First Timers on Legend - advice please

[casperthecat]

Hello Everyone. This is my first post so please forgive me if I do something wrong!

 

We have just booked our first Seabourn cruise for September, more for the experience than the itinerary to be honest. We are an English couple in our 40s and we liked the idea of a small luxury ship where we will be pampered and not have to do anything that doesn’t involve a glass of something fizzy and a sunbed! We both wear a suit everyday for work and my husband really doesn’t want to take a jacket on holiday. We want to fit in with everyone on board, so will he really stand out if he just wears a polo shirt for dinner? Are there certain restaurants where we can be more casual? I’ve read lots of posts and some say it is more relaxed with no formal evenings, but other posts say people dress very smartly. I’m not suggesting we won’t be smart, but the jacket is a step too far for him on holiday. We usually go to Dubai or small luxury lodges in South Africa where a shirt and smart trousers are fine. It’s not a dealbreaker but we picked Seabourn over Silverseas due to the more relaxed atmosphere.

 

Also, do most people leave the ship for excursions every day? We are doing the Spain & France itinerary and to be honest we have already seen most of what’s on offer. Would we be the only ones left on board if we didn’t bother with the excursions? There are a few I would like to do, but I would much rather read a good book on deck than travel in a coach to see a “cute” village when we have so many in England. This trip is all about R&R for us so we would prefer to just relax if possible. Has anyone done this itinerary and are there any must-do excursions?

 

And lastly, we both love good food which is another reason I picked Seabourn. I would really love to do a cookery lesson or attend a cookery demonstration. Is anything like this available?

 

Thank you in advance for any suggestions or advice you may have.

[Capri73]

We were on the Sprit last Sept and will be again this Oct.

A jacket is definitly needed.We had black tie one evening and a few evenings they call country club casual,men wore jackets.

There is one restaurant,have him wear a sport jacket on the plane and he will fit in.

[lincslady]

Hello Everyone. This is my first post so please forgive me if I do something wrong!

 

We have just booked our first Seabourn cruise for September, more for the experience than the itinerary to be honest. We are an English couple in our 40s and we liked the idea of a small luxury ship where we will be pampered and not have to do anything that

for work and my husband really doesn’t want to take a jacket on holiday. We want to fit in with everyone on board, so will he really stand out if he just wears a polo shirt for dinner? Are there certain restaurants where we can be more casual? I’ve read lots of posts and some say it is more relaxed with no formal evenings, but other posts say people dress very smartly. I’m not suggesting we won’t be smart, but the jacket is a step too far for him on holiday. We usually go to Dubai or small luxury lodges in South Africa where a shirt and smart trousers are fine. It’s not a dealbreaker but we picked Seabourn over Silverseas due to the more relaxed atmosphere.

 

Also, do most people leave the ship for excursions every day? We are doing the Spain & France itinerary and to be honest we have already seen most of what’s on offer. Would we be the only ones left on board if we didn’t bother with the excursions? There are a few I would like to do, but I would much rather read a good book on deck than travel in a coach to see a “cute” village when we have so many in England. This trip is all about R&R for us so we would prefer to just relax if possible. Has anyone done this itinerary and are there any must-do excursions?

 

And lastly, we both love good food which is another reason I picked Seabourn. I would really love to do a cookery lesson or attend a cookery demonstration. Is anything like this available?

 

Thank you in advance for any suggestions or advice you may have.

 

You will get lots of advice - here is my twopennorth. You can manage without DJ or suit, but really need one jacket/blazer for at least some of the evenings. Tie not necessary, my husband often wears a thin polo neck sweater under the jacket. However, yourswill have to wear a jacket in the casual restaurant in the evenings which are formal - if any. Most nights in the Med. he will probably be OK in smart casual shirt and chinos etc. (not jeans). Seabourn is more casual than Silversea, but not completely. Regarding excursions, we and many others just go for a stroll ashore in the morning - if the town is a distance from the port there will be a free shuttle bus. Then back for a couple of drinks, and casual lunch with sauvignon blanc, outdoors if possible!

 

Not usually any cookery lessons, but often a demonstration, and you can go shopping with the chef one morning, but need to sign up as soon as you board the ship. They usually take around 12 to 16 people to a local market.

 

Do persuade your other half to bring one jacket - I am sure you will love Seabourn as we do, and especially in France, Spain and Italy it is very relaxing for us Brits who already know most of the places.

[Martita B.]

Your husband will indeed need a jacket ~if he does not want to take a Tux or dark suit and chooses not to go to the Club before dinner OR dine in the restaurant on formal evenings you will miss very special/lovely experiences ~~

Other than the 1st and last night (ship will be casual dress) he will need a jacket/tie to dine in the restaurant.

Restaurant 2 (Veranda) has marvelous food but dining there all evenings will be rather boring ~~just my opinion.

Staying aboard the ship in ports is always fun and delightful! Few guests and relaxing ~

The Ex. Chef will have a cooking demo in the show lounge ~~check at the Purser desk as to whether he'll host a "shopping with the Chef" tour ~~always fun!

Enjoy your sailing ~

Martita B,

[lifelover]

I concur. Everyone doesn't bring a tux, but on formal night, if you're eating in the restaurant or enjoying cocktails in the lounge, I think you'll feel more comfortable with a dinner jacket. Of course, we only do the crossings where there are three formal nights and many evenings of "elegant casual". On all those "elegant casual" evenings, you'll see lots of men with ties, quite a few without, but, from our experience, all with jackets. Hope this helps.

You will love your Seabourn experience. Service is exquisite.

 

Ginger

[Daneite]

If the cruise is 7 days or two back to back 7 day cruises then there will not be any formal nights, even in the Med now. But a jacket will still be required for the Elegant Casual evenings. it would be possible to do the cruise without a jacket but you would limit your dining choices as on Elegant casual evenings you would not be allowed in the main Restaurant you would have to eat at restaurant 2, which has themed nights with no compromise on the menu so if it is not to your taste you would be left with in suite dining. As others have suggested you should try to persuade your other half to take one jacket.

[casperthecat]

Thanks very much for all your replies. There are no formal evenings on the 7 night Med cruise, but from your responses he will have to take a jacket anyway. I think I'll pack it in my suitcase as a suprise for him when he realises that he needs it!!

[wripro]

I wonder why you would choose Seabourn knowing its dress codes go against what your husband wants to do on holiday. Pulling out a jacket that you packed against his wishes might cause more of a problem than be a solution. Have you thought about Sea Dream? It has a completely casual dress code ( no jacket required any time any where) and is also a luxury experience with great food and service. Just a thought!

[casperthecat]

I wonder why you would choose Seabourn knowing its dress codes go against what your husband wants to do on holiday. Pulling out a jacket that you packed against his wishes might cause more of a problem than be a solution. Have you thought about Sea Dream? It has a completely casual dress code ( no jacket required any time any where) and is also a luxury experience with great food and service. Just a thought!

 

I didn't fully understand the dress code before I booked otherwise I probably would have chosen SeaDream instead. I researched the fact that there was no formal night so assumed no jacket was required. And packing the jacket as surprise was a joke!

[Capri73]

I do not want to offend anyone so if I do I say I am sorry in advance.

We do not need Black tie on our trips but we do enjoy them.The reason we like SB is the fact that people take the time to dress property.We have been on cruises that polo shirts and shorts were acceptable. This is not SB.

It does not take a lot of effort to put on a jacket .Maybe SB is not for you.

[LaPaloma]

I do not want to offend anyone so if I do I say I am sorry in advance.

We do not need Black tie on our trips but we do enjoy them.The reason we like SB is the fact that people take the time to dress property.We have been on cruises that polo shirts and shorts were acceptable. This is not SB.

It does not take a lot of effort to put on a jacket .Maybe SB is not for you.

 

Thank you Capri...I have been biting my tongue. SB has always had the ambiance of elegance. Why would you want to go on this ship if you want to be like you are in front of your TV with your remote in hand??? Most of us lead a life of ease...but..it is so nice to have this occasion to dress. Even when my husband wore his suit each day..he still enjoyed the special occasions to dress.

[Grace Smith]

Don't worry about the dress code! Just go and have a good time. My husband hates to dress up! This will be our 4th cruise (8 weeks together). The ship and crew are fabulous! When we go to the Restaurant, the Maitre'd and the servers joke because they think we lost our way, why are we in the Restaurant?! (We never go to the main restaurant, almost never)

You can eat at Restaurant 2 and the Patio Grill without a jacket. Both are great. You do need to reserve though, because a lot of husbands are like ours! You will not feel alone. You did not make a mistake by booking Seabourn.:D

Restaurant 2 and the Patio Grill are also outside..............that's what we prefer. A cool summer's breeze on deck as you enjoy a gourmet meal. It just doesn't get any better.

I did get your joke about the jacket, by the way! :)

Oh, about not getting off in the ports. You will not be alone! Many have cruised and re-cruised....and just stay on board. It's actually fabulous to have the ship and crew to yourselves! That's a Yacht!

I hope you have a great time!

[casperthecat]

Thank you Capri...I have been biting my tongue. SB has always had the ambiance of elegance. Why would you want to go on this ship if you want to be like you are in front of your TV with your remote in hand??? Most of us lead a life of ease...but..it is so nice to have this occasion to dress. Even when my husband wore his suit each day..he still enjoyed the special occasions to dress.

 

 

Capri and Paloma, I’m not at all offended by your views, and I hope you understand that everyone is different. I’m assuming that you are both a LOT older than me and therefore you no longer have a daily routine of wearing a suit for work. If you did, you would understand why wearing a jacket isn’t a treat!! We both have plenty of opportunity to dress up but on holiday we want to relax. We have stayed in numerous 5* hotels around the world (including the Burj Al Arab in Dubai) and it is quite rare that a jacket is insisted upon. Just because my husband prefers to relax on holiday rather than thinking about dress codes does not make him any less interesting, amusing or intelligent. I don’t care what you wear for dinner (within reason) so I don’t see why you should care, as long as we are happy and entertaining dining companions. Let’s hope that my fellow passengers are as impressed by my pink lycra catsuit, with a cutout to show off my tattoos and navel piercings, as I am. I will report back on their reactions at a later date!!

And Grace Smith, thank you for your reassurance. You seem to understand my point that dressing up is not on my wish list for a perfect holiday experience. We enjoy luxury, great food and seamless service so we are very much looking forward to our first Seabourn cruise.

[Prunella]

Lucky girl that you have the figure for the pink lycra catsuit.....I wish I did because I would certainly show it off as well!!!!

 

Seriously though if you have booked on one of the smaller ships the only other dining option in the evening is Resturant 2, the Patio Grill is only on the bigger ships.

[Capri73]

My husband still wears a suit every day for work,he enjoys relaxing on a golf course with his polo shirts.

As I said before SB is probably not for you.We never saw anyone without a jacket on the nights it was requested.

[Grace Smith]

Lucky girl that you have the figure for the pink lycra catsuit.....I wish I did because I would certainly show it off as well!!!!

 

Seriously though if you have booked on one of the smaller ships the only other dining option in the evening is Resturant 2, the Patio Grill is only on the bigger ships.

 

Most nights in the Summer in the Med they set up the Sky Bar for grilled dinners (steak, lobster, etc.) Maybe Patio Grill is not what it's called, but there is definitely another opportunity to eat casually. They have shrimp cocktail, ceasar salad, and ice cream for dessert. The sunsets and views are amazing. You may want to have a jacket along because some evenings may be cool. Maybe in Sept. they don't have this venue open if it's too cool....? So far we have only sailed in late June and July.

 

Casperthecat, when they have formal nights (which they are not having on 7 day sailings in the Med this Summer) you need a Tux or a dark suit in the Restaurant and you would still also need a jacket in the other more casual dining venues. Now that there are no formal nights, you would only need a sports jacket for dining in the Restaurant. Still a great idea to pack that jacket because often the menu in the Dining Room is often very tempting. Also, if there is a dish that you would enjoy, just let them know the day before and they will make it just for you! You might also be invited to a hosted table.

 

Let's call a truce to the Dress Code debate. It sends the wrong message to those who have never sailed Seabourn and may be lurking on this board. When I go on Holiday, I just want peace!:)

[Prunella]

As our last Med cruise was in April last year I cannot recall the Sky Bar having food in the evenings, but then maybe my memory, like my figure is going south!

 

Nobody is having a disagreement over this issue, but the OP did ask what the dress code was and people are trying to point her in the right direction so that she and her husband get the most out of the Seabourn experience.

[Martita B.]

As to your husband choosing not to take a jacket and tie ~you can always visit with the Laundry Master and borrow these from him if he decides he would like to dine in the main restaurant.

On the 'lit Seabourn Sister's, weather permitting, there are Sky Grill dinner's (Deck 8) quite often ~~reservations required. These dinners are quite nice, popular and usually "sell out" ~

MB

[lincslady]

I didn't fully understand the dress code before I booked otherwise I probably would have chosen SeaDream instead. I researched the fact that there was no formal night so assumed no jacket was required. And packing the jacket as surprise was a joke!

 

Another point - when I said 'polo neck sweater' I did not mean polo shirt, but a lightweight sweater with a high roll neck, which in black looks quite good under a linen jacket. Polo shirts not really appropriate.

 

Anyway, I do agree about Seadream. We have done 3 with them, but find we are not really their style - you should try them however. We did love the top of the yacht bar, and the food in the restaurant in the evenings, but otherwise it was not really for us (we are old enough to be your parents). If you would enjoy hiking and mountain biking, and not mind being told to eat outside when it is a bit on the cold side, you would probably enjoy it. It is definitely for a slightly younger, casual but glamorous, set. To us their main weakness was that if it not in fine weather there is a lack of indoor spaces, and the wines and especially spirits left a lot to be desired, compared with Seabourn.

[Miss Jet Set]

Dear Capri, I wish you would send a copy of your 'View' to Pamela Conover.

Her ears seem to be 'shut' these days.

 

P.S. I share your view

[Roxburgh]

As dress code has been amply discussed, I will just make a comment about excursions.

 

We generally only do two or three excursions on a 14 day cruise and, on our next one (23 days) we are tending to none bar the bus into Rome and Florence.

 

Usually, we do like to get off in the ports ... after a leisurely breakfast ... and then we wander around for a couple of hours heading back to the ship for a late lunch and then drinks at the Sky Bar. Others, I know, tend not to disembark at all. Whatever turns you on. After all, its your holiday.

 

On a final note, Seabourn is not as "stuffy" as some of the other comments might suggest. And I say that as someone who likes wearing a jacket :D

[lincslady]

Casperthecat - on excursions: I don't know which itinerary you are doing - there seem to be two in Sept. but if you have not yet been there and are going to Port Vendres you should try to go to Collioure - probably on your own if you can. There might be a shuttle bus, although it is about 15 minutes by bus, but it is very pretty and more interesting than Port Vendres.

 

There should be a free shuttle into Marseilles, the port being out of town in a very docky area. Ditto Palma. In Mahon, the sail in is pretty and the ship docks right in town. In Valencia it is also a shuttle ride into town, but the market is attractive (and could be where the chef's shopping takes place, and the cathedral interesting.

[SailingInToronto]

Casper,

We are also first time cruisers in our early 40's with very similar daily wear. We are sailing on August 7 from Rome and will be glad to give you a "first timers" view of the need for certain clothes. I am looking forward to a very relaxing cruise with great wine and food - and meeting plenty of interesting people.

I will be wearing a jacket on the plane over as I always do and will wear it when necessary.

 

Chat soon.:)

[krazeladee]

Casper, Are you going to be on the Sept 18th trip? I hope so because we will be able to find each other since I often put hot pink in my hair!! This will be my second cruise with Seabourn, the other was a transatlantic that had 3 formal nights.. I understand totally your husband's view on the jacket, but I think you will miss out on some great dinners in the regular dining room if you eat in other spots.... I think you should get your husband a "crazy" jacket (pink perhaps, haha) and have him wear it each time to the dining room. Maybe we can make some plans for on board, I love someone with a little spunk! Angie

[hikeatrail]

Capri and Paloma, I’m not at all offended by your views, and I hope you understand that everyone is different. I’m assuming that you are both a LOT older than me and therefore you no longer have a daily routine of wearing a suit for work. If you did, you would understand why wearing a jacket isn’t a treat!! We both have plenty of opportunity to dress up but on holiday we want to relax. We have stayed in numerous 5* hotels around the world (including the Burj Al Arab in Dubai) and it is quite rare that a jacket is insisted upon. Just because my husband prefers to relax on holiday rather than thinking about dress codes does not make him any less interesting, amusing or intelligent. I don’t care what you wear for dinner (within reason) so I don’t see why you should care, as long as we are happy and entertaining dining companions. Let’s hope that my fellow passengers are as impressed by my pink lycra catsuit, with a cutout to show off my tattoos and navel piercings, as I am. I will report back on their reactions at a later date!!

And Grace Smith, thank you for your reassurance. You seem to understand my point that dressing up is not on my wish list for a perfect holiday experience. We enjoy luxury, great food and seamless service so we are very much looking forward to our first Seabourn cruise.

 

I don't care what you're wearing! After that last bit of humor I wish we were on the same date cruise! I'd LOVE to have dinner with you!! What a great sense of humor...