QE Dress Code "Relaxation" on Hot-Weather Itineraries?

[jimdee3636]

Let me first say that one of the things my wife and I liked most about our one time on Cunard (QM2, 21-night round-trip from New York, by way of Southampton, Liverpool, Reykjavik and Atlantic Canada) was the dress code, not just on the designated formal nights but also jackets for men at dinner on "informal" nights.

 

We've just booked a different kind of cruise for July and August of 2022: 27 nights from L.A. to Barcelona, by way of the Panama Canal, Aruba, Fort Lauderdale, Bermuda, Funchal, and Cadiz---all hot places that time of year. Can we expect a relaxation of the dress code? I love wearing my tuxedo, but I don't want to bring it if I'm going to be one of the few men wearing one. If it matters, we'll be dining in the Britannia, late seating.

[jimdee3636]

Although it's implied in the title of this thread, the cruise I'm referring to will be on the Queen Elizabeth.

[lissie]

There is a relaxed code when QE cruises in Australian waters - we were on her last year and jackets were optional for men on informal nights. I think its only for Australian home-ported cruises though.  We were on a PNG cruise - and the temps were over 30C for days on end.  We were late seating - and it was certainly too warm to wear jackets in Britannia. So even if  temps are similar I expect most men will take the jackets off once they get to their table. 
 

We're booked on the same itinerary- San Fran to Barcelona in 2022 - hope it happens! 

[newjoisey]

4 hours ago, lissie said:

There is a relaxed code when QE cruises in Australian waters - we were on her last year and jackets were optional for men on informal nights. I think its only for Australian home-ported cruises though.  We were on a PNG cruise - and the temps were over 30C for days on end.  We were late seating - and it was certainly too warm to wear jackets in Britannia. So even if  temps are similar I expect most men will take the jackets off once they get to their table. 
 

We're booked on the same itinerary- San Fran to Barcelona in 2022 - hope it happens! 

thanks....you beat me to this 

[Victoria2]

I have heard the code can be relaxed first night on some fly cruises, but the only time the code has been casual for us was when Victoria put her skates on through possibly pirated areas and made a very early entry into Oman, late afternoon rather then the midnight scheduled. 

We guessed the  announcement, no jackets or ties required,  was made as passengers could go ashore for the evening. 

So saying, when the restaurants get very hot [and they occasionally, contrary to what some might say] we have found the senior wait staff don't admonish those gentlemen in danger of heat stroke who put their jackets on the backs of chairs. It's not a practice to be encouraged, but it does happen and I think perfectly acceptable for the few on those very hot occasions.

[Bell Boy]

Early last year  (2020) I spent 78 days onboard Queen Victoria sailing around South America including several days in the Amazon where  the  evening temperature was much higher than in Australian waters.

I  ( and many of the Australian guests onboard ) experienced no relaxation in the evenings dress codes whilst at sea, other  than when the ship was overnight in port  ( a casual evening  which is always the standard procedure when overnight in ports) 

 

As another poster has said ,whilst not a practice to be encouraged, occasionally some gentlemen will remover their jackets whilst seated in the dining room should the temperature be unbearable.

 

Never understood why 'Cunard Marketing Australia'    re those QE sailing 'in and around Australian waters' took the decision to relax the evening dress code for gentleman 'for the entire cruise'. All that was needed is for the onboard Hotel department  to managed it on the day, as and when necessary. 

 

Jimdee 3636 , rest assured , I doubt there will be any change to the  dress code/s on your upcoming voyage/cruise (LA- via Panama Canal -Cadiz)  Cunard have been sailing in these waters for years without relaxing their dress codes . However, if it is necessary, it will be managed on the day and guests will be notified in the Daily onboard Program. 😉   

 

         

[Victoria2]

And here’s me thinking casual was unusual, which is why I took a photograph. Not experienced more than a handful of over nights in port other than Baltic and Iceland, but jackets were still required.  We live and learn every day. 🙂
 

I think most Cunard passengers would expect that within the  usual dress codes,  jackets to be worn by a  person rather than a chair unless the heat really does get uncomfortable for a few.

[newjoisey]

2 hours ago, Bell Boy said:

Early last year  (2020) I spent 78 days onboard Queen Victoria sailing around South America including several days in the Amazon where  the  evening temperature was much higher than in Australian waters.

I  ( and many of the Australian guests onboard ) experienced no relaxation in the evenings dress codes whilst at sea, other  than when the ship was overnight in port  ( a casual evening  which is always the standard procedure when overnight in ports) 

 

As another poster has said ,whilst not a practice to be encouraged, occasionally some gentlemen will remover their jackets whilst seated in the dining room should the temperature be unbearable.

 

Never understood why 'Cunard Marketing Australia'    re those QE sailing 'in and around Australian waters' took the decision to relax the evening dress code for gentleman 'for the entire cruise'. All that was needed is for the onboard Hotel department  to managed it on the day, as and when necessary. 

 

Jimdee 3636 , rest assured , I doubt there will be any change to the  dress code/s on your upcoming voyage/cruise (LA- via Panama Canal -Cadiz)  Cunard have been sailing in these waters for years without relaxing their dress codes . However, if it is necessary, it will be managed on the day and guests will be notified in the Daily onboard Program. 😉   

 

         

You must have heard the nick name of those cruises in those waters before .Plus Cunard listened and/or observed and adjusted 

[Windsurfboy]

Do they tell non Australian passengers that it's a no jacket cruise before they fly. Think I  would be annoyed if I packed my jackets and found not needed. Similarly wouldn't  want to wear one when no one else was.

 

Does this apply to round NZ out of Sydney,  mulling over adding a cruise one year if we can ever again get to Australia to see the grandchildren. 

[bluemarble]

1 hour ago, Windsurfboy said:

Do they tell non Australian passengers that it's a no jacket cruise before they fly. Think I  would be annoyed if I packed my jackets and found not needed. Similarly wouldn't  want to wear one when no one else was.

 

Does this apply to round NZ out of Sydney,  mulling over adding a cruise one year if we can ever again get to Australia to see the grandchildren. 

 

The last dress code schedule for QE released by Cunard in early March 2020 (not long before the suspension of operations) started to list the "Smart Attire - Jacket Optional" dress code for the remainder of the planned Australia and New Zealand season into May 2020.

 

That "Smart Attire - Jacket Optional" dress code also extended to the transpacific voyage that had been planned for May 2020 from Sydney to Vancouver and "Smart Attire - Jacket Optional" was also listed for each evening in Vancouver during QE's planned 2020 Alaska season. The "Smart Attire" evenings other than those in Vancouver during the planned 2020 Alaska season were not listed as "Jacket Optional".

 

The regular "Smart Attire" dress code was listed for the transpacific voyage from Vancouver to Japan that had been scheduled for September 2020 as well as during the Japan season and the planned October-November voyage from Japan to Australia. The "Smart Attire - Jacket Optional" dress code resumed with the first scheduled evening listed for Sydney in November 2020.

[lissie]

2 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

Does this apply to round NZ out of Sydney,  mulling over adding a cruise one year if we can ever again get to Australia to see the grandchildren. 

Yes - because all the NZ cruises are when the ship is home ported in Sydney/Melbourne.  

 

Also its not "casual" - its smart attire - jacket optional - some people still wore a jacket, possibly the majority actually. You still needed a jacket for formal nights. 

[lissie]

6 hours ago, Bell Boy said:

 

As another poster has said ,whilst not a practice to be encouraged, occasionally some gentlemen will remover their jackets whilst seated in the dining room should the temperature be unbearable.

 

         

I'd say around 90% of men on our Australian cruise (Sydney-PNG-Sydney Feb 20) took their jacket off when sitting down in the dining room - formal or non-formal night.  The temperature was only about 25C on the first and last nights into/out of Sydney- otherwise easily a minimum of around 28C each night.  

 

I  don't think most Australian/NZ men would risk wearing a jacket at a table - too much chance of a dry cleaning bill! 

 

We were in the later sitting - I imagine it was warmer in the earlier sitting. - they also brought the sittings earlier - so the poor people in the early sitting had a vey early dinner (5;45pm maybe?) - I think ours was 8pm. 

[shipgeeks]

We sailed Cunard to the Caribbean several years ago.  There was no mention of anything other than Informal or Formal each evening, apart from a couple of theme nights (Masquerade Ball, Pirate).  No one seemed to mind, and I didn't see jackets being discarded.  After all, The Ship is Air-Conditioned!  I've always heard more women say they have to take a jacket or shawl, than men saying they can't take the heat in a suit.

[Victoria2]

1 hour ago, shipgeeks said:

We sailed Cunard to the Caribbean several years ago.  There was no mention of anything other than Informal or Formal each evening, apart from a couple of theme nights (Masquerade Ball, Pirate).  No one seemed to mind, and I didn't see jackets being discarded.  After all, The Ship is Air-Conditioned!  I've always heard more women say they have to take a jacket or shawl, than men saying they can't take the heat in a suit.

Repeating a comment I have made many times, unless you happen to be on a ship at the time when the air conditioning is losing a battle with the heat in certain parts of the ship, you will not appreciate how hot it can get.

It happens occasionally. Not often, but it does happen and I have experienced such heat on all three ships. Some guests can't cope, either for medical reasons or maybe let's say, of a different build to my husband, who can cope and never takes his jacket off when dining onboard.

 

A guest upholding the jacket code but with beads of sweat on his face, or the same gentleman more comfortable but with his chair wearing the jacket? I know which guest I'd rather dine with.🙂

[Covepointcruiser]

I am confused, every crossing or cruise we have taken on Cunard since the original QM have had air conditioning everywhere but outside.   Has something changed, is this some EPA, energy saving thing??

[Victoria2]

9 hours ago, Covepointcruiser said:

I am confused, every crossing or cruise we have taken on Cunard since the original QM have had air conditioning everywhere but outside.   Has something changed, is this some EPA, energy saving thing??

Confusion is annoying isn't it. I'm afraid as it obviously hasn't happened on your watch, you'll just  have to accept the fact air-con loses the battle against the elements very occasionally. 

 

May I help clear any remaining confusion by adding the air-con under discussion is most definitely inside, not outside on deck as I don't think the bean counters would countenance the outside decks being air-con misted, which  would be most welcome occasionally when in the Tropics. 🙂

 

 

[tacticalbanjo]

16 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

Repeating a comment I have made many times, unless you happen to be on a ship at the time when the air conditioning is losing a battle with the heat in certain parts of the ship, you will not appreciate how hot it can get.

It happens occasionally. Not often, but it does happen and I have experienced such heat on all three ships. Some guests can't cope, either for medical reasons or maybe let's say, of a different build to my husband, who can cope and never takes his jacket off when dining onboard.

 

A guest upholding the jacket code but with beads of sweat on his face, or the same gentleman more comfortable but with his chair wearing the jacket? I know which guest I'd rather dine with.🙂

 

I've experienced this too. There seems to be pockets in the MDR where the aircon isn't very effective. Probably something to do with the way air flows in the room as thinking about it, we've only had this problem in the corners of the room. And obviously different people run at different temperatures. Men generally run hotter than women, younger people hotter than older people.

 

My husband is in his 30s and fit and is not, as you suggest, fat but I've seen him with sweat running down his face due to the heat in the MDR. ! He takes his jacket off if the heat is totally unbearable so that he doesn't leave a puddle of sweat on the floor and we always bring the temperature up with the maitre'd. We don't like when people don't conform to the dress code so he will leave his jacket on unless absolutely necessary.

[Victoria2]

20 minutes ago, tacticalbanjo said:

 

I've experienced this too. There seems to be pockets in the MDR where the aircon isn't very effective. Probably something to do with the way air flows in the room as thinking about it, we've only had this problem in the corners of the room. And obviously different people run at different temperatures. Men generally run hotter than women, younger people hotter than older people.

 

My husband is in his 30s and fit and is not, as you suggest, fat but I've seen him with sweat running down his face due to the heat in the MDR. ! He takes his jacket off if the heat is totally unbearable so that he doesn't leave a puddle of sweat on the floor and we always bring the temperature up with the maitre'd. We don't like when people don't conform to the dress code so he will leave his jacket on unless absolutely necessary.

Thank you for confirming. Maybe now the whole 'it doesn't happen'  theory can be put to rest.

 

Some people. like my husband, have an inner core which can cope. Others, like yours find it difficult and I put that down to human biology and  without going into Grey's Anatomy [ the textbook, not the television series] I included that in my medical category.  No slur intended whatsoever.

[tacticalbanjo]

7 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

  No slur intended whatsoever.

There was no offence taken 🙂 But it would be easy to dismiss these tales by pretending that it only happened to larger people so I thought it was worth drawing attention to the fact that weight is not always a factor. In fact, fit people often sweat more and sweat sooner than unfit people because the fitter you get, the better your body gets at using sweat to maintain core temperature. Not very convenient or attractive but I'm stuck with the sweaty so and so now!

 

 

[Victoria2]

1 hour ago, tacticalbanjo said:

There was no offence taken 🙂 But it would be easy to dismiss these tales by pretending that it only happened to larger people so I thought it was worth drawing attention to the fact that weight is not always a factor. In fact, fit people often sweat more and sweat sooner than unfit people because the fitter you get, the better your body gets at using sweat to maintain core temperature. Not very convenient or attractive but I'm stuck with the sweaty so and so now!

 

 

Thanks. You are of course, quite right and although that's what I meant when I used 'medical', it was obviously clumsily written but at no time did I want to say 'fat'. Different builds can include the super toned athlete as well as those, such as myself, who are cannot be called sylph like.

 

I did think of saying differing metabolisms but thought that might get jumped on so medical was a catch all. Obviously not 'all' enough!🙂

 

Heat happens. Passengers affected deal with it as best they can. Let's leave it at that.

Edited January 20, 2021 by Victoria2
edited incorrectly

[Victoria2]

6 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

 

Incorrect edit

Edited January 20, 2021 by Victoria2

[Windsurfboy]

As well as being non uniform  among people ,  its not uniform across the room , one part of a room can be "boiling" and another " freezing " .

 

I agree with poster above , one should inform Maitre de (if he's around and not busy)  that it is too hot and you are taking jacket off, but not ask , no one but yourself knows how you feel.

 

I'm of the "feel the cold variety" and often ask to be moved if I'm under an AC vent.  If I  have to take my Jacket off most others will be asking for cold towels.

[Victoria2]

30 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

As well as being non uniform  among people ,  its not uniform across the room , one part of a room can be "boiling" and another " freezing " .

 

I agree with poster above , one should inform Maitre de (if he's around and not busy)  that it is too hot and you are taking jacket off, but not ask , no one but yourself knows how you feel.

 

I'm of the "feel the cold variety" and often ask to be moved if I'm under an AC vent.  If I  have to take my Jacket off most others will be asking for cold towels.

If the area is too hot for the majority of diners in any given area, the Maitre'd [QG here now] is often aware of the problem and has no problem with jacket removal.

 

As to others removing jackets in what most would describe as a pleasant temperature, that is not for me to discuss.

[Windsurfboy]

2 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

 

As to others removing jackets in what most would describe as a pleasant temperature, that is not for me to discuss.

 

My point is that one person's pleasant temperature is another's too cold and another's too hot. What most would describe as pleasant isn't pleasant for all.

 

 

[Victoria2]

1 hour ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

My point is that one person's pleasant temperature is another's too cold and another's too hot. What most would describe as pleasant isn't pleasant for all.

 

 

I am in complete agreement, but there is a huge difference between obvious extreme heat and pleasant temperatures and unless Cunard change their approach and start to allow wholesale  personal interpretations of their dress policy due to individuals requirements,  pleasant temperatures are and will continue to be acceptable to diners, in QG at any rate.

As I said, it's not up for me to comment on anyone who has problems in those circumstances.