One formal night cruise under 11 days

[Mymarina Bay]

When did they decide on only one formal night on cruises under 11 days. Expected the usual two on our upcoming Arcadia cruise. Its not worth packing formal attire for one night only.

[July morning]

When we were on Ventura in November for 10 nights we had 2 formal nights

[Mymarina Bay]

9 minutes ago, July morning said:

When we were on Ventura in November for 10 nights we had 2 formal nights

Presume then it must be a recent change for future cruises.

[yorkshirephil]

1 minute ago, Mymarina Bay said:

Presume then it must be a recent change for future cruises.

I am surprised at only one formal on an 11 night Arcadia cruise, however this seems to be the trend going forward. We had fewer than expected formal nights on our 19 night Aurora cruise last year. 

[Mymarina Bay]

6 minutes ago, yorkshirephil said:

I am surprised at only one formal on an 11 night Arcadia cruise, however this seems to be the trend going forward. We had fewer than expected formal nights on our 19 night Aurora cruise last year. 

Our cruise is 7 nights and it's usually 2 formal ie first sea day and last port day. However it was queried by a fellow cruiser and the reply from PO was only one on cruises under 11 days.

[kevcharben]

Yet we are on 14 night cruise in May and there are 4 formal nights

[yorkshirephil]

2 minutes ago, Mymarina Bay said:

Our cruise is 7 nights and it's usually 2 formal ie first sea day and last port day. However it was queried by a fellow cruiser and the reply from PO was only one on cruises under 11 days.

That is not what it says on the web site, however they get it wrong there sometimes.

Arvia and Iona:

2-10 nights – 1

11-14 nights – 2

15-19 nights – 3
 

Rest of fleet:

1-6 nights – 1

7-10 nights – 2

11-13 nights – 3

14-19 nights – 4

[AndyMichelle]

Just checked our cruise personaliser for our 7 night cruise tomorrow, definitely 2 formal nights. 

As you said, first sea day, last port day. 

Was worried then about having too many matching handbags😂

Andy 

Edited April 25 by AndyMichelle

[Dobbers]

On our upcoming Arcadia 16 night cruise we have 3 formal nights 🤔🤪

[david63]

1 hour ago, Mymarina Bay said:

When did they decide on only one formal night on cruises under 11 days. Expected the usual two on our upcoming Arcadia cruise. Its not worth packing formal attire for one night only.

Is it possibly something to do with the itinerary or possibly the number and timings of the ports?

[Angel57]

1 hour ago, Mymarina Bay said:

When did they decide on only one formal night on cruises under 11 days. Expected the usual two on our upcoming Arcadia cruise. Its not worth packing formal attire for one night only.

I’d take a second outfit as P&O have been known to get it wrong on the CP.

[Mymarina Bay]

I've double checked the CP and it's still showing one. Is the response from PO wrong as well ! Will see, we sail Saturday with/without formal attire will decide tomorrow.

[AndyMichelle]

11 minutes ago, Mymarina Bay said:

I've double checked the CP and it's still showing one. Is the response from PO wrong as well ! Will see, we sail Saturday with/without formal attire will decide tomorrow.

Oh absolutely wouldn't be a surprise if P&O are sending out wrong messages, it's a common theme... 

Whatever it is, have a great time. 

Andy 

[yorkshirephil]

14 minutes ago, Mymarina Bay said:

I've double checked the CP and it's still showing one. Is the response from PO wrong as well ! Will see, we sail Saturday with/without formal attire will decide tomorrow.

If I was a betting man I would say the P&O response is wrong, going by their website and my experience with P&O you could have three formals? Whatever you decide have a great cruise.

[kermchem]

On the recent 12 day Azura repositioning cruise from Tenerife to Malta in April the cruise personaliser definately said 4 formal nights in the weeks before the cruise, which turned out to be 2 when onboard.Shipboard and central communications not talking to each other?

[Cathygh]

We had 6 formals last year on Arcadia for a 3 week cruise, but only 3 had "special" meals. There were lots complaints at the lack of special meals, which P&O could interpret as lack of support for formals and reduce the number.

Edited April 26 by Cathygh

[Cruisemeister2002]

Last year we were on Ventura for 35 nights and had seven formals, this year we are trying Princess and for a 31 night cruise it's five formals. It causes me some confusion that Princess can do the pond crossing, both back and forth in five nights and yet P&O take six and last year due to missing the first port which was Burmuda it was ten nights, ghastly, as was the whole cruise. Also why don't P&O inform passengers of formal nights like Princess does, we knew it was five formals when we booked last year. O.K. they don't tell you which nights, but due to sail days you can hazard a good guess, like four of them will be two crossing and two coming back.

[Cruisemeister2002]

2 hours ago, Cathygh said:

We had 6 formals last year on Arcadia for a 3 week cruise, but only 3 had "special" meals. There were lots complaints at the lack of special meals, which P&O could interpret as lack of support for formals and reduce the number.

Some of these "Special" meals are no different to the normal meals and for a celebrity chef to put his name to them is a bit dodgy if you ask me. Since we started sailing back in 2002 P&O standards have dropped significantly and whilst some may say cruising is cheaper now if you take all the things that have gone it should be. 

[Mymarina Bay]

Decided to pack formal wear just in case there are two nights not one as stated on CP. Will report back.