Almost everyone considering Cunard wonders what to pack for the evenings. The good news is that the dress code isn’t as complicated as you might think.
There are two evening dress codes on a Cunard Queen: Smart Attire on most nights and Black Tie on Gala Evenings. On cruises of three nights or more, you’ll have at least one Gala Evening.
That doesn’t mean you’ll be walking around in a tuxedo all day. You won’t. And if you turn up to dinner in a smart jacket rather than a dinner suit on a Gala Evening, you’re not going to be thrown off the ship.
But the dress code is there for a reason. If you’re going to dinner, you’re expected to make an effort, which usually means heading back to your cabin to change after a day around the ship.
Smart Attire: What You’ll Wear Most Nights
Smart Attire covers most evenings on Cunard. Think cocktail dress, a dress shirt and trousers, or a smart skirt and top.
Trousers and a nice top work just as well for women. For men, a jacket is optional and Cunard don’t ask for a tie on these nights.
You don’t need to go overboard. The easiest way to think about it is what you’d wear to a nice restaurant or the theatre.
Formalwear isn’t required every night. That doesn’t mean the other evenings are casual, though. Smart Attire is still relatively formal compared with what you’ll find on many other cruise lines, so you’ll want a few smart outfits for the rest of the cruise.
Dressing up for dinner is part of the Cunard experience.
Gala Evenings and Black Tie
You’ll get a printed invitation to your Gala Evening, delivered to your cabin. The dress code is Black Tie, so that’s a tuxedo or dinner suit for men, and an evening gown or cocktail dress for women.
Cunard call Gala Evenings entirely optional. Nobody checks what you’re wearing at the door, and Smart Attire will still get you dinner. Most people do join in, though, which is part of the fun.
The ship changes for it too. Decorations go up during the afternoon, the menus change, there are cocktails for the night, a free drink waits at dinner and the musicians play on later than usual.
The Four Gala Themes
Every Gala Evening has one of four themes, and you’ll know which one before you sail.
- Black and White: eveningwear in full black or white, or patterns that combine both colours
- Red and Gold: anything from a red bow tie and gold accents through to red dinner jackets and red and gold gowns, with participation as big or as small as you like
- Roaring 20s: a hint is all that is required, such as a pocket square in an art deco print or a feathered slide in your hair, though a flapper dress or braces and a trilby will fit right in
- Masquerade Ball: whatever you wear, bring a mask to match, or make your own
You don’t need to go all out. A bow tie in the right colour is enough, as is a pocket square or a mask you picked up on board. It’s meant to be fun, not a test.
During the Day
Daytime is easy. Bring shorts and trousers, T-shirts, a cardigan, a blazer or sweatshirt, swimwear and something for the gym, and you’re covered.
This is most likely to catch you out at breakfast and lunch, when the pool can be tempting but you’re heading into a restaurant. Allow a couple of minutes to change first.
After 6pm, and How to Skip It
Casual is fine all day and into the early evening. From around 6pm the evening dress code applies in the main restaurants, the bars and the entertainment venues, and you’ll want a collared shirt and trousers. Shorts, sportswear and trainers are out.
It’s not a hard cut-off and there’s nobody on the door with a clock, but that’s roughly when the evening dress code starts. Most people follow it without much fuss, and the main restaurants are where it’s taken most seriously.
If you don’t fancy changing one night, you don’t have to. The buffet stays casual all evening, and so does the Golden Lion, the pub on every Cunard ship. The buffet has a different name depending on which Queen you’re on: Kings Court on Queen Mary 2, the Lido on Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth, and Artisans’ Foodhall on Queen Anne.
There’s also room service, and the open decks don’t have a dress code at all. Plenty of people spend a Gala Evening with a plate of food and a quiet spot outside, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
What to Pack
Check My Cunard for how many Gala Evenings you’ve got and which themes they are. One formal outfit will do all the Gala Evenings, however many there are.
For the other nights, pack a few smart outfits rather than another formal one. A jacket, a couple of shirts, a dress that doesn’t crease and shoes you can also wear ashore will cover it. A red bow tie, a mask and an art deco pocket square will handle the Gala themes without taking up much room.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are two: Smart Attire on most evenings, and Black Tie on Gala Evenings. On cruises of three nights or more you’ll have at least one Gala Evening. Daytime is casual.
You’re expected to make an effort in the evenings, but that means Smart Attire, not black tie. Cunard say formalwear isn’t required every night, and they call Gala Evenings entirely optional.
At least one on any cruise of three nights or more. Cunard don’t publish a set number by cruise length, so check My Cunard for your own sailing. It lists the Gala Evenings and their themes before you go.
Four: Black and White, Red and Gold, Roaring 20s and Masquerade Ball. You don’t need to go all out for any of them. A red bow tie or an art deco pocket square is enough, and for the Masquerade you just need a mask.
Cunard describes Smart Attire as what you’d wear to a fine restaurant or the theatre. Their examples include a cocktail dress, a dress shirt with trousers, or a stylish skirt and top.
No. You only need formalwear if you want to dress for the Gala Evening. Gala Evenings are optional, and Smart Attire is fine if you don’t want to wear black tie. One formal outfit will do every Gala Evening on the cruise.
No. Swimwear isn’t allowed in any of the indoor restaurants at any time of day, so allow a couple of minutes to change in your cabin first. It’s the one rule that catches people out during the day.
Eat in the buffet or the Golden Lion pub. Both stay casual all evening, including on Gala Evenings. The buffet is Kings Court on Queen Mary 2, the Lido on Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth, and Artisans Foodhall on Queen Anne. There’s also room service, and the open decks have no dress code at all.
Cunard don’t mention jeans either way in their own guidance. Their Smart Attire examples are a dress shirt with trousers, so jeans aren’t the safe choice for the main restaurants in the evening. The buffet and the Golden Lion stay casual all evening, so they’re fine there.
In the evenings, a cocktail dress, a smart skirt and top, or trousers with a nice top. On Gala Evenings, an evening gown or a cocktail dress. Daytime is casual, so whatever you’d wear for a warm day out, plus a cover-up for moving between the pool and the rest of the ship.
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