Dress code?

I haven't been on Silversea for about 8 years, and am considering an "around the horn" cruise. My only concern is that Silversea used to have "formal nights" -- and I mean tux! As I am older and crankier now, I don't know what I'd think of that.

So, info on Silversea's current dress code would be helpful.

Yes, formal still applies. On the website, search "dress code" and you will get the # of nights of whatever. Enjoy! However, there are now venues where the dress code is more relaxed.

Dolebludger - Wearing a tux or even a tie is optional, depending where you want to eat. We did two weeks on the old Cloud last year and I never wore a suit, just a jacket once or twice because of chilly conditions. We always dined in the Terrazza. A few people even wore jeans.

People who like dressing up always say the dress code applies because they want everyone to dress up like them. We thought Silversea was very relaxed about the whole thing. They need to enforce a smoking code, though, and ban it in their outdoor restaurant.

Our last two cruises were in the Penthouse on the Celebrity Constellation. We wore jeans and t-shirts and took every meal in the room. I HATE to dress up. Too old to be doing anything I don't want to do and the PH seats 8 for dinner.

However, I really like the idea of sailing on a smaller ship with fewer children and spring-breakers. The wife has been on a couple of longer cruises on Silversea and keeps trying to get me to book with them. She tells me we can eat in the room. Is she correct? I told her I was game if I don't have to dress for dinner and can roam the common areas in jeans.

Any advise?

Our last two cruises were in the Penthouse on the Celebrity Constellation. We wore jeans and t-shirts and took every meal in the room. I HATE to dress up. Too old to be doing anything I don't want to do and the PH seats 8 for dinner.

 

However, I really like the idea of sailing on a smaller ship with fewer children and spring-breakers. The wife has been on a couple of longer cruises on Silversea and keeps trying to get me to book with them. She tells me we can eat in the room. Is she correct? I told her I was game if I don't have to dress for dinner and can roam the common areas in jeans.

 

Any advise?

Certainly you can eat in your cabin. As for roaming the common areas that might be a problem. On some Silversea ships and cruises it seems to me they enforce the dress code more than on others. Generally, and I use that term guardedly as there is some inconsistency, indoor areas require you comply with the dress code and you may be asked to leave. Outdoor areas, like around the pool, are much more casual and the dress code is not an issue.

Our last two cruises were in the Penthouse on the Celebrity Constellation. We wore jeans and t-shirts and took every meal in the room. I HATE to dress up. Too old to be doing anything I don't want to do and the PH seats 8 for dinner.

 

However, I really like the idea of sailing on a smaller ship with fewer children and spring-breakers. The wife has been on a couple of longer cruises on Silversea and keeps trying to get me to book with them. She tells me we can eat in the room. Is she correct? I told her I was game if I don't have to dress for dinner and can roam the common areas in jeans.

 

Any advise?

Silversea is the most formal of all the luxury cruise lines. There is no luxury cruise line where you can wear jeans and t-shirts for dinner. IMO, eating in your room every night would not make you happy (unless this is how you wish to spend you vacation which is fine).

Really suggest that you do some research on the four major luxury cruise lines (Silversea, Regent, Crystal and Seabourn). There is more than just a dress code that is different when you sail on a smaller ship. It is a different type of experience completely - one that some love and others do not.

I'm making this suggestion so that your cruise experience will be a good one.

To clarify matters, I don't expect to wear jeans and T shirts to dinner on any ship -- at least not in the main dining room. My concern is whether a dark suit and tie would "cut it" for formal nights in the MDR, and whether slacks and a sport coat would be acceptable in other public areas on formal nights. Yes, I have a tux. But (if we book it) we will be packing for a 17 night cruise. We are old and are unable to wrestle huge amounts of luggage around airports. That's the reason we now shy away from lines with multiple dress codes and practical requirements.

BTW, I could find no place to search "dress code" on the Silverseas site. No problem, as we'll just have a discussion with out TA tomorrow. I am not here to criticize Silverseas, whether their policies fit me now or not, as they offer terrific cruises. You will see that I now live in Durango CO, and I've become very well adjusted to customary dress around here. We were voted the worst dressed city in the USA, and I don't dispute that. You can tell who are the multi-millionaires around here. Their jeans and vests are new!:)

Sounds doable. On our last three cruises, we've had exactly 1 meal in the MDR. Princess and Celebrity let suite holders order from the MDR menu for room delivery. We love it. Quick and relaxed. Princess delivers the meal all courses at once while Celebrity has the butler serve by course.

I think I can make myself presentable enough to avoid the attention of the dress code police. We will begin searching for a suitable itinerary. :)

Thanks!

If the budget is stretchable you might consider paying for one of the bigger suites on SS that has a permanent dining table and chairs. It is quite possible to order all your meals and convince yourself you are on your own private yacht for a fraction of the price of ownersip, which is a great bonus for scruffs like me.

The combination of dimmed lights, music and lovely romantic meals away from everyone else for some makes for a perfect experience.

Enjoy your cruise.

Jeff

A dark suit and tie are more than adequate for formal nights. Even a blazer and tie are fine.

To clarify matters, I don't expect to wear jeans and T shirts to dinner on any ship -- at least not in the main dining room. My concern is whether a dark suit and tie would "cut it" for formal nights in the MDR, and whether slacks and a sport coat would be acceptable in other public areas on formal nights. Yes, I have a tux. But (if we book it) we will be packing for a 17 night cruise. We are old and are unable to wrestle huge amounts of luggage around airports. That's the reason we now shy away from lines with multiple dress codes and practical requirements.

 

BTW, I could find no place to search "dress code" on the Silverseas site. No problem, as we'll just have a discussion with out TA tomorrow. I am not here to criticize Silverseas, whether their policies fit me now or not, as they offer terrific cruises. You will see that I now live in Durango CO, and I've become very well adjusted to customary dress around here. We were voted the worst dressed city in the USA, and I don't dispute that. You can tell who are the multi-millionaires around here. Their jeans and vests are new!:)

Want to clarify my post as well. It was directed to john_galt as he indicated that he did not like to dress up - prefers wearing jeans and a t-shirt and hopes to be able to walk around a Silversea ship in jeans (presumably at night when the dress code is in place). It sounded like he was planning his first luxury cruise and I wanted to let him know that jeans and t-shirts are not considered proper attire on any luxury cruise line at night.

OTOH, not wanting to wear (or pack) a tux is completely understandable. My DH felt the same and wore a black suit on Silversea (almost looked like he was going to a funeral). Dark suits are fine for formal nights and sports jackets work for "Informal" nights - no problem. We enjoyed Silversea but it seemed that almost every night was either "Formal" or required a jacket. Unlike on Regent, we do not want to dine in our suite on Silversea (no particular reason other than the suite set-up).

Enjoy your cruise!

P.S. As luck would have it, we are invited to an event in a couple of months that is black-tie. Guess I'll need another suitcase.:rolleyes:

Formal nights are biting the dust on luxury lines. You should be fine with a blazer and slacks and a tie or no tie just a collared shirt. The Cunard ships are still very formal in the Grills....black tie every night.:eek:

Formal nights are biting the dust on luxury lines. You should be fine with a blazer and slacks and a tie or no tie just a collared shirt. The Cunard ships are still very formal in the Grills....black tie every night.:eek:

Not true. Cunard ships are black tie on formal nights. Tie optional with jacket on informal nights in Grills and Britannia dining room. More casual in buffet.

Travelcat2 and all.

I understand, and am getting the picture of what goes on with a Silverseas cruise in this day and age. That is what I sought, and I thank all for the information. As has been true for the past 16 years, the best place to come for "real world" answers to a cruise question like this is right here at CC.

Formal nights are biting the dust on luxury lines. You should be fine with a blazer and slacks and a tie or no tie just a collared shirt. The Cunard ships are still very formal in the Grills....black tie every night.:eek:

Not quite true yet on Silversea for formal nights. Certainly fewer tuxes than even just a couple of years ago but still lots tuxes and dark/darker suites, at least the majority. A blazer with collared shirt with or without tie is more common for informal nights.

Let me change my question a bit, if I may. What about the dress situation for Silversea in The Caribbean? It would seem that it would be more relaxed there, but is it?

Not quite true yet on Silversea for formal nights. Certainly fewer tuxes than even just a couple of years ago but still lots tuxes and dark/darker suites, at least the majority. A blazer with collared shirt with or without tie is more common for informal nights.

Very much agree. Specially on the Med, formal nights are quite formal and all seem to enjoy them. However, suit (darkish) and tie are fine, and ladies seem always to know what to wear and look classy. My DH wears a tux while in the Med, but suite and tie everywhere else. I, unlike him, love to dress up and wear formals, even if he's not i his most formal. My advice, be comfortable within the code, and live it up as much as you want!

Let me change my question a bit, if I may. What about the dress situation for Silversea in The Caribbean? It would seem that it would be more relaxed there, but is it?

We just cruised the Caribbean on the Silver Wind mid to late March this year. We had two formal, five informal, and three casual nights. Dress code was enforced and passengers seemed to dress accordingly.

Randy,

Thanks for your response. One of the places where I just won't wear a tie is in the tropics. Will I be banned from certain places, or kicked off the ship, for this?

Now, I know that some cruisers really like the formal stuff, and I used to kind of like it myself. That's the only reason I own a tux. But I have changed and become cranky in my old age, and not only won't wear it, but really prefer to not wear a tie. Maybe ( for now at least) I should look for another lux cruise line?

Randy,

 

Thanks for your response. One of the places where I just won't wear a tie is in the tropics. Will I be banned from certain places, or kicked off the ship, for this?

 

Now, I know that some cruisers really like the formal stuff, and I used to kind of like it myself. That's the only reason I own a tux. But I have changed and become cranky in my old age, and not only won't wear it, but really prefer to not wear a tie. Maybe ( for now at least) I should look for another lux cruise line?

The only two nights they're asking for a tie is formal nights. Again depending on how fussy they are they can ask you keep the tie on for the whole evening. Quite honestly since I wear a tie on formal and often on informal nights I didn't pay attention to other passengers. My impression was that through at least dinner people were complying. As for other luxury lines I really can't comment as Silversea is the only one we've cruised. Would not mind trying Seabourn but their itineraries, our cruise wish list, and the timing just hasn't worked out. I do know we'll not be going back to Holland America or any other mass market big ship line.

Randy,

I too will not ever go back to a mass market line. But yet we did a music cruise in a MSC ship that had a separate "Yacht Club" area with the best suites, dine in "your own time and seating" restaurant, and separate included lounge/bar. After our most recent cruises on Regent, Silversea, and Paul Gauguin, we thought the MSC Yacht Club was rather nice. The problem is, MSC has this feature only on its largest ships, and the itineraries are somewhat limited

Actually, we were on a Caribbean Silversea cruise in 08 but I became seriously ill about ten days after our return, and have no memory of the cruise. I wish to emphasize that the illness was in no way the fault of Silversea, and the cause has been fully explored. But it is a shame that I cannot remember that cruise. "They tell me I had a good time" however.

Just disembarked the Spirit. Our pre cruise docs indicated one formal, two casual and three informal evenings. I packed my husband's tux accordingly. On day one, the Herald indicated that the first and last evenings would be casual and the other 4 informal, therefore I left the now wrinkled tux in the suitcase under the bed. On day two, the Herald stated that the evening dress code was formal optional. Too late, the tux remained under the bed and my husband wore a dark jacket and pants, no tie. There were several who did the same. There were a few penguins, but suits and ties were the norm.

Actually, we were on a Caribbean Silversea cruise in 08 but I became seriously ill about ten days after our return, and have no memory of the cruise. I wish to emphasize that the illness was in no way the fault of Silversea, and the cause has been fully explored. But it is a shame that I cannot remember that cruise. "They tell me I had a good time" however.

So sorry to hear about your lost cruise. For different reasons we have a "lost" western Caribbean cruise in 2005 so I can sympathize. In our case it was the loss of my wife's parents 83 days apart with the cruise in between. My wife's father passed away suddenly of a heart attack with no previous known heart issues about 40 days before the cruise. We were insured and could have cancelled the cruise but the family insisted we go, that it would be good for us. About three weeks after the cruise my wife's mother passed of up to then undiagnosed cancer. Needless to say the pre and post cruise anticipation and joy were and are forever gone thus our "lost cruise".

The only two nights they're asking for a tie is formal nights. Again depending on how fussy they are they can ask you keep the tie on for the whole evening.

There is no mention of a tie being required the whole evening in the current dress code:

On formal nights, guests may dine in La Terrazza and choose to dress informal; dresses or pantsuits for ladies, jackets for gentlemen (tie optional). This option also applies to Seishin and Stars on board Silver Spirit. Dining at The Grill is optional casual all nights. Following dinner, all guests are free to take advantage of any or all public spaces, however, jacket is required.

There is no mention of a tie being required the whole evening in the current dress code:

 

On formal nights, guests may dine in La Terrazza and choose to dress informal; sdresses or pantsuits for ladies, jackets for gentlemen (tie optional). This option also applies to Seishin and Stars on board Silver Spirit. Dining at The Grill is optional casual all nights. Following dinner, all guests are free to take advantage of any or all public spaces, however, jacket is required.

I understand that but in practice we've seen them enforce or at least try to enforce the dress code all night. It's been inconsistent as we've also seen them hardly pay attention even at dinner in the MDR. Quite frankly I think once dinner is over the code should be forgotten.