Dress Code On P&O

[Noblemount]

There seems to be even more questions about dress code on board P&O ships particulary Oceana and Ventura.I really wonder if P&O are partly to blame themselves.Opening their latest brochure to page 8 and what does it quote .'Relaxed and INFORMAL Evenings' on board Oceana and Ventura.Even today in the Daily Mail in their Readers Offer Oceana is described as Informal I guess that many inexperienced cruisers look no further than this.Yet in P&O 's Brochure the section 'Your Questions Answered'page 221 we find that Formal Nights are applicable to all ships.

Let me say that I am an advocate of Traditional Cruising and believe that Formal night are part and parcel of Cruising and I hate to see people delibarately ignoring the recommended dress code but I can understand their confusion.I really feel that if it is P&O's intention to replace the two Ocean Village ships with Oceana and Ventura they should really consider issuing separate brochures for 'Informal Cruises'.It would not be of interest to me but I fully understand that many people enjoy an Informal approach.

[LibraLass41]

Perhaps write a letter to pando and ask them what they are playing at?

I do think they are trying to attract the OV passengers for next year when OV finishes, so they are re-branding Oceana and Ventura as relaxed informal cruise ships. Another reason for me not to cruise on these 2 ships again....I will try Oceana in August as it was booked before they moved the goal posts and dropped semi formal nights, but doubt if I will return, but we will see.Will try anything once:eek:

[Single Cruiser]

Perhaps we could have a co-ordinated campaign. Find a key contact/address/email in P&O and you can express the P&O wishes to re-brand the ships and us OV cruisers can do likewise.

[Britboys]

The trouble is that P&O are trying to be all things to all men (and women of course :D). Increasingly, especially with bargain-basement fares at the last minute to fill their ever balooning number of berths from Southampton (not too mention all the increased competition) they are likely to get more & more folks who book from places like teletext & sky etc. without seeing a brochure or taking the time to research enough.

 

If they are intent on capturing the Ocean Village market, I agree that it would be a good idea to have a separate brochure - they used to do this years ago I think (before my time).

[sunsearcher59]

please could you advise me on suitable wear for in the dining rooms during the day including breakfast as we like to go ashore straight after breakfast and as we are on a caribbean cruises it will be shorts ,sundress,etc [we are sailing on ventura ]:)

[the english lady]

we have not long come off Artemis and for breakfast in the dining room who buffet going ashore clothes would be suitable. they say for you not to go in in swimming costumes ,but above that you would be ok...just no bare chests (for the men)

[LibraLass41]

Agree 'day wear' fine in restaurant but not beach wear , ideally NOT vest tops as well:cool:,a mans sweaty hairy armpits are not nice to view at any time when eating.

This also applies to the poolside bbq's, i have seen men turned away from a bbq queue with a vest top on or bare chest .

[riderhotlegs]

Perhaps write a letter to pando and ask them what they are playing at?

I do think they are trying to attract the OV passengers for next year when OV finishes, so they are re-branding Oceana and Ventura as relaxed informal cruise ships. Another reason for me not to cruise on these 2 ships again....I will try Oceana in August as it was booked before they moved the goal posts and dropped semi formal nights, but doubt if I will return, but we will see.Will try anything once:eek:

What is wrong with ocean village passengers we are just as good as you are, just because we prefer casual, does not mean were all lager louts.

[Gerrym]

What is wrong with ocean village passengers we are just as good as you are, just because we prefer casual, does not mean were all lager louts.

 

 

Oh dear, someone getting all upset about nothing. If you read the post from Libralass it says nothing negative about OV cruisers. It simply says that P&O are trying attract that type of cruiser (relaxed, informal, etc.).

Like many of us, Libralass enjoys the formality of cruising, and if that formality is to be dropped, will find formailty with another ship / line.

 

 

How you can read in to it that P&O cruisers are better than OV ones is beyond me !!!!

 

 

Gerry

 

:D

[LibraLass41]

Yes, please don't be offended, its just p&o is formal cruising and OV has always been for people 'who don't do cruising/love informal and have no wish to dress for dinner', complete opposites, how can the two gel on one ship?

[Johnthed0g]

Just browsing & came across this, why is it that people get so confused about dress...surely everyone really knows don't they?

[cruisebore]

 

How you can read in to it that P&O cruisers are better than OV ones is beyond me !!!!

 

 

Gerry

 

:D

 

 

 

Perhaps it's because they are!

 

 

 

SORRY

 

DIDN'T MEAN IT

 

ONLY JOKING

 

where's me hat and coat

I'm off

 

 

Cb

[Cruising Nutter]

We have just got off the Ventura and yes dress codes were all over the place. Since when has formal wear been t.shirt, cut off denims and cloggs, and this was at 9.00 at night. I think one of the problems is that now people can eat where they like and therefore there isn't the big thing of dressing for formal night in the restaurant. There nothing wrong with informal ships for 'people who don't do cruising'? Have never understood that statement is you don't do cruising why book a cruise. However if the ship is being marketed as informal lets finish with the formal night on those ships then I won't be in the long dress, hubby in his tux and sitting next to someone in shorts and t.shirt in the shows and bars. Come on P&O one or other please.!!!!!

[Laconia]

Will try anything once:eek:

 

Anything?

 

I'm sure you don't mean that. Mind you, on Ventura, you probably do get some of the more worrying behaviour of the webbed feeters.

[Johnthed0g]

I tend to agree either make it totally "informal" or not, people do get confused, long thread on P&O about this, a bloke booked Oceana as it is advertised as ''informal relaxed atmosphere''.

[Laconia]

What is wrong with ocean village passengers we are just as good as you are, just because we prefer casual, does not mean were all lager louts.

 

 

Of course not. And one of the main reasons I am not interested in Seabourn is their informal dress.

 

Of course since 27th November 2008 there hasn't been a ship with a dress code to admire.

[Single Cruiser]

We have just got off the Ventura and yes dress codes were all over the place. Since when has formal wear been t.shirt, cut off denims and cloggs, and this was at 9.00 at night. I think one of the problems is that now people can eat where they like and therefore there isn't the big thing of dressing for formal night in the restaurant. There nothing wrong with informal ships for 'people who don't do cruising'? Have never understood that statement is you don't do cruising why book a cruise. However if the ship is being marketed as informal lets finish with the formal night on those ships then I won't be in the long dress, hubby in his tux and sitting next to someone in shorts and t.shirt in the shows and bars. Come on P&O one or other please.!!!!!

 

The tag line "for people who don't do cruises" relates to the traditional image of cruising whether it be from media (fiction or fact) or word of mouth. Cruising was deemed only suitable for the rich and pompous of a senior age range.

Realising that very few younger members of the population like being told what to do, when to do it, what to wear, etc.. As traditional cruisers age and pass on, cruising has to evolve to survive.

 

Slowly and surely the big names, RCL, Carnival, NCL have all within the last few years become more flexible, whether its just freedom dining or dress code or optional tips..

 

P&O increase its berths with two big ships Ventura and Azura but where does it find another 4000 "traditional passengers" each week/fortnight... It is only a matter of time now before Ventura/Oceana evolve to a non-formal choice..

[Johnthed0g]

Probably right there.

[Tripgy]

Ithink its already the beginning of the end as far as cruises being special

[GixxerGal]

A cruise to me is seeing as many places as I can in a short space of time --OV offers me that and in £.

Its happens to be Casual Cruising --and having *done Formal* I have decided I much prefer OV.

 

I dress for dinner anyway -- - NOT Full frock etc -- just common sense holiday attire that I would wear in any hotel in the world for an evening out ........ OV gives an air of comfort of what clothing I wear and also what time I eat and who i chose to eat it with .. I have no idea how , once OV has gone -there is going to be a unity with the remaining cruise lines to cover all passenger tastes .. changes WILL have to be made ....... and some will not be happy :(

[sheeper370]

What is wrong with ocean village passengers we are just as good as you are, just because we prefer casual, does not mean were all lager louts.

 

Of course not. And one of the main reasons I am not interested in Seabourn is their informal dress.

 

 

After the latter post I tried to log onto the Seabourn site to have a sniff around.

 

It wouldn't let me on!

 

How do they know? Aaggh!

[Beckyfaye-2008]

I posted this on another site re dress codes:-

 

I read a lot on these threads about fashion changing (which it is), fashion is always on the move, and what goes around often comes around. I have also read how P&O must change due to the age group for cruising getting younger.

 

However having worked in the Hotel trade and have been on a couple of P&O cruises, I find it is the younger people (18-40), who love to dress up, and very often put us oldies to shame. At our Hotel we used to run a number of School prom nights, and the young people really used to dress up for these. Our Hotel, every January used to run a Black & White ball for all the staff, and their other half's, we used have in excess of a 100 staff, mostly of them young people, who would really put on a show. Ball gowns etc were always in plentiful supply. We had an older breakfast chef, who said no way was he dressing up, and he didn't, by god did he get some ribbing from the rest of the young staff.

There are very few places now where young people can dress up, and given the chance, they really go to town. I dont think P&O have anything to worry about, 2 formals a week, will keep most people happy.:D

 

[daiB]

I posted this on another site re dress codes:-

 

I read a lot on these threads about fashion changing (which it is), fashion is always on the move, and what goes around often comes around. I have also read how P&O must change due to the age group for cruising getting younger.

 

However having worked in the Hotel trade and have been on a couple of P&O cruises, I find it is the younger people (18-40), who love to dress up, and very often put us oldies to shame. At our Hotel we used to run a number of School prom nights, and the young people really used to dress up for these. Our Hotel, every January used to run a Black & White ball for all the staff, and their other half's, we used have in excess of a 100 staff, mostly of them young people, who would really put on a show. Ball gowns etc were always in plentiful supply. We had an older breakfast chef, who said no way was he dressing up, and he didn't, by god did he get some ribbing from the rest of the young staff.

There are very few places now where young people can dress up, and given the chance, they really go to town. I dont think P&O have anything to worry about, 2 formals a week, will keep most people happy.:D

 

 

 

 

Excellent point,

 

Even my old school in inner city Gateshead had a prom and the pupils pulled out all the stops and looked amazing.

 

The dress code. Formal, requested by..... the pupils and no need to be enforced.

 

So, with proms being common all over the country, far more young people are experiencing formal nights out. This bods well for cruising in the future. Add to this those who go to University and attend balls there then it looks even rosier. Especially when the cruise companies would expect that a good proportion of there future business would come from just these people.

 

 

 

:):)Happy Cruising:):)

 

 

 

:cool:

 

Dai

[vizzog]

I read with interest everyones views on dress code. I have cruised on the 'informal' ships and we have always dressed smartly for the evenings probably what would be classed as smart casual.

 

On our last cruise with the OV in March we did feel that there were a lot more people who made very little effort, being still in beachwear and cut offs in the evening:confused: in fact because I was wearing quite a glam dress one evening a group of women made very snide "god she's over dressed' and 'who does she think she is' comments. Little did they realise two of our friends had got married that day in Aruba and we were on the way to the Bistro for a celebration. :eek:

 

Consequently we are now really looking forward to a more traditional cruise, on Arcadia this month and the Ventura next Feb. I have loved shopping for nice things to wear and my OH looks fab in his new tux.

We have had some fantastic cruises on OV1 & 2 and met some great people but now its time for a change for us especially as the OV brand is soon to go. Lets hope we enjoy P&O as much who knows we can't knock it until we have tried it!

[Johnthed0g]

Odd that, people who can't be arsed to dress half decent "look down" on those who do, similar to cabin choice, I have never been in a suite but good luck to those who can afford it.