Saturday Mail

[Stephen]

It really all comes down to personal standards

Some people can put on an Hugo Boss suit and still look like a bucket of sh*t tied up in the middle, others can look extremely smart in chinos and a Fred Perry.
I'm sure that DK looks gorgeous in his Mat Alan suits and his Primani jackets.

The real crux comes with the lowering of standards to the degree where scruffy becomes acceptable.
That is the danger, and if allowed to happen, will alienate the core customers.

Just walk around your local supermarket and see what some think is fine to go out in. Takes your breath away.
The sites you see when you haven't got your gun with you

Barney you old dog, that did make me laugh.
No offence meant to you DK, it's just my sense of humour

[Dark Knight]

me too Stephen
though I did have to ask google what primani was?

[Mervyn and Trish]

This figure of 70% has been plucked out of the air over a statistically insignificant sample of customers. It appears to me that the sample was selected in order to get the desired results, as is common in many such cases. If you ask people who like dressing up whether they like the dress codes then of course they are going to say that they like them. Just because it's in the Daily Mail doesn't make it true.

Are you Scottish Bob, because that's pretty much the SNP's reaction to the decisive "no" response in the referendum - i.e it actually means "yes".

Would you have been so dismissive of the survey if its result had supported your view?

It really doesn't matter if 30% of the population don't want to cruise with lines like P&O because formality doesn't suit them. 70% of the population is a big enough market for anyone.

[Dark Knight]

reading the link
the director of cruise.co. whatever
said it was people of a certain age who like to dress up as it is the only chance they get
now whatever does that mean?

[Quizzical Bob]

This figure of 70% has been plucked out of the air over a statistically insignificant sample of customers. It appears to me that the sample was selected in order to get the desired results, as is common in many such cases. If you ask people who like dressing up whether they like the dress codes then of course they are going to say that they like them. Just because it's in the Daily Mail doesn't make it true.

Are you Scottish Bob, because that's pretty much the SNP's reaction to the decisive "no" response in the referendum - i.e it actually means "yes".

Would you have been so dismissive of the survey if its result had supported your view?

It really doesn't matter if 30% of the population don't want to cruise with lines like P&O because formality doesn't suit them. 70% of the population is a big enough market for anyone.

Oh for goodness's sake, it is not 70% of the population.

[oldbluefox]

I know what you mean Merv.

As DK says, 'as usual it is always somebody else who has to adapt to suit the needs of a few'. I can't disagree with him.

[Quizzical Bob]

reading the link
the director of cruise.co. whatever
said it was people of a certain age who like to dress up as it is the only chance they get
now whatever does that mean?

Yeah, like, I've read the link several times and I can't find anything about the source of this poll. The person you are referring to is Sukie Rapal, marketing director of cruise.co.uk, but without investigating the source of this poll we cannot comment on the sample of 1500 customers that were selected for it. It is not enough to announce a figure without providing the source data.

It's clearly not the only chane that anyone gets to dress up, they could do it at the opera, theatre, restaurant, supermarket, fish and chip shop... The fact that they don't do it any more than they have to implies that they don't want to.

[Quizzical Bob]

I know what you mean Merv.

As DK says, 'as usual it is always somebody else who has to adapt to suit the needs of a few'. I can't disagree with him.

I'm confused by some of the logic on here. Who has to adapt to the needs of the few? I don't think anybody has said that. Surely in the case of frmal nights it is those who don't want to tart up who have to adapt to the whims of the others?

[Mervyn and Trish]

I know what you mean Merv.

As DK says, 'as usual it is always somebody else who has to adapt to suit the needs of a few'. I can't disagree with him.

I'm confused by some of the logic on here. Who has to adapt to the needs of the few? I don't think anybody has said that. Surely in the case of frmal nights it is those who don't want to tart up who have to adapt to the whims of the others?

No Bob. There are alternative dining venues open to those who insist on going on a formal cruise line but don't want to dress up. Why should they instead demand (as they do on this and other forums regularly) that the cruise line change its policy to match their preference. It's been said before but I'll say it again as the casual militants don't seem to get it - OTHER CRUISE LINES ARE AVAILABLE!

[Dark Knight]

the logic being, that when a person ,such as yourself ,takes part in a formal night ,that is you accepting the majority opinion and dressing up to meet the expectations of that majority
on formal nights ,people like yourself, who do not want to dress up BUT go on a formal cruise, then moan about formal nights are in the minority.
so for you to get your way, the majority would have to adapt to the minority
IE the majority that like formal nights dressing down to accommodate you and your ilk , who don't

the solution QBob is very ,very simple
Don't go on a formal cruise, as you are the minority and don't expect that to change ,unless you change cruise lines

[Stephen]

the logic being, that when a person ,such as yourself ,takes part in a formal night ,that is you accepting the majority opinion and dressing up to meet the expectations of that majority
on formal nights ,people like yourself, who do not want to dress up BUT go on a formal cruise, then moan about formal nights are in the minority.
so for you to get your way, the majority would have to adapt to the minority
IE the majority that like formal nights dressing down to accommodate you and your ilk , who don't

the solution QBob is very ,very simple
Don't go on a formal cruise, as you are the minority and don't expect that to change ,unless you change cruise lines

Blimey DK, you're not a love child of Bamber Gascoigne by any chance

[oldbluefox]

I know what you mean Merv.

As DK says, 'as usual it is always somebody else who has to adapt to suit the needs of a few'. I can't disagree with him.

I'm confused by some of the logic on here. Who has to adapt to the needs of the few? I don't think anybody has said that. Surely in the case of frmal nights it is those who don't want to tart up who have to adapt to the whims of the others?

There's no confusion. The dress code is clear. It is only those 'who don't want to tart up' who seem to have the problem. Everybody else accepts the dress code.

DK is right.

[Mervyn and Trish]

the logic being, that when a person ,such as yourself ,takes part in a formal night ,that is you accepting the majority opinion and dressing up to meet the expectations of that majority
on formal nights ,people like yourself, who do not want to dress up BUT go on a formal cruise, then moan about formal nights are in the minority.
so for you to get your way, the majority would have to adapt to the minority
IE the majority that like formal nights dressing down to accommodate you and your ilk , who don't

the solution QBob is very ,very simple
Don't go on a formal cruise, as you are the minority and don't expect that to change ,unless you change cruise lines

Ah but you're missing the point Batty. Bob's not in the minority. The Daily Mail lied. Only 70% of the people surveyed enjoyed formal cruising. And all those who weren't surveyed would have said they hated it if they'd only been asked.

And all those people who dress up on formal nights are also lying. And any minute he's also going to tell you there aren't any informal cruise lines sailing from his preferred departure point. So of course all those lines who still offer formal nights are being fooled by the liars too!

Once those cruise lines find out what people really want and alternate scruffy nights with onesie nights I might have to join you on sleazy cruise. It'll be the poshest one left, and by then you'll have probably actually made your first ten bob!

[Mervyn and Trish]

DK is right.

Careful Foxy. You'll make him big-headed!

[oldbluefox]

We have to make the most of it Mervyn. It doesn't happen very often.

[Manoverboard]

So, reading through this Topic it seems, to me, as though the diehards are once again clinging on to Formality in exactly the same way as they hung on to the notion that Freedom dining wouldn't catch on.

Give it time chaps and the Penguin rules will certainly be relaxed ... shall we say two to three years ?

[oldbluefox]

The Hornets stand more chance of promotion. Just wishful thinking Mob but no harm in dreaming.

[Manoverboard]

The Hornets stand more chance of promotion. Just wishful thinking Mob but no harm in dreaming.

Nope, tis not wishful thinking.

We adhere to the ' Formality ' rules but we would doubtless change them if it were within our remit ... I personally believe that the majority of P&O's customers feel the same way. It is after all a holiday not a ' do ' at the Dorchester Hotel.

ps ... The Hornets and those mighty Rams will be promoted, the Foxes sadly will be relegated

[Marie Lloyd]

It's been said before but I'll say it again as the casual militants don't seem to get it - OTHER CRUISE LINES ARE AVAILABLE!

I have said it before but no-one ever gives me an answer: Which cruise lines have a casual dress code and sail in and out of the UK, have entertainment geared to British tastes, including the lecture programme and classical music cruises and have ships no bigger than Aurora and Oriana with plenty of balcony cabins? These are the reasons we sail P&O. I haven't found another line that compares on these criteria.

[oldbluefox]

I'm afraid that choosing any cruise line has to be a 'best fit' scenario. There are features of P&O which do not match what I want but overall they do pretty well and fulfil most of what I like. Let's face it, on a 14 night cruise there are only 4 formal nights and there is an option to dine in the buffet if anyone feels so strongly formal nights are not for them. Nobody forces anyone to take part. However I do believe Seabourn have a casual dress code, sail from UK etc.

Considering that the majority of people do adhere to the formal dress code, Mob's notion that all will change in two to three years is but pie in the sky.

[Marie Lloyd]

[quote I do believe Seabourn have a casual dress code, sail from UK etc.][/quote]

Seabourn do not have a casual only dress code and I can't find any of their 2015 cruises that sail in and out of UK. Only lines with casual dress code that I can find are Azamara, NCL and Costa. We would not consider either NCL or Costa - we prefer something rather more sedate! Azamara does appeal and does sail into or out of UK but not both - you have to fly one way - and they only seem to visit UK in the height of the summer season. We like to cruise in the Spring or Autumn and stay home through the Summer.

I know there is no way out of having to dress up and we always follow the dress code but we are doing a full world cruise next year and the thought of 30 formal nights is daunting. We will probably have room service on many of them unless there is a particular show we want to see.

[jay-ell71]

Regent have an elegant casual dress code and so does Oceania. DJs never required but jackets are "suggested". Oceania sails out of Southampton and I believe Dover just a few times a season.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I know there is no way out of having to dress up and we always follow the dress code but we are doing a full world cruise next year and the thought of 30 formal nights is daunting. We will probably have room service on many of them unless there is a particular show we want to see.

But there is a way out of having to dress up and you've identified it Marie - eat somewhere other than the MDR on those nights - and there are plenty of good choices as well as room service. Frankly if it was me (and it isn't because we can't afford it) I'd probably want a change from the MDR from time to time on a world cruise anyway. But actually if I did have the money and was "daunted" by the prospects of 30 nights of my holiday I'd spend the cash on something I knew I would like every minute of.

[Quizzical Bob]

I know there is no way out of having to dress up and we always follow the dress code but we are doing a full world cruise next year and the thought of 30 formal nights is daunting. We will probably have room service on many of them unless there is a particular show we want to see.

But there is a way out of having to dress up and you've identified it Marie - eat somewhere other than the MDR on those nights - and there are plenty of good choices as well as room service. Frankly if it was me (and it isn't because we can't afford it) I'd probably want a change from the MDR from time to time on a world cruise anyway. But actually if I did have the money and was "daunted" by the prospects of 30 nights of my holiday I'd spend the cash on something I knew I would like every minute of.

Not possible on Adonia.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I know there is no way out of having to dress up and we always follow the dress code but we are doing a full world cruise next year and the thought of 30 formal nights is daunting. We will probably have room service on many of them unless there is a particular show we want to see.

But there is a way out of having to dress up and you've identified it Marie - eat somewhere other than the MDR on those nights - and there are plenty of good choices as well as room service. Frankly if it was me (and it isn't because we can't afford it) I'd probably want a change from the MDR from time to time on a world cruise anyway. But actually if I did have the money and was "daunted" by the prospects of 30 nights of my holiday I'd spend the cash on something I knew I would like every minute of.

Not possible on Adonia.

Then don't go on Adonia. OTHER SHIPS ARE AVAILABLE!