latest poll from celebrity forum dropping formal night-59.13% in favour

If P&O want to go downmarket, then that's up to them, but I think many of their current users will look elsewhere.

 

 

 

I would ; it's not the formal nights per se but what they represent.

 

 

 

The point about it being popular amongst the older may have some validity, but the older group is a significant market in cruising ; it's the only holiday where I feel I'm below the average age. (this doesn't bother me, it just is).

 

 

 

There obviously is a big market for the RCI style of cruising, but it's not so big that everyone can go there.

I'm below average age too, I suppose the fact that there are formal nights does maintain the P&O culture which I like, so I support them for that reason. Having said that I'm not particularly bothered about dressing up, and P&O test this opinion on every survey to monitor the trend of opinion over time. I suppose they have to be thinking long term when the potential customer base at a future point may have preferences 'against' which outweigh the preference 'for'. I quite like the current strategy on Britannia where they have recognised a shift in opinion and rather than miss out on the disposable income of those who don't want to dress up so often (and potentially secure future loyalty/growth) they have created alternatives. I strongly approve of getting rid of semi-formal/jacket required, it was just too much packing, and having evening casual still allows us to dress for dinner - just with more flexibility. I don't see P&O making any radical change in the near future, and even if they did they'd probably fail to communicate it so nothing would change [emoji6]

I have recently completed a survey from P&O and as someone said one of the questions was again with regard to the dress code. I suppose it’s inevitable that eventually the majority will vote for a change.

My perception rightly or wrongly has always been that the larger ships are cheaper and therefore appeal more to the type of person who wants a cheap holiday as opposed to a traditional cruise experience. For that reason we have only ever kept to the smaller ships.

If P&O do stop formal nights, then without a doubt we will be looking at another cruise line.

If P&O want to go downmarket, then that's up to them, but I think many of their current users will look elsewhere.

 

I would ; it's not the formal nights per se but what they represent.

 

The point about it being popular amongst the older may have some validity, but the older group is a significant market in cruising ; it's the only holiday where I feel I'm below the average age. (this doesn't bother me, it just is).

 

There obviously is a big market for the RCI style of cruising, but it's not so big that everyone can go there.

If the current users want to go upmarket then they will have to drop the formal night as all the 6 star cruises no longer have formal nights or am I wrong

If P&O want to go downmarket, then that's up to them, but I think many of their current users will look elsewhere.

 

I would ; it's not the formal nights per se but what they represent.

 

The point about it being popular amongst the older may have some validity, but the older group is a significant market in cruising ; it's the only holiday where I feel I'm below the average age. (this doesn't bother me, it just is).

 

There obviously is a big market for the RCI style of cruising, but it's not so big that everyone can go there.

I am indifferent to the formal dress issue and it would not determine who I cruised with - destination and convenience would - but I don't think it would be formal dressing that would make a cruise line go downmarket for me

Personally I think P&O is going downmarket as a result of having more and more bigger ships to fill so they have to be uber competitive and drop prices and some elements of the cruise experience are already and will continue to disappear. I have only been cruising for 5 years and in that time I have seen some changes with p&o (or perhaps some of them are only in my mind but I certainly perceive them)

e.g.

food in mdr - seems to me not to be as good as it was

daytime entertainment - now mostly sales or the concord/ww2 bomb

speakers

shorter days in port

stewards covering more and more cabins (doesn't bother me though as I am happy to keep my own cabin tidy rather than stress a steward)

Celebrity IMO is more upmarket than P&O and has a lovely international feel to it.

I will continue to cruise p&o when destination etc suit, but I find myself looking forward to my Celebrity cruises more

If the current users want to go upmarket then they will have to drop the formal night as all the 6 star cruises no longer have formal nights or am I wrong

Exactly so, I was trying to point out in my previous posts that dropping formal nights does not equate to being downmarket. My perception is that P & O is mid market and one look at the cruise prices highlighted in the Sunday papers reinforces that.

This idea that it is only the older cruisers that like formal is not exactly true. On our recent Britannia cruises the younger element were all dressed up to the nines, as were many of their, little, children and those not so were of the elder persuasion.

Oh, I agree with that. It was a view expressed by someone else that the older cruisers could be keener than the younger, but it is not exclusive by any means.

Exactly so, I was trying to point out in my previous posts that dropping formal nights does not equate to being downmarket. My perception is that P & O is mid market and one look at the cruise prices highlighted in the Sunday papers reinforces that.

Cruising is undoubtedly cheaper but is still on the pricey side. Last year I got a 5* AI in Turkey, in May Half Term, for £525/week (for example) ; and it was very good. I think whatever the cruise lines do they are going to struggle to match those sort of prices.

I'm never sure about the daytime entertainment. Whilst quite a lot of it is sales stuff, I don't ever seem to get bored on board. But I haven't been on a cruise with two consecutive sea days, which might help. I'm a fairly recent convert to Cruising, B608 in March will be our sixth (in two years ... so quite a keen convert)

I'd be interested in DaiB's views on the onboard entertainment as he's been on a lot of P&O cruises over an extended period of time.

Cruising is undoubtedly cheaper but is still on the pricey side. Last year I got a 5* AI in Turkey, in May Half Term, for £525/week (for example) ; and it was very good. I think whatever the cruise lines do they are going to struggle to match those sort of prices.

 

I'm never sure about the daytime entertainment. Whilst quite a lot of it is sales stuff, I don't ever seem to get bored on board. But I haven't been on a cruise with two consecutive sea days, which might help. I'm a fairly recent convert to Cruising, B608 in March will be our sixth (in two years ... so quite a keen convert)

 

I'd be interested in DaiB's views on the onboard entertainment as he's been on a lot of P&O cruises over an extended period of time.

I have to say that i just tend to relax and go to the odd thing. i use a mobility scooter to the line dancing and cricket and power walking are a bit beyond me. I sit and people watch, usually in the coffee shop. i have played bridge, gone to talks and the odd afternoon show. I keep away from the bingo and sometimes I join in a quiz I have my Ipad with games i do not need the internet for and i pre load with TV programs. which often go un-watched. Sometimes i do very little and am kept very busy. I do not drink... before about 5,30. I have been known to snooze. :cool: I do not sit out in the sun.

There always seems to be plenty to do with things happening every hour, on sea days. In fact often 4/5 things going on at once. My wife does far more than me but we do make dates for coffee or the odd afternoon tea,

Hope that helps but i don't think I am the best person to ask.

Ask again if you want my take on evening entertainment.

Gan Canny

dai

:cool::cool:

I have read this thread with great interest and thought I would now throw in my tuppence worth, I have experienced cruise holidays since 1998 and my wife goes further back to the early seventies when she had just started her teens.

We have cruised with P&O since 2005 always in the Caribbean including one Southampton/Caribbean/Southampton, and have enjoyed every one of our cruises. We first cruised with P&O on Arcadia and have cruise on Oceana, Ventura and Azura we are on Azura in January 2016 and have a further cruise booked on her for January 2017 and are looking forward to booking a cruise on Britannia.

Our cruises prices have not increased greatly since 2005, we cruise P&O for the following reasons:

1. Prices are competitive

2. We like the Fact they cater for a British Clientelle( no announcements in multiple languages etc)

3. Their respect for dress codes, formal night 99% adherence .

4. Entertainment to suit a British audience.

5. Onboard spend in the £, no added gratuities on drinks.

6. Reasonable onboard gratuities compared to American based lines.

We also have taken land based holidays in he Caribbean and the US and while we have enjoyed both we find Americans to be very loud and boisterous when on their own holidays, hence no great ambition to spend a fortnight or more on a cruise ship with them.

As to onboard daytime entertainment, if We like the speakers we attend otherwise we are quite happy to do our own thing, evening entertainment is more important and this is where I think P&O could improve.

But back to the thread I think P&O have the exact balance in their formal nights, we now appear to have a vociferous group who keep picking away to get their own way with dress codes, if you don't like P&Os dress codes my advice is and I don't care if you take offence, GO ELSEWHERE .

I have read this thread with great interest and thought I would now throw in my tuppence worth, I have experienced cruise holidays since 1998 and my wife goes further back to the early seventies when she had just started her teens.

We have cruised with P&O since 2005 always in the Caribbean including one Southampton/Caribbean/Southampton, and have enjoyed every one of our cruises. We first cruised with P&O on Arcadia and have cruise on Oceana, Ventura and Azura we are on Azura in January 2016 and have a further cruise booked on her for January 2017 and are looking forward to booking a cruise on Britannia.

Our cruises prices have not increased greatly since 2005, we cruise P&O for the following reasons:

1. Prices are competitive

2. We like the Fact they cater for a British Clientelle( no announcements in multiple languages etc)

3. Their respect for dress codes, formal night 99% adherence .

4. Entertainment to suit a British audience.

5. Onboard spend in the £, no added gratuities on drinks.

6. Reasonable onboard gratuities compared to American based lines.

We also have taken land based holidays in he Caribbean and the US and while we have enjoyed both we find Americans to be very loud and boisterous when on their own holidays, hence no great ambition to spend a fortnight or more on a cruise ship with them.

As to onboard daytime entertainment, if We like the speakers we attend otherwise we are quite happy to do our own thing, evening entertainment is more important and this is where I think P&O could improve.

But back to the thread I think P&O have the exact balance in their formal nights, we now appear to have a vociferous group who keep picking away to get their own way with dress codes, if you don't like P&Os dress codes my advice is and I don't care if you take offence, GO ELSEWHERE .

Wow!! Did I write that? Absolutely agree with everything you have said especially those last three paragraphs. Very well said.

dgs1956

You and I have agreed on quite a number of threads, we appear to hold similar values,if you are ever on a cruise we are on, it would be a privilidge to buy you a drink.

dgs1956

You and I have agreed on quite a number of threads, we appear to hold similar values,if you are ever on a cruise we are on, it would be a privilidge to buy you a drink.

Thanks very much. We do seem to have the same views and values. Our next cruise is on Britannia in January. Funny how you prefer the Caribbean as well.

This thread seems that it will run and run and everyone is entitled to their view.

Just a an example of my experiences:

Our first cruise was with Princess to Hawaii. We shared our table with a couple from Canada and a couple from Edinburgh. The Canadian couple were very smartly dressed every night but nothing different on formal nights. The couple from Edinburgh were formal all 14 nights, goodness how much they paid for extra luggage weight. We just adhered to the formal nights. We all got along brilliantly and had a great time. Whatever P & O do in the future, I will still take some formal dresses because I love wearing them.

Do this have to be such an issue?

dgs 1956

Neither my wife and I are culture vultures, once you have seen one set of ancient runes, cathedrals, churches etc you have seen them all.

We like the Caribbean for its laid back attitude, the population generally are friendly and the prices are reasonable and more importantly the weather is great.

My youthful ambition was a career at sea and due to my inability to master the science of mathematics that ambition was unfulfilled, having had an excellent second choice career I can now fulfill my first choice by cruising as a holiday choice and Boy do I enjoy it I am more than happy being aboard ship.

We sail from Barbados on 23/01/15 aboard Azura perhaps our paths will cross some say .

Happy and enjoyable cruising to you.

dgs1956

 

You and I have agreed on quite a number of threads, we appear to hold similar values,if you are ever on a cruise we are on, it would be a privilidge to buy you a drink.

If there is a drink going I agree as well. :) :)

I would add, cruising from Southampton 12 months a year and a good choice of ships. No other line goes any where near those two criteria.

I have read this thread with great interest and thought I would now throw in my tuppence worth, I have experienced cruise holidays since 1998 and my wife goes further back to the early seventies when she had just started her teens.

We have cruised with P&O since 2005 always in the Caribbean including one Southampton/Caribbean/Southampton, and have enjoyed every one of our cruises. We first cruised with P&O on Arcadia and have cruise on Oceana, Ventura and Azura we are on Azura in January 2016 and have a further cruise booked on her for January 2017 and are looking forward to booking a cruise on Britannia.

Our cruises prices have not increased greatly since 2005, we cruise P&O for the following reasons:

1. Prices are competitive

2. We like the Fact they cater for a British Clientelle( no announcements in multiple languages etc)

3. Their respect for dress codes, formal night 99% adherence .

4. Entertainment to suit a British audience.

5. Onboard spend in the £, no added gratuities on drinks.

6. Reasonable onboard gratuities compared to American based lines.

We also have taken land based holidays in he Caribbean and the US and while we have enjoyed both we find Americans to be very loud and boisterous when on their own holidays, hence no great ambition to spend a fortnight or more on a cruise ship with them.

As to onboard daytime entertainment, if We like the speakers we attend otherwise we are quite happy to do our own thing, evening entertainment is more important and this is where I think P&O could improve.

But back to the thread I think P&O have the exact balance in their formal nights, we now appear to have a vociferous group who keep picking away to get their own way with dress codes, if you don't like P&Os dress codes my advice is and I don't care if you take offence, GO ELSEWHERE .

Excellent post summing up my views virtually completely. Drink?

I wish to cruise in order that my wife gets to be treated as a lady. Hotels' standards are slipping big time. My chief gripe about our previous cruise was the interpretative license taken by a significant sector on "smart casual". Manners and language appeared to be directly proportional to the ambiance created by attire in lounges, decks, restaurants and corridors. A number of formal nights, to me, signal unwritten rules on standards of courtesy and respect for traveling companions.

Call me old fashioned but I'll never book onto any cruise that doesn't hold firm on black tie nights.

Regards all.

P.