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New Dress Code


Daneite
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Just wondering how the new dress code is working out, anyone currently on board care to share their thoughts? We are on Spirit next week and wondering what to pack, our usual or opt for more casual? Our pre-cruise booklet gives the old dress code so that is no help at all!

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I cannot answer your precise question since I have not been on Seabourn in the couple months since this new guidance code with its emphasis on more casual dining came into being.

 

Note that I say guidance because that's how I view it. I choose my clothes based on what pleases me and also won't disrupt other peoples' sense of decorum. (I know that some people sadly could care less about dress codes and what other people think. But I am not one of them).

 

I join the magnificent Odyssey on 9 Nov and will be wearing my white dinner jacket on the formal optional nights. And I look forward to drinks and dinner with those who, like me, enjoy the chance and occasion to dress formally. It's a tradition that is important to me and I believe that a lot of passengers share that idea- as do many of Seabourn's officers and crew.

 

Happy sailing!

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Oh yes no question about formal nights it was the elegant casual/resort casual that I wondered about. We love to dress up on formal nights and are so pleased that they haven't been removed as yet. I just went to the cruise wardrobe and remembered about the change in dress code. I usually don't have to think about what to take so it threw me a little. Now just curious to know how it is on board.

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Hi Kathryn,

Sorry for not responding to your question in my travelogue thread. I am currently on the Spirit and Elegant Casual is now defined as:

Men: slacks with collared dress shirt or sweater; jacket optional.

Ladies: slacks / skirt, blouse, pant suit or dress.

The above is the standard for all dining venues.

Jeans are welcome in all dining venues during the day. Jeans are not appropriate in the Restaurant after 6 PM.

 

So far, I have not seen any gentlemen in the restaurant without a jacket. Between 30 - 40 percent (including me) of the men were wearing ties. The ladies have been predominantly in skirts and dresses and slacks / pant suits in the minority.

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We too will be sticking with the status quo. Regardless of climate the main DR is air conditioned and if I had one complaint sometimes can be too cold. I enjoy the look of jackets although I rarely wear a tie except on formal night where a tux is the norm. I think any change will happen more on the shorter itinerary cruises which tend to draw a younger demographic anyways. Those of us that prefer longer trips tend to like the old system by and large. I doubt on any itinerary we will see an abrupt change in the look of the MDR.

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Me thinks the new dress code merely reflects the dress that has been evolving over the past few years. So long as you are smartly dressed, you will be fine. Don't fret. Short of jeans, even $400 jeans, both men and women will be welcomed in the MDR. And if the man enters the MDR sans jacket, he will be provided one.

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We too will be sticking with the status quo. Regardless of climate the main DR is air conditioned and if I had one complaint sometimes can be too cold. I enjoy the look of jackets although I rarely wear a tie except on formal night where a tux is the norm. I think any change will happen more on the shorter itinerary cruises which tend to draw a younger demographic anyways. Those of us that prefer longer trips tend to like the old system by and large. I doubt on any itinerary we will see an abrupt change in the look of the MDR.

 

Here's another perspective, based on what I've seen in the past years. More and more "younger" folks - not sure what the cut-off is - are travelling cruises over two weeks long, and are dressing down, as are the newly-older demographic folks, as well as just plain older demo, who enjoy the contemporary less formal ways. Adding a week of pre-cruise travel and another week of post-cruise travel, even for the "older demographic," makes one think twice about including that gown and that tux.

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Take a look at the Seabourn brochure and you will see what they would like their boats to look like.

 

The 'guidance' is partly to try to shake off the dress down brigade. And why not? But they are never going to win.

 

In 2014 it is rare to see anyone turned away from somewhere because they are scruffy. Some people can't help it and some take a pride in looking a mess.

 

My experience is that, unless you have tipped the Maitre D on arrival, you'll get a better table in the MDR if you look smarter than average. On the Legend in September that was not hard to achieve.

 

It's like arriving at the check in desk at an airport. If they are looking for people to upgrade they tend to pick the ones more smartly dressed.

 

At the end of the day it is up to you what you wear. If you take a pride in your appearance then do yourself proud. If you don't then you are not going to be made to walk the plank!!

 

Tony

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I'm so glad I checked out this thread. I'd heard that Seabourn had relaxed its dress codes, which sounded attractive to me. But from what I'm reading here, the de facto codes are still way too formal for us.

 

Here's another perspective, based on what I've seen in the past years. More and more "younger" folks - not sure what the cut-off is - are travelling cruises over two weeks long, and are dressing down, as are the newly-older demographic folks, as well as just plain older demo, who enjoy the contemporary less formal ways. Adding a week of pre-cruise travel and another week of post-cruise travel, even for the "older demographic," makes one think twice about including that gown and that tux.

 

Gee, I wonder whether I still fit into the, "newly-older"? Have *never* been formal, my entire life,not since the high school prom.

 

 

...

The 'guidance' is partly to try to shake off the dress down brigade. And why not? But they are never going to win.

 

In 2014 it is rare to see anyone turned away from somewhere because they are scruffy. Some people can't help it and some take a pride in looking a mess.

 

My experience is that, unless you have tipped the Maitre D on arrival, you'll get a better table in the MDR if you look smarter than average. On the Legend in September that was not hard to achieve.

 

It's like arriving at the check in desk at an airport. If they are looking for people to upgrade they tend to pick the ones more smartly dressed.

 

At the end of the day it is up to you what you wear. If you take a pride in your appearance then do yourself proud. If you don't then you are not going to be made to walk the plank!!

 

Ick. This is exactly the attitude that will keep me off Seabourn. And I'm sure that makes you happy, although I assure you, I never look scruffy.

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This is exactly the attitude that will keep me off Seabourn.

 

I am sure you are doing the right thing Wendy.

 

My wife and I travel a lot. We avoided cruising until we were into our seventies because we did not like the cliche images that we associated with it.

 

Others in Cruise Critic dispelled those images and encouraged us to try Seabourn. Our first ever cruise was at Christmas. We have done a second and are about to pay for our third.

 

We love Seabourn's attitude and the attitude of its fellow travellers. If you don't share the same temperament then you will feel you want to say 'ick' too often for comfort and Seabourn is not for you.

 

And to all the lovely people we have met aboard I say let's do our best to keep things as they are and were. We love it. Don't let the bean counters think they could have more beans to count by dumbing down the atmosphere. (I say that as a retired bean counter who knows the temptation).

 

Tony

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It's like arriving at the check in desk at an airport. If they are looking for people to upgrade they tend to pick the ones more smartly dressed.

Maybe in 1979 dressing smartly may snag you an upgrade but in 2014 it is based on $$$ spend and elite priority. Gate and ticket agents can't just upgrade someone based on how they are dressed. The computer knows if the economy cabin is oversold and based on the algorithm it spits out new boarding passes to balance the oversell situation in the economy cabin.
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I'm so glad I checked out this thread. I'd heard that Seabourn had relaxed its dress codes, which sounded attractive to me. But from what I'm reading here, the de facto codes are still way too formal for us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gee, I wonder whether I still fit into the, "newly-older"? Have *never* been formal, my entire life,not since the high school prom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ick. This is exactly the attitude that will keep me off Seabourn. And I'm sure that makes you happy, although I assure you, I never look scruffy.

 

 

Wendy,what line do you usually cruise with?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

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Just off the Quest for 14 days.

2 resort casual, no jacket required

2 formal (optional) 50-50 tux-dark suit

10 elegant casual, jacket required, no tie required.

 

I wish I would have brought more than 2 blazers! :)

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Just off the Quest for 14 days.

 

2 resort casual, no jacket required

 

2 formal (optional) 50-50 tux-dark suit

 

10 elegant casual, jacket required, no tie required.

 

 

 

I wish I would have brought more than 2 blazers! :)

 

 

Thanks Dan,I hope you had a great time.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

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My wife and I are not frequent cruisers. The some odd 7 have been exclusively on Oceania. We are and have been very pleased with our experiences. However seeking to broaden our reach e have booked our first on Seaborne. I must ay that I am put off by the attitude of some on this thread. To be dismissed as boorish by the cut of my cloth is a bit narrow minded. True, I understand the requirement to be properly dressed. But to dismiss me because I am wearing a tweed jacket and you are sporting a dinner jacket smacks of snobbery and a dated attitude. Probably some of your are rejoicing that we are reconsidering our booking. I doubt that Seaborne is. I think they, Seaborne realizes their need to move into the 21st century.

 

Be reassured that the denizens of this message board are not typical of the cruisers you will find on Seabourn. You will find that most Seabourn cruisers are very friendly and less interested in the content of your wardrobe than they are in the quality of your conversation. I would certainly hope that you are not reconsidering your booking based on the chatter on here.

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I'm so glad I checked out this thread. I'd heard that Seabourn had relaxed its dress codes, which sounded attractive to me. But from what I'm reading here, the de facto codes are still way too formal for us.

 

Gee, I wonder whether I still fit into the, "newly-older"? Have *never* been formal, my entire life,not since the high school prom.

 

Ick. This is exactly the attitude that will keep me off Seabourn. And I'm sure that makes you happy, although I assure you, I never look scruffy.

 

This message board does not set 'de-facto codes' (even though some might like to think so). If you do not want to be formal on Seabourn then you do not have to be.

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We love SB and the majority of people on board.I love to dress so the dress code does not affect me or my spouse.It is definitely more formal than a PG cruise.

You should book what you like,the one time I deviated from SB I was very unhappy.

Edited by Capri73
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I've been reading a number of posts on this board recently and I was reminded of the glorious quote of Groucho Marx above. Because many posters seem to view their cruise line of choice as similar to their most treasured club where people know their name, "we" are all of a like mind, and very few interlopers get past the threshold to upset the decorum of "accepted standards". I can understand this. In this world of corporate homogeneity any brand that manages to create a special, individual atmosphere will prove a great success to those that are willing to pay for the product.

 

However, it is just a product. When I cruise Princess, or Regent or Oceania or indeed Seabourn, I am not joining a club, I am purchasing a product. That may sound crass but I believe that is a fact and my dollars are as good as the next man or woman's.

 

Cruising is effectively a hotel on the sea. Some lines are better than others but they are just hotels. Therefore, just as when I visit a hotel, I will not pay any heed to the expectations of my fellow guests. I will not defer to my fellow guests as to what I wear just as I do not expect them to pay any heed as to my expectations.

 

What I will pay heed to is the expectations of the hotel. After all, the hotel/cruise line and I have entered into a contract. I will pay them money, they will deliver a product and we will both act within the terms of our agreement.

 

With regard to that agreement they have what is called a dress code. Recently updated by Seabourn I believe. Therefore, based upon their revised dress code I intend to act fully within the remit of the said code on our upcoming Seabourn cruise. I will wear pants every night. I will wear a collared shirt every night. I will not be wearing a tie. And if I want to eat in the Restaurant on the Optional Formal night I will wear a jacket. If I don't want to pack or wear a jacket I will eat somewhere other than the Restaurant on that night.

 

It appears that my actions and attitude may cause some people a certain amount of consternation which I find curious. I really couldn't give a fig what others are wearing and would imagine that others couldn't give a fig what I am wearing. Even if I don't particularly care for what adorns others I can always look away. Their taste in clothing is up to them or up to the establishment to police.

 

And there's the rub. I believe it is up to the establishment to police its rules and dress code and not my fellow guests and I am willing to wager that my intentions listed above regarding our forthcoming cruise will not cause any Seabourn employee to raise any issue with me. They will take my money, deliver their product/service and I believe I will consider it all a fair exchange.

 

I'm really looking forward to it. Because I just know I'm going to have a great time.

:)

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Sorry smart arxx she does not sound like the usual Seabourn cruiser,I assumed she sailed with another line as she did not say which line she sails in her post.

 

I just checked her out and Seabourn does not feature in her past cruises so my original question is valid unlike your reply.

 

Wendy has her cruise history included with her posts. Great detective work, Sherlock.

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