optional formal night

[delondin]

Have just got our travel docs through. One night is optional formal, surely this doesn't mean you choose to dress up or not, does it?

[Fifty Dollar Bob]

Have just got our travel docs through. One night is optional formal, surely this doesn't mean you choose to dress up or not, does it?

 

Does this relate to the 15th July?

 

In which case it means exactly what you say.

 

Apparently you may choose between Semi-formal or formal. But you must remember that the Ascot Ball requires morning dress.

 

All nonsense, of course, but equally exactly what has been reported as being the guidance of Cunard.

 

How a passenger is supposed to know that the choice is between semiformal and formal, rather the elegant casual and formal, is a question that I wouldn't presume to answer.

[The Real PM]

Perhaps if you wore ascot attire, which I assume is a fancy hat, then it would require morning dress, or similar to what someone would wear to the Kentucky Derby, here. I would guess it wouldn't be formal, or even informal--or would it?

[Fifty Dollar Bob]

Perhaps if you wore ascot attire, which I assume is a fancy hat, then it would require morning dress, or similar to what someone would wear to the Kentucky Derby, here. I would guess it wouldn't be formal, or even informal--or would it?

 

Please try not to try and work this out. It is beyond you.

 

It's beyond me too.

 

You are making the mistake of trying to approach it logically. You forget that Cunard don't take the same approach.

[Baz-t]

Help! This is 1st time with Cunard and on this 2 day jaunt to Cherbourg and back. In the Princess Grill.

Would be nice to have a formal evening as its a significant birthday for one of our travelling companions, so that would suit us.

But what's this Ascot ball and morning dress. I've only just returned mine to the hire shop after Royal Ascot this week!!

This Cunard lark is a nightmare. I know where I am on Seabourn and Silversea.

[Fifty Dollar Bob]

Help! This is 1st time with Cunard and on this 2 day jaunt to Cherbourg and back. In the Princess Grill.

Would be nice to have a formal evening as its a significant birthday for one of our travelling companions, so that would suit us.

But what's this Ascot ball and morning dress. I've only just returned mine to the hire shop after Royal Ascot this week!!

This Cunard lark is a nightmare. I know where I am on Seabourn and Silversea.

 

Right.

 

Cunard have reportedly said that the choice is between formal and semiformal. The definitions for that are in the brochure, but essentially formal is Black Tie, as you would expect.

 

The morning dress is something that they came out with in an email I saw posted elsewhere. It won't be followed, because almost no-one will have queried it.

 

If you wear Black Tie you will be perfectly attired for the evening. Ignore the lunacy.

 

Cunard is worth the effort. But it is formal. However both Southampton days and Cherbourg are emarkation/disembarkation days and I think this confuses them.

[hansol1966]

The Ascot ball is basically a parade of hats (brought on board or made on the ship) which is judged in the Queens room and the winner gets a bottle of something. No morning dress required or expected (you would be the odd one out), on a transatlantic it is held on a formal night so most people are dressed up anyway. it can be a bit of a hit and miss affair but maybe on the two day cruise it will be well attended.

Im sure if you dress formal on the said night you wont go far wrong and look and feel good to..bon voyage.

Fred & Sian

[Fifty Dollar Bob]

The Ascot ball is basically a parade of hats (brought on board or made on the ship) which is judged in the Queens room and the winner gets a bottle of something. No morning dress required or expected (you would be the odd one out), on a transatlantic it is held on a formal night so most people are dressed up anyway. it can be a bit of a hit and miss affair but maybe on the two day cruise it will be well attended.

Im sure if you dress formal on the said night you wont go far wrong and look and feel good to..bon voyage.

Fred & Sian

 

Fred,

 

Normally I'd accept what you say - which on the face of it makes perfect sense.

 

However Cunard have said specifically that morning dress is required. The trouble is that they have said this in an email.

 

However I would say that your actual advice is correct (which accords with mine) and just go ahead and wear Black Tie.

[Baz-t]

Thanks both for your quick posts.

Black tie it is on the 15th.

Looking forward to the experience of QM2. Everyone is so positive about her.

[The Real PM]

Just out of curiosity, what is morning dress?

[hansol1966]

Formal wear worn at weddings in England, ascot races etc. Usually top hat and tails... For photos just google Ascot races.

Fred & Sian..

[Skin Flint Jim]

Just out of curiosity, what is morning dress?

 

There you go again! Love your humor. "What's morning dress", you kill me.

[The Real PM]

Why? Morning dress to me is housecoat and slippers.

[cruisegal101]

Good one!!! LMAO

Edited: Meant to quote Poodlesmom but was laughing too much and forgot!

[delondin]

Am even more confused. We are on 28 July to Hamburg 4 Day cruise. Ascot is over in June. I thought Cunard had strict dress code how can it be optional. What's the option to formal - casual?

[STEPHEN LARKIN]

PAJAMAS !!!

[koala jan]

Hello - we're on the 4 day mini cruise to Hamburg on 28 July,too, and had also just received booklet specilying optional formal for one evening. We guessed it was because people will be getting on or off the ship on every other day, so this is just an opportunity for those on the mini cruise to go formal if they want, while those leaving next morning in Hamburg wont have to worry. Does this make sense? Probably not! But we'll find out.

[GMWT10A]

Thanks both for your quick posts.

Black tie it is on the 15th.

Looking forward to the experience of QM2. Everyone is so positive about her.

 

 

I'm trying to absorb all of this...formal-semiformal?? Black tie?? Is that the ONLY thing one needs to wear that evening?? Certainly helps with drips on the chest! <oh, forgive me....I couldn't resist)

[NomDePlume]

I'm trying to absorb all of this...formal-semiformal?? Black tie?? Is that the ONLY thing one needs to wear that evening?? Certainly helps with drips on the chest! <oh, forgive me....I couldn't resist)

 

Hello Elaine--when are you sailing on Cunard?

[3rdGenCunarder]

Why? Morning dress to me is housecoat and slippers.

 

Me, too, right up until noon on lazy days.

[BHR]

Interestingly having received the Travel Docs for the Southampton-Hamburg round trip, the Dress Code Summary is now Semi Formal 1 night Elegant Casual 2 nights with no mention of Optional Formal night even though it still exists-the footnote refers to the pre voyage info booklet for for the full dress code schedule, and it's there. So why not refer to it in the summary? Isn't that what summaries are for... All seems a little odd!

 

Out of interest do you think most guys, given the choice of "optional formal", will wear a DJ? A smart dark suit is still technically formal and perhaps more versatile for a 4 nighter, but I imagine the guys doing the TAs on the same trip will have their DJs anyway, so will probably wear them?

 

Great to see some more people are on the Hamburg sailing tho ( I was looking for a wavy smilie but there isn't one)

[BHR]

As i am now in a position to answer my own question...and to help out others faced with the concept of "optional formal" or "optional semi-formal" for that matter...

 

My observations are simply based on what I saw. For context the sailing in question was Southampton to Hamburg return, which was an extension of the transatlantic sailings offered either side of it, so it had a fairly even mix of short-trippers and long-trippers alike.

 

Most male travellers appeared to wear DJ on "optional" formal nights, and shirt and tie on "optional" semi-formal nights. Elegant casual was the base requirement for all nights on this sailing (this is confirmed in the daily programme you get) and everyone who I saw had at least adhered to this requirement.

 

So if it says optional, it is optional, but most travellers would appear to regard the word "option" as an excuse to dress up in their finest, which I quite liked, and indeed had made the decision when packing to do the same.

 

Hope this helps and happy sailings!

 

BHR