cruise OMG

Bluebelle Why would your friend help dress "old people" on her cruise?

We have been on several cruises. We are not rich but tend to take last minute bookings which means the cost is similar to what we might spend on a package holiday anyway. We do live near Southampton which makes making last minute arrangements easier and we know lots of friends do the same.
I think the cruise companies have changed a lot in the last few years in order to appeal to a wider mix of people. There has been the odd occasion when we have been seated next to people who are obviously better off than we are but have never met anybody we could call snobbish.
As Tee time said we would normally change for dinner in a hotel anyway and during the day everyone wears what they would normally wear on holiday.
Off course things could go wrong as they could on any holiday. - Bad weather etc, but everyone I know who has tried a cruise has enjoyed it. Even the ones who didn't think they would like it.

We are going on our first cruise in May with Holland America - they have said their are no formal nights but we would change and wear something a bit smarter for dinner in a hotel or restaurant anyway when on holiday. I'm not worried about the people both of us make a big effort to get along with most people.

Ethel I m with you all the way I ve never cruised and I don't expect I ever will so I really shouldnt comment but your post sounds so similar to how I think ......I believe I am a smart person but in a more casual way ......... a long black skirt as a poster above has suggested would never be part of my attire in fact I haven't worn skirts or dresses since I was about 30 I can't bear being in the company of snobs I d rather be with a dozen homeless and whilst I totally accept that many aren't snobs I m sure if you have the money for regular cruises we would have nothing in common

I don't do formal dinners but the very thought of a two tiered system where you can go to the 'other' restaurant appauls me

My friend (who's not posh) is a cruise fanatic but some of the tales she has told me have put me off big time mind you I don't have her thousands to pay on holidays either, she has been completely diverted because of bad weather, had razor wire on the decks when they were in pirate waters off Africa, the last one she arrived in Cuba as Castro died so everything shut down and she talks about the 'old people' she helps dress etc on the Saga cruise she went on

The thing is if you don't fit in or don't like it you are trapped

I too have wondered if the river cruises are less formal Anyone have any experience?

Which cruise line is this very reasonably priced cruise with ethelbags?

I'm put off river cruising by the fact moorings are at a premium so boats "double park" and you have to climb across one or two other boats to reach shore.

I asked this question a month or so ago because I fancied the Norwegian cruse and was assured dressing up is not compulsory. I have signed up for it now and there is no way DP or I would have done that if we thought we had to go formal on any night. I blame the cruise web sites, they make too fuss about "dress code" and don't seem to realise they are actually putting some people off.

Just a thought, total guesswork as I have never been on a cruise, are river cruises less formal than ocean cruises? Is your intended cruise an ocean type ethel?
Quite fancy the idea of a river cruise, no endless days at sea and hopefully not the amount of having to get tarted up to mingle with 'igh falutin' types.

Ethel, I felt just like you before we went on our first and only cruise last April. For 2 pins I would have cancelled right up to the last minute! On the first night we went to the "posh" dining room, although it was casual that night. We enjoyed our meal, but a couple of the people we`d be eating with each mealtime really got on our nerves, so we ate at the much more casual self service restaurant for the rest of the week, and it was much more enjoyable, and no fixed mealtimes, well, they specify how long they`re open, but there`s plenty of time to come when you feel like it within those times. I enjoyed it actually, it was my husband, the one who REALLY wanted a cruise, who didn`t. So I say, you go, and if your friend wants to eat with the snobs, let her, you don`t have to go with her all the time!

In my view it depends on the cruise line. Many are very relaxed, others very traditional and formal. I agree, P&O is somewhere in the middle. We choose Freedom dining which avoids set dining times. Often have breakfast in our cabin and use the alternative dining venues. For formal nights I just aim to look smart, trousers or a skirt with a nice top are fine, as is a knee length or longer dress. All cruise operators have web sites, have a look at the comments section for real life experiences and their dress codes etc. Why not try one? You've little to lose and may dj f you enjoy it

Only been on one cruise, that was enough for me. I was bored and a bit stir crazy as well. The dressing up got boring. There was a place you could eat supposedly without dressing but people still looked smart to me. The inspections when you came back on board after a visit (supposedly an anti-terrorist measure) were to stop anyone bringing cheap booze on. We did suffer a force nine gale outside Lisbon and I was sicker than I have ever been. After that we sometimes just ordered room service-limited menu- and ate in our cabin in our jammies! Also I think it's a bit creepy and old fashioned to have men employed to dance with the ladies who are on their own, but some seemed to love it! Not an experience I would want to repeat.

Absolute rubbish! Dont know where that info came from. You can wear what you like as on most ships there is informal dining as alternative.
We've been on several different ships and my partner hates dressing up. Even in the main dining room he just wore casual trousers and a short sleeved shirt.
Go all inclusive. You do not have to tip. You can go to reception and tell them to remove the daily tip charge.
We dont drink alcohol by choice so therefore it was really inclusive for us as tea coffee etc always freely available

I agree with sunseeker. P&O are middle of the range and I have not found the people snobby.

You can!!! It depends on the line you go with. There are more formal ships but many are largely much more relaxed. And even the posh nights you can choose not to eat in the main restaurant and eat in a more relaxed restaurant elsewhere on the ships. Last time we went to one or two formal evenings, but quite honestly I began to loose the will to live listening to some conversations and we had so much fun and relaxed time in the less formal restaurants. Although we did also eat quite often in the specialised restaurants where you are guaranteed a table for two.

For heavens sake don't worry about your apparel - life's too short - I never notice what anyone is wearing. Get a reasonably evening type frock or trousers and top, or two and go for it. Try anything once we are a long time dead.

A long(black) skirt and pretty top is perfectly good for a formal evening.If your dresses are from Asda,my tops are from charity shops where you can often snap up designer ones if you so desire.

I went on a cruise alone, I found most people were friendly and not at all "snobby". Dressing for dinner is just being smart - same as if you were going to a posh restaurant. You don't need a ballgown!! I went with P&O and if you didn't want to dress for dinner there was a cafe where you could wear whatever you wanted. The only extras I had to pay were for drinks and excursions. Tipping is optional. I am sure you could find a cruise line which was less formal.

can anyone tell me why its so formal, why we cant just laze around in comfortable clothes. I just regarded a cruise as a journey/voyage to get to somewhere you want to be until someone told me I would have to dress up. I'm not going, my friend who is a 'dressy piece' can find another snob to go with, I want to be accepted as |I am with no need to dress up to impress anyone.

We've cruised and my biggest problem to be honest was boredom. We are very active and got stir crazy on the days at sea. But I wouldn't worry about snobbery - I always think people who are up themselves are not my choice of companion, imagine how boring they'd be. Just blank them.

I have done a few cruises now. The people are not at all snobby. You get the odd one or two that have been on every cruise to every place but just ignore them. During the day dress is casual. There are usually one or two evenings, depending on the length of cruise, when you dress for dinner. Ebay is an excellent place to look for evening dresses, long or short, whatever you like. Some people don't bother. But it is nice to do so and most people do. There are lots of things to do on board and the food is wonderful. Just go, make the most of the opportunity and enjoy it.

Yes it's true ethel we went on the QM2 along with 1500 fellow snobs