Country Club Casual?

[jplotts865]

I just saw an advertisement for Oceania Cruises which indicated that "country club casual" was the attire on board at all tiimes with "no need for tuxedos or long gowns". As one is is looking for a cruise line that has NOT caved in to the overly casual attire now the "norm" on so many cruise ships I was really disappointed. I am looking for a cruise line where dressing for dinner is encouraged and enjoyed and was hoping Oceania might meet my expectations. This is not the case? Please tell me I can still wear a tuxedo to dinner - at least on a few occasions?

[orchestrapal]

Sorry to disappoint you but if you wear a tuxedo you will be confused with one of the crew.

The casual attire on Oceania along with the wonderful food and service, small ships, almost no children and very very limited smoking areas are why most of us choose them again and again.:)

[jplotts865]

Oh, my...thank you for the information. I see Oceania is not the cruise line for me...but best to know now than be sorry or disappointed on board. I'm trying to find a sophisticated, up-scale "dressy" line...Cunard comes close but...again...many thanks.

[LHT28]

You might try Crystal, Silversea or Regent

 

Smart casual for dinner is the norm for Oceania but if you want to dress formally you can...

 

Most men wear polo or dress shirt with dockers/dress pants some will wear a jacket.

 

 

Lyn

[sable1]

If you want to wear a tux "occasionally" and try Oceania, I suggest going on one of the Holiday/New Year's cruises. We were on the Nautica last year Dec./Jan. and about 20% of the people wore Tux or gowns on Christmas & New Years. Just a thought.

Joanne

[Bruin Steve]

I just saw an advertisement for Oceania Cruises which indicated that "country club casual" was the attire on board at all tiimes with "no need for tuxedos or long gowns". As one is is looking for a cruise line that has NOT caved in to the overly casual attire now the "norm" on so many cruise ships I was really disappointed. I am looking for a cruise line where dressing for dinner is encouraged and enjoyed and was hoping Oceania might meet my expectations. This is not the case? Please tell me I can still wear a tuxedo to dinner - at least on a few occasions?

 

j,

Yes you will look somewhat out of place wearing a tuxedo...

However, please know that one can dress well without resorting to strict "formal wear"...There is a variety of clothing one sees worn at dinner...all the way from dockers and golf shirts up to dinner jackets or sports coats...But, no matter what anyone is wearing, the passengers on Oceania tend to dress nicely...even if not "formal"...and no one will look askance at you should you decide to wear a coat to dinner each night...in fact, you will be one of many...

 

But the level of dress is more of a constant...unlike many cruise lines where you have two or three formal nights a cruise where men dress in tuxedos or suits and then, the rest of the nights, they dress down completely...

 

We will be cruising on Celebrity next summer...and, on celebrity, we have those three formal nights on our 14 night cruise--where I will be in my tux. the rest of the nights, people tend to dress well, but casually, not many in coats...

 

On Carnival--which I will likely never cruise again--people dressed in jeans, t-shirts, etc. most nights...a lot of outfits I wouldn't wear outside the house back home...and, on "formal nights", we even saw people dressing incredibly casually...or in some fairly tacky suits...

 

I think there is quite a difference one would find in "casual" dress on, say, NCL--which is all casual--and on Oceania--which is also all casual...How people dress and how they interpret "casual" and what is appropriate for the dining room varies greatly cruise line to cruise line based on their clientele...The clientele on Oceania tends to be a bit more upscale--and the "casual" dress is as well...

 

Good luck...

[hondorner]

I would have put it this way: Oceania is a sophisticated, upscale cruise line where everyone respects and honors the upscale and sophisticated casual dress code, but there are no Easter Parades. You can wear your formal wear, but no one will be appraising you.

[Leonid]

Don:

 

Well said. If my memory serves me correctly, FDR said that anyone caught wearing a tux would be put to work in the GDR. I don't remember any one (male or female) wearing a tux. on our Xmas/New Years cruise. Had my fill of that nonsense on Crystal, Seabourn & Silversea.

[Ken A Hora]

You might try Crystal, Silversea or Regent

 

Smart casual for dinner is the norm for Oceania but if you want to dress formally you can...

 

Most men wear polo or dress shirt with dockers/dress pants some will wear a jacket.

 

 

Lyn

Are shorts allowed in the restaurants at night?? Also, what about Designer Jeans

[orchestrapal]

Ken a Hora: Love your screen name!

No shorts or jeans at dinner with exception

of the buffet.:)

[LHT28]

Are shorts allowed in the restaurants at night?? Also, what about Designer Jeans

In Tapas you could wear them

[KathyPet]

Suggest you look at Seabourn. THey still encourage formal attire and the majority of men bring and wear their own tuxes.

[jplotts865]

Thank you all for responding - I have enjoyed the comments greatly. I suspect the bottom line for me is the interpretation of the term "casual" which on RCI and, to a lesser degree, Celebrity, has come to mean just about anything short of a bathrobe and pajamas...if that. I work for an international airline and...the way the passengers dress on the plane often utterly amazes me! There's comfortable and there's downright sloppy - I sense that on Oceania the passengers dress nicely and well, which is certainly acceptable. I am, by the way, anything but a snob and am not impressed by the often obvious cost of things. I do, however, really enjoy dressing as well and as appropriately as possible. I may well try Oceania - knowing now what to expect I'm sure I'd have a fine cruise. Merci!

[Jade13]

You might try Crystal, Silversea or Regent

 

Smart casual for dinner is the norm for Oceania but if you want to dress formally you can...

 

Most men wear polo or dress shirt with dockers/dress pants some will wear a jacket.

 

 

Lyn

 

I was just on SilverSeas and it was countryclub casual. They had three informal nights. Btw, Country Club casual is the same as Business Casual, women can wear a pant suit or black pants etc. It does not mean jeans or shorts.

[LHT28]

I was just on SilverSeas and it was countryclub casual.

I guess other lines are switching to less formal dress code

[Leonid]

I was just on SilverSeas and it was countryclub casual. They had three informal nights. Btw, Country Club casual is the same as Business Casual, women can wear a pant suit or black pants etc. It does not mean jeans or shorts.

 

When we sailed on the Silver Shadow(Alaska in 07/2006), formal was still in vogue. Have they abandoned formal nights? If so, might reconsider another Alaskan sailing out of SF.