Clueless first-timer needs advice about cruises please

On Wed, 04 Aug 2004 05:43:02 GMT, "William Coleman"
wrote:


shorts in the dining room does not show good taste nor common sense.
Especially when the appropriate dress for the evening is spelled out for you
by the cruiseline, and you know that before you even leave for your holiday.

Bill

You miss the point .... I'm not against *a* dress code, that's only
common sense, and applies everywhere. I'm just against *all* cruisers
having to lug around heavy and bulky suits and jackets simply to
satisfy those who cannot digest a meal unless formally dressed.

Not all travellers come from their homes with baggage all neatly taken
care of on every step of the way. Some of us have to travel half-way
around the globe to get to the cruise ship, and have any number of
places where carrying baggage by hand is the only viable option. We
already have to jetison much in the interests of space and weight and
it's ludicrous to expect everyone to have to dress up like a peacock
when "neat casual" would be more than adequate.

I have never travelled without something respectable to dine in, but
this blanket, over-the-top approach, is just plain inconsiderate.

It seems to have entirely escaped several people's attention that I am
not advocating sloppy dress, nor am I suggesting everyone has to lower
their standards to an unacceptable degree. All I suggest is that there
are hundreds of people on a cruise ship, and not all want to join the
penguin parade. Why is it such a hard concept to understand that all
tastes can be catered for ??? Why should the pretentious snobs be
given preference?

We manage to allow people to choose their excursions, choose their
menus, choose their cabins, choose their destinations etc etc etc. Why
not allow people to choose their dining habits as well, especially
when they're on holiday. Heavens ... I'm not even *packing* a pair of
shorts on my cruise!

Bob T.

On Wed, 04 Aug 2004 05:48:25 GMT, "William Coleman"
wrote:


Didn't you say in an earlier post that you have yet to take your first
cruise? In your reply above you make it sound like you have taken cruises
before. If you haven't cruised before how do you now that cruising "IS" your
cup of tea? I have to agree with Tom that it a cruise may not be your cup of
tea.

I don't think one necessarily has to have cruised to know whether it's
what suits. I have travelled independently, on bus tours and now I'm
trying ships. There is no doubt that for my purposes (i.e. to see
certain places and minimise moving bags and myself from hotel to
hotel) a cruise is the best option. However, just as there are
drawbacks to every form of holiday, it seems that cruising too has
it's share of negatives - one of which is this dress-up policy on some
ships.

I think it depends on why you cruise. To some, the cruise is the focus
- in fact an end in itself, whereas for others it is a means to an
end. Some travel to cruise - others cruise to travel.

You also shouldn't get all riled up with the RTC posters because of their
responses. You can post the same questions on www.cruisecritic.com and
you'll basically get the same kind of replies.

Nah .... I'm nowhere *near* riled up. 8*)

I've read a lot of cruising comments, and a lot of negativity about
the penguin nights. I'll be happy to avoid those nights by eating at
an alternative venue, but it would be fairer if the options were not
so biased in favour of what is, in many ways, an anachronistic habit.
I notice that many ships are changing this approach these days, just
as a suit and tie is no more the standard for office wear.

I think, in time, this sort of pretentiousness will become less
popular as the younger age groups turn to cruising and the old school
dies out. One can hope so anyway.

Bob T.

On Wed, 04 Aug 2004 05:48:25 GMT, "William Coleman"
wrote:


Didn't you say in an earlier post that you have yet to take your first
cruise? In your reply above you make it sound like you have taken cruises
before. If you haven't cruised before how do you now that cruising "IS" your
cup of tea? I have to agree with Tom that it a cruise may not be your cup of
tea.

I don't think one necessarily has to have cruised to know whether it's
what suits. I have travelled independently, on bus tours and now I'm
trying ships. There is no doubt that for my purposes (i.e. to see
certain places and minimise moving bags and myself from hotel to
hotel) a cruise is the best option. However, just as there are
drawbacks to every form of holiday, it seems that cruising too has
it's share of negatives - one of which is this dress-up policy on some
ships.

I think it depends on why you cruise. To some, the cruise is the focus
- in fact an end in itself, whereas for others it is a means to an
end. Some travel to cruise - others cruise to travel.

You also shouldn't get all riled up with the RTC posters because of their
responses. You can post the same questions on www.cruisecritic.com and
you'll basically get the same kind of replies.

Nah .... I'm nowhere *near* riled up. 8*)

I've read a lot of cruising comments, and a lot of negativity about
the penguin nights. I'll be happy to avoid those nights by eating at
an alternative venue, but it would be fairer if the options were not
so biased in favour of what is, in many ways, an anachronistic habit.
I notice that many ships are changing this approach these days, just
as a suit and tie is no more the standard for office wear.

I think, in time, this sort of pretentiousness will become less
popular as the younger age groups turn to cruising and the old school
dies out. One can hope so anyway.

Bob T.

You can rent formal attire that is delivered to your stateroom and
picked up. I did this on my last cruise and it worked well but I'll
probably bring a suit from now on. My concern about formal nights is
that other than dinner and the photos there was nothing formal about the
evening. There were folks in the main dining room of the Millie dressed
casual and nothing was said or done. I didn't care one way or the other.

Allen and Diana

Bob Thomas wrote:
On 3 Aug 2004 09:13:54 -0700, (Lee) wrote:



Is it really so hard for you to comprehend that some folks actually
ENJOY dressing up a bit while on holiday?

I think the snobbery goes both ways.


I'd be happy enough to dress up if they provided the clothes on board
- but I (literally) struggle to carry baggage half way around the
world, and to have to carry the additional bulk of a suit and
accessories just because casual gear offends some is just a total
irritation. I have no objection to having an optional 'formal" night
for those who like that sort of thing, or even different eating times
for the 'dress up" set. However, to expect everyone to play dress-ups
is just as bad as expecting everyone to wear shorts.

Live and let live is my philosophy - why we can't all do our own thing
comfortably without being pressured into this pretentiousness isn't
snobbishness - it's just a more relaxed approach to life.

Bob T.

You sound like a Norwegian Cruiser for sure! Your email could be used as
an ad for them!

Julie

Bob Thomas wrote:
On Wed, 04 Aug 2004 05:43:02 GMT, "William Coleman"
wrote:


shorts in the dining room does not show good taste nor common sense.
Especially when the appropriate dress for the evening is spelled out for you
by the cruiseline, and you know that before you even leave for your holiday.

Bill

You miss the point .... I'm not against *a* dress code, that's only
common sense, and applies everywhere. I'm just against *all* cruisers
having to lug around heavy and bulky suits and jackets simply to
satisfy those who cannot digest a meal unless formally dressed.

Not all travellers come from their homes with baggage all neatly taken
care of on every step of the way. Some of us have to travel half-way
around the globe to get to the cruise ship, and have any number of
places where carrying baggage by hand is the only viable option. We
already have to jetison much in the interests of space and weight and
it's ludicrous to expect everyone to have to dress up like a peacock
when "neat casual" would be more than adequate.

I have never travelled without something respectable to dine in, but
this blanket, over-the-top approach, is just plain inconsiderate.

It seems to have entirely escaped several people's attention that I am
not advocating sloppy dress, nor am I suggesting everyone has to lower
their standards to an unacceptable degree. All I suggest is that there
are hundreds of people on a cruise ship, and not all want to join the
penguin parade. Why is it such a hard concept to understand that all
tastes can be catered for ??? Why should the pretentious snobs be
given preference?

We manage to allow people to choose their excursions, choose their
menus, choose their cabins, choose their destinations etc etc etc. Why
not allow people to choose their dining habits as well, especially
when they're on holiday. Heavens ... I'm not even *packing* a pair of
shorts on my cruise!

Bob T.

--
Julie
**********
Check out my Travel Pages (non-commercial) at
http://www.dragonsholm.org/travel.htm

You sound like a Norwegian Cruiser for sure! Your email could be used as
an ad for them!

Julie

Bob Thomas wrote:
On Wed, 04 Aug 2004 05:43:02 GMT, "William Coleman"
wrote:


shorts in the dining room does not show good taste nor common sense.
Especially when the appropriate dress for the evening is spelled out for you
by the cruiseline, and you know that before you even leave for your holiday.

Bill

You miss the point .... I'm not against *a* dress code, that's only
common sense, and applies everywhere. I'm just against *all* cruisers
having to lug around heavy and bulky suits and jackets simply to
satisfy those who cannot digest a meal unless formally dressed.

Not all travellers come from their homes with baggage all neatly taken
care of on every step of the way. Some of us have to travel half-way
around the globe to get to the cruise ship, and have any number of
places where carrying baggage by hand is the only viable option. We
already have to jetison much in the interests of space and weight and
it's ludicrous to expect everyone to have to dress up like a peacock
when "neat casual" would be more than adequate.

I have never travelled without something respectable to dine in, but
this blanket, over-the-top approach, is just plain inconsiderate.

It seems to have entirely escaped several people's attention that I am
not advocating sloppy dress, nor am I suggesting everyone has to lower
their standards to an unacceptable degree. All I suggest is that there
are hundreds of people on a cruise ship, and not all want to join the
penguin parade. Why is it such a hard concept to understand that all
tastes can be catered for ??? Why should the pretentious snobs be
given preference?

We manage to allow people to choose their excursions, choose their
menus, choose their cabins, choose their destinations etc etc etc. Why
not allow people to choose their dining habits as well, especially
when they're on holiday. Heavens ... I'm not even *packing* a pair of
shorts on my cruise!

Bob T.

--
Julie
**********
Check out my Travel Pages (non-commercial) at
http://www.dragonsholm.org/travel.htm

Bob Thomas wrote:
I think it depends on why you cruise. To some, the cruise is the focus
- in fact an end in itself, whereas for others it is a means to an
end. Some travel to cruise - others cruise to travel.

I think this makes it clear that you don't understand cruises (or rather,
mass market cruises). Cruising to travel is a little absurd, unless there
is no other option.

I've done cruises in the Caribbean and I've done land vacations in the
Carribbean. Even for the person (like me) who researches the islands,
sets off on their own, goes places that the canned excursions are not going,
this is a very very poor way to see a new place. You cannot get a taste for
it, the whole culture changes when the cruise ship docks, and you don't have
nearly enough time.

Cruising, as you will discover, is primarily about the ship, even on the
port intensive cruises. And it is primarily about the society on the ship,
the entertainment, the venues.

Which does not even begin to address the dress code issue, on which I am
closer to you than you think.

Julie
--
Julie
**********
Check out my Travel Pages (non-commercial) at
http://www.dragonsholm.org/travel.htm

Bob Thomas wrote:
I think it depends on why you cruise. To some, the cruise is the focus
- in fact an end in itself, whereas for others it is a means to an
end. Some travel to cruise - others cruise to travel.

I think this makes it clear that you don't understand cruises (or rather,
mass market cruises). Cruising to travel is a little absurd, unless there
is no other option.

I've done cruises in the Caribbean and I've done land vacations in the
Carribbean. Even for the person (like me) who researches the islands,
sets off on their own, goes places that the canned excursions are not going,
this is a very very poor way to see a new place. You cannot get a taste for
it, the whole culture changes when the cruise ship docks, and you don't have
nearly enough time.

Cruising, as you will discover, is primarily about the ship, even on the
port intensive cruises. And it is primarily about the society on the ship,
the entertainment, the venues.

Which does not even begin to address the dress code issue, on which I am
closer to you than you think.

Julie
--
Julie
**********
Check out my Travel Pages (non-commercial) at
http://www.dragonsholm.org/travel.htm

Bob Thomas wrote:
I think it depends on why you cruise. To some, the cruise is the focus
- in fact an end in itself, whereas for others it is a means to an
end. Some travel to cruise - others cruise to travel.

I think this makes it clear that you don't understand cruises (or rather,
mass market cruises). Cruising to travel is a little absurd, unless there
is no other option.

I've done cruises in the Caribbean and I've done land vacations in the
Carribbean. Even for the person (like me) who researches the islands,
sets off on their own, goes places that the canned excursions are not going,
this is a very very poor way to see a new place. You cannot get a taste for
it, the whole culture changes when the cruise ship docks, and you don't have
nearly enough time.

Cruising, as you will discover, is primarily about the ship, even on the
port intensive cruises. And it is primarily about the society on the ship,
the entertainment, the venues.

Which does not even begin to address the dress code issue, on which I am
closer to you than you think.

Julie
--
Julie
**********
Check out my Travel Pages (non-commercial) at
http://www.dragonsholm.org/travel.htm

"Bob Thomas" wrote in message
...
I think, in time, this sort of pretentiousness will become less
popular as the younger age groups turn to cruising and the old school
dies out. One can hope so anyway.

Bob T.

I know we're in the minority but if it's any consolation, I'm with you Bob.

Rich