Is service etc the same for a 3 night cruise?

[Jo and Rob]

I would like to know if you think the service etc is the same for a short cruise as a long cruise? Do you think that the passengers approach the cruise in a different way? We will be doing a 3 nighter on the Indy in June to Le Havre. I have read that people dress less formally on short cruises, would you agree?

[rummenroman]

I would like to know if you think the service etc is the same for a short cruise as a long cruise? Do you think that the passengers approach the cruise in a different way? We will be doing a 3 nighter on the Indy in June to Le Havre. I have read that people dress less formally on short cruises, would you agree?

 

Service from the staff will be the same no matter what the length of cruise you are on. Typically the shorter the cruise the younger the crowd. They usually don't have the same financial means to afford the longer ones. Yes the dress code is more relaxed. You will see just about everything in the MDR from tuxes, to shorts.

[Jo and Rob]

Really shorts in the MDR? I was wondering if my little man (aged 8) would be alright in a pair of chinos, shoes and a buttoned shirt for the formal night, sounds like he will be just fine!

[kernow]

I totally disagree about short cruises being less formal when you're talking about Indy from Southampton. When we did a 4 night to Cork the formal night had the highest percentage of people dressed up that I've ever seen on RCL. I put it down to all the Brits onboard, I think in general we like to dress up more than Americans.

 

Your son will be fine in chinos and shirt.

 

The service was exactly the same as on any other cruise, it depends more on individual staff than length of cruise.

 

Julie

[mets550]

I would like to know if you think the service etc is the same for a short cruise as a long cruise? Do you think that the passengers approach the cruise in a different way? We will be doing a 3 nighter on the Indy in June to Le Havre. I have read that people dress less formally on short cruises, would you agree?

 

The service will definitely be the same--you will be pampered night and day lol. Definitely a younger crowd on a shorter cruise. I would say most people still dress properly on a three-nighter. Even on longer cruises you are going to get people underdressed, but on average most people will be dressed accordingly in the MDR.

[PhoenixCruiser]

No

 

What, you didn't like the responses on your other threads :confused:

 

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[Scotty G]

I have noticed that the cruise director and staff seem to work harder on shorter cruises. Perhaps that is intentional since there is so much activity to jam into a shorter span of time. There is even a perceived difference between a 3 night and a 4 night. The longer the cruise, the more laid back the cruise director and staff appear to be.

[gingerpeaches]

I have noticed that the cruise director and staff seem to work harder on shorter cruises. Perhaps that is intentional since there is so much activity to jam into a shorter span of time. There is even a perceived difference between a 3 night and a 4 night. The longer the cruise, the more laid back the cruise director and staff appear to be.

 

Also, RCI often market these shorter cruises (at least to Europe) as "taster cruises". True there is a younger crowd on these short cruises because they don't have money to afford a longer cruise, but there will also be families who are trying cruising for the first time. RCI will want to impress those people, because they want families in Europe who haven't cruised before to start cruising regularly. It worked for us. Our first cruise was a 3 night to Cork (that same cruise is now 4 nights) and it got us hooked. We booked a 14 night cruise for the following year as soon as they became available. We've booked another one for next year.

[livylotte]

I disagree that it will be less formal and I also disagree that it will appeal to the younger crowd.

 

While shorter cruises in the Carribean may appeal to young people I don't think this is the case for short cruises from the UK as the price is much higher.

 

We went to Cork for 4 nights on Indy and practically everyone was dressed up to the nines on formal night. The other nights however, were casual. It seemed to me that most people had made a big effort for that one special night - much more than I noticed in the Med.

 

I was surprised at the age groups onboard. I had imagined there would be a lot of families as our cruise was during Whit Holidays but infact there were very few - I'd say the majority were couples in their 40's and 50's.

[Seatravelers]

I totally disagree about short cruises being less formal when you're talking about Indy from Southampton. When we did a 4 night to Cork the formal night had the highest percentage of people dressed up that I've ever seen on RCL. I put it down to all the Brits onboard, I think in general we like to dress up more than Americans.

 

Your son will be fine in chinos and shirt.

 

The service was exactly the same as on any other cruise, it depends more on individual staff than length of cruise.

 

Julie

 

Definitely agree with the above. You are sailing in Europe and not the Caribbean. People will be dressed nicely and not in flip flops and Tshirts. Have a great time.

[Jo and Rob]

This is a taster for the children and I'm pleased that it will have the whole cruise feel about it. Just such a shame that Rob will miss out. We will have to make sure we take a lot of photos and do some video to make up for it.

Does anyone know how many parades there will be on the 3 night Le Havre cruise?

[closecruiser]

Just off the 3 night Monarch out of Port Canaveral, we had EXCELLENT service all around, nothing to complain about at all. In the "compass" it is listed as "smart casual" instead of formal night. Quite a few that night were dressed that way and everyone looked nice. Lots of men in nice slacks and just nice shirts, yeah there were some in ties and ladies in their fancy dresses but not as many as in the past 3 nighters we have taken. I think people enjoy it both way and some do dress to the hilt and some don't....

[Jo and Rob]

Just off the 3 night Monarch out of Port Canaveral, we had EXCELLENT service all around, nothing to complain about at all. In the "compass" it is listed as "smart casual" instead of formal night. Quite a few that night were dressed that way and everyone looked nice. Lots of men in nice slacks and just nice shirts, yeah there were some in ties and ladies in their fancy dresses but not as many as in the past 3 nighters we have taken. I think people enjoy it both way and some do dress to the hilt and some don't....

 

Did your documentation before you left say formal or smart casual? Ours says one formal night.

Glad you had a great cruise. :)

[janice4559]

No question there is a difference between European and Caribbean cruises. I would guess that European short cruises are much more formal than short caribbean cruises and I would guess the service might be a little less on caribbean short cruises. I say this because caribbean three and four nighters are on older ships and the crew is much less experienced. I know that RCCL uses the shorter caribbean itineraries for their brand new crew and then moves the best of the bunch up the line eventually to ships like the Oasis.