Dress Code

[plane10]

I wear jeans at home, but do not pack them for any trip. They are heavy, don't dry quickly, and never look elegantly casual or resort casual. Why the need to tamper with Seabourn's guidelines?

[plane10]

I do not pack jeans for any trip. They are heavy, don't dry quickly, and never look elegant. Why do people feel the need to push the envelope on proper dress codes? Why tamper with Seabourn's guidelines?

Edited February 7, 2013 by plane10
duplicate message

[HappyFeet13]

CWN, I must agree with you, although in an earlier posting I said I brought and wear a tux. I'm aboard Sojourn right now, about 200 miles from rounding Cape Horn. My wife and I have TWO 50 pound suitcases each. We also make side trips before and after the cruise and are often gone for a month. We need cold weather clothes, warm weather clothes, hiking/boating clothes, "elegant casual" clothes, etc. I won't try to attempt to address the problem for women's attire, I have no ideas from that perspective other than to say it looks like women have it a lot easier. For men, the requirement to have a tux, black shoes, tux shirt, etc for two brief dinners is really a burden. Even a dark suit, white shirt, black shoes, and tie are useful only for these two dinners. I had thought that a solution might be a dark Navy blue suit. The coat could be worn as a sport jacket with tan or grey slacks, the pants could be worn with dress shirts or short sleeve shirts, and together with a white shirt (just a nice white shirt, not a tux shirt) and a black long or bow tie, it would work on "formal" nights. Maybe I'll try that next.

[Mr Luxury]

Jim,what about the radical idea of taking three or even four suitcases with you,then you can take all clothes for all occasions?

 

I find that four suitcases for myself and my wife do the trick.If we were going for longer then we could take more cases or even send the cases ahead like a lot on these boards do.

[cwn]

Jim, DH takes a black sports coat, dark gray almost black, light grey and tan slacks with one long sleeve dress shirt and a tie plus a couple of collared shirts for daytime and evenings so that is along the lines you memtioned trying. He is happy with that combination and always looks very nice and more importantly not out of step. I take a couple of slacks and a long black shirt with a silk top and a couple of other tops. The biggest issue with packing is shoes, but I have found we can get by with two pair for DH and myself.

 

We travel with two carry-on size cases plus a camera case and maybe up to a 50 pound checked case if we need clothes for climate extremes like the trip around SA. That is a great cruise, we did it in 2011. One carry on has the meds and supplies that I need and other things that shouldn't be checked. The other has our clothes. The larger bag if needed for heavier clothes, one carry on and the camera bag is all my DH can handle. I can only manage a carry-on with my cane. We, of course, have to handle the luggage ourselves at car rentals and train stations. This approach works well for us and keeps things light.

 

Mr Luxury, We have shipped luggage to cruises and will continue doing so,if needed, but only for cruises leaving and returning to a US port. However, I really feel that the shipping fee usually is not worth having a few more outfits. After having to hire an lawyer to get our bag released the last time we shipped a bag home from a cruise ending another country and spending $$$'s (Seabourn cruise ending in Istanbul), we will not do that again!

 

If one likes to dress formally in the evening and likes having a different outfit most everyday, go for it. It is, after all, a personal prefference. Use the luggage service and carry the two or even three bags each, depending on the airline. That is what is important to your pleasure.

 

We no longer feel the need or want to dress formally or have a different outfit each day to enjoy a Seabourn, Silver Seas or Regent cruise....their dress codes and passenger styles no longer require it. We are comfortable with a few all purpose outfits since there are cleaning services on the ship. Plus we are really happy not having to deal with multiple pieces of luggage on our extended trips.

 

So for those cruising Seabourn for the first time and wondering about what to bring.....with in the limits of the dress code (a jacket required most nights for men)......dressing for dinner is always a matter of personal taste....as it should be.

Edited February 8, 2013 by cwn

[Nevian]

Just to clarify. Do ladies jeans in other colours than blue denim eg. black, dark grey, white, taupe etc count as 'jeans' in the evening.

 

I ask because I have some of these non denim 'jeans' and they are really only discernible as 'jeans style' at very close examination (hopefully not forthcoming) and I was rather hoping to get away with them on occasion with a smart top.

[Mr Luxury]

Jeans are jeans whatever the colour.

Non denim jeans should be ok for a casual evening or anytime during the day onboard

[HappyFeet13]

Thanks, CVN, that is good advice. My wife and I have TWO 50 pound suitcases EACH on this trip, and I will travel lighter next time. Even if one is willing to haul that much luggage, there are sometimes insurmountable problems as you travel other places before/after the cruise. I remember we went to get on the Indian Pacific in Adelaide. There were no porters at all in the terminal, and no rentable or free luggage carts. We finally got our bags across the station and to the counter and were advised that no bags over 40 pounds would be handled by them. It wasn't a question of money...they didn't want to charge for overweight bags, they just wouldn't take them. The solution? "No worries, Mate ...here's some large plastic bags. You can have all you want. Open each of your suitcases on the train station floor...take out enough things to get each of the suitcases under 40 pounds and put the excess stuff in the plastic bags. We have a bathroom scale over there for your convenience. Just keep taking stuff out, closing and weighing each suitcase until you get it right. Then you can check the suitcase and carry the plastic bags of shoes, shirts, underwear, and socks aboard with you". Nice, huh? Then there's the time we got off Seabourn and couldn't get our bags on the puddle-jumper airplane we were taking to the next place because they were too heavy. It is hard to justify the weight of a tux and shoes and accessories for two 3-hour dinners on a 3-4 week trip. That's why 70% of the men on this cruise are not wearing tuxes on "Formal optional" nights.

Edited February 13, 2013 by Jim in Florida

[lincslady]

Just to clarify. Do ladies jeans in other colours than blue denim eg. black, dark grey, white, taupe etc count as 'jeans' in the evening.

 

I ask because I have some of these non denim 'jeans' and they are really only discernible as 'jeans style' at very close examination (hopefully not forthcoming) and I was rather hoping to get away with them on occasion with a smart top.

 

I have worn black actual jeans in the evening in the dining room, but don't show the give-away back pockets by wearing a longish top. The only real no-no to my mind is blue denim, whether light or dark blue. Certainly other coloured and white trousers which don't look too much like jeans should be fine for casual and even informal evenings. Definitely not for formal optional though I feel. My option for that is black velvet trousers with a wide variety of tops. Hope this helps.:)

[Nevian]

Thanks Lincslady,

 

That was my feeling as well. Thanks for the confirmation.

Some of the coloured ones with long tops are pretty generic. When you are combining with a month away in many different latitudes you need to rationalise a bit to keep luggage manageable and this time I will have to manage without DH.

[Mr Luxury]

not for formal optional though I feel. My option for that is black velvet trousers with a wide variety of tops. Hope this helps.:)

 

lincslady,would you never consider wearing a dress for formal optional evenings instead of trousers.:confused:

[lincslady]

lincslady,would you never consider wearing a dress for formal optional evenings instead of trousers.:confused:

 

Mr. Luxury - I certainly would if I looked good in dresses or skirts. I have the sort of height and shape (long slim legs but a less than perfect waistline) which looks infinitely better in trousers and tops. I dress to suit my figure first, then something appropriate for the occasion (and which my DH also likes).:)

[Mr Luxury]

Ok,I'll look out for those long slim legs.;)

[2kiwis]

We have cruised many times but not yet on Seabourn.

 

Even though we do like dressing for formal occasions, the idea of formal nights is not appealing to us because we tend to go on holiday for at least two months and like to travel as light as possible.

Because of this, packing a tux and cocktail/formal dresses and extra shoes is low down on the list of things we decide to take.

 

We have always dressed elegantly casual for dining while on board and have never had a problem. If need be, we are happy to go elsewhere to dine on formal nights.

Edited March 13, 2013 by 2kiwis

[Love transatlantics]

We have cruised many times but not yet on Seabourn.

 

Even though we do like dressing for formal occasions, the idea of formal nights is not appealing to us because we tend to go on holiday for at least two months and like to travel as light as possible.

Because of this, packing a tux and cocktail/formal dresses and extra shoes is low down on the list of things we decide to take.

 

We have always dressed elegantly casual for dining while on board and have never had a problem. If need be, we are happy to go elsewhere to dine on formal nights.

 

First of all there are NO Formal nights on Seabourn ,just the occasional Formal OPTIONAL night, usually not more than once every 7 days.

On these nights Elegant Casual is fine in all venues including the Main Dinning room. Even on the Formal Optional nights most people do not dress formally. :)

[Mr Luxury]

Even on the Formal Optional nights most people do not dress formally. :)

 

Although the percentage does differ from cruise to cruise.

[Prunella1]

Although the percentage does differ from cruise to cruise.

 

It does and that is why everyone is getting mixed messages. I wish they would take the ambiguity out of it and say it's one thing or the other.

[Mr Luxury]

It does and that is why everyone is getting mixed messages. I wish they would take the ambiguity out of it and say it's one thing or the other.

 

Yes you are right.

Its ok for those of us that sail regularly but it might be confusing for new sailors.

Ofcourse the dress code is just a suggested minimum requirement and there are always guests that excell themselves with their stylish attire.

[cruisecrazyone]

So glad to see that Seabourn guests are concerned about dress. There are really only 3 "mainstream" lines that still pursue the formal optional suggestion. If one objects to dressing up a bit, why not just stick with the myriad of casual cruiselines. IMHO, it only makes sense. Happy cruising to all!

[Buccaneer_1]

Yay

Odyssey are returning diners to their suites to collect jackets on elegantly casual nights in the MDR. At last the standards are being adhered to consistently. Of course if you don't own a jacket they can provide one or you can eat elsewhere.

[Mapu]

Just off the Legend . The majority of passengers dressed nicely for the Formal Optional night but there were very few men in tuxedoes or even dark suites. The dress forbthevrest of the cruise each evening was resort casual..

[lincslady]

Just off the Legend . The majority of passengers dressed nicely for the Formal Optional night but there were very few men in tuxedoes or even dark suites. The dress forbthevrest of the cruise each evening was resort casual..

 

It seems to be just common sense that both the ship senior staff and passengers would feel that cruises in hot climes (particularly the casual Caribbean) should have more jacket not required evenings, and those in Europe especially out of the high season should have rather more jacket required and formal optionals. I am sure you would see rather more DJ's and suits there, but still quite a few in the accepted garb of jacket with non-matching trousers on the formal nights.

[Mr Luxury]

It seems to be just common sense that both the ship senior staff and passengers would feel that cruises in hot climes (particularly the casual Caribbean) should have more jacket not required evenings, and those in Europe especially out of the high season should have rather more jacket required and formal optionals.

 

Although the temperature of the dining room is always cold, wherever the ship is sailing.It's better for the hard working waiters to not over heat.

I don't know about you lincsy but my wife will not sit near to a window and always has a wrap for her shoulders especially on formal evenings.

[lincslady]

Right enough, Mr.L. But this topic is mainly about dress 'code', which tends to refer more to what the men have to wear.

[Mr Luxury]

Mainly men yes,but it does also encompass the ladies.As we know the dress code does allow for a wide interpretation,most get it right but there are still some that do not.