Cruise ship help!

[SarahManning]

I'm going on a weeks cruise soon. I have no idea what to wear and the dress code is scaring me (no denim after 6pm etc). There are a couple of 'formal' nights and some 'informal' nights (which still sound pretty bloody formal to me!)

I'm early 30s, nowhere near as posh as I imagine the other passengers to be so I need to look the part! Can anyone help?! I've got some dune high heeled black courts that are comfortable and go with most things so I'm looking for dresses that would go with them for evening wear. For day wear - I have no idea! I'm a t-shirt and jeans girl usually.

Figure - 5ft 3, 10/12, pear shape, wobbly belly, slightly chubby arms.

Would greatly appreciate any help!

Agree with G girl
I go on holiday to NOT have to do all that crap I do everyday

I barely wash my hair tbh

Ah, see it's because we don't do that sort of stuff everyday - we don't get to go out often due to work / lifestyle stuff - that we enjoy the formal evenings & dressing up.

Horses for courses, I suppose.

I'd take one long, easily packed gown and one pair of heels. Other nights you'll be fine in simple dresses or trousers/skirtand a top ie smart casual. During the day, shorts, coverup with swimsuit etc on ship are absolutely fine. It's really not a big deal and most people on holiday like to dress up for a one nice dinner out, so this is hardly any different. You don't need a massive ball gown or tonnes of diamonds. Formal nights start from 6pm onwards so it's only a few hours, and they are optional if you want to participate.

If you have a male companion, get him to take a black jacket and a tie and he'll be set. No need for black tie unless you really want to go all out.

If you don't want to take any formal clothes, then just eat at the buffet (or get room service) on the formal night. You can wear your casual clothes as usual that night.

It's a very relaxing way to travel and nothing is forced upon you. You'll have a great time! I started cruising with my parents and have been on at least 30, though nowadays we tend to fly instead.

Oh, I could not be arsed with that. Royal Caribbean is the business. Dining in stateroom is optional. My folks have been on tons of RC cruises but only to very warm places where you live in tshirts, shorts or flowing dresses and sandals.

No way I would be in trousers or shoes that aren't sandals just because it's after 6. What if it's still roasting out and you want to cool down a bit? Or you are in the pool. We dined in the stateroom for a bit of fun. Some cruise lines are inclusive of alcohol now.

Would never use Cunard.

The word "gown " makes me all itchy

Yes some cruise lines do have drinks packages, but Cunard who OP is going with only have soft drinks packages.
Not everyone realises that you can BYO for consumption in your stateroom only. We've saved £££s taking a couple of bottles of spirits and mini tins of mixers to have a pre/post prandial.

P&O allow drinks in your stateroom too. We'll be taking a vair naice gin for pre-dinner sharpener & Jack Daniel's for nightcap. Ice buckets are easily available & we'll take some mini mixers like Lady.

We've ordered a wine package (6 bottles) to have with dinner. Other drinks will be in the bar, but we've seen the prices & know what to budget. To be honest they're no dearer than city centre prices.

i wouldn't want to be stuck in my room or the canteen just cos I wasn't dressed up enough .

male companion ....sounds kinky

Too right, ggirl. There is so much to do, we only stay in our room to shower, dress, sleep. What if you wanted to use the gym after 6, have to get dressed then change at the gym. Fuck that.

My folks just got back from another one, they go on a RC one for their wedding anniversary every year. Am so jealous.

Wow, thanks for the tips everyone! Especially the alcohol one. I'm not complaining about having to get dressed up- I did know that this is what happens on a cruise! It may not be my kind of thing at all but I would like to try it at least once in my life. If nothing else we will have a good giggle about the over-formal ness of it all. I'm just concerned that I didn't own anything quite dressy enough- however if wedding smart is good enough then I think I will be ok. I have a lovely knee length Karen Millen dress that may work for the formal night.

Oh and talking of 'male companions' Cunard still have gentlemen hosts (average age 70+) to act as dance partners for ladies travelling alone, so they can enjoy a bit of a foxtrot on the lovely ballroom floor. Also they have a proper orchestra in the ballroom. It's old fashioned but I like that.
Your Karen Millen dress will fit the bill perfectly OP.

Stateroom

gown

LOLZ

Teal, it may not be your thing, but maybe it is the OP's.
No need to denegrate is there!

True. Some people would rather stick pins in their eyes than go on a cruise. To me, it's the best holiday, just not a line the requires dressing up too much.

I love watching the male hosts swooping and l love watching my mother's look of horror if she sees one approaching!

I am the worst sailor in the world and have to take serious medication to get on a ship but for me it's the best holiday ever too. I'd rather stick pins in my eyes than lie on a beach for a fortnight or go to Disney but I don't hang round threads to take the piss.

And I'm fat and look hideous in everything so am not that fond of the dressing up but I adore the Cunard ships, particularly the QM2 so it's the price I pay.

I used to think a cruise would be my idea of hell on earth. I couldn't have been more wrong.

It's definitely something you can't guess at even if you think you know what to expect. A friend went on her one and only cruise at Easter. She hates flying and a med cruise sounded ideal. She hated every second of it. Yet DH, who hates being cooped up and likes the open countryside and long walks, absolutely loves it and prefers transatlantic when you're on the ship for 7 days straight.

Lots of haterz who have never set foot on a ship. There's a cruise line to suit most people. Read this week that Virgin have commissioned three ships from the same shipbuilders who built the three Queens.
Don't be down on yourself Shelagh, larger ladies can get dolled up too!

Me, too, WhoKnows. I thought, no fucking way! Norovirus, ship fire, Costa Concordia. My parents love cruising, and, as they live an hour from a major port and are retired, can take advantage of last minute deals so have cruised a lot, even some where they had to leave the very next morning. My mother has even gone with friends last minute and/or her retired sister. They are members of the Silver Castaways club.

So last year, they wanted us all to go on a cruise as a family for their 50th wedding anniversary.

I was like, Shit! WTF, this is going to suck.

They had to prise my fingers off the railings to get me off at the end of the week! I was practically in tears that we had to get off. It was awesome.

'Stateroom

gown

LOLZ'

It can be fun, you know. I'm the biggest slob going and we all thought it was great fun. We hired a kilt for DS who is Scottish and he was a big hit. It's just dressing up for a couple of nights and we have some lovely memories and photos and vid clips (young adult nieces).

And yes, being a larger lady doesn't mean you are not just as lovely in finery. Enjoy it! Get into the spirit of the cruise and you will thoroughly enjoy it. The service is incredible, I am sure Cunard provides exemplary service. I don't know if they operate tipping culture, we are Latin Americans and tipped accordingly on top of service charges but do explore for a Latin American cruise, as Cunard may forbid it. I brought an extra $100 for our room attendant and, as you are assigned a designated table and two wait staff in the dining room for a party of our size (9), my parents made sure to bring extra USD for them ($100 standard, but ours got $300 for one week of dinners. The service was incredible).

Do leave feedback after your journey. We made sure to get online and thank the staff by name. My mother does this after every cruise and my sister and I did the same.

Cunard add a daily charge to your onboard account for service, about $11 pppd, and 15% added to drinks for bar staff. We also give an extra tip to our steward and table waiting staff.
Staff are away from their homes and families for months on end, paid peanuts, so rely on tips to make a decent living. It's not an ideal situation, but that's reality.