Rare Host Jazzbeau Posted February 18, 2016 #51 Share Posted February 18, 2016 Crystal still has a formal nights, but they have cut it from two nights to one night for a seven day cruise. The true luxury lines Azamara, Seaborn, Oceana, Regent, Silverseas, Crystal, have enforced dress codes for dinner. Try them. You are right about Seabourn and Silversea. Seabourn also holds to traditional values by allowing smoking on verandas. Otherwise, all the luxury lines you named have dropped formal nights or watered down the definition: Azamara: "Formal evening wear is not expected nor required in our restaurants. If you prefer to dress more formally, you are welcome to do so. Please note that tuxedo rentals are not available onboard." Crystal now only has "black tie optional" nights -- this is only formal to those who have already weakened their standards to where a sport coat [not a dinner jacket] is acceptable as formal wear. They no longer rent tuxes on board. Oceania: Number of Formal Nights: None. In all evening dining venues, passengers are requested to adhere to the country club casual dress code. Regent: Voyages of 16 nights or longer have two or more formal or semiformal nights, but these are optional. Shorter cruises are always elegant casual. You can find a handy compilation of cruise line dress codes in this Cruise Critic article: http://www.cruisecritic.com/v-2/articles.cfm?ID=545 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gig103 Posted February 18, 2016 #52 Share Posted February 18, 2016 MSC has gala nights. Plenty of suits instead of tuxedos but the Europeans got into the spirit of it. They also have Italian night (red/white/green) and the White Night if you like themes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NLH Arizona Posted February 18, 2016 #53 Share Posted February 18, 2016 (edited) posted by Host Jazzbeau: Crystal now only has "black tie optional" nights -- this is only formal to those who have already weakened their standards to where a sport coat [not a dinner jacket] is acceptable as formal wear. They no longer rent tuxes on board. On my last Crystal cruise, the majority of the passengers dressed formally on "black tie optional" night, I saw very few men in sport coats, most in tuxes or dark suits. Edited February 18, 2016 by NLH Arizona Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ladesign Posted February 18, 2016 #54 Share Posted February 18, 2016 That's what I think P+O cruisers refer to as a Sailaway Party. It's P+O who hand out the flags and play the music. Not sure its jingoism. I think it's meant to evoke something similar to Last Night Of The Proms. perhaps but last night of proms is in london . I would have thought non brits would view last night of proms as proof that some brits are still living in the dark ages of the empire. i think the p&o nonsense is different in that it was in a non-british country with other nationalities in earshot who could deem it as provocative . personally it made me feel ashamed to be british - i only hope that the non brits realise that many of us have moved forward and realise that Britain DOES NOT 'rule the waves' rant over [emoji41] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chunky2219 Posted February 18, 2016 #55 Share Posted February 18, 2016 perhaps but last night of proms is in london . I would have thought non brits would view last night of proms as proof that some brits are still living in the dark ages of the empire. i think the p&o nonsense is different in that it was in a non-british country with other nationalities in earshot who could deem it as provocative . personally it made me feel ashamed to be british - i only hope that the non brits realise that many of us have moved forward and realise that Britain DOES NOT 'rule the waves' rant over [emoji41] Oh please! We get every manner of other nation's national identity waved at us, sometimes stuffed down our throats to the point of nauseation. It drives me nuts that I have to fit in with the US penchant for tipping and gratuities rather than having the price shown properly without some faux service reward. Oops, I used a French word there, this cultural ideology has infected me. On the other hand, I cheerfully dressed up in lurid colours and beads for the sail away in New Orleans, it's one of the photos the family get out every 10 years for a big-O birthday party. To put it into perspective, I've visited Gibraltar half a dozen times with various cruise lines, they always stop there because it's the cheapest place to re-fuel. But the P&O sail away was the only one that didn't feel like a damp squib ending to a cruise - flags flying, uplifting music, a great way to cock a snook at the idiots who make the border there such an unnecessary hassle. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadianDee Posted February 18, 2016 #56 Share Posted February 18, 2016 Ditto. Sailing March 20 Eclipse and taking the Tux. I attended a Travel Show yesterday and approached the Celebrity rep. I told her we had been loyal Celebrity cruiser since 1995 and was very disappointed in the dress code change. She spent most of the conversation defending the decision. She said it was done to make the other passengers feel like they did not have to dress up. I said, well what about buffet for those folks. She repeated the previous. I said, well, no one was ever forced to wear a tux. There was always the option to wear a coat and tie on formal nights. She again repeated the previous. I said, well, now you have taken the level of acceptable dress all the way down to wearing jeans. She again repeated the previous. And finally, I said, I believe those choosing to wear a tux are going to feel uncomfortable surrounded by passengers wearing jeans, shirt tails hanging out, and ball caps on their head while eating. She said, feel out the comment card. We were on the Reflection earlier this month and dressed up for formal/evening chic night as did most guests. The difference between your point about comfort and the rep's, is that you would like to control how others dress whilst the rep/Celebrity is allowing everyone to dress, within reason, as they choose. If you want to wear a tux, for heaven's sake, be a grown up and wear it. Stop measuring your comfort level and vacation experience by what someone else is wearing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haworth Posted February 18, 2016 #57 Share Posted February 18, 2016 Just st back from a 14 night caribbean on eclipse. whilst i have had doubts about p &o anyway what i witnessed in antigua was nothing short of disgraceful jingoism. i am a uk citizen and was proud to see the camaraderie between the brits and germans on board eclipse. when in antigua we were parked between a p&o ship and an aida ship . when we left at 5 many people were at the back if the boat and had to endure what looked like all the p&o inhabitants waving union jacks whilst 'rule brittania' played loudly over their pa system. it was comforting to see that the brits onboard eclipse were appalled . who knows what the aida people thought once we got out of the way. I have since heard from a golfing pal that P&O have been known to play the dam-busters theme song - disgraceful IMHO.[emoji32] That is why i like celebrity - multicultural and multinational amongst both staff and passengers What you have described is one of the many reasons we will not sail with P&O, we did one cruise on Azura, I would add poor food, queues for the main theater shows, other bars full and a racist "comedian" We voted with our wallets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ladesign Posted February 20, 2016 #58 Share Posted February 20, 2016 (edited) This is why we like Celebrity. 4 years ago we met a fantastic couple from Canadia , and have been on a cruise each year with them ever since . 2017 there are a further 4 brits + 2 canadians who we met in 2015 joining us. But a further 2 brits we met in 2016 ate also coming. And I have just heard from europe that our new (2016) german friends will also be joining us [emoji41][emoji41][emoji41] P&O can stick their jingoistic flags where the Sun doesnt shine [emoji33] Edited February 20, 2016 by Ladesign Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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