Ventura - Freedom Dining

[geecee1]

geecee- I understand your problem, as DH had to wear uniform throughout his career, and doesn't appreciate dressing up, which is rather like playacting to him. That is why we changed to NCL, which was the only informal line to cruise from Soton. They're not doing it anymore, sadly.

But we did find a good atmosphere on Ventura, after a none too pleasant one on Aurora. DH did dress up at 1st, then we moved to eating in the buffet- an excellent venue BTW, and found that fewer and fewer dressed formally as the fortnight progressed. She is the ship we would use again from Soton.-jocap.

 

Thanks Jocap,

Maybe, just maybe, might give her a try in the Caribbean next year. Rumours abound that formal nights may be dropped on her after OV1 goes.

[geecee1]

Just depends on your viewpoint..it ain't meant as a punishment. Twice a week everyone gets dressed up & looks elegant. I love to see my wife looking really nice, she looks forward to it, posh dress and all ..no hardship for me to put on a suit to join in. I can't understand why people are SO against dressing up a couple of times that they would rather eat in the buffet (officially still under the dress code) & miss a silver service gala dinner, or forgo cruising altogether.

 

John,

Appreciate all your comments and points of view. I, too ,love to see my wife dressed up, and I am not against dressing up per se. But I go on holiday to chill and would avoid any Gala Dinner like the plague and the thought having to sit down at certain times for dinner, possibly with same people every night is not my idea of a holiday.

[geecee1]

"Dressing up to me is an expensive shirt, nice cufflinks, linen/silk slacks, tasseled loafers, attire that is welcome on OV ships but not on any other P&O vessel"

 

It is welcome on P&O ships, for at least 10 of the 14 nights, and if you choose to wear it on the remaining 4 there is nothing stopping you.

I also had to wear a suit all my working life and I worked until I was 67 and a half, I also had to wear a tie, very often a company tie, and on special functions a dinner suit.

What attracts me to P&O ships, is twice a week they have a special dinner, two of which are the Captains Gala night and a Black and White Ball. They are great occassions, only last for 6 hours each, and in my view add to making a cruise a little bit special. If you do not want to attend these functions, they also provide dinner in the buffet area, where you will not feel out of place in your casual wear.

However, each to there own, but if there was an itinery I liked, I would not let the wearing of suit, for a total of 24 hours out of 336 hours put me off.:D

 

The Captain's Gala night and a Black and White Ball are the very occasions I would avoid like the plague.

We do, however, have a lot in common, as I retired in May this year, just before my 67th birthday.

We shall look at the Caribbean the itineries next year for Ventura and may give her a try.

Perhaps one thing I have failed to mention on all my posts, is that we only want to cruise the Caribbean(3 times on OV1/OV2),which is why I would find the two occasions mentoined above totally inappropraite.

[MattyBarlow]

Interestingly enough, on all the formal nights, the sign in the buffets said the dress code for that night was smart casual.

[Johnthed0g]

I suppose when it comes down to it some see dinner as an occasion & some see it as getting something to eat. We look forward to meeting the same people every night & providing they are "sound" dinner is a highlight. As long as we can either get late sitting, or at a push freedom dining we don't feel constrained by 'fixed' restaurant dining. We also use the special venue's as well....last cruise we went with our whole table from the main restaurant as we got on so well.

[Johnthed0g]

Interestingly enough, on all the formal nights, the sign in the buffets said the dress code for that night was smart casual.

 

This is one of those annoying things....the brochures say formal throughout the ship all bars & restaurants, in the pre cruise pack/onboard it states somewhere "from 6pm". I really wish they would either enforce/uphold the dress code of just forget it altogether. It is a real mess with some dressed formally & some not, I wish people, having booked the cruise, would respect the dress code.

[daiB]

Thanks Jocap,

Maybe, just maybe, might give her a try in the Caribbean next year. Rumours abound that formal nights may be dropped on her after OV1 goes.

 

 

Rumours which have been fuelled only by OV cruisers no have no basis in truth.

 

:):)Happy Cruising:):)

 

 

 

:cool:

 

 

Dai

[geecee1]

Interestingly enough, on all the formal nights, the sign in the buffets said the dress code for that night was smart casual.

 

Thanks for that Matty. As I say we may look at Ventura next year 2010/2011.

[Johnthed0g]

Out of interest.....has anyone actually personally seen anyone turned away from a venue on a P&O ship because they were not correctly dressed, by this I don't mean improperly dressed scruffbags, I mean well dressed but not "on code" no tie/jacket/whatever??

I actually started a thread on the P&O forum asking the question "on a long cruise where people MUST get fed up with the formality is there anywhere else" most replies were either negative or abusive or both!!

[KarenR_UK]

Out of interest.....has anyone actually personally seen anyone turned away from a venue on a P&O ship because they were not correctly dressed, by this I don't mean improperly dressed scruffbags, I mean well dressed but not "on code" no tie/jacket/whatever??

I actually started a thread on the P&O forum asking the question "on a long cruise where people MUST get fed up with the formality is there anywhere else" most replies were either negative or abusive or both!!

 

I've seen people apparently* asked to 'redress' on a couple of occasions - this was in Andersons on Aurora on formal night, when they were asked by the waiter to put a tie or jacket back on. On both occasions, the men were dressed formally, but had removed the said item.

 

They both complied, so I don't know if they would have been refused service, but that was the implication.

 

BTW, this was done quite discretely & as such is only an assumption on our part what had actually happened.

[Johnthed0g]

Interesting...I am pretty sure that it was on Aurora that I have heard of this. Personally I wish they would either enforce the codes or drop them, especially when people dress for dinner then relax or remove the formal wear after.

[MattyBarlow]

Rumours which have been fuelled only by OV cruisers no have no basis in truth.

 

 

Dai

 

 

Actually Dai, many staff on Ventura two weeks ago seemed to think this was what would happen. So not just a rumour dreampt up by OV cruisers.

[Johnthed0g]

My guess, & it is a guess, is that Ventura will be OV3 as far as traditions go. Would it matter that much if it was? an awful lot of people seem to want a casual ship. Personally I would rather have a choice of casual or traditional & know the score before I booked. I am going on Azura next year & I hope it is what they propose, more traditional cruising, because if I wanted casual I would choose another ship, & sometimes I do!

[riderhotlegs]

Rumours which have been fuelled only by OV cruisers no have no basis in truth.

 

:):)Happy Cruising:):)

 

 

 

:cool:

 

 

Dai

Thats what you think! big changes are happening in 2011. Watch this space.

[Johnthed0g]

Thats what you think! big changes are happening in 2011. Watch this space.

Do you know something?? Someone on the P&O forum correctly foresaw the correct replacement for Artemis, I reckon Ventura will go casual but that's a pure guess, one based on probabilities though, if they are going for that what other ship would they use? assuming they don't buy/move another one. They seem to be marketing Azura as traditional upmarket.

[Presto2]

Hi, am new to the P&O forum having strayed from the OV forum. Hubby and I had our first cruise on OV2 last year and had a fabulous introduction to cruising in our beautiful balcony cabin (a nice retreat!) Must admit we tended to eat in The Bistro for our meals and came away thinking that we would try another more formal cruise next time. Am not too keen on set dining times though (have done that in hotels in the past and it has been hit and miss with the people we have shared tables with) and prefer a more flexible approach .......... as long as it isn't like a canteen we're happy.

 

One thing I have noticed moving between forums (is that the right word?) is that on the OV forum there are loads of anti P&O comments and on the P&O forum there are plenty of anti OV comments --I find it quite sad. At the end of the day it should be a case of "When in Rome ...." - if you don't like casual cruising / casual dining don't go on a casual cruise and if you don't want formal meals and dressing up then don't go on a formal cruise with a formal dress code ! Surely it is that simple and not worth the bickering ! Surely we shouldn't expect a ship (OV or P&0) to change the ship dress code etc etc just to suit them ????? Shouldn't it be the other way round if you want to travel on that ship ??

 

Anyway, hubby and I want to try a more formal cruise so have been in the pre Christmas sales to find our evening wear. The last time I wore a posh frock was on our wedding day and I normally do NOT 'do' evening dress. On this occasion though we have decided to just 'go with the flow' and enjoy a new experience ............ wish us luck ! (And if we don't like it we wont moan, we'll just do something else next time !)

 

Happy cruising to everyone on any forum -- we hope that your cruises are everything you would wish for in 2010

 

:)

[Beckyfaye-2008]

I am sure will enjoy it, and Formal is normaly only two nights per week, lasting approx 6 hours per evening.

[Presto2]

I am sure will enjoy it, and Formal is normaly only two nights per week, lasting approx 6 hours per evening.

 

To be honest, now that I have actually got a new 'posh frock' I am looking forward to it ---- it will be an experience and not something to dread !

 

All I need now are some shoes, some jewellry etc etc etc to go with the clothes ----------------------------------------------------- off to tell Santa .

 

;)

[riderhotlegs]

Do you know something?? Someone on the P&O forum correctly foresaw the correct replacement for Artemis, I reckon Ventura will go casual but that's a pure guess, one based on probabilities though, if they are going for that what other ship would they use? assuming they don't buy/move another one. They seem to be marketing Azura as traditional upmarket.

Could not possibly coment at the moment, just wait and see.

[Johnthed0g]

Presto..

Your experience exactly mirrors ours, we loved OV but got a bit fed up with the queueing up for dinner & after the 1st week we tended to alternate between Bistro & Café Luna. Also your logic on go with the flow & dress according to the dress code of the ship is correct too.

On a more formal ship you have the choice of 'club' (same time/table/people) 6-30 or 8-30. Some have Freedom, arrive any time, sit anywhere. All have Self serve Buffet style, or select dining (like Bistro) Apart from the buffet none are like a canteen, the main dining room for instance has a team for your table, usually very professional. We have never tried Freedom, I find that 8-30 suits us perfectly & the discipline of HAVING to be there for a time is good for us.

[David&Heather]

an awful lot of people seem to want a casual ship. Personally I would rather have a choice of casual or traditional & know the score before I booked.

 

In that respect the traditional P&O types and the former OV customers want the same thing, sadly to date we are being denied that choice in the future.

[Johnthed0g]

In that respect the traditional P&O types and the former OV customers want the same thing, sadly to date we are being denied that choice in the future.

 

I am both ''types'', having enjoyed cruises on both lines. I don't give a flying ''whatever'' about dress codes, other than if you book a ship that has one please respect it

[Presto2]

I am both ''types'', having enjoyed cruises on both lines. I don't give a flying ''whatever'' about dress codes, other than if you book a ship that has one please respect it

 

Having read reviews from both 'camps' I couldn't agree more ----- even found hubby pricing up the formal suits today !!!! :D

 

Good news about the more formal service for meals on the ships - to be honest, we hated the self serice restaurants on the OV for the evening meal and that is one of the reasons we wanted to go for a more formal cruise next time. Many folk obviously love the informal approach though and that's not wrong either ------- I just hope that they get a good replacement for their much loved ships / cruises.

 

We would be ok with 2nd sitting - have done it before on a mini cruise and met a great couple - but is there any chance of changing things if it doesn't 'work' ? (I only ask because we had a really bad experience a number of years ago when we ended up with the 'Couple from Hell' who HATED pasta, wine, ice cream, lakes, sunshine, foreign food, Italy --- in Lake Garda, Italy ! )

 

Thanks again for your help and for making us feel so welcome on this forum

 

;)

[jenniwreni]

On Ventura, we had originally booked for second sitting, but DH preferred to eat earlier, so we took our dining card which had our table details on and took this to the restaurant manager on embarkation day, and it was easily changed to first sitting.

 

I would say it depends on availability if you were to switch during the cruise. Fingers crossed you get fabulous dining companions, we have been very lucky in that respect on all of our cruises.

 

Have a great cruise!

 

Jenni

[Johnthed0g]

Presto...

If you get a batch of tablemates you just don't click with or even dislike you can ask for a move, we have only had one pair on a table of six once, & they were a bit of a trial, more Un-travelled than anything!