Men - how many jackets do you take?

[bazzaw]

We have done a few long Cunard cruises (inc. two "3 Queens" ) - and I have packed my Tux plus a number of jackets to wear at dinner ( jackets for men being required each night) . BUT - we live in Australia and these cruises have necessitated long air flights and land travel before and after the cruises and I am really a bit over the "too much luggage" situation. We are booked for a 38 day Japan to Canada cruise next year and I will take my Tux , but would like to cut back on the other jackets.  if I only take one jacket, I feel like I ( and table companions) will be thoroughly sick of me wearing the same jacket for the 38 ( less formal ) nights onboard.  So - any thoughts /advice much appreciated.  Personally I think it is a shame that Cunard does not allow some "Shirts only" nights for men -  as P&O UK does. 

[david,Mississauga]

I bring only two jackets (not counting a jacket for outdoor wear), one of which is my dinner jacket/tuxedo and the other a sport coat that can go with any colour of trousers. I bring several ties to wear on the "smart" nights because I do not subscribe to the dumbing down of the dress code.  If I was on a very long cruise such as the one referred to above I would bring a second sport coat or blazer. 

 

I always wear a sport coat for train or air connections with a ship, rather than pack it. Obviously I would have to pack the second sport coat along with the formal wear. This has never been  a problem. My wife and I each take one suitcase with us. We have always been allowed to check two each on  a plane and have never done so since the 1970s.

[Colin_Cameron]

We’re fast approaching a mirror image trip. Flying from the UK to Australia for a couple of months land tour plus 48 nights aboard QE and QM2. 

 

At at the moment my packing list for evenings on the cruise portion looks like:

1x dinner suit (tux)

1x evening suit (tails)

2x suits

1x blazer

3x jackets

...

...

And I’m trying to decide if I have enough!

Edited November 10, 2019 by Colin_Cameron

[ClipperinSFO]

For a 7 night TA,  I take my tuxedo, plus two different sport coats: one subtly patterned and one blue blazer.  Three nights in black tie and two nights each in the sport coats.

 

Sometimes,  I even wear black tie on one of the non-gala nights, esp if we dine in the Verandah. It seems a waste not to dress up for such a beautiful room.  Plus, call me old-fashioned, but first and last nights should jacket and tie, and all other evenings in between should be black tie.     

[Colin_Cameron]

4 minutes ago, ClipperinSFO said:

... call me old-fashioned, but first and last nights should jacket and tie, and all other evenings in between should be black tie.     

I guess we’re both old-fashioned.

[bluemarble]

I take one black suit jacket for the gala evenings and two sport courts to alternate on the smart attire evenings.

[Jack E Dawson]

Bazzaw,

I don't think any of your table-mates will be bothered if you have only one jacket for non-formal nights. However, reading between the lines of your post, I think you will be self conscious about it so I have two suggestions. Bring 2 jackets but wear 1 on the plane along with a dress shirt, slacks and dress shoes. This will free up some space in your bag. The other option would be to buy a second jacket in Japan. I assume you are coming in at least a day early. I would think that you could find a very reasonably priced blazer in Japan. If, at the end of the cruise, there is no room in your bag for the purchased blazer, look for some place to donate it in Canada.

Hope this helps,

Jack

[Underwatr]

1 Blue blazer

1 tux jacket.

 

Based on my observations one jacket for informal plus a tux is typical. Some wear the same suit/jacket every night an accessorize appropriately for the dress code.

[Canuker]

Two.

[orchestrapal]

1 hour ago, bluemarble said:

I take one black suit jacket for the gala evenings and two sport courts to alternate on the smart attire evenings.

SMART! Why let the cruise kind dictate what you wear.

[bobg529]

Well, back in May my wife and I did a 7 night TA on QM2 and I brought my tux, a dark suit, and a grey sportcoat that I wore when we boarded. We had flown to Florida originally and then sailed to Spain on a 15 night repo on the Norwegian Epic, but all I had at that point was my sportcoat as we had shipped our formal clothes in two suitcases via Cunard’s Luggage Forward service from home in NY to Southampton. So by the time we finally boarded some 20 days later we were both looking forward to getting dressed for dinner. We are sailing on the QM2 again in a couple of weeks, this time on a 12 day Caribbean round trip out of NYC so there’s much less lugging to do. Just a cab to to Brooklyn. I’ve ditched the dark suit, but now I’m bringing along a new white dinner jacket, plus the tux, and 2 sportcoats, one of which I will wear when we board. We only have 3 scheduled formal nights, but I’m planning on wearing my new dinner jacket a couple of times. I think the older I get the more I enjoy getting “dressed.for dinner”. Besides I’m getting a bit long in the tooth for booze cruises.😉

[EasternMarket]

1 dinner jacket for formal nights

1 suit for non-formal nights

 

On a 7 nights crossing, this is perfectly adequate. Different shirts and ties add variety.

 

No need to pack anything more.

 

 

[pully8]

Interesting topic.

Have yet to cruise with Cunard but we will be doing so shortly.

Can anyone comment on the usual temperature on the ships?

Is it comfortable in the dining room when wearing a coat/jacket, or do you take them off?

We have sometimes found overheating of indoor spaces can be a factor on our travels in Europe.

 

 

[Underwatr]

Please don't take your jacket off. The dress code applies throughout the restaurant, not just at the entrance.

Edited November 11, 2019 by Underwatr

[pully8]

Thanks for your reply.

Does this apply to all eating areas or only specific ones and times?  

[Underwatr]

It doesn't apply in the buffet - King's Court on QM2, Lido Buffet on QE and QV. There are a few other areas of the ship where a jacket isn't required in the evening (but not many).

[pully8]

Thanks for your reply. 

[Victoria2]

10 hours ago, bazzaw said:

We have done a few long Cunard cruises (inc. two "3 Queens" ) - and I have packed my Tux plus a number of jackets to wear at dinner ( jackets for men being required each night) . BUT - we live in Australia and these cruises have necessitated long air flights and land travel before and after the cruises and I am really a bit over the "too much luggage" situation. We are booked for a 38 day Japan to Canada cruise next year and I will take my Tux , but would like to cut back on the other jackets.  if I only take one jacket, I feel like I ( and table companions) will be thoroughly sick of me wearing the same jacket for the 38 ( less formal ) nights onboard.  So - any thoughts /advice much appreciated.  Personally I think it is a shame that Cunard does not allow some "Shirts only" nights for men -  as P&O UK does. 

The only one who is going to be perturbed by your single jacket, is you. Your fellow guests won't, or shouldn't, be concerned at all and so if you can cope with a single jacket, be dictated by your luggage situation. In an ideal world, your tux and two or three other jackets for a five weeker, would hit the  mark but if lugging luggage is a problem, then go with the tux, one jacket and various striking  shirts to ring the changes.

[Victoria2]

5 hours ago, pully8 said:

Interesting topic.

Have yet to cruise with Cunard but we will be doing so shortly.

Can anyone comment on the usual temperature on the ships?

Is it comfortable in the dining room when wearing a coat/jacket, or do you take them off?

We have sometimes found overheating of indoor spaces can be a factor on our travels in Europe.

 

 

The gentlemen should  keep their jackets on, in the main restaurants, at all times. That is within Cunard evening dress code.

 

However, the staff aren't sadists and on the odd occasion [I'm thinking tropical climates here] when the aircon seems to be flagging, if taking jackets off prevents over heated chaps having to leave the restaurant, then a blind eye is turned. Indeed, on occasions, the Maitre'd has encouraged the taking off, of jackets once it's been established the engineers can't do anything about  overworked aircon in particularly affected areas.

[T5LHR]

Although slightly different as I am doing a back to back out of Southampton, and will have my car with me so no luggage restrictions, my plan for 14 days is: 

 

1 x tuxedo/dinner jacket. 

1 x dark suit.

3 x blazer - two of which are appropriate for evening wear. 

 

My new problem is shoes... I am up to 5 pairs so far, and still have just under 6 months till we sail... 😕 I need a re-think on that one. 

[rakkor]

Just packing at the moment - For our 19 nights I have 2 Dinner Jackets and 4 Sports Jackets - no Blazer this time because of the contraints of flying home.

[brian1]

10 hours ago, Colin_Cameron said:

We’re fast approaching a mirror image trip. Flying from the UK to Australia for a couple of months land tour plus 48 nights aboard QE and QM2. 

 

At at the moment my packing list for evenings on the cruise portion looks like:

1x dinner suit (tux)

1x evening suit (tails)

2x suits

1x blazer

3x jackets

...

...

And I’m trying to decide if I have enough!

You've forgot the kilt,surely.

[Colin_Cameron]

36 minutes ago, brian1 said:

You've forgot the kilt,surely.

Due to the weight I only take that when there are no flights involved. It’s not just the kilt, there’s the jacket, waistcoat, brogues, etc., etc. The tails are heavy enough.

 

I have managed to convince my other half that, as we’re doing 13 nights on one ship and 35 on the other, she really doesn’t need 48 outfits.

[Camgirl]

3 minutes ago, Colin_Cameron said:

Due to the weight I only take that when there are no flights involved. It’s not just the kilt, there’s the jacket, waistcoat, brogues, etc., etc. The tails are heavy enough.

 

I have managed to convince my other half that, as we’re doing 13 nights on one ship and 35 on the other, she really doesn’t need 48 outfits.

That's true. She doesn't need 48 outfits. She needs 96! 48 day outfits and 48 evening......

[Colin_Cameron]

Shhhhhhh.....🤫