Dress Code

[lahore]

Not possessing first hand knowledge regarding the attire of a "2bit(sic) hooker", I leave it to your expertise in the field to make such a remark.

 

Haha, wish there was a 'like' button on here :D

[POPDISPLAY]

Can you see a pair of jeans in any of the marketing pics and cruise brochures Seabourn send out on a regular basis? I can't.

 

Not a reasonable question, IMO. Seabourn's marketing materials in no way accurately portray their clientele.

 

Can you see an obese or otherwise unattractive person in any of the marketing pics and cruise brochures Seabourn sends out on a regular basis? I can't.

 

Yet, take a look at a few of personal Youtube videos of actual Seabourn cruisers. I'd wager that the majority are not height/weight proportionate. And that's putting it gently.

[lahore]

Does anyone seriously take any marketing material as representative of reality :confused:

 

Gosh, if I did that i might buy a McDonald's hamburger, goodness knows they LOOK pretty delicious :D

Edited September 25, 2012 by lahore

[POPDISPLAY]

Does anyone seriously take any marketing material as representative of reality :confused:

 

Apparently Buccaneer_1 does.

[JaneBP]

>"Can you see an obese or otherwise unattractive person in any of the marketing pics and cruise brochures Seabourn sends out on a regular basis? I can't."

 

There us also a dearth of persons of color or other ethnicities in the ads. That is the most egregious sin in my book.

[lincslady]

Does anyone seriously take any marketing material as representative of reality :confused:

 

Gosh, if I did that i might buy a McDonald's hamburger, goodness knows they LOOK pretty delicious :D

 

I am sure no one does take it seriously. However, two trends I have noticed in SB advertising more recently - the 'passengers' in more casual clothes, and also a brochure cover I think last year where the couple looking gorgeous appeared to be at least 50 years old, instead of those who look no more than 40.

[Buccaneer_1]

Sorry about the quality of the image but this from the Quest dining room entrance last week. I think that clarifies the optional bit for those who don't understand it. The Herald furher states for ALL dress category recommendations - Jeans are not welcome in The Restaurant after 6PM [and not in any venue (including deck grills) on formal optional nights.]

[lincslady]

Buccaneer1 - I think that people see what they personally want to see in the dining room (see your other posting!) Seabourn do try hard to keep people to the rules, but I have seen occasions where it would have been genuinely embarrassing for the Restaurant Manager to insist - once we arrived at the DR behind a group of 4 men, all in jeans but with jackets, and they were allowed in. It turned out that they were working for SB (not actual employees, but from another company) and actually looked fairly tidy. I could see the dilemma for the Restaurant Manager - I don't think they had brought other attire, and obviously were not there as passengers. Though I did think their company should have briefed them beforehand as to what to wear , and noted that they enjoyed the bar a lot!

[wripro]

Personally I think that employees of Seabourn should be held to an even higher standard of compliance than guests. They are representing the company and if they see fit to wear jeans to the restaurant why should anyone else be denied the same right?

[JPH814]

Sorry folks, but I think I am going to disagree with a lot of people on this thread.

 

Why stop with jeans? Why not tee shirt? Why can't I wear my favorite baseball cap? I am comfortable is sweatpants - and afterall it is my vacation.

 

Seriously, people - Why do you consciously select a vacation experience clearly advertised as having a particular decorum, and then proceed to destroy it?

 

The ambiance of a dining room is defined by the entire experience: Linen table cloths, china, silver flatware. Flowers, music, lighting. Why does wine taste better out of a riedel wine glass? And part of that ambiance is the attire of the guests. Wearing jeans and teeshirts and baseball caps do as much to denegrate the experience as paper napkins and plastic cups.

 

So yes, what you wear does impact the overall experience of everyone in the dining room. It impacts my experience. If you want to wear shorts and a tanktop, cruise on Carnival. Or eat where that attire is permitted. But I will be very disappointed if the staff does not enforce the well-advertised appropriate nightly standard.

[cwn]

...........................

The ambiance of a dining room is defined by the entire experience: Linen table cloths, china, silver flatware. Flowers, music, lighting. Why does wine taste better out of a riedel wine glass? And part of that ambiance is the attire of the guests. Wearing jeans and teeshirts and baseball caps do as much to denegrate the experience as paper napkins and plastic cups.

 

So yes, what you wear does impact the overall experience of everyone in the dining room. It impacts my experience. If you want to wear shorts and a tanktop, cruise on Carnival. Or eat where that attire is permitted. But I will be very disappointed if the staff does not enforce the well-advertised appropriate nightly standard.

 

 

If you let what other people wear deterime how you enjoy your cruise/dinning experience, you may very well be disppointed then.

 

On our recent Sojourn crossing there were several nights where the dress code was bent! I mentioned this in my Blog. And no, it did not ruin our dinning experience, We saw the infractions because we were sitting in the middle of the room at a table for two where every one passed by. Our favorite was the guy who wore a TB shirt every night with black hi-top tennis shoes. On formal night he wore a dark jacket to meet the dress code! They must have been in a high dollar suite or long time passengers because everyone knew them. They were treated like royality!

 

I have to dissagree with your assesment of what goes on in the dinning rooms of Carnival ships which do have a relaxed dress code, at least the ones we have sailed on. There are....Linen table cloths, china, silver flatware. Flowers, music, lighting. There are wine glasses, but I couldn't tell you if they were riedel wine glass and I guess I really don't care about that. We did order some really nice wines and very nice meals though. There were jeans, and some t-shirts (we have also seen t-shirts on Regent). We did our last Carnival cruise in July....yes, there were more people, but they were nicey dressed...actually about like on our Regent cruise last year. No shorts or caps.

 

Just because a ship allows jeans, doesn't require a jacket, etc, doesn't mean that the dinning room will look like a frat party gone wild. It does mean that many, especially men, will be happier campers and there won't be the "jacket parade" we had on our recent Sojourn cruise., which I really thought was silly!

[JPH814]

If you let what other people wear deterime how you enjoy your cruise/dinning experience, you may very well be disppointed then.

 

On our recent Sojourn crossing there were several nights where the dress code was bent! I mentioned this in my Blog. And no, it did not ruin our dinning experience, We saw the infractions because we were sitting in the middle of the room at a table for two where every one passed by. Our favorite was the guy who wore a TB shirt every night with black hi-top tennis shoes. On formal night he wore a dark jacket to meet the dress code! They must have been in a high dollar suite or long time passengers because everyone knew them. They were treated like royality!

 

I have to dissagree with your assesment of what goes on in the dinning rooms of Carnival ships which do have a relaxed dress code, at least the ones we have sailed on. There are....Linen table cloths, china, silver flatware. Flowers, music, lighting. There are wine glasses, but I couldn't tell you if they were riedel wine glass and I guess I really don't care about that. We did order some really nice wines and very nice meals though. There were jeans, and some t-shirts (we have also seen t-shirts on Regent). We did our last Carnival cruise in July....yes, there were more people, but they were nicey dressed...actually about like on our Regent cruise last year. No shorts or caps.

 

Just because a ship allows jeans, doesn't require a jacket, etc, doesn't mean that the dinning room will look like a frat party gone wild. It does mean that many, especially men, will be happier campers and there won't be the "jacket parade" we had on our recent Sojourn cruise., which I really thought was silly!

 

I have no complaint about Carnival. I enjoy Carnival cruises and - when I am on them - I dress accordingly. But there is no question that the atmosphere in the dining room is much more that of an Olive Garden or Outback Steakhouse than a five star restaurant.That is what I paid for and that is what I expected.

 

On Seaburne I will pay more and I will expect more.

 

I just wonder why people sign up for something, knowing the requirements and then feel they can ignore them. There are plenty of alternatives outthere to meet your style. Unfortunately,there are fewer and fewer cruises that cater to the more formal style some of us still enjoy and seek - even if it is one or two nights out of the whiole cruise. And when we find them, it bothers me that others try to change it.

Edited October 20, 2012 by JPH814

[wripro]

It is Seabourn itself (and Crystal has just followed suit) that has relaxed the dress codes, not the passengers. Formal required has become formal optional. Optional means you don't have to do it if you don't want. THEIR rule. And there's a good reason they've done that. It's more important to them to attract a younger demographic who do not care about formal wear or jackets and ties than it is to keep the small older segment happy with an outdated policy. They are looking to the future, not the past. And the best evidence of that is their brochures. When was the last time you saw anyone dressed in a tux and gown in the brochure? Ten years ago it was ubiquitous. Ten years from now people will be asking formal, what's that?

[JPH814]

It is Seabourn itself (and Crystal has just followed suit) that has relaxed the dress codes, not the passengers. Formal required has become formal optional. Optional means you don't have to do it if you don't want. THEIR rule. And there's a good reason they've done that. It's more important to them to attract a younger demographic who do not care about formal wear or jackets and ties than it is to keep the small older segment happy with an outdated policy. They are looking to the future, not the past. And the best evidence of that is their brochures. When was the last time you saw anyone dressed in a tux and gown in the brochure? Ten years ago it was ubiquitous. Ten years from now people will be asking formal, what's that?

 

Formal optional does not mean "jeans permitted" or "wear anything you want." There is still a standard of dress that too many people feel it is ok to ignore. What I am hearing on this thread is that people feel there should be no standards. Or - if there are standards - people should feel free to ignore them. "Wear what you want". "It is my vacation, who is anyone to tell me what to wear." That is the trend I am resisting.

 

I know it is a losing battle. Some people will do what they want. I am just hoping that - on Seabourne - there will be fewer of them than on other lines.

Edited October 20, 2012 by JPH814

[lahore]

I choose to travel on Seabourn for a range of reasons but attire is such an unimportant aspect of me making that choice that I don't even consider it. Moreover, attire does not make for a classy environment at all in my opinion. I have travelled on 'mass lines' where people all dressed in gowns etc. on formal nights and proceeded to behave with no class whatsoever. Just go to your local high school prom to see similar. You can dress 'em up but you can't take 'em out :p

 

Therefore I will most certainly be ignoring your standards, which are in any case subjective. However on 'formal optional' night I will eat on my balcony or something similar because I can't be bothered with the palaver and don't want to do the wrong thing: therefore everyone should be happy. Except that you can't force me to dress the way you might want so I will be absent from public spaces on that night and I expect in future more people will do what I do and then the cruiselines will eventually drop formal nights.

 

A final note: I love the idea of the romance of the formal dress codes on Titanic etc., in that faded glorious age when people had servants to help dress them, and could take on board huge Louis Vuitton trunks of clothes. Those days have gone, however. My 20kg of check-in luggage is taken up so quickly I am not going to be able to pack a ball gown, or he a jacket, even if I possessed one: which I don't.

[frantic36]

I have tried to avoid this thread because dress threads are always tricky.

 

I think formal optional is great as long as people are still happy to put in some effort to dress smartly. It concerns me though that sometimes these threads swing towards if you do want to dress up then you are behind the times and old fashioned. I know many young people who also like to dress nicely.

 

With regards travelling my husband has a suit bag he has as carry on luggage and wear's one jacket on the plane because it can get cold there. I have light weight silk pants and tops and cocktail dresses as we only get 20 - 23kg check-in luggage as well.

 

So please can I wear my nice clothes without being looked down on as old fashioned.:)

 

Julie

Edited October 21, 2012 by frantic36

[lahore]

 

So please can I wear my nice clothes without being looked down on as old fashioned.:)

 

Julie

 

You wouldn't be looked down upon by me, I don't care what people wear :)

[frantic36]

You wouldn't be looked down upon by me, I don't care what people wear :)

 

 

Thanks Lahore

 

I hope you have a good time on your cruise.

 

Cheers

 

Julie

[Les Picantins]

Sorry folks, but I think I am going to disagree with a lot of people on this thread.

 

Why stop with jeans? Why not tee shirt? Why can't I wear my favorite baseball cap? I am comfortable is sweatpants - and afterall it is my vacation.

 

Seriously, people - Why do you consciously select a vacation experience clearly advertised as having a particular decorum, and then proceed to destroy it?

 

The ambiance of a dining room is defined by the entire experience: Linen table cloths, china, silver flatware. Flowers, music, lighting. Why does wine taste better out of a riedel wine glass? And part of that ambiance is the attire of the guests. Wearing jeans and teeshirts and baseball caps do as much to denegrate the experience as paper napkins and plastic cups.

 

So yes, what you wear does impact the overall experience of everyone in the dining room. It impacts my experience. If you want to wear shorts and a tanktop, cruise on Carnival. Or eat where that attire is permitted. But I will be very disappointed if the staff does not enforce the well-advertised appropriate nightly standard.

 

Does that mean that if a gentleman seated across from you in the dining room is wearing a dress shirt without a jacket on elegant casual night, you will not enjoy your breadsticks? How sad :(

 

I have noticed that on the Seadream forum the are no heated dress code threads. That's because they do not enforce a dress code but rather give certain guidelines and allow their passengers to interpret as they see fit. Both cruise lines, Seadream and Seabourn market their product as yachting, not cruising.

[lahore]

Does that mean that if a gentleman seated across from you in the dining room is wearing a dress shirt without a jacket on elegant casual night, you will not enjoy your breadsticks? How sad :(

 

I have noticed that on the Seadream forum the are no heated dress code threads. That's because they do not enforce a dress code but rather give certain guidelines and allow their passengers to interpret as they see fit. Both cruise lines, Seadream and Seabourn market their product as yachting, not cruising.

 

Oceania don't get them much either, thank God. Country Club Casual, I enjoy it. I am on this Seabourn cruise actually as a form of transport, and I know some people just don't seem to get that: that people (like us) love to cruise because of the travel. Yes I love the general environment on board but I can honestly say I spend no time whatsoever being concerned about what other people do unless it directly affects me. As long as people behave decently I am happy: and by that I mean their demeanour not their attire.

[Mr Luxury]

The dress code boards are often not as you see when you get on the ships.

 

Any votes for a naturist dress code.;)

[wripro]

I completely agree jeans are not appropriate in the evenings. I also believe people should dress appropriately and use common sense. But after that it's up to the individual to wear what he/she feels best suits them.

[lincslady]

Please, just wear the minimum dress code allowed. If you are not willing, then do not travel on Seabourn. Or be prepared to dine in your suite or wherever else. To me, it is not just to do with other guests, so much as being a trial for the already pressurised staff to sort out. Good manners and thoughtfulness should prevail.

 

It is quite likely that the dress code will 'dress down' more in future, so keep looking at the rules.

[wripro]

What one wears has NOTHING to do with good manners. Ever see Sammy Davis and Dean martin in their tuxes?

[purpleally]

We went to dinner one evening and while my husband had a dress shirt and nice slacks, he was forced to return to our suite to get his jacket.

 

The rest of the week I could not help but notice SEVERAL people allowed to dine without jackets, especially one quite large man.

 

A dress code is fine, just enforce it fairly!