Iona cutting down on formal nights

[Windsurfboy]

5 hours ago, Harry Peterson said:

Indeed so. And the Guardian. But neither are tacky, unlike the Mail, Express, Sun, Star etc.

 

Tackyness does bother me , bias does and all papers are equally guilty of that even your preferred so called non tacky ones and getting more so by the day. If you rely on papers for your news, you must read at least 3 or 4 to make your own unbiased opinion and to understand the mood of the country you must read papers you disagree with. Hence I  always read your posts.  Many of us have given up on papers and use multiple sources on the internet. 

 

But back to the subject of formal nights.

 

If your prejudices are right.  Given that the Tacky Wail as you call it has a circulation greater than all your preferred papers combined and its market share is growing, then the writing is on the wall . It looks like we'll all have to get string vests like Onslow as formal attire. 

 

But of course you may be wrong  about both the mail and it's readers tastes. I think they would support formal nights. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Flo71]

On 10/27/2019 at 11:44 AM, Harry Peterson said:

Good news from our viewpoint, and long, long overdue. The beginning of the end at last and simply a reflection of changing times and a changing customer base.

 

Maybe they’ll keep the smaller ships as they are, but the larger ships which replace them will inevitably go this way.

 

Agree, my first thought was yessss! At last!

[dgs1956]

1 hour ago, Flo71 said:

 

Agree, my first thought was yessss! At last!

Someone that agrees with Harry at last. What next??

 

[Harry Peterson]

1 hour ago, dgs1956 said:

Someone that agrees with Harry at last. What next??

 

Some people are still living in the past. Maybe there are becoming more of us with a more enlightened attitude towards inevitable changes? 😎

[dgs1956]

2 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

Some people are still living in the past. Maybe there are becoming more of us with a more enlightened attitude towards inevitable changes? 😎

Judging by the vast numbers that disagree with you then it has to be more than "some" people but good luck with educating us unenlightened but happy cruisers.

[Vampiress88]

I think it’s probably to do with age. 
 

I would assume p&o need to try and cater to a younger age base now. I don’t mind getting dressed up but most people don’t have formal dress in their wardrobe like they used to. 
for example I remember as a kid that we had to get dressed up for Christmas is (tacky) sequin dresses. There wouldn’t be much of that now a days. 
 

unfortunately times change and p&o have to follow with it. 
same as they offer liver (🤢) on the menu. I don’t know anyone my age going and buying or cooking that. 
 

if they want to make the business still work they need to follow the masses. They are still keeping one formal night to please everyone. 
 

I have only ever cruised on p&o and I like

it but I do think especially when looking at other lines that it’s behind and kinda typical old world British which we aren’t really like that anymore. 

[newbie cruissy]

3 minutes ago, Vampiress88 said:

unfortunately times change and p&o have to follow with it. 

Or you could say that fortunately times change... 

[Harry Peterson]

18 minutes ago, newbie cruissy said:

Or you could say that fortunately times change... 

Indeed. And it's trying to cling on to past days of the British Empire and Britain as some kind of world power (both of which were finished off by two major wars) that's tearing the country apart and making us the laughing stock of the world right now.

 

Woolworths didn't change. Neither did Comet. Likewise Thomas Cook. That's what happens if you cling on to the past. 

[dgs1956]

12 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

Indeed. And it's trying to cling on to past days of the British Empire and Britain as some kind of world power (both of which were finished off by two major wars) that's tearing the country apart and making us the laughing stock of the world right now.

 

Woolworths didn't change. Neither did Comet. Likewise Thomas Cook. That's what happens if you cling on to the past. 

Oh! No! I can feel myself agreeing with you as well.

[terrierjohn]

16 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

Indeed. And it's trying to cling on to past days of the British Empire and Britain as some kind of world power (both of which were finished off by two major wars) that's tearing the country apart and making us the laughing stock of the world right now.

 

Woolworths didn't change. Neither did Comet. Likewise Thomas Cook. That's what happens if you cling on to the past. 

What on earth has all that to do with a P&O cruise? 

Harry I think you need to find a good therapist to help with all these weird phobias.😗😉

[Harry Peterson]

2 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

What on earth has all that to do with a P&O cruise? 

Harry I think you need to find a good therapist to help with all these weird phobias.😗😉

All very much related to the subject of the thread, resistance to change by some customers and others wanting to ditch old fashioned dated ways which are putting off younger cruisers. 

[Stanleyogden]

I'm a big fan of formal dress on cruise ships (actually its semi formal as white tie is formal and I don't think any cruise ships have white tie nights but that's an argument for another day).  Having said that we're going on a seven night Iona cruise next year and it seems ridiculous having to pack a dinner suit, shoes, shirt and bow tie for one evening.  As some have said it seems they're trying to please everyone and doing just the opposite.  If they insist on going down this route they may as well have 'evening chic' nights as on Celebrity.

[Presto2]

On ‎10‎/‎30‎/‎2019 at 9:07 PM, Vampiress88 said:

I think it’s probably to do with age. 
 

I would assume p&o need to try and cater to a younger age base now. I don’t mind getting dressed up but most people don’t have formal dress in their wardrobe like they used to. 
for example I remember as a kid that we had to get dressed up for Christmas is (tacky) sequin dresses. There wouldn’t be much of that now a days. 
 

unfortunately times change and p&o have to follow with it. 
same as they offer liver (🤢) on the menu. I don’t know anyone my age going and buying or cooking that. 
 

if they want to make the business still work they need to follow the masses. They are still keeping one formal night to please everyone. 
 

I have only ever cruised on p&o and I like

it but I do think especially when looking at other lines that it’s behind and kinda typical old world British which we aren’t really like that anymore. 

 

Funnily enough I think over recent years we seem to see more and more shops selling formal gear for things like New Year and more people than ever seem to want to dress up for these occasions.

 

Re the liver issue --- thinking about it, we don't eat liver much now (mid 50s) but remember when my mum did an mazing job of liver and onions when I was a child - and very nice it was too ! Your comment made me feel old though ;-)

 

I hope that P&O retain the unique things that make them different from the others. If all cruise lines were the same it would be very boring. This isn't aimed at you but it does my head in (for want of a better phrase) when people wand cruise lines to revolve around them and change to be what they want to be, rather than letting them be what they are and let those who enjoy those things have a good time. (If that rambling, long sentence makes sense).

[Vampiress88]

1 hour ago, Presto2 said:

 

Funnily enough I think over recent years we seem to see more and more shops selling formal gear for things like New Year and more people than ever seem to want to dress up for these occasions.

 

Re the liver issue --- thinking about it, we don't eat liver much now (mid 50s) but remember when my mum did an mazing job of liver and onions when I was a child - and very nice it was too ! Your comment made me feel old though ;-)

 

I hope that P&O retain the unique things that make them different from the others. If all cruise lines were the same it would be very boring. This isn't aimed at you but it does my head in (for want of a better phrase) when people wand cruise lines to revolve around them and change to be what they want to be, rather than letting them be what they are and let those who enjoy those things have a good time. (If that rambling, long sentence makes sense).

sorry presto for making you feel old 

mid 50s is definitely not 

 

to be honest there’s a few reasons I go with p&o

sail from Southampton 

very competitive price

has ports I want /wanted to go to (fjords, canaries, Rome/Pisa)

 

Having to dress up on a cruise makes no difference to me other than I have to buy a dress for the black tie nights. The other nights are exactly what I would wear anyway to go out to dinner so is normal. 
 

after a good nosey at the menus I do think some of the stuff looks gross like liver or pate but that’s maybe just us. I’m hoping I won’t have the chicken or steak too many nights but it wasn’t a problem on the last cruise, we got to try new things even though some I did not like, there was always the buffet if we were still hungry. 
 

so changing the amount of formal nights would never influence a cruise for me. 
 

I really do think that price over all wins it for me. 
I have had and got some good cruises for great deals and after I have looked at other companies can’t bring myself to book something twice as expensive. If anyone can point out to me why I should I would be all ears. 
im sure p&o are not the top of the cruise business and I am usually all for you get what you pay for but I actually do think that I have gotten more than my money’s worth definitely. 
 

but they do still have to move with the times. Another 20 years when my generation will be the bulk of cruising (50+) i doubt many will eat some of those things for example so there has to be a balance. 
 

Cost us £1367 for a week on a cruise for 2 adults and 2 kids to four ports, car parking, speciality dining and drinks. It’s less than £200 a night. Some cracking bargains 

[Showingthatgame]

Personally I feel cutting down to one night instead of 2 is ideal for us. It is nice to dress up and brings a certain elegance to the evening so we are happy that they have kept one. However for us the second one gave my partner concerns that she had to have a second dress so not to wear the same one twice. We also felt it to be a bit unnecessary to have the second night seeing as we would never normally dress up twice in one week. 

 

Keeping in theme with Iona this does seem to be aiming at a slightly younger audience. Less rules and more freedom. I don't think it will influence much the number of sales, the only thing it might do is cause a blip in negative feedback for a while until people are used to it.

[Presto2]

1 hour ago, Showingthatgame said:

Keeping in theme with Iona this does seem to be aiming at a slightly younger audience. Less rules and more freedom. I don't think it will influence much the number of sales, the only thing it might do is cause a blip in negative feedback for a while until people are used to it.

 

This made me smile - I think every new ship we have sailed on has had bad reviews when she has first set sail ! I remember the complaints about Britannia being too big (as if the number of passengers had not been know for years). Just wait until Iona has her first passengers ….. I can imagine the comments now: too informal, not enough formal nights, far too big, too many passengers so tendering takes for ever, too much glass in the atrium, too modern, drab paintwork and décor. The list is endless ;-)

 

(To be honest she is too big for us, but from what we've seen she does actually look like she'll be a beauty in places). :-)

[CarlaMarie]

To be honest I don't think it has anything to do with age. I am early 30s and love traditional cruising, to me that is what cruising is meant to be - the dressing up, fixed dining, etc.... I prefer the smaller ships on which I can feel the sea, with a prom deck! The likes of Iona etc... do not appeal to me and I doubt they ever will. I don't think I am alone in thinking like this. 

 

[yorkshirephil]

5 hours ago, Presto2 said:

 

This made me smile - I think every new ship we have sailed on has had bad reviews when she has first set sail ! I remember the complaints about Britannia being too big (as if the number of passengers had not been know for years). Just wait until Iona has her first passengers ….. I can imagine the comments now: too informal, not enough formal nights, far too big, too many passengers so tendering takes for ever, too much glass in the atrium, too modern, drab paintwork and décor. The list is endless

 

(To be honest she is too big for us, but from what we've seen she does actually look like she'll be a beauty in places).

Maybe they should have a moaning old gits club, or maybe not; it wouldn't be big enough.😉

Edited November 2, 2019 by yorkshirephil

[brian1]

I can think of at least 1 founding member,lol.

[Presto2]

2 hours ago, yorkshirephil said:

Maybe they should have a moaning old gits club, or maybe not; it wouldn't be big enough.😉

 

I'd get rid of the 'old' -- I think there are moaners of all generations. Have met some wonderful 'elderly' passengers who have shown us just how you should have a great time and live life to the full ! :-)

Edited November 2, 2019 by Presto2

[Broadside]

3 hours ago, yorkshirephil said:

Maybe they should have a moaning old gits club, or maybe not; it wouldn't be big enough.😉

 

They do - it's called Bingo 😁

Edited November 2, 2019 by Broadside
...

[Broadside]

Does this mean we are only going to get one Gala Dinner Menu night per 7 days ? 😒

[Vampiress88]

14 minutes ago, Broadside said:

Does this mean we are only going to get one Gala Dinner Menu night per 7 days ? 😒

what’s a gala dinner?

[AndyMichelle]

20 minutes ago, Vampiress88 said:

what’s a gala dinner?

The menu on a formal night. 

Andy 

[Vampiress88]

I’m assuming this is different to the normal dinning room dinner then? 
 

off to google

 

also wondering where we were on the formal nights as I didn’t notice any difference