How strict is the dress code onboard?

[bitob]

15 minutes ago, david63 said:

I suspect that may be the key phrase "7 day cruises" - the question is what is the definition on cruises greater than 7 days?

Thanks.  I am on a b2b - one leg is 14 days; the other leg is 7 days.  Should be interesting.

If anyone cares, I will post something about the current status of the dress code.  Maybe I can get some clarification of formal optional.

[A Tucson Guy]

36 minutes ago, david63 said:

I suspect that may be the key phrase "7 day cruises" - the question is what is the definition on cruises greater than 7 days?

I believe the "formal optional" is only for 7 day or less cruises. At 8 days or more, there will be "formal" nights that are supposedly not optional. Last year on two cruises, Moon and Dawn, for formal nights I wore black slacks, a Black sportcoat and a tie and didn't have a problem anywhere on the ship. I did see people going into Atlantide without a sports coat and they were given extra sport coats to wear. Put the coat on your seat back if you are too warm.

[canderson]

44 minutes ago, bitob said:

Thanks.  I am on a b2b - one leg is 14 days; the other leg is 7 days.  Should be interesting.

If anyone cares, I will post something about the current status of the dress code.  Maybe I can get some clarification of formal optional.

Let us know which ship and itineraries for the 2 legs, too, please.

[bitob]

8 minutes ago, canderson said:

Let us know which ship and itineraries for the 2 legs, too, please.

Moon. Reykjavik rt then Reykjavik to Southampton. Cruise is sold out!!

[ggo85]

IMHO, most SS passengers don't want to be boorish.  They want to meet the requirements.  However, I also think many want to stick to the "low end" of the requirements -- to quote Hawkeye Pierce (of M*A*S*H) fame:  "If the minimum weren't good enough, it wouldn't be the minimum."  Others simply don't want to pack extra clothes and shoes if they don't have to.  

 

Dress code is a common question for those who haven't cruised a particular line in the past or haven't cruised recently -- i.e., "What do I need to wear to fit in?"  

 

Telling someone they shouldn't have an issue wearing a dark suit or a tux or a tie isn't helpful b/c they may (have an issue, that is).  Likewise, it's not helpful to tell people you MUST wear a dark suit when they get on board and find 1/3 of the men are wearing coat and tie.  It's more helpful to say say what you typically observe and especially if you know passengers will be denied entry to a venue if they aren't complying with a certain requirement. From that, people can decide what they want to do (eat at a different venue, choose a different cruise line, etc.).  Most will conform, many on the low end. 

 

Since SS is one of the stricter lines when it comes to attire, questions are, IMHO, fair game and aren't always intended to start a debate (though the discussion often seems to devolve into one).

[calm down dear]

6 minutes ago, ggo85 said:

IMHO, most SS passengers don't want to be boorish.  They want to meet the requirements.  However, I also think many want to stick to the "low end" of the requirements -- to quote Hawkeye Pierce (of M*A*S*H) fame:  "If the minimum weren't good enough, it wouldn't be the minimum."  Others simply don't want to pack extra clothes and shoes if they don't have to.  

 

Dress code is a common question for those who haven't cruised a particular line in the past or haven't cruised recently -- i.e., "What do I need to wear to fit in?"  

 

Telling someone they shouldn't have an issue wearing a dark suit or a tux or a tie isn't helpful b/c they may (have an issue, that is).  Likewise, it's not helpful to tell people you MUST wear a dark suit when they get on board and find 1/3 of the men are wearing coat and tie.  It's more helpful to say say what you typically observe and especially if you know passengers will be denied entry to a venue if they aren't complying with a certain requirement. From that, people can decide what they want to do (eat at a different venue, choose a different cruise line, etc.).  Most will conform, many on the low end. 

 

Since SS is one of the stricter lines when it comes to attire, questions are, IMHO, fair game and aren't always intended to start a debate (though the discussion often seems to devolve into one).

Tonight was “casual”, in Atlantide I would venture 10% of men had a jacket. In observation bar pre dinner no one. In Atlantide there were plenty of short sleeve polo type shirts. One couple were in a tux and sparkly dress. No one died.

[Mr Luxury]

2 hours ago, bitob said:

My husband was a military man -- he wears those medals on Cunard.  Everyone does.

Yes,it is somewhere that seems to be a medal fest

[bitob]

3 minutes ago, Mr Luxury said:

Yes,it is somewhere that seems to be a medal fest

They were earned and should be worn

[Mr Luxury]

Just now, bitob said:

They were earned and should be worn

Yes,we have very little opportunity these days to do that.

[ggo85]

I'd like to wear mine, but it's tough with a cocktail dress.  [Many women have earned military medals -- no one thinks about how they should be worn with women's formal attire outside of mess dress.  Just saying.]

[Mr Luxury]

11 minutes ago, ggo85 said:

I'd like to wear mine, but it's tough with a cocktail dress.  [Many women have earned military medals -- no one thinks about how they should be worn with women's formal attire outside of mess dress.  Just saying.]

Yes indeed

Perhaps on a jacket.

[bitob]

1 hour ago, ggo85 said:

I'd like to wear mine, but it's tough with a cocktail dress.  [Many women have earned military medals -- no one thinks about how they should be worn with women's formal attire outside of mess dress.  Just saying.]

A creative jeweler could make them into a fabulous brooch

[spinnaker2]

1 hour ago, ggo85 said:

I'd like to wear mine, but it's tough with a cocktail dress.  [Many women have earned military medals -- no one thinks about how they should be worn with women's formal attire outside of mess dress.  Just saying.]

Can you put them on a headband to wear in your hair? A crown of sorts. 

Or attach them to a handbag? 

Edited July 10, 2023 by spinnaker2

[david63]

3 hours ago, A Tucson Guy said:

for formal nights I wore black slacks, a Black sportcoat and a tie and didn't have a problem anywhere on the ship.

So are you saying that a shirt is not required?😄😄

[A Tucson Guy]

6 minutes ago, david63 said:

So are you saying that a shirt is not required?😄😄

 

6 minutes ago, david63 said:

So are you saying that a shirt is not required?😄😄

A shirt is optional as it is not in the dress code- whatever floats the boat. Socks are also optional.

Edited July 10, 2023 by A Tucson Guy

[drron29]

IMHO the dress code being enforced or not depends on the management ie the restaurant managers and the HD. two examples on my last 2 cruises.

First the Dawn in August 2022. having dinner in kaiseki and about 8 pm a typical Australian (of the type we try to avoid ) came in and demanded a table for 6. He was dressed in shorts a T shirt and the Australian footwear of choice thongs. He pointed out there were 6 empty seats though they were scattered around the restaurant. The Maitre'D declined his request. A few minutes later the restaurant manager came around and right beside me tore strips off the Maitre'D for denying the request and telling him the guests would arrive in half an hour and were to be seated. They turned up in the same attire.

So in the morning I complained to the HD about the restaurant manager and put it in writing. The dress code up to that point was not being enforced but from that night on was not enforced. Two of the Maitre'Ds congratulated me.

 

Second on the Moon in March this year. On the first of 5 segments the dress code was not enforced. from the second segment on there was a different HD on board and the dress code was enforced.

 

So just because you hear that the dress code is not being enforced on the ship you are booked on doesn't mean it will be the same when you board.

[SWFLAOK]

On 7/7/2023 at 9:43 PM, bitob said:

That’s us. We did not bring tie on our previous silversea cruises. We look smashing and elegant but a tie is a non starter. Leaving tues for 3rd cruise on Moon. No tie. Formal nights booked in la terraza and hot rocks. Very doable 

 

on Cunard we bring the tux and all the bells and whistles. No need to do so on silversea 

And why not? A tie is really small to pack. Why is Cunard worth a tux and Silversea not worth it? We would never bring a tux, or an evening gown, but we will dress well.

I've looked at Cunard and have never been tempted to book a cruise so why would you bring a tux ffor that cruise line? We have sailed on Silversea before, and I would rather eat in our cabin than hot rocks. Wind and hot ashes around the pool while everyone cooks for themselves on a heated stone was something I don't really want to do again. But we are booked on Silver Dawn for the 2025 World Cruise. We would rather dress up than eat at hot rocks, and sailing in cold weather at the beginning and towards the end  of the cruise doesn't seem like a good idea in cold weather.

[bitob]

Just now, SWFLAOK said:

And why not? A tie is really small to pack. Why is Cunard worth a tux and Silversea not worth it? We would never bring a tux, or an evening gown, but we will dress well.

I've looked at Cunard and have never been tempted to book a cruise so why would you bring a tux ffor that cruise line? We have sailed on Silversea before, and I would rather eat in our cabin than hot rocks. Wind and hot ashes around the pool while everyone cooks for themselves on a heated stone was something I don't really want to do again. But we are booked on Silver Dawn for the 2025 World Cruise. We would rather dress up than eat at hot rocks, and sailing in cold weather at the beginning and towards the end  of the cruise doesn't seem like a good idea in cold weather.

Cunard is really seriously formal on the gala evenings.  95% tuxes and gowns.  You would actually feel out of place and seriously underdressed in just a suit (although you do see a few).  Mr.Bitob has a tux and so we bring it. They really do not encourage anything less than formal although it can be managed.

 

It's not the size of the tie.  Mr.Bitob does not want to wear a tie (or even a dress shirt) if he doesn't have to and he doesn't have to on Silversea.  Unlike you we prefer Hot Rocks (and La Terrazza) to Atlantide so no sacrifice.  We don't do our own cooking.  We are on vacation.

 

We are probably better dressed than 75%+ of the passengers.  A tie doesn't make the man.  Lipstick on a pig, you know.

 

Nice that Silversea gives us all choices we feel comfortable with.

[no1talks]

4 hours ago, ggo85 said:

"I'd like to wear mine, but it's tough with a cocktail dress."

This topic was discussed on RallyPoint. Perhaps you'll like the opinions of those who posted.

https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/is-it-appropriate-to-wear-my-miniature-medals-pinned-to-my-dress-at-a-black-tie-event-even-though-i-won-t-be-wearing-a-jacket 

Or, incorporate a bolero jacket into your evening wear and place the miniature medals accordingly.

[Daveywavey70]

8 hours ago, Mr Luxury said:

Yes

Darcy clothing dot com

I got rid of Bates as I couldn't cope with his falling over and now he and Mrs Bates have twelve children.

Six boys with a limp and six girls who want to be pregnant.

I Had some very nice cravats from darcy. Could you not have fitted Bates with some stabilisers? I Think O’Brien did it.

[no1talks]

8 minutes ago, Daveywavey70 said:

"I Had some very nice cravats from darcy."

"Sink me! Look you here, Sir. Your cravat is, again, limp."

[SWFLAOK]

16 minutes ago, bitob said:

Cunard is really seriously formal on the gala evenings.  95% tuxes and gowns.  You would actually feel out of place and seriously underdressed in just a suit (although you do see a few).  Mr.Bitob has a tux and so we bring it. They really do not encourage anything less than formal although it can be managed.

 

It's not the size of the tie.  Mr.Bitob does not want to wear a tie (or even a dress shirt) if he doesn't have to and he doesn't have to on Silversea.  Unlike you we prefer Hot Rocks (and La Terrazza) to Atlantide so no sacrifice.  We don't do our own cooking.  We are on vacation.

 

We are probably better dressed than 75%+ of the passengers.  A tie doesn't make the man.  Lipstick on a pig, you know.

 

Nice that Silversea gives us all choices we feel comfortable with.

But he does have to wear a tie on Silversea in most venues. Is it because Cunard enforces the dress code and Silversea may or may not that makes you feel that you need to follow the dress code on Cunard, and not so much on Silversea? We would not want to be required to wear a tux or gown on Cunard on formal nights, but have no problem dressing up every night on Silversea.

We have most often sailed on Regent, and at this point, those onboard wear whatever they want to, with some in shorts, t-shirts, ball caps and tank tops are dinner where they might be asked to change or not. At lunch, swim suits might be asked to put a coverup on, but their swimsuit might still be wet, sitting on the chair that someone else will find wet when they go back to the pool. We prefer the rules for dress code to be enforced, and want the upscale environment for meals that we pay extra for on Regent and Silversea.

[bitob]

5 minutes ago, SWFLAOK said:

But he does have to wear a tie on Silversea in most venues. Is it because Cunard enforces the dress code and Silversea may or may not that makes you feel that you need to follow the dress code on Cunard, and not so much on Silversea? We would not want to be required to wear a tux or gown on Cunard on formal nights, but have no problem dressing up every night on Silversea.

We have most often sailed on Regent, and at this point, those onboard wear whatever they want to, with some in shorts, t-shirts, ball caps and tank tops are dinner where they might be asked to change or not. At lunch, swim suits might be asked to put a coverup on, but their swimsuit might still be wet, sitting on the chair that someone else will find wet when they go back to the pool. We prefer the rules for dress code to be enforced, and want the upscale environment for meals that we pay extra for on Regent and Silversea.

He does not need a tie in most venues. You only need a tie in Atlantide on formal nights. Nowhere else. We go elsewhere those nights. That’s the dress code. The dress code is clear. We are following it!!!

 

we love getting dressed to the nines on Cunard. It is not for everyone. The formal nights have themes. We find it fun 

Edited July 11, 2023 by bitob

[Rothko1]

18 hours ago, A Tucson Guy said:

 

Socks are also optional.

 

Down in South Florida, its very common not to wear socks.  I've even seen some guys in tuxedos without socks.

[no1talks]

11 minutes ago, Rothko1 said:

"I've even seen some guys in tuxedos without socks."

 

And were their shoes Birkenstocks?

 

Their attire, so their call. However, I'd sooner go commando while in a tux, than sockless. (Neither omission has ever occurred, I'm happy to report.)