Azusa Formal Night Question

[rolythecat]

We are looking to book a Caribbean Cruise on the Azura this winter. Can anyone tell me if it is ok for men to wear a light coloured suit with tie for the formal evenings and eat in the main dining room Also if wearing casual dress can you still dine in the buffet restaurant and are there any bars that you are able to access if not formally dressed in a dark suit.

[dgs1956]

We are looking to book a Caribbean Cruise on the Azura this winter. Can anyone tell me if it is ok for men to wear a light coloured suit with tie for the formal evenings and eat in the main dining room Also if wearing casual dress can you still dine in the buffet restaurant and are there any bars that you are able to access if not formally dressed in a dark suit.

 

Sorry but I really can't believe this has come up yet again. There is a thread about this that "ended" just a few days ago and there are umpteen threads the same as well as it being detailed on the P&O website.

 

The Dress Code is :

 

Black Tie

 

Black Tie nights foster a rather special atmosphere on board, adding a touch of glamour and a real sense of occasion to evenings at sea. Seeing an entire ship full of people transformed into their finery is quite something to behold. Ladies wear glamorous evening wear including cocktail dresses, ball gowns or even smart trouser suits. For men, dinner jackets or tuxedos are the norm, but a dark lounge or business suit and tie can be worn as an alternative. You can also wear formal national dress and army uniform.

 

For a typical two week cruise there are normally four Black Tie evenings on board (Black tie nights tend to be on sea days. For cruises over 7 nights there will be a black and white themed ball and when it is very hot, the number may be reduced).

 

You can wear Smart Casual in the Buffet on a Formal Night.

[john watson]

I am thinking it will be fine to wear a light coloured suit and tie on formal nights in the Caribbean. There is a tradition on Caribbean cruises that it is better to wear a white tuxedo jacket instead of a black tuxedo. Both of these are acceptable and I would suggest that a light coloured suit will easily and well fit in better in the Caribbean than other regions. I am not saying you cannot wear a light coloured suit in other regions.

 

I do not tend to use the buffet on formal nights and am sure someone will give good advice on your other point.

 

Regards John

[the english lady]

I am thinking it will be fine to wear a light coloured suit and tie on formal nights in the Caribbean. There is a tradition on Caribbean cruises that it is better to wear a white tuxedo jacket instead of a black tuxedo. Both of these are acceptable and I would suggest that a light coloured suit will easily and well fit in better in the Caribbean than other regions. I am not saying you cannot wear a light coloured suit in other regions.

 

I do not tend to use the buffet on formal nights and am sure someone will give good advice on your other point.

 

Regards John

I think I should have attached this to original posters post.

Having done a Caribbean 90%+ of men still wore either a dark suit or a cream tux. Wear a light coloured suit and one would tend to stick out rather a lot.

If one doesn't want to adhere to the dress codes, why book with a cruise line that has them, is my pennies worth.

Edited August 15, 2015 by the english lady

[davecttr]

Go for it! I saw men in very light suites on aurora and that is a lot more formal than azura

 

The worst that can happen is you could be turned away from the main dining room but then just eat in the buffet that evening or try the beach house American diner or. The glasshouse

 

Apart from the main dining room and the cover charge restaurants there are only two formal dress bars, the blue bar and the planet bar, everywhere else, the theatre, show louge, cabaret club, casino etc evening casual wear is welcome so your husbands light suites Wii be OK as well :)

[john watson]

One would stick out rather a lot if you wore a kilt and kilt jacket but I see nothing wrong in this. I think the cruise line does not stick as pedantically to the dress code in interpreting it's meaning as people think. Obviously one needs to dress formally and smart and I think this is the objective.

 

Reading the above Black Tie definition from dgs1956 post; it would literally seem you could wear desert camouflage and a steel helmet if you take things to the extreme. One would imagine they really mean Army Dress Uniform but why such disrespect to the RAF and Navy?

 

A light coloured suit provided it is smart and not a shabby linen floppy collar/lapel type will be fine. Yes you might stand out.

 

Regards John

[dgs1956]

One would stick out rather a lot if you wore a kilt and kilt jacket but I see nothing wrong in this. I think the cruise line does not stick as pedantically to the dress code in interpreting it's meaning as people think. Obviously one needs to dress formally and smart and I think this is the objective.

 

Reading the above Black Tie definition from dgs1956 post; it would literally seem you could wear desert camouflage and a steel helmet if you take things to the extreme. One would imagine they really mean Army Dress Uniform but why such disrespect to the RAF and Navy?

 

A light coloured suit provided it is smart and not a shabby linen floppy collar/lapel type will be fine. Yes you might stand out.

 

Regards John

 

You do have a point especially about army uniform. Funnily enough if you wear camouflage in Barbados you will get arrested.

I posted already on last week's thread about light grey suits. Why not? As I said then, if I could find a grey Dinner Suit then I would get one. You cannot accept gents in jacket and trousers and turn away someone in a light grey suit.

[rolythecat]

Thank you to the people who have replied and their helpful advise. I had seen the other thread but it didn't answer my specific question. My husband having spent many years in a dark suit for work has no wish to wear one whilst on holiday. We would be happy to eat in the buffet but just wanted to make sure we would also be welcome in other areas of the ship on those evenings so.

[laurakdy]

One would stick out rather a lot if you wore a kilt and kilt jacket but I see nothing wrong in this. I think the cruise line does not stick as pedantically to the dress code in interpreting it's meaning as people think. Obviously one needs to dress formally and smart and I think this is the objective.

 

Reading the above Black Tie definition from dgs1956 post; it would literally seem you could wear desert camouflage and a steel helmet if you take things to the extreme. One would imagine they really mean Army Dress Uniform but why such disrespect to the RAF and Navy?

 

A light coloured suit provided it is smart and not a shabby linen floppy collar/lapel type will be fine. Yes you might stand out.

 

Regards John

I cannot understand this obsession with saying, you will stand/stick out if you wear this or that. My husband wore his kilt many times as did our friends and no one stuck out. Even if he was the only one, happy days. He certainly didn't feel or was made to feel he 'stood out'.

 

As I have said on the other thread, wear whatever you like within the guidelines and if that happens to be something differnt good for you. All this nonsense about light suit and dark suits. What a load of baloney! It's personal choice. To hear some on here, they like to think they're dressed like a million dollars, when in reality it's probably come from Asda or Primark but I honestly don't care.

 

I like dressing up part but could not care less about those that dont. It's their holiday and their choice and before anyone jumps on the bandwagon and says if they dont like dressing up, they should choose another line. You can love cruising with P&O but not be fussed for all the formal nights. We always miss at least one as we find there's too many on Azura.

 

We are on Azura this Christmas again with friends. The men will have their kilts on, both on Hogmanay and again on January 2nd when my friends get married. Will we stand out? Oh, I do hope so! Lol

 

Canny wait...:D

[Mysticalmother]

As an old fuddy duddy ( my auto spell brought that up as cuddly daddy Lol ) who loves dressing up on formal nights, and likes to see the traditions of cruising upheld, I can honestly say that a man in a nice smart suit and tie, whatever the colour of the suit would get my vote anytime over some of the women's attire that never gets questioned on formal nights.....

 

Enjoy your cruise rolythecat and don't worry about what others think.

Edited August 16, 2015 by Mysticalmother

[john watson]

I cannot understand this obsession with saying, you will stand/stick out if you wear this or that. My husband wore his kilt many times as did our friends and no one stuck out. Even if he was the only one, happy days. He certainly didn't feel or was made to feel he 'stood out'.

 

 

I said "One would stick out rather a lot if you wore a kilt and kilt jacket but I see nothing wrong with this". On a recent cruise on Princess we travelled an itinerary which circled the British Isles. Quite a few passengers were Americans but on the whole a much more mixed cosmopolitan group than would be found on a P&O cruise. On captain's formal night two of the passengers; obviously Scottish wore kilts and were I assume drawn together by this. Their wives were talking together quite happily and the men stood a bit away talking with each other in their kilts. After a bit a young lady went over and must have asked if she could have her picture taken between the two gentlemen because this is what they did. A few other people had pictures taken with these guys including a drinks waitress who had presumably gone off to get her camera mid shift and returned for the picture. The Scottish guys just kept talking with each other casually and to the people who came over. So Laurakdy when you say your husband may not have felt he was made to feel he "stood out", I understand exactly what you mean, however, I put it to you that he looked outstanding to others and would have been noticed by many. You can stand out for the wrong and right reasons.

 

Kind Regards John

[laurakdy]

I said "One would stick out rather a lot if you wore a kilt and kilt jacket but I see nothing wrong with this". On a recent cruise on Princess we travelled an itinerary which circled the British Isles. Quite a few passengers were Americans but on the whole a much more mixed cosmopolitan group than would be found on a P&O cruise. On captain's formal night two of the passengers; obviously Scottish wore kilts and were I assume drawn together by this. Their wives were talking together quite happily and the men stood a bit away talking with each other in their kilts. After a bit a young lady went over and must have asked if she could have her picture taken between the two gentlemen because this is what they did. A few other people had pictures taken with these guys including a drinks waitress who had presumably gone off to get her camera mid shift and returned for the picture. The Scottish guys just kept talking with each other casually and to the people who came over. So Laurakdy when you say your husband may not have felt he was made to feel he "stood out", I understand exactly what you mean, however, I put it to you that he looked outstanding to others and would have been noticed by many. You can stand out for the wrong and right reasons.

 

Kind Regards John

I do agree with some of what you are saying. When we were on a Costa ship a few years ago and there was all nationalities, my husband was the only person who wore the kilt. This young American couple didn't have a clue what it was and asked all manner of questions. We just found it funny.

 

I think on princess as well, it more cosmopolitan than P & O and not too many with the kilt on, as you say.

 

On P & O though, it's mainly British and usually quite a lot of Scottish as well, so I think we'll see many a kilt wearer come Hogmanay. I do hope so but may not be in the minority this time.

[milis]

Where i go my kilt goes too. See you all on azura xmas cruise .Our first cruise so looking forward to the formal nights.

[tartanexile81]

Over the years I've seen many men wearing kilts and certainly don't think they stand out in a negative way. Certainly the wearing of national dress is allowed under the P&O dress code for formal nights. From the P&O website:

 

Can I wear formal National Dress on a Black Tie evening?

 

Yes, this is fine however, please note that if wearing accessories such as ceremonial knives, then these must be imitation items.

 

I'm Scottish and I love to see kilts worn correctly and think it's great to see on a cruise.

[laurakdy]

Where i go my kilt goes too. See you all on azura xmas cruise .Our first cruise so looking forward to the formal nights.

 

Aw lovely, your first one cruise and a Xmas one. When/where you flying from ?

 

We are leaving Manchester on Friday 25th and will be in Barbados for around 4pm! Woo hoo.