Kids on formal nights?etc etc

[Tracy67]

Hello:D

We are seriously thinking about booking a week on Ventura next Easter now that we cannot sail on Ocean Village any more.:(

Ventura and Oceana are currently being pushed like mad on OV with offers of double/triple on board spend if you book on board OV. We were tempted but I felt I neeeded to do more research before booking.

Loretta - the P&O specialist on OV did presentations on board and said "you do not have to dress up in penguin suits, all that is needed is a business suit for the main dining rooms and champagne bar on formal nights". This did not help the majority of us and there were lots of tutting but she also said that shorts/jeans were fine in the buffet and many bars and entertainment venues. She also pointed out that many people changed after dinnner anyway!!:rolleyes:

They are also offering OV passengers tours of Oceana when OV and Oceana both dock in Livorno. We were in Florence so were unable to go.

 

My dilemma is this: We will not be packing my husband's funeral suit for our holiday. I don't shop in Matalan as we can afford better - it is not a lack of money for choosing not to wear formal wear on holiday. My husband is a PE teacher and school sports co-ordinator for 8 schools - he lives in shorts but would be happy to wear chino type trousers on formal nights. We dressed up for our meals in the bistro on OV and James Martin was happy to pose for photos with us!:D (Superb food by the way!)

My son (14) is ok about wearing jeans and knee length shorts - I am assuming that after dinner in the buffet - probably with his friends if Ventura is as similar to OV as we have been told, then he will go to the kid's /teen's club and hang out there? My daughter will be happy to wear pretty dresses.

I really doubt that we will eat much in the main dining rooms anyway. We cannot stand long drawn out meals and I was full after my starter in the bistro. We would rather take half an hour to eat at around 8-9pm and spend the rest of the evening watching shows, bands, comedians, or spend time in the casino, gym etc.

We will also be travelling in the school holidays and from what I can gather the atmosphere relaxes then anyway.

We are so close to booking this - we actually rearranged our main Florida holiday booked for next Easter to go there next August yesterday so we can do this Ventura cruise over Easter instead.

Any advice please - especially from people who have been on OV and Ventura?:)

[1160451]

Hi Tracy

 

We have not cruised on any P&O but FO and Thomson.

 

It is always a bone of contention isn't it about "dressing up" or not on cruises.

 

We are in our 50's and love cruising because we can indeed "dress up".

 

Now I know this is not really fair but we often think reading posts on this subject why pick a cruise where it is the norm to dress up if you do not want to. The demise of OV is though a problem now for those that cruised with them.

 

I think there is room for everybody and all our different wants, if you want to dress up do so if you want dress more casual then ok but we should not decry either.

 

The problem comes I think when there becomes almost 2 classes on a ship, 1 class for the formal and 1 for the casuals.

 

I would suggest manners and good behavior are more impotant than what we all wear.

 

You make a good point about after dinner, as my jacket and bow tie are often discarded when the dancing starts and the wine flows:)

 

I hope you have a real good cruise with your family and I am sure the majority of people will enjoy your company irrespective of your husbands lack of a penguin suit.:)

 

Have a good one.

[ROSEBASKETS]

Tracy, you will be fine, don't worry about formal nights, people tend to "overpush" the formal thing on here, the traditionalists think that it's an important part of cruising. Ventura is the least formal of the P&O fleet and though the majority do dress for dinner there were alot when we went in may who did not. They wern't stopped from using any part of the ship, though in fairness we didn't go to the champagne bar.

 

We went to the first formal night in the Bay Tree restaurant as we were on freedom dining, and there were people sat in there dressed in smart casual, though they did attract some comments and looks from the "gliterati!

 

There is a restaurant called the Beech House which is an American Style diner, free to use, waiter service from a set menu, which we felt better suited us with two kids in tow. We attended on the other 3 formal nights dressed in formal attire and we were looked at in the same way as those in "non uniform" were in the Bay Tree.

 

The Beech House was considerably busier on formal nights, with a wait for tables, most were in casual dress like jeans and chino's. Most were under 50 and some had kids but most didn't. The kids who hang out in the kids zone were not formally dressed and I would assume that most would get ribbed if they were!

 

Go for it, don't worry about the formal nights, the ships great, the staff are good and all in all it's just like Ocean Village if you steer clear of the areas where the "those that are considerably richer than you" hang out and you will soon find out where those areas are ie the champagne bar and the atrium because you hear the "what whats" the "haw haws" and the "how much they hate the oiks" talk as you walk round.

 

Your holiday is what you make it and don't worry about what others might think, what do they know!:rolleyes:

[Thejuggler]

It appears OV aren't being helpful in trying to sell P&O as a suitable alternative - they are different models and whilst Ventura is a family orientated ship, the majority of passengers follow the dress codes and eat in the restaurants.

 

We have sailed on Ventura twice in the last 12 months, both were outside of school holidays.

 

On formal nights the majority of passengers in the main dining rooms and bars we went in (Red - the Champagne bar, Metropolis, Havana, Ramblas) followed the code. Dinner suit or dark suit for men, the majority being in dinner suits, evening dresses for women, children were also in smart clothes.

 

Whilst the buffet has a theme night every night we found it a bit "BHS cafe" for an evening meal. The meals outside of the buffet theme are available all day. I wouldn't feel I'd had value from an expensive holiday if I'd eaten in the buffet every night, especially if I'd eaten there at lunch and the food was the same.

 

If you chose freedom dining on Ventura you could request a table for four and just have the courses you want so it doesn't take hours - chinos and polo shirts are fine for smart casual evenings.

 

The call you need to make is if you don't do want to do formal dressing up and you don't want to do any meals in the main restaurants (especially on formal nights when the menu is better) will you be setting yourself up for an expensive holiday you won't enjoy.

 

Only you can decide this.

[cclarke12]

It's tricky. We have been on OV2 and loved it. We have also sailed with several other cruise lines including P&O. Unlike some posters on these types of boards, I don't assume that dressing up for dinner means you have money and manners. I get somewhat annoyed by some people's comments about those that choose to sail with OV and the assumptions that are made about OV holiday makers.

 

You will get some posts telling you that you can buy a cheap suit and that you shouldn't book the holiday if you don't want to dress up, and asking would it really kill you to dress up for one or two nights....

 

Anyway we have been on Ventura and overall the experience was better than OV2 (better kids clubs, better cabins, and good modern facilities).

 

I am not bothered about dressing up one way or another and I cruise because I like travelling to different destinations and I like being at sea (not because I want to dress up) However, based on our experience the dress code on Ventura is well adhered to on formal night and if you don't go in formal wear you will stick out (even in the buffet). However, the new brochure clearly states that smart casual is fine for the buffet so it will be ok if that's what you choose to do.

 

I suspect over the coming year that Ventura is going to become more casual. I don't have a problem with this and there is clearly a market for this as OV were popular even through prices were often higher than P&O. It just needs P&O to be clear about what each ship is offering, whereas, at the moment they seem quite woolly and trying to appeal to everyone which isn't going to work.

 

In contrast, Royal Caribbean seem to be able to get formal and casual to work alongside each other. Have you thought about Royal Caribbean - with kids your age they may well prefer it.

[Tracy67]

Thanks all of you for your opinions.

Firstly the holiday would not be expensive at all - less than a third of our main Florida holiday, so that is not a problem to us.

Also we have considered RC and enquired about this on board. We were told by the P&O rep that RC would be far more expensive, with charges for kid's clubs and also lots of tipping; they really are trying to keep OV customers and transfer them onto Ventura and Oceana.

It is reassuring to hear that there are others out there on this forum who say go for it and understand that OV passengers are not sub-human. We always enjoy our holidays and make the most of them, to tell the truth we don't actually spend time observing what others are wearing either!

Think we have agreed on the cabin!:D

[Daftlad]

After a five year gap cruisng with P&O, I was interested in seeing if things have changed regards dress codes, particularly on formal nights. Whilst I talk about my recent trip on Arcadia, I assume from some of the responses already, that it is the same on all the fleet.

It appeared that there were an increasing number of gents, wearing dark suits but with an open necked shirt instead of the tux. I got the impression that this has become accepted, and nobody that I saw was refused entry to the restaurants.

I also noted that the buffet had introduced theme nights on successive nights, instead of the one usual Indian Buffet. By way of a change we went on these nights, and it broke up the drawn out process that you mentioned.

[terrierjohn]

No kids for me on formal nights, they give me indigestion, I prefer to stick with lobster or beef wellington.;):D:rolleyes::cool:

[BrianI]

We were told by the P&O rep that RC would be far more expensive, with charges for kid's clubs and also lots of tipping; they really are trying to keep OV customers and transfer them onto Ventura and Oceana.

There are no charges for the kids club on RC or for activities such as rock clinbing, surfing or ice skating. However, the recommended gratuities are $11per day per person, including kids, and the drinks are quite expensive.

Brian

[LibraLass41]

Most men on formal nights are wearing a black dinner suit (also called a tux) or a lounge suit (not necessarily called a funeral suit). Why not conform just 2 nights per week on the formal night.? The other 5 can be trousers (chinos) and a shirt with or without a jacket.

 

Its seems a shame to miss the main dining room 4/5 course gala dinner on formal nights for the sake of putting on a suit. If hubbie bought a nice new one, perhaps he wouldn't consider it his 'funeral suit?' If he really can't be bothered when 95% of the men will be bothering, then the buffet restaurant will be Ok for you, but you will be missing a lovely evening. Have a great cruise whatever you wear.!

[cclarke12]

Thanks all of you for your opinions.

Firstly the holiday would not be expensive at all - less than a third of our main Florida holiday, so that is not a problem to us.

Also we have considered RC and enquired about this on board. We were told by the P&O rep that RC would be far more expensive, with charges for kid's clubs and also lots of tipping; they really are trying to keep OV customers and transfer them onto Ventura and Oceana.

It is reassuring to hear that there are others out there on this forum who say go for it and understand that OV passengers are not sub-human. We always enjoy our holidays and make the most of them, to tell the truth we don't actually spend time observing what others are wearing either!

Think we have agreed on the cabin!:D

 

It would be a very odd P&O rep that would tell you Royal Caribbean woudl be cheaper. They don't charge for the children's clubs and activities as far as I am aware. Tips are also expected on Royal Caribbean but they are about half the price of P&O. You'll have a fab time on Ventura, she's a lovely ship and it is worth trying the dining room as the food makes it worth it, and it needn't be a long winded affair especially if you are on freedom dining and just have a table to yourselves. Have fun :D

[Thejuggler]

"Tips are also expected on Royal Caribbean but they are about half the price of P&O"

 

Now the facts.

 

P&O Freedom dining - £1.60 a day

Steward - £1.50 a day

Total £3.10 a day

 

RCI

 

 

• So that you can thank those who have made your cruise vacation better than you could have imagined, we've developed these gratuity guidelines:
  
• Suite attendant: $5.75 USD a day per guest
  
• Stateroom attendant: $3.50 USD a day per guest
  
• Dining Room Waiter: $3.50 USD a day per guest
  
• Assistant Waiter: $2.00 USD a day per guest
  
• Headwaiter: $.75 USD a day per guest
  

$15.50 a day - £10

 

That makes RCI about 3x the cost of P&O. Plus the 15% on every drinks tab.

[lancashire_cruisers]

Hi Tracy

 

Don't worry too much about the dress code. If your husband is taking his funeral suit then that'll do just fine for the formal evenings (there'll only be 2 on a 7 night cruise). Despite what some may say not everyone wears a DJ, OK the majority will do but nearly all the others are just wearing a normal suit and I've never witnessed anyone being looked down on because of it:D.

 

The dress code for the children is a minimum of smart casual so your son won't be forced to 'posh up' and he'll probably prefer hanging out with his new found friends anyway!

 

Ventura is a lovely ship and we much prefer P&O to RCI, which is more expensive and the food not as nice as P&O.

 

BTW before anyone jumps in and tells me I don't know what I'm talking about, our next cruise will make us Gold (not bragging just trying to give some context that I've actually cruised a bit:rolleyes:).

 

Debbie:)

[BrianI]

"Tips are also expected on Royal Caribbean but they are about half the price of P&O"

 

Now the facts.

 

P&O Freedom dining - £1.60 a day

Steward - £1.50 a day

Total £3.10 a day

 

RCI

 

 

• So that you can thank those who have made your cruise vacation better than you could have imagined, we've developed these gratuity guidelines:
  
• Suite attendant: $5.75 USD a day per guest
  
• Stateroom attendant: $3.50 USD a day per guest
  
• Dining Room Waiter: $3.50 USD a day per guest
  
• Assistant Waiter: $2.00 USD a day per guest
  
• Headwaiter: $.75 USD a day per guest
  

$15.50 a day - £10

 

That makes RCI about 3x the cost of P&O. Plus the 15% on every drinks tab.

Not quite. You are either in a suite or stateroom so these are either or, not both.

So that adds up to $9.75 unless you have a suite when it will $12pp pd.

Still much more than P&O though

Brian

[LibraLass41]

Hi Tracy

 

Don't worry too much about the dress code. If your husband is taking his funeral suit then that'll do just fine for the formal evenings (there'll only be 2 on a 7 night cruise). Despite what some may say not everyone wears a DJ, OK the majority will do but nearly all the others are just wearing a normal suit and I've never witnessed anyone being looked down on because of it:D.

 

Debbie:)

 

 

But Debbie,

she says...

My dilemma is this: ''We will not be packing my husband's funeral suit for our holiday''

 

I agree a suit for 2 nights out of 7 would be fine, not need for tux.

[LibraLass41]

''Loretta - the P&O specialist on OV did presentations on board and said "you do not have to dress up in penguin suits, all that is needed is a business suit for the main dining rooms and champagne bar on formal nights". This did not help the majority of us and there were lots of tutting but she also said that shorts/jeans were fine in the buffet and many bars and entertainment venues. She also pointed out that many people changed after dinnner anyway!!:rolleyes:' - THREAD STARTER QUOTE -

 

I wonder if this Loretta from OV has ever sailed on a P&O ship? , I strongly disagree with her statement 'many people changed after dinner anyway' (on a formal night) Nearly everyone around the ship on formal night after dinner are still in formal wear, the men may occasionally loosen their bow tie or take it off, but they don't change into casuals!

I have read this sometimes happens on American cruise ships (RCI/CELEBRITY) by some American passengers, but not on a P&O ship. This woman sounds like she will say anything to get her OV passengers to buy tickets for P&O !!

[cclarke12]

"Tips are also expected on Royal Caribbean but they are about half the price of P&O"

 

Now the facts.

 

P&O Freedom dining - £1.60 a day

Steward - £1.50 a day

Total £3.10 a day

 

RCI

 

 

• So that you can thank those who have made your cruise vacation better than you could have imagined, we've developed these gratuity guidelines:
  
• Suite attendant: $5.75 USD a day per guest
  
• Stateroom attendant: $3.50 USD a day per guest
  
• Dining Room Waiter: $3.50 USD a day per guest
  
• Assistant Waiter: $2.00 USD a day per guest
  
• Headwaiter: $.75 USD a day per guest
  

$15.50 a day - £10

 

That makes RCI about 3x the cost of P&O. Plus the 15% on every drinks tab.

 

Sorry I got it the wrong way round- I meant P&O cheaper! We paid £6.50 per day pre paid tips on Royal Caribbean in June. The Royal Caribbean tips amount to $9.75 per person (about £6.30). You pay suite or stateroom attendant tips, not both.

 

It can be swings and roundabouts, we like Royal Caribbean and P&O. P&O have cheaper drinks and tips but the cruise price of Royal Caribbean if sailing from the Med can be cheaper than a P&O cruise from the UK, and can make up for the drinks prices. Beer and wine cheaper on P&O, but spirits not that much difference in price , as double the price on Royal Caribbean but at least double the measures compared with P&O. The big bonus on P&O is the cheap bottle of spirits you can have in your cabin :D

[lancashire_cruisers]

But Debbie,

she says...

My dilemma is this: ''We will not be packing my husband's funeral suit for our holiday''

 

I agree a suit for 2 nights out of 7 would be fine, not need for tux.

 

OK so as I have quite clearly lost the ability to read:o I'll amend my earlier post to.....

 

If you're not taking the funeral suit, then try either the buffet or the Beach House diner for the formal evenings. It's only 4 nights anyway and whilst the menu in the MDR might be 'enhanced' on a formal night, you can still get a good meal in the self-service.

 

In fact the self-service buffet had caviar (I can't stand the stuff but DH loves it) on the menu several times during our Ventura cruise, whilst it never once made an appearance in the main restaurant:eek:.

 

Debbie:)

[Tracy67]

Thank you all for taking the time to reply.

Apparently Loretta was the P&O rep she has recently come from Oceana.

In fairness she did state that there will be 2 formal nights a week on Ventura and Oceana and these would be continuing but she repeatedly said that formal wear was only necessary in the MDR and champagne bar - missing out on these is no problem to us whatsoever. We will be avoiding the MDR like the plague on formal nights and will probably stick to the buffets all holiday.

I do however agree that she is probably saying whatever she can to get a sale - and from conversations around the ship she is doing very well. On our last afternoon I was sunbathing on top deck, reading the P&O brochure and three different women asked to borrow it. There are going to be a lot of OV passengers cruising on Ventura and Oceana especially with the £200 pp on board spend she was offering for a 14 night cruise.

[Tracy67]

:DI have booked!!:D

Spent a few hours this afternoon on various websites and on the phone to different cruise companies.

I am always amazed at how much you can get the price down doing this.

Managed to save nearly £300 from the first price and got the outside cabin we wanted. £59.10 pp per day - what a bargain!:D

Mmm - did I notice 70% off in Monsoon yesterday??:rolleyes:

[LibraLass41]

Well if these 2 ships are going to be 1/2 and 1/2 now on formal nights I think this a damn shame,the whole atmosphere of a formal night is going to be ruined....whats the point in dressing in our tuxs and long dresses when you are sat next to someone in tracksuits and jeans....A shame p&o are relaxing the dress code to grab new cruisers from OV.

 

Sorry buts that the jist of it, P&O should come clean, they want these customers, cruisers who are loosing their cruiseline. Why not come clean and call Ventura and Oceana Casual Cruise ships, and leave the rest as they are formal cruise ships for those of us who like the product.

[Tracy67]

Thanks for wishing us a happy cruise!:D

[ROSEBASKETS]

P&O should come clean, they want these customers, cruisers who are loosing their cruiseline. Why not come clean and call Ventura and Oceana Casual Cruise ships, and leave the rest as they are formal cruise ships for those of us who like the product.

 

Hooray, the pennys finally dropped! Many of OV's past customers have been asking and saying this for over a year now, but you (and others) said "it will never happen" and have been dead set against it. It now sounds as if you want to lose the two ships to keep the "full formality" on the rest of the fleet, and distance them from the P&O brand.

 

Now OV has nearly run it's course and the company is trying to keep the custom you are prepared to accept casualities in order to retain the "formality", which is only what OV customers wanted from the start. Unfortunately the "OV infestation" will now spread throughout the fleet and not be contained to 2 ships, so now you will have to share your tables with the tracksuited, footballshirted, short and jean wearing public on formal nights and have to switch to someone like Cunard in order to cruise with like minded people, which will cost you more!

 

If only someone had provided a cure before the contagen had spread the problem could have been nipped in the bud........ happy cruising!:eek:

[BigTanya]

Hooray, the pennys finally dropped!

 

Unfortunately the "OV infestation" will now spread throughout the fleet !:eek:

 

well said Rosebaskets.

[cclarke12]

Hooray, the pennys finally dropped! Many of OV's past customers have been asking and saying this for over a year now, but you (and others) said "it will never happen" and have been dead set against it. It now sounds as if you want to lose the two ships to keep the "full formality" on the rest of the fleet, and distance them from the P&O brand.

 

Now OV has nearly run it's course and the company is trying to keep the custom you are prepared to accept casualities in order to retain the "formality", which is only what OV customers wanted from the start. Unfortunately the "OV infestation" will now spread throughout the fleet and not be contained to 2 ships, so now you will have to share your tables with the tracksuited, footballshirted, short and jean wearing public on formal nights and have to switch to someone like Cunard in order to cruise with like minded people, which will cost you more!

 

If only someone had provided a cure before the contagen had spread the problem could have been nipped in the bud........ happy cruising!:eek:

 

Having travelled on OV2 I can´t say I recall anyone at dinner in a tracksuit or football shirt. I can say the formal night dress code on Ventura was very well adhered to, but saying that I have never seen so many men kidding themselves they are wearing the right size dinner suit, or such an array of bow ties, waist coasts etc. in dreadful colours and patterns which defy my idea of good taste.

 

It seems the simplest thing would be for P&O just to designate a couple of ships as informal and the others as formal, rather than trying to be everything to everyone, especially as they clearly can´t fill berths given the heavy discounting this year even at peak times.