Choices are limited

[wripro]

On my recent Sojourn cruise there were only two formal optional nights out of fifteen and you had to look hard to find a tuxedo on either of them except on staff.

[Bostonactor]

Thank you wripro for bolstering my decision. My husband will just have to perform formally in his optional navy blazer. I'll also pack his striped linen jacket, which is really a knock-out.

Seriously, do people tend to dress up or down on a Seabourn Caribbean cruise?

We have no experience here.

It's not too late to make me waver.

[wripro]

I think you should dress to please yourself, not others. As long as you remain within Seabourn's suggested guidelines you will be fine. And Seabourn no longer requires a tuxedo on formal optional nights, which is why they added the word optional.

[Bostonactor]

I know a tux is optional and I always dress to please myself first, within the guidelines, of course. Certainly nothing too plunging, gaudy, tattered or otherwise distasteful. I'm just curious as to whether or not, in the Caribbean, Seabourners might tend toward less "dressy," more sort of, well.....Caribbean. I'll find out next week. Can't wait! Suitcases coming out of storage this minute.

[Jim Avery]

I know a tux is optional and I always dress to please myself first, within the guidelines, of course. Certainly nothing too plunging, gaudy, tattered or otherwise distasteful. I'm just curious as to whether or not, in the Caribbean, Seabourners might tend toward less "dressy," more sort of, well.....Caribbean. I'll find out next week. Can't wait! Suitcases coming out of storage this minute.

 

Have not sailed Seabourn in the Caribbean but, on the Spirit in the Med, there were very very few tuxes in October. Having said that, I schlepped my tux with me last January on Queen Victoria in the Caribbean.:eek: Go figure.:D Generally speaking, line for line, the Caribbean will be less formal than the Med or a Transatlantic. Times are changing though. Air travel restrictions are as much to blame for the lack of formal wear as anything else (IMHO). We are carry ons only (even with formal wear).

[ajpeter]

We are boarding in less then a week for a b2b caribbean cruise, 10 days, then 7 days. This means 2 formal optionals for us. As we fly in on a transatlantic flight the airline allows us 3 suitcases each. And so we will be having 3 suitcases each. We most definitely do not believe in 'traveling light', never - not even for a weekendtrip - and will most surtenly bring our tuxedo, 2/3 suits and 2/3 jackets.

We enjoy dressing up and getting ready for a wonderful evening of which we hopefully will have many to come.

[Ravenscroft]

Just returned from Quest.

Four Formal optional evenings,Ten elegant casual,four resort casual.

 

Have never seen so many men wearing ties on Elegant casual evenings and many wearing jackets on resort casual evenings.

80% of men wore a Tux on formal optional evenings,the rest a dark suit and tie.

I was prepared to see a very casual turnout in the Caribbean,but was pleasantly surprised.

Even the ladies scrubbed up well.:D

 

I generally agree with your observations, with one exception. On the first formal evening many of the ladies in the Restaurant were so casually dressed that I was concerned that I was going to feel overdressed wearing what I'd planned for Christmas Day night and New Year's Eve. Fortunately everyone really pulled out the stops for the remaining formal evenings. I was also pleased to see so many gentlemen wearing jackets and ties, even when they weren't obliged to. So even the men scrubbed up well, too :D

However, reading the other posts I do feel that perhaps people made more of an effort simply because it was the festive period, rather than because they were on a Seabourn cruise.

[Mr Luxury]

I know a tux is optional and I always dress to please myself first, within the guidelines, of course. Certainly nothing too plunging, gaudy, tattered or otherwise distasteful. I'm just curious as to whether or not, in the Caribbean, Seabourners might tend toward less "dressy," more sort of, well.....Caribbean. I'll find out next week. Can't wait! Suitcases coming out of storage this minute.

 

I never understand why people might think that a cruise in a warm climate may make guests decide to dress less formaly in the evening on board a ship.

The dining room and other areas are normaly a bit cold so you would not feel uncomfortable wearing a tux, unless it is too tight and does not fit you properly.

I can understand dressing in light casual clothes during the day when you are outside in a warm climate but at night inside the ship I have always thought that the temperature is constant wherever the ship might be.

[Mr Luxury]

I generally agree with your observations, with one exception. On the first formal evening many of the ladies in the Restaurant were so casually dressed that I was concerned that I was going to feel overdressed wearing what I'd planned for Christmas Day night and New Year's Eve. Fortunately everyone really pulled out the stops for the remaining formal evenings. I was also pleased to see so many gentlemen wearing jackets and ties, even when they weren't obliged to. So even the men scrubbed up well, too :D

However, reading the other posts I do feel that perhaps people made more of an effort simply because it was the festive period, rather than because they were on a Seabourn cruise.

 

You might be right but I know several guests that were on this trip and dress the same when at sea or on land whatever the time of year.

Thankfully I did not see any of those horrible Christmas sweaters.:eek:

[Bostonactor]

Mr Luxury, my real hesitation in packing a tux this time....and all that goes with it.....is that, on this particular Caribbean cruise, there is only 1 formal/optional night out of 10. That's quite a bit extra to pack for a few hours of wear. A navy blazer can be worn other nights, with light color slacks for a different "look," but is quite nice with gray slack and a dress shirt and tie. It has nothing to do with the temperature outside. Anyway, it will have to suffice, since I have just finished packing. Next time, we'll take 2 weeks, hope for 2 formal nights, and bring the tux, dress slippers, pleated shirt, shirt studs, bow tie, and cummerbund. My husband looks spendid either way.

[Chairsin]

Those horrible Christmas sweaters have become quite valuable collector items now -- go figure!

[Mr Luxury]

Mr Luxury, my real hesitation in packing a tux this time....and all that goes with it.....is that, on this particular Caribbean cruise, there is only 1 formal/optional night out of 10. That's quite a bit extra to pack for a few hours of wear. A navy blazer can be worn other nights, with light color slacks for a different "look," but is quite nice with gray slack and a dress shirt and tie. It has nothing to do with the temperature outside. Anyway, it will have to suffice, since I have just finished packing. Next time, we'll take 2 weeks, hope for 2 formal nights, and bring the tux, dress slippers, pleated shirt, shirt studs, bow tie, and cummerbund. My husband looks spendid either way.

 

I agree,whatever will make your cruise enjoyable for you.

[Bostonactor]

Thank you ....we're off for Ft. Lauderdale tomorrow a.m. So happy! Leaving my tiara at home, too. Oh, well.....next time.