How strict is the dress code onboard?

[Catlover54]

". . . .

• Formal Optional: For those who prefer more formal attire, ladies can choose an evening gown or cocktail dress, while gentlemen can opt for a tuxedo, dinner jacket, or dark suit with a tie. Alternatively, adhering to Elegant Casual dress code is welcomed but a jacket is still required for gentlemen in all indoor spaces. . . ."

 

Putting aside enforcement issues, I am not happy with the phrasing in this paragraph.  

If a jacket will still be "required" in "all indoor spaces" on formal optional night, I assume that would include the indoor seating at La Terazza, based on this wording.   How is adhering to Elegant Casual "welcomed" if there has to be a jacket?  That is not "elegant casual", it is elegant casual plus.   And yet even now (supposedly with stricter codes ) we see men in short sleeves and no jacket in the evenings regardless of what the evenings are called.

 

The wording "can choose" or "can" or "can opt for" in the first paragraph is also wishy washy and silly. Men have always been able to "opt for" suits, jackets, etc., regardless of requirements, they did not need permission.  But now it implies  gentlemen also can opt NOT to do this.  New guests just want to know what is required, and what is usual and customary so they don't underdress or overdress (unless they deliberately want to call attention to themselves).

 

This is unnecessarily sloppy writing.  It seems the guidance is deliberately vague so there is wiggle room for staff and guests.

Constructively, my guess is nothing much will change in the short run, and in the long run people will look more like they're on a modern mainstream line.

 

Regardless of what people wear, DH and I will enjoy our cruises and will make an effort to look as nice as possible (sadly, we can't do much about our wrinkles and DH's hair, or lack of it).  But I will enjoy it just a little bit less at high end dinners if more and more people make no effort at all to make evening dining special with or without jacket and tie.

I have recently been on German luxury ships and also on a French semi-luxury ship (Ponant, non-expedition) and almost everyone looked sharp despite a looser dress code than SS, but I have reason to be less optimistic that English language lines will have the same results unless the lines get more specific in their dress code instructions, and there is real enforcement.

 

 

 

[Dolcevita Diva]

40 minutes ago, tinaincc said:

Did your email say the same as posted above from

@Dolcevita Diva ? Assume you are also on the Nova? Was this the only subject of the email or was there other pertinent information about your cruise as well?

The email that I received was 99.9% identical. The only difference was the phrasing around my upcoming journey and my experience, while the post from the other site appears to have been posted by a travel agent because it referenced "your clientele."

 

The dress code was the only topic of the email; the subject line was What to wear on Silver Nova. 

 

And oops -just realized that your question was apparently for @A Tucson Guy and not me. 

Edited August 8, 2023 by Dolcevita Diva

[A Tucson Guy]

37 minutes ago, tinaincc said:

Did your email say the same as posted above from

@Dolcevita Diva ? Assume you are also on the Nova? Was this the only subject of the email or was there other pertinent information about your cruise as well?

I posted the entire email- there was nothing else.

[tinaincc]

3 hours ago, bitob said:

from my endless complaints on Silver Moon for 21 days  LOLOL

from the long letter I wrote post cruise to corporate (to which I received answer)  LOLOL

 

This is exactly what I suggested

 

Here is small excerpt from my letter to corporate

 

The dress code was a joke.  Sweats and jeans on formal night?  Tee shirts?  I have been told the dress code is unenforceable.  Silversea needs to go to formal optional and with everything else being resort casual.  That will make everyone happy and that can be enforced.  You are being ignored!!

 

Love that letter! 

6 minutes ago, Catlover54 said:

". . . .

 

• Formal Optional: For those who prefer more formal attire, ladies can choose an evening gown or cocktail dress, while gentlemen can opt for a tuxedo, dinner jacket, or dark suit with a tie. Alternatively, adhering to Elegant Casual dress code is welcomed but a jacket is still required for gentlemen in all indoor spaces. . . ."

 

Putting aside enforcement issues, I am not happy with the phrasing in this paragraph.  

If a jacket will still be "required" in "all indoor spaces" on formal optional night, I assume that would include the indoor seating at La Terazza, based on this wording.   How is adhering to Elegant Casual "welcomed" if there has to be a jacket?  That is not "elegant casual", it is elegant casual plus.   And yet even now (supposedly with stricter codes ) we see men in short sleeves and no jacket in the evenings regardless of what the evenings are called.

 

The wording "can choose" or "can" or "can opt for" in the first paragraph is also wishy washy and silly. Men have always been able to "opt for" suits, jackets, etc., regardless of requirements, they did not need permission.  But now it implies  gentlemen also can opt NOT to do this.  New guests just want to know what is required, and what is usual and customary so they don't underdress or overdress (unless they deliberately want to call attention to themselves).

 

This is unnecessarily sloppy writing.  It seems the guidance is deliberately vague so there is wiggle room for staff and guests.

Constructively, my guess is nothing much will change in the short run, and in the long run people will look more like they're on a modern mainstream line.

 

Regardless of what people wear, DH and I will enjoy our cruises and will make an effort to look as nice as possible (sadly, we can't do much about our wrinkles and DH's hair, or lack of it).  But I will enjoy it just a little bit less at high end dinners if more and more people make no effort at all to make evening dining special with or without jacket and tie.

I have recently been on German luxury ships and also on a French semi-luxury ship (Ponant, non-expedition) and almost everyone looked sharp despite a looser dress code than SS, but I have reason to be less optimistic that English language lines will have the same results unless the lines get more specific in their dress code instructions, and there is real enforcement.

 

 

 

I read the “jacket required in all spaces” as only on the one or two “formal optional” nights. So no big deal. We are thrilled with this development and ditching a tie and some more formal wear is a dream come true. This could very well make SilverSea our fav cruise line yet!

[Lois R]

I received that letter today as well. I am sailing her in November. And the letter was strictly about the Nova dress code.  Actually, the subject says "What to wear on Silver Nova".

[bitob]

39 minutes ago, Lois R said:

I received that letter today as well. I am sailing her in November. And the letter was strictly about the Nova dress code.  Actually, the subject says "What to wear on Silver Nova".

I don't think it matters

It is going to be what to wear on all the non expedition ships.

[Observer]

59 minutes ago, bitob said:

It is going to be what to wear on all the non expedition ships.

 

I think/hope you are correct.  It would be good if SS would expand and thus clarify this announcement.  

[drron29]

I will still wear a tie on Formal Optional nights but may switch from my usual bow tie to one of my much more colouful ordinary ties so that no one misses the fact that I do wear a tie.

 

For me my job was such that I was not allowed to wear a tie at work nor even a long sleeve shirt even in winter so going formal and wearing a tie reminds me how I have left that restrictive era behind.

[Stumblefoot]

9 hours ago, bitob said:

They can’t have different dress codes for different ships except maybe for expeditions. 

I agree.  There is no way that Dolcevita Diva’s boss could ever figure this out.

[RonWL]

2 hours ago, drron29 said:

For me my job was such that I was not allowed to wear a tie at work nor even a long sleeve shirt even in winter so going formal and wearing a tie reminds me how I have left that restrictive era behind.

Interesting.  I'll bet most retired passengers will have had the opposite experience.  I have a closet full of sport coats, suits, and ties that I haven't worn since I retired.  My wife encourages me to toss them all.  Now we're going on vacation and I'm going to be wearing them once again.  Pretty strange.

[drron29]

3 hours ago, RonWL said:

Interesting.  I'll bet most retired passengers will have had the opposite experience.  I have a closet full of sport coats, suits, and ties that I haven't worn since I retired.  My wife encourages me to toss them all.  Now we're going on vacation and I'm going to be wearing them once again.  Pretty strange.

Yes your situation has been mentioned many times on the various threads on Silversea dress code. I was just pointing out not everyone is in the same boat ( pun intended ).

[tgh]

I wonder if the dam wall will now breach across the fleet.
Without complaint, I have "played the game' and lugged the gear to satisfy the custom.
If the reality is that a very large number of passengers now plan to dress down on formal nights , why would I bother ?
Dress codes have evaporated almost everywhere, who dresses for the theatre only to standout like a sore thumb?
This is not a post arguing for or against the "code" , but if the code is now deceased those of us who prefer comfort over presentation can relax and pack more simply.

[ging466]

20 hours ago, Port Power said:

Yes, I agree.  The standards have been discussed and confirmed, so time to move on.  Everyone will not be pleased all the time, so make sure we make our own choices and enjoy them.

Hi Carol

 

Hope all is well with you and you are enjoying the Silver Dawn.

 

Cheers

Jennifer

[highplanesdrifters]

On 8/8/2023 at 6:51 AM, Dolcevita Diva said:

Formal Optional: For those who prefer more formal attire, ladies can choose an evening gown or cocktail dress, while gentlemen can opt for a tuxedo, dinner jacket, or dark suit with a tie. Alternatively, adhering to Elegant Casual dress code is welcomed but a jacket is still required for gentlemen in all indoor spaces. The number of formal evenings will vary, depending on the voyage length:

Hmmmm, lots of talk about jackets and ties for men. 

BUT, where's the outrage about ladies can choose an evening gown or cocktail dress.    Rather 1950's I should think, ladies must not wear pants.

 

If men are still required to wear a jacket, shouldn't women be required to wear a gown or dress?

 

Me - lobs grenade and runs. 😂

 

Edited August 9, 2023 by highplanesdrifters

[tinaincc]

16 minutes ago, highplanesdrifters said:

Hmmmm, lots of talk about jackets and ties for men. 

BUT, where's the outrage about ladies can choose an evening gown or cocktail dress.  

Dress pants and a sparkly top will now be in violation of their dress code.

You are reading far too much into it and stating that it would be in violation is a dramatic non- factual statement.
 

This describes options of what you ‘can’ choose. You still have the options described in the casual section, in fact the sentence says: “Alternatively, adhering to Elegant Casual dress code is welcomed”

 

 

Edited August 9, 2023 by tinaincc

[Lois R]

9 minutes ago, highplanesdrifters said:

Hmmmm, lots of talk about jackets and ties for men. 

BUT, where's the outrage about ladies can choose an evening gown or cocktail dress.  

Dress pants and a sparkly top will now be in violation of their dress code.

Hi, that is not how I am interpreting it.......I think they are saying that those are 2 options. I will continue to wear dressy slacks since I don't wear dresses. If that is against policy? I guess I will find out soon enough........I sail Dawn at the end of this month and will be on Nova in November.

[highplanesdrifters]

Re: violation.  You caught me before my edit.   

 

Just having a bit of fun!

[Observer]

11 hours ago, RonWL said:

 I have a closet full of sport coats, suits, and ties that I haven't worn since I retired.  

 

And they still fit? If so, congratulations! 

[Port Power]

1 hour ago, tinaincc said:

You are reading far too much into it and stating that it would be in violation is a dramatic non- factual statement.
 

This describes options of what you ‘can’ choose. You still have the options described in the casual section, in fact the sentence says: “Alternatively, adhering to Elegant Casual dress code is welcomed”

 

 

I think you missed the tongue in cheek/sarcasm/poking fun!

Edited August 9, 2023 by Port Power

[RonWL]

33 minutes ago, Observer said:

And they still fit? If so, congratulations! 

Most likely they will be loose....  I've lost a bit of weight.  I'll just have to pull the belt a bit tighter.

[drron29]

Well I did pack my dinner suit but not my pink jacket for informal nights on the Muse. I did buy a cheap jacket in Bangkok but today in Yokohama I found the outfit as an honary captain in the Japanese Navy. Well so said the fellow who was a retired Captain.

[jpalbny]

Looking good Ron! It fits you well.

[drron29]

Indeed it did. The funny part was a staff member spoke perfect English and told me he would take my photo both the jacket and cap fitted nearly perfectly which surprised me. several other staff went around saying something in Jappanese and when i stood on the little podium young kids came from everywhere to take my photo. Maybe a career as an instagram influencer in Japan.

😉

[Host Jazzbeau]

4 hours ago, drron29 said:

Indeed it did. The funny part was a staff member spoke perfect English and told me he would take my photo both the jacket and cap fitted nearly perfectly which surprised me. several other staff went around saying something in Jappanese and when i stood on the little podium young kids came from everywhere to take my photo. Maybe a career as an instagram influencer in Japan.

😉

Did you charge them to take your photo?  Like all the 'gladiators' outside the Majorca Cathedral?

[Brad1185]

Formal optional should not be having to wear a jacket.