New Dress Code

[Desperate to Sail]

Got notice this morning that a new dress code is rolling out to the fleet April 21. (Silver Shadow effective date delayed slightly.)

 

https://www.silversea.com/travel-informations/what-to-pack.html

 

I never minded the old guidelines. My only gripe was that the guidelines were not enforced. This update should help eliminate the controversy.   

[A Tucson Guy]

Hooray!!!!No more ties!!

[ak1004]

So this is what I read:

 

 

For people who sailed on the Nova, is this enforced? I know that even with the current dress code, people would still have dinner in the Grill without a jacket, but if I want to go to one of the lounges or see an evening show, will they turn me down?

[babydrum]

It looks like all they did was remove informal.  I thought you could enter some establishments without wearing slacks or dresses just not MDR but it looks like every evening I'd have to we something different than what I wear during the day.  Two outfits per day so I don't see much benefit.  At least formal is optional so I'll like just wear a dress or eat a lot of room service.

[tinaincc]

1 hour ago, ak1004 said:

So this is what I read:

 

 

For people who sailed on the Nova, is this enforced? I know that even with the current dress code, people would still have dinner in the Grill without a jacket, but if I want to go to one of the lounges or see an evening show, will they turn me down?

I read this as only on formal optional nights you will have to have a jacket however I too am curious what the practice is on Nova and soon to be Ray as those are the ships we will be on. 

[ak1004]

32 minutes ago, tinaincc said:

I read this as only on formal optional nights you will have to have a jacket however I too am curious what the practice is on Nova and soon to be Ray as those are the ships we will be on. 

 

On our two previous sailings (Dawn and Spirit) jackets were enforced only in the dining venues. You could see may men on the theater without jackets on informal and even formal nights. Hopefully it will stay this way.

[Gourmet Gal]

This is a welcome update.  

[southerngoose]

I thought that they would be more lenient on excursion cruises.  I'll be hiding in my room after 6pm.   I'm not bringing extra shoes and clothes just to be able to leave the room after 6pm.  That may not have been different before, but I heard there would be leniency.  Hopefully the talks are before 6pm or else someone may be traumatized by a sighting of my horrifying hiking shoes and waterproof pants.   I think I should be allowed to do excursion activities in excursion clothing.

[dawntrdr]

The new code (and in fact the old code) does/did not apply to Wind, Cloud, Endeavor and Origin - those are the expedition ships.  So, if you are on an expedition cruise (which is what I assumed you are referring to as "excursion cruise"), there should be no problem to wearing more casual clothes (although I note that men still may bring a jacket for the Venetian Society reception). 

Edited March 20 by dawntrdr
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[southerngoose]

@dawntrdr  Sorry...I did intend to say expedition cruise.   But that requires that you not wear "sneakers" or jeans indoors after 6pm.   I find that insane.   But I'm now locked in.    Maybe they can broadcast the talks so that I don't disturb people.    I can't imagine that people will be wearing "5 star resort sportswear" to Antarctica where you're dressed in attire suitable to go outside and hike...   At least we'll all be in the same 5 star resort bougie coat and elegant rubber boots with space to create "heath" inside the boot.    I don't recall the rules to be this strict when I booked.   Everyone said that everyone would be dressed comfortably for the landings and not to worry about it.

 

[Port Power]

18 minutes ago, southerngoose said:

@dawntrdr  Sorry...I did intend to say expedition cruise.   But that requires that you not wear "sneakers" or jeans indoors after 6pm.   I find that insane.   But I'm now locked in.    Maybe they can broadcast the talks so that I don't disturb people.    I can't imagine that people will be wearing "5 star resort sportswear" to Antarctica where you're dressed in attire suitable to go outside and hike...   At least we'll all be in the same 5 star resort bougie coat and elegant rubber boots with space to create "heath" inside the boot.    I don't recall the rules to be this strict when I booked.   Everyone said that everyone would be dressed comfortably for the landings and not to worry about it.

 

On Silver Wind around Antarctica, more than half the ship wore jeans to dinner along with sneakers.  In fact, 90% of passengers wore sneakers most nights.  Jumpers/pullovers rather than jackets.  In the tropics, no one wore shorts to the MDR at night, but they’re wore short sleeve button through shirts or polo tops.  Expedition ships are casual.  Some of us wore nicer slacks and tops, and even some dresses on occasion, for the very few dressier nights like the captain’s gala.

 

The talks were always before dinner, with cocktails on arrival.

Edited March 20 by Port Power

[Silver Spectre]

4 hours ago, ak1004 said:

So this is what I read:

 

 

For people who sailed on the Nova, is this enforced? I know that even with the current dress code, people would still have dinner in the Grill without a jacket, but if I want to go to one of the lounges or see an evening show, will they turn me down?

Not on the Spirit recently!

[Silver Spectre]

Quite frankly this along with the new fare structure accelerates the race down to the mass market lines.

[southerngoose]

@Port Power   Thank you...maybe there will be other people who choose that so that I'm not the only one.  It's not like we can bring 3 trunks of clothes with us!   My goal is to be warm and wear clothing to keep me safe (non slip and such) - not to look like a fashion plate.

[ak1004]

18 minutes ago, Silver Spectre said:

Quite frankly this along with the new fare structure accelerates the race down to the mass market lines.

 

Well, if the dress code is the criteria, then I guess Regent, SB, Explora and Crystal are all mass market lines!

[Gourmet Gal]

28 minutes ago, Silver Spectre said:

Quite frankly this along with the new fare structure accelerates the race down to the mass market lines.

Uh oh, here we go.  I posit that the dress code will not be the accelerant to a less than modern luxury experience.  It will be the pricing structure, the degradation of service, food, excursions and inclusions that will position SS as something less than its former stature - as one of the best of the best.  The complaints lodged here of late may or may not be what the total, true picture is and some of the problem may still be covid hangover impacting staffing and/or fairly rapid addition of new ships impacting staffing, service and food.  Hoping it’s just growing pains and not an abandonment of all that was good with the line.  
 

Not ready to jump ship quite yet but if I do it will not be in formal attire!

[jpalbny]

Apropos to this development, here is an excerpt from a message I received today. A friend is on Nova and this is his take on the dress code so far:

 

DRESS: Our first formal “optional” night, we arrived at Atlantide @ 8:15p and were given a table whereby we could see the coming and going of all guests. The venue was packed and only two couples arrived later than us. Out of 52 men, 25 were in tuxedos or suits, 24 in sports jackets with tie, and 3 in jackets with no ties. Jackets were worn through the entire meal, none were draped over a seat as has been reported elsewhere. We have one more formal “optional” night remaining.

 

All other nights are classified as “elegant casual”. This means for men, open collar shirts are acceptable, jackets are optional. Slacks are required as jeans and shorts are not allowed after 6:00p in indoor venues. Outdoor venues are always casual. We dined at the grill one evening and it was practically like being at a neighborhood barbecue party, with the vast majority of men in shirts without collars and at least half in t-shirts. I’d say at least one-third were wearing shorts as well, including a couple who apparently were allowed to dine in their swimwear.

 

Another evening we dined in SALT. Again, the venue was packed to the gills when we arrived @ 8:00p. I was taken aback by how poorly the men were dressed. Of the 63 I could count, 10 were literally allowed to wear t-shirts! Another 12 were in what I would categorize as golf shirts, and another 17 in short sleeve collared shirts. 14 wore dress shirts and no jacket while 8 wore a jacket. 2 wore a jacket and tie; me and a gentleman from Italy. It was like eating in a cheap Hilton or Ramada Inn dining room and I felt so out of place.

 

Last night we dined in Silver Note. Much smaller venue and only one table was open after we were seated @ 8:30p. 2 men in t-shirts, 4 in collared short sleeves, 11 in dress shirts without jacket, 1 in a Helly Hansen work out shirt, and 4 in a jacket without tie; me, an old chap days away from the grave, and a couple from the Netherlands.

 

All-in-all, and just as I feared, this dumbing down of the dress code on Silver Nova is heading toward the lowest common denominator in dress, and is taking SS away from the elegance and sartorial classiness that made it special.

[tinaincc]

2 minutes ago, jpalbny said:

Apropos to this development, here is an excerpt from a message I received today. A friend is on Nova and this is his take on the dress code so far:

 

DRESS: Our first formal “optional” night, we arrived at Atlantide @ 8:15p and were given a table whereby we could see the coming and going of all guests. The venue was packed and only two couples arrived later than us. Out of 52 men, 25 were in tuxedos or suits, 24 in sports jackets with tie, and 3 in jackets with no ties. Jackets were worn through the entire meal, none were draped over a seat as has been reported elsewhere. We have one more formal “optional” night remaining.

 

All other nights are classified as “elegant casual”. This means for men, open collar shirts are acceptable, jackets are optional. Slacks are required as jeans and shorts are not allowed after 6:00p in indoor venues. Outdoor venues are always casual. We dined at the grill one evening and it was practically like being at a neighborhood barbecue party, with the vast majority of men in shirts without collars and at least half in t-shirts. I’d say at least one-third were wearing shorts as well, including a couple who apparently were allowed to dine in their swimwear.

 

Another evening we dined in SALT. Again, the venue was packed to the gills when we arrived @ 8:00p. I was taken aback by how poorly the men were dressed. Of the 63 I could count, 10 were literally allowed to wear t-shirts! Another 12 were in what I would categorize as golf shirts, and another 17 in short sleeve collared shirts. 14 wore dress shirts and no jacket while 8 wore a jacket. 2 wore a jacket and tie; me and a gentleman from Italy. It was like eating in a cheap Hilton or Ramada Inn dining room and I felt so out of place.

 

Last night we dined in Silver Note. Much smaller venue and only one table was open after we were seated @ 8:30p. 2 men in t-shirts, 4 in collared short sleeves, 11 in dress shirts without jacket, 1 in a Helly Hansen work out shirt, and 4 in a jacket without tie; me, an old chap days away from the grave, and a couple from the Netherlands.

 

All-in-all, and just as I feared, this dumbing down of the dress code on Silver Nova is heading toward the lowest common denominator in dress, and is taking SS away from the elegance and sartorial classiness that made it special.

I know this is copied from a friend but wow, the energy required to “track” what others are doing to that level of detail is astounding. It seems like that level of focus on something other than enjoying a vacation is worse than someone in a t-shirt.

[ak1004]

6 minutes ago, tinaincc said:

I know this is copied from a friend but wow, the energy required to “track” what others are doing to that level of detail is astounding. It seems like that level of focus on something other than enjoying a vacation is worse than someone in a t-shirt.

 

Completely agree. I could never understand why some people are so obsessed with what other people wear..

[southerngoose]

For once, I'll be high class - at least I won't be in a bathing suit at dinner!   I also hope not to be someone who looks "days away from the grave"...I hope that guy is enjoying his cruise (what a way to go out!).

 

[Gourmet Gal]

He or she must be an accountant.

[DavyWavey70]

2 hours ago, jpalbny said:

Apropos to this development, here is an excerpt from a message I received today. A friend is on Nova and this is his take on the dress code so far:

 

DRESS: Our first formal “optional” night, we arrived at Atlantide @ 8:15p and were given a table whereby we could see the coming and going of all guests. The venue was packed and only two couples arrived later than us. Out of 52 men, 25 were in tuxedos or suits, 24 in sports jackets with tie, and 3 in jackets with no ties. Jackets were worn through the entire meal, none were draped over a seat as has been reported elsewhere. We have one more formal “optional” night remaining.

 

All other nights are classified as “elegant casual”. This means for men, open collar shirts are acceptable, jackets are optional. Slacks are required as jeans and shorts are not allowed after 6:00p in indoor venues. Outdoor venues are always casual. We dined at the grill one evening and it was practically like being at a neighborhood barbecue party, with the vast majority of men in shirts without collars and at least half in t-shirts. I’d say at least one-third were wearing shorts as well, including a couple who apparently were allowed to dine in their swimwear.

 

Another evening we dined in SALT. Again, the venue was packed to the gills when we arrived @ 8:00p. I was taken aback by how poorly the men were dressed. Of the 63 I could count, 10 were literally allowed to wear t-shirts! Another 12 were in what I would categorize as golf shirts, and another 17 in short sleeve collared shirts. 14 wore dress shirts and no jacket while 8 wore a jacket. 2 wore a jacket and tie; me and a gentleman from Italy. It was like eating in a cheap Hilton or Ramada Inn dining room and I felt so out of place.

 

Last night we dined in Silver Note. Much smaller venue and only one table was open after we were seated @ 8:30p. 2 men in t-shirts, 4 in collared short sleeves, 11 in dress shirts without jacket, 1 in a Helly Hansen work out shirt, and 4 in a jacket without tie; me, an old chap days away from the grave, and a couple from the Netherlands.

 

All-in-all, and just as I feared, this dumbing down of the dress code on Silver Nova is heading toward the lowest common denominator in dress, and is taking SS away from the elegance and sartorial classiness that made it special.

I Can picture him there with a tally chart 😁

[Port Power]

2 hours ago, tinaincc said:

I know this is copied from a friend but wow, the energy required to “track” what others are doing to that level of detail is astounding. It seems like that level of focus on something other than enjoying a vacation is worse than someone in a t-shirt.

 

1 hour ago, ak1004 said:

 

Completely agree. I could never understand why some people are so obsessed with what other people wear..

The person was observing for the particular reason of noting any change in dress standards. With all the comments for and against, it was worth the effort for concrete results.  I found his observations interesting.  
 

I’m sure he still enjoyed his holiday!

[DavyWavey70]

1 minute ago, Port Power said:

 

The person was observing for the particular reason of noting any change in dress standards. With all the comments for and against, it was worth the effort for concrete results.  I found his observations interesting.  
 

I’m sure he still enjoyed his holiday!

He’s having a great time.

[Host Jazzbeau]

1 hour ago, DavyWavey70 said:

He’s having a great time.

Can you quantify that?  🤣