Dress Code

[Yarco]

:mad::eek: Any one else dismayed at the slipping of standards with P&O?

First ''no ties'' no semi formal nights and now Jeans are ok for casual nights.

To me part of the fun of cruising is dressing up--and for people who don't there is the Ocean Village!:confused:

While i think it is correct that anybody doing a P&O cruise, should enter the spirit & respect traditions regarding dress code, on formal and semi formal nights. I also think that people when deciding on what sort of cruise they wish to go on, look at other aspects such as itinerary sailing from & back to UK ports, and also what the cruise ship looks like.

 

I have chosen P&O to make my maiden cruise, because of their history good itinerary & Ventura because she's a clean and good looking ship.

I personally would reject Ocean Village, based purely on their hideous technicolour painted hulls, to me just as unacceptable as jeans on formal nights with P&O.

 

Mark

[Caribe Lagere]

I have chosen P&O to make my maiden cruise, because of their history good itinerary & Ventura because she's a clean and good looking ship.

I personally would reject Ocean Village, based purely on their hideous technicolour painted hulls, to me just as unacceptable as jeans on formal nights with P&O.

 

Mark

 

You're joking? Ventura? "Clean and good looking"? She looks like a cross between a pram and a block of flats. Ugly as sin. Although, I agree, Ocean Village are probably worse. Why not go on a real ship?

[StLucia]

While i think it is correct that anybody doing a P&O cruise, should enter the spirit & respect traditions regarding dress code, on formal and semi formal nights. I also think that people when deciding on what sort of cruise they wish to go on, look at other aspects such as itinerary sailing from & back to UK ports, and also what the cruise ship looks like.

 

I have chosen P&O to make my maiden cruise, because of their history good itinerary & Ventura because she's a clean and good looking ship.

I personally would reject Ocean Village, based purely on their hideous technicolour painted hulls, to me just as unacceptable as jeans on formal nights with P&O.

 

Mark

 

I agree there are many reasons for choosing a particular cruise, we actually chose our planned cruise for October for the same reasons as yourself. However this is our fourth cruise, we have actually been twice of Ocean Village, OV and OV2 and once on Carnival. All very different experiences, and I'm sure Ventura will be too. We really enjoyed OV and thought it represented excellent value for money. We found that the majority of people took the trouble and changed for dinner and did not wear scruffy jeans. We also enjoyed dressing up for formal nights on Carnival and from this decided to go one step further with pando. For tehnicolour hulls see NCL! Remember OV used to be pando's Arcadia!

[Yarco]

You're joking? Ventura? "Clean and good looking"? She looks like a cross between a pram and a block of flats. Ugly as sin. Although, I agree, Ocean Village are probably worse. Why not go on a real ship?

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder as they say, a block of flats is a term that could be applied to most cruise ships. for me Ventura is a very good looking ship (just my opinion), tell me what.s the definition of real ship?.

[soletread]

This subject comes up so often it is clearly an area of cruising many people feel strongly about.

 

I'm a youngish cruiser not yet being 40 and I love to dress up its all part of the fun planning the evening and getting changed for dinner.

 

I work in the fashion industry and tend to wear jeans often and to be frank when going on a cruise leave them all at home its nice to get away from them.

 

If I had my way jeans would be banned on cruises in eveings altogether like come on people lets be a bit more inventive.

 

I agree complete the likes of P&O should enforce the dress codes and stick to tradition if people want a relaxed laid back cruise do Ocean Village, NCL, carnival any off them but leave the traditional values alone.

 

I admit Informal can be a tough one for the ladies my wife has resently been shopping for informal outfits for our Top of World cruise on Arcadia in July and its hard to find dresses that are neither too over the top or too casual but I'm sure she will cope

 

In short I'm a tradionalist and be happy to see the cruise companies enforce dress code and stick to tradition

[Caribe Lagere]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder as they say, a block of flats is a term that could be applied to most cruise ships. for me Ventura is a very good looking ship (just my opinion), tell me what.s the definition of real ship?.

 

Howdy folks!

[Caribe Lagere]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder as they say, a block of flats is a term that could be applied to most cruise ships. for me Ventura is a very good looking ship (just my opinion), tell me what.s the definition of real ship?.

 

A liner, not a cruise ship.

 

Queen Elizabeth 2, not Queen Victora

 

Rex, not Costa whatevera

 

Canberra - not Arcadia II/III

 

United States - not some NCL thing.

 

Get the idea?

[StLucia]

I agree, beatuy is in the eye of the beholder. Yes her stern is rather odd, but she's new and clean and I'm one of the few fortunate people who will be cruising on her in her first season.

 

For people new to the experience the dress code is a worry. When we went on Carnival, which incidentally 'soletread' does have formal, we were really nervous when changing for dinner, but it turned out to be a wonderful experience with many people really 'going to town'. Those of you who cruise regularly have a thought for those of us who relish the opportunity of formal and semi formal but are nervous that we might get it wrong!

[The Monocled Mutineer]

I have sailed on both new cruise ships, not so new cruise ships as well as the liners.

 

Aesthetically, the grace of the liners from the outside cannot be overplayed. They are/were real beauties.

 

However, unless one spends the entire cruise being towed in a dinghy, to most passengers, they will be oblivious to the fact that they are sailing "in a block of flats" or on a design ikon like the Normandie or Canberra.

 

Also, on lower grade cabins, many "modern" cruisers would be shocked by what the QE2's and Canberra's of this world offer. Even the cheapest cabins on the modern cruise ships are light years ahead of the dismal "bottom-bunks" of old.

 

My advice for anyone sailing on an old ship (classic liner) - "Book the best grade cabin you can afford - don't try and "save" money.

 

In saying all that, I can recall two of the most pleasant cruises we were on were on the Caronia (Cunard) and Victoria (P&O's) - the ships interiors being particularly charming. Also the Canberra's Crow's Nest and the Bonito Club and Pool have never been surpassed on any ship since.

[Slow Foxtrot]

...... Also the Canberra's Crow's Nest and the Bonito Club and Pool have never been surpassed on any ship since.

 

Oriana was Canberra's natural successor and P & O did a splendid job on Oriana's 'Crow's Nest' which is surely one of the most beautiful rooms on any cruise ship/liner. But there's no doubt that Canberra had a warm personality that is lacking on many of today's vessels. Or maybe it was because we were all younger, cruising was more exclusive, and we have special memories of those days.

 

Foxy

[Yarco]

A liner, not a cruise ship.

 

Queen Elizabeth 2, not Queen Victora

 

Rex, not Costa whatevera

 

Canberra - not Arcadia II/III

 

United States - not some NCL thing.

 

Get the idea?

Most definitely, you could also add to this list Ocean Breeze (ex-Shaw Savill & Albions 'Southern Cross') the first passenger liner with her engines situated aft i believe. Or the 'Norway' ex-'France' both these vessels have now sadly gone for to be PC, recycling.

[southwinds]

I think its Carnival separating their UK ships. ( Brands if you like).. Cunard ( very formal) P&O semi formal.... and Ocean Village very casual... if you see what I mean

I think this way they have a cruise ship for all tastes.

So P&O now have a no tie on semi formal nights unlike Cunard that do still have ties on semi formal nights. They follow the old style cruising of port days semi formal and sea days formal. First and last night casual and maybe one theme night casual..

HOWEVER Bill still wears a tie on a semi formal night because I really HATE to see a shirt and jacket with no tie... to me it looks scruffy. unless its a shirt with an open style neck and no place to put a tie. The Italian sort of shirts..

Bill looks like comp with no tie and he is now retired so dosnt get much chance to wear his lovely silk ties that he has aquired over the years so they come out for cruises. THAT IS WHAT WE LIKE ABOUT CRUISING dressing for dinner.

[southwinds]

Forgot to say when we started cruising in 1995 it was 5 formals 6 semi formal and 3 casual nights ...

[Deeliteful]

It seems Dress codes always cause a debate. Take a look at the Celebrity one ongoing at the moment.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=731330

 

IMO - I do enjoy dressing up on both formal and semi-formal nights. As I found out when we introduced casual dress on Fridays in my business - some people equate casual with scruffy.

 

As they say - you can't please all of the people all of the time.

 

Enjoy your cruises.

 

Pat