How strict is the dress code onboard?

[Lois R]

17 minutes ago, drron29 said:

Probably going to get the new guests into line. 7pm and about 20 men in shorts and a couple of women. Now it’s a casual night but after 6pm it does suggest that shorts should not be worn.

Let us know what happened. Were they allowed to enter? Did the Maitr'd ask them to please go put on a pair of pants and then they could return and be served?

[drron29]

None were approached. However a probable extenuating circumstance was that all embarking guests had to do a face to face Immigration check in the Panorama lounge before the ship could be cleared for departure. Transitting guests didn't have to go. As we are on deck 9 we thought we would go to the Panorama lounge to have a pre dinner drink. However couldn't as 50 people were yet to attend. So down to Dolce Vita where the culprits were hanging out.

At 7.45pm when we were in Atlantide there was an announcement from the Captain that 2 cabins were still to attend and sail away was 8.30pm.

 

Today Barbara Muckermann embarked. She is attending the Welcome cocktail party tomorrow and it is a formal night. We will see how the dress code goes.

[tipsygirl]

On 7/9/2023 at 7:19 AM, RetiredandTravel said:

 

 

Thank you.  Exactly the information I was looking for.  I'll probably go with the suit.

 

 

Glad to hear your report. We are about to take our first cruise on Silversea. We live in a resort in Texas (The Woodlands). Dressing up for dining out means nice slacks and a nice shirt for my husband and a nice top and pants or a casual dress for me. We travel frequently. Often on cruises. But my husband gave up his tux, and I gave up the sparkly ball gowns years ago. He always takes a coat and tie a nice pants, and I will have dark pants and a lacy top.Good to know that we won't have to go out and buy a new wardrobe. 

[njguy_south]

I have booked my first Silversea (a 16-day transatlantic on the Silver Dawn in May 2025). Some of the comments I have been reading are making me question if I will feel comfortable on this line, or if my every move will be judged and gossiped about.

 

Most responders to the formal dress of days-gone-by (Tux for men, for example) are polite, but than I am reading about passengers getting the new guests into line and asking if people were scolded by the crew and required to return to their cells and change into uniform. (I slightly exaggerate, but making a point.)

 

In the days when guests wore tuxedos and formal gowns -- and arrived at the pier with several steamer trunks in tow -- I could understand that level of formality. But with the restrictions of luggage and weight on flights, I can understand why acceptable dress has changed over the centuries. (After all, there was a time, not so long ago, when wearing a tie for a formal event was met with social stigma, as one was to wear a hand-tied bow tie for such occasions.)

 

While I do not agree with shorts (or T-shirts), I do believe that if I wore a hand embroidered men's designer shirt without a jacket, I should be as equally accepted as a lady wearing a sleeveless gown. Perhaps if I were to change into the ladies gown, myself, I could be accepted and make an even better focus of discussion!

 

This would be especially true if during the 16 evenings of the cruise, I arrived in a different designer, embroidered shirt, and not the same black suit and white shirt night after night (wondering if my deodorant was helping to keep my presence acceptable to nearby passengers -- yes, those jackets get a bit tired looking by the third wear on a cruise).

 

Just one man's opinion. I would embrace upscale dress to the choice and enjoyment of the varied passengers onboard.

[Brad1185]

SS needs to ditch the jacket requirement for sure. 

[david63]

10 minutes ago, Brad1185 said:

SS needs to ditch the jacket requirement for sure. 

Why?

[Brad1185]

So much more comfortable for people on vacation and can pack lighter 

[tinaincc]

25 minutes ago, Brad1185 said:

SS needs to ditch the jacket requirement for sure. 

It seems to me that they are headed in that direction, thankfully.

[david63]

4 minutes ago, Brad1185 said:

So much more comfortable for people on vacation and can pack lighter 

In your opinion, mine is the opposite as I am more comfortable wearing a jacket.

[tinaincc]

1 minute ago, david63 said:

In your opinion, mine is the opposite as I am more comfortable wearing a jacket.

That is why jacket-optional can become a “thing” and satisfy most. 

[Brad1185]

1 minute ago, tinaincc said:

It seems to me that they are headed in that direction, thankfully.

Let’s hope. Viking and Oceania can do it. SS should be able to also. 

 

My guess we will not have to wait much longer.  

[drron29]

1 hour ago, Brad1185 said:

So much more comfortable for people on vacation and can pack lighter 

Wouldn't make our luggage any lighter as I wear my jacket on the plane. We travel with 2 carry ons of 7KG, a computer bag and one suitcase that weighs under 23kg. It has my dinner suit and Rojaan's formal outfits as well as our everyday clothes.

Yet we have had no problems with 54 days on the Moon plus a week in Portugal and 3 days in London post cruise earlier this year.

Same luggage for this 44 day cruise on the Moon with a week in Bangkok and a week in Japan pre cruise.

 

[Stumblefoot]

1 hour ago, Brad1185 said:

Let’s hope. Viking and Oceania can do it. SS should be able to also. 

 

My guess we will not have to wait much longer.  

They already have.  A man sailing SS never has to wear a jacket if he doesn’t want to.  Plenty of dining options for those who don’t, as well as those who do.

[tinaincc]

1 minute ago, Stumblefoot said:

They already have.  A man sailing SS never has to wear a jacket if he doesn’t want to.  Plenty of dining options for those who don’t, as well as those who do.

It has been beat to death… many think that clothing requirements should not be based on the restaurant and that like other lines, a simple dress code with formal optional and jacket optional is the way going forward.

[Port Power]

21 minutes ago, tinaincc said:

It has been beat to death… many think that clothing requirements should not be based on the restaurant and that like other lines, a simple dress code with formal optional and jacket optional is the way going forward.

 

May think quite the opposite and prefer more formal dress code.

[tinaincc]

1 minute ago, Port Power said:

 

May think quite the opposite and prefer more formal dress code.

With all that is going on this seems silly to continue to debate this. If formal/jackets become optional for all venues doesn’t this give everyone the “option” to be happy and have their preferences met?

[Stumblefoot]

27 minutes ago, tinaincc said:

It has been beat to death… many think that clothing requirements should not be based on the restaurant and that like other lines, a simple dress code with formal optional and jacket optional is the way going forward.

Agree.  Wish people would stop with the complaints.  They know what the line’s dress code is when they book, so why complain about it?  If you don’t like it, move on to a line that better meets your wishes.  Pretty easy from my POV.

 

On land we don’t question a restaurant’s dress code.  If we don’t like it, we just choose a different one, rather than incessantly whining how we wish they would change.

[dawntrdr]

Years ago, the well-known writer and journalist William Safire compiled a book of favorite famous quotes called "Good Advice".  I recall his personal favorite was an Hungarian saying "Complain to someone who can help you."

[njguy_south]

3 hours ago, tinaincc said:

That is why jacket-optional can become a “thing” and satisfy most. 

So true -- this allows "to each his own" in decision making. Bravo!!

[RonWL]

1 hour ago, Stumblefoot said:

They know what the line’s dress code is when they book

Way back 34 pages ago, I started this thread.  I had booked, but only later learned of the dress codes.  (This was my first Silversea cruise.)  We loved the cruise, but when telling fiends about it we always mention the old-fashioned dress code.  Most who have not sailed Silversea will say something like, "Really?"

[FlyerTalker]

1 hour ago, Stumblefoot said:

They know what the line’s dress code is when they book, so why complain about it?

 

 

3 minutes ago, RonWL said:

I had booked, but only later learned of the dress codes.

 

All of which goes to:  DO YOUR RESEARCH, then spend your money.

 

Applies to cruises, air travel and so much more.

 

The old saying was: proper planning prevents poor performance.  Or for travel: prevents misunderstandings and disappointments.  (But that would take it out of 5P)

 

 

 

[tinaincc]

1 minute ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

 

 

All of which goes to:  DO YOUR RESEARCH, then spend your money.

 

Applies to cruises, air travel and so much more.

 

The old saying was: proper planning prevents poor performance.  Or for travel: prevents misunderstandings and disappointments.  (But that would take it out of 5P)

 

 

 

These opinions almost always come from those who prefer formal to the greatest extent. It rarely applies to any of the other aspects of travel. It’s nonsense to believe that someone would study the dress code policy, especially one as inane as SSeas which varies by ship, by night and by restaurant. 

[FlyerTalker]

8 minutes ago, tinaincc said:

 It’s nonsense to believe that someone would study the dress code policy, especially one as inane as SSeas which varies by ship, by night and by restaurant. 

 

Simple rule:  Don't do your research in advance -- you forfeit your right to complain after the fact.

 

Other rule:  Rely on assumptions -- suck it up when reality is different than your assumptions.

 

Perhaps it would have been different in the 20th century, prior to the widespread introduction of the internet into everyone's lives.  But today, there is no excuse for not doing research.

 

 

[Stumblefoot]

15 minutes ago, tinaincc said:

It’s nonsense to believe that someone would study the dress code policy, especially one as inane as SSeas which varies by ship, by night and by restaurant. 

If true, then why do people who want to be casual all of the time continue to book SS?  And, then when they discover they don’t like the policies, why don’t they cancel their booking knowing full well they aren’t going to enjoy themselves?

 

I get RonWL’s point, because he wanted to try SS, which was more important to him regardless of any dress code on any given night or restaurant, even though he wasn’t crazy about said code.

Edited October 26, 2023 by Stumblefoot

[RonWL]

Overall, we found Silversea to be fantastic.  Food was top notch.  Service was great.  Could say much more about how much we enjoyed the cruise.  Compared to the superlatives for just about every other aspect of the cruise, the dress code was, well, silly.  On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being fantastic) the dress code is a 4, while the food was a 10.