Transatlantic Outdoors - What to Wear

[Paul NH]

Hi all. I just signed up for this discussion board. It has a lot of good information and looks like a bunch of nice people on it too.

 

My wife and I just put our deposit down on a June 2005 sailing on the Queen Mary 2. This will be our first transatlantic cruise and I'm really looking forward to it! Does anyone know what we can expect for weather on deck in June? Is it light windbreaker weather, heavy sweather, or does the Atlantic demand a coat even in June?

 

Has anyone rented a tux from Cunard? How are the rental rates and how was the tux?

 

Paul

[seacruise9]

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

 

I have done three transatlantic crossings on the QE2 in May or June (in 1984, 2001, and 2003). The weather on the North Atlantic is unpredictable. During a single crossing, the weather may be very pleasant on some days and unpleasant on other days. On my crossings, the majority of the days were windbreaker weather. Cunard always schedules many indoor activities on crossings and people generally spend less time on deck compared to a Caribbean cruise. The crossings are wonderful because passengers have many uninterrupted days to enjoy the ship.

 

Because I have my own tuxedo, I am not familiar with Cunard's tuxedo service.

 

I did an 8-day Caribbean cruise on the QM2 in May and was very impressed with the ship. It is an incredible ship and has beautiful public rooms. I recommend trying the Todd English restaurant. I am certain that you will greatly enjoy your trip.

[jbailey]

My experience in late May was more like light jacket with a hood and a sweater or sweatshirt underneath on a couple of days! And this was daytime. Temps were mostly in the 60's. Remember that this is a fast ship and even at 24 knots, this equals a 30 MPH wind outside. On the late May crossing we got a late start and managed 29-30 knots the whole way, or a 35 MPH wind.

 

If you are lucky, you will need a windbreaker, but I would make sure I had one with a hood and something to layer underneath.

 

There are protected areas out of the wind and these become very popular during cold weather.

[transat_jon]

Hi Paul

 

Welcome to the boards.

 

Cunard can be quite expensive for tux higher. Better to rent from a formal dress shop in your own town. The other idea is to buy. You can get a tux for under £100 or $180 and a wing shirt for £20. You'll already have black shoes.

 

By the time you've your tux twice, it will have saved on renting.

 

Slater's manswear (and even NEXT) in the UK do formal wear at decent prices. In NY there are a number of shops that do good deals.

[stephen@stoneyard.co.uk]

I have crossed twice at the end of May or beginning of June. The first time the weather was hot and sunny nearly every day. Shorts and T-shirt were all you needed to wear on deck. In fact I had to be careful not to get sunburn. The second time the weather was cold, wet, foggy and windy. The captain reported maximum air temperature of 4 Celsius for one day and wind speeds on deck in excess of 40 miles per hour. You needed warm clothes and waterproofs to go on deck and even then it was not pleasant for any long period.

 

In terms of packing I would be prepared for all weathers. For flexibility I would personally wear many thin layers finished off with a lightweight water/windproof jacket rather than a heavy coat. There is a laundry service (charged) and self service laundries (free including washing powder) so you can always get things washed if you run out of clothes for a particular type of weather. Cunard logo T-Shirts, sweatshirts, fleeces and water/wind resistant jackets are also sold onboard.

 

Despite the bad weather crossing the Atlantic on a Cunard liner is a wonderful and unique experience. QM2 is so spacious that even when everybody is indoors you rarely (if ever) feel crowded. I often wondered were everybody else had gone. The activity and superb lecture program means there is so much to do.

 

Good weather on an Atlantic crossing is great but you might feel slightly cheated. The full Atlantic crossing experience should come with some rain, fog and waves.

 

Best wishes, Stephen.

[Transatlantic Tom]

Paul:

 

You're in for a real treat sailing transatlantic aboard a Cunard liner! It is a wonderful experince being at sea, crossing the Atlantic. Among many other things it's about the ship, the sea, the being away from land/cities/ports.

 

I've crossed the Atlantic three times aboard QE2: Twice in August, and once in April. The first August crossing was fairly mild (but not really warm), and the second one was mostly overcast and cool (not cold). My crossing last April was distinctly cool and overcast almost the entire trip with two days of very rough weather (Which was actually quite fun and exciting....QE2 and QM2 were built for that kind of weather and handle it well), and fog/mist the last day out. I think it's safe to say that you should plan on bringing clothes for cool breezy weather (for up on deck).

 

I have actually rented a tuxedo aboard QE2. For example this past April, sailing westbound aboard QE2, I rented one for ONE NIGHT ONLY with a rental fee of $85 US! It was a nice tuxedo and I was quite pleased with it (as I have been previously). I don't know about QM2, but the tradition aboard QE2 in recent years has been for 4 formal nights...and quite honestly dressing up is part of the fun of the voyage ! Where else does one even have the chance to put on formal wear anymore ? My wife and I are going on the QE2's December 15-21 crossing from Southampton to New York, and I wll definitely be buying a tuxedo beforehand for myself. It will pay for itself just on this one trip alone !! My wife and I are dedicated Cunard passengers and for me "enough is enough", I can't keep renting !!

 

All the best!!

 

Tom:)

[Paul NH]

Thanks all for the great feedback on the weather and tux rentals. I am leaning toward buying a tux and it certainly seems like the right thing value-wise. While reading the responses, I followed the link for Transat Jon's vacation pictures and enjoyed his QM2 photos and short videos very much.

 

One of the videos was of an indoor stateroom. We will be sharing our indoor cabin with our two kids. It sure looks "cozy" for four people. No doubt it will encourage us to get out and make the most of the ship.

 

I have not been on a voyage since I was a teenager on the S.S. Oceanic, which used to sail out of New York to Nassau (Bahamas). Two full days at sea going down, two days in Nassau, and two solid days returning, making four full days at sea out of the week. I woke our first day out with the closet and bathroom doors in our cabin swinging back and forth. It definitely adds to the adventure when the seas pick up, but I hope this upcoming voyage is a calm one all the same.

 

Paul