Black Tie on P&O Arcadia.

[Happynutter]

Going on our first cruise. Booked and now not so sure. On the Black Tie evenings are you still able to eat in the buffet area ?. We have the view you have to stay in your cabin and order room service ?. Having read some threads I am still confused, sorry. We are just not dressing up guys and prefer the smart casual look without jackets.

Any advice..please be kind.

Many thanks.

[Presto2]

Going on our first cruise. Booked and now not so sure. On the Black Tie evenings are you still able to eat in the buffet area ?. We have the view you have to stay in your cabin and order room service ?. Having read some threads I am still confused, sorry. We are just not dressing up guys and prefer the smart casual look without jackets.

Any advice..please be kind.

Many thanks.

 

Hi, don't worry, we'll be kind :)

 

We haven't been on Arcadia but on Oceana and Britannia you are able to eat in the buffet area without dressing up. I think there would be a mutiny if you couldn't! Go any enjoy your cruise and make it your own ;)

[Monorail Orange]

Just checking, did you mean is the Belvedere open on formal nights - yes.

 

If you meant can you dine there if you're not in black tie, then I believe the do allow you to eat there in your civvies.

[Happynutter]

Thank you for your replies. We will eat on formal nights in the buffet wearing our "civvies"..love old terms. Cheers.

[the english lady]

Going on our first cruise. Booked and now not so sure. On the Black Tie evenings are you still able to eat in the buffet area ?. We have the view you have to stay in your cabin and order room service ?. Having read some threads I am still confused, sorry. We are just not dressing up guys and prefer the smart casual look without jackets.

Any advice..please be kind.

Many thanks.

 

One of our favourite ships.

As posted you can eat there (buffet) on formal nights no problem.

After 6pm I don't think they like you in shorts anywhere on the ship ,but casual will be fine.

There will be some bars you couldn't visit on formal nights either....crows nest and one/couple of the others. It will have a sign up saying if the dress code applies there though.

I don't know how long your cruise is, but usually 2 formal on a 7nighter and 4 on a 14 nighter.

I hope you enjoy her as much as we do

[cruiser1955]

No problem in the buffet. Most nights they have a themed area set up, think Chinese, Indian, fish, etc in addition to the standard fare. Shouldn't be a problem going to the theatre either - it's only really the Crows Nest at the front of the ship, maybe the piano bar and main dining room that stick to the dress code. You won't be the only ones going casual - don't be put off by any comments from the dress police.

 

Arcadia is a great ship to do your first cruise on. Enjoy it.

[Happynutter]

We are on a 7 night cruise. Do you know when you are informed which nights are formal ?

Hope we enjoy it. I am sure we shall.

Thank you for your comment.:)

[cruiser1955]

You will know for certain when you get on board. I would guess that it will be the 2nd or 3rd night and the 6th night if you have two. Formal nights are usually on sea days. 1st and last nights are casual to allow people to unpack and pack. You are asked to put you cases outside by 10pm on the last night unless you are carrying your cases off yourselves.

[Happynutter]

Thank you . Great to have clear advice. We can not wait. Hope you see this reply. Not sure how to reply with your remarks etc yet. Will get better. Promise lol

[cruiser1955]

Thank you . Great to have clear advice. We can not wait. Hope you see this reply. Not sure how to reply with your remarks etc yet. Will get better. Promise lol

 

Just click on the quote button and it copies the remarks to a reply window where you can then add your comments.

 

Enjoy the cruise and have fun, but a word of warning - it becomes addictive:). It is just a great way to see the world be it sightseeing in Europe or lazing on a beach in the Caribbean.

 

If you enjoy Asian food, you may want to try Sindhu on Arcadia. It's not just the food but the presentation and service. Sometimes they open at lunch time with a sampler menu.

[Strawberry field]

We did our first cruise this year and before we sailed we really didn't want to do the dressing up bit as it really wasn't us. A couple of days prior to sailing we thought oh well let's go for it and took formal wear with us mainly because we were concerned of others reactions on formal nights. In the end we went along with the formal dress and we were really glad we did as we had a fantastic time. However if we hadn't taken formal wear there wouldn't have been a problem as there were no comments to the 5% who didn't wear formal wear.

 

I say go with what you are comfortable with and there wouldn't be a problem but and I never thought I would say this, you will enjoy the formal evenings if you do dress up.

 

Edit....should have said on one formal evening we ate in the buffet in our formal wear because we were doing other things and our dining time in the MDR got in our way. There were many others in the buffet doing what we were doing in their black ties.

Edited October 5, 2016 by Strawberry field

[the english lady]

Good grief I hope I am not being called the fashion police. It worries not a jot to me what others are wearing.

I just thought I ought to make the poster aware that it is not just the MDR where the dress code applies.

Plus ofcourse no fellow cruiser will say anything on board about what you are wearing.

Like Strawberry field said you might go on this cruise (addictive holidays) and on the next one decide you might like to wear pretty pretties...

[cruiser1955]

Good grief I hope I am not being called the fashion police. It worries not a jot to me what others are wearing....

 

Not in any way was the term fashion police aimed at you - more as a warning to Happynutter that others may well come on to the thread to enforce their way of thinking or suggesting going on other lines if you don't want to do formal. Looks like we posted at similar times EL. I agree with you about what others are wearing - it's their holiday.

[BrianI]

It is worth pointing out that on formal nights the menu in the main restaurants is much better than other nights (fillet steak, lobster, etc). It is pity to miss this just for the sake of not wearing the appropriate dress.

Brian

[cruiser1955]

It is worth pointing out that on formal nights the menu in the main restaurants is much better than other nights (fillet steak, lobster, etc).

Brian

 

A good point Brian. I had forgotten the improved menus on formal nights, certainly the last formal night is to a higher standard with the chefs parade.

 

Not sure how strictly they enforce the formal dress code on the Captains Welcome Aboard party as I tend to miss those these days. Happynutter - this is a sales opportunity for the photographers to take a photo of you with the captain (photo not compulsory) :)

[AllieBallie]

My first cruise was on Arcadia - we had a wonderful time!

 

Of course you should do what is right for you and casual dress is fine, it's your holiday! However, if this is your first time I would say that you shouldn't count out the formal. We didn't think we'd enjoy it was much as we do. DH took a suit the first time and was adamant that he'd never get a tux. We loved the formal he bought a tux for our next cruise! I've also upgraded to some long dresses. The only time we wear these type of clothes is on a cruise. It's fun!

 

Whatever you do you'll love Arcadia and you'll have an amazing time.

 

 

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[eddie11]

Going on our first cruise. Booked and now not so sure. On the Black Tie evenings are you still able to eat in the buffet area ?. We have the view you have to stay in your cabin and order room service ?. Having read some threads I am still confused, sorry. We are just not dressing up guys and prefer the smart casual look without jackets.

Any advice..please be kind.

Many thanks.

Oh! It's not like that; it's really not

 

I'd advise you to take just a suit/white shirt/tie type wear for gentlemen, maybe black trousers and a sparkly or floaty top for ladies - something a bit up market but not as far as tux/long dress . Then you have the option. If you really don't want to wear them once the night arrives, that's fine; you won't go hungry and you won't be confined to your cabin :) If you feel that you want to try everything cruising has to offer, including the formal dinner, then the choice is yours

 

As others have said, you'll get lovely food in the dining rooms on formal nights

 

Don't stress. It's a lovely friendly relaxed holiday. Enjoy!

[Monorail Orange]

It is worth pointing out that on formal nights the menu in the main restaurants is much better than other nights (fillet steak, lobster, etc).

Please don't think I'm arguging here....

 

We'll agree to disagree on that point. I found the gala menu (from a certain 'celeb') to be most disappointing. I'm assuming that its only his name slapped on it, and in reality it is a P&O menu, but even so, I seldom found anything that appealed to me on those nights.

 

However, each to their own. I appriciate that some folk might like it.

 

:)

[Florry]

Oh! It's not like that; it's really not

 

 

 

I'd advise you to take just a suit/white shirt/tie type wear for gentlemen, maybe black trousers and a sparkly or floaty top for ladies - something a bit up market but not as far as tux/long dress . Then you have the option. If you really don't want to wear them once the night arrives, that's fine; you won't go hungry and you won't be confined to your cabin :) If you feel that you want to try everything cruising has to offer, including the formal dinner, then the choice is yours

 

 

 

As others have said, you'll get lovely food in the dining rooms on formal nights

 

 

 

Don't stress. It's a lovely friendly relaxed holiday. Enjoy!

 

 

I second this, the definition of 'formal' is interpreted quite broadly, suites (any shade of grey/black/blue etc) to kilts or DJs for men and skirts & tops are worn by plenty of women, in addition to long and short dresses or trouser suits.

Sometimes we dress up and sometimes we duck out depending on our mood. If dressing up I wear dresses or Indian Kurtas.

As the cruise we were on was longish and she is an adult only ship most people onboard were older than us and they did dress more smartly than on shorter cruises with more younger people.

Just do what you feel like doing as and when, it's your holiday (room service do a mean burger) Which cruise are you going?

 

 

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Edited October 5, 2016 by Florry

[john watson]

It is worth pointing out that on formal nights the menu in the main restaurants is much better than other nights (fillet steak, lobster, etc). It is pity to miss this just for the sake of not wearing the appropriate dress.

Brian

 

To access the MDR and elevated cuisine all you need for minimum is a dark suit and a tie. You do not need to buy a tuxedo, bow tie and patent shoes. In practice if you can take a jacket same colour as a pair of trousers you are taking anyway. It is of course up to you.

 

Regards John

[Florry]

I second this, the definition of 'formal' is interpreted quite broadly, suites (any shade of grey/black/blue etc) to kilts or DJs for men

 

 

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Suits even [emoji23]

 

 

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[Happynutter]

I second this, the definition of 'formal' is interpreted quite broadly, suites (any shade of grey/black/blue etc) to kilts or DJs for men and skirts & tops are worn by plenty of women, in addition to long and short dresses or trouser suits.

Sometimes we dress up and sometimes we duck out depending on our mood. If dressing up I wear dresses or Indian Kurtas.

As the cruise we were on was longish and she is an adult only ship most people onboard were older than us and they did dress more smartly than on shorter cruises with more younger people.

Just do what you feel like doing as and when, it's your holiday (room service do a mean burger) Which cruise are you going?

 

 

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We are going on the Arcadia , Fjords.

[Florry]

We are going on the Arcadia , Fjords.

 

 

Wonderful, have a great time :)

 

 

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