Think I'd like to try a luxury line

[nyc2pdx]

I am about to embark on my second journey in NCL's Haven, and have another TA booked in 2023 on NCL in an Owner's Suite.  

 

But, I am thinking I might like to try a luxury line.  Choosing one that might be a good fit for me is another story...but I would like some help from others who have been there.

 

Reasons I like the Haven on NCL: 

1. Personalised Service
2. Not crowded-can always find a deck chair
3. a more subdued environment, no loud speakers at the pool blaring music or hosting the hairiest leg competition 🙄
4. The dedicated restaurant with excellent food
5. The feeling things are taken up a notch, and 
6. the exclusivity

 

I don't like to dress up.  Granted, when I go to dinner, I tend to wear things like khakis and a button down shirt. I look neat. Ties are a huge no-no.  Not really into wearing dinner jackets either.  And of course, I would not like a whole black tie thing.  If it is warm though, I would like to be able to wear shorts and sandals during the day with a button down shirt or polo (not really into t-shirts).

 

With that said, I would like a cruise that has semi-professional to professional passengers.  Friendly...This is my typical social group, so that is where I fit in.  I also travel solo, and I am a bit of a foodie.  

 

I'd like to see if I can find a line where I would be comfortable, where it isn't stuffy.  I like knowing things are being handled so I don't need to worry about things-like a concierge, and I enjoy having a butler in the Haven. I am someone who would enjoy an educational lecture or string quartet.  Would also like to know it is all inclusive.  This is why I buy up on the drinks plan on NCL-I don't want to have to think about it, just order what I want.

 

So, Oceania, Crystal...not sure about Azamara or Seabourn.  

 

Thoughts?

 

 

[Gourmet Gal]

You have wisely excluded SS no doubt because of their antiquated dress code but try as I might to avoid SS I end up sailing with them because of the great itineraries.  I grin and bear the dress code and I find the line will meet or exceed your other criteria.  Despite the dress code the staff and most fellow pax are not stuffy and tend to enjoy socializing.  Every cabin has a steward and butler, food is very good. Standard cabins tend to be the biggest in the lux category.  Seabourn would be the closest experience to SS but with a more relaxed dress code.  Considered one notch below in the semi luxury category is Crystal which attracts a more diverse crowd and I have experienced the most snobbery on that line and unfortunately, the food is just not anything special but the entertainment is very good.  I will add that Crystal’s river category is far better than ocean.  All three lines are all-inclusive onboard with variations when it comes to shore ex..  Azamara and Oceana are not in the same category as the others but you should also consider Regent which is more in line with Crystal but without the snobbery.    You should also consider what size ship you prefer and of course itinerary.  You have a fun first world decision to make!

[LHT28]

Oceania is  a premium line  but  may fit your criteria on your wish list

 Buy the drink package & most spirits are included  some top Cognacs/Scotch may not be included

 

Regent is more inclusive

 

I would read  the forums for those lines you are considering  then decide

 

JMO

 

Oceania is a good fit for us   Crystal was not

 Enjoy whatever cruise you choose

 

 

 

[Catlover54]

1.  If ties are a no-no, and jackets disliked, forget about Silverseas.

 

2.  Azamara and Oceania are premium, not luxury lines, and even if you get a PH on Oceania, it shows.

 

3.  Seabourn is an option with your needs, except their pricing is rarely solo friendly ( in case that matters). But SB hosts tables for solos and welcomes those who are rich enough to come.

Atmosphere is casual luxury.  No butlers, ( though the stewardesses are usually very good) and sadly sometimes things are NOT "handled".  But SB Square or reception helps deal with the problems, politely.

Service in MDR at peak times can be hit and miss, though food is generally good. Avoid peak times.  There are decent enrichment lectures.  Most music and shows are not classical, but still good.

There are a couple formal optional nights for MDR, but you can eat elsewhere more casually. Excursions are heavily marked up, as is the premium wine list.

 

4.  Regent not uncommonly has service issues, but is very casual as you like, and includes airfare, transfers, etc.  I usually disliked the food there due to inconsistency, made worse by service issues and some surly staff.  Solo unfriendly pricing.  Included excursions pre-Covid were overcrowded. I avoid them now, so maybe they got better.

 

5.  Crystal -- base cabins are small but efficient.  Solo pricing is good. If prices do not matter, try a Penthouse with veranda solo, and you get a butler, service upgrades, and things "handled"  ( there are excellent Bahamas and Bermuda prices now).  Food is very good, though MDR is American style on the ocean vessels ( specialty restaurant is Italian and Japanese).  There was fantastic and European style food on the new expedition Endeavor this summer, real foodie stuff, but the ship is not solo friendly on pricing.
Service is usually excellent,  unless the ship is very full, then YMMV: but if you are known to staff and /or a regular,  and/or  perhaps tip extra, and/or have a certain personality, even a full ship is not a barrier ( and nothing is full right now, so a great time to try) .  Dress code is usually upscale casual at dinner, what you describe liking.

 

Shows are  more old-fashioned musical/Broadway style, typically not classical except for a Mozart tea bit , and people talk during that instead of listening.  There are also magicians, duos, trios, lounge music groups. If you don't know how to entertain yourself, there are long lists of offerings ( bridge, paddle ball, trivia, how-to talks, etc.). Solos are usually older women, as they are on most luxury lines.

 

On all lines, shorts are fine before 6 PM.

All have spas where you can get overpriced massages.  
 

I think it comes down to SB or Crystal for you.  As I said, Crystal has great prices now, even  for a PH with veranda.

 

 

 

Edited October 13, 2021 by Catlover54
Typo

[Texas Tillie]

Opinions are just that, personal opinions. People here have posted some "negatives" about Crystal, but as an avid Crystal cruiser with about 40 cruises over 14 years, I disagree, especially with the assessments as to the food quality and the "snobbiness" of the passengers. Only you can determine if a specific line is a fit. As pointed out, Crystal has some fabulously priced cruises now. It might be a place to start determining which line is a good fit for you.

[vistaman]

Crystal did appoint the former chef previously on the Esprit to the Endeavor.

He was on duty during my one and only cruise on the Esprit and he really was reaching a star level !! 

The diners were indeed great gastronomy . 

[1982CruzStart]

17 hours ago, Catlover54 said:

 Regent not uncommonly has service issues, but is very casual as you like, and includes airfare, transfers, etc.  I usually disliked the food there due to inconsistency, made worse by service issues and some surly staff.  Solo unfriendly pricing.  Included excursions pre-Covid were overcrowded. I avoid them now, so maybe they got better.

I don't know how long ago you sailed on Regent but I couldn't disagree more. My experience is service is great and so is the food. Since the new menu in Compass Rose, the dining experience is even better as the everyday choices as well as the daily specials are superior.  As well with 24 hours notice they will make any meal you request as long as they have all the ingredients onboard. 

Are they perfect, no but then i have never found a perfect service company as they employ humans that on any given day can have a bad day.  That situation in my experience is an exception.  They will do anything in their power to never say 'no' to a passenger request. 

The issue may very well be their terrible solo pricing that to me makes no sense. How can you have a 100% supplement when you include everything and only 1 person is flying, eating, drinking and taking shore excursions. 

We exclude Crystal because the basic cabin is too small for us.

We also don't like formal dress codes and really like the casual dress code of Regent. 

Good luck with your research and i hope you find the best fit for you. 

[nyc2pdx]

wow-lots of amazing info here.  As for opinions-I appreciate them all!  Everyone has different experiences but we're paying a lot for that experience, so I like to know what I am getting into...Regent and Crystal may be good places to start.  I looked at some Regent cruises but they were not solo priced friendly  😞

 

I'm going to take a look at Crystal.  I've heard some good things, and you all have given me something to think about.  In fact, I'm going to re-read each response later today and take some notes.  

[Catlover54]

3 hours ago, 1982CruzStart said:

I don't know how long ago you sailed on Regent but I couldn't disagree more. My experience is service is great and so is the food. Since the new menu in Compass Rose, the dining experience is even better as the everyday choices as well as the daily specials are superior.  As well with 24 hours notice they will make any meal you request as long as they have all the ingredients onboard. 

Are they perfect, no but then i have never found a perfect service company as they employ humans that on any given day can have a bad day.  That situation in my experience is an exception.  They will do anything in their power to never say 'no' to a passenger request. 

The issue may very well be their terrible solo pricing that to me makes no sense. How can you have a 100% supplement when you include everything and only 1 person is flying, eating, drinking and taking shore excursions. 

We exclude Crystal because the basic cabin is too small for us.

We also don't like formal dress codes and really like the casual dress code of Regent. 

Good luck with your research and i hope you find the best fit for you. 

I last sailed Regent in 2019, with my husband, always on full ships as we sailed at popular times, so that can affect service. All my cruises with them were on the older ships, so maybe I would have found things awesome on the newer ones.  Again ( and this is important regardless of what loyalists say), I was not a VIP or a regular, and though we will ask for what we want, we are not pushy people who demand it until they get it, one way or the other, and we do not believe in advance palm greasing on an all-inclusive line. I talked to higher level service personnel on the ships about issues, and also post cruise wrote long letters about specifics, but the issues were ignored.  I was still  going to try at least one new ship on Regent , for a great itinerary , (solo as a test, because  my husband refused to go back to them without a hint of improvement), but then Covid hit .
 Lines tend to move some really good personnel to a new ship when it starts sailing, and service can also vary ship to ship, itinerary to itinerary, on the same line.

 

We would have a fantastic dinner one night, with wonderful sommelier service, and then the next night would wait 20 minutes to get even a drop of wine, then  45 -60 minutes later we were served rockhard "lobster"  we had to cut with a steak knife ( or similar incidents), with cold vegetables and rubber rolls.  Or we would get brown lettuce, or wine would not be refilled for two hours, and waiters were also rushing too much to even look at us waving, much less anticipate. Then the next day it would be good.  One day we even had to leave after sitting  an hour, unable to get attention to even place an order, after the initial water was brought.  And so on.  
Our room cleaners were always good, nice young ladies.  The problems were in the dining rooms, and the packed excursions we paid for directly or indirectly  ( ex:  over 40 people on an "exclusive" scenic drive and  a  "luxury"  lunch where the wine served retailed at under 8 Euro a bottle, and tasted like it).  Rip-offs and emperor-has-no-clothes type things  disturb DH and me a lot. I did love their nice, soft furniture ( unlike on Seabourn with its stiff and hard beds, sofas and chairs), and the shows with talented singers and dancers. 

 

I don't need crew to make me special food, as I like culinary surprises, and in any event, other *luxury*  lines will also do special requests with notice.  I just want them to prepare whatever they have on the menu properly, with good ingredients, and serve it without making it obvious that they are understaffed or that they dislike their jobs. I also don't like when crew make stuff up when they answer ( even if they smile when clearly making them up) , instead of saying "I don't know, but let me find out", and then actually getting back to you.  

I notice your cruise list ( if complete) only includes Regent as a luxury line. All others are premium (Celebrity) or mainstream ( HAL).  Even if in a select VIP cabin, these  are not in the same league as luxury lines.  When I pay luxury prices per diem, the relevant comparison is one luxury line with another, i.e., apples to apples.   You would have to sail  other luxury lines at comparable prices to compare. My first luxury line was Silverseas, which was very impressive compared with HAL, but then I tried other luxury lines, and liked some things more than at SS.  Seabourn never could got my name right, whereas  SS dining room personnel had to memorize all pax names so they always got it right, but that was an unimportant issue. Crystal "welcomed"  my husband on our suite's TV screen, but not me, and did not send me urgent logistical updates, or a post-cruise customer feedback form,  even though I made all the reservations and payments and did all the communications with their agents.  But the excellent food and beautiful space on the Endeavor was more important than their sexist computer and its programmers ( Crystal has an Asian parent company).

 

I have no loyalty to any luxury line, all have pros and cons to me, * per dollar spent.*  And I like to give second and third chances, especially if there is a new ship, new protocol, or new feature.  It keeps things interesting, though I don't usually get much free laundry  🙂 
 

I left out French/English Ponant to the OP as another small ship luxury line with arguably  "foodie"  food ( allegedly) , even though they have all-inclusive drink service now and there are enough English speaker pax to not feel second class ( a previous problem) . This is because  I have not yet tested them ( I will in a few months, but in an owner's suite, so that will not be a fair comparison). I also left out Hapag Lloyd's international cruises on Europa 2 and the expedition ship Inspiration.  Berlitz  rated  HL the highest luxury pre-Covid, and I loved it ( also paid more per diem) but  they have banned non-Germanic pax since Covid ( you have to be a resident of Germany, Austria, or Switzerland). 

 

It's nice to have such luxurious choices, and beyond a certain level of objectivity ( e.g., how long you wait on average  to get your wine, what included wine or liquor retails for, how much usable pax space is there on the ship per passenger, how many max pax are *really* allowed on an excursion or transfer bus , etc.) there are of course subjective judgments  .  I am  even stepping "down" to try Celebrity soon on a test cruise ( though in a Sky suite), because I like that the bed on the ship Edge faces the window and I will be able to see the ocean from the bathroom. Most people do not care about such things.

And I still do have my eye on Regent Splendour itineraries, just in case . . . 
 

 

 

[Catlover54]

4 minutes ago, DarkStar8081 said:

I think Regent Seven Seas is tops among luxury cruise lines. They are pricey, though, as you would expect.

 

I think Crystal is more like a premium line nowadays, having dropped the ball on investing in newer ocean ships. (But they are probably tops among river cruise lines and expedition ships.) Crystal has to discount their ocean ships, and are attracting a lot of premium line cross-overs. And this is a great bargain for many, and worth a try.

 

You shouldn't overlook some of the Euro brands, though. Hapag-Lloyd has two beautiful ocean ships, and it looks like they will have an expedition ship too.

 

https://www.hl-*****/ships

 

The downside for Americans is that English will not be the ship's primary language.

As I noted in post 9, they do not accept Americans since Covid, even if vaxed and tested.

[Gourmet Gal]

12 minutes ago, DarkStar8081 said:

I think Regent Seven Seas is tops among luxury cruise lines. They are pricey, though, as you would expect.

 

I think Crystal is more like a premium line nowadays, having dropped the ball on investing in newer ocean ships. (But they are probably tops among river cruise lines and expedition ships.) Crystal has to discount their ocean ships, and are attracting a lot of premium line cross-overs. And this is a great bargain for many, and worth a try.

 

You shouldn't overlook some of the Euro brands, though. Hapag-Lloyd has two beautiful ocean ships, and it looks like they will have an expedition ship too.

 

https://www.hl-*****/ships

 

The downside for Americans is that English will not be the ship's primary language.

Agree completely with your Crystal comments.  

[vistaman]

8 hours ago, DarkStar8081 said:

I think Regent Seven Seas is tops among luxury cruise lines. They are pricey, though, as you would expect.

 

I think Crystal is more like a premium line nowadays, having dropped the ball on investing in newer ocean ships. (But they are probably tops among river cruise lines and expedition ships.) Crystal has to discount their ocean ships, and are attracting a lot of premium line cross-overs. And this is a great bargain for many, and worth a try.

 

You shouldn't overlook some of the Euro brands, though. Hapag-Lloyd has two beautiful ocean ships, and it looks like they will have an expedition ship too.

 

https://www.hl-*****/ships

 

The downside for Americans is that English will not be the ship's primary language.

Some Crystal cruises for 2022 are far from cheap esp some european cruises on the Serenity. 

Hapag Lloyd  : Europa 2 is bilingual   ms Europa is German 

the expedition ships : Hanseatic Inspiration is bilingual, nature German and Spirit adults only. 

[mj_holiday]

What can I say - I am a Regent fan.

 

Sailed Ponant to Antarctica, didn't do it for the luxury, and I wouldn't consider it a luxury line.  English was not the primary language and came second with announcements (you then start to realize how obnoxious Americans must be when English is used for the first announcement and people then start talking while the second language is on the announcement and people around you are trying to listen).  Great for expedition cruises. 

 

Regent

We enjoy Regent and just feel special with the excellent treatment we get.  While there is not special dining for upper suites, the dining is just great and we have never had service that wasn't just great. The variety on the menu means we always have something we enjoy.  At the roll out of the new menus several years ago, the vegetables (great selection) came out cold and that was fixed.  The specialty restaurants are also very nice.

If you want to keep your shorts on after 6 there is the pool grill (weather dependent) that is nice.  But for us the selection in the MDR is worth getting dressed for dinner.

 

There will be a satisfaction survey both midcruise and at the end.  If any issues are not handled this is the place to document them.

 

We just feel that extra effort by the staff/crew that we get throughout the ship.

[seattleskibums]

On 10/13/2021 at 4:42 PM, Catlover54 said:

1.  If ties are a no-no, and jackets disliked, forget about Silverseas.

We've been on three Silversea cruises and I never have worn a tie.  I don't even own a jacket or a tie.  Only once did they require me to put on a jacket to enter the dining room (a special chef's dinner that wasn't advertised as formal).  They provided the jacket and I promptly took it off and hung it over the chair back when we reached our table.  No problem.

 

We like the Silversea service and itineraries, so we're not going to let their snobby dress code interfere with that.  Besides, they offer other dining venues in which sports shirts and slacks are fine.  If people want to wear tuxedos to breakfast, lunch and dinner, we're OK with that, but we cruise to relax and enjoy good food.

 

If you don't mind skipping the one or two formal nights in the main dining room, you'll be fine on Silversea. We're looking forward to two more great itineraries on Silversea next year.  Don't be intimidated by a dress code.  Go and enjoy yourself!

[Catlover54]

On 10/14/2021 at 2:45 PM, DarkStar8081 said:

I think Regent Seven Seas is tops among luxury cruise lines. They are pricey, though, as you would expect.

 

I think Crystal is more like a premium line nowadays, having dropped the ball on investing in newer ocean ships. (But they are probably tops among river cruise lines and expedition ships.) Crystal has to discount their ocean ships, and are attracting a lot of premium line cross-overs. And this is a great bargain for many, and worth a try.

 

You shouldn't overlook some of the Euro brands, though. Hapag-Lloyd has two beautiful ocean ships, and it looks like they will have an expedition ship too.

 

https://www.hl-*****/ships

 

The downside for Americans is that English will not be the ship's primary language.

As I noted in post 9, they do not accept Americans since Covid, even if vaxed and tested.

 

EDIT:  the latest update email I got from HL is that Americans and other foreigners who are vaxxed and tested pre-cruise, and who are not from countries with Covid  "variants" ,   will be welcome after 1/1/22.  What they call "variants" is not delta.  So the luxury Berlitz six star  bilingual Europa 2 ( no tie or jacket required) and the expedition ship Inspiration could be in the running if you do not care about being surrounded by mainly German speakers, many of whom tend to be a bit more standoffish even when they speak English.  One American I encountered on Europa 2 said she loved it primarily because she did not have to make chit chat with other Americans and could just enjoy the luxury cruise with her husband.

[applefan75]

On 10/17/2021 at 5:08 PM, seattleskibums said:

We've been on three Silversea cruises and I never have worn a tie.  I don't even own a jacket or a tie.  Only once did they require me to put on a jacket to enter the dining room (a special chef's dinner that wasn't advertised as formal).  They provided the jacket and I promptly took it off and hung it over the chair back when we reached our table.  No problem.

 

We like the Silversea service and itineraries, so we're not going to let their snobby dress code interfere with that.  Besides, they offer other dining venues in which sports shirts and slacks are fine.  If people want to wear tuxedos to breakfast, lunch and dinner, we're OK with that, but we cruise to relax and enjoy good food.

 

If you don't mind skipping the one or two formal nights in the main dining room, you'll be fine on Silversea. We're looking forward to two more great itineraries on Silversea next year.  Don't be intimidated by a dress code.  Go and enjoy yourself!

I found this hard to believe.  I’m a frequent Silversea cruiser and except for casual nights, jackets are always required for men after 6pm, unless you are dining at Hot Rocks or Spaccanopoli as those are always casual.  Most nights are informal which means jackets for men but no tie required.

[Gourmet Gal]

4 hours ago, applefan75 said:

I found this hard to believe.  I’m a frequent Silversea cruiser and except for casual nights, jackets are always required for men after 6pm, unless you are dining at Hot Rocks or Spaccanopoli as those are always casual.  Most nights are informal which means jackets for men but no tie required.

What are you implying by finding seattleskibum’s statement hard to believe?  My husband and I travelled on an SS Baltic Cruise with a friend who also never wore a tie or jacket and was loaned a jacket on formal nights as needed in the MDR and in La Dame.

[seattleskibums]

6 hours ago, applefan75 said:

I found this hard to believe.  I’m a frequent Silversea cruiser and except for casual nights, jackets are always required for men after 6pm, unless you are dining at Hot Rocks or Spaccanopoli as those are always casual.  Most nights are informal which means jackets for men but no tie required.

Choose to believe what you will, but your statement that jackets always are required for men after 6 p.m. simply is not true.  I can attest to that.  As stated above, I was provided a jacket on one occasion but removed it and hung it on the back of my chair before sitting down.  We also dined in La Dame on a "formal" night and I was seated without a jacket or tie.  Likewise in the bar after dinner.  Our point to nyc2pdx remains: Don't be intimidated by silly dress codes.

[applefan75]

8 hours ago, seattleskibums said:

Choose to believe what you will, but your statement that jackets always are required for men after 6 p.m. simply is not true.  I can attest to that.  As stated above, I was provided a jacket on one occasion but removed it and hung it on the back of my chair before sitting down.  We also dined in La Dame on a "formal" night and I was seated without a jacket or tie.  Likewise in the bar after dinner.  Our point to nyc2pdx remains: Don't be intimidated by silly dress codes.

And I can attest to my experience which also follows what Silversea’s Setting Sail Guide says.  See below. You keep talking about formal nights; but Silversea has 3 levels of dress codes, casual, informal, and formal.  Only one of those, casual, does not require a jacket after 6, unless you are sticking to just a few of the dining venues.  Again, informal dress still requires a jacket.

 

“CLOTHING ABOARD THE SHIP
Silversea operates an on board dress code after 6pm, while during the day casual wear is appropriate for daytime and consists of standard sports outfits as worn at five-star resorts. Shoes should be flat or low heeled for deck activities. Evening wear falls into three categories: casual,informalandformal. Oncasualevenings,pants, blouses or casual dresses for women; open-neck shirts and slacks for men are appropriate. On informal evenings, women wear dresses or pantsuits; men wear jackets (tie optional). Appropriate formal wear for women is an evening gown or cocktail dress; men wear tuxedos, dinner jackets or dark suits. Tie is required.

 

On formal nights, guests may dine in La Terrazza and choose to dress informal. Same applies to Seishin and Stars on board Silver Spirit and Kaiseki and Silver Note on Muse. Dining
at The Grill is optional casual all nights. Same applies to Spaccanapoli on Muse. Following dinner, guests may take advantage of public spaces, however, jacket is required.”

[Gourmet Gal]

4 hours ago, applefan75 said:

And I can attest to my experience which also follows what Silversea’s Setting Sail Guide says.  See below. You keep talking about formal nights; but Silversea has 3 levels of dress codes, casual, informal, and formal.  Only one of those, casual, does not require a jacket after 6, unless you are sticking to just a few of the dining venues.  Again, informal dress still requires a jacket.

 

“CLOTHING ABOARD THE SHIP
Silversea operates an on board dress code after 6pm, while during the day casual wear is appropriate for daytime and consists of standard sports outfits as worn at five-star resorts. Shoes should be flat or low heeled for deck activities. Evening wear falls into three categories: casual,informalandformal. Oncasualevenings,pants, blouses or casual dresses for women; open-neck shirts and slacks for men are appropriate. On informal evenings, women wear dresses or pantsuits; men wear jackets (tie optional). Appropriate formal wear for women is an evening gown or cocktail dress; men wear tuxedos, dinner jackets or dark suits. Tie is required.

 

On formal nights, guests may dine in La Terrazza and choose to dress informal. Same applies to Seishin and Stars on board Silver Spirit and Kaiseki and Silver Note on Muse. Dining
at The Grill is optional casual all nights. Same applies to Spaccanapoli on Muse. Following dinner, guests may take advantage of public spaces, however, jacket is required.”

 Your steadfast adherence to the written rules are admirable but the reality as cited here by two first-hand accounts indicate the rules are flexible on-board and there are obviously work-arounds. It is what it is, so live and let live.

[applefan75]

53 minutes ago, Gourmet Gal said:

 Your steadfast adherence to the written rules are admirable but the reality as cited here by two first-hand accounts indicate the rules are flexible on-board and there are obviously work-arounds. It is what it is, so live and let live.

Hardly steadfast adherence.  Folks who choose Silversea expect their fellow travelers will abide by the dress code; for many that is why they’ve chosen Silversea.  They enjoy dressing for dinner and knowing a certain type of atmosphere in the evening will be maintained.  

 

Silversea might be flexible onboard, but it’s rude to think those expectations don’t apply just because your not being scolded.  If you don’t want to wear the jacket, then eat in a venue that doesn’t require it, or choose another line as there are plenty that welcome casual at all times.

 

The type of attitude expressed is an example of society these days thinking “the rules” don’t apply to them.

 

[seattleskibums]

1 hour ago, applefan75 said:

The type of attitude expressed is an example of society these days thinking “the rules” don’t apply to them.

Wow, so that's what's wrong with our society -- people just don't want to wear formal attire to please others. We're sorry that you think not adhering to a silly dress code is rude, but it in no way infringes on your being able to enjoy dressing up.  Gourmet Gal's advice is excellent: Live and let live. And try to relax if you notice me on one of your cruises dining without a jacket.

[applefan75]

26 minutes ago, seattleskibums said:

Wow, so that's what's wrong with our society -- people just don't want to wear formal attire to please others.

That’s hardly what I said, but the rest of your comment supports my statement.  Oh, and just because you think the dress code is silly, doesn’t mean other Silverseas guests do; most of them appreciate it.

[seattleskibums]

7 minutes ago, applefan75 said:

That’s hardly what I said, but the rest of your comment supports my statement.  Oh, and just because you think the dress code is silly, doesn’t mean other Silverseas guests do; most of them appreciate it.

We agree.  We never would presume what other Silversea guests thought.  We cruise Silversea because we like the itineraries, food and service.  Obviously, you also do.  You enjoy dressing up;  I don't.  There's room on the boat for everyone.  Nuff said.

[applefan75]

18 hours ago, seattleskibums said:

We agree.  We never would presume what other Silversea guests thought.  We cruise Silversea because we like the itineraries, food and service.  Obviously, you also do.  You enjoy dressing up;  I don't.  There's room on the boat for everyone.  Nuff said.

I agree, it’s all good.

 

I apologize for coming off as a pretentious jerk; it’s too easy given anonymity of the internet to take your frustrations out on others.  Apologies to both you and @Gourmet Gal.  Happy future sailing to you all.