Why not 1 really good formal night instead of 2 half hearted ones?

[Sitzmark]

It's def not that type of food. It's not in the Windjammer. They used to be held in the MDR. Canapes, shrimp cocktails, cheese, fruit, sushi, cake, cookies. Elabortate Bread and Fruit carvings.

 

This was the midnight buffet?

[LMaxwell]

This was the midnight buffet?

Yeah, that's what a cruise ship midnight buffet looked like "back in the day".

 

I didn't really consider that many people have never experienced it and might be thinking it was somehow "special" to open the regular buffet up again at night.

[Big_G]

It's def not that type of food. It's not in the Windjammer. They used to be held in the MDR. Canapes, shrimp cocktails, cheese, fruit, sushi, cake, cookies. Elabortate Bread and Fruit carvings.

 

 

Nice pics. Brings back some fond memories.

[nbsjcruiser]

I think RCI could make formal night popular again, especially on 7 day itineraries, by going from 2 half hearted (weak) nights to 1 really spectacular night. White glove service. Special captains and officer events all evening. Midnight buffet on formal night. An ice carving show and display. Display some of the grandeur thrown away to save costs the past 10 to 20 years.

 

The thought being maybe if the cruise line put some Chutzpah back into their efforts more people would get excited for it and participate. I'd look forward to one really nice event versus what currently is really no different than other evenings offerings.

 

I like it.

[Sitzmark]

Yeah, that's what a cruise ship midnight buffet looked like "back in the day".

 

I didn't really consider that many people have never experienced it and might be thinking it was somehow "special" to open the regular buffet up again at night.

 

They should make it a ticketed event and charge to attend. I personally would not have much interest in it and so certainly wouldn't want to subsidize it. It looks cute, but who on earth would want all that heavy food that late in the evening? That looks like a lousy nights sleep and a bad case of indigestion.

 

I imagine the reason they stopped doing it is because they would end up throwing a good deal of it out.

[Greyfox50]

Just something to throw out for discussion:

 

Do the airlines have any role in the decline of many people not dressing up as much for formal nights?

 

I mean with there bag fees and weight restrictions, bringing along a tux/suit could generate more cost for many.

 

Thoughts?

 

I agree. Although I used to participate in Formal Nights, I would now have to bring a garment bag which costs $35 dollars each way on United. That's $70 dollars to get dressed up for a portrait I'm not going to buy at those ridiculous prices!!

[m*u*g*]

To those who think times have changed, we are not among those. We look forward to dressing up for formal nights and getting photographs made.

 

Many do.

[Stitchman]

They should make it a ticketed event and charge to attend. I personally would not have much interest in it and so certainly wouldn't want to subsidize it. It looks cute, but who on earth would want all that heavy food that late in the evening? That looks like a lousy nights sleep and a bad case of indigestion.

 

I imagine the reason they stopped doing it is because they would end up throwing a good deal of it out.

 

 

great idea !!!

like they don't get enough dough out of us already lol.

This is meant to be their way of saying "thank you for cruising with us" ....... you really have no idea do you.

[Stitchman]

To those who think times have changed, we are not among those. We look forward to dressing up for formal nights and getting photographs made.

 

Many do.

 

Hear hear !!!

 

love it x

[Sitzmark]

This is meant to be their way of saying "thank you for cruising with us" ....... you really have no idea do you.

 

There way of saying thank you is a massive case of acid reflux? No thanks. If they want to say thanks for cruising with them then make the drinks cheaper or lower the fare. I have no interest in it.

 

What is it that you think I have no idea about? Explain it to me.

[klingoncruiser]

Yeah as I age I am getting more laid back. I appreciate that there are choices. But to a casual cruiser like you is there anything a cruise line could do make a formal night different and intriguing enough for you to want to have one?

 

For me it's gotten to a point of why do I have to dress uncomfortable when this is the exact same shtick as casual night? Either make it stand out or quit pretending. Ya know?

 

Nothing comes to mind to make me want to get all dressed in my Sunday go to meeting clothes. :rolleyes: HOWEVER I do understand your frustration with rules that are never followed. Even on NCL, there is one MD that is "more formal" and you will be turned back in shorts and sometimes for other sloppy dress. In the other main dining, it is not so tight on dress code. I think the lack of compliance on rules is ship wide at this point. :mad:

[Stitchman]

There way of saying thank you is a massive case of acid reflux? No thanks. If they want to say thanks for cruising with them then make the drinks cheaper or lower the fare. I have no interest in it.

 

What is it that you think I have no idea about? Explain it to me.

 

I beg your pardon ........ you were obviously pulling my plonker about charging for an event then ....

my apologies x

[Sitzmark]

I beg your pardon ........ you were obviously pulling my plonker about charging for an event then ....

my apologies x

 

Not at all, it seems the most equitable way to do it. If the activity were dropped due to lack of interest, then why continue building the cost into everyone's fare?

 

Charge a premium to get in, make it an exclusive event, you can have a dress code and make it as fancy as you like. And it won't bother anyone else because we aren't paying for it and couldn't care less about it. Then those that feel their fancy time is being ruined by us "plebs" and "sloppy" folks can stuff their faces with all the slop they like. If folks aren't willing to pay for it, then I can't imagine they really want it all that badly.

 

As to the cruise line doing something special to thank people for cruising with them... please, they think of the passengers as cargo. They thank you by not dropping you overboard.

[TC1957]

A few things come to mind for us...

 

1) If we don't cruise in a year we dress up (suit for me, nice dress for her) maybe once a year. Now that may change as we age and the people we know start dying but for now that is not the case. Therefore we will never wear formal attire on a ship. If a suit/dress is not considered formal count us out...we will not rent something for one night, it just isn't worth it.

2) On every cruise we have taken, we have NEVER seen an officer entertaining a table of guest. Now, we always opt for the late seating in the MDR so that may play a role but actually having an officer play a role at dinner would be a change. Before anyone ask, with one exception we have always been seated at a table near the center of the main area of the MDR.

3) If RCI wanted to make a formal evening more spectacular they first would have to really step up the quality of the food served and shorten the time it takes to get it to the table. Our last cruise we had to ask for food that was at least warm on 4 of the 7 nights. Even on lobster night I would rate the food quality on par with Red Lobster...and they are about to go belly up.

 

I also agree that there is no financial incentive for the cruise line to jump on the suggestion. I cannot see it increasing revenue any...much less enough to cover the extra cost.

[GUT2407]

Question..

 

One in how many.

 

You say one instead of two, so are you suggesting one a week, or one a cruise regardless of the length of the cruise.

[Sitzmark]

2) On every cruise we have taken, we have NEVER seen an officer entertaining a table of guest.

 

Funny thought, on our Disney cruise the only time I saw an officer was at the first show when they introduced the captain, and one day when I ran into the captain in the elevator. Beyond that I presume that they ate in a private dining room. On the other hand I wasn't looking for them so perhaps they were about and I just didn't notice.

[klingoncruiser]

To those who think times have changed, we are not among those. We look forward to dressing up for formal nights and getting photographs made.

 

Many do.

 

While I do NOT want to get all dressed up, I do applaud your wish to keep on with it. I guess it is better for me to keep on with NCL at this point. If the jammer was better, I could just go there and eat at night and let everyone else have at. (No wait, I don't think it is open at night.)

 

It used to be a lot of fun getting all dressed up, but not any more. :rolleyes:

[Stitchman]

Not at all, it seems the most equitable way to do it. If the activity were dropped due to lack of interest, then why continue building the cost into everyone's fare?

 

Charge a premium to get in, make it an exclusive event, you can have a dress code and make it as fancy as you like. And it won't bother anyone else because we aren't paying for it and couldn't care less about it. Then those that feel their fancy time is being ruined by us "plebs" and "sloppy" folks can stuff their faces with all the slop they like. If folks aren't willing to pay for it, then I can't imagine they really want it all that badly.

 

As to the cruise line doing something special to thank people for cruising with them... please, they think of the passengers as cargo. They thank you by not dropping you overboard.

 

 

 

but you still cruise .... you sloppy scumbag !! ( only joking )

[Stitchman]

While I do NOT want to get all dressed up, I do applaud your wish to keep on with it. I guess it is better for me to keep on with NCL at this point. If the jammer was better, I could just go there and eat at night and let everyone else have at. (No wait, I don't think it is open at night.)

 

It used to be a lot of fun getting all dressed up, but not any more. :rolleyes:

 

I still don't know where the food comes into it ....

[Sitzmark]

but you still cruise .... you sloppy scumbag !! ( only joking )

 

Actually I've only cruised once and that cured me of the desire to cruise. If it were my choice we would avoid the experience, save the money and go to Disney world. I unfortunately do not have the only say in the matter.

[LMaxwell]

Not at all, it seems the most equitable way to do it. If the activity were dropped due to lack of interest, then why continue building the cost into everyone's fare?

 

Charge a premium to get in, make it an exclusive event, you can have a dress code and make it as fancy as you like. And it won't bother anyone else because we aren't paying for it and couldn't care less about it. Then those that feel their fancy time is being ruined by us "plebs" and "sloppy" folks can stuff their faces with all the slop they like. If folks aren't willing to pay for it, then I can't imagine they really want it all that badly.

 

As to the cruise line doing something special to thank people for cruising with them... please, they think of the passengers as cargo. They thank you by not dropping you overboard.

Who said it was dropped for lack of guest interest? These events used to be mobbed.

 

If you build it, they will come. I don't care if people dress up for it. It's just a special event on one evening. So incorporate it into dress up in style night and make it a different evening.

 

I don't care if a cake has to die a watery death in the process. [emoji568]

[deliver42]

I posted previously that I like the formal nights, but I have no problem with people that don't care to dress up. That would be a non-issue for me.

[mcd2745]

Yeah, that's what a cruise ship midnight buffet looked like "back in the day".

 

I didn't really consider that many people have never experienced it and might be thinking it was somehow "special" to open the regular buffet up again at night.

 

 

I've never experienced a midnight buffet. It guess it would have been nice to experience, at least once. I will say it was one of the things I always heard about cruising from friends and family before we ever took our first cruise ourselves.

 

However, "back in the day", wasn't it offered every single night - not just on formal night? (And while I'm asking about "back in the day", wasn't pretty much every night formal more or less, and the "special" night was referred to as "Captain's Night" or something - where the Captain and other officers greeted everyone?) So if it wasn't something unique to the formal/"special" nights back then, I don't see why a midnight buffet would be something to "put some Chutzpah back into their efforts" for a current formal night as you stated in the OP.

 

While, as a night owl, I probably would have liked the midnight buffets, it's totally understandable that they have been eliminated. Many have commented (in this and numerous other threads) how most of the food was wasted. And wasn't that before you had all the other offerings around the ship (such as the Promendae Cafe, Sorrento's, etc.) that you could still take advantage of at that time? "Back in the day" was there anywhere else on the ship you could get something to eat at midnight other than the buffet? Since you easily can now, that probably greatly contributed to their demise.

[Sugardimples]

If you want to dress formally, go right ahead. Just don't concern yourself with what I'm wearing.

Edited April 28, 2015 by Sugardimples

[Sugardimples]

Duplicate post.

Edited April 28, 2015 by Sugardimples