Iona cutting down on formal nights

[dgs1956]

My daughter has just been on an RCI Caribbean cruise. She says that there were loads of people in the MDR with shorts and flip flops. Is that what the ones that are against Formal Nights want P&O to allow?

[P-L-B]

49 minutes ago, dgs1956 said:

My daughter has just been on an RCI Caribbean cruise. She says that there were loads of people in the MDR with shorts and flip flops. Is that what the ones that are against Formal Nights want P&O to allow?

I sincerely hope not !! 

[Harry Peterson]

1 hour ago, dgs1956 said:

My daughter has just been on an RCI Caribbean cruise. She says that there were loads of people in the MDR with shorts and flip flops. Is that what the ones that are against Formal Nights want P&O to allow?

Absolutely not! 

 

Just an option for smart casual, with 'proper' shoes and trousers - even a requirement for a jacket wouldn't be a problem.  Just the sort of attire you'd encounter in decent restaurants and hotels across the UK.

[dgs1956]

24 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

Absolutely not! 

 

Just an option for smart casual, with 'proper' shoes and trousers - even a requirement for a jacket wouldn't be a problem.  Just the sort of attire you'd encounter in decent restaurants and hotels across the UK.

You don't think that before long the moans would be for flip flops and shorts and worse?

[Harry Peterson]

3 minutes ago, dgs1956 said:

You don't think that before long the moans would be for flip flops and shorts and worse?

If that happens I shall not be there to see it. I don't like being obliged to wear a DJ or a dark suit, but equally well I abhor beach clothing in inappropriate places. 

[Highpeaklad]

On 11/3/2019 at 4:37 PM, kenhem said:

I'm in the camp of one formal night per week is enough, particularly on the longer cruises. We're currently on the 28 night Arcadia cruise to the Caribbean and there are 8 formal nights on this, I'm doubtful we'll do all 8. What makes it worse is where there are no formal nights whilst we spend 7 nights doing the islands they are crammed in on the sea days. Consequently there are 4 formals across 7 nights going to the islands and 4 formals across  9 nights coming back.

 

But I hope P&O do not go down the route mentioned by Andrew of Marella. Personally our favourite dress code is Celebrity's Evening Chic which gives the option of formal or smart casual. When we first started cruising we enjoyed and looked forward to the formal nights but maybe where we've done quite a few cruises now we've got tired of them. But each to their own of course as I know a lot of P&O cruisers enjoy the formal nights.

 

I’m  not sure what’s different between Celebrity’s evening chic and Marella’s dress to impress. 

 

On Celebrity I counted about a dozen men in suits/tuxes in a full MDR. Most people had short sleeved shirts and jeans or trousers. 

[brian1]

7 hours ago, Highpeaklad said:

 

I’m  not sure what’s different between Celebrity’s evening chic and Marella’s dress to impress. 

 

On Celebrity I counted about a dozen men in suits/tuxes in a full MDR. Most people had short sleeved shirts and jeans or trousers. 

There is no difference,but on Marella,people seem to adhere to a more formal dress.At least this was the case on our recent Iceland cruise.Warm weather cruises may differ.

[greyhound1950]

HI folks regarding black tie nights,is very controversial subject.the ladies like to dress in evening dresses and express their individual personalities.if they were all asked to wear the same dresses they would understandably be upset.

so begs the question why do dress codes require the men to all look the same.

my solution to this dilemma is for cruise lines to relax the dress codes for men.suits or jackets with open neck shirts'

very few celebrities,on special nights out wear the penguin look.

 

 

 

 

 

[zap99]

On 11/3/2019 at 2:10 AM, P&O SUE said:

Marco Pierre White’s beef wellington on formal night is lovely!

That would be lovely any night.😁

[greyhound1950]

hi zapp 99,

 

amusing reply don't understand the relevance

 

grey hound 1950

[Adawn47]

2 hours ago, greyhound1950 said:

HI folks regarding black tie nights,is very controversial subject.the ladies like to dress in evening dresses and express their individual personalities.if they were all asked to wear the same dresses they would understandably be upset.

so begs the question why do dress codes require the men to all look the same.

my solution to this dilemma is for cruise lines to relax the dress codes for men.suits or jackets with open neck shirts'

very few celebrities,on special nights out wear the penguin look.

 

 

 

 

 

Very few celebrities dress smartly now anyway. Grunge and rips in trousers are the norm. No way would either my husband or myself want to drop to their "standards" but to each their own. On formal evenings my husband has various  silk bow ties that he likes to alternate between. White, black, dark blue, burgundy and a lovely black and silver one. Very smart.

Avril 

[Dinglebert]

2 hours ago, greyhound1950 said:

HI folks regarding black tie nights,is very controversial subject.the ladies like to dress in evening dresses and express their individual personalities.if they were all asked to wear the same dresses they would understandably be upset.

so begs the question why do dress codes require the men to all look the same.

my solution to this dilemma is for cruise lines to relax the dress codes for men.suits or jackets with open neck shirts'

very few celebrities,on special nights out wear the penguin look.

 

 

 

 

 

I find my kilt looks different from others.

[Harry Peterson]

2 hours ago, greyhound1950 said:

HI folks regarding black tie nights,is very controversial subject.the ladies like to dress in evening dresses and express their individual personalities.if they were all asked to wear the same dresses they would understandably be upset.

so begs the question why do dress codes require the men to all look the same.

my solution to this dilemma is for cruise lines to relax the dress codes for men.suits or jackets with open neck shirts'

very few celebrities,on special nights out wear the penguin look.

 

 

 

 

 

Always a controversial topic!  

 

With you up to a point (though I abhor 'celebrities' and have no interest in them or what they choose to wear).  I'd much rather smart casual took over from formal, as in almost all restaurants - even the smartest.

 

Morston Hall is a rather nice Michelin starred restaurant in North Norfolk.  We dined there recently and wanted to check out the dress code - here's the very pleasant and sensible response:

 

"I'm assuming you don't operate any kind of formal dress code?  Ties, suits etc?
I'm not thinking shorts and a Hawaiian shirt - just smart casual. Do you have any rules please?

Kind regards,"

"Thank you for your email. 
We merely suggest smart/casual for dinner – we don’t really have any rules.   In general, the rule would be whatever you are comfortable in and if that means your Hawaiian shirt then that’s fine!
Hope this helps."

 

I'm not in any sense advocating Hawaiian shirts on P&O, but smart casual is bound to take over from formal as the older passengers are replaced by younger ones.  Some of those do like formal, but it's a very small percentage.

[Adawn47]

1 minute ago, Dinglebert said:

I find my kilt looks different from others.

A kilt looks so smart on formal nights. I love to see them. My son- in-law wore a kilt at his wedding. I don't find formal nights clothing boring at all. We've seen many in Dress Uniforms and some in their countries national dress. One I remember in particular was a Japanese couple both in kimonos. The ladies hair was decorated with beautiful combs and she wore the traditional wooden shoes. Beautiful.

Avril 

[AndyMichelle]

19 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

Always a controversial topic!  

 

With you up to a point (though I abhor 'celebrities' and have no interest in them or what they choose to wear).  I'd much rather smart casual took over from formal, as in almost all restaurants - even the smartest.

 

Morston Hall is a rather nice Michelin starred restaurant in North Norfolk.  We dined there recently and wanted to check out the dress code - here's the very pleasant and sensible response:

 

"I'm assuming you don't operate any kind of formal dress code?  Ties, suits etc?
I'm not thinking shorts and a Hawaiian shirt - just smart casual. Do you have any rules please?

Kind regards,"

"Thank you for your email. 
We merely suggest smart/casual for dinner – we don’t really have any rules.   In general, the rule would be whatever you are comfortable in and if that means your Hawaiian shirt then that’s fine!
Hope this helps."

 

I'm not in any sense advocating Hawaiian shirts on P&O, but smart casual is bound to take over from formal as the older passengers are replaced by younger ones.  Some of those do like formal, but it's a very small percentage.

I do like formal, but accept it will change in the future. 

My only concern is one man's smart casual is another man's scruffy.. 

If we said blazers and open neck shirts, many would turn up in scruffy polo shirts.. But its designer... 

It's a bit like a school uniform, nobody feels embarrassed because we all look the same. 

If I have to make an effort, I would hope everybody else does too. 

But, this is the least of our worries at the moment... 

Andy 

[Eddie99]

A dress code thread?

Where did that come from?  Seriously?

 

 

Edited May 3, 2020 by Eddie99

[Adawn47]

18 minutes ago, Eddie99 said:

A dress code thread?

Where did that come from?  Seriously?

 

 

Makes a pleasant change from some of the other more serious although important  threads . It's good to step back sometimes and regroup. You don't have to participate. 

Avril

[AndyMichelle]

36 minutes ago, Eddie99 said:

A dress code thread?

Where did that come from?  Seriously?

 

 

I'm gonna start a tipping thread to bring back memories... 

Andy 

[Harry Peterson]

16 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

I'm gonna start a tipping thread to bring back memories... 

Andy 

Good idea. Always good for bringing people together. 

 

I rather liked the 'sail or steam' threads from the good old Cutty Sark days. Very slow internet connections then though. Basically baked bean cans and string.

[Adawn47]

5 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

Good idea. Always good for bringing people together. 

 

I rather liked the 'sail or steam' threads from the good old Cutty Sark days. Very slow internet connections then though. Basically baked bean cans and string.

Can't remember that far back Harry. Sorry, but you're on your own there😉

Avril 

[majortom10]

I was once chatting, sorry listening to a couple moan about P&O, and they constantly kept on how good Canberra was and all these modern ships were rubbish. I then "asked", already knowing the answer, that didnt you have to share bathrooms on Canberra so if you wanted to go to the toilet in the night you had to go down the corridor. She then quickly nudged her husband and said "come on its lunchtime lets go up to the buffet so we can get a seat, it was 1100am. One thing P&O is famous for is some cruisers constantly moaning.

[Vampiress88]

32 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

Good idea. Always good for bringing people together. 

 

I rather liked the 'sail or steam' threads from the good old Cutty Sark days. Very slow internet connections then though. Basically baked bean cans and string.

am I too young to understand what your on about?

[Vampiress88]

6 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

I was once chatting, sorry listening to a couple moan about P&O, and they constantly kept on how good Canberra was and all these modern ships were rubbish. I then "asked", already knowing the answer, that didnt you have to share bathrooms on Canberra so if you wanted to go to the toilet in the night you had to go down the corridor. She then quickly nudged her husband and said "come on its lunchtime lets go up to the buffet so we can get a seat, it was 1100am. One thing P&O is famous for is some cruisers constantly moaning.

think that’s just some people in general 

 

thats me now. I’m a moaner. Dread to think how bad I will be when I start with “back in my day”

[Son of Anarchy]

1 hour ago, Adawn47 said:

A kilt looks so smart on formal nights. I love to see them. My son- in-law wore a kilt at his wedding. I don't find formal nights clothing boring at all. We've seen many in Dress Uniforms and some in their countries national dress. One I remember in particular was a Japanese couple both in kimonos. The ladies hair was decorated with beautiful combs and she wore the traditional wooden shoes. Beautiful.

Avril 

Quite a few years back we a cruise out of Hong Kong with RCI.  It was over Chinese New Year with quite a lot of locals on board.  On the formal nights the ladies wore traditional clothes, very good to see.  And the gents wore traditional looking Mandarin collar jackets too.  Very colourful, and very smart.  It was great seeing the vibrant colours, it was a pleasant change.

[Harry Peterson]

6 minutes ago, Vampiress88 said:

am I too young to understand what your on about?

Probably.  Ignore it - just a load of nonsense based around the change from sail to steam.  

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutty_Sark