Dress Code

I will say I found this thread disconcerting. We leave in two weeks on our first Seabourn cruise and I am hoping the attitude of most travelers is more tolerant. We are leaving the tux and dark suit at home and bringing slacks, and a jacket (dark blazer) as stated as appropriate on formal night on Seabourn’s website. If we are judged as inappropriate, it will be our last cruise with Seabourn.

Be your own person, what you are going to wear sounds just fine. My husband will wear a sports coat as well. No one cares, today society is more relaxed. Older generations like my Dad would wear a sports coat when he flew on an airplane. You know the days before airlines treated you like cattle?

SoBaycruiser, You will feel right at home on your cruise (which one is it, by the way?) Don't worry. Your dark blazer will be just fine. Frankly, I was a bit surprised at how casual many passengers were on our last voyage. Still--everyone had fun--and there was a sense of decorum.

SoBaycruiser, You will feel right at home on your cruise (which one is it, by the way?) Don't worry. Your dark blazer will be just fine. Frankly, I was a bit surprised at how casual many passengers were on our last voyage. Still--everyone had fun--and there was a sense of decorum.

Thank you. Both your reply and the one before yours is the attitude I was hoping for. We will be on the Sojourn’s Inland Passage Cruise... which is what forced the dress code/packing issue. Cold weather clothes are bulkier and require more layers than say a Caribbean cruise. Hence the lack of space for a tux or suit in addition to a jacket.

BTW, I’m asking for my DH. He asked me to do the research and then he will pack based on my recommendation.

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So are you saying if the guy was not a knight and a celebrity you'd be ok with someone wearing pajamas on formal night?

No.

I will say I found this thread disconcerting. We leave in two weeks on our first Seabourn cruise and I am hoping the attitude of most travelers is more tolerant. We are leaving the tux and dark suit at home and bringing slacks, and a jacket (dark blazer) as stated as appropriate on formal night on Seabourn’s website. If we are judged as inappropriate, it will be our last cruise with Seabourn.

That sounds like the best response. A combination of a good quality jacket, trousers and shirt, looks much better than the ill fitting dinner jackets and ready-made bow ties that so many men wear when they go formal.

That sounds like the best response. A combination of a good quality jacket, trousers and shirt, looks much better than the ill fitting dinner jackets and ready-made bow ties that so many men wear when they go formal.

I couldn't agree more, it's amazing how many Tux's look as if they were bought when the wearer was one or two sizes smaller:)

... the ill fitting dinner jackets and ready-made bow ties that so many men wear when they go formal.

Not on Seabourn, dear.

I will say I found this thread disconcerting. We leave in two weeks on our first Seabourn cruise and I am hoping the attitude of most travelers is more tolerant. We are leaving the tux and dark suit at home and bringing slacks, and a jacket (dark blazer) as stated as appropriate on formal night on Seabourn’s website. If we are judged as inappropriate, it will be our last cruise with Seabourn.

Please don't worry. The majority of people you will meet on board have never heard of CC and would laugh at how seriously many posters here take these trivial topics.

I agree with wripro! One of my first comments to my husband on our cruise last September was that the passengers were much more casually dressed than I had expected. No criticism here---just an observation. Our cruise still had great decorum and was very enjoyable.

Apologize that this is a general question here on a Seabourn thread, but is there a luxury all-inclusive cruise line that will allow country-club (dress) quality shorts (with evening deck shoes/footwear - no sandals) as casual evening wear outside of the MDR?

Reason I ask - a bucket list item is a trans-pacific cruise, which is largely a tropical itinerary. While I agree there should be a reasonable dress decorum in the MDR, I don't understand why someone taking an evening deck stroll or enjoying a drink topside while watching the sunset on a warm tropical evening, etc. should be compelled to wear long slacks. For comparison, it would be perfectly OK to take an evening stroll around the grounds or down to the beach at a 5-star tropical hotel dressed as I described above. Indeed, for the most part (some exceptions apply), it would be appropriate anywhere other than the MDR-level restaurants.

That cruise lines have to enforce a ban because some people would have the vapors and fall on fainting couches at the sight of someone wearing nice shorts on a warm evening is a mindset I just can't understand. I've looked long and hard, and I've never seen any fainting couches at the Four Seasons resorts I've frequented...

I think you could wear resort style shorts and deck shoes to dinner at the Patio Dining venue and to the Colonnade dining venue on a Seabourn ship. I don't know for sure as I was not paying attention on our last cruise. My husband doesn't own any shorts (!) but I am so sure that others wore them.

I think you could wear resort style shorts and deck shoes to dinner at the Patio Dining venue and to the Colonnade dining venue on a Seabourn ship. I don't know for sure as I was not paying attention on our last cruise. My husband doesn't own any shorts (!) but I am so sure that others wore them.

Thx. That would be nice, but I'm skeptical. Dress code is pretty clear that it's slacks only after 6pm and if that's the case so be it. I don't want to be responsible for a sudden influx at the ship's infirmary or require the crew to carry smelling salts. ;p

Well then, how hard is it to don long pants for dinner? Not that difficult. Take your shorts---and see what is expected.

Not hard at all. But then if I'm two days into a 21+ day trans-pacific cruise and find what's expected isn't to my liking I'm kind of stuck. That's why I'm asking and looking around in advance. Just wondering if anyone knows of or had experience a luxury all-inclusive line that is a bit more relaxed, at least on their warm weather itineraries. Frankly, I'm not expecting Seabourn to be the answer. (And, yes, I'm being a little tongue-in-cheek about fainting couches, because if you can't have a little fun and humor why bother living.)

Not hard at all. But then if I'm two days into a 21+ day trans-pacific cruise and find what's expected isn't to my liking I'm kind of stuck. That's why I'm asking and looking around in advance. Just wondering if anyone knows of or had experience a luxury all-inclusive line that is a bit more relaxed, at least on their warm weather itineraries. Frankly, I'm not expecting Seabourn to be the answer. (And, yes, I'm being a little tongue-in-cheek about fainting couches, because if you can't have a little fun and humor why bother living.)

I’ll venture out of my room in shorts to go to the laundry. No one cares. So the secret is to carry dirty laundry wherever you go.

I’ll venture out of my room in shorts to go to the laundry. No one cares. So the secret is to carry dirty laundry wherever you go.

notjaded, you made me laugh tonight.

Not on Seabourn, dear.

Some chappy higher up the thread made an impassioned plea for ready made bow ties, implying that they were acceptable on Seabourn. One is very glad to hear that they are not. If you encourage such solecisms, next you’ll have people wearing shorts to dinner:eek::D

Not hard at all. But then if I'm two days into a 21+ day trans-pacific cruise and find what's expected isn't to my liking I'm kind of stuck. That's why I'm asking and looking around in advance. Just wondering if anyone knows of or had experience a luxury all-inclusive line that is a bit more relaxed, at least on their warm weather itineraries. Frankly, I'm not expecting Seabourn to be the answer. (And, yes, I'm being a little tongue-in-cheek about fainting couches, because if you can't have a little fun and humor why bother living.)

The answer is linen trousers. Just as cool as shorts and more stylish.

However, if you must cling to shorts, then I’d suggest SeaDream, where most meals are taken al fresco and the dress code is resort casual, which lends itself to some eccentricity of dress.

My favourite was the lSwiss lady in her 70s who regularly turned up to dinner in her thigh high, spangly, puce-coloured boots.

However, if you must cling to shorts, then I’d suggest SeaDream, where most meals are taken al fresco and the dress code is resort casual, which lends itself to some eccentricity of dress.

Another option, a step below Seabourn or SeaDream but a clear step up from mainstream lines, is Azamara, which does allow shorts in its casual restaurants.

The answer is linen trousers. Just as cool as shorts and more stylish.

However, if you must cling to shorts, then I’d suggest SeaDream, where most meals are taken al fresco and the dress code is resort casual, which lends itself to some eccentricity of dress.

My favourite was the lSwiss lady in her 70s who regularly turned up to dinner in her thigh high, spangly, puce-coloured boots.

Thanks for the suggestion. SeaDream looks interesting and almost intimate, however the lack of verandahs may be a deal-breaker.

Another option, a step below Seabourn or SeaDream but a clear step up from mainstream lines, is Azamara, which does allow shorts in its casual restaurants.

I'll look into Azamara, thanks. As long as the food isn't too much of a step below, the rest is worth considering (within reason) at least for warm weather itineraries.

Thanks for the suggestion. SeaDream looks interesting and almost intimate, however the lack of verandahs may be a deal-breaker.

Our first (and only, at this point) cruise was on the SeaDream. I was worried about lack of balcony but it was never an issue. The boat is so intimate and there are so many places to go with a view and privacy, we didn't need it. We might change our mind after we've taken our next cruise on the SeaBourn Encore but as it stands, with the reviews I've read, I'm more worried the Encore will fall short of our expectations. The rooms are a bit tired and in need of care but we found ourselves spending very little time in the room. The service, food and the fun people on board more than made up for the lack of balcony, IMO.

Our first (and only, at this point) cruise was on the SeaDream. I was worried about lack of balcony but it was never an issue. The boat is so intimate and there are so many places to go with a view and privacy, we didn't need it. We might change our mind after we've taken our next cruise on the SeaBourn Encore but as it stands, with the reviews I've read, I'm more worried the Encore will fall short of our expectations. The rooms are a bit tired and in need of care but we found ourselves spending very little time in the room. The service, food and the fun people on board more than made up for the lack of balcony, IMO.

That’s a great summary.

We are currently on a 21 day transpacific, Kobe to Vancouver. No need for shorts, it is cold. Kobe was warm, however, from there you sail north and it gets colder. The highest temperature we have seen is 52 and often it was closer to 40. If we add the winds you can imagine the cold. The Patio is open but those brave folks are hunkered down in Seabourn parkas, hats and blankets. Question, is there a Seabourn South Pacific crossing? There would be totally different weather down south.