Dress Code

[wripro]

You're welcome, Corner Tavern.

[writer100]

thank you, lord of the seas....

 

so, we should be prepared with some formal attire. we are on one of the new/large ships, with a 7 deay itinerary... and so I imagine at least one night will be "formal optional"...

Let me be clear and emphatic. There is absolutely no need to bring a suit, a dinner jacket or a tux. None. The number of people who do dress in formal clothes has steadily dwindled on SB, and while some stauch tradionalists mourn this change, many others, of all ages, do not. This is particularly true of the Big Sisters, as their passenger list skews younger. You will be entirely comfortable at any dinner in a jacket with a long sleeve shirt and no tie.

[Host Dan]

I have to totally agree with writer100..

 

Host Dan

[Corner Tavern]

Thanks!

[64Driver]

We are taking our first Seabourn cruise in September, Athens to Istanbul, and the instructions are pretty clear that all evenings are elegant casual or lower, no formal optional. Personally I like the formal nights, but oh well.

[cruzman2251]

It is quite entertaining to read the posted replies regarding the SB Dress Code. SB is changing the code for a reason and that reason is that there are many of us who do not own a tuxedo nor do we want to. The stuffiness of the replies posted in defense of the Formal nights smacks of a different time and place. Who cares if another passenger looks at you with a look of disbelief because you have not "dressed appropriately". Trying to control the dress of others is absurd. And to suggest that a person who questions the rules should find another cruise to sail on is just ........

I take vacations to relax and to unwind from what I do everyday. I will be darned if I am going to be dictated to by a group of people who are totally out of touch with the reality of today. I will also be darned if I am going to have dinner in my cabin on formal nights if I do not feel like wearing formal attire of a suit.

[MichiganDavid]

It is quite entertaining to read the posted replies regarding the SB Dress Code. SB is changing the code for a reason and that reason is that there are many of us who do not own a tuxedo nor do we want to. The stuffiness of the replies posted in defense of the Formal nights smacks of a different time and place. Who cares if another passenger looks at you with a look of disbelief because you have not "dressed appropriately". Trying to control the dress of others is absurd. And to suggest that a person who questions the rules should find another cruise to sail on is just ........

I take vacations to relax and to unwind from what I do everyday. I will be darned if I am going to be dictated to by a group of people who are totally out of touch with the reality of today. I will also be darned if I am going to have dinner in my cabin on formal nights if I do not feel like wearing formal attire of a suit.

 

Crusman 2251

 

You are probley correct, that Seabourn is changing the formal dress requirements, because greater majorities of cruisers do not want to bring a tuxedo with them. But just like you do not like to be questioned indifferently and to be told how to dress, other people want to also express their thoughts and desires that they like to dress formally and like the idea that the Dinner Room will be formal on a few certain nights. Neither side is being absurd.

 

I love to cruise on Seabourn (our favorite) and appreciate the opportunity to “dress up”, but I do not believe that everyone has to “dress up”. It is their choice. On Regent, they have basically given up the concept of formal dress nights. You may think that the following statement is out of touch with the reality of today, but last fall my wife and I enjoyed our first cruise on Disney - a 14 day transatlantic cruise. Normal suggested dress for dinner was elegant casual with normal casual being accepted. There were 6 different dinner sections (3 rooms with two dinner times in each room). In our section, was a family that was unwinding each night at dinner. The father was as well dressed as his family, wearing an old faded T-shirt, old cut-off shorts, and the creme-de-la-creme “old Flip Flops”. He made us feel out of place.

 

Let us all except that others may make comments that we may not agree with.

 

MichiganDavid

[Cruiser John]

Having just returned from a 14 day Baltic Cruise on Pride the advertised changes to the dress code weren't too evident to me. During our cruise the recommended dress for evenings in the MDR were "Jacket Required" or more formal on 10 of the 14 evenings. This limited our enjoyment of the cruise and we will not be returning to SB unless the dress code is completely changed to CCC. There are lots of quality options available.

[red man]

How do you rate one over the other? thanx

[Chairsin]

CruiserJohn ,

I'm not sure what you were expecting but certainly this thread had made it clear for some time that while there has been some relxation of the formal evenings dress code Seabourn has not changed the dress code for other evenings. It seems to me that you were misleading yourself and set yourself up for a disappointment. Seabourn is known for being dressy -- if you wanted casual and knew that even wearing a sportcoat would "limit your enjoyment" your cruise there are plenty of other nice cruise lines that are not concerned about attire. And I rather think that stuffy hardly describes Seabourn.

[writer100]

CruiserJohn ,

I'm not sure what you were expecting but certainly this thread had made it clear for some time that while there has been some relxation of the formal evenings dress code Seabourn has not changed the dress code for other evenings. It seems to me that you were misleading yourself and set yourself up for a disappointment. Seabourn is known for being dressy -- if you wanted casual and knew that even wearing a sportcoat would "limit your enjoyment" your cruise there are plenty of other nice cruise lines that are not concerned about attire. And I rather think that stuffy hardly describes Seabourn.

Sir: I am not sure why this subject seems to raise the hackles of ccers, or why the subject takes on sociological significance.But it does. That said, and with apologies to whomever I may offend, it does seem clear that SB has made a fundamental change in its dress code. Making "formal nights" into "optional formal nights" is a big deal. It signals the awareness of what more and more (and younger) potential passengers (apparently) want. It also marks the end of an mdr filled with tuxedoed and gowned passengers. That may have been a display of finely honed couture or of class distinction, of snobbery or the simple joy of dressing up. One may dislike the change, or applaud it, but it is certainly a change. I generally wear a jacket/blazer in the evening, as a salute to custom if not fashion. But I do like the idea of a less restrictive dress code. Lugging formal clothes along seems burdensome (at least to me). And particularly so if one's cruise is preceded or followed by time spent exploring on land. I would hope that no SB passengers would attempt to have dinner wearing cutoffs and flip flops as a matter of courtesy, if not fashion. Nor have I noticed that wearing formal clothes makes anyone, including me, more intelligent or witty, regardless of what my wife says.

[wripro]

Well said, Writer100.

[MarciAnn]

Ditto

[t and e]

I agree with Writer100 100%

Talks a lot of sense

[margbem]

...on the 'formal optional night' what was the ratio of men in tuxes to dark suits, to dark jackets, not matching trousers, but still with a tie? I don't want my husband to pack his tux then feel that he should have worn his smart jacket with dark trousers instead! The tux takes up a lot of space in the case.

 

Also, were there many ladies in long dresses that evening? We like to fully take part in formal evening and enjoy dressing up - we don't get much chance nowadays!

 

Thanks,

 

Margaret

[Chairsin]

On our Med cruise last fall I would estimate that just over half of the men were wearing tuxedos. Sailor Boy is looking forward to wearing his on our upcoming Norway trip.One thing to keep in mind is that usually the two black tie nights on a two week cruise are the same evenings as the Captain's hello and farewell cocktail parties. At these receptions with the officers in their formal uniforms and the receiving line it seems to me the precentage was even a bit higher.And if you end up dining with an officer on one of these evenings you will notice most of the male guests are in tuxedos.

[Haworth]

On the Odyssey last week (7 day cruise) the initial programme was one formal optional, one elegantly casual and five resort casual, this did change in the week with an extra elegantly casual repalcing one resort casual.

 

Formal optional night, I wore a linen jacket, shirt and tie combination and we sat with a couple where the man wore a jacket and no tie, no problem to us. Dark jackets or balck/white tuxedo jacket may be the norm but like business dress it is changing fast to a more relaxed look.

[CLOU]

On our recent 9 day Norwegian fjords cruise there was one black tie optional night. I found there to be far fewer men in tuxes then in the past. My husband wore a grey suit (not even that dark) and there were a number of men in sports jackets and ties, though I still think the majority were in suits, but not tuxes.

[lord of the seas]

.And if you end up dining with an officer on one of these evenings you will notice most of the male guests are in tuxedos.

 

A good Maitre'd knows who to seat with whom.;)

Edited July 16, 2011 by lord of the seas

[margbem]

...would you take your tux?

[lord of the seas]

...would you take your tux?

 

Yes,I always have a Tux with me on every cruise and also a couple of suits and a linen suit and jackets and a blazer.in fact I travel with most things for most occasions.

 

If others want to dress down then that is their choice,I prefer to keep the standards up.

Edited July 16, 2011 by lord of the seas

[wripro]

Not everyone's standards are the same. Within five years I doubt you'll see many more tuxes on board.

[writer100]

A good Maitre'd knows who to seat with whom.;)

Hmmm. Does Seabourn now administer IQ tests to determine which passengers might be capable of intelligent conversation? Or perhaps one has to flash a Mensa card to find presumably articulate table companions. Failing that, how does the maitre d' establish the likelihood of interesting table pairings?

Are you suggesting that the maitre d', who is no doubt a fashion consultant of high order, focuses his eye upon a couple as they enter the mdr, awards them a barely passing grade for his not wearing a Kiton cravat, and banishes them to a table in the farthest reaches of the room--Seabourn's Siberia?

The maitre d' on the smaller ships might perhaps might know that this guest is a bore, or that one an enthusiastic tippler who swiftly finds his jokes more amusing than do others in the vicinity. But it strains credulity to suggest that anyone can establish the expectation of charm, wit and humor from the brief appraisal of a couple entering the mdr.

Do you think perhaps the clue is in the accent?

[lord of the seas]

Hmmm. Does Seabourn now administer IQ tests to determine which passengers might be capable of intelligent conversation? Or perhaps one has to flash a Mensa card to find presumably articulate table companions. Failing that, how does the maitre d' establish the likelihood of interesting table pairings?

Are you suggesting that the maitre d', who is no doubt a fashion consultant of high order, focuses his eye upon a couple as they enter the mdr, awards them a barely passing grade for his not wearing a Kiton cravat, and banishes them to a table in the farthest reaches of the room--Seabourn's Siberia?

The maitre d' on the smaller ships might perhaps might know that this guest is a bore, or that one an enthusiastic tippler who swiftly finds his jokes more amusing than do others in the vicinity. But it strains credulity to suggest that anyone can establish the expectation of charm, wit and humor from the brief appraisal of a couple entering the mdr.

Do you think perhaps the clue is in the accent?

 

Who knows the mind of a Maitre'd

 

Could be any of your reasons that he might take into account.

[Seabourn-nail]

Hmmm. Does Seabourn now administer IQ tests to determine which passengers might be capable of intelligent conversation? Or perhaps one has to flash a Mensa card to find presumably articulate table companions. Failing that, how does the maitre d' establish the likelihood of interesting table pairings?

Are you suggesting that the maitre d', who is no doubt a fashion consultant of high order, focuses his eye upon a couple as they enter the mdr, awards them a barely passing grade for his not wearing a Kiton cravat, and banishes them to a table in the farthest reaches of the room--Seabourn's Siberia?

The maitre d' on the smaller ships might perhaps might know that this guest is a bore, or that one an enthusiastic tippler who swiftly finds his jokes more amusing than do others in the vicinity. But it strains credulity to suggest that anyone can establish the expectation of charm, wit and humor from the brief appraisal of a couple entering the mdr.

Do you think perhaps the clue is in the accent?

Thanks for your never ending eloquence ;=)! By the way, we were talking about dress code here.... Though we never "do" hosted tables by choice, we still get an invite for the captain's table every cruise (which we personally decline too, explaining the captain that we don't make an exception for him, in a nice way....). Yes, I know.... we are different!

Marja