Round the World - formal / informal

[oldgit]

Urgent help required on this one. Are all nights at sea on the world cruise formal?

I thought that I had read somewhere that nights at sea alternated between formal and informal but can't remember where.

This is somewhat important as "er indoors" reckons that if all nights at sea are formal she's going to need a load of new posh frocks so as not to repeat outfits too often.

My future financial wellbeing is therefore on the line as we gear up for the 2007 voyage and I'm having trouble keeping control of the plastic.

If the news is bad, please break it gently.

[oldgit]

I neglected to mention that I'm talking QE2 here.

[tumeroll]

I will be very quiet here and try to type small so as to not upset you BUT I was on the NYC to LA segment of this year's world cruise and all sea days were formal and the other days were informal which means suit or blazer and tie for the gentlemen and dresses or very fine pants suits for the ladies. The evening the ship left LA on here way to Hawaii was to be the first elegant casual. So I fear that you are in for some extra attire shopping.

 

However please advise your wife that I being a male and I do look at these things, I noticed that a number of ladies over the course of the 14 days of my cruise wore the same evening dress more than once.

 

I believe that with some cleaver accessories several plain one color long dresses can be made to look like very different ensembles.

 

Good luck. I have penciled the 2007 total world cruise in on my calendar, so maybe I will be able to meet up with both of you and see how you made out.

[patwell]

Ahhhh, to have such a problem! A classy long black dress can change in so many ways with different evening jackets...beaded, silky, colored...then there's the changes a really spiffy evening shawl can make to the same gown. Simple black silk pants, white silk pants worn with a variety of dressy tops....shawls. You'll be amazed at how things can look different with a simple change to the base outfit. Then again, let her go for it...we're talking the world cruise here!!! My poor husband might never get to the trip when he saw the plastic bills!!!Cheers and enjoy! Penny

[bobby1119]

I, too, will be on the QE2 world cruise (her finale). QE2 has always been a dressy ship, if not the dressiest. As a young world cruise passenger, I intend to break the tradtion... at least on deck where shorts and flip flops will suffice! I love dressing for dinner, though.

 

Stay in touch so we can hook up for drinks!

 

Bobby

[oldgit]

I am most grateful to you folk for sharing your experience and expertise.

It is perhaps not the answer that I hoped for but the messenger can't be blamed for that.

Hopefully time will heal the anguish and I can come to terms with my disappointment over the next ten months (which I hope will be long enough for me to practice eating (should that be drinking?) soup without slurping while keeping my elbows off the table).

 

Thanks again

[Rok4u2]

Hello: I just got off the QE2 last Thursday in Sydney after 37 days sailing from NYC. YES, every night at sea (23 of them) were FORMAL. Yes, many ladies wore the same dress two or three times with different additional items. We noticed this but then the men alternated between the Tux and White dinner jackets and different shirts and bow ties. The ship is STILL a grand old lady. I disagree with the above writer who stated that next year will be her LAST world cruise. She will continue to sail until 2010 or as long as we book passage on her. I DID book for the 2007 Silver Jubilee World Cruise from Singapore to NYC. :)

[oldgit]

Encouraged by your responses, "she who must be obeyed" is expending inreasing amounts of time and shoe leather cruising the fashion stores looking for formal wear.

Suitable attire is proving difficult to find. The new season stock seems to have more very dressy pant suits than long evening dresses, some of which are very elegant indeed. I know that most of the advice from all sources indicates long formal gowns are expected on formal nights but in practice, are Very dressy pant suits worn?

The aim is not to avoid dressing up to the nines, but rather to dress appropriately, thereby merging chameleon-like into the background.

[Norfolk Brit]

Assuming you are in the UK, has she tried Debenham's? Have just been shopping there with my daughter, and they have a huge range of reasonably priced long dresses, which may limit somewhat the damage to your plastic.

 

Regards, Mary

[ocngypz]

Encouraged by your responses, "she who must be obeyed" is expending inreasing amounts of time and shoe leather cruising the fashion stores looking for formal wear.

Suitable attire is proving difficult to find. The new season stock seems to have more very dressy pant suits than long evening dresses, some of which are very elegant indeed. I know that most of the advice from all sources indicates long formal gowns are expected on formal nights but in practice, are Very dressy pant suits worn?

The aim is not to avoid dressing up to the nines, but rather to dress appropriately, thereby merging chameleon-like into the background.

 

Dressy pantsuits are fine. We ladies have a bit more leeway in our formal attire. Formal separates work quite well too....mix and match.. this and that.. stretches the wardrobe and lightens the luggage.

[Kindlychap]

I, too, will be on the QE2 world cruise (her finale).

 

Cunard UK told me this week that the brochure for the 2008 World Cruise will be out later this year.

 

They will not stop doing it at 25 cruises if there are people wanting to sail on it.

 

And I just cannot imagine that they will have difficulty selling it.

[bobby1119]

Cunard UK told me this week that the brochure for the 2008 World Cruise will be out later this year.

 

They will not stop doing it at 25 cruises if there are people wanting to sail on it.

 

And I just cannot imagine that they will have difficulty selling it.

Glad to hear that. Like so many others, I, too, feel that Cunard press releases and public information are unreliable sources of information. Do you know what is planned for QE2 at the end of 2007 world cruise? I know she is going on to FLL after NYC. Will there be a southern crossing? Thanks for the kindly news, kindlychap!