Not dressing for formal nights

Hi jules...sorry I wasn't obvious.

Thomson food and dining service doesn't compare with Fred.

On Fred as you know, you have fixed dining, you can get thro a starter, soup, salad, main, sweet and coffee in a couple of relaxed hours.

Plenty of choice and we enjoy the food. Plus the same waiters.

Thomson, all open dining, so you turn up get a table, 2 4 8 or 10. You choose. At 8 pm you will wait for any table. Then it's three courses with no coffee unless you ask. 4 choices for mains. The three courses took over 2 hours minimum and 2 hours 40 minutes one night. You lost the will after so long.

Some nights the food was excellent some nights abysmal.

Now we knew it would be open dining but we thought it would be better.

 

Evening shows.....well the Discovery has a large show lounge with huge stage. Freds shows are intimate and low key.

The Thomson Shows attempted larger productions. Some came off some didn't. I admired their attempts. The Shows were full every night.

With Fred I recognise the Dancers etc through the cruise as you are so up close. Thomson they were more just singers and dancers.

 

If it wasn't for the dining experience we would try Thomson again in the Carribean. In fact we are booked in May on the Dream out of Corfu so will see if that's the same Thomson experience.

 

We did miss the feel of returning home to Fred, but we need more fun entertainment in the Carribean.

Thanks for your honest reply. We have been on quite a number of Thomson cruises and then 'found' Fred Olsen! I did enjoy my cruise on the Discovery last year & we mainly ate in Gallery 47 as we weren't impressed with 47. The shows to me on Discovery weren't up to the normal standard of other shows I have seen on their other ships - I felt the 'content' was fairly strange at times! I didn't like the ones with narration - there was too much talking & they were very 'cheesy'!

We have however booked to return on Discovery this year as sadly we feel let down with the Fred Itineraries for 2017 as there are no southern (warm) cruises in the peak summer season (we are tied to college holidays) and no cruises at all that fit on with any of the other school breaks.

There is more of a fun atmosphere on the Dream - she is of course an older ship but you are used to that with Fred. I'm afraid our experience of the Dream is long, drawn out meals though. Excellent choice of itinerary.

Did you go to any of the dancing sessions on Discovery as I think I recall you like your dancing?

Hi jules.....your right we are really keen dancers and this was always a must for a cruise line. Honestly we had prepared ourselves for no ballroom or Latin on Discovery, but was really surprised to find two 40 minute sessions in the Attrium in the evening.

Floor was excellent and music really good especially for the Latin. Dance Hosts very friendly and ensured good atmosphere.

We loved Dancing in the Attrium with other dancers and many watching.

We are already looking for Carribean in January 18, and if wasn't for the dining I think Thomson would be our choice.

I agree with you on the Shows, some just didn't work but at least I thought they were trying something new.

It's a had life trying to choose the best Cruise Line isn't it. If you could pick your own best of it would be great.

Our Summer Cruises preclude Fred as I don't like 4 sea days to get anywhere.

Looking forward to the Dream in May as we love the ports of call we are visiting. Could be the Buffett then as we are cruising without our friends.

Cheers for the info.

If you prefer more formal dressing then I suggest Cunard. We did a WC couple of years back and my husband had to wear a jacket, shirt and tie every night if he wanted to go into MDR and the main venues. We have done several FO, P&O and Princess cruises and have decided we prefer the more relaxed dress codes especially for the men in hot weather. We are booked on Black Watch WC for 2018. I think the problem of any cruise line is that the dress codes for the evening are seldom monitored thus passengers can get away with dressing down.

On our Fred cruise we dined only in The Palms as, in the process of emigrating, we didn't have the capacity to pack suits, dresses etc. Even so, we tried our best to look 'acceptable' on formal nights with shirt and tie as standard and perhaps a polo shirt on casual nights. I agree with the jessybell that hot weather can be quite arduous in formal wear.

I haven't been on a Fred Olsen ship in quite a few years but we will be going again in September so I'll be interested to see if people abide by the dress code. We have cruised mainly with P&O where I would say that over 90% of men wear a Dinner Suit on a formal evening and the ship really takes on a different feel. We've been to the Caribbean several times when I would say the Formal evening dress code is similarly abided by. I don't know what the air conditioning on Fred Olsen ships is like now but I've never been able to understand why people say that to have formal wear in a hot climate is uncomfortable. Certainly on P&O the air con is efficient - some people say too efficient - and it's never hot inside the ship, indeed in a hot climate it's always wonderful to feel that blast of the air con when reboarding the ship. I can't see why it's regarded as more uncomfortable somewhere hot. If people want to go up on deck after dinner in a hot climate I suppose I can understand why they might change out of formal wear. I will be interested to see what the air con is like on Braemar, certainly on our cruise in the Caribbean on her it was efficient and by far the majority of men wore black tie on a formal evening but that was a few years ago.

Fred passengers are more likely to dress formally than the P&O passengers and you will find more dinner suits, rather than just jacket and tie. We have found P&O very slack by comparison, but that probably has something to do with the age profile on Fred. Yes Fred is only formal in the main dining room and the other restaurants with table allocation (Grampian on Braemar and the Spey and Avon on Balmoral - I think you will find the dress is slightly more formal in those restaurants than the MDR). Fred does turn away people who are not properly attired from those restaurants - not sure that is always the case on P&O. The self service is always smart casual and polo shorts are quite acceptable there. Seems quite reasonable arrangement to me and I do not see why people are complaining about anyone who is in smart casual dress in the Palms.

Regards temperature inside Fred's ships, we have had some very hot cabins of late, when we could not get the temp below about 25C, even with the A/C control turned as low down as possible and this has been on a few cruises - not necessarily in the tropics. We have also found varying temps around the ship, so I always dress for the heat, but take a wrap or cardigan for the cooler locations.

Currently on Braemar in Norway. First cruise and pleased to say that a good proportion of passengers dress appropriately for the formal evenings. Agree that there are ample options for those who prefer not to dress. Cabin/vessel temperatures have been OK but rather warm in Thistle for formal nights. Fred living up to great reputation.

Polo shirts are smart, similar to a short sleeve shirt, perfectly acceptable for the MDR on non formal dress nights IMO.

Likewise for buffet dining area any time.

If you want to be formal then go on a Cunard cruise. We did a WC two years go and it was jacket and tie every night for the men and lots of very formal nights.

Ok lets turn this on its head!

There are actually people who go on cruises to travel to see different places easily without the the hassle of an airport and would not be seen dead in the main dining room or even worse at a formal night.

By all means use the main dining room, Thistle, and Grampian and drink in the Marquee or Observatory, what ever floats your boat but please don't come prancing around the Palms Cafe or Morning Light Bar in your "monkey suit" because your method of dress is as offensive to us as ours obviously is to you.

We choose to wear smart casual in the evening becaus the formal aspects of the cruise do not meet with our preference, we respect the fact that it is an important part of your "experience" although why is completely beyond us so please respect our preferences in return.

Also please be aware that the passenger in the jeans and hawiian shirt (a friend of ours) did wear formal dress in the dining room that night but chose to change before joining us in the Morning Light as he felt he was not dressed appriately for that venue, others should had behaved in the same fashion

Well, JMyrtle 41, clearly someone on Braemar in the last two weeks got under your skin. Whilst I did not hear any comments of an adverse nature on formal nights, when one is confined in a small space with one's fellow passengers, there is bound to be some differences of opinion. Whilst we felt quite at home having a drink in the Morning Light in formal dress, I cannot understand why anyone in this attire would 'prance around' in the Palms Cafe since this is buffet style and wholely inappropriate for those who enjoy a little more formality in their dining experience on board (and I do not recall any requirement to keep out of those areas when so attired).

I did see a Hawaiian shirt on one occasion, which certainly brightened up an otherwise drab cruise as far as the weather was concerned! But there, it was Norway Winter.

It would be such a shame if the formal nights disappeared, it is one of the reasons why we choose to cruise with Fred as the majority of passengers are of an age where people give respect to others and I think this what should be remembered here. So if you don't wish to partake in the formal events don;t but also do expect us that wish to, to have to dumb down the way way we wish to enjoy our cruising.

It would be such a shame if the formal nights disappeared, it is one of the reasons why we choose to cruise with Fred as the majority of passengers are of an age where people give respect to others and I think this what should be remembered here. So if you don't wish to partake in the formal events don;t but also do expect us that wish to, to have to dumb down the way way we wish to enjoy our cruising.[/qq

 

Well said!

I'm struggling to fathom out why someone in relaxed dress could be offended by a fellow passenger wearing a dinner suit, or vice versa.

As long as it's not "scruff order" what does it matter ?

Just been on Balmoral for 46 nights.

We never wore a tux or went to the formal night and we only went to the MDR twice in 46 days

It is the 21 century

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Just been on Balmoral for 46 nights.

We never wore a tux or went to the formal night and we only went to the MDR twice in 46 days

 

It is the 21 century

 

 

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I don't have any issues with your right not to attend formal nights or use the MDR during your cruise but I cannot see the point of paying a lot of money for a cruise and then not taking advantage of the waiter service in the MDR. We choose to cruise, not for the destinations which we have usually visited before but for the on board experience of fine dining and waiter service at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Also I cannot see that being in the 21st century has any relevance. There are plenty of cruise lines out there, Viking Oceans for one, that have a relaxed attitude towards dress codes and dining in general, but having experienced this kind of cruise give me a "traditional" cruise where you are allocated a specific table at a set time and are requested to follow the dress code of the day. As the majority of Fred's cruisers are happy to adhere to the dress codes perhaps it is those that aren't who are out of step with the rest of us.

Pugwash123

We always keep to the dress code - my husband wears a dinner suit on formal evenings and on other evenings we dress as we would at home if going to a smart restaurant.

I wrote earlier in this thread that I wonder if some of the 'problems' are because of the anchor fares and people therefore not getting a dining time to suit.

We ate in the main dining room every evening on second sitting. Many times there was no atmosphere at all with plenty of empty tables or missing diners. However, there were people in formal wear using the self service restaurant.

I do agree with those posters who have mentioned Cunard as a formal line. It is some years now since we sailed on QM2 but that atmosphere is totally different to FO or PandO with regard to formal evenings.

I do want to stress that we love formal evenings but I also think that the ships do not fully lend themselves to the lifestyle indicated by some posters.

It perhaps is because we book inside rooms which are very poorly furnished in terms of luxury experience.

Somehow there is a mismatch in the dream and reality.

Don't get me wrong. We took our tuxedo's and other jackets with us. But in the end we didn't feel like it. (It was too hot )

As for the Indian Buffet night there was more people in the Palms all dressed up to the nines so the MDR was empty.

We are going on a 62 night cruise next time and we won't be packing any jackets

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Maybe this is an age thing?

People of my generation born in the 1950s matured into a very different world from those even ten years older.

For us Rosa Park has definately "left the back of the 'bus" and displays such a finger clicking to attract a waitress and other mildly racial or sexist comments directed towards staff, all of which we observed on Braemar, do not sit easily with us.

I don't think the anchor fares are the reason either as if you have no intention of using the MDR your dinner sitting is of no meaning.

Possibly passengers are of two kinds, the travellers who find cruising easy, particularly for those of us in east Kent who have no airport and those who cruise for the cruising experience, with probably a bit of an overlap in the middle.

We will be joining the Balmoral on Saturday to go to Hamburg, no ties or jackets packed for us and The Palms, (or as we heard one passenger on Braemar call it "the greasy spoon transport caff on deck 6") here we come!

And no, because we choose to eat there we do not prefer to have our chips served in newspaper as we overheard another passenger also comment.

Perhaps it is fair to say if you book into the Travel Lodge don't compare it to the Hilton because you will be disappointed. :evilsmile:

I don't have any issues with your right not to attend formal nights or use the MDR during your cruise but I cannot see the point of paying a lot of money for a cruise and then not taking advantage of the waiter service in the MDR. We choose to cruise, not for the destinations which we have usually visited before but for the on board experience of fine dining and waiter service at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Also I cannot see that being in the 21st century has any relevance. There are plenty of cruise lines out there, Viking Oceans for one, that have a relaxed attitude towards dress codes and dining in general, but having experienced this kind of cruise give me a "traditional" cruise where you are allocated a specific table at a set time and are requested to follow the dress code of the day. As the majority of Fred's cruisers are happy to adhere to the dress codes perhaps it is those that aren't who are out of step with the rest of us.

 

 

 

Pugwash123

You don't have waiter service at breakfast or lunch. Ok if you want something that is advertised on the lunch and breakfast menu then someone will gladly get it for you, other than that it's self-service.

As for the dress code and it being the twenty first century. Why can't a man wear dress short chinos for dinner in the palms, when after all it is a cafe and not fine dinning and a woman can wear a skirt up the her bat wings.

What's the difference between a man showing a bit of knee and a woman showing her thighs and other bits

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Different strokes for different folks.

We've only sailed on Princess and Thomsons, each of which have flexible dining - the idea of having a set time, especially early evening, is not our scene, which nearly put us off booking FO this summer.

Some people like being regimented it seems !!!

No it's not being regimented! It's called choice. You don't like dressing up and having set dining. You prefer to dress casually and eat in the Palms Cafe. That is absolutely fine. I have no problems with that at all. You are perfectly entitled to make that choice. However, what I do have a problem with is when people decry my choice. Why do you have to called it 'being regimented'? It's a choice that is on offer and that I choose to take. You enjoy your meal in the Palms Cafe dressed casually and I will enjoy my meal in the main restaurant, dressed formally on a formal evening with my table companions.

No it's not being regimented! It's called choice. You don't like dressing up and having set dining. You prefer to dress casually and eat in the Palms Cafe. That is absolutely fine. I have no problems with that at all. You are perfectly entitled to make that choice. However, what I do have a problem with is when people decry my choice. Why do you have to called it 'being regimented'? It's a choice that is on offer and that I choose to take. You enjoy your meal in the Palms Cafe dressed casually and I will enjoy my meal in the main restaurant, dressed formally on a formal evening with my table companions.

It appears we are singing off different hymnsheets.

We've always used the MDR on Princess or Thomsons for evening meals, and always dress accordingly on formal nights. However, if other passengers prefer to dress less formally, and as long as it's not "scruff order" - I have no issues, that's their choice.

Each of these two lines has flexible dining which (in my opinion) offers a much more attractive option than a set same dining time, same table, same waiters and (probably ?) same table companions..... that appears to me as regimentation, obviously other opinions may differ.

That would not be my choice - but as FO only offer set dining times I don't have that much of a choice.

I posted this another thread covering the same subject.

Having completed 25+ Cruises on various lines and I have to say Formal nights just don't do it for us anymore. We enjoy NCL who are very informal and Celebrity who have relaxed their formal nights. However we cruised P and O last year and to be honest it didn't take much effort pack my dinner suit and dress accordingly. We've booked our first Fred Olsen Cruise on Boudicca, 7 night Malaga to Southampton next March and will of course be packing the dinner suit , I think it would be very disrespectful to the other passenger who do enjoy Formal nights not to comply, I just hope there's not too many on our 7 night cruise.

I posted this another thread covering the same subject.

 

 

 

Having completed 25+ Cruises on various lines and I have to say Formal nights just don't do it for us anymore. We enjoy NCL who are very informal and Celebrity who have relaxed their formal nights. However we cruised P and O last year and to be honest it didn't take much effort pack my dinner suit and dress accordingly. We've booked our first Fred Olsen Cruise on Boudicca, 7 night Malaga to Southampton next March and will of course be packing the dinner suit , I think it would be very disrespectful to the other passenger who do enjoy Formal nights not to comply, I just hope there's not too many on our 7 night cruise.

We had 7 formal nights over 46 days on Balmoral. So there shouldn't be many.

Personally we never bothered. We took the suits and jackets but never wore them, at the time we just didn't feel like dressing up. So we are not packing them. Less luggage

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