Newbie and worried!

[smithy62]

Hi All,

 

Been registered for a while and do alot of lurking/reading etc so hi!

Am not travelling till Xmas 2012 - Fly Barbados, then Cruise 2 weeks. Thing is I am starting to get a little anxious as to what I should expect. Have only ever done one cruise which was a Thomsons one and we did have a really good time but obviously not in the same league as this next one.

The whole dress code issue! Boys will be fine but what about the girls? The formal nights: is it long, short or cocktail???

Is it true that Xmas day all the ladies wear red dresses?

Do all the men wear black tie (I have two 16yr old boys with me?)

Do all the younger girls dress up too? (20 yr old daughter)

Then there are the other questions:

At 20 can you drink on board?

At 16 can you drink on board? whats the law!

Is everyone on the ship from the UK?

Will we be able to 'not see' the kids for most of the time?

Is it cold inside (air con wise?)

Are all the drinkies expensive?

Blimey I could go on and on!!

 

Like I say, have lurked for ages and read lots and lots of stuff but its easy to get confused and also to start to panic over what to buy - or not!

 

All replies most gratefully received and my Barclaycard thanks you in advance!

 

sx

 

p.s NOT watching channel 4 tonight. Couldnt take the stress :)

[Scorpio41]

Which ship are you on as dress code varies from ship to ship.

 

The whole dress code issue! Boys will be fine but what about the girls? The formal nights: is it long, short or cocktail??? Most wear long dresses but you do see cocktail dresses on formal night. One formal night is normally black and white night and most ladies do dress in black and white with black and white accessories.

I work on this: Formal night- long dress, semi-formal night - cocktail dress and smart casual night - trousers, smart top or skirt and smart top.

 

Is it true that Xmas day all the ladies wear red dresses? No idea never cruised over Christmas

 

Do all the men wear black tie (I have two 16yr old boys with me?)Yes most children and sixteen is young adult will wear a suit, tux with black tie, dickie bow.

 

Do all the younger girls dress up too? (20 yr old daughter) Yes your daughter is an adult and would be expected to adhere to the dress code. Lots of fashionable maxi dresses out there now. :-)

 

Then there are the other questions:

At 20 can you drink on board? P&O legal drinking age is eighteen so yes.

 

At 16 can you drink on board? whats the law! No the sixteen year old would not be allowed to drink in the bars but a glass of wine with dinner is okay

 

Is everyone on the ship from the UK? Mostly but not always you do have foreign couples travelling as you would any where

 

Will we be able to 'not see' the kids for most of the time? I m sure you will see as much or less of your teenager and young adult as you wish, there will be plenty for them to get involved in

 

Is it cold inside (air con wise?) No and the cabin temperature you control yourself

 

Are all the drinkies expensive?Price are comparative to a regular pub and a lot cheaper than the prices I paid at a Warner's hotel recently. You can buy a pre loaded soft drinks card for soft drinks. I think there is one for ice-cream too

 

I hope this is of some help. Any more questions just ask I'm sure you will get plenty of answers.

 

There is also a community forum on the P&O web site, well worth a visit. :)

[cruiseluvva]

Hi All,

 

Been registered for a while and do alot of lurking/reading etc so hi!

Am not travelling till Xmas 2012 - Fly Barbados, then Cruise 2 weeks. Thing is I am starting to get a little anxious as to what I should expect. Have only ever done one cruise which was a Thomsons one and we did have a really good time but obviously not in the same league as this next one.

The whole dress code issue! Boys will be fine but what about the girls? The formal nights: is it long, short or cocktail???

Is it true that Xmas day all the ladies wear red dresses?

Do all the men wear black tie (I have two 16yr old boys with me?)

Do all the younger girls dress up too? (20 yr old daughter)

Then there are the other questions:

At 20 can you drink on board?

At 16 can you drink on board? whats the law!

Is everyone on the ship from the UK?

Will we be able to 'not see' the kids for most of the time?

Is it cold inside (air con wise?)

Are all the drinkies expensive?

Blimey I could go on and on!!

 

Like I say, have lurked for ages and read lots and lots of stuff but its easy to get confused and also to start to panic over what to buy - or not!

 

All replies most gratefully received and my Barclaycard thanks you in advance!

 

sx

 

p.s NOT watching channel 4 tonight. Couldnt take the stress :)

Welcome on board!

 

First of all I haven't done a Christmas cruise but I can answer some of your questions.

 

Formal nights you will see dresses of all lengths, but many ladies do wear long dresses or ballerina length. I always wear long myself, as I think it looks more formal - but that's just me.

 

On Christmas Day I do know many ladies wear red as a traditional festive colour - I would choose purple as it's "my" Christmas colour.

 

Men and older boys will wear black tie, or a suit and tie, at 16 your boys will at very least need trousers/shirt and tie, but will probably feel they fit in more in a suit.

 

Your 20 year old is an adult so will be expected to conform to the dress code. Perhaps she would be happier in a short dress, but as long as it's dressy, she'll be ok.

 

The age limit for alcohol is the same as here, so at 20, yes, alcohol can be consumed.

 

At 16 I know wine can be consumed with a meal here, but I'm not sure on board.

 

The a/c can be glacial, take a couple of pashminas or shawls for evening wear - you'll be able to slip them on and off at will.

 

Most passengers will be British.

 

Your children will be free to come and go around the ship and I suspect you'll see very little of them - unless you insist they make an appearance now and again.

 

I very seldom drink but as I understand it, prices are pretty much what you'd pay in a UK pub.

 

Hope that helps for now - ask away if you need to know more.

[jenny wren]

Having sailed with Thomson and P and O can I just say that there is not much difference between them really...just that P and O ships are newer/bigger...drinks are probably around the same price and the dress code for formal nights is much the same...I wear the same at both i.e. long dress or cocktail dress for formal night and black silky trousers with various tops for every other type of night! I'm sure you will have a good time so don't worry about things !!:)

[smithy62]

Oh thanks so much for that! Hope someone who has been and done Ventura at Xmas will also add to this!

 

My, my, best get shopping too!! x:o

[kevinyork]

Oh thanks so much for that! Hope someone who has been and done Ventura at Xmas will also add to this!

 

My, my, best get shopping too!! x:o

 

 

We sailed christmas 2010 on Ventura and were not aware of a red theme amongst the ladies.

[Scorpio41]

Ventura only has two dress codes. Formal and Smart Casual. A more relaxed ship .

[capasamari]

Duplicate.

[capasamari]

Have only ever done one cruise which was a Thomsons one and we did have a really good time but obviously not in the same league as this next one.

 

We have sailed several times with Thomson and several times with P&O, including Christmas/New Year on Ventura 2009/10.

 

The only difference dress-code wise is that there will be two formal nights each week on P&O rather than one on Thomson. Passengers dress up nicely on Thomson so if you did as well the same outfits will be fine for P&O. Like Gill I prefer long dresses and wear the same ones on both cruise lines.

 

Don't worry that you will feel out of place on P&O: the ship will be bigger and newer but the same standards of food and service will apply and the passengers will be very similar! My mum fretted before her first ever cruise which was on Arcadia, but once on board she said she couldn't get over how ordinary (in the nicest possible sense) all the other passengers were.

 

Carol x

[Essexlass2]

"The only difference dress-code wise is that there will be two formal nights each week on P&O rather than one on Thomson."

 

We had only one formal night each week on Azura! However, there were also some semi-formal nights too but smart casual usually does for the ladies on those nights, whereas the men have to wear jackets :)

[capasamari]

We had only one formal night each week on Azura!

 

What a swizz! I'd have felt short-changed as I love dressing up! Did you know before you went so you could pack accordingly?

 

Carol x

[C at Sea]

Not long off a Caribbean cruise on Azura.

We had 4 Formal, 2 Semi Formal and 8 Casual.

Ofcourse they are called something different now! But thats what they are in old money!

[Flocky]

Hi All,

 

Been registered for a while and do alot of lurking/reading etc so hi!

Am not travelling till Xmas 2012 - Fly Barbados, then Cruise 2 weeks. Thing is I am starting to get a little anxious as to what I should expect. Have only ever done one cruise which was a Thomsons one and we did have a really good time but obviously not in the same league as this next one.

The whole dress code issue! Boys will be fine but what about the girls? The formal nights: is it long, short or cocktail???

Is it true that Xmas day all the ladies wear red dresses?

Do all the men wear black tie (I have two 16yr old boys with me?)

Do all the younger girls dress up too? (20 yr old daughter)

Then there are the other questions:

At 20 can you drink on board?

At 16 can you drink on board? whats the law!

Is everyone on the ship from the UK?

Will we be able to 'not see' the kids for most of the time?

Is it cold inside (air con wise?)

Are all the drinkies expensive?

Blimey I could go on and on!!

 

Like I say, have lurked for ages and read lots and lots of stuff but its easy to get confused and also to start to panic over what to buy - or not!

 

All replies most gratefully received and my Barclaycard thanks you in advance!

 

sx

 

p.s NOT watching channel 4 tonight. Couldnt take the stress :)

 

 

Hello Smythy

 

Ventura

There are four formal nights on a two week cruise, the other evenings are classed as casual. Don't know about Christmas day.

 

Formal nights - most men and older boys wear a tux. A few wear suits/kilts. A very few don't dress up. I would suggest your teenage boys would fit in better wearing a suit or tux. They may object now but when on board they may feel left out - they will look great too, a chance for a few lovely pics!

 

Ladies have more choice. No one wears ball gowns. Long evening dresses or shorter cocktail dresses are most popular. It's a matter of what suits you and what you feel comfortable wearing, remember you are on holiday and it should be fun. I saw all fashions, good bad and ugly and also some absolutely fab boutique style dresses. The dresses I thought looked best were suited to the lady's body shape, simple but in a lovely flattering colour. I would say, unless you are very comfortable in high heels, take lower evening shoes - its a big ship! Generally the temperature inside is ok but there are some areas of the ship that can get chilly - take a dressy wrap or pashmina. Younger ladies like your daughter wore short cocktail dresses and higher heels, mostly they looked amazing. If you like to have your hair up or styled for formal nights, make sure you book appointments at the salon the day you board Ventura. It's enjoyable on formal nights to make it even more special by dining in Whites or East, but book early!

 

Casual nights - if you like to eat in the main dining room, drink in the more formal bars then I would say wear smart casual or elegant casual as it is described by other cruise companies. But this is personal choice, you can be as casual as you like (no shorts) and access all bars etc. There is quite a range of dress on casual evenings.

 

You have to be 18 to buy alcohol on ship. However there are nonalcoholic mocktails etc that your boys can order. I did see older boys in the Red Bar, ordering a mocktail, looking very dapper in their tux outfits.

 

Prices - drink prices are very reasonable, cheaper than some bars in my town! There is also a duty free shop with drinks at great prices.

 

My experience was that passengers are from the UK. The children and teens were well behaved. A few tired little people had tantrums but thats all part of being on a family friendly ship. I have to say I was impressed by the majority of young folk's behaviour. They do have their own activity areas, defined by age group. So I guess your boys will hang out with other passengers their own age as well as with you. Each evening you will be given a copy of Horizon. This details the activities available, facility opening times, port information etc for the next day. They may well enjoy the evening entertainment on the top deck outside, I think it's a bit more Butlins in style, too loud etc. Not my cup of tea but it was popular with younger guests. Again it's a personal choice.

 

I'm sure you will have a memorable Christmas 2012!

[LibraLass41]

I have never known of 1 formal night a week, always had 2 a week on all my cruises, and of every cruise I've read about on cruise forums.... I know the semi formal are dropped in the Caribbean, but I have always read of 2 formals a week....?

[LibraLass41]

Not long off a Caribbean cruise on Azura.

We had 4 Formal, 2 Semi Formal and 8 Casual.

Ofcourse they are called something different now! But thats what they are in old money!

 

 

yes that seems more like it FOUR formal - 2 a week

 

and Azura too....

[Tink1987]

Thanks so much for the info on this thread its really helped me! We have booked our first ever cruise! on the Azura for 7 nights in June going to the Fjords. Will there be 2 formal nights then in a week? And then the other 5 nights just be casual or smart casual? :confused:

 

I am still a bit confused on what to wear....I am 25 years old and a bit short so not sure if a long formal dress would look OK on me? But then don't want to be out of place with a cocktail dress on.

 

Was looking at these two dresses earlier while shopping....are these formal enough? Just really don't want to look out of place and with it being our first cruise I am a bit unsure of what to go for!

 

http://www.next.co.uk/g3758s5#830387g37

 

http://www.next.co.uk/g372016s3#819570g37

 

Not sure if the second one is more smart casual?

 

Or is this more what I should be looking for?

 

http://www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10001_10001_003010631878_-1?breadcrumb=Home%7EWomen%7EDresses

 

Thanks so much everyone!

[tyrole]

I would wear the first one on a formal night but others may say it is more suitable for the semi formal.

The second I would say semi formal/casual

There will be 2 formal, 2 semi formal and 3 casual on the cruise.

[capasamari]

If you like all three dresses, I would say that in the order you have given them they are suitable for semi-formal, smart casual, formal.

 

Carol x

[Tink1987]

Thanks very much both - to be honest the first dress is more what I would class as formal, it is something I would wear to a wedding!

 

As said before, I wouldn't feel comfortable at all in a long dress because I'm short. Would I get turned away on formal nights in the first dress? Getting really worried now that we have booked something where we are not going to feel comfortable and it is a holiday after all.

[capasamari]

No, you won't get turned away in dress no. 1 at all and there will be plenty of ladies in shorter lengths. You can make it look more formal with your choice of shoes and jewellery.

 

If you don't like full-length then don't wear it.

 

Carol x

[tyrole]

Thanks very much both - to be honest the first dress is more what I would class as formal, it is something I would wear to a wedding!

 

As said before, I wouldn't feel comfortable at all in a long dress because I'm

short. Would I get turned away on formal nights in the first dress? Getting really worried now that we have booked something where we are not going to feel comfortable and it is a holiday after all.

 

You will look lovely and won't get turned away.

[Tink1987]

Thanks very much, my mind is completely at rest now :-)

[LibraLass41]

There will most definitely be 2 formal nights on a 7n cruise, the 2nd formal maybe the more formal 'black and white' night, then 2 semi formal where some where cocktail dress, and 3 smart casual nights.

[Flocky]

Tink

 

Don't worry, you can wear short dresses to all formal evenings on Ventura, you will not be turned away or look out of place.

 

The nice pleated dress in your link will be fine for formal evenings as would the long dress. I saw lots of ladies wearing short cocktail dresses for the black and white formal evening, I will be doing the same on my next cruise. You could even wear an evening trouser outfit, it doesnt have to be a dress. The choice is yours.

 

By the way I saw ladies on formal evenings in Jesus sandals and rather dowdy day dresses which I would not even consider as smart casual wear. Strangely their husbands/partners wore a formal tux outfit! These ladies were not turned away from the dining room or bars.

 

Relax, be yourself and you will be fine. ;)

[Scorpio41]

The Ventura tends to have only Formal and smart casual evenings.

The information will be in your cruise personaliser which arrives about four weeks before you sail.