Black Tie

[crestofawave]

Do they have a formal dinner on the larger ships for 7 nights in the med.Do they still have it on a 7 day on the triplets - we did enjoy dressing up.

[Chairsin]

Yes, after yo-yo policies in this regard last fall Seabourn seems to have settled on one black tie optional nights per 7 day cruise( non Caribbean). On long cruises it varies -- our upcoming 15 day Norwegian cruise shows two black tie nights.We also very much enjoy dressing up.

[wripro]

However they are now black tie optional nights which means one can wear black tie if one wishes but no one is required to.

[adoctor]

What a relief.The very last thing I want to do is to put on a DJ when on holiday.Happy to wear a tie or bow tie in order not to upset those who like to "dress up".Well done Seabourn for dispensing with this anachronism.

[Chairsin]

Since sailor Boy and I love dressing up on Seabourn I guess by your definition that makes us anachronistas!!!

[wripro]

That's the nice thing about optional. Those who want to can, those who don't don't have to.

[TallyHo1]

My wife and I like to dress as well. However, when traveling, we also find it better to take no more luggage than we can each pull/carry ourselves through airports, etc. This has saved us several times. But that means no luggage room for black tie jacket and trousers. We'll just have to look smart in our regular duds! I heartily endorse Black Tie OPTIONAL.

[lincslady]

My wife and I like to dress as well. However, when traveling, we also find it better to take no more luggage than we can each pull/carry ourselves through airports, etc. This has saved us several times. But that means no luggage room for black tie jacket and trousers. We'll just have to look smart in our regular duds! I heartily endorse Black Tie OPTIONAL.

 

I have to say again, that if you are not in black tie or what appears to be a dark suit with tie 'our alternative dining venues will welcome guests in elegant casual attire' according to the brochure. I do not know how strict SB are with this ruling, but feel everyone should be warned. My husband did manage to get into the main dining room in a dark sports jacket, non- matching dark trousers and a tie on a formal night, but this might not always be the case. However, other CC members have not agreed with me on this.:confused:

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I have to say again, that if you are not in black tie or what appears to be a dark suit with tie 'our alternative dining venues will welcome guests in elegant casual attire' according to the brochure. I do not know how strict SB are with this ruling, but feel everyone should be warned. My husband did manage to get into the main dining room in a dark sports jacket, non- matching dark trousers and a tie on a formal night, but this might not always be the case. However, other CC members have not agreed with me on this.:confused:

 

Now I'm completely confused. I've been reading about the new "formal optional" code and thinking that we might be ready for Seabourn. But this statement makes it sound quite different. Looking forward to clarification,.

[lord of the seas]

My husband did manage to get into the main dining room in a dark sports jacket, non- matching dark trousers and a tie on a formal night :confused:

 

Did anyone ask him for the wine list?

[lincslady]

Now I'm completely confused. I've been reading about the new "formal optional" code and thinking that we might be ready for Seabourn. But this statement makes it sound quite different. Looking forward to clarification,.

 

 

Me too - what I have said several times is what it says in the SB brochure, but some people think it is OK to go into formal dinners in elegant casual, i.e. jacket but not necessarily tie, and others, including me, think you need to be in dinner jacket or dark suit, or go to an alternative restaurant. I only mentioned that my DH was accepted in the dining room in somewhat less than full dark suit (after earlier asking the Maitr'd) to try to be helpful. My DH normally takes his DJ, but had not on this occasion, and the menu in the dining room was the nicest! I am not quite sure what Lord of the Seas query about being asked for the wine list means - he certainly did not look like a wine waiter?:confused:

[MarciAnn]

I think the brochure in the UK must be different. I just got the Travel Planner from Seabourn for my August Med trip and it says in no uncertain terms that elegant casual ( jacket/no tie) " is always appropriate in the evening" One night is formal optional "for guests who wish to dress more formally." You can wear a dark suit or tux if you want to but it is definitely optional.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I think the brochure in the UK must be different. I just got the Travel Planner from Seabourn for my August Med trip and it says in no uncertain terms that elegant casual ( jacket/no tie) " is always appropriate in the evening" One night is formal optional "for guests who wish to dress more formally." You can wear a dark suit or tux if you want to but it is definitely optional.

 

Well, that's what I want to hear, for sure!

[Host Dan]

This is an excerpt from an email I received awhile back, from the Seabourn offices regarding dress code. I hope this can put this discussion on the right track-

 

Formal optional means guests can wear either casually elegant (collared shirt, jacket/no tie required) or formal as they prefer after 6PM. That gives guests the option of formal attire if that's what they like without having to "stand out." BTW this is what Regent Seven Seas does and it works fine.

 

Jeans are never considered appropriate in The Restaurant after 6PM.

 

Each category of suggested attire (Casual, Casually Elegant and Formal Optional) is for all venues on board for that evening. Indoors or out, even the Patio Grill/Sky Grill.

 

Host Dan

[Wendy The Wanderer]

This is an excerpt from an email I received awhile back, from the Seabourn offices regarding dress code. I hope this can put this discussion on the right track-

 

Formal optional means guests can wear either casually elegant (collared shirt, jacket/no tie required) or formal as they prefer after 6PM. That gives guests the option of formal attire if that's what they like without having to "stand out." BTW this is what Regent Seven Seas does and it works fine.

 

Jeans are never considered appropriate in The Restaurant after 6PM.

 

Each category of suggested attire (Casual, Casually Elegant and Formal Optional) is for all venues on board for that evening. Indoors or out, even the Patio Grill/Sky Grill.

 

Host Dan

 

Thanks Dan. The kicker for us is that "casually elegant" means a jacket. We were very glad when Regent went "formal optional", and eliminated the jacket requirement. So this is *not* exactly the same as Regent does.

 

But if he can get away with just a jacket, I can probably persuade him to buy a nice new sports jacket if we decide to try Seabourn.

[Keith1010]

Just wanted to note that it is nice that each cruise line is not a clone of one another. If it was the cruise industry would be rather boring there would be no need for different lines. Sometimes, it's nice to try something new.

 

Keith

[LEESRE]

Must admit that on our recent Sojourn cruise most nights men did wear jackets. Even on Casual nights we saw more jackets than not.

But again if you wish then don't wear a jacket eat in Colonnade etc.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I've read over the dress code carefully. I can see that jeans are never allowed in the Dining Room, and aren't allowed in the lounges in formal optional nights. More relaxed than Regent, where jeans a pretty universally disallowed after 6 p.m. So no problem with that.

 

But here's my real concern. How out of place would a man feel wearing "resort casual" attire, i.e. no jacket or tie, in the evenings on a Seabourn ship?

 

Would he be banned from some restaurants some nights? And if not, would he be 'frowned upon', subtly? Honest answers, I'm really interested.

[Host Dan]

I've read over the dress code carefully. I can see that jeans are never allowed in the Dining Room, and aren't allowed in the lounges in formal optional nights. More relaxed than Regent, where jeans a pretty universally disallowed after 6 p.m. So no problem with that.

 

But here's my real concern. How out of place would a man feel wearing "resort casual" attire, i.e. no jacket or tie, in the evenings on a Seabourn ship?

 

Would he be banned from some restaurants some nights? And if not, would he be 'frowned upon', subtly? Honest answers, I'm really interested.

I've been of many, many Seabourn cruises and have worn open-neck, short sleeve Nat Naste shirts and slacks and have fit in just fine. On some nights I might throw a jacket on.

 

Host Dan

[LEESRE]

Don't think they would be frowned upon, but I would personally feel out of place, most people do adhere to the dress code.

Think Regent would suite you better if you feel that you cannot adhere to the dress code. As Dan says no jeans after six, and on our Sojourn cruise we did not see anyone, even the young ones, in jeans after six o'clock.

[cwn]

This is an excerpt from an email I received awhile back, from the Seabourn offices regarding dress code. I hope this can put this discussion on the right track-

 

Formal optional means guests can wear either casually elegant (collared shirt, jacket/no tie required) or formal as they prefer after 6PM............

Each category of suggested attire (Casual, Casually Elegant and Formal Optional) is for all venues on board for that evening. Indoors or out, even the Patio Grill/Sky Grill.

 

Host Dan

 

Based on what Host Dan posted from Seabourn, why would a man in a sports coat/no tie be banned from ANY of the eating venues on "formal optional" nights?

 

We were just on theRegent Mariner and my husband never wore a tie and only wore a sports coat on the formal optional nights. On some of those nights he just wore a long sleeve dress shirt and no jacket. I know he didn't feel out of place and as far as I know we were not shunned by other passengers...some of whom were really dressed to the 9's! By and large the dress on Regent was a very mixed bag.

 

Of course, the Mariner is 700 passengers and the Spirit is only 200 so that makes a difference too. Even so, not every one dressed formally when we were on the Spirit either.

 

I am also interested in this. It has been almost 2 years since we were on Seabourn, but will be on the Sojourn in 2012. Last time, the most dressed DH got was to put on a sports coat/tie even on the formal nights and that is his plan this time too.

 

DH doesn't like to dress up anymore and really enjoys that aspect of both Seabourn and Regent. He can be a bit hard headed about dress at times. One night, after about 3 weeks on the Spirit, he was tired and it was warm outside...we had been in port all day, had reservations for "2" and wanted sit on the back deck to watch the sunset over the port while we ate. DH didn't want to put on a jacket or even drag the jacket to dinner and flat said "if they won't seat us, we will eat in the room!" Well, the head waiter (class act that he was) seated us on the back deck without batting an eye. When he can back to get our order he placed a jacket on the back of DH chair saying "so no one could complain"...we all laughed and had a delightful evening and a great meal. The funny thing was as the out side seating filled up every man took his coat off. Fotunately DH usually doesn't mind wearing a jacket, but I was pleased the staff handled the situation ao well.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Very funny, all this is good to know. In the case of my husband, I would say "pig-headed", actually, about the dress codes. We were thrilled when Regent relaxed its code, and nice to hear that we would find Seabourn okay in this respect. But I will buy him that new sports jacket, when and if we take the plunge.

[lincslady]

It does look as if Dan has the most recent answer to the conundrum - that is, you can wear formal or 'elegant casual' in any venue on formal evenings. Hope everyone is happy with this!! I would just add that while in the Caribbean and mid-summer in the Med. many men might wear elegant casual on any formal nights (if indeed there are any) at other times probably the majority of men would be in formal wear or dark suit if dining in the dining room. But at least you have the choice, which is not was implied in the brochure advice; obviously published some time ago.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Don't think they would be frowned upon, but I would personally feel out of place, most people do adhere to the dress code.

Think Regent would suite you better if you feel that you cannot adhere to the dress code. As Dan says no jeans after six, and on our Sojourn cruise we did not see anyone, even the young ones, in jeans after six o'clock.

 

I think you misunderstood me. I stated that jeans at night would never be a problem for us (I hardly ever wear jeans, and husband usually only at breakfast or off the ship.) And I have never said anything about not adhering to the dress code in other respects.

[Emdee]

Jeans are never an issue with us. Like Wendy we are considering jumping ship ( from Regent). As long as DH does not need to wear a suit/tux. He will be fine with a blazer/sportscoat and no tie .