New to P&O - Freedom Dining - VENTURA

[Florry]

I hardly ever wear B&W on the themed night, it's not compulsory. Most people seem to wear their favoured outfit on the first night, I've never understood why P&O categorise B&W as the smartest as I find it rather dull and boring. Each to their own! Oh, worth saying that I'm not the slightest bit embarrassed or otherwise concerned about how others may judge my choice of dress. We do dress up, but even if my husband chose not to I still wouldn't be embarrassed or ashamed - it's our holiday, he is what matters in my life not people who happen to be on the same ship that I am unlikely to ever see again.

[KaththeTaff]

Many people do enjoy dressing up, on formal nights and on the less formal nights. I wouldn't dispute that the majority of passengers on board do so, but the minority that don't is pretty sizeable if our Ventura cruise is anything to go by.

 

We only went to one formal night out of the two. On the second night we took a quick trip to the buffet and it seemed a bit busier than on other nights. There were plenty of people out on deck who didn't bother on both nights.

 

I don't care what others do. In the MDR on formal night I saw a couple of gents near us who I wouldn't have said dressed in accordance with the dress code for that night. Did it bother me or spoil my evening? No!

 

I think everyone has to accept that our society has become a lot more casual, even over the last 10-15 years. This is bound to be reflected both in what people want to wear while on holiday, and also what cruise lines will allow them to wear. A lot of people don't like that very much. Fair enough, their opinions are as valid as anyone else's. It's the cruise lines that ultimately decide what they will accept, however.

[bellablot]

Well we returned from our cruise yesterday and have to say it was brilliant, the ship is gorgeous and the staff looked after us perfectly.

 

We hired some dinner suits the day before we went from a place in Newcastle and did the formal night on both evenings, and glad we did it, the nights we didn't do it we wore smart, dark jeans and shoes with a smart polo shirt and was absolutely fine as the majority did that too, on formal night it was fab to see everyone dressed to the nines.

 

We did the freedom dining and just picked up a pager to wait until a table for four was free (in the Saffron Dining Room) and waited with a pre-dinner drink in one of the nearby bars. They always tell you the wait is 45-60 mins but it was always nearly a 20 min wait tops.

 

Will definitely use P&O again, everything from checking in, embarking to the dreaded disembarking at the finish ran like clock work. :)

[Scriv]

Delighted you had a lovely time, bellablot and also enjoyed the formal nights. I also think it's really a special atmosphere when everyone is dressed up.

 

Just a question re your waiting in a bar with your pager... can you take your drink with you into the restaurant when you are called if you haven't finished it?

Edited November 1, 2015 by Scriv

[bellablot]

Delighted you had a lovely time, bellablot and also enjoyed the formal nights. I also think it's really a special atmosphere when everyone is dressed up.

 

Just a question re your waiting in a bar with your pager... can you take your drink with you into the restaurant when you are called if you haven't finished it?

 

 

Yes, we took our drinks in and it was absolutely fine. 🙂

[Beachmad]

Quote "I never thought in a million years I would wear a tuxedo in a posh restaurant but I bought one from Asda for around £50 got a clip on tie and got a formal shirt from a charity shop. My wife and I enjoyed it immensely it's only 3 or 4 nights on a 12 night cruise but really good and I certainly didn't feel out of place.

 

For the smart casual nights I wore a smart polo shirt and slacks, smart enough but comfortable."

 

 

Thanks magpieman, I hadnt thought of Asda.

 

I love dressing up its good fun but my other half is not so keen but is complying for my daughter and I.

I dont like the black and white themed nights as I love the colour and glamour of evening dresses, I think b&w themes are unnecessary, why have them? Thats the one theme I wouldnt intentionally comply with.

[P&O SUE]

Thanks for coming back and telling us how you got on Bellablot, glad you had a great time :)

[kruzseeka]

Pleased to hear you had such a wonderful time. And isn't it always the way that the things which concern us before our first cruise just slot into place and we find our own way of enjoying the experience and making the most of our cruise? Are you planning another trip soon? ;)

[bellablot]

Pleased to hear you had such a wonderful time. And isn't it always the way that the things which concern us before our first cruise just slot into place and we find our own way of enjoying the experience and making the most of our cruise? Are you planning another trip soon? ;)

 

 

Thing is, this wasn't my first cruise, just first one with p&o, so was a little bit apprehensive regarding the freedom dining and the all important dress code haha. I will definitely be using p&o again though and have been looking since we came back. 🙂

[soobs]

We were the same before our first cruise on the QM2, we had always taken beach holidays usually in the Maldives where is was very informal, we were worried about the formal evenings. As long as you plan ahead it's a doddle, we really enjoy them now.

 

Glad you enjoyed your P & O experience we love it too, the Caribbean suits us down to the ground as it's quite informal apart for the 4 formal nights. We are off again on the 5th of December for our pre-Xmas jaunt round the Caribbean and cannot wait for our first Britannia experience.

[tartanexile81]

It's really good to hear back from you bellablot and even better that you enjoyed your cruise with P&O so much. We dress very casually at home and never dreamt for a minute we'd get into the formal dress thing as much as we have done. It's just so different to "normal life" and is one of the things that makes our cruises so special.