P&O Cruises has a strict dress code for its ships, with one item in particular that passengers are warned not to wear on certain nights – or they could be turned away
With the cold weather here to stay for the foreseeable, many Brit holidaymakers will see the coming months as an ideal opportunity to set off on a winter cruise.
While cruises allow passengers to explore a number of exotic destinations across the world, they also offer countless entertainment and delicious food and drink options on board. Some tourists may not be aware of a certain rule when on board a cruise ship, however.
P&O Cruises has issued a warning about one rule that could see passengers turned away from their dinner reservations. While most of their cruises have a relaxed dress code, there are certain nights classified as “Black Tie”, reports the Express.
According to P&O’s website, these nights are all about the “glitz and glamour”, offering passengers the chance to don their favourite cocktail dress, tuxedo, ball gown, suit or smart jacket and tie. There are also “Evening Casual” nights, where passengers are encouraged to wear their best shirts, dark denims and casual separates, but “tracksuits should be left on the hanger”. One item remains off-limits for all venues except the buffet on Black Tie nights – tailored shorts.
Even on Evening Casual nights, only a few venues allow entry to passengers wearing them. Several people on Reddit have shared their experiences of being turned away from these more formal evenings for wearing shorts, even if they were paired with a button-down shirt and expensive shoes.
“My husband got turned away from the main dining room on Celebrity Equinox (about four years ago) for wearing nice shorts with a collared polo shirt,” one holidaymaker shared. While it might be tempting to argue with staff who deny you entry, it’s not advised as it’s seen as poor etiquette.
One of the most common blunders made on a cruise is dressing inappropriately. Etiquette expert Grant Harrold, speaking for Spincasino.com, highlighted this as just one of many errors first-time cruisers can make.
“This is really important,” Grant said. “It’s making sure you’re dressed in the right outfit in the right area.
“On a lot of the big ships you will be given notice of formal evenings or casual evenings, so casual evenings can be anything from jeans and t-shirts to smart shirts, jackets and chinos to the formal evenings where it’s going to be black tie or national dress and officers wear their uniforms.”
But don’t fret – passengers shouldn’t toss their tailored shorts out of their suitcases. The daytime dress code is your typical holiday attire, including t-shirts, shorts and sundresses – although not advisable if you’re heading to Northern Europe this winter.
“Away from the pool, we ask for shoes to be worn and no pool wear in the ship’s lounges, inside bars, restaurants or reception.” P&O also suggests wearing flat shoes for deck strolls and light layers for the cool, breezy evenings on deck. For those venturing ashore, the company reminds passengers of air-conditioned museums or cooler churches.
Tailored shorts aren’t the only clothing item that’s restricted. P&O state: “Fancy dress, novelty clothing or outfits that feature any inappropriate or offensive language or images are not permitted on board.
“We reserve the right to deny embarkation to guests who are inappropriately dressed. The only exception to this is official P&O Cruises theme nights, where guests are invited to dress up in line with the theme.”