Queen Victoria, first time Cunard cruiser with so many questions please?

[exlondoner]

17 minutes ago, seafarer68 said:

I love everyone on here's humour! 👏 

It comes from interfacing with Cunard’s IT. 

[seafarer68]

Where do I find the departure times for each port please?

[exlondoner]

This thread explains.

[seafarer68]

4 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

This thread explains.

Many thanks

[seafarer68]

Morning Everyone,

 

Hope everyone is fine today....

 

Does Cunard supply flannels (face towels) in the bathrooms?

 

Many thanks 

[Victoria2]

2 minutes ago, seafarer68 said:

Morning Everyone,

 

Hope everyone is fine today....

 

Does Cunard supply flannels (face towels) in the bathrooms?

 

Many thanks 

 They are supplied in QG so I presume it's the same for all cabins.

[Pushpit]

And yes they are also in steerage too, all levels. At least 2 per person and your steward will keep them updated twice a day.

[exlondoner]

2 hours ago, Pushpit said:

And yes they are also in steerage too, all levels. At least 2 per person and your steward will keep them updated twice a day.

At least. I often use them to dry my hands, and have struggled to use one twice. It’s most mysterious.

[seafarer68]

Hi again, 

 

So I have booked tge taxi, the spa and our excursions....is there anything else  I need to pre book please?

 

Many thanks

[Purdey16]

Seafarer68 , thank you for asking these questions especially the dining one about a jacket required for smart evenings, but I have also a question about a tie or no tie or just an open shirt with a jacket?  We have our first Cunard cruise next June on QE and love dressing for dinner but I want to be shaw of what I need to pack for my husband as it’s a fly cruise.

[Pushpit]

9 minutes ago, Purdey16 said:

Seafarer68 , thank you for asking these questions especially the dining one about a jacket required for smart evenings, but I have also a question about a tie or no tie or just an open shirt with a jacket?  We have our first Cunard cruise next June on QE and love dressing for dinner but I want to be shaw of what I need to pack for my husband as it’s a fly cruise.

Smart attire evenings don't need a tie, it is not mentioned in Cunard's guidance. They are needed for Gala nights though.

 

Some smart attire outfits work well with a tie, and there will be at least some men wearing them. Other smart attire arrangements just don't work work at all with a tie. Either way it's a purely personal  choice and you can go with whatever works for you.  Generally I would have thought that a nice jacket carries you (or rather your husband) and is quite practical for carrying room key and phone, plus in case you end up in an air-con cold spot.

[seafarer68]

Hi, 

I agree dress code is a minefield... 

 

There is an influencer called Gary Bembridge (Cruise critic, please delete if not allowed) who does brilliant youtube videos on Cruising and has a lot of tips re cruising. He has suggested that for men travelling on Cunard a tie/bow tie is a must on gala/formal nights,  but open neck with sport jackets is acceptable on casual evenings

 

I am packing as a posh frock for each of the gala evenings 

 

 

[Victoria2]

13 minutes ago, Purdey16 said:

Seafarer68 , thank you for asking these questions especially the dining one about a jacket required for smart evenings, but I have also a question about a tie or no tie or just an open shirt with a jacket?  We have our first Cunard cruise next June on QE and love dressing for dinner but I want to be shaw of what I need to pack for my husband as it’s a fly cruise.

My husband always wears a jacket but rarely a tie these days. I does depend on the shirt. For him, a plain white shirt under his jacket, requires a tie.

Other than that, no ties. Most of the chaps will not be tie wearers on non Gala evenings.

[Pushpit]

43 minutes ago, seafarer68 said:

Hi again, 

 

So I have booked tge taxi, the spa and our excursions....is there anything else  I need to pre book please?

 

Possibly wifi - a voygage-long booking is cheaper in advance, but if you just want the odd day then you may find it better value to pay on the days in question.

Possibly drinks package - again available on board but cheaper in advance. I don't think drink packages are a bargain by any means.

Possibly Alternative Dining, though this really is a stretch since it's rare for the venues to be full on a given evening. 

It's good you are asking questions, not least because other people are following along. But thankfully you don't really need to over-think it, it's supposed to be a relaxing experience and you can just go with the flow. The crew will do their best to help and assist where needed.

[Purdey16]

8 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

My husband always wears a jacket but rarely a tie these days. I does depend on the shirt. For him, a plain white shirt under his jacket, requires a tie.

Other than that, no ties. Most of the chaps will not be tie wearers on non Gala evenings.

Thank you I was a bit curious because my husband doesn’t have a separate jacket or sports jacket some call it he just has suits, obviously he’s got the tux and velvet jackets so just wondering if the men wear the trousers with the matching jacket and open neck shirt if you know what I mean or a completely different colour jacket .

[seafarer68]

2 minutes ago, Pushpit said:

Possibly wifi - a voygage-long booking is cheaper in advance, but if you just want the odd day then you may find it better value to pay on the days in question.

Possibly drinks package - again available on board but cheaper in advance. I don't think drink packages are a bargain by any means.

Possibly Alternative Dining, though this really is a stretch since it's rare for the venues to be full on a given evening. 

It's good you are asking questions, not least because other people are following along. But thankfully you don't really need to over-think it, it's supposed to be a relaxing experience and you can just go with the flow. The crew will do their best to help and assist where needed.

Great thank you...looks like I am on track 

 

Wifi- we are Cruising in Europe and our UK provider gives us free roaming in Europe, so we are planning to  'check in' on port days and enjoy the ship and cruising on sea days

 

Drinks package - agree with you, not convinced it is worth it

 

Speciality dining- feels like this should be a wait and see

 

 

[Pushpit]

8 minutes ago, seafarer68 said:

Hi, 

I agree dress code is a minefield... 

 

There is an influencer

Actually, once you have done your first Cunard voyage (since you will surely be back for more) I think it kind of fits into place quite easily. You will see the difference between Gala nights and Smart Attire, and then it's quite easy to roll with it. So it's interesting for me to see all these questions, more or less daily, on the dress code, and yet once you've been through it once it all seems sensible and straightforward.  So yes, great opportunity to roll out some dress combinations for you that perhaps you don't get to use at other times, and for men it's actually dead easy (in my view) to hit the dress code. So don't worry too much about it, and if in doubt, just read the words Cunard puts on their website.

 

As for your YouTube character: now after your 3rd video with him I would stop watching. He's a personable chap and I've seen him onboard, however his shtick is to focus on problems and difficulties, and then how to resolve them. Actually going on a Cunard voyage isn't a heap of problems, and so his videos can serve to unsettle, when really it's not that hard. 

[Victoria2]

1 minute ago, Purdey16 said:

Thank you I was a bit curious because my husband doesn’t have a separate jacket or sports jacket some call it he just has suits, obviously he’s got the tux and velvet jackets so just wondering if the men wear the trousers with the matching jacket and open neck shirt if you know what I mean or a completely different colour jacket .

My husbands jackets go with which ever trouser complements a colour in the jacket.

[Pushpit]

5 minutes ago, Purdey16 said:

Thank you I was a bit curious because my husband doesn’t have a separate jacket or sports jacket some call it he just has suits, obviously he’s got the tux and velvet jackets so just wondering if the men wear the trousers with the matching jacket and open neck shirt if you know what I mean or a completely different colour jacket .

Both sort of thing happens onboard, and are fine. Some people on smart attire will wear a full suit, with tie - not many. Some mix their jackets and trousers - some combinations may be a little odd, but it doesn't matter. Some have a sports jacket and trousers. A velvet jacket and chinos would be ok (easy to pack!). No tie needed. I personally have a nice blue, slightly checked, almost hints of tartan jacket and pair that with any trousers I have (and washed!).  Basically don't look a slob and you're fine.

Edited October 28, 2023 by Pushpit

[seafarer68]

3 minutes ago, Pushpit said:

Actually, once you have done your first Cunard voyage (since you will surely be back for more) I think it kind of fits into place quite easily. You will see the difference between Gala nights and Smart Attire, and then it's quite easy to roll with it. So it's interesting for me to see all these questions, more or less daily, on the dress code, and yet once you've been through it once it all seems sensible and straightforward.  So yes, great opportunity to roll out some dress combinations for you that perhaps you don't get to use at other times, and for men it's actually dead easy (in my view) to hit the dress code. So don't worry too much about it, and if in doubt, just read the words Cunard puts on their website.

 

As for your YouTube character: now after your 3rd video with him I would stop watching. He's a personable chap and I've seen him onboard, however his shtick is to focus on problems and difficulties, and then how to resolve them. Actually going on a Cunard voyage isn't a heap of problems, and so his videos can serve to unsettle, when really it's not that hard. 

He also repeats a lot of things... we are now onto watching ship videos, which of course leads to watching videos  on the other ships in the fleet! We have not yet sailed  and are already thinking of booking other cruise....transatlantic  in June!🤩

[BigMac1953]

Just remember, the Cunard definitions of the dress codes are not the goal, they are the MINIMUM dress standards. It's not a race to the bottom.

[NE John]

4 hours ago, Purdey16 said:

Seafarer68 , thank you for asking these questions especially the dining one about a jacket required for smart evenings, but I have also a question about a tie or no tie or just an open shirt with a jacket?  We have our first Cunard cruise next June on QE and love dressing for dinner but I want to be shaw of what I need to pack for my husband as it’s a fly cruise.

If you, like me, will be on QE in June then certainly have your husband wear a jacket after six: fit the elegant surroundings of the ship and stay warm!! I’ll have a sports jacket/blazer on for Smart Attire nights. 

[WantedOnVoyage]

Good lord.... do ladies and gentlemen really need let alone want an "influencer" on Youtube to tell them how to dress on an ocean liner like ladies and gentlemen?  

 

I guess I was raised in a different age and different ships... even at age 16, travelling alone with friend from high school on ss FRANCE we just knew to wear a jacket and yes... a tie (oh boy!) every single night. So did everyone else.  In Tourist Class.  

 

 

[david63]

18 minutes ago, WantedOnVoyage said:

ss FRANCE

Remember her well - she was the first cruise ship I went on but by then she was the SS Norway. My everlasting memory was trying to get from one place to another without going up and down multiple flights of stairs!

[Victoria2]

23 minutes ago, WantedOnVoyage said:

Good lord.... do ladies and gentlemen really need let alone want an "influencer" on Youtube to tell them how to dress on an ocean liner like ladies and gentlemen?  

 

I guess I was raised in a different age and different ships... even at age 16, travelling alone with friend from high school on ss FRANCE we just knew to wear a jacket and yes... a tie (oh boy!) every single night. So did everyone else.  In Tourist Class.  

 

 

I don't know any influencers, and wouldn't be influenced anyway but you only have to read the questions on this board to realise how so many folk want to make sure they 'do things right', such is the reputation  of Cunard.