Black Tie

We are going on our first sea cruise for 28 days on board the Oceana in February. We thought this was a 'casual' ship......that's why we chose it and are mortified to find out that we have to participate in '7 Formal nights' where we have to dress up like peacocks. We have spent our whole working life doing this and we have no interest in doing this now. My husband is NOT going to take his Dinner jacket. What are the options on board for us??? Booo hoo!

We are going on our first sea cruise for 28 days on board the Oceana in February. We thought this was a 'casual' ship......that's why we chose it and are mortified to find out that we have to participate in '7 Formal nights' where we have to dress up like peacocks. We have spent our whole working life doing this and we have no interest in doing this now. My husband is NOT going to take his Dinner jacket. What are the options on board for us??? Booo hoo!

If not even bringing a suit/jacket/tie then self service and room service are dining options.

Make note to self. Do not book Cunard where Black Ties are actually tied

He doesn’t have to take his dinner jacket.

We are going on our first sea cruise for 28 days on board the Oceana in February. We thought this was a 'casual' ship......that's why we chose it and are mortified to find out that we have to participate in '7 Formal nights' where we have to dress up like peacocks. We have spent our whole working life doing this and we have no interest in doing this now. My husband is NOT going to take his Dinner jacket. What are the options on board for us??? Booo hoo!

Not sure where the idea that this was a casual ship came from. P&O do not have a casual ship.

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I would also be interested as to why you thought this was a casual ship. Anyway, your husband can wear a dark suit and tie and you a cocktail dress. Otherwise eat in the buffet. Bit sad though?

Cancel and go with NCL.

Cancel and go with NCL.

Better still, cancel and book Oceania.

Hi....I do think you have booked with the wrong cruise line and maybe it would be better to cancel and book a cruise line which is casual....P&O certainly isn't. It is not only the dining options on formal nights but certain bars only allow correct dress on the formal nights. With P&O a very large percentage adhere to the dress code....I would say at least 90% and even in the buffet some still wear formal although it is not compulsory.

We are going on our first sea cruise for 28 days on board the Oceana in February. We thought this was a 'casual' ship......that's why we chose it and are mortified to find out that we have to participate in '7 Formal nights' where we have to dress up like peacocks. We have spent our whole working life doing this and we have no interest in doing this now. My husband is NOT going to take his Dinner jacket. What are the options on board for us??? Booo hoo!

Did you do any research at all before booking this cruise. Did you book direct with pando or via a TA. People do not dress like peacocks, but they do dress up. You will be very much in the minority on formal nights. As stated really if you do not wish to dress up then it is the buffet and maybe one of the pay for dining options.

Thanks everybody. From what I have researched P& O is not one of the 'exclusive' companies like Cunard in which we have no interest but a middle of the range family oriented Company. The main reason we booked the cruise was because it sailed and arrived back into Southampton and it sailed to a part of the world that we had never seen...the Caribbean. The ship looks friendly and relaxed and getting dressed up continually is not something that we do on a day to day basis ...so why pretend that you are something that you are not. Just hope that our cabin wont be too pretentious.........

I would also be interested as to why you thought this was a casual ship. Anyway, your husband can wear a dark suit and tie and you a cocktail dress. Otherwise eat in the buffet. Bit sad though?

Because according to various websites it is a very middle of road ship.

Because according to various websites it is a very middle of road ship.

Being middle of the road has nothing to do with the dress code. I think you have misunderstood. Some of the much more expensive lines have a more informal dress code.

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Just hope that our cabin wont be too pretentious.........

Don't think you have any worries on that point

Hi Pamela, I wouldn’t worry about it, you won’t starve eating in the buffet [emoji6] Dressing up is personal choice and so long as you are prepared to adhere to the restricted areas it should be fine.

Seven nights are quite a lot but you can mix things up between the buffet, room service and it’s possible the pay-for restaurants may not enforce a dress code. Believe it or not P&O do try to provide options for those who don’t wish to dress up. I think the theatre is also optional dress code on formal.

On holiday we take a memory stick with films and TV that we like but don’t get a chance to see at home, so an in- cabin movie night with room service and a bottle of wine is quite relaxing. We always take a universal remote control which you may need depending on the ship.

We do dress up on most formal nights but generally find it tiresome as we too have to dress up a lot at home. I respect diversity of views and everyone’s personal choice. I always think that the definition of formal seems to receive quite a broad interpretation on the ship anyway, a regular suit for a man is fine and something relatively dressy passes for women.

I’m sure your cabin won’t be too posh, they aren’t any better than reasonable hotel rooms.

Have a great trip.

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Thank you Florry the most interesting and helpful response to date understanding the issues and respecting our concerns! We are going purely to see the Caribbean and the Azores. Looking forward to it very much.

As others have said, P&O are openly one of the more formal and traditional cruise lines. Even on non formal nights, many dress up (as we would if going to a good restaurant) And, you will find on a formal night most are in gowns or cocktail dresses, but not exclusively so. We dress up, as we enjoy the opportunity to do so. It’s not often I can get into a long gown at event for work or home (almost never now...) so really enjoy it on ship.

We had a formal night recently when we found ourselves in Zeebrugge a night early due to a storm. People were coming onboard after an evening out, in thick coats, soaking wet. They commented they looked scruffy as we were walking along in black tie, we laughed and said it really didn’t matter, esp considering the 70mph winds outside we’d all battled earlier, to get back onboard...

We usually eat in the MDR, but due to a lack of hot desserts in there, we sometimes pop up after main course for a dessert in the buffet. You won’t be on your own up in the buffet, by any means, and the choice is good. In fact on Aurora, we and many others, choose the buffet on the Indian theme night as the buffet Indian food is amazing.

You will find many lounge areas around the ship adhere to the dress code, but the theatre generally doesn't as Florry has stated. I don’t know Oceana, but Aurora doesn’t as we were in there in formal dress, and a few were not. Each evening you’ll receive Horizon paper, this will tell you the dress code for the following evening and which areas this will adhere to.

We did the tround trip transatlantic, to the Caribbean and back, last Christmas. It was greatly fun. Just be aware, we got into the Azores, and had amazing weather, but it’s not unusual to have to miss them if the weather is rough. Don’t be surprised if occasional ports have to be missed or changed.

The only time you may find P&O slightly less formal is on the very ships during school holidays.

P.s. I don’t think anyone onboard would appreciate being called a peacock... may be worth not insulting us :)

I've never sailed on Oceana so I can't comment on that . We did sail on the QM2 for 10 days with three formal nights and the rest mostly cocktail dresses . You will tire , as we did , of eating in the buffet. We were also confined to one lounge after 6:00 PM. We did not attend any shows. Everyone was very nice but it was uncomfortable. We had the attire with us but chose to go casual. Perhaps, you ought to call and ask how strict the dress code is enforced . Twenty-eight days is a long time.

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In the position of the OP, I'd cancel. You can 'get round' the formal nights, but the attitude implicit in the language of "peacocks" suggest that it will not be a happy experience, being surrounded by "peacocks' for seven nights as you try to work out just where you can go.

You will have no problem with dressing casual on Oceana, I have cruised on her several times and she is indeed the most casual P&O ship. On formal nights the black tie dress code is enforced in the two main dining rooms, the Adriatic and Ligurian plus Magnums bar. the rest of the ship has an evening casual code including the main bar Yacht & Compass which the P&O site claims is formal, it isn't.

On formal nights you have four options for eating. The Plaza buffet which is comfortable, not overcrowded and does not look anything like a canteen!. The Beach House and Café Jardin have cover charges and like the buffet the dress code is evening casual. finally there is room service and you pay for that.

I took my suit on my recent xmas cruise because I had club dining and wanted to eat xmas dinner in the restaurant, only to discover that the Plaza was offering xmas dinner as well. On my next cruise on Oceana I will leave my formal gear at home.

You will have no problem with dressing casual on Oceana, I have cruised on her several times and she is indeed the most casual P&O ship. On formal nights the black tie dress code is enforced in the two main dining rooms, the Adriatic and Ligurian plus Magnums bar. the rest of the ship has an evening casual code including the main bar Yacht & Compass which the P&O site claims is formal, it isn't.

 

On formal nights you have four options for eating. The Plaza buffet which is comfortable, not overcrowded and does not look anything like a canteen!. The Beach House and Café Jardin have cover charges and like the buffet the dress code is evening casual. finally there is room service and you pay for that.

 

I took my suit on my recent xmas cruise because I had club dining and wanted to eat xmas dinner in the restaurant, only to discover that the Plaza was offering xmas dinner as well. On my next cruise on Oceana I will leave my formal gear at home.

Thanks so much for your comments indeed ....just what I needed to hear from someone who has had several experiences of the ship. I think it is going to work our perfectly for us. Best wishes.

As I think I said, you can simply wear a suit, doesn't have to be a DJ and the lady a dress or even smart trousers.. You won't be turned away from the Main Dining Room wearing that. My husband actually left his DJ at home by mistake and the Maitre d'it was quite happy when he wore a pair of blue trousers and an ordinary jacket.

Being middle of the road has nothing to do with the dress code. I think you have misunderstood. Some of the much more expensive lines have a more informal dress code.

 

 

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In the position of the OP, I'd cancel. You can 'get round' the formal nights, but the attitude implicit in the language of "peacocks" suggest that it will not be a happy experience, being surrounded by "peacocks' for seven nights as you try to work out just where you can go.

What a ridiculous comment. I enjoy wearing a nice dress. I don't do it very often these days. But some don't, doesn't make us peacocks, whatever that means.

Goodness me this 'peacock' thing is getting out of hand. If you read my OP you will see that I said 'WE have to dress up like peacocks'. I was not insinuating that OTHERS were peacocks. Get a grip!

What a ridiculous comment. I enjoy wearing a nice dress. I don't do it very often these days. But some don't, doesn't make us peacocks, whatever that means.

I agree that doesn't make us "peacocks" - but that was the phrase of the OP.