill/Princess Grill passengers that would've been happier with a troth. Good manners don't follow "class" strata.

[Underwatr]

1 hour ago, PORT ROYAL said:

It is perfectly acceptable etiquette to gently push a small quantity of peas onto a fork, with a knife, by way of tines, with the tines facing upwards, like a shovel.

I eat my peas with honey.

I've done it all my life.

It makes the peas taste funny,

but that way they stay on my knife.

[Victoria2]

15 minutes ago, Mudhen said:

I think the term "riff raff" is horrible. If we're talking about manners I've seen folks in "the court" eat with surgical precision and on the flip side, some Queen's Grill/Princess Grill passengers that would've been happier with a troth. Good manners don't follow "class" strata.

I agree with all your post and I have seen some interesting interpretations in QG  but, although riff raff is an unfortunate term,  I'm hoping Big Mac's reference to Riff Raff was in jest. He did add a smilie.

 

I tend not judge my fellow passengers. I'm happy to meet one and all, even of they might have interesting ways of eating their peas!

 

 

[Host Hattie]

I'm hoping most of these recent posts have been in jest ....

 

[Windsurfboy]

54 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

I'm hoping most of these recent posts have been in jest ....

 

 

I think Riff Raff , was a joke

 

 

[Windsurfboy]

I was always told by my mother (in UK) that one shouldn't use ones fork like a shovel when eating peas , and haven't done so since I was a toddler . Debretts agrees with me. 

 

However things change. If this forum can accept eating peas with a shovel as decent table manners, then why do they have so much trouble with changing dress code.

[Mudhen]

8 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

I think Riff Raff , was a joke

 

 

It most likely was, but since Cunard still holds true to the "class" distinctions, sometimes people get a little carried away, even if it is, in jest....just look back at some of the entries on Cunard dress or the dress code.....I'm all for accepting and adhering to the code, but some folks use a little overkill in their comments.

[BigMac1953]

Lighten up folks!

 

It was a bit of fun and not directed at anybody, hence the wee 🙂 and I'm quite sure riff raff wouldn't dare book a Cunard trip.

 

There is no class distinction as we know, but I still don't really like the cocktail parties.

 

Any offended riff raff has my apologies. OOps, done it again.

 

 

[navybankerteacher]

4 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

I was always told by my mother (in UK) that one shouldn't use ones fork like a shovel when eating peas , and haven't done so since I was a toddler . Debretts agrees with me. 

 

However things change. If this forum can accept eating peas with a shovel as decent table manners, then why do they have so much trouble with changing dress code.

As a practical matter referring to your fork as a shovel for eating peas beats the alternative.  Would you prefer to use you fork as a bulldozer to load the peas onto your knife so you could then roll the peas into your mouth?

 

The implement used to move objects into an opening can certainly be likened to a shovel.  Certainly you would not SHOVEL peas into your mouth -- but putting them there is not altogether dissimilar to stoking coal into a firebox.  So, yes, if done discretely, in a civil fashion, eating peas with a fork is PRECISELY  comparable to using ones fork like a shovel.

 

 

[Windsurfboy]

I would agree, on a practical point it may be slightly easier with an upside down fork, but it's not that hard to do the correct way

 

9 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

As a practical matter referring to your fork as a shovel for eating peas beats the alternative.  Would you prefer to use you fork as a bulldozer to load the peas onto your knife so you could then roll the peas into your mouth?

 

The implement used to move objects into an opening can certainly be likened to a shovel.  Certainly you would not SHOVEL peas into your mouth -- but putting them there is not altogether dissimilar to stoking coal into a firebox.  So, yes, if done discretely, in a civil fashion, eating peas with a fork is PRECISELY  comparable to using ones fork like a shovel.

 

 

 

However on a practical point casual dress keeps you just as warm and decent as Cunards evening dress code. So we do not judge etiquette on practicality. 

 

If we apply the practicality  principle to table etiquette,  then we should also apply the practicality principle to dress code. You can't have it both ways. 

 

You cannot be a stickler for etiquette in dress code , but advocate loosening it in table etiquette. 

 

I believe in consistency, in the same way I've argued Cunard can only have one dress code, not different versions in different media

 

 

[Victoria2]

Cunard need to address the etiquette of pea consumption on their FAQ for those unsure if it's safe to shovel or not.

Question,  if you shovel in your jeans will you even be allowed to dine in the Lido in the evening or will you be confined to barracks when peas appear on the menu.

 

Etiquette minefield, but there is a solution. Mange tout!  😁

[Mudhen]

This is so simple to fix....take peas off the menu. If someone asks for them, the server just says, "oops, sorry, they were left on the dock...."

(Happy New Year, all !)

[Windsurfboy]

On 12/31/2020 at 5:25 PM, PORT ROYAL said:

It is perfectly acceptable etiquette to gently push a small quantity of peas onto a fork, with a knife, by way of tines, with the tines facing upwards, like a shovel.

 

21 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

I was always told by my mother (in UK) that one shouldn't use ones fork like a shovel when eating peas , and haven't done so since I was a toddler . Debretts agrees with me. 

 

However things change. If this forum can accept eating peas with a shovel as decent table manners, then why do they have so much trouble with changing dress code.

 

Following Mudhen suggestion 

 

That's one solution  if people find anything hard take it off the "menu"

 

I find tieing my bow tie hard, often takes me a couple of goes to get it right. So following this logic, Cunard should take ties off the gala dress code , why not go the whole hog and wear a T shirt. If you are shovelling your peas might as well dress appropriately.

 

One man's perfectly acceptable  etiquette is another's drop in standards.  Dress code isn't the only area where standards should be applied.

 

 

Edited January 1, 2021 by Windsurfboy

[Victoria2]

I think Mudhen was entering into the spirit of the moment although leaving peas with Otis is a bit extreme. I think my mange tout solution more appealing for those who love their peas but don't wish to offend the Debrett connoisseurs who may be dining with us.

 

As the one who inadvertently introduced Peagate into the mix, I feel a little responsible so may I add that whilst I can claim a gold star in non-shovelling of peas, I have been known to turn my fork over and shovel my food. Delicately of course and obviously with enormous panache.

 

Peas can pose a problem for me when using chopsticks but as long as I like cold peas, then I can manage. Eventually.

 

Different cultures have different culinary approaches and there's no right or wrong way to eat as long as sensibilities of the immediate surroundings are considered and if one wishes to shovel, then shovel away bearing in mind, troughing it is just so not Cunard!

 

 But, bowties.  In the same way mange tout will solve the shovel problem for Debrett purists, so the clip on tie will solve the problem for fine motor control problems.

 

Phew. Peagate over, bow ties solved. Next

 

 

[shipgeeks]

Please, no clip-on bowties!  Self-tied is so much nicer, and even if slightly imperfect, all the better.

[Victoria2]

21 minutes ago, shipgeeks said:

Please, no clip-on bowties!  Self-tied is so much nicer, and even if slightly imperfect, all the better.

A serious reply here. Self tied might be 'nice' but given a choice of ready tied and no bow tie at all for those with finger problems, then I think you'll agree the ready tied clip on fits the bill. 

[Mudhen]

33 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

A serious reply here. Self tied might be 'nice' but given a choice of ready tied and no bow tie at all for those with finger problems, then I think you'll agree the ready tied clip on fits the bill. 

I couldn't agree more. Several years ago, my husband and I encountered an elderly gentleman in our hallway, close to tears. He had his "tie it yourself bow tie" around his neck, without a clue of how to tie it. He asked if we could help him. We didn't know how to do it either. We escorted him to the clothing shop on board and enlisted one of the gentlemen in the formal section to help. All fixed, but most certainly not worth tears and humiliation over a stupid tie.....

[Underwatr]

It would be an improvement if the clip-ons looked imperfect enough to pass for hand-tied. DW and I used to enjoy sorting the tie-ers from the clippers at the cocktail party.