Wow - Regent Cruises Getting to Vote end Formal Night

[Cruise Junky]

Frank del Rio is actually holding a vote on Formal night. What a fantastic thing to do. Do you think Celebrity would ever follow? With all the new luggage fees do you think Formal Night is on the way out? Abandoning them is winning at 66%

[ma_in_ak]

I personally like formal night. I haven't been on Celebrity yet, but from reading the boards here I think Celebrity guests would vote to keep formal night.

[Cruise Junky]

I personally like formal night. I haven't been on Celebrity yet, but from reading the boards here I think Celebrity guests would vote to keep formal night.

 

I do think Celebrity guests that post here would, but I wonder if you did a mass poll of their passengers if you'd get the same outcome. It just think it's great that someone's asking.

[FinelyCruising]

Frank del Rio is actually holding a vote on Formal night. What a fantastic thing to do. Do you think Celebrity would ever follow? With all the new luggage fees do you think Formal Night is on the way out? Abandoning them is winning at 66%

 

I don't think the nay's are as a result of complaints about baggage fees as they are here, and yes, I do think they are on their way out in many venues.

 

I would like to see one DR that is a formal required as many enjoy this ambiance and atmosphere without any qualms at all.

[mek]

Formal nights lost their appeal to me a long time ago, so I wouldn't care if they went away. (But I do and will continue to follow the suggested dress code on whatever ship I'm on)

[Cruise Junky]

Formal nights lost their appeal to me a long time ago, so I wouldn't care if they went away. (But I do and will continue to follow the suggested dress code on whatever ship I'm on)

 

We're hit and miss whether we partake, we passed in Greece, went in Alaska, but are going to pass again in Mexico. We do however not go to the MDR when we pass, we either eat on our balcony, the buffet or on Princess the other restaurants are smart casual.

[Pat&Paul]

Well, if the cruise was from a home port (San Fran) I would prefer to do formal...if I'm flying I would prefer no formal at all. Of course I have that choice now...Casual Dining.

[c-legs]

Fully second what Pat&Paul stated..right on:cool:

And yes, with sometimes more than just the one ''casual'' dining option now available on all lines, the '' formal'' issue no longer is a ''lock''.

 

Isn't it eerie that the airline industry has such a direct influence on the cruise industry ??:eek::(...One's new checked luggage policies is influencing, big times, the other's long standing practices....one's dismal punctuality and reliability records now bring to the other a new '' best to arrive the day before'' mindset....one's difficulties with the ''open jaw'' economics is slowly sapping the attractiveness of otherwise hugely popular itineraries offered by the other ( i-e; Venice-Barcelona 14 day trips....now eradicated from ==X== schedule next year....i-e; Alaska cruise tours and ''one-ways ,previously quite attractive and profitable, now a thorn on the cruise lines' balance sheet )...and largely due to the ''air ''component challenge...

 

What's next ?:confused:

 

Cheers

[woodofpine]

Personally, I've never cruised with Regent or its sister company Oceana.

 

If RSSCL goes 'casual' then what distinguishes it's product from Oceana? Aren't their fleets pretty similar. Is this a harbinger of a merger consolidated both into one line? Given the economy, it wouldn't surprise me. I've thought that luxe lines have to be under even greater financial pressures than the bigs.

 

Personally, I've become ambivalent about formal nights. DW loves it (kids too). But for me, it has faded over time. Basically, it is an anachronism of fashion that's at odds with the leisure concept that vacation cruising has become. Even in the 'good old days' (whenever that was) when the socio-economic elite more regularly wore formal wear - they didn't generally include formal wear on vacations; they did 'Adirondak Camps' and such, went hunting or fishing - relaxed - like 'regular folk' but more lavishly. Today's socio-economic elite are even less inclined to be formally dressed in any aspect of life. It is funny or dismaying that some cruisers get so 'hot and bothered' over it. The nostalgic emulation of by-gone elite fashion can be cute - or a bit pathetic depending on one's mood.

 

Formal dining (formal nights) on ships originally probably came about due to two things, 1) ships were transportation (ie. largely business travel), 2) with multiple classes, the upper classifications were likely dominated by business travelors. Accordingly, there were business purposes and aggendas supporting formal nights.

 

Formal night today is tradition for tradition's sake. It has no real socio-economic (business) underpinnings. It will almost certainly succumb to the overall purposes of the leisure industry - relaxation. That's the present 'business' aggenda.

[curiouscat]

Woodpine

 

As a Sociologist I like your reply....:p

 

CC

[operafan]

Formal nights lost their appeal to me a long time ago, so I wouldn't care if they went away. (But I do and will continue to follow the suggested dress code on whatever ship I'm on)

 

Lost their appeal for us too...... Now it totally depends on how much space we have in the (all carry-on) luggage. If we have room for the clothes, we do formal night. If not, we don't miss it.....

[hondorner]

Personally, I've never cruised with Regent or its sister company Oceana.

 

If RSSCL goes 'casual' then what distinguishes it's product from Oceana? Aren't their fleets pretty similar. Is this a harbinger of a merger consolidated both into one line? Given the economy, it wouldn't surprise me. I've thought that luxe lines have to be under even greater financial pressures than the bigs.

First of all, it's "Oceania"; Oceana is a ship owned by P&O (or an airline on "Lost").

 

Second, the fleets are about as far apart as any could get -- the largest ships on either Regent or Oceania hold 700 passengers. Oceania's three ships hold 684 passengers. Only the two ships sailed by Azamara are similar; all other RCCL ships are enormous by comparison. Even Oceania's new build, Marina, will carry just 1258.

 

Third, the products are quite easily distinguished. RCCL is a mass-market cruise line at or near the level of Carnival. Celebrity is a mass-market cruise line perhaps a cut above, but still closer to Carnival than to Oceania, and miles away from Regent, which is an all-inclusive luxury line in the same realm as Crystal, Silverseas and others, except perhaps a bit less formal. The only thing in RCCL's lineup even close to Oceania is Azamara, which was created to be an exact copy of Oceania (once they acquired identical ships), even to the point of copying Oceania's dress code and dining policies, but which has so far fallen short of the mark.

 

Finally, as to the potential of merger, it is nil -- unless Prestige Cruise Holdings (the owner of Regent and Oceania) decides to buy RCCL (Prestige is backed by Apollo Management, which also owns at least 50% of NCL). The CEO of Prestige has just announced record bookings for the 2010 season, and has raised prices.

[Ma Bell]

Personally, I've never cruised with Regent or its sister company Oceana.

 

If RSSCL goes 'casual' then what distinguishes it's product from Oceana? Aren't their fleets pretty similar. Is this a harbinger of a merger consolidated both into one line? Given the economy, it wouldn't surprise me. I've thought that luxe lines have to be under even greater financial pressures than the bigs.

 

Personally, I've become ambivalent about formal nights. DW loves it (kids too). But for me, it has faded over time. Basically, it is an anachronism of fashion that's at odds with the leisure concept that vacation cruising has become. Even in the 'good old days' (whenever that was) when the socio-economic elite more regularly wore formal wear - they didn't generally include formal wear on vacations; they did 'Adirondak Camps' and such, went hunting or fishing - relaxed - like 'regular folk' but more lavishly. Today's socio-economic elite are even less inclined to be formally dressed in any aspect of life. It is funny or dismaying that some cruisers get so 'hot and bothered' over it. The nostalgic emulation of by-gone elite fashion can be cute - or a bit pathetic depending on one's mood.

 

Formal dining (formal nights) on ships originally probably came about due to two things, 1) ships were transportation (ie. largely business travel), 2) with multiple classes, the upper classifications were likely dominated by business travelors. Accordingly, there were business purposes and aggendas supporting formal nights.

 

Formal night today is tradition for tradition's sake. It has no real socio-economic (business) underpinnings. It will almost certainly succumb to the overall purposes of the leisure industry - relaxation. That's the present 'business' aggenda.

 

 

The same thing could be said for the nostalgic emulation of the usage of proper grammar and vocabulary. It's definitely anachronistic in today's society. Get down with it, Wood.;)

[woodofpine]

First of all, it's "Oceania"; Oceana is a ship owned by P&O (or an airline on "Lost").

 

Second, the fleets are about as far apart as any could get -- the largest ships on either Regent or Oceania hold 700 passengers. Oceania's three ships hold 684 passengers. Only the two ships sailed by Azamara are similar; all other RCCL ships are enormous by comparison. Even Oceania's new build, Marina, will carry just 1258.

 

Third, the products are quite easily distinguished. RCCL is a mass-market cruise line at or near the level of Carnival. Celebrity is a mass-market cruise line perhaps a cut above, but still closer to Carnival than to Oceania, and miles away from Regent, which is an all-inclusive luxury line in the same realm as Crystal, Silverseas and others, except perhaps a bit less formal. The only thing in RCCL's lineup even close to Oceania is Azamara, which was created to be an exact copy of Oceania (once they acquired identical ships), even to the point of copying Oceania's dress code and dining policies, but which has so far fallen short of the mark.

 

Finally, as to the potential of merger, it is nil -- unless Prestige Cruise Holdings (the owner of Regent and Oceania) decides to buy RCCL (Prestige is backed by Apollo Management, which also owns at least 50% of NCL). The CEO of Prestige has just announced record bookings for the 2010 season, and has raised prices.

 

WOW...

 

Seems I struck a nerve... My spelling and grammar may be lacking but my reading comprehension is OK.

 

My post NEVER mentioned RCI or Royal Caribbean. It posited that Regent Seven Seas cruise line ('RSSCL') has a fleet that is very similar in ship size, passenger load, and pricing[?] to its sister line Oceana. If they both become 'casual' lines, what distinguishes them? Is a consolidation (of Prestige 'brands') coming?

 

I never inferred that dinky Prestige could touch RCI (I never mentioned RCI).

[woodofpine]

The same thing could be said for the nostalgic emulation of the usage of proper grammar and vocabulary. It's definitely anachronistic in today's society. Get down with it, Wood.;)

 

Ahh jeez! My grammar sucks; but it's OK by at least one sociologist... I always liked sociologists!:D

[valandjerry]

There are those of us who prefer to dress on formal nights, don't take that away from us. If you don't want to dress don't try to force your ways on others.

[EmJakeBubbie]

this thread could take on a life of it's own:rolleyes: - DH hates "playing dress up" (as he calls "formal night" - pretending to be something we aren't is just that: "pretend". We adhere to the rules, but flying to a port is going to be a challenge and WILL make us think twice of what we pack, which will influence our on board experience. We used to fly somewhere, about every 3 to 4 wks. With the advent of flying "surcharges", we have stopped flying. It's just that simple. We don't care to participate in the flyway robbery of the skies. US Scareways has lost our business. We enjoyed the civilized times of courtesy curbside checkin, counter service, etc.etc... Flying first class really meant something, "back in those days". I think we might agree that the travel experience, generally speaking, is not what it was in the early 90's (that'd be 1990's) .....I concur with Pat&Paul!

[woodofpine]

There are those of us who prefer to dress on formal nights, don't take that away from us. If you don't want to dress don't try to force your ways on others.

 

For those that prefer to dress... Don't discount body paint until you've tried it!:D

I won't take away anyone's clothing - not without their permission! Never by force!

 

I'll do my best to look like Humprey Bogart in 'Casablanca' except taller, better lookin', and without the cigarettes (but that's another subject).

 

And I'll never forget the good old days... Sitting on the tarmac in New York in 1968 for nearly 2 hours on an Olympic Airways 707 waiting, waiting, waiting... to begin the 9 hour flight to Athens. Me in my little suit and tie, no a/c, and about 100 Greeks smoking that wonderful eastern mediterranean tobacco... (cough, cough, cough) That was a narrow fuselage, but you could barely see across the aisle when be took off. But we Looked Good through the smoke! :eek:

[valandjerry]

There are times when we women prefer to see our men dressed in something other that shorts and a t-shirt or jeans and anything else. I think the men who dress in tuxes or suits look so amazing. Not putting down the casual look but sometimes we like to see Humphrey Bogart of James Bond looks.

[Ma Bell]

Ahh jeez! My grammar sucks; but it's OK by at least one sociologist... I always liked sociologists!:D

 

I love ya Wood, but the point I was trying to make is if we just follow blindly along the path of what's "current", we will soon become a society of expediency. Seems we are well on the way. That's what I call "pathetic".

[Cruisenouvelle]

Perhaps Celebrity could make it 'optional' in some way - or designate 'anytime' dining as formal dress optional and assigned seating adhering to the dress code du jour. That would be a reasonable compromise if they do conduct a poll (not holding my breath, though!:p)

I, too, love to see the gentlemen dressed to the nines - and we would likely continue to observe formal nights

Woodofpine, I like your thoughts on the evolution of formalwear!

[woodofpine]

...we will soon become a society of expediency. Seems we are well on the way. That's what I call "pathetic".

 

Excuse me Ma while I finish tweating, "I'm on CC with Ma Bell..."

[valandjerry]

I don't know about the other women but to me seeing my husband in a tux makes him sexier than normal, and there is nothing wrong with that, remember variety is the spice of life.

[woodofpine]

Perhaps Celebrity could make it 'optional' in some way - or designate 'anytime' dining as formal dress optional and assigned seating adhering to the dress code du jour. That would be a reasonable compromise if they do conduct a poll (not holding my breath, though!:p)

I, too, love to see the gentlemen dressed to the nines - and we would likely continue to observe formal nights

Woodofpine, I like your thoughts on the evolution of formalwear!

 

Optional... hmmm... that may irk some... But, I THINK I've got it - a Compromise!

 

Gentlemen dressed to the nines! (Good)

 

Clothing optional for women! (Maybe some body paint)

 

I know this sounds SO-O Hugh Hefner... (Hef looked great in a tux) but it keeps the whole retro-nostalgia vibe alive!

 

Hugh Hefner... boy, I am getting old!

[biker1972]

Gee, I only remember Hef in a smoking jacket. My problem with the tux is that I no longer fit comfortably in the thing. If X continues formal nights I will have to lose some weight:o.