Celebrity ditch formal nights

[miniyorkie]

I wont be put off either from sailing with Celebrity again. On the Chic nights I will still dress formally. I dress to compliment my wife, not my fellow passengers.

 

I think that was an excellent comment Esprit, however I still think it would be a shame on "CHIC casual" to have such a variety of dress attire - ranging from Formal to chic CASUAL. We have enjoyed Celebrity cruising and agree with others that it is (was) slightly more impressive that P&O, but as we enjoy the Formal evenings and everything that entails I am disappointed with the decision.

[waldorf]

Just thought I would add on this forum that yesterday Celebrity cruises have removed formal nights altogether after Dec 15. They are going to have at least 2 Chic evenings where the dress code is similar to smart casual on P&O.

 

Just thought it was interesting that the 6 star lines don't have formal nights, the newer Quantum Class Royal Caribbean ships don't have formal nights and now the 5 star Celebrity line has ditched formal nights. Is this the start of the end?

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

I see it as the start of the beginning! If P&O drop formal nights we will add them to our list.

[tartanexile81]

Very, very different from NCL and Celebrity and you might not like them anyway if you like American style cruising. They've greatly reduced the number of formal nights and pulled all the other jacket required evenings and IMO that's as far as they'll go for the foreseeable future.

[daiB]

Very, very different from NCL and Celebrity and you might not like them anyway if you like American style cruising. They've greatly reduced the number of formal nights and pulled all the other jacket required evenings and IMO that's as far as they'll go for the foreseeable future.

 

 

Not reduced formal nights still two per week. What have you heard?

[Alan Flett]

Do you mean the one announced a week ago Kevin? Caused a canny row on the Celebrity boards, which is still going on.

 

I would say no as when you go into shops at this time of year DJ's are well to the fore.

 

Remember many schools are following on from the states and having proms so the younger generation are far more used to wearing them than we were.

 

 

Schools are having proms, yes, but this to me is a one off occasion when they are generally leaving so I wouldn't say they are getting used to them.

 

In fact when I used to go out when I was younger (early to mid 90's) you had to wear pants, shoes and a shirt if you wanted to go to a club. Nowadays so long as you don't wear short and trainers anything goes.

 

It's very much a personal opinion but I prefer smart casual nights on cruises as I feel more comfortable in these clothes. I have a job were I wear a suit every day for work so when I go on holiday I prefer not to wear formal wear. I do, however, adhere to the dress code and wear a tuxedo on formal nights.

 

On smart casual nights I wear jeans with brown shoes and a shirt. I do think people can look smart in jeans so long as they are not ripped etc.

 

I do think cruise companies are moving with the times, people want to go on holiday and not worry about being judged if they don't adhere to dress codes.

 

For the record I wouldn't mind one formal night a week on a two week cruise but I get fed up with four as it gets a bit repetitive to me. That is my opinion though.

[whoops]

As a generalisation it seems to me that women like dressing up and like their other halves to wear tuxedos. Of course some men also like to wear them but generally are probably not so bothered. That's fine as far as it goes. And of course I could be wrong in my assumption.

 

However, tuxedos are not that comfortable and after dinner many men remove their jackets, loosen ties and eventually probably don't look a lot better than those wearing smart casual attire. The other issue is the amount of stuff you have to pack for formal evenings. Dresses, shoes, suits etc can be heavy for those of us who suffer with bad backs and I question whether it is worth it for 4 nights. And of course if we wear suits to work why on earth do we want to be trussed up in a suit when on holiday?

 

Fortunately my other half - Dr Whoops - is not that bothered about dressing up so we don't participate in formal nights so any cruise line's decision to ditch them is a welcome move for me and means we don't have to suffer the buffet on 4 nights of a 14 night cruise.

[davecttr]

Schools are having proms, yes, but this to me is a one off occasion when they are generally leaving so I wouldn't say they are getting used to them.

 

In fact when I used to go out when I was younger (early to mid 90's) you had to wear pants, shoes and a shirt if you wanted to go to a club. Nowadays so long as you don't wear short and trainers anything goes.

 

It's very much a personal opinion but I prefer smart casual nights on cruises as I feel more comfortable in these clothes. I have a job were I wear a suit every day for work so when I go on holiday I prefer not to wear formal wear. I do, however, adhere to the dress code and wear a tuxedo on formal nights.

 

On smart casual nights I wear jeans with brown shoes and a shirt. I do think people can look smart in jeans so long as they are not ripped etc.

 

I do think cruise companies are moving with the times, people want to go on holiday and not worry about being judged if they don't adhere to dress codes.

 

For the record I wouldn't mind one formal night a week on a two week cruise but I get fed up with four as it gets a bit repetitive to me. That is my opinion though.

I agree with you there!.

 

On my upcoming 28 nighter they have squeezed in 9 of the things. The way the sea days fall means they will have to have some formal nights only 2 days apart :eek: I can see me decanting to the buffet after 3 or 4 ;)

 

IMO if they want to make formal nights even more special reduce the number for longer cruises. Two for a 7 nighter plus 1 additional per week would be adequate giving 5 for my 28 nighter.

 

Plus you only need 1 bar in addition to the main dining rooms with the formal code, plus only the epicurian cover charge restaurant. Whoever heard of donning formal dress for a chinese or indian restaurant ;)

[NauticalMiss]

On our recent Azura cruise in the Caribbean, we were sat next to a table of 8 in Freedom Dining. It was a formal evening, themed black and white. Three couples had gone for it; but one couple had most definitely not. He wore dark blue jeans, a burgundy shirt, and a brown blazer. She wore a royal blue dress. Whilst this attire would be ideal on a smart casual night, they looked ridiculous. Either they were colour blind, or they just didn't give two hoots.

 

If you don't want to wear formal, by all means don't; nobody is forcing you to. But find somewhere else to dine, such as the Glass House, or the buffet, or get room service. There are other options available; nobody will starve. Incidentally, we have eaten on formal night in the Glass House, where there is no dress code, but most people make an effort due to the ambience.

[jeanlyon]

Personally, I'm not sure I care what others wear. I would continue to dress for dinner. My husband likes to wear a jacket in the evening anyway.

[daiB]

Schools are having proms, yes, but this to me is a one off occasion when they are generally leaving so I wouldn't say they are getting used to them.

 

In fact when I used to go out when I was younger (early to mid 90's) you had to wear pants, shoes and a shirt if you wanted to go to a club. Nowadays so long as you don't wear short and trainers anything goes.

 

It's very much a personal opinion but I prefer smart casual nights on cruises as I feel more comfortable in these clothes. I have a job were I wear a suit every day for work so when I go on holiday I prefer not to wear formal wear. I do, however, adhere to the dress code and wear a tuxedo on formal nights.

 

On smart casual nights I wear jeans with brown shoes and a shirt. I do think people can look smart in jeans so long as they are not ripped etc.

 

I do think cruise companies are moving with the times, people want to go on holiday and not worry about being judged if they don't adhere to dress codes.

 

For the record I wouldn't mind one formal night a week on a two week cruise but I get fed up with four as it gets a bit repetitive to me. That is my opinion though.

 

 

Well you will be in the minority as in a recent poll on the P&O fans site out of over 300 replies it was 9 to 1 in favour of retaining 2 formals a week.

[john watson]

Just thought I would add on this forum that yesterday Celebrity cruises have removed formal nights altogether after Dec 15. They are going to have at least 2 Chic evenings where the dress code is similar to smart casual on P&O.

 

Just thought it was interesting that the 6 star lines don't have formal nights, the newer Quantum Class Royal Caribbean ships don't have formal nights and now the 5 star Celebrity line has ditched formal nights. Is this the start of the end?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

No, I think it is more like the end of the start.

 

American people will always want to dress like Americans and this is; in my opinion, not how people from the UK generally want to dress. There is always an exception and we will inevitably see the odd passenger wearing a backwards facing baseball cap with a sharp suit.

 

Regards John

[Alan Flett]

Well you will be in the minority as in a recent poll on the P&O fans site out of over 300 replies it was 9 to 1 in favour of retaining 2 formals a week.

 

 

Maybe so but statistics can be what you want them to be. Did it give the age split of the votes and such like?

 

I would guess it is the older generation. Also 300 is a very low number and would not represent the population.

 

For instance, we cruise every year with people a similar age to us who wouldn't care if they were scrapped. That would be 10 to 0 in favour of all smart casual.

 

So I don't think a poll of 300 would fairly represent views at all.

 

I'm not having a go by the way. I do think the younger generation of cruise passenger would be for a more casual cruise.

[tartanexile81]

 

On my upcoming 28 nighter they have squeezed in 9 of the things.

 

There will always be different opinions on this. On our cruise in 3 weeks we have 7 formals over 5 weeks and no smart casuals (less that the number you have for a 28 nighter). I am more than happy with 7 and if i want I can be quite dressed up on some smart casual evenings

[daiB]

Maybe so but statistics can be what you want them to be. Did it give the age split of the votes and such like?

 

I would guess it is the older generation. Also 300 is a very low number and would not represent the population.

 

For instance, we cruise every year with people a similar age to us who wouldn't care if they were scrapped. That would be 10 to 0 in favour of all smart casual.

 

So I don't think a poll of 300 would fairly represent views at all.

 

I'm not having a go by the way. I do think the younger generation of cruise passenger would be for a more casual cruise.

 

 

This was FB and that does tend to have a better proportion of the younger cruiser.

[daiB]

I agree with you there!.

 

 

 

On my upcoming 28 nighter they have squeezed in 9 of the things. The way the sea days fall means they will have to have some formal nights only 2 days apart :eek: I can see me decanting to the buffet after 3 or 4 ;)

 

 

 

IMO if they want to make formal nights even more special reduce the number for longer cruises. Two for a 7 nighter plus 1 additional per week would be adequate giving 5 for my 28 nighter.

 

 

 

Plus you only need 1 bar in addition to the main dining rooms with the formal code, plus only the epicurian cover charge restaurant. Whoever heard of donning formal dress for a chinese or indian restaurant ;)

 

 

You are on the wrong cruise, we have only 6 on our 28 nighter. :) :)

 

Metz Dave. :)

[whoops]

Why can't people where what they like when they like on holiday (within reason)? Dressing up in 1920's clothing is fine but so is smart casual. Are the objectors displaying a degree of snobbery on behalf of those who think only formally dressed cruisers are worthy of entering the dining room. Just asking.

[Sanjam cruisers]

Just thought I would add my tuppence worth, My wife and I have cruised with P&O since 2005 for the following reasons:

1 They have a British Persona.

2.They still have a formal Dress Code.

3.They still fulfill a traditional cruise experience.

I have enjoyed holidays in the USA and I find them charming hospitable people within their own borders, but when they go on holiday I find them loud, brash and in most cases obnoxious.

They on most occasions have no idea how to dress other than baseball caps facing the wrong way and jeans torn or otherwise.

I enjoy the formal dress nights and I do not think wearing a lounge suit is formal dress but I am willing to accept that standard as long as the suit is dark in colour not the loud silvery grey that I have seen on some cruises.

I have no desire to experience what stands for international cuisine, if I did so I would cruise with a different cruise line.

To end my comment no one is twisting your arm up your back if you do not like the P&O product choose a more amenable cruise line to your requirements just as I do P&O.

[Alan Flett]

This was FB and that does tend to have a better proportion of the younger cruiser.

 

 

Yes but my point is you don't know their age. My mother in law who is 62 is on Facebook, I'm 42 and I'm not.

 

Also 300 only people voting makes the poll useless when you consider over 3,000 go on P & O's main ships every couple of weeks.

 

I think if you asked everyone before the went on a cruise their views especially on the family friendly ships then you would get a completely different result.

 

Maybe if you did the same on Oriana, Aurora etc then you would get the opposite.

 

I think the way P & O have relaxed the rules on certain ships over the years gives you a pretty good indication of the feedback they get.

[Alan Flett]

Just thought I would add my tuppence worth, My wife and I have cruised with P&O since 2005 for the following reasons:

 

1 They have a British Persona.

 

2.They still have a formal Dress Code.

 

3.They still fulfill a traditional cruise experience.

 

I have enjoyed holidays in the USA and I find them charming hospitable people within their own borders, but when they go on holiday I find them loud, brash and in most cases obnoxious.

 

They on most occasions have no idea how to dress other than baseball caps facing the wrong way and jeans torn or otherwise.

 

I enjoy the formal dress nights and I do not think wearing a lounge suit is formal dress but I am willing to accept that standard as long as the suit is dark in colour not the loud silvery grey that I have seen on some cruises.

 

I have no desire to experience what stands for international cuisine, if I did so I would cruise with a different cruise line.

 

To end my comment no one is twisting your arm up your back if you do not like the P&O product choose a more amenable cruise line to your requirements just as I do P&O.

 

 

As the poster above said there is a hint of snobbery in some people's attitudes and I think that reflects in your post. You are judging people on the colour of their suit. If you look around on a formal night you will see people with a tuxedo on with ridiculous coloured jackets and ties on. They meet the dress code but look worse than the silvery grey suit.

 

You also say the Americans have no idea how to dress. They have a different culture to us so what's to say what's right or wrong. Would you say that if you went to Dubai?

 

Then you say you have no desire to experience international cuisine then why cruise unless it's a British Isle cruise. When you get off the ship do you look for the nearest greasy spoon run by some ex pat?

 

Nobody twists my arm to cruise with P & O but I love the whole experience. If I have to do formal nights then so be it. When I started cruising you usually had 4 semi formal on all ships too which mean I wore a suit and tie. As I've mentioned earlier I wear a suit everyday for work so I don't particularly want to do this on holiday. I go on holiday to enjoy the places, food and time with my family. I dress smart, treat people respectfully and enjoy myself. I don't go to be judged for having the wrong colour jeans on a smart casual night.

 

You say the Americans have no idea how to dress

[gadabout60]

Just thought I would add my tuppence worth, My wife and I have cruised with P&O since 2005 for the following reasons:

1 They have a British Persona.

2.They still have a formal Dress Code.

3.They still fulfill a traditional cruise experience.

I have enjoyed holidays in the USA and I find them charming hospitable people within their own borders, but when they go on holiday I find them loud, brash and in most cases obnoxious.

They on most occasions have no idea how to dress other than baseball caps facing the wrong way and jeans torn or otherwise.

I enjoy the formal dress nights and I do not think wearing a lounge suit is formal dress but I am willing to accept that standard as long as the suit is dark in colour not the loud silvery grey that I have seen on some cruises.

I have no desire to experience what stands for international cuisine, if I did so I would cruise with a different cruise line.

To end my comment no one is twisting your arm up your back if you do not like the P&O product choose a more amenable cruise line to your requirements just as I do P&O.

 

Your comments about Americans are ridiculous. No doubt some dress as you describe but so do young people in most countries of the world

I have never seen anything but smartly dressed Americans on my cruises on Celebrity

[bee-ess]

I have no problem with dressing for formal - I just think there are too many (esp. for fly cruises). I think 1 per week is enough. It would be interesting to see what would happen if the 2nd one each week was optional - how many would still do it ?

[Sanjam cruisers]

Alan Flett

I probably did not convey what I intended in my post, I am by no means a snob and I also wore a uniform throughout my working life and now that I am free to wear what I wish I always wear casual dress unless I am going somewhere where I require smart dress.

The point I was trying to make was a large amount of people post on this board with comments such as Celibrity do this, Princess Do that, we don't get this on P&O, people know the product each cruise line provides.

I chose to Cruise with P&O because I like their product, I don't cruise with other lines because I know they may not provide the experience I want.

Why do people who do not like what P&O provides go on a cruise with them and then start complaining about their experience. If you want an RCI/Celebrity/Princess etc experience then cruise that line.

As to food I do not head to the nearest greasy spoon cafe, in fact I do not frequent greasy spoon cafes at all, I like to try local food when abroad.

[Scriv]

I know what you are saying, sanjam. We also like P&O for its British Persona, its Formal Dress Code and a traditional cruise experience and if this were to change radically, then I'm afraid they would lose us.

 

We are also not closing our minds to an International experience. We also enjoy our land based holidays abroad and thoroughly enjoy immersing ourselves in the local culture. I have lived abroad and speak two European languages.

 

But for our cruises, we love the P&O British Experience including Formal Dress Code, so we chose P&O rather than the other cruise lines.

Edited January 14, 2016 by Scriv

[john watson]

Why can't people where what they like when they like on holiday (within reason)? Dressing up in 1920's clothing is fine but so is smart casual. Are the objectors displaying a degree of snobbery on behalf of those who think only formally dressed cruisers are worthy of entering the dining room. Just asking.

 

I think the idea of a formal night is that it is just a bit more special, like a wedding reception, retirement party or special birthday. Where we show respect for everybody about us and when the staff do that extra bit more to please in their professional manner, each demonstrating their high quality skills which we do not tend to see ashore these days. On a cruise ship it recognises the first class era when everybody dressed like this every evening. It is just a suggestion of class which may or may not be existent. To suggest that the attire is 1920's says a lot about yourself as does suggesting people where what they like. sic

 

Regards John

Edited January 14, 2016 by john watson

[jeanlyon]

I also enjoy P&O for a number of reasons, but a bit of International Cuisine would be a bonus. I get so tired of roast pheasant and two veg, roast lamb and two veg, roast beef and two veg. That's what it seemed like on my last cruise. I was also served barramundi that was inedible. It was grey and seriously unappetising. Lobster was good and so were the tiger prawn s one night, but I'm just not a meat and two veg person.

 

As for Americans, what a terrible generalisation. I have mixed with many americans and find they often dress a lot better than Brits.