Here’s my take on dressing up while on vacation. In our normal life we don’t even dress up for our jobs! Business casual now includes jeans and a shirt! Going to the theater or dinner people dress like they’re at an outdoor barbecue! I love to dress up! It makes me feel attractive, special and looking forward to the evening. Dressing up while on vacation to me is a treat. To see a whole bunch of people in flip flops, bathing suits, jeans, shorts etc is fine during the day, but at night, in a gorgeously appointed restaurant with fine dining menues and an evening planned with music and dancing, I want to dress up!
@@tipsfortravellers me also. I personally don't like cruises cater to immature younger crowd, I can deal with minimum age of 40, but that is it. I am young, but I value traditional, smart, and people with real values. I don't want party, loud people and no respect.
Dissenting opinion: very tired of formal nights myself but I also hate eating in the buffet as an alternative on formal nights. Formal attire and associated underpinnings are bulky in my bag so I’m dressing appropriately but not ‘fancy’ for formal nights from now on.
I must be a dinosaur too, as the reason I love cruising is the formal nights. There is no where else the average person can go to a Gala Ball other than on a cruise ship. Happy 💯, and thank you for your insights.
I agree on the smoking. I try to avoid areas where there is smoke, which is actually making the lines lose money, as I would love to spend a night in a casino, but the smell of smoke just put me right off that area.
Congrats on cruise number 100, Gary! What has gotten even better is the quality of your content. Your videos just keep getting better and better. Here's to the next 100!
Thanks for watching and you kind comments. It is great to hear. I am constantly trying to evolve, improve and try things and so it’s great to hear your thoughts! Onwards and upwards I hope !
haha, Gary, you're certainly not a dinosaur! I can see your point about enjoying the formal nights, it's lovely to be at an event where people are dressed in their best.
Gary I always appreciate your succinct and well-thought-out videos. I don't have tons of extra time to watch 20-30 min videos. I love that yours are right around 10-12 mins. To me, that means you appreciate the time we take to watch your uploads. There are so many I'd love to watch but I'd rather take in 2 videos in that time frame than only one. So, another great video - thank you!!
Thanks. yes, I try to keep my videos down to around 10 minutes maximum as much as possible. When I first script them they are often 18 - 20 minutes and then takes ages to reduce them and boil down, cut out examples and get them tighter. The scripts take often up to two days work. But I do think it is work it, so great to hear your thoughts. As you say, people's time is valuable and it's what I like people I watch to do.
I think it’s kind of interesting that at the same time cruise lines are complaining about cost of food, they’re not willing to give solo cruisers a break on their cabins?
Virgin includes tips, wifi, fitness classes, soda, BREWED coffee and tea, and almost all food in the cruise fare. Essentially only alcohol is extra in this moderately priced line...and I love the "bar tab" concept rather than the "drink package" as we drink very little. You can share your bar tab with anyone you'd like and it is good on all beverages that have a charge--premium coffee, smoothies, fresh squeezed juice in addition to alcohol. If you have money left at the end of the cruise, buy a round for your new best friends or buy a bottle of wine at the bar to take home. No affiliation, just a happy cruiser. My credit card charge on my last cruise was $8 total, and I could have avoided that had I not chosen a premium drink on the last night. I totally agree about ship size--we like the 2500 size! They can also visit a lot more interesting, smaller ports.
Unfortunately many lines have scrapped the new digital muster and returned to the pre-shutdown. So far it’s Disney, all the 3 lines in the Norwegian group ….
My first cruise was in 1987. I was impressed with the service. Our cabin steward was a ninja. I enjoyed the formal dress. We had Lobsters and baked Alaska too. What was lacking was other dinning and snack options. It was the formal dinning room by seating. My second cruise in 2011 was less formal and had some snack options with burgers and pizza. By 2011, less formal was welcomed sailing to Alaska. With the airlines baggage fees, dressing for cold weather and the hot weather that we left, and limited formal wear, it was one less headache. My 3rd cruise was a New Years Eve in 2019 (pre-covid). You had to ask to have your cabin cleaned, there was no turn down service. There were all kinds of up charges on food and drink that talking with other passengers they felt like they were being nickel and dimes too. Our early seating time did not allow us to go to the shows and if you went to the shows you missed your late seating dining. Our next cruise is in April 2023 and there will be an up charge for a burger restaurant. We book the premium beverage package just to avoid only some of the up charges. Lobsters is now is an up charge. There is going to be more opening seating so maybe we will get to the shows. It appears that laundry options have also improved which will help in our packing for a 15 day cruise. (note: these are 4 different lines). As far as the ships getting too big, that is a mixed bag. There are advantages such as having different theme bars and areas to hangout in. But I have been on land when cruises ships have dumped 5000 people to a port. In some cases multiple ships. Now the local tourists are suddenly trying to deal with the cruise ship passengers and competing for the same things . And being on board a large ship taking up to an hour to get off is no fun either.
Mega Ships are not our choice. When they disgorge passengers at a port, it looks like a giant kicked over an ant hill. Too hard to navigate the ship. Smaller ships are more manageable and intimate. KIDS: Like ‘em, raised ours, done with that. The fewer the better. Sail during shoulder seasons and NEVER when school is out! Longer cruises = less kids. Formal nights: OK for some, not for us, especially on longer itineraries. Solution: Most ships have 2 MDRS. Use one for formal nights and the other for the rest of us. Congratulations Gary for 100 cruises, you lucky guy! 😊
Gary, you look great, no change between today and 100 cruises ago! Congratulations! Thank you for your vlogs, you are excellent teacher and adviser. I appreciate all you do.
As a Solo Cruiser I HATE anytime dining. Much prefer fixed dining where I share a table with regular dinner guests, whereas with anytime dining i am usually stuck at a table by myself
While I am not a cruiser I stumbled upon your channel one day and you are so fun, educational, and soothing. I know if I want to take a break from the world watching you is 100% going to work. Maybe one day I will make the leap to a cruise and get to use all the wonderful things I have learned from you and now La Lido Loca.
I love Cunard and formal dress, I hate the big ships but I really miss the flaming baked Alaska nights with the chefs all coming out with their huge medals and the midnight buffet! I also don’t like the class systems - they should definitely get rid of them!
Speaking of the class system: there is also "Club Orange" on Holland America. In my opinion, having a few exclusive areas is no problem. With HAL, there was plenty to do when I was on-board and never concerned myself with club orange. If it overtakes too many activities...then it is a big negative.
My dad refuses to have a smartphone, and my mum has one but struggles to use it. This makes cruising difficult for them on many lines, they've almost given up unless I go with them to handle the technology. And I try to do it all on my iPad (I find phone screens too small), and it's surprising often things don't work well on iPad because the cruise line clearly hasn't tested on it.
Actually having some lines implementing a dress code where you dress up is great. I'm not considering myself as old and I like having people around me in ball gowns and tuxes. Although also having lines with more leisurely dress codes is great as well. You need to have both, so you can choose. I've just come off a ship with 5100 passengers. The largest ship I've ever been on. Even though its design as such, the details etc. we're great, I was in search of my destination every time I wanted to go to a specific place until the very last day - and I've never "suffered" from a bad orientation. It was a shock to my system and it took me a good 3 days to feel at home and start enjoying the vacation. Next time I will know what I'm getting myself into...
I love dressing up. But have zero occasions in my life to do so. So no I don't want to add buying a ballgown, or tux to the cost of the trip for one or two dinners. Cocktail dress is more friendly to normal life.
People love to complain online, but I believe without a doubt the changes are overwhelming positive and that cruising today is better than its ever been.
As a whippersnapper, I agree that there should be some catering to the desire for a good old formal cruise. It must have been magical, and that’s a mood worth creating. I wouldn’t take advantage of it myself, I’d probably avoid it, but I can definitely recognise the value of it
I think more improvements for solo cruisers are necessary too. I may take up a cabin for two, but I don't consume two people's worth of food, I don't create two people's worth of mess to clean, and I don't require two people's worth of staff attention. The cruise line islands are a waste. Ships should be visiting legitimate ports, not an empty day pretending to visit the beach.
I completely agree. When I travel solo, I definitely don’t eat two peoples worth of food. In fact, I eat a little bit less than one persons, persons food because I eat small portions usually Mather reasonable portions of food at the large portion served mostly United States
In Australia gratuities are included in fare prices. Maybe this should be everywhere? People still often tip on top of this. Congratulations Gary on 100 cruises.
Gary, another great video. The problem that I have with dress codes is that you have to carry a bunch of clothing that you only wear on the cruise. We take 4-5 week trips where cruises are 8-10 days of the trip. I do not want to carry it all around.
Happy 100th anniversary, Gary! Planning our 4th cruise so back to TfT for research! Love your work, always very helpful advice & ideas. I'm "only" 46, but I agree it's definitely a plus to have at least a couple of formal nights to tux up, adds a bit of traditional cruise magic! Quick audio correction - you accidentally referred to Regent when mentioning The Retreat at the end (probably a word association slip!) though the captioning is correct
The return of the class system was especially evident when I sailed the new NCL Prima. Amongst it's many problematic issues (and there are a lot!), one that was quite glaring was that around 1/4 to 1/3 of the ship is VIP only, from the massive Haven area to the Vibe Club.
The ships are walking a fine line with the new class systems. The ideal is to make the upper class feel more special without making the rest of us feel less special. It can be done, but a few lines and ships have gone too far.
@@ChristianLehrer There is very little 'first class' space on the QM2 for example - A dedicated restaurant seat [same table for breakfast, lunch dinner], one bar, a windowless 'concierge lounge' and a small deck with longer and hot tub [just below the kennels].
It reflects classism of regular life and I despise it. I can't drop $20k for a cruise, but a few rich twats who probably have a yacht they could be on instead, take away from the rest of us.
I think the food was better and the ships more intimate in the day. We started 21 years ago on the Celebrity Galaxy. The service was white glove, the food excellent, deserts were displayed on a cart as "showtime", flambé was real and prepared on board and the baked Alaska parade was fun and tasty. In addition, there was a midnight buffet every night and a grand buffet complete with ice sculptures. The wait staff even had time to talk extensively. We still travel mostly Celebrity, and Aqua class is quite good, but the old days were the best!
Hi Gary, love your channel. We’ve been cruising for 25 years, Carnival, Princess, RC, Hal and most recently Celebrity. I have say the food in the main dining rooms has decreased in quality. It has coincided with the advent of Specialty restaurants and private restaurants. The Specialty restaurants originally were a nominal charge but now at $60 pp plus gratuity and drinks can run upwards of $200 per couple. I think the elimination of formal nights has also contributed to the decrease in quality in my opinion. Used to be they’d up their game on formal nights. The class system is appalling. On celebrity is really evident.. 1st class (Retreat) Luminae restaurant, 2nd class (Aquaclass) Blu restaurant, Specialty restaurants, then Main dining (3rd class) and finally the buffet.
You can imagine the changes I’ve seen after 36 years of cruising, not all for the better I’m afraid especially as far as the food goes. It’s nice to see younger people cruising these days but, bemoan the fact that cruise lines aren’t that strict on the dress code these days.
Oceania and Regent Seven Seas are still strict on their dress code after 6:00 in all lounges and restaurants (except the pool grill, if open). That means a collared shirt and long pants for men, and a nice slacks or skirt outfit or dress for ladies (though some men wear a sport coat or suit and tie), no jeans, flip flops, hats, bathing suit attire (including cover-ups), tennis shoes, or t-shirts. Many dress to impress.
Gary, what have you done to me? You and Emma have me hooked on your videos, and I have even subscribed to your channel! I had zero interest in taking a cruise, so it really says something about your presonality and quality of videos.
...and the size of ships! OK, not all ships are now gigantic, but there seem to be tendency in larger ships. Then, I would say that most cruise ships were 800 - 1800 passenger, but I guess todays 'normal' is 2500 and up...
Casual nights should be on those nights but FORMAL means formal and gowns and ties should be enforced on those nights. Otherwise go somewhere else onboard. It should be seen as a THEME NIGHT if people don’t get it. Take your flip flops and go!
We are booked in a big suite on Regent Splendour this July. Can't wait. Why we only cruise with them is they offer cooked kosher meats. Not the airline food packages. They can only do this for 20 ppl at a time and only in Compass Rose. It's fantastic for us
Hi Gary, interesting observations. I have found formal nights have become more casual which is disappointing. More young people on Princess and first time cruisers, however that was Brisbane to Cairns and back in November . Food much better.
About the formal dressing thing Gary.. you're a bloke. That means you only have to take one suit of formal clothes. It's different for women. we're under the expectation to wear some thing different for each formal occasion. It's unfair, but true. I enjoy dressing up, but I don't enjoy having to lug massave travelling wardrobes around. For that reason I'm really glad that the formal dress codes have been relaxed.
Women THINK men care that you wear the same dress on a cruise ship or in general for that matter. Pay attention... it's WOMEN who notice and care. If you wear the same dress two days later I doubt anyone whose opinion you care about will even notice. Stop caring about what women you'll probably never see again ever in yor life think and projecting it onto men or family...
Just pack the classic "little black dress" and then just accessorize it different each night. Oh, and men do not care if you wear the same dress each night. That's a woman-vs-woman thing.
It is interesting an I am starting to rethink cruising as my yearly vacation. I'm not such a big people person any longer and can't afford the higher class. Got a great 25 yrs of cruising with my girlfriends though ❤
I started cruising on my honeymoon in 1980. No one I knew was ever on a cruise before. We sailed on a cruise line called Dolphin. We loved it and have been cruising ever since. I remember dressing up every nite. We love the smaller ships...the big ones have a lot of activities but we go for the ports. I do like the not getting dressed up every night.
I would agree with your class comment. We like NCL, but Haven takes up prime and restricted space. But I sure would not want to pack formal clothes. I probably would not go. Especially if i had to fly.
I am okay wearing a collar shirt , smart trousers and shoes for evening meal, I been on cruising where we had one night per week dress to impress/captain night
The massive ships are really a danger no just from over crowding, but by being so top heavy if it ends up in a storm. There are certain regions that I only look at if it is gonna to be on a medium or small boat.
The change to the need to do everything on a smart phone is of concern to me. I’m tech savvy but love taking a break from it all when travelling. I remember 10 years ago putting my phone in airplane mode and leaving it there. We’d pick a port every few days to spend an hour at a cafe with wifi and check on emails. We had our own businesses but we’d tell all our clients in advance “not picking up email - you can live without us”. I really loved wandering around the ships and going for meals and shows with nothing in my hands, just a room card in my pocket.
You can still do that on Regent Seven Seas and Oceania. They have things like the restaurant menus and your bill on the room TV, but still print daily programs. You do not have to make reservations for entertainment. The only thing you do with your smart phone is show proof that you have “checked in” when embarking. You can do that, book excursions and specialty restaurants on their web site at designated dates at home.
I love wearing my Dinner Suit, Being a freemason I get to do this on a regular basis. I plan to take my Formal Highland wear on our transatlantic trip and probably dinner suit as well. My partner will probably have trews and a dinner suit, We are planning taking my MIL on a cruise later in the year, hope fully there will be formal options on what cruise we choose.
Gary, been watching you for quite awhile. Just subscribed. I called cruise line today because upcoming cruise is advertised as much cheaper. As a result of a short phone call I was upgraded to a balcony cabin at no extra cost. Thank you so much for the wonderful information that you give to your followers😅
A couple things come to mind for me... One - I wish the phone app faster cheaper wifi resulted in less expensive fares. But all the actually do is increase profit margins for the companies. Two - I think a lot of people moaning about the loss of strict, high class dress codes don't understand that those dress codes made cruising unavailable to a huge number of people. It's hard enough for many to save up the money for and expensive vacation, if you add the cost of a formal wardrobe for everyone it becomes impossible. The way it is now the people who can afford to dress up still get to do so and other's without as much disposable income still get to make special memories with their loved ones. To me, that's a big improvement.
Your response was probably the most compassionate / empathetic I've seen here. I consider myself to be compassionate, and while income is not an issue for me (within reason), I have many in my family for whom this WOULD be an issue. I had not thought of this issue in this exact way. Thank you.
Happy 100 Gary! Great informative video! As the ships get bigger I go smaller 😊 Going on my first Viking ocean in a few weeks, hoping it’s as good as everyone says!
Just got off Discovery Princess. Terrible. 700 kids. No adult areas enforced. I've been cruising with Princess for decades and I'm done. Even the crew was mad. Everyone we talked to couldn't believe it. The difference between carnival and princess now is blurred more than ever. Every dance floor had kids messing up the vibe, we couldn't use the adult only pool, shocking! Again, even the crew were upset at the obvious change. Not a fan. When we asked the crew to enforce the adult only areas we were told there were just too many and it was overwhelming them.
We now only travel Cunard. The others can cater for the greyhound mobs, that’s fine. Have been travelling for over 50years, in the airline industry, then gave cruising ago, loved it, mainly Princess and HAL, now we look forward to pleasant company in civilised surroundings. Spent Xmas and New Year on the beautiful Queen Elizabeth, and in a few weeks will pick her up in Singapore and travel to Japan. Happy sailing, everyone. Thank you Gary, for your videos.
I like having the options for dining! I was recently on Norwegian for the first time enjoyed all of the food. Some things I got in the buffet were hit or miss. for instance, the eggs and not being hot. One trend I see with passengers is too many complaints. Congratulations on your 100th cruise! I’d like to see more Cruise lines that cater to Solo Travelers. Thank you for keeping us informed!!
Great video! A thing I’ve noticed increasingly in newer, larger classes of ships in many cruise lines, is a shift in focus to make the ship itself the primary destination, maybe the sole destination. Why encourage passengers to leave the ship at all, when they have so much to do there and well, they profit from it of course. It does hurt the local economy of the ports if this happens, of course as you say. I don’t like this trend but it’s almost inevitable. See also, private islands, separation of passengers by class and so forth.
Personally, I think resort chic for dinner is more modern especially for Caribbean and tropical cruises. It's also still a luxurious 5 star way to dress. With that being said, I'm still open to one night of very formal dress or more on European destinations.
We only add drink packages and specialty dining if its part of a free at sea like NCL has otherwise, we buy drinks ala cart and do not go to spec dining
Congrats on 100! I just got off a cruise on Celebrity Edge. I’m 58 and my wife and I were among the youngest on board. The shows and activities were catered to their age group. At times I felt like I was in a senior home. So I disagree with you there that they are getting family friendly. Young families are getting priced out, other than for short trips. The Wi-Fi is horrible. I would lose my connection when I put my phone in my pocket. I was constantly having to re log on. The excursion’s were great and the ship is beautiful, so I had a good time.
Yeah, I'm 60 and my husband is 70. He likes to cruise for nerdy reasons like checking out the ships, their history, their build etc and obviously we both love the destinations. But the pickle ball, whist, mahjong, song lists of: I did it my way, Hallelujah, Mac the knife, phantom of the opera, and of course the Beatles medley 🙄 all performed in front of a rigid, non-responsive audience who can't clap on beat when encouraged to, I can do without. And yeah the WiFi SUCKS. We asked for and got a 50% refund on the last cruise for rubbish WiFi.
I cruised in 1982 ny/bermuda/ny! Then 1990 carnival+royal only 1, then 2016-2019 1@yr. 20&21 of course got canceled. Did 1amtrack ny to new orleans! 22 did 3! So far,2023 oceania jan & HAl May& do many again. I agree i like Country club dress most nites, or casual only 1 or 2nites. Destinations are important. Thanks Gary
I still hate the idea of jeans and God for it t shirts or tank tops. Make it special keep it special as much as possible. Except perhaps the very casual breakfast buffet.
As usual fabulous informative vlog..I agree with all your commentary…ultimately I believe cruising has become something available to all..not just the higher class..but pick your cruise line accordingly …something for everyone though😊
Gary, you are spot on about the things that have changed on cruises. I took my first cruise 16 years ago and have been on several since. I appreciate the relaxed dress codes for dining because I do not have to pack a suit in my luggage and that saves space and weight. Regarding the increased number of people on a cruise because of much larger ships, I do not mind the crowds per se, provided the atmosphere remains fun and festive and not marred by any unfortunate incidents from the few who might be so inclined.
Jus got offa River cruise on the Nile (with associated trip to the pyramids and Cairo) that had included gratuities but they STILL made a plea for additional tips for the crew - they even had a large cabinet for the extra $$. If tips are included…..what the heck
Love your videos! I'd appreciate everyones thoughts and recent experience. When reading random cruise reviews the consistant crisicism (on the reviews that are not positive) is understaffing with all that that leads to. Most of these reviews were authored in late 2022 and early 2023 based on criuses in the previous handfull of months. Here's the question...is there any reason to belive the staffing shortage will right itself by fall of 2023? Are any of you experiencing what I'm reading about as far as low staffing and poor service. BTW...the lines frequently criticised are Norwegian and Carnival
I agree, you’re not a dinosaur! I feel the same about dress code. Ships that have a formal evening should keep that in place even if only one or two nights. I’ve only been on one cruise which was last year for my 60th on Azamara Onward. Although they didn’t have formal evening wear they were strict on dress code which was long trousers and smart shirt for men and women no shorts. I saw one gentleman turned away from the dining room who was wearing shorts and a short sleeved shirt and I thought I’m glad they enforce it. My Husband and I always dress up and think it’s how it should be when you go out to dinner, a wedding or any social gathering, especially a cruise! But we now find, in general life, we are the odd ones out but refuse to change. Standards are slipping for sure. Everyone will be turning up in there pjs soon lol 😂 Gary, you were our beacon of light when we were looking for our first cruise, literally fish out of water! You helped us choose the perfect cruise for us (Azamara Onward) and we loved every second. We were thinking of sticking with Azamara but you explained choosing different cruise ships expands your experiences so we will consider that. Thank you Gary and congratulations on 100 cruises 👏🏻🛳️
I find the “ship within a ship” direction off putting. To have sections of the ship out of bounds depending upon cabin grade I don’t like. However I don’t think it will change anytime soon. I’d prefer to go on a premium brand than higher grade onsuch a ship. Just my opinion of course .
I started cruising about the same time as you, Christmas cruise from San Diego to Acapulco in 2004. 100 is a pretty impressive number...I only have my 8th booked for about a year from now. Of course I will probably be retiring about that time and will up the pace a bit, but still don't see myself cruising more than twice a year.
When my parents went to Europe in the early 70's they took the QE2 over and my mom took the France back. My mother was deathly afraid of flying, which is why she sailed. My dad had to get back to Canada for work. Anyway the QE2 was considered "democratic" because other than cabin type and dining room, class did not matter because everyone had free run of the ship. The France; however, stuck to strict class delineation. If you were first class you were restricted to first class areas of the ship and second class was restricted to second class areas of the ship. That was the traditional approach. The QE2 was always a single class ship when she was on a cruise. By the way my dad had to buy a tuxedo because other than the first night put it was black tie in the dining room every dinner.
@@tipsfortravellersI suspect dress codes are a holdover from the days when ships were more for transportation than leisure. The upper crust who had separate day wear and evening wear (and oodles of trunks in which to pack them) simply carried that from shore to ship. I don’t want to see a return to formal wear or the opposite extreme of T-shirts and flip-flops in the main dining room, but I don’t think a collared shirt and decent slacks is too much to ask.
You seem to have forgotten something about the private Caribbean islands! From my reading they were set up to avoid rampant crime in other "authentic" locations!
We’re off tomorrow for a 10 day cruise on Princess. Hopefully it will be populated by adults. I don’t mind children, but I do prefer a cruise with fewer children. 🇨🇦😎🇨🇦
Good luck. We just got off Discovery Princess and hundreds and hundreds of kids. No adult areas enforced. It was basically Carnival now and we are top tier on both lines.. We are sad to see the carnivalization of princess but being 30 billion in debt they are doing anything they can to stay afloat. We are however, done with them.
We were on a cruise in 2015 and there was a young couple with a 4 month old baby, and they paid for grandma to go as well. Unfortunately they didn't tell grandma until after we sailed that they had bought her along as the baby sitter so they could enjoy a good break. Grandma was NOT happy.
Footwear was the big issue mainly in the main dining room and buffet at evening meal, as the cruise staff did not want open shoes/saddles , some of the flooring were marble, so mainly it was a health and safety thing like if a glass got accidently broken and small traces of glass were still on the floor. round the pool bars and indoor pool bar, we had plastic glasses , over the last few years in the main dining room standards have slightly dropped with dress code. I sooner people where what they want as long as it is smart and clean.
I believe that cruise lines are decreasing formal nights due to an increase in younger passengers. Cruise lines really do strive to meet customer expectations and preferences.
Glad we did most of our cruising in the past. Destinations are way to crowded now. We don’t mind the class system. Fortunately, we can afford the Celebrity Retreat class, but even that has become too crowded and less intimate on the Edge class ships.
I was on the MSC Seaside last Nov and I felt like I needed an advanced degree in maths to figure out how to get around the VIP sections of the ship in order to get where I needed to go. 😑
It may depend on the cruise line and even the ship. Was on Royal for seven nights out of Nola on Radiance. There were a fair amount of children, teenagers with their parents, several said they took them out of school, and a good number of young people. The children were all well behaved, everyone was helpful and respectful. We had one MDR breakfast at a big table with a family, three college aged guys, one older couple and it was really nice.
Here’s my take on dressing up while on vacation. In our normal life we don’t even dress up for our jobs! Business casual now includes jeans and a shirt! Going to the theater or dinner people dress like they’re at an outdoor barbecue! I love to dress up! It makes me feel attractive, special and looking forward to the evening. Dressing up while on vacation to me is a treat. To see a whole bunch of people in flip flops, bathing suits, jeans, shorts etc is fine during the day, but at night, in a gorgeously appointed restaurant with fine dining menues and an evening planned with music and dancing, I want to dress up!
You are not a dinosaur about dressing - really regret that lines are cutting down on formal nights.
Good to know you agree :-)
@@tipsfortravellers me also. I personally don't like cruises cater to immature younger crowd, I can deal with minimum age of 40, but that is it. I am young, but I value traditional, smart, and people with real values. I don't want party, loud people and no respect.
I personally love it. Dressing up in a tux to eat today is the equivalent to my parents wearing white wigs imho.
Dissenting opinion: very tired of formal nights myself but I also hate eating in the buffet as an alternative on formal nights. Formal attire and associated underpinnings are bulky in my bag so I’m dressing appropriately but not ‘fancy’ for formal nights from now on.
Me too! Dressing up was part of why cruising was special. I am not excited about the relaxation of what we call “standards”, not elite anymore.
I must be a dinosaur too, as the reason I love cruising is the formal nights. There is no where else the average person can go to a Gala Ball other than on a cruise ship. Happy 💯, and thank you for your insights.
I agree on the smoking. I try to avoid areas where there is smoke, which is actually making the lines lose money, as I would love to spend a night in a casino, but the smell of smoke just put me right off that area.
Congrats on cruise number 100, Gary! What has gotten even better is the quality of your content. Your videos just keep getting better and better. Here's to the next 100!
Thanks for watching and you kind comments. It is great to hear. I am constantly trying to evolve, improve and try things and so it’s great to hear your thoughts! Onwards and upwards I hope !
haha, Gary, you're certainly not a dinosaur! I can see your point about enjoying the formal nights, it's lovely to be at an event where people are dressed in their best.
Thanks :-) Glad not just me then!
Gary I always appreciate your succinct and well-thought-out videos. I don't have tons of extra time to watch 20-30 min videos. I love that yours are right around 10-12 mins. To me, that means you appreciate the time we take to watch your uploads. There are so many I'd love to watch but I'd rather take in 2 videos in that time frame than only one.
So, another great video - thank you!!
Thanks. yes, I try to keep my videos down to around 10 minutes maximum as much as possible. When I first script them they are often 18 - 20 minutes and then takes ages to reduce them and boil down, cut out examples and get them tighter. The scripts take often up to two days work. But I do think it is work it, so great to hear your thoughts. As you say, people's time is valuable and it's what I like people I watch to do.
I second this!
Yes! Love succinct blogs.
I agree. I like how informative and succinct his videos are. It is because of that that I usually watch them the whole way through.
I could listen to Gary for 20-30 minutes easy,his subjects are interesting the way he talks and puts things a good order.
I think it’s kind of interesting that at the same time cruise lines are complaining about cost of food, they’re not willing to give solo cruisers a break on their cabins?
I agree solo cruisers in one cabin, do not usually eat the same as two people
I have been cruising since 2003. Good things - more food options, better tech, but downside I think dumbing down when a lack of dress code.
yes!
Virgin includes tips, wifi, fitness classes, soda, BREWED coffee and tea, and almost all food in the cruise fare. Essentially only alcohol is extra in this moderately priced line...and I love the "bar tab" concept rather than the "drink package" as we drink very little. You can share your bar tab with anyone you'd like and it is good on all beverages that have a charge--premium coffee, smoothies, fresh squeezed juice in addition to alcohol. If you have money left at the end of the cruise, buy a round for your new best friends or buy a bottle of wine at the bar to take home. No affiliation, just a happy cruiser. My credit card charge on my last cruise was $8 total, and I could have avoided that had I not chosen a premium drink on the last night.
I totally agree about ship size--we like the 2500 size! They can also visit a lot more interesting, smaller ports.
Great video Gary. One improvement you should mention is Musters. The current way to muster on most ships is FAR superior to the way they used to be.
Unfortunately many lines have scrapped the new digital muster and returned to the pre-shutdown. So far it’s Disney, all the 3 lines in the Norwegian group ….
My first cruise was in 1987. I was impressed with the service. Our cabin steward was a ninja. I enjoyed the formal dress. We had Lobsters and baked Alaska too. What was lacking was other dinning and snack options. It was the formal dinning room by seating. My second cruise in 2011 was less formal and had some snack options with burgers and pizza. By 2011, less formal was welcomed sailing to Alaska. With the airlines baggage fees, dressing for cold weather and the hot weather that we left, and limited formal wear, it was one less headache. My 3rd cruise was a New Years Eve in 2019 (pre-covid). You had to ask to have your cabin cleaned, there was no turn down service. There were all kinds of up charges on food and drink that talking with other passengers they felt like they were being nickel and dimes too. Our early seating time did not allow us to go to the shows and if you went to the shows you missed your late seating dining. Our next cruise is in April 2023 and there will be an up charge for a burger restaurant. We book the premium beverage package just to avoid only some of the up charges. Lobsters is now is an up charge. There is going to be more opening seating so maybe we will get to the shows. It appears that laundry options have also improved which will help in our packing for a 15 day cruise. (note: these are 4 different lines). As far as the ships getting too big, that is a mixed bag. There are advantages such as having different theme bars and areas to hangout in. But I have been on land when cruises ships have dumped 5000 people to a port. In some cases multiple ships. Now the local tourists are suddenly trying to deal with the cruise ship passengers and competing for the same things . And being on board a large ship taking up to an hour to get off is no fun either.
Mega Ships are not our choice. When they disgorge passengers at a port, it looks like a giant kicked over an ant hill. Too hard to navigate the ship. Smaller ships are more manageable and intimate. KIDS: Like ‘em, raised ours, done with that. The fewer the better. Sail during shoulder seasons and NEVER when school is out! Longer cruises = less kids. Formal nights: OK for some, not for us, especially on longer itineraries. Solution: Most ships have 2 MDRS. Use one for formal nights and the other for the rest of us. Congratulations Gary for 100 cruises, you lucky guy! 😊
Gary, you look great, no change between today and 100 cruises ago! Congratulations! Thank you for your vlogs, you are excellent teacher and adviser. I appreciate all you do.
Thanks! I reply good lighting and smoke and mirrors to achieve that :-)
As a Solo Cruiser I HATE anytime dining. Much prefer fixed dining where I share a table with regular dinner guests, whereas with anytime dining i am usually stuck at a table by myself
While I am not a cruiser I stumbled upon your channel one day and you are so fun, educational, and soothing. I know if I want to take a break from the world watching you is 100% going to work. Maybe one day I will make the leap to a cruise and get to use all the wonderful things I have learned from you and now La Lido Loca.
I love Cunard and formal dress, I hate the big ships but I really miss the flaming baked Alaska nights with the chefs all coming out with their huge medals and the midnight buffet! I also don’t like the class systems - they should definitely get rid of them!
Thank you for pointing out that these premium clubs are actually just an example if going back in time.
The single supplement is always rhe killer
Speaking of the class system: there is also "Club Orange" on Holland America. In my opinion, having a few exclusive areas is no problem. With HAL, there was plenty to do when I was on-board and never concerned myself with club orange. If it overtakes too many activities...then it is a big negative.
Club orange is a farce. Baiting people who pay for imaginary status.
My dad refuses to have a smartphone, and my mum has one but struggles to use it. This makes cruising difficult for them on many lines, they've almost given up unless I go with them to handle the technology. And I try to do it all on my iPad (I find phone screens too small), and it's surprising often things don't work well on iPad because the cruise line clearly hasn't tested on it.
Absolutely, bigger ships are a bad thing.
Actually having some lines implementing a dress code where you dress up is great. I'm not considering myself as old and I like having people around me in ball gowns and tuxes. Although also having lines with more leisurely dress codes is great as well. You need to have both, so you can choose.
I've just come off a ship with 5100 passengers. The largest ship I've ever been on. Even though its design as such, the details etc. we're great, I was in search of my destination every time I wanted to go to a specific place until the very last day - and I've never "suffered" from a bad orientation. It was a shock to my system and it took me a good 3 days to feel at home and start enjoying the vacation. Next time I will know what I'm getting myself into...
I much prefer the smaller ships if 1200 or less!
I love dressing up. But have zero occasions in my life to do so. So no I don't want to add buying a ballgown, or tux to the cost of the trip for one or two dinners. Cocktail dress is more friendly to normal life.
People love to complain online, but I believe without a doubt the changes are overwhelming positive and that cruising today is better than its ever been.
As a whippersnapper, I agree that there should be some catering to the desire for a good old formal cruise. It must have been magical, and that’s a mood worth creating.
I wouldn’t take advantage of it myself, I’d probably avoid it, but I can definitely recognise the value of it
I think more improvements for solo cruisers are necessary too. I may take up a cabin for two, but I don't consume two people's worth of food, I don't create two people's worth of mess to clean, and I don't require two people's worth of staff attention.
The cruise line islands are a waste. Ships should be visiting legitimate ports, not an empty day pretending to visit the beach.
I completely agree. When I travel solo, I definitely don’t eat two peoples worth of food. In fact, I eat a little bit less than one persons, persons food because I eat small portions usually Mather reasonable portions of food at the large portion served mostly United States
In Australia gratuities are included in fare prices. Maybe this should be everywhere? People still often tip on top of this. Congratulations Gary on 100 cruises.
Gary, another great video. The problem that I have with dress codes is that you have to carry a bunch of clothing that you only wear on the cruise. We take 4-5 week trips where cruises are 8-10 days of the trip. I do not want to carry it all around.
Happy 100th anniversary, Gary!
Planning our 4th cruise so back to TfT for research! Love your work, always very helpful advice & ideas.
I'm "only" 46, but I agree it's definitely a plus to have at least a couple of formal nights to tux up, adds a bit of traditional cruise magic!
Quick audio correction - you accidentally referred to Regent when mentioning The Retreat at the end (probably a word association slip!) though the captioning is correct
The return of the class system was especially evident when I sailed the new NCL Prima. Amongst it's many problematic issues (and there are a lot!), one that was quite glaring was that around 1/4 to 1/3 of the ship is VIP only, from the massive Haven area to the Vibe Club.
Yes, they really have gone all in on these new class of ships!
The ships are walking a fine line with the new class systems. The ideal is to make the upper class feel more special without making the rest of us feel less special. It can be done, but a few lines and ships have gone too far.
Wow, it sounds like there is far more dedicated “1st class” space for this on NCL than even Cunard! And I would expect it on Cunard, not on NCL! 😮
@@ChristianLehrer There is very little 'first class' space on the QM2 for example - A dedicated restaurant seat [same table for breakfast, lunch dinner], one bar, a windowless 'concierge lounge' and a small deck with longer and hot tub [just below the kennels].
It reflects classism of regular life and I despise it. I can't drop $20k for a cruise, but a few rich twats who probably have a yacht they could be on instead, take away from the rest of us.
I think the food was better and the ships more intimate in the day. We started 21 years ago on the Celebrity Galaxy. The service was white glove, the food excellent, deserts were displayed on a cart as "showtime", flambé was real and prepared on board and the baked Alaska parade was fun and tasty. In addition, there was a midnight buffet every night and a grand buffet complete with ice sculptures. The wait staff even had time to talk extensively. We still travel mostly Celebrity, and Aqua class is quite good, but the old days were the best!
Hi Gary, love your channel. We’ve been cruising for 25 years, Carnival, Princess, RC, Hal and most recently Celebrity. I have say the food in the main dining rooms has decreased in quality. It has coincided with the advent of Specialty restaurants and private restaurants. The Specialty restaurants originally were a nominal charge but now at $60 pp plus gratuity and drinks can run upwards of $200 per couple. I think the elimination of formal nights has also contributed to the decrease in quality in my opinion. Used to be they’d up their game on formal nights. The class system is appalling. On celebrity is really evident.. 1st class (Retreat) Luminae restaurant, 2nd class (Aquaclass) Blu restaurant, Specialty restaurants, then Main dining (3rd class) and finally the buffet.
You can imagine the changes I’ve seen after 36 years of cruising, not all for the better I’m afraid especially as far as the food goes. It’s nice to see younger people cruising these days but, bemoan the fact that cruise lines aren’t that strict on the dress code these days.
Oceania and Regent Seven Seas are still strict on their dress code after 6:00 in all lounges and restaurants (except the pool grill, if open). That means a collared shirt and long pants for men, and a nice slacks or skirt outfit or dress for ladies (though some men wear a sport coat or suit and tie), no jeans, flip flops, hats, bathing suit attire (including cover-ups), tennis shoes, or t-shirts. Many dress to impress.
Agree 100%. It used to feel elite, no reason they have to relax standards to attract younger people.
Gary, what have you done to me? You and Emma have me hooked on your videos, and I have even subscribed to your channel! I had zero interest in taking a cruise, so it really says something about your presonality and quality of videos.
Hooray! Maybe we’ll get you to give it a go and join the cruising community 👍🏻 Thanks for watching !!!
Have to agree. Have done 4 cruises. It's the energy and enthusiasm they put into talking about the experience, the destinations
Worse? For me, it’s the trend toward reducing the size of, or eliminating the libraries onboard. I used to spend many happy hours there.
...and the size of ships! OK, not all ships are now gigantic, but there seem to be tendency in larger ships. Then, I would say that most cruise ships were 800 - 1800 passenger, but I guess todays 'normal' is 2500 and up...
Yes !
Really wonderful that Regent Seven Seas does not have an app. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Casual nights should be on those nights but FORMAL means formal and gowns and ties should be enforced on those nights. Otherwise go somewhere else onboard. It should be seen as a THEME NIGHT if people don’t get it. Take your flip flops and go!
I enjoy the larger ships. Something for everyone. Even if I can’t rock climb or slide, I enjoy watching.
100 cruises, and many more to come I hope!
Hope so!
We are booked in a big suite on Regent Splendour this July. Can't wait. Why we only cruise with them is they offer cooked kosher meats. Not the airline food packages. They can only do this for 20 ppl at a time and only in Compass Rose. It's fantastic for us
Hi Gary, interesting observations. I have found formal nights have become more casual which is disappointing. More young people on Princess and first time cruisers, however that was Brisbane to Cairns and back in November . Food much better.
About the formal dressing thing Gary.. you're a bloke. That means you only have to take one suit of formal clothes. It's different for women. we're under the expectation to wear some thing different for each formal occasion. It's unfair, but true. I enjoy dressing up, but I don't enjoy having to lug massave travelling wardrobes around. For that reason I'm really glad that the formal dress codes have been relaxed.
Yes! Definitely that’s key!!! Agree
Women THINK men care that you wear the same dress on a cruise ship or in general for that matter. Pay attention... it's WOMEN who notice and care. If you wear the same dress two days later I doubt anyone whose opinion you care about will even notice. Stop caring about what women you'll probably never see again ever in yor life think and projecting it onto men or family...
Just pack the classic "little black dress" and then just accessorize it different each night. Oh, and men do not care if you wear the same dress each night. That's a woman-vs-woman thing.
I totally agree. I noticed the same differences, good & bad!
It is interesting an I am starting to rethink cruising as my yearly vacation. I'm not such a big people person any longer and can't afford the higher class. Got a great 25 yrs of cruising with my girlfriends though ❤
I started cruising on my honeymoon in 1980. No one I knew was ever on a cruise before. We sailed on a cruise line called Dolphin. We loved it and have been cruising ever since. I remember dressing up every nite. We love the smaller ships...the big ones have a lot of activities but we go for the ports. I do like the not getting dressed up every night.
I would agree with your class comment. We like NCL, but Haven takes up prime and restricted space.
But I sure would not want to pack formal clothes. I probably would not go. Especially if i had to fly.
Dude! You look exactly like that photo from 2004!
Thanks :-) With some good lighting anything is possible :-) :-)
I am okay wearing a collar shirt , smart trousers and shoes for evening meal, I been on cruising where we had one night per week dress to impress/captain night
The massive ships are really a danger no just from over crowding, but by being so top heavy if it ends up in a storm. There are certain regions that I only look at if it is gonna to be on a medium or small boat.
I always find your Vlogs both insightful and fair
- this one is no exception 😀 Thanks
The change to the need to do everything on a smart phone is of concern to me. I’m tech savvy but love taking a break from it all when travelling. I remember 10 years ago putting my phone in airplane mode and leaving it there. We’d pick a port every few days to spend an hour at a cafe with wifi and check on emails. We had our own businesses but we’d tell all our clients in advance “not picking up email - you can live without us”. I really loved wandering around the ships and going for meals and shows with nothing in my hands, just a room card in my pocket.
You can still do that on Regent Seven Seas and Oceania. They have things like the restaurant menus and your bill on the room TV, but still print daily programs. You do not have to make reservations for entertainment. The only thing you do with your smart phone is show proof that you have “checked in” when embarking. You can do that, book excursions and specialty restaurants on their web site at designated dates at home.
I love wearing my Dinner Suit, Being a freemason I get to do this on a regular basis. I plan to take my Formal Highland wear on our transatlantic trip and probably dinner suit as well. My partner will probably have trews and a dinner suit, We are planning taking my MIL on a cruise later in the year, hope fully there will be formal options on what cruise we choose.
Gary, been watching you for quite awhile. Just subscribed. I called cruise line today because upcoming cruise is advertised as much cheaper. As a result of a short phone call I was upgraded to a balcony cabin at no extra cost. Thank you so much for the wonderful information that you give to your followers😅
Brilliant to hear! Thanks for watching
A couple things come to mind for me... One - I wish the phone app faster cheaper wifi resulted in less expensive fares. But all the actually do is increase profit margins for the companies.
Two - I think a lot of people moaning about the loss of strict, high class dress codes don't understand that those dress codes made cruising unavailable to a huge number of people. It's hard enough for many to save up the money for and expensive vacation, if you add the cost of a formal wardrobe for everyone it becomes impossible. The way it is now the people who can afford to dress up still get to do so and other's without as much disposable income still get to make special memories with their loved ones. To me, that's a big improvement.
Your response was probably the most compassionate / empathetic I've seen here. I consider myself to be compassionate, and while income is not an issue for me (within reason), I have many in my family for whom this WOULD be an issue. I had not thought of this issue in this exact way. Thank you.
9,000 people on a cruise ship is totally insane. We prefer to stick with something around 3,000 or smaller.
love the invisible selfie stick Gary!!!!
Happy 100 Gary! Great informative video! As the ships get bigger I go smaller 😊 Going on my first Viking ocean in a few weeks, hoping it’s as good as everyone says!
Thanks. I hope you have an amazing time! Let me know what you think go them
Just got off Discovery Princess. Terrible. 700 kids. No adult areas enforced. I've been cruising with Princess for decades and I'm done. Even the crew was mad. Everyone we talked to couldn't believe it. The difference between carnival and princess now is blurred more than ever. Every dance floor had kids messing up the vibe, we couldn't use the adult only pool, shocking! Again, even the crew were upset at the obvious change. Not a fan. When we asked the crew to enforce the adult only areas we were told there were just too many and it was overwhelming them.
I love Cunard and believe their dress code helps them to differentiate themselves from the other lines
We now only travel Cunard. The others can cater for the greyhound mobs, that’s fine. Have been travelling for over 50years, in the airline industry, then gave cruising ago, loved it, mainly Princess and HAL, now we look forward to pleasant company in civilised surroundings. Spent Xmas and New Year on the beautiful Queen Elizabeth, and in a few weeks will pick her up in Singapore and travel to Japan. Happy sailing, everyone. Thank you Gary, for your videos.
I like having the options for dining! I was recently on Norwegian for the first time enjoyed all of the food. Some things I got in the buffet were hit or miss. for instance, the eggs and not being hot. One trend I see with passengers is too many complaints. Congratulations on your 100th cruise! I’d like to see more Cruise lines that cater to Solo Travelers. Thank you for keeping us informed!!
Great video! A thing I’ve noticed increasingly in newer, larger classes of ships in many cruise lines, is a shift in focus to make the ship itself the primary destination, maybe the sole destination. Why encourage passengers to leave the ship at all, when they have so much to do there and well, they profit from it of course. It does hurt the local economy of the ports if this happens, of course as you say. I don’t like this trend but it’s almost inevitable. See also, private islands, separation of passengers by class and so forth.
Personally, I think resort chic for dinner is more modern especially for Caribbean and tropical cruises. It's also still a luxurious 5 star way to dress. With that being said, I'm still open to one night of very formal dress or more on European destinations.
Yes, agree that is the best solution these days! It is also easier to pack :-)
Gary has the same hair as 19 years ago, so that hasn't changed.
Good point! My hairstyle is "classic" and never dates.........
I prefer the nickel & dime strategy of Royal Caribbean. That way I only pay for those amenities I’m interested in.
We only add drink packages and specialty dining if its part of a free at sea like NCL has otherwise, we buy drinks ala cart and do not go to spec dining
Great info Gary, thanks for sharing. Keep on cruisin'.
Congrats on 100! I just got off a cruise on Celebrity Edge. I’m 58 and my wife and I were among the youngest on board. The shows and activities were catered to their age group. At times I felt like I was in a senior home. So I disagree with you there that they are getting family friendly. Young families are getting priced out, other than for short trips. The Wi-Fi is horrible. I would lose my connection when I put my phone in my pocket. I was constantly having to re log on. The excursion’s were great and the ship is beautiful, so I had a good time.
Yeah, I'm 60 and my husband is 70. He likes to cruise for nerdy reasons like checking out the ships, their history, their build etc and obviously we both love the destinations. But the pickle ball, whist, mahjong, song lists of: I did it my way, Hallelujah, Mac the knife, phantom of the opera, and of course the Beatles medley 🙄 all performed in front of a rigid, non-responsive audience who can't clap on beat when encouraged to, I can do without. And yeah the WiFi SUCKS. We asked for and got a 50% refund on the last cruise for rubbish WiFi.
I had to smile when you started talking about ships getting so large, but showed a pic of the Silver Origin, which hold only 100 passengers.
Always great reviews and easy to follow and I understand - you’re terrific!
I cruised in 1982 ny/bermuda/ny! Then 1990 carnival+royal only 1, then 2016-2019 1@yr. 20&21 of course got canceled. Did 1amtrack ny to new orleans! 22 did 3! So far,2023 oceania jan & HAl May& do many again. I agree i like Country club dress most nites, or casual only 1 or 2nites. Destinations are important. Thanks Gary
I still hate the idea of jeans and God for it t shirts or tank tops. Make it special keep it special as much as possible. Except perhaps the very casual breakfast buffet.
As usual fabulous informative vlog..I agree with all your commentary…ultimately I believe cruising has become something available to all..not just the higher class..but pick your cruise line accordingly …something for everyone though😊
Agree!!
Gary, you are spot on about the things that have changed on cruises. I took my first cruise 16 years ago and have been on several since. I appreciate the relaxed dress codes for dining because I do not have to pack a suit in my luggage and that saves space and weight. Regarding the increased number of people on a cruise because of much larger ships, I do not mind the crowds per se, provided the atmosphere remains fun and festive and not marred by any unfortunate incidents from the few who might be so inclined.
Jus got offa River cruise on the Nile (with associated trip to the pyramids and Cairo) that had included gratuities but they STILL made a plea for additional tips for the crew - they even had a large cabinet for the extra $$. If tips are included…..what the heck
Wow! 100 cruise….Nice 😊
Happy 100th, Gary! Thank you for your informative and insightful videos. I always enjoy watching!
Love your videos! I'd appreciate everyones thoughts and recent experience. When reading random cruise reviews the consistant crisicism (on the reviews that are not positive) is understaffing with all that that leads to. Most of these reviews were authored in late 2022 and early 2023 based on criuses in the previous handfull of months. Here's the question...is there any reason to belive the staffing shortage will right itself by fall of 2023? Are any of you experiencing what I'm reading about as far as low staffing and poor service. BTW...the lines frequently criticised are Norwegian and Carnival
Love your videos! Can you recommend some apps or websites (including yours) about cruises and about also places to book?
I agree, you’re not a dinosaur! I feel the same about dress code. Ships that have a formal evening should keep that in place even if only one or two nights. I’ve only been on one cruise which was last year for my 60th on Azamara Onward. Although they didn’t have formal evening wear they were strict on dress code which was long trousers and smart shirt for men and women no shorts. I saw one gentleman turned away from the dining room who was wearing shorts and a short sleeved shirt and I thought I’m glad they enforce it. My Husband and I always dress up and think it’s how it should be when you go out to dinner, a wedding or any social gathering, especially a cruise! But we now find, in general life, we are the odd ones out but refuse to change. Standards are slipping for sure. Everyone will be turning up in there pjs soon lol 😂 Gary, you were our beacon of light when we were looking for our first cruise, literally fish out of water! You helped us choose the perfect cruise for us (Azamara Onward) and we loved every second. We were thinking of sticking with Azamara but you explained choosing different cruise ships expands your experiences so we will consider that. Thank you Gary and congratulations on 100 cruises 👏🏻🛳️
"Everyone will be turning up in there pjs ..." I've already seen that in the buffet. It makes you shake your head.
I find the “ship within a ship” direction off putting. To have sections of the ship out of bounds depending upon cabin grade I don’t like. However I don’t think it will change anytime soon. I’d prefer to go on a premium brand than higher grade onsuch a ship. Just my opinion of course .
I started cruising about the same time as you, Christmas cruise from San Diego to Acapulco in 2004. 100 is a pretty impressive number...I only have my 8th booked for about a year from now. Of course I will probably be retiring about that time and will up the pace a bit, but still don't see myself cruising more than twice a year.
When my parents went to Europe in the early 70's they took the QE2 over and my mom took the France back. My mother was deathly afraid of flying, which is why she sailed. My dad had to get back to Canada for work. Anyway the QE2 was considered "democratic" because other than cabin type and dining room, class did not matter because everyone had free run of the ship. The France; however, stuck to strict class delineation. If you were first class you were restricted to first class areas of the ship and second class was restricted to second class areas of the ship. That was the traditional approach. The QE2 was always a single class ship when she was on a cruise. By the way my dad had to buy a tuxedo because other than the first night put it was black tie in the dining room every dinner.
Love NCL Haven!!!!
Gary, I'm thrilled with the decline of absurd dress codes.
I think most people are!
@@tipsfortravellersI suspect dress codes are a holdover from the days when ships were more for transportation than leisure. The upper crust who had separate day wear and evening wear (and oodles of trunks in which to pack them) simply carried that from shore to ship. I don’t want to see a return to formal wear or the opposite extreme of T-shirts and flip-flops in the main dining room, but I don’t think a collared shirt and decent slacks is too much to ask.
It s not Regent … with the Retreat
And it not cold Ariva … It s called ARVIA
You seem to have forgotten something about the private Caribbean islands! From my reading they were set up to avoid rampant crime in other "authentic" locations!
We’re off tomorrow for a 10 day cruise on Princess. Hopefully it will be populated by adults. I don’t mind children, but I do prefer a cruise with fewer children. 🇨🇦😎🇨🇦
Good luck. We just got off Discovery Princess and hundreds and hundreds of kids. No adult areas enforced. It was basically Carnival now and we are top tier on both lines.. We are sad to see the carnivalization of princess but being 30 billion in debt they are doing anything they can to stay afloat. We are however, done with them.
@@jagajak
We are on the Enchanted Princess. We just pulled into Grenada and we have only seen three children onboard. It’s been great.
So good to hear. Many their children sail free was a trial that should never be done again
We were on a cruise in 2015 and there was a young couple with a 4 month old baby, and they paid for grandma to go as well. Unfortunately they didn't tell grandma until after we sailed that they had bought her along as the baby sitter so they could enjoy a good break. Grandma was NOT happy.
Another Dinosaur I love dressing up. But as you commented packing is a pain especially for us ladies.
Footwear was the big issue mainly in the main dining room and buffet at evening meal, as the cruise staff did not want open shoes/saddles , some of the flooring were marble, so mainly it was a health and safety thing like if a glass got accidently broken and small traces of glass were still on the floor. round the pool bars and indoor pool bar, we had plastic glasses , over the last few years in the main dining room standards have slightly dropped with dress code. I sooner people where what they want as long as it is smart and clean.
I believe that cruise lines are decreasing formal nights due to an increase in younger passengers. Cruise lines really do strive to meet customer expectations and preferences.
Glad we did most of our cruising in the past. Destinations are way to crowded now. We don’t mind the class system. Fortunately, we can afford the Celebrity Retreat class, but even that has become too crowded and less intimate on the Edge class ships.
You look so handsome in your tuxedo!
Gary P &O ‘s new ship is called Arvia.
Where is the Disney ship docked at 8:15 (in the cell phone section)?
I was on the MSC Seaside last Nov and I felt like I needed an advanced degree in maths to figure out how to get around the VIP sections of the ship in order to get where I needed to go. 😑
Do you have any opinions on river cruises in the USA?
Thank you for the video!
There may be more dining options, but in addition to paying more for them, overall the food is not that much better in the main dining area.
I avoid large family ships and enjoy smaller "quieter" ships (older people)
It may depend on the cruise line and even the ship. Was on Royal for seven nights out of Nola on Radiance. There were a fair amount of children, teenagers with their parents, several said they took them out of school, and a good number of young people. The children were all well behaved, everyone was helpful and respectful. We had one MDR breakfast at a big table with a family, three college aged guys, one older couple and it was really nice.