First time with P&O UK Any tips?

Don't bother taking a suit in that case and eat in the buffet. You will not be alone as many do the same. You can still use the nightclubs and theatre as well as some places to drink without a tux on formal nights. Also bear in mind that the number of formal nights is a maximum of 4 on a 14 day cruise so it's not the end of the World if you don't take a tux.

Well if you like eating on your own, fine. This is Aurora. On Arcadia I ate in the buffet twice and on both occasions there were more wait staff than passengers. On the formal night half of the passengers who were in there had formal dress on.

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Oh dear,I have a mid grey suit.Im not going to buy a tux for my one and only P and O cruise.Will I be bounced out the dining room or not,based on all your observations,cheers,Brian.

I would have thought that was unlikely. I suppose it would be a judgement call by the head waiter on whether your attire was acceptable, but if I was the head waiter I wouldn't throw you out.

Well if you like eating on your own, fine. This is Aurora. On Arcadia I ate in the buffet twice and on both occasions there were more wait staff than passengers. On the formal night half of the passengers who were in there had formal dress on.

 

 

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With respect if the poster won't buy a tux and only has a light grey suit which earlier posters state is unacceptable he has no option but to eat in the buffet. What is incorrect in that observation?

With respect if the poster won't buy a tux and only has a light grey suit which earlier posters state is unacceptable he has no option but to eat in the buffet. What is incorrect in that observation?

You clearly did not read my first post. I said he should go into the MDR. There is nothing wrong with a light grey suit.

This post you quote was to put him off the buffet as in my experience, when on the more traditional ships, that the buffet is not well used.

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You may not know that P&O tend to be quite formal with 95% of men wearing a DJ the rest will wear dark suits and a small minority no jacket.

 

If you are fine with that then there is no problem you will not be turned away. The ones without a jacket will be turned away.

 

 

 

 

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Cheers DaiB,looking at your cruising track record, I think I will take your advise.I have no intention of eating in buffet and dont care if everyone stares at me for dressing like a peasant, LOL.I want to eat the better menu in the MDR,cheers,Brian.

You are right to heed daiB's advice as he is correct whereas some of the other advice you have been given in this thread is not.

I would concur that around 95% of gents wear dinner suit or tuxedo during formal nights (maybe a slightly lower percentage on the newer ships with a high proportion of first time cruisers) and most of the rest wear a dark suit, but you would certainly not be refused entry or asked to leave if you had a lighter shade of grey and were wearing a tie. It's really about looking smart. Some people can manage to look very scruffy in a dinner suit or tuxedo on formal nights, whereas others in lounge suits can look incredibly smart.

Passsengers regularly 'contravene' the dress code to varying degrees and it only seems to trouble a very very small minority of more traditional passengers and rarely the staff. I've often seen ladies in brightly coloured dresses on black and white night and whilst they might stand out it's their choice and the black and white aspect is optional (in the same way that other themed nights are).

Although my family and I adhere religiously to the dress code as we don't want to feel out of place and out of respect to others (so, perhaps, we are slightly in the old school camp), I prefer the casual nights. That said, it's lovely to see everyone in their finery and formal nights definitely add something to a cruise that you don't get on a land based holiday.

Although wearing a light grey suit on a formal night would be quite acceptable (as long as you would feel comfortable) and wouldn't bother me at all, I do wish that P&O would enforce the more basic elements of dress code during the evenings. On Britannia, we went for a drink in the Crows Nest before dinner a few nights and even as late as 8pm there were still groups in there wearing shorts and t-shirts and the staff said nothing. There, I said I was a bit old school :)

Hi all,just to let you know Ive joined the penguin club.The OH nagged me to get one and I bought it today.Thanks for everyones input,cheers,Brian.

Hi all,just to let you know Ive joined the penguin club.The OH nagged me to get one and I bought it today.Thanks for everyones input,cheers,Brian.

You'll be glad you did. :)