Detailed daily cruise schedule, formal nights etc.?

[Southendweather]

WHen we went on the Oceana 2 summers ago I was able to download a pdf file that detailed each days dress code times in/out at each port etc.

I can find a pdf file with just a total qty for each cruise:

https://ask.pocruises.com/help/PO/life-on-board/dress_code_all

But this doesn't give the daily detail that was available on previous P&O cruises.

Does anyone know if the more detail daily information is available on-line?

 

Keith (Southend)

[Jason12]

I know there is one in the personaliser..or was it the cruise info booklet.?

 

 

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Edited August 31, 2015 by Jason12

[dgs1956]

No its not but Formal Nights are normally on a sea day and times in/out port are given on board.

[P&O SUE]

I only had the exact days when I got onboard - it's listed on one of the papers somewhere! If your cruise is 7 nights or more the second formal night seems to be the Black and White night.

[Southendweather]

I only had the exact days when I got onboard - it's listed on one of the papers somewhere! If your cruise is 7 nights or more the second formal night seems to be the Black and White night.

 

I found the one from 2013 that I downloaded and have put it here:

http://www.southendweather.net/oc_dresscodes8.pdf

 

That's the detail I was looking for, just incase you thought I was dreaming it up :confused:

 

Keith (Southend)

[P&O SUE]

I found the one from 2013 that I downloaded and have put it here:

http://www.southendweather.net/oc_dresscodes8.pdf

 

That's the detail I was looking for, just incase you thought I was dreaming it up :confused:

 

Keith (Southend)

 

I guessed that's what you meant - I've only seen that much much detail once onboard now :(

[Henderson1]

If you enter 'what will the dress code be on board' in the help and advice drop down, it lists the ships and cruise numbers, by clicking on relevant cruise number schedule is listed

 

JACKIE

[the english lady]

If you enter 'what will the dress code be on board' in the help and advice drop down, it lists the ships and cruise numbers, by clicking on relevant cruise number schedule is listed

 

JACKIE

In the cruise info folder in your cabin, among the laundry ordering papers, and breakfast ordering form, is a leaflet that give the expected dress code for each evening of your cruise.

However this can change..and usually does!!!

[Southendweather]

If you enter 'what will the dress code be on board' in the help and advice drop down, it lists the ships and cruise numbers, by clicking on relevant cruise number schedule is listed

 

JACKIE

 

Thanks Jackie, I have downloaded that before, but that isn't as detailed as they previously gave. I don't think they do that anymore.

 

Keith (Southend):(

[gingerbumblebee]

How easy would it be for P&O to put this in the cruise personaliser, along with the themes! We only found out on board that one night was red/white/blue. Didn't have any clothes for that theme, but would have brought something appropriate if we'd have known.

Our formal nights were the first day at sea, and the penultimate night on board.

[Florry]

How easy would it be for P&O to put this in the cruise personaliser, along with the themes! We only found out on board that one night was red/white/blue. Didn't have any clothes for that theme, but would have brought something appropriate if we'd have known.

 

Our formal nights were the first day at sea, and the penultimate night on board.

 

 

I completely agree I can never find this when I try - it's this sort of thing that we need to put on feedback questionnaires but never remember at the time. I think I'm going to start a list, other items are: tell people the buffet isn't freedom dining and for select menus produce a Wagamammas style allergy book.

[the english lady]

How easy would it be for P&O to put this in the cruise personaliser, along with the themes! We only found out on board that one night was red/white/blue. Didn't have any clothes for that theme, but would have brought something appropriate if we'd have known.

Our formal nights were the first day at sea, and the penultimate night on board.

 

This is the leaflet found in the folder in your cabin, which doesn't help if you wanted to take theme night clothes I agree.

It does change though. People have posted about having less formal nights than stated, or not being on the night stated on the leaflet.

Usually any changes come down to bad weather. They sometimes cancel a formal night if they are expecting bouncy weather.

Why don't they put it in the CP. Possibly down to the entertainment guy (whatever he is called now) who decides what night will be what, and maybe he only works forward one cruise.

The dress code on the help page already mentioned does give and idea how many formal and what theme nights may appear during your cruise.

[gingerbumblebee]

I completely agree I can never find this when I try - it's this sort of thing that we need to put on feedback questionnaires but never remember at the time. I think I'm going to start a list, other items are: tell people the buffet isn't freedom dining and for select menus produce a Wagamammas style allergy book.

 

I did put it on my feedback, but guess lots would have to make the same comment for them to start changing the way they do things though.

[annieuk]

I would take with a pinch of salt anything that is published on the website. It can give you a general idea but too often we have found that when we get on board things are different. On our last cruise we were told that there was 1 formal night and one night would be a 60s/70s night (casual). The night before the formal evening when we received the Horizon for the next day it stated that the evening would be Black and White Formal. Of course very few women had taken specific outfits for the black and white so it was a multi-coloured evening. The only women to keep to black and white were the female crew. Even in our Excursions brochure it did not say it was black and white. It didn't matter but was annoying.

 

On another cruise we were told there would be three formal evenings and there were four. As has already been said evenings can change. We have had a formal evening moved on more than one occasion as the sea on a Sea Day was exceptionally choppy and some people were affected by sea sickness so the Formal evening was moved to the next night. So whatever the website or even the Excursions brochure says, it's not set in stone.

[sukilu]

We are going on Aurora in October and my OH is not too keen on the formal/theme nights in the MDR. So has anyone used the buffet for an evening meal and if so what was the food like and was it busy?

 

Thanks Barbara

[Doughty3]

I've booked specialist restaurants on Oceana for several port nights thinking that formal nights would be on sea days.

I wouldn't want to miss a formal night so I'll want to cancel those bookings if they clash. Hope the restaurant charges will be refunded!

Confused first time cruiser.

[Southendweather]

I've booked specialist restaurants on Oceana for several port nights thinking that formal nights would be on sea days.

I wouldn't want to miss a formal night so I'll want to cancel those bookings if they clash. Hope the restaurant charges will be refunded!

Confused first time cruiser.

 

I think you have got it correct, for the 3 P&O cruises we have done formal nights have always been on sea days, so I think your booking will work for you.

 

If you don't like the formal nights, of course you can choose to use the buffet those nights. I'm not one for dressing up much, but go with the flow with formal nights, it's a bit of fun and that's what P&O are about. To check how many there are on your cruise here's the link:

https://ask.pocruises.com/help/PO/life-on-board/dress_code_all

But it doesn't say what nights, like they used to :mad:

 

Keith (Southend)

[Florry]

I've booked specialist restaurants on Oceana for several port nights thinking that formal nights would be on sea days.

 

I wouldn't want to miss a formal night so I'll want to cancel those bookings if they clash. Hope the restaurant charges will be refunded!

 

Confused first time cruiser.

 

 

I feel fairly confident they will be flexible and change booking dates etc. I have stopped booking in advance now we seem to accumulate so much onboard credit, I just book the tables as soon as I board and don't have any problem getting them. There is often a free bottle of wine if you dine early the first and second night.

[Florry]

We are going on Aurora in October and my OH is not too keen on the formal/theme nights in the MDR. So has anyone used the buffet for an evening meal and if so what was the food like and was it busy?

 

 

 

Thanks Barbara

 

 

Hi Barbara, on our recent cruise we only ate in the MDR on formal nights, this is because I like the atmosphere and the Stilton soaked in port (I have no idea why because I never eat Stilton at home [emoji53]) anyway the rest of the time we use the select restaurants and buffet. The buffet in the evenings has themed nights, we always try to go to the Indian and Caribbean nights, but they also do Brutish pub night, Italian, Mediterranean etc. I don't think I've tried any of those. They make the tables up so it feels more of an evening occasion as opposed to the day-time bun fight venue [emoji6] the food is very good and because it's quieter the chefs have a little more time to talk to you. I think there is a bit of a rush when it opens, and I've seen people nab a table before it opens sitting waiting for it. We usually pop along a little later. The bonus of eating in the buffet is that you get very good sunset views, the meal is over quite quickly if you want to get to an evening event and of course you are flexible on time. I'm sure that lots of people would consider the buffet as a second class option, I prefer to think of it as a quality and flexible alternative.

[the english lady]

We are going on Aurora in October and my OH is not too keen on the formal/theme nights in the MDR. So has anyone used the buffet for an evening meal and if so what was the food like and was it busy?

 

Thanks Barbara

 

We have been in the buffet on formal nights.

No it wasn't busy.

Cant remember what sort of dishes they had..not one of the food theme nights in there..ie Chinese,Indian etc.

You sometimes get people in formal wear in there as well, if its a formal night, so they can go in the bars.

[ormy]

You will only know the specific nights when you are on board - daily newsletter.

[john watson]

How easy would it be for P&O to put this in the cruise personaliser, along with the themes! We only found out on board that one night was red/white/blue. Didn't have any clothes for that theme, but would have brought something appropriate if we'd have known.

Our formal nights were the first day at sea, and the penultimate night on board.

 

The current information they give on the P&O website indicates the total number of formal nights and descriptions of the relevant themes scheduled for your cruise. This now enables people to pack the correct attire. Formal nights are not normally on the first night and generally occur on sea days. I think the problem with publishing comprehensive details beforehand is that everything is subject to change. The ports might be missed; particularly if tender ports, sometimes moving sea days, adding in non-scheduled ports onto what was previously a sea day, rough weather may affect what is sensible to put on. Do they cancel a "champagne fountain" and have a formal night or move them both if they have spare sea days? In other words the captain may reschedule lots of things to try to get the best out of what it is a bad lot of conditions to try to get the best cruise out of it.

 

Regards John

Edited September 5, 2015 by john watson

[tartanexile81]

WHen we went on the Oceana 2 summers ago I was able to download a pdf file that detailed each days dress code times in/out at each port etc.

I can find a pdf file with just a total qty for each cruise:

https://ask.pocruises.com/help/PO/life-on-board/dress_code_all

But this doesn't give the daily detail that was available on previous P&O cruises.

Does anyone know if the more detail daily information is available on-line?

 

Keith (Southend)

 

I remember this well Keith and I liked it too. I think the problem was that although P&O Southampton published it on the website, the Cruise Director didn't always seem not to know anything about it. I remember one cruise on Oceana in particular where we even had a different number of Formal / jacket required evenings to what had been published.

 

I would take with a pinch of salt anything that is published on the website. It can give you a general idea but too often we have found that when we get on board things are different. On our last cruise we were told that there was 1 formal night and one night would be a 60s/70s night (casual). The night before the formal evening when we received the Horizon for the next day it stated that the evening would be Black and White Formal. Of course very few women had taken specific outfits for the black and white so it was a multi-coloured evening. The only women to keep to black and white were the female crew. Even in our Excursions brochure it did not say it was black and white. It didn't matter but was annoying.

 

 

Does it not say in your cruise personaliser? I certainly knew before my first cruise on P&O (in 2008) that there was a black and white night. There was a list (and I think there still is) on the themes on each cruise and the number of nights for each dress code. However my next cruise is too far away to be able to check on it. I also agree, however, that this is not always strictly adhered to

Edited September 5, 2015 by tartanexile81

[Southendweather]

The current information they give on the P&O website indicates the total number of formal nights and descriptions of the relevant themes scheduled for your cruise. This now enables people to pack the correct attire. Formal nights are not normally on the first night and generally occur on sea days. I think the problem with publishing comprehensive details beforehand is that everything is subject to change. The ports might be missed; particularly if tender ports, sometimes moving sea days, adding in non-scheduled ports onto what was previously a sea day, rough weather may affect what is sensible to put on. Do they cancel a "champagne fountain" and have a formal night or move them both if they have spare sea days? In other words the captain may reschedule lots of things to try to get the best out of what it is a bad lot of conditions to try to get the best cruise out of it.

 

Regards John

 

I think most people would except possible changes from time to time, but I do agree that it would be useful that more indication was given in the personaliser where people are more likely to see it, because at a guess I would say 98% wouldn't have trawled the P&O website to find the pdf file containing even this basic information on how many nights are what, it can take a bit of searching to the initiated. All the same it doesn't bother me, but a newby may be caught out. :rolleyes:

 

Rained in Cadiz today.

 

Keith (Southend)

[bee-ess]

I would take with a pinch of salt anything that is published on the website. It can give you a general idea but too often we have found that when we get on board things are different.

 

The problem (as I was told by a Cruise Director) is that the website is controlled by the Southampton office and what actually happens is controlled by the ship staff and never the twain shall meet. I don;t know why P&O cannot publish something and stick to it but that seems to be way of things.

Edited September 5, 2015 by bee-ess