Formal dress on Exhibition cruise

[Folkfan13]

We are packing for our Jan 4 cruise to the Antarctic on the Venture.    I assume that the "tux, coats" rule for Seabourn does not apply on an exhibition cruise, true?    If there are formal nights I haven't been able to find it documented.    I haven't found anything official that exhibition ships are more casual either.   Thanks in advance for any info.

[fudge]

If you mean an expedition cruise there is no formal dress code as such although some folks like us do make the effort and drees up when we think its appropriate.

[Folkfan13]

Yes, I meant an expedition cruise (Antarctica).    Normally I don't mind dressing for formal nights, but this cruise requires so much cold weather clothes (base layers, mid layers, gloves, thick socks, etc.) that trying to pack a sport coat or better is problematic.  Hoping to get by with just a pair of slacks, a dress shirt and sweater (maybe a tie) at most at dinner.

[FlyingScotSailors]

We were quite surprised that our Venture expedition cruise to Greenland in September had two formal nights during the two week cruise, the same as all Seabourn (non-expedition) cruises.  We would expect that the Venture in Antarctica would be similar and that you would need a "sport coat or better" for the Restaurant on formal nights.

 

Your cruise documents should list " two formal nights".

[saminina]

I would think it would be the opposite.  Zero formal.   Someone will show up with the official word.

[crunchii]

We're on the same cruise as Folkfan13, and the final document I downloaded says there will be two formal nights. (Actually, it says "Formal Optional Nights: 2." I wonder what that means...?)

 

So, do most women wear a different dress for each formal night or just wear the same dress?

[Covepointcruiser]

They won’t notice if you wear the same outfit.   My husband was fine with a blue blazer and tie for the more formal evenings.    We had very few underdressed passengers on our Greenland cruise.

[Folkfan13]

Our cruise documents did not have the 2 formal nights notification, but I contacted the travel agent (who also will be on the cruise as part of a small group) and she confirmed "Sport Coat and above" even on the Antarctic trip.  I will stuff in a coat in the luggage.    To crunchii, I'm sure one nice dress will be fine.   

 

Edited December 7, 2022 by Folkfan13
typo

[SLSD]

46 minutes ago, Folkfan13 said:

Our cruise documents did not have the 2 formal nights notification, but I contacted the travel agent (who also will be on the cruise as part of a small group) and she confirmed "Sport Coat and above" even on the Antarctic trip.  I will stuff in a coat in the luggage.    To crunchii, I'm sure one nice dress will be fine.   

 

My husband always wears a sports coat on our flight (hangs it up so he  doesn't wear it the entire time) and doesn't have to pack  at least one of his jackets.   

[frantic36]

25 minutes ago, SLSD said:

My husband always wears a sports coat on our flight (hangs it up so he  doesn't wear it the entire time) and doesn't have to pack  at least one of his jackets.   

My husband does the same🙂. The flight attendants are always good enough to return it to him at the end of the flight without him needing to ask.

[florisdekort]

On 12/6/2022 at 12:05 PM, Folkfan13 said:

We are packing for our Jan 4 cruise to the Antarctic on the Venture.    I assume that the "tux, coats" rule for Seabourn does not apply on an exhibition cruise, true?    If there are formal nights I haven't been able to find it documented.    I haven't found anything official that exhibition ships are more casual either.   Thanks in advance for any info.

There is no “tux, coats” rule on any Seabourn ship. The only ask is a dinner jacket in The Restaurant on formal-optional nights. That’s it. Many people on here confuse what the dress code is with what they would like it to be or what “my husband and I…” do. All of that is irrelevant. 

[SLSD]

46 minutes ago, florisdekort said:

There is no “tux, coats” rule on any Seabourn ship. The only ask is a dinner jacket in The Restaurant on formal-optional nights. That’s it. Many people on here confuse what the dress code is with what they would like it to be or what “my husband and I…” do. All of that is irrelevant. 

I think we sometimes have some confusion in terminology between the UK, Australia, the US and perhaps other places.  

 

Here is what Seabourn says (on their website) about appropriate dress for formal nights: 

 

"Formal

In the Restaurant, Men: Tuxedo, suit or slacks and jacket required. Ladies: evening gown or other formal apparel. Dress in other dining venues is Elegant Casual ." 

__________________

What this tells me is that men are asked to wear one of the following:  Tuxedo, business suit (lounge suit in the UK) or slacks and jacket (sports coat in the US).  

 

It says nothing about dinner jackets, but dinner jackets are akin to tuxedos I suppose and are also within the protocol. I've seen sharp white dinner jackets as well as other types worn with pants which compliment them in that they are a certain kind of dress pant.   Many men from the UK seem to favor them and they look fabulous.  I always love seeing them.  

 

Some may find this explanation helpful:  https://blacklapel.com/thecompass/how-and-when-to-wear-a-dinner-jacket-ultimate-guide/

 

Edited December 8, 2022 by SLSD

[Mr Luxury]

1 hour ago, SLSD said:

I think we sometimes have some confusion in terminology between the UK, Australia, the US and perhaps other places.  

 

Here is what Seabourn says (on their website) about appropriate dress for formal nights: 

 

"Formal

In the Restaurant, Men: Tuxedo, suit or slacks and jacket required. Ladies: evening gown or other formal apparel. Dress in other dining venues is Elegant Casual ." 

__________________

What this tells me is that men are asked to wear one of the following:  Tuxedo, business suit (lounge suit in the UK) or slacks and jacket (sports coat in the US).  

 

It says nothing about dinner jackets, but dinner jackets are akin to tuxedos I suppose and are also within the protocol. I've seen sharp white dinner jackets as well as other types worn with pants which compliment them in that they are a certain kind of dress pant.   Many men from the UK seem to favor them and they look fabulous.  I always love seeing them.  

 

Some may find this explanation helpful:  https://blacklapel.com/thecompass/how-and-when-to-wear-a-dinner-jacket-ultimate-guide/

 

Men from the UK do generally dress more formally than men from some other countries.

Geography does play its part. 

[lincslady]

I always thought that a tuxedo was what we in the UK call a dinner jacket?

[SLSD]

9 hours ago, lincslady said:

I always thought that a tuxedo was what we in the UK call a dinner jacket?

If you look at the article I posted, it does appear that a tuxedo and a dinner jacket are one and the same.  But, there are also white dinner jackets (worn with tux slacks) which are called dinner jackets in the US, not tuxedos.  There are also other kinds of dinner jackets (brocade, different colors etc) which I have always put in a different category from tuxedos.  

Edited December 9, 2022 by SLSD

[Hobar]

I’ll be wearing a new gold lame off-the-shoulder gown for our Venture cruise in 2023.  My wife is still undecided.  

[FlyingScotSailors]

Barry, does your old gown still fit?

 

[Hobar]

7 hours ago, FlyingScotSailors said:

Barry, does your old gown still fit?

 

You mean the one he was wearing when we met you for dinner in Saratoga? 🙂 

[FlyingScotSailors]

You both looked very nice, but it did rain a lot.

[Mr Luxury]

On 12/10/2022 at 4:14 AM, Hobar said:

I’ll be wearing a new gold lame off-the-shoulder gown for our Venture cruise in 2023.  My wife is still undecided.  

What's your suite number Honey😉

[florisdekort]

On 12/9/2022 at 8:45 AM, SLSD said:

If you look at the article I posted, it does appear that a tuxedo and a dinner jacket are one and the same.  But, there are also white dinner jackets (worn with tux slacks) which are called dinner jackets in the US, not tuxedos.  There are also other kinds of dinner jackets (brocade, different colors etc) which I have always put in a different category from tuxedos.  

A jacket is not a tuxedo. A jacket is a dinner jacket. Seabourn uses the term “tuxedo” for tuxedo. In the same sentence at that. And for years now, on all 15 Seabourn cruises we’ve been on, that’s precisely what Seabourn has required in The Restaurant on formal nights - a dinner jacket. I really don’t see the need to create confusion solely because you wish Seabourn was more formal. 
 

[SLSD]

15 minutes ago, florisdekort said:

A jacket is not a tuxedo. A jacket is a dinner jacket. Seabourn uses the term “tuxedo” for tuxedo. In the same sentence at that. And for years now, on all 15 Seabourn cruises we’ve been on, that’s precisely what Seabourn has required in The Restaurant on formal nights - a dinner jacket. I really don’t see the need to create confusion solely because you wish Seabourn was more formal. 
 

  I'm. not trying to create confusion at all.  I merely copied and pasted the protocol from the SB site and included a link to a website about dinner jackets.  Now, the website is from the US--so the terminology may be different--which is my entire point.  To us, in the US, a jacket is just that---a jacket--not a dinner jacket.  

 

I have never wished that SB was more formal or less formal.  

Edited December 11, 2022 by SLSD

[Flamin_June]

.... Maybe it is time to unlock the Dress Code thread and let lose the togs of war?.....

 

Once more unto the breeches, dear friends  - the thread that refuses to die and keeps on giving.

 

Just wear a jacket on Formal nights, something with long sleeves that can be worn over a shirt; mayhaps a cardigan will suffice....

[SLSD]

6 minutes ago, Flamin_June said:

.... Maybe it is time to unlock the Dress Code thread and let lose the togs of war?.....

 

Once more unto the breeches, dear friends  - the thread that refuses to die and keeps on giving.

 

Just wear a jacket on Formal nights, something with long sleeves that can be worn over a shirt; mayhaps a cardigan will suffice....

Exactly.  I have always been so surprised at the vitriol on this topic.  I thought that by posting the exact words from the SB site, it would be clear.  Evidently not!   All kinds of interpretations of words that seem clear to me, but obviously are interpreted differently by others.  I'm not criticizing that--just saying that it is so.  

[Folkfan13]

I just heard that Seabourn will come out with an announcement next week that formal clothes will not be required on their Expedition Cruises.    We may have to repack again to our original luggage plans, but I still hope this is true.