"Optional" Gala Night ?

[MrsPeel55]

I'm loving you guys here!!!!!!   thanks!!!! and yes, me too, I did the ripped jeans until ... 20 something years ago!!! @Victoria2 thanks!!!!

[MrsPeel55]

4 hours ago, Pushpit said:

. The bit they don't mention, but which is 101% acceptable, is other forms of formal wear - so those of Scottish or Irish heritage wearing a kilt outfit and derivatives are fine too. So with a bit of imagination there maybe something already suitable in your husband's wardrobe?

OMG that is amazing!!!!!!!!!!! ❤️

[esrs]

Even in QG a dark suit is perfectly fine, on our last few trips I'd say about 20% were NOT in tuxedos.  

[escrick]

Thanks so much for your reassuring words about the dark suit. Of course, in a dinner suit my DH might have stood out anyway.   Just kidding.  Oh, and we will not be on a transatlantic.   Whew!

[techteach]

6 hours ago, escrick said:

I am a tad concerned about your comment.  My husband and I will be on our first Cunard cruise in September.  We will be in a Queen’s Grill suite, but my husband is  determined to wear a rather new dark suit.  He had his fill of Black Tie events before he retired.  I am thinking he will stick out like a sore thumb.  Any comments, please?

He’ll be fine.

[larry_s_taco]

8 hours ago, NE John said:

There’s a big leap from stating that the meaning of theme night optional dressing is the same adhering to the overall after 6pm dress code. You don’t have to dress in 1920’s garb to match that theme but you do have a dress code. 
There are other lines available to be 100% casual; and many pax from those lines seem to give Cunard a try to participate in a more elegant and “dressy” atmosphere that matches the ship. 

I certainly am not a snob but if I’m going to make the effort to dress up for a voyage, I don’t want to sitting next to someone with an AC/DC tour tshirt. 

 

 

Here is what I found on Cunard's website: 

 

[Pushpit]

24 minutes ago, larry_s_taco said:

 

Here is what I found on Cunard's website: 

 

[photos]

 

So to clarify that, the photos show what would be OK on the non Gala nights, leaving for one moment the "Optional Gala" nights on the tag-on services. So chinos and jacket, no tie, would be fine in Britannia, Grills, Commodore and so on from 18:00 hrs. On a Trans-Atlantic crossing, for example, this would be typically 5 of the 7 nights. Before 18:00 then casual clothes such as jeans would be perfectly OK but I don't think jeans would be a good idea after 18:00 in the Britannia, Grills, Commodore etc on these nights.

 

Chinos would not work on a Gala night, and there's no other way of putting that really. These would be the other 2 of the 7 nights. However it would be OK to wear chinos in the Lido or Kings Court, Golden Lion and a few other venues. Smart jeans would be OK for that matter in the Lido / Kings Court. So you won't starve for the want of formal clothing. Golden Lion would normally have quite a few formally dressed patrons though.

[latebloomer56]

I feel better we use to like dressing up for the theater and on Princess. Now we dress smart casual and skip formal evenings. He will wear a dark suit to dinner and we will have other arrangements on formal nights. Me I always look for a reason to buy a few new cocktail dresses for vacation 😉.

[NE John]

The above quote is the guidelines for Smart Casual evenings, not Gala nor Gala theme nights. 
There are usually two Gala/Black Tie/Dark suit evenings per seven day voyage that asks for more formal wear. Within those Gala nights, there are often Themes that passengers may wish to participate: B&W, Roaring 20’s etc. 

 

There’s also an optional Gala night but seems. Never heard of that. 

 

Your original thought that to participate in a Gala and Gala theme night is optional is correct but doesn’t mean that every night is smart casual nor does it mean Cunard is going casual. 

 

Maybe QA will be different?

[naturelovergirl]

16 minutes ago, latebloomer56 said:He will wear a dark suit to dinner and we will have other arrangements on formal nights. Me I always look for a reason to buy a few new cocktail dresses for vacation 😉.

He will be just fine on the Gala nights in his dark suit with tie or bow tie

My husband always wears a dark suit with tie or bow tie on the Gala evenings and looks great

Don’t miss the full Cunard experience

It is wonderful and special

[latebloomer56]

1 hour ago, naturelovergirl said:

He will be just fine on the Gala nights in his dark suit with tie or bow tie

My husband always wears a dark suit with tie or bow tie on the Gala evenings and looks great

Don’t miss the full Cunard experience

It is wonderful and special

Thank you we are finally sailing on QM2 because I can't fly any longer and what better way to get back to US.

[escrick]

What a helpful group of people!  Thanks for all the comments.  Frankly, I would love to see my husband in his dinner suit, but I also want a happy camper with me.   Ah, well . . .

 

[bravojulietcharlie]

Just to confirm… ‘Gala Evening - Optional’ means truly optional, and not ‘you can wear smart attired but won’t be allowed in MDR etc?’
 

We will be joining in Hamburg for the same two night leg to Southampton and I told my Dad not to bring a suit  - now I’m a little worried. The Cunard website is very unclear on this…

[Pushpit]

18 minutes ago, bravojulietcharlie said:

Just to confirm… ‘Gala Evening - Optional’ means truly optional, and not ‘you can wear smart attired but won’t be allowed in MDR etc?’

On the short legs, the dress code is a bit more relaxed on the sea day Gala night- so this is not the night you leave Hamburg, so no problem with that one. This is for the second night at the end of the full day of sailing down the Netherlands and Belgium. Your Dad may want to take a suit, even if he doesn't in the end wear it - it just gives him more options according to how he feels. Some people will be in the Britannia (in particular) with something that is nearer the chinos and jacket above on Gala night, many/most will be in suits or tuxedo. Some cunning can be involved, so a more relaxed jacket but a really elegant bow tie, to give an example.

 

This is what it will say in the daily programme for that night (the references here are for QV, it will slightly change for the other vessels for the different venues):

"From 6.00 pm. we encourage to join in the sense of occasion with evening-wear of dinner jacket, tuxedo, or dark suit, with a regular tie or bow tie; or floor length dress, ball gown, cocktail dress, smart trouser suit, or formal separates. Guests are welcome to embellish their Gala Evening attire to the fit the applicable theme of the evening.

 

"Of course if you prefer to spend tonight in more relaxed attire, a selection of casual dining and entertainment venues are available for your enjoyment.

 

"Feel free to dress casually as you visit any of the following venues: the Lido Restaurant, Golden Lion, Casino, Winter Gardens, and Yacht Club. Please note that non-ripped jeans are appropriate, but please refrain from wearing shorts, sports attire, swim wear, or sleeveless t-shirts outside of the gym, spa and deck spaces".

--

I'd add on my previous point that formal national dress such as kilts would be fine (I suspect we can draw the line against lederhosen mind!), formal religious clothing, armed forces mess dress and the like. 

 

Now I have seen people turned away from the Princess Grill, pre-Pandemic, for turning up in smart jeans on Gala night on a Crossing, but I just feel that is unlikely to happen in Britannia on a Gala night for Hamburg to Southampton, and I really don't think it would happen with chinos and jacket. On a longer cruise the standard would be higher. That guy turned away was unfortunate - the airline delayed his luggage and so it missed departure - it that case the restaurant manager gave him the Grills menu and said "choose whatever you want and I will get it sent to you via room service". 

[Victoria2]

This is an optional Gala night [never come across that term before]

 

There will be many passengers dressed to the nines and we would be amongst them. However, the key word is the adjective, optional.

Optional in my book means available but up to each individual to choose and I would interpret that as meaning smart casual [hate that term] will be acceptable.

I'm open to be corrected. 🙂

[D&N]

Our opinion is that every night is an optional Gala Night because the dress code is a minimum.

 

In the case in question; On the first night leaving Hamburg, Cunard wouldn't schedule a Gala Night because it is the first night and there is a possibility that some passengers might not receive their luggage in time to dress for the evening. The second night is a sea day, but unless you artificially drag out the length of the cruise the ship will arrive at Southampton the following morning and some passengers will have packed and left their luggage for collection. Theoretically any formal wear they possess could be in that packed luggage. Therefore it is advertised as optional because Cunard can't enforce that you dress formally and ask you to pack that formal wear early in the evening.

 

For us it wouldn't be a problem because for such a short trip we would be travelling on hand luggage only and our formal wear would be in that. But then again for such a short trip we would be on DFDS, P&O North Sea Ferries or Stena Line!

[2Oldpeopleinlove]

Reading these threads always makes me think the same thing: if men knew how fabulous they look in a tuxedo (AKA dinner jacket, etc), they’d all be wearing one at every opportunity! 
 

Of course, I speak only for my own taste. You’ll all  be lovely in whatever iteration of more formal dress you choose.

[Rothko1]

46 minutes ago, 2Oldpeopleinlove said:

Reading these threads always makes me think the same thing: if men knew how fabulous they look in a tuxedo (AKA dinner jacket, etc), they’d all be wearing one at every opportunity! 
 

Of course, I speak only for my own taste. You’ll all  be lovely in whatever iteration of more formal dress you choose.

 

Very true.  There's a reason they always put James Bond in a tux (except for one movie - can anyone name it?).

 

 

[NE John]

My first Cunard voyage was in 2008 (Gold WC but I am very much a rookie Cunarder  compared to many here) and the dress code certainly has changed to less formal since the voyages I’ve been on. 
 

So my reading is that every night is Smart Casual except for “elevated” Gala Nights often with held with themes within those Gala Nights.  Those themes are certainly optional to partake. Your attire on Gala Nights determines where you can eat and hang out. 
 

As for “Optional” Gala nights, they seem so infrequently offered on very short jaunts that it’s not worth worrying about. 
 

With that said, Cunard is still more formal than most lines and I believe we should dress to reflect the elegance of our ships and dress to respect those who fully embrace the traditions of Cunard. 

[Victoria2]

The word at the root of some queries on this thread is 'optional'.

To answer, again, optional means a choice is there and it's up to individuals to make a decision so #38 bravojulietcharlie, no-one can/should be turned away from any venue if not dressed in the Gala choice.

[Mr and Mrs A]

9 hours ago, Rothko1 said:

 

Very true.  There's a reason they always put James Bond in a tux (except for one movie - can anyone name it?).

 

 

 

You Only Live Twice.  Though Sean Connery does wear a black suit and tie - which would be perfectly acceptable for any Gala Night.

[ballroom-cruisers]

It seems that the issue of how smart is smart attire, or how formal is a Gala night is a discussion that will likely still be ongoing a century from now!  However, no matter what is posted about being able to wear whatever you like because nobody will tell you otherwise, it remains the case, certainly on all the Cunard voyages that we have done, that the vast majority of people will wear smarter smart attire than the minimum requirements on the Cunard notices, in those parts of the ship where the dress code applies - such as the dining rooms, the Queens Room or the Commodore Club.  A couple of weeks ago on QV very few men were not wearing jackets at dinner, or in the Queens Room, including on Smart Attire evenings, and late evening in the Commodore Club the same was very apparent. Lots of ladies were looking proud and lovely in elegant evening outfits. It is possible that on some voyages that I have not been on that may not be the case, and perhaps others might comment on whether any voyages have seen a significant rise in people dressing more casually. Also on our last voyage on Gala nights I didn't see a single person not dressed in special evening wear, with mostly bow ties and jackets with quite a lot of tuxes for the men, and almost all the ladies wearing evening dresses, with a lot of sparkly ones too, with some wearing pretty sparkly tops with smart separates, and many with elegant shoes, and nice jewellery.  

So of course it is possible for anyone to wear the minimum that applies for the wording of the dress code, but it is pretty apparent that most people actually want to enjoy being part of the special elegance of the evenings, which has long been a Cunard tradition, whether the few Gala evenings or the other normal evenings on a voyage.

I would not be surprised if people will continue to make evenings special on Cunard cruises, irrespective of any published dress code purely because it has become a tradition that people who enjoy Cunard voyages have come to love because it is so very different to the traditions on most other lines.

[Host Hattie]

6 hours ago, NE John said:

So my reading is that every night is Smart Casual

Just to clarify  Cunard don't use the word casual. Their description is "Smart attire simply means a dress shirt and trousers, skirt and a top, or a cocktail dress. Essentially, choose something along the same vein as you’d wear to a stylish restaurant or the theatre on a special occasion."

[Victoria2]

ballroom-cruisers You are quite right. The topic takes prime debate spot with another issue folk have strong views on but  'we' are here to help and answer queries, and if a specific simple answer is available, then that it's up to us to give that answer.

 

If we wish to embellish with our own opinions fine, but not without giving the correct answer if there is one and in this case, whatever the majority of us wish to see, there is a simple answer to 'optional Gala' and that is, it's optional and up to individuals to follow, or not, just as Gala themes are up to anyone to follow, or not.

[bluemarble]

This wording from the daily programme may help inform the discussion of "optional" gala evenings. This is for the "Gala Evening - Optional" scheduled on our recent sea day between Southampton and Hamburg. This is the only wording that differs from what is stated on regular gala evenings. I found it interesting that the word "optional" does not actually appear anywhere in the daily programme's discussion of the evening's dress code.

 

"(Smart Attire is acceptable for guests who are finally disembarking tomorrow if preferred)"

Edited May 14, 2023 by bluemarble