The Black and White Gala | Queen Mary 2

Welcome to Day 2 of our journey across the Atlantic aboard the Queen Mary 2! Our day was packed full of massages and eating, and ended with the beautiful Black and White Gala. It was a great chance to dress to the nines and hit the dance floor in style. Or at least watch the dance floor in style!
Vlog 138 | Filmed 9 May 2022
#QueenMary2 #QM2 #BlackAndWhiteGala #Travel
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Thanks to Tyler Brown Williams and Musicbed for the awesome intro music in this video!
Other music in this vlog:
Far Away Places by Andrew & Jared DePolo
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Together for 10 years and then married in March 2020, we've had some amazing adventures in the past: a month-long journey from England back to the States, 4 weeks in Ireland, 6 weeks in Scotland, and then another 2 weeks in Ireland. We're in the process of documenting all of those trips, day by day, on our blog. After the joy of sharing those trips with friends and family, we've decided to take you along for all of our future trips! Here's to more #travel​​​​​​​​​​​​​ in the years to come!
Cheers,
Lydia and Billy

[@bethanypheneger5796]

I remember you showing us this dress when you were trying to make up your mind. You definitely chose the right one and whatever you paid for it, it was worth it! Your husband's not too shabby either!

[@AFoggyPath]

Thank you!!! I absolutely LOVE it, and hopefully I can find other places to wear it! Maybe we'll just have to go on another crossing... And Billy says thanks!

[@Diana-007]

Wow what a beautiful dress you look like a Hollywood starlet, gorgeous and your hubby scrubs up well too! I was surprised that the ship was moving so much, I thought the liner would be more steady! Glad you had a lovely time, you are such a great couple and thank you for the great video.

[@AFoggyPath]

Thank you!!! I definitely felt like a Hollywood starlet, too. 🥰 Normally, the ship is much calmer but we had huge swells for a day or two. Once it calmed down, you couldn't really feel much movement at all. Thank you so much for watching!

[@HayleyTief]

Always a nice excuse to get dressed up! Y'all look stunning.

[@AFoggyPath]

Thank you!! 🥰

[@philosophynerdlady]

Thanks for the video! I just found y’all while researching the Queen Mary 2 crossing and you’re so fun!

[@AFoggyPath]

Aww thank you so much!

[@michaelschafer5493]

Thanks for sharing. We were on the Queen Mary in October and you vlogs help us relive our adventure. It was a great trip.

[@AFoggyPath]

We love hearing that!!

[@TheJohnebey]

I stumbled across your videos while looking at a transatlantic crossing perhaps next year. Typical bucket list. Thank you for the lovely video.

[@AFoggyPath]

Thanks for watching!! There are a few others on our channel from our crossing. It was such a fun trip! We hope you go!

[@suecox2308]

OMG--you both look spectacular! (That's a heck of a dress.)

[@AFoggyPath]

Thank you!! 🥰

[@user-pg7iq8zd5u]

You both looked SO spiffy.....and you looked like you were both Hollywood bound....so stylish!!

[@AFoggyPath]

Thank you!! 🥰🥰🥰

[@LauraIngallsGunn]

Love the hair blowing in the wind shots! :)

[@AFoggyPath]

One of my favorites 😂

[@margarethirsch5123]

You two are adorable!! I will be sailing a transatlantic in July- solo. I also have purchased fancy clothing and now I’m not so stressed about it as I don’t plan to spend the entire evening at “the ball” !!

[@AFoggyPath]

Aww thank you!! 🥰 You'll have a spectacular time! And definitely check out the night club area. It's a party in there!

[@GlobalAdventurer]

Thanks for the video. I plan to do the rountrip voyage from NYC and back. I've decided after watching this video that I won't be going to the Gala at all. I generally eat at the buffets on cruise ships. So, I'll be eating lunch and dinner there and room service for breakfast. And will probably check out that dance club you guys mentioned. I'm mainly going on this cruise for the experience and relaxation..

[@AFoggyPath]

The club was loads of fun!!! Way more relaxed there. We hope you have a great trip! If you're looking to relax, you'll be on the perfect ship for it. We have a few more videos up from our crossing if you're looking for more info, and if you have any questions, let us know and we'll do our best to help!

[@michaelwhalen2469]

So Much Fun !! You had such a wonderful vacation and voyage!! Wow ! The Black Evening Gown was over the moon . Such a elegant classy look ! Like a page out of a 1940’s Golden Age of Hollywood Movie ! Billy looked like he stepped off the cover of GQ magazine ! Very handsome and debonair. Billy you looked a like a slightly unshaven Cary Grant !! Ha Ha ! The highlight of course was the silliness out on the sheltered balcony. Such a hoot !! Did you edit out the part where you leaned out in the wind , raised your arms out to your sides and said “ JACK , I’M Flying “ ?!?! 😉 Thank You Both for the fantastic, informative and entertaining videos!!!

[@AFoggyPath]

Ahhhhhh thank you!!! We're so glad you enjoyed the video and our silly outtakes 😂 I wish we could have done a Titanic shot lol!!! And Billy says he's glad to have a fan and is now searching Cary Grant (shame on him for not knowing!!) I agree. Quite handsome 🥰

[@katesmyth4839]

You look absolutely amazing in that dress. It is just perfect on you.

[@AFoggyPath]

Thank you so much! 🥰

[@angelametcalfe953]

Hi guys, I have just discovered you and am thoroughly enjoying your vlogs. My husband and I are doing NYC to London next May. You both look gorgeous and thanks for the G32 update. not too many vloggers do and i think that we will spend a bit of time there.

[@AFoggyPath]

Aaahhhh thanks!!! 🥰 We hope you have an AMAZING trip and that you have some rockin evenings in the G32. It's definitely where the party is!

[@angelametcalfe953]

@@AFoggyPath thank you

[@Kathy234Jane]

Your dress is gorgeous!

[@AFoggyPath]

Thank you so much!! 🥰

[@jeffbergstrom]

Nailed it. Would fit right in to "The Great Gatsby" (Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan leap to mind).

[@AFoggyPath]

Oh, thank you so much! We certainly felt fancy. 🥰

[@smcdaniel99]

I've been researching everything I can on QM2 and found A Foggy Path. Love your shows. And that gown was awesome. You looked like a movie starlette from years gone by. I am curious about the temperature inside the dining rooms, library, theaters, etc. We're going in Dec so I know we won't be outside every much. I'm cold natured but don't want to be over dressed and uncomfortable either. Planning to take pull over sweaters. Galas will be evening dresses but have wraps to go with them. We'll also be driving into Staten Island a couple of days prior to the cruise so that we can see the highlights of NYC. We can park free at our motel while we're on the cruise so that's a really big plus. Planning to take the free Staten Island ferry into Manhattan and ride the hop on hop off Big Red Bus. We're not fond of big cities so this will be a stretch for us. Any additional advice would be appreciated.

[@AFoggyPath]

Thank you so much, we're glad you're enjoying the videos!! And I felt like a million bucks in that dress! 😍 Temperatures inside were not as cold as I anticipated. I usually wore a light sweater because I get cold easily, but I was fine on the gala night when I wore the fancy dress with no coat/wrap/jacket. I think pull over sweaters would be more than enough to stay comfy inside. You'll definitely want your winter clothes for NYC though! Expect cold! New York is definitely the definition of big, bustling city, so mentally prepare for that. It's loud, it's busy, and it's fast-paced. If you go in with the mindset of embracing it for everything it is, I think you'll have a great time! If you can catch a Broadway show, they are definitely worth it. Ellis Island was incredible to visit, and if you are interested in history, there is so much to explore. We've seen a lot of the Titanic memorials (when we were there in 2012) and many of those were beautiful. Loads of museums to see, too. If you want a break from the bustle, Central Park is gorgeous. We hope this helps and we wish you a very lovely holiday!

[@smcdaniel99]

@@AFoggyPath Thank you so much for the good info and prompt response. Keep traveling

[@sharonjessen814]

ps, we got such a giggle about the sway of the ship not being showed in the camera 😆

[@AFoggyPath]

We tried so hard to find ways to show it better 🤣

[@michelletieleman7134]

We’ve just stumbled across your videos and are loving them! My husband and I are going on QM2 from Fremantle to Sydney in February. It’s our summer so hopefully there won’t be rough seas. I’m wondering how you dealt with seasickness and how long you felt unwell for? Also, were there many other people your age on board and did you make friends?

[@AFoggyPath]

We're so glad you're enjoying the videos!! For the seasickness, Billy got meds for me from the desk in the main lobby. I took one and it absolutely knocked me out, but I felt so much better afterward. I was only out of commission for that one day. Unfortunately, we didn't make any new friends 😭 we had a nice conversation with a couple we sat near at dinner one evening, and I had a great chat with a woman in the library when we both saw a whale, but that was it. There were very few people our age. Probably less than 20 that we came across. We hope you have a great trip! We had a wonderful time and loved being able to simply relax and enjoy. 💗

[@michelletieleman7134]

Thanks for the reply! I’m just watching your video of you enjoying the chocolates at Sir Samuels. Love that you saw a whale!! Also, you mention that you did some writing on board - what are you writing? I’m curious as I write novels but haven’t published anything yet. We will probably be younger than most people on board but that’s no problem- we are going with my in laws for my FIL’s 70th. I can’t wait to dress up!

[@AFoggyPath]

If you love chocolate, watch out or you'll spend all of your money in Sir Samuel's! It was DELICIOUS! I'm working on a novel as well! It's the first thing I've ever written and has taken me ages to finish a first draft, but I'm finally into the first round of edits. It's been such a journey! What sort of novels do you write? Even if you're the youngest there, you'll have a blast. The dressing up is so much fun!!

[@michelletieleman7134]

Yay for writing! I write women’s fiction and have finished one draft manuscript but am editing all the time. It’s so hard to know when to stop. I’m also planning another novel out and hopefully I can be really thorough so the editing process may not be as long! I’m always learning more about novel writing so it’s hard to know when the manuscript is ready. What do you write?

[@AFoggyPath]

I totally agree about knowing when it's finished. It's so hard to put the pen down! I'm writing WWII historical fiction at the moment. If you ever want to chat more about books, I have an Instagram account that's just book stuff lol! I'm fairy.tales.and.tea 🥰

[@jeremyanderson2453]

Awe, y’all so fancy.

[@AFoggyPath]

🥰 We certainly felt that way!

[@DenaInWyo]

OMGosh, you guys didn't eat in the dining room? That's kind of a big part of Gala night. I kind of feel like you guys didn't realize you do have a set table there and you don't have to sign up or make reservations. Your dress is incredible!

[@AFoggyPath]

We intended to but time got away from us and I wasn't dressed yet 😂 and no, we definitely didn't know about having a table. We thought we had to make reservations every night! Thanks about the dress 🥰 I felt so fancy!!!

[@DenaInWyo]

@@AFoggyPath Yep! You generally choose either the early or late seating and just show up at the appointed time. Oh well, next time! I'm doing a transatlantic crossing next year and crazy excited. I haven't been on QM2 before but know about that from it being similar to other lines in that regard and also reading the website. So hopefully I'm not wrong too lol

[@AFoggyPath]

That does sound familiar!! I think we were the late seating, if I sit and think about it. 🤔 We hope you have a GREAT crossing!! The QM2 is a phenomenal ship and we hope to be lucky enough to cross again some day!

[@sharonjessen814]

We loved your vlog about the QM2, thanks for posting it, I love, love your black dress and the necklace is perfect for it! Hubby scrubbed pretty well too, tux is superb!!! May I ask did you notice if any men did not wear dress shoes at all in the evenings? Did any men wear like gym shoes at all?

[@AFoggyPath]

Thank you so much!! There were some men who never dressed formally, but they did not go to the formal evenings or dinner in the Britannica Restaurant. If they went to either of those, it was always black dress shoes from what we remember.

[@sharonjessen814]

@@AFoggyPath thank you very much for replying, we are going on quite a long trip, and hubby really doesn't want to have to pack dress shoes just for a 1 week cruise, but he might just have to. cheers and enjoy the weekend wherever you are. I am from a little town in queensland, australia.

[@AFoggyPath]

You're welcome!! We felt the same way. We were traveling for three weeks prior to the crossing and had a whole suitcase we didn't touch till we got on board. One person we talked to later had bought a pair of shoes at the shopping mall in Southampton instead of lugging around a pair before hand!

[@AFoggyPath]

Also, we're in Texas 😊 one of these days we'd love to visit Australia!

[@sharonjessen814]

@@AFoggyPath when you do please look us up, we would love to meet you, and perhaps we may be able to help you with any queries you have?

[@krc5210]

Do have have to be formally dressed for the G32 room?

[@AFoggyPath]

Nope!! Very casual place. Most people in there were very casually dressed, some in more club dress, and some (like us) were wearing formal attire for the black and white gala. You should definitely check it out when you go!!

[@jeffhreid]

Fun video. The dress is lovely. For the gentleman’s dinner suit, some thoughts, a dinner jacket should have peak lapels or a shawl lapel, not notch. A single breasted jacket should be one button not two. The waistcoat for a dinner suit should have a scooped front so as to show the shirt front and studs, it should also have lapels on the waistcoat. You should also have a pleated or pique front formal shirt with either studs or a placket front to cover buttons. None of the aforementioned intended to offend, knowing the bits for black tie helps a gentleman look his best. Cheers

[@AFoggyPath]

This was mostly a cost choice for us, as far as the suit. Since he already had this suit, we asked if it would be acceptable. They said yes, so that's what we went with!

[@patrickconcannon7550]

hello could you tell me what the covid requirements were to board? also did they make you buy health insurance? thanks!

[@AFoggyPath]

I'm sure things have changed since we went in May, but we had to test before boarding on our own time and dime. We tested the day before. We did not have to purchase insurance, travel or otherwise, but not sure if that's because we're not from the UK? Not sure if that helps at all but let us know if you need anything else!

[@patrickconcannon7550]

@@AFoggyPath ok thank you! great job on the videos

[@harryshouse2136]

Hi a quick question if you don’t mind me asking!!! This is the first time back on the Queen Mary since the pandemic and we are going transatlantic in December and then down to the Caribbean. Could you please advise us what the current situation is regarding Covid vaccinations are they asking for 2+ the booster or what is the current situation I really would appreciate the situation and your comments Peter & Jenny x

[@AFoggyPath]

We did have to have 2 doses plus the latest booster shot. Let me go dig and see if I can find more info in our emails!

[@harryshouse2136]

@@AFoggyPath You are a super ⭐️ I’ve not had the booster and I know we’re just a few months away I just really wanted to ascertain what the situation was Jenny x

[@AFoggyPath]

I totally understand! The last thing you want is to be turned away before boarding. Per the latest update a friend of ours received (who is travelling in October) the current rule is this: 'If more than 270 days (calculated from the last day of the cruise) have passed since the full completion of a vaccination course, a booster vaccine will also be needed and must be administered a minimum of seven days prior to travel.' If it's been more than 270 days since your finished vaccine course, you'll need a booster. They currently don't require a second booster. I hope that helps!!

[@harryshouse2136]

@@AFoggyPath Thank you so much for the information, I know we are still a couple of months away,but we’ve heard nothing from Cunard UK to ascertain what the situation is,it’s probably best if I just go and have the booster done. I really do appreciate you looking into this for us and I think it’s important that we understand what the situation is Jenny x

[@AFoggyPath]

Best of luck and I hope you have an incredible journey!!

[@billyalexander5231]

5:43 to 6:36 Is some of the best acting I've ever done.😁😜

[@AFoggyPath]

I demand an Oscar for that performance!! 😂

[@davidjmg900]

BTW, if you were crossing the Atlantic, then that’s what it was “a crossing”, not a cruise. Aunty Cunard would be a little annoyed at your vocabulary. 😉

[@AFoggyPath]

Yes, we are very aware of that but sometimes cruise slips out haha! 😂

[@tcvideosennistexas]

I'm confused,,,,,,,we,,,,you've gone from a windblown badly damaged general store in Red Rock to the Queen Mary 2,,,,,( after the european vacation of everyone's dreams,,,) seems something is just,,,,,,,confusing. Or is it just me?

[@paulmatejcek8936]

17 minutes, supposedly on the B&W Gala. Mostly NOT about the Gala, or bad-mouthing the Gala. Not very helpful to those of us who are actually social ballroom dancers who are used to classy events. Some of us are taking the QM2 pretty much exclusively for the Ballroom experience. I wonder what it will be like. How crowded was the floor? Was there cocktail service? You mentioned three types of dances; was that really all there were? All in all, not so helpful. Probably should change the name of the video. 'How we spend our second day, including some brief mention of the B&W Gala.'

[@AFoggyPath]

Hey Paul, sorry we didn't answer all of the questions you had. We're still learning on all fronts, and we are happy to answer anything we can that might help you. For the most part, the floor looked as it did in the first clip of folks dancing. Rarely was it as empty as the second clip of dancers, but it did open up when the live band wasn't playing. That seemed to be the time that most dancers took a break as well. We only know swing/lindy hop, so sat out 99% of the night and just watched. If you like big band music, they only played two or three songs that fell into that category. For the most part, it truly was waltz, rumba, and chacha. There were also a handful of foxtrots and tangos. We're not very familiar with the many different types of ballroom dancing, but it seemed that most couples were keen on one type of dance, so the floor rotated dancers depending on what was playing. There were a few couples we really enjoyed watching, and they all seemed to rotate onto the dance floor every three songs or so. There was also a lot of modern music that was played slower and in one of those rhythms. John Mayer, Michael Jackson, Eye of the Tiger, for example. We came into the gala after it started, as we had the late dinner service, but we did get a drink. There were a lot of servers walking around and taking orders, but I didn't see any light fare, just drinks that you could order that were charged to your room. However, since we missed the beginning, I'm not sure if there was another service then that might be more to what you're referring to. In all, we really enjoyed the gala, but there wasn't much music that we knew how to dance to, and my dress wasn't well suited for dancing anyway. It was a lovely evening, and I think most people will enjoy it, especially if that's what you're really after. Even though we were just observing, we probably stayed for a good hour or so. It's great people watching! If you have any other questions, we'll do our best to answer! Happy sailing!!

[@paulmatejcek2882]

@@AFoggyPath Hmmm. I've just left a lengthy response, and it seems to have disappeared. Frustrating!

[@AFoggyPath]

Oh no!! We were having trouble with the same glitch a few days ago 😩

[@jimhafer212]

whine much paul?

[@paulmatejcek2882]

Following up my own question with my own experience: We were concerned when we walked into the ballroom for the first dance: there were quite a few people there at tables around the dance floor, enjoying cocktails. It turned out that most of them seemed to be there to watch. We didn't have the floor to ourselves, but rarely was it so crowded that we'd sit down. There were three segments of music: 'strict tempo' (ballroomspeak for recorded music), a 3-person combo, and the big band, in that order, an hour each. It got better each hour, changing from segment to segment. Reasonable dance floor etiquette was observed, with static dancers in / near the center, moderate travelers partway out, and a fairly well respected fast lane on the perimeter. The floor it self was old, and well used. That is to say, it was a great floor. Too many places have 'upgraded' their floors with all sorts of inferior coverings. Not QM2. We went for the dancing, and our experience sold us on a round-trip transatlantic sail. That, even in light of a hideous, unforgivable boarding experience. Our boarding times was 3:00. Sailing time was 4:00. We actually boarded within 15 minutes either side of MIDNIGHT. We went through the Verrazzano Narrows around 2:30 - 3:00 AM. It wasn't Cunard's fault that the ship arrived 6 hours late; they had a medical emergency on the way from Southampton and had to make a run for Halifax to handle it. But for nearly the entire 9 hour delay, we were STANDING. We are only in our '70s, so it wasn't horrific for us. But there were plenty of folks older than us, or in worse shape than us. People suffered. They announced nothing. They provided no offers of 'comfort' -- like restrooms or bottled water. When they finally began to process us, there were... I think it was 13 magnetometers available to scan us. However, only *2* were used! Two metal detectors for, what? 2500 people? But I shouldn't complain. After all, they gave us each a $25 on-board credit for our troubles. I imagine that for many passengers the rest of the trip was a disaster. In this case the disasters weren't Cunard's fault, they were all weather-related. I'm tired of typing, or I'd tell you a tale of a cruise gone wrong. Another time.