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Candles no longer casual?!?!?!


milepig
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When did this happen?  We’re on the breeze and were bounced from Candles last night for wearing jeans. 

 

Candles has been casual for at least 15 years, and still was on the Spirit in November. 

 

Excuse my French, but this just sucks. You’re out touring all day and just want some chow. This change leave the ship with no place to eat at dinner without changing clothes except room service! 

Candelas, by design, was eating out on deck, or when not possible a breakfast room tarted up to try to be elegant, which doesn’t work!

 

Yes, we get that it isn’t “hard” to change a bit for dinner, but now you are forced to, there is no other option. 

 

This is a change we DO NOT like!!!!

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When we were on Breeze in December (Costa Rica), Candles required real pants but there were a few nights where a "deck bbq" was offered, adjacent to the Star Bar.  This was deemed the "casual" location.  It looks like the BBQ area will be formalized after the stretching.

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2 hours ago, RemPuck said:

When we were on Breeze in December (Costa Rica), Candles required real pants but there were a few nights where a "deck bbq" was offered, adjacent to the Star Bar.  This was deemed the "casual" location.  It looks like the BBQ area will be formalized after the stretching.

 

The BBQ? That can’t possibly be true!  We’ll just quit. That has always been utterly laid back and casual. So much for 180 degrees from ordinary!!

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29 minutes ago, sb44 said:

I've never seen anyone wear blue jeans to any restaurant onboard any of the ships. I've seen a few try to get into Amphora and be turned down. 

 

“Any of the restaurants?” That would include Veranda. That would be a no. And candles has ALWAYS been casual in our experience. amphora was the only non casual venue. 

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The Bistro is as formal as Amphora, Candles less formal than both but never blue jeans, on BBQ night I have seen shorts. These are all lovely restaurants with a lovely atmosphere still informal but nicely casual. Not jeans and shorts. Sorry, that is how we have treated it. Happy Sailing. 

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The regular BBQ (party) was indeed casual, with many (most?) in shorts in December. There was also the pop-up BBQ space near Star Bar (2 or 3 evenings during the trip) which was billed as casual as well.  (We went one night, for the "casual" part of it, but chose not to return as the food was nothing special.)

 

As part of Star Plus, there will a new "casual" BBQ space near Star Bar (https://www.windstarcruises.com/starplus/).  Star Grill by Steven Raichlen — our upcoming casual outdoor restaurant brought to you in partnership with the man who reinvented barbecue.

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51 minutes ago, milepig said:

 

“Any of the restaurants?” That would include Veranda. That would be a no. And candles has ALWAYS been casual in our experience. amphora was the only non casual venue. 

Meaning Amphora, Candles  Stella. Verandah during breakfast and lunch certainly jeans and shorts. I think bbq night shorts are fine. My husband doesn't own jeans so no issue here but they have become more acceptable as people have become more casual but some people complain that they are not what WS bills as country club casual. But anymore,  we see it all! Jeans at the theater in London made us realize it's a different world! Then there are those who think pajama bottoms are proper attire for flying!

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I do not recall in our 3 times on Windstar  yachts,  anyone not wearing slacks for guys and a button up shirt. So  not sure this is a dramatic change not wearing Jeans at dinner.

 

The policy...The evening attire onboard Windstar is specified as "casual elegance" - the emphasis weighted heavily on the casual. However, please note the dinner dress code in Amphora and Stella Bistro requests no t-shirts, shorts, jeans, hats or flip-flops. Country Club casual is acceptable for Candles..

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My spouse has worn jeans in Candles.  Jeans are nicely pressed.  They are usually black or very dark indigo. They look good. Nobody has ever stopped us. We never wear shorts to dinner except on bbq night. I have seen women wearing shorts in Aamphora. They were very short. Girl was young and looked great. I have also seen men in shorts told to change. Double standard? 

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I didn’t mean to turn this into another “the world is going downhill thread”. My question was specifically about candles, where the dress code seems to have changed since last December. Maybe the difference is between when it’s outside. 

 

I’m still very worried about the statement that even the BBQ won’t be casual after the lengthening, as that just makes no sense. 

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So, I have the answer. The change was three weeks ago after a passenger contacted Seattle and threw a fit about how offended they were at the very sight of jeans in Candles. The code was changed and the ships got a firm message. Apparently it is now also changed Online. I suspect that there was a disjuncture between the actual dress code and practice on board. 

 

When we’re back I will send an equally unhappy message of my own complaining about the sudden change after at least 15 years of being casual, which the person also confirmed had indeed been the case. 

 

The person also confirmed that any change for the BBQ was not true and “total nonsense”. 

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8 hours ago, milepig said:

 

I’m still very worried about the statement that even the BBQ won’t be casual after the lengthening, as that just makes no sense. 

I believe that the new BBQ restaurant WILL be casual post-stretch, based on the note from the website.  And I can't imagine that the vibe of the party itself will be changed.

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2 hours ago, milepig said:

I was going on what you said up thread. Using the word “formalized” but now think you meant the area would be permanent, not the dress code. 

Yes - that's what I meant.  The pop-up BBQs would be "formalized" into a permanent casual BBQ dining option.

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I recall seeing a thread here about Windstar switching to no shorts in Candles some years ago; this may be something that goes in cycles. The night we were in Candles on our recent Panama Canal / Costa Rica on Wind Star, people seemed to dress pretty much the same as they did for Amphora.

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When I mentioned to my husband that Windstar bans jeans at dinner, he told me that I was wrong. He has worn jeans on many Windstar cruises. Most recent was b2b. 18 nights. I remember seeing most men wearing jeans.  After touring late, many people went directly to dinner after getting back from the tours. Sadly, some people are unhappy if guests wear jeans. Hope that the person who complained to Seattle finds another cruise line that suits them.  Jeans are accepted attire in many places. Ate dinner at Capital Grill last week. There were many people wearing jeans. I wore a dress.  We are booked on another b2b in 2020.  We may be calling room service.

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Here's what Windstar's website says under packing advice:

 

"The tone for dinner and evening aboard is one of "casual elegance." Imaginative, yet relaxed. Stylish, yet comfortable. Just as you would dress on your own private yacht. For ladies, sundresses, slacks, and informal cocktail dresses are appropriate. For men, we suggest slacks and collared shirts or polos. There are no formal nights, no costume parties, no requirements for suits and ties. However, if your cruise takes you to Monte Carlo, please note that casinos require men to wear both a jacket and tie. Our only restriction is that shorts, jeans, flip-flops, hats, and t-shirts not be worn in AmphorA, Stella Bistro, or public rooms during the evening. Country Club Casual is acceptable for Candles."

 

I though someone above said that the on-line policy now said no jeans for Candles. Either I misread or it has already changed back.  Here in California and in the electronics industry where I worked, nice jeans are seen pretty much everywhere that other kinds of slacks are worn.  I don't understand why of all fabrics, jeans are particularly viewed by many as less dressy than khaki's or cargo pants, but I usually try to comply. On my 14-day Alaska sailing, I did end up wearing black jeans in Amphora one night due to a planning error on laundry and nothing was said about it.

 

In principle, I'd rather have jeans treated the same as other pants, but in practice, it usually doesn't bother me much because for hot weather cruises, I usually pack lighter weight pants anyway and I don't find it a hardship to pack other types of slacks even for cold weather cruises.

 

What bothers me more is that the cruise director's introductory talk on my last few cruises, they also included "trainers" in the list of things not to be worn for dinner in Amphora. The published policy on the website doesn't say that. I'm only willing to bring so many pairs of shoes in my suitcase and if I've worn my hiking boots on shore for most of the day, I often want to switch to my athletic shoes for the evening. Fortunately, they don't enforce that. I asked the cruise director on my last sailing and she said she was just reading what they told her to say. 

 

The on-board policy shouldn't be more strict than what they post on-line because people can't prepare for it.

 

If they switch the on-line policy to no trainers, we might have to find another cruise line. My husband has difficult to fit feet and pretty much only wears them. 

 

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2 hours ago, new_cruiser said:

Here's what Windstar's website says under packing advice:

 

"The tone for dinner and evening aboard is one of "casual elegance." Imaginative, yet relaxed. Stylish, yet comfortable. Just as you would dress on your own private yacht. For ladies, sundresses, slacks, and informal cocktail dresses are appropriate. For men, we suggest slacks and collared shirts or polos. There are no formal nights, no costume parties, no requirements for suits and ties. However, if your cruise takes you to Monte Carlo, please note that casinos require men to wear both a jacket and tie. Our only restriction is that shorts, jeans, flip-flops, hats, and t-shirts not be worn in AmphorA, Stella Bistro, or public rooms during the evening. Country Club Casual is acceptable for Candles."

 

I though someone above said that the on-line policy now said no jeans for Candles. Either I misread or it has already changed back.  Here in California and in the electronics industry where I worked, nice jeans are seen pretty much everywhere that other kinds of slacks are worn.  I don't understand why of all fabrics, jeans are particularly viewed by many as less dressy than khaki's or cargo pants, but I usually try to comply. On my 14-day Alaska sailing, I did end up wearing black jeans in Amphora one night due to a planning error on laundry and nothing was said about it.

 

In principle, I'd rather have jeans treated the same as other pants, but in practice, it usually doesn't bother me much because for hot weather cruises, I usually pack lighter weight pants anyway and I don't find it a hardship to pack other types of slacks even for cold weather cruises.

 

What bothers me more is that the cruise director's introductory talk on my last few cruises, they also included "trainers" in the list of things not to be worn for dinner in Amphora. The published policy on the website doesn't say that. I'm only willing to bring so many pairs of shoes in my suitcase and if I've worn my hiking boots on shore for most of the day, I often want to switch to my athletic shoes for the evening. Fortunately, they don't enforce that. I asked the cruise director on my last sailing and she said she was just reading what they told her to say. 

 

The on-board policy shouldn't be more strict than what they post on-line because people can't prepare for it.

 

If they switch the on-line policy to no trainers, we might have to find another cruise line. My husband has difficult to fit feet and pretty much only wears them. 

 

My husband does not own any shoes other than athletic shoes.  Not once has anyone blinked an eye about his footwear in Amphora.  

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I was told on board that the online policy had been updated, but haven’t checked since it my access via land cell service is gimpy at best and any page with more than text won’t load.  It may be they’ve reverted, more likely there’s conflicting information on various pages. Consistency has never been a WS strong point. 

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8 hours ago, Redtravel said:

When I mentioned to my husband that Windstar bans jeans at dinner, he told me that I was wrong. He has worn jeans on many Windstar cruises. Most recent was b2b. 18 nights. I remember seeing most men wearing jeans.  After touring late, many people went directly to dinner after getting back from the tours. Sadly, some people are unhappy if guests wear jeans. Hope that the person who complained to Seattle finds another cruise line that suits them.  Jeans are accepted attire in many places. Ate dinner at Capital Grill last week. There were many people wearing jeans. I wore a dress.  We are booked on another b2b in 2020.  We may be calling room service.

 

And we frequent two multiply-starred Michelin restaurants in Chicago. Both are drop dead anything goes. In one that’s a set dinIng time and tasting menu place one of the Chefs comes out before each course to talk about the food. They’re wearing anything including shorts, random t-shirts with writing on them, men unshaven, hair all wild. The front of house guy is also in jeans and a casual top. It works for them and is clearly not an issue for Michelin. Last I checked WS has no star, much less 2!  LOL

 

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9 hours ago, ridethetide said:

My husband does not own any shoes other than athletic shoes.  Not once has anyone blinked an eye about his footwear in Amphora.  


We found a pair of shoes for my husband at Clarke's which he says feel like wearing trainers. They have a rubber sole, good cushion inside, softer leather up, lace up, and even a shape similar to a trainer.  Might be worth taking a look for those times were a shoe is really needed over a trainer. 🙂 

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