p&o cruises 10 nights

P&O Cruise Theme Nights: 2024 Schedule for Every Ship

April 29, 2024

Hello, cruise fans! Today we’re talking about P&O Cruises .

If this is not the first time you have read my blog, you already know that I’m a big fan of theme nights and I’ve already talked about those taking place on Royal Caribbean , Carnival , MSC , and NCL .

Therefore, I am excited to tell you about the ones on P&O, both for the Australian and the British ships . We’re going to first look at the type of theme nights in general and then we’ll go through the 2024 schedule ship by ship .

Table of Contents

All the theme nights on P&O Australia

Gatsby theme night (3 nights or longer).

I must admit that the Gatsby-themed party is my absolute favorite on P&O Australia.

It’s like taking a dip into the Roaring Twenties thanks to the atmosphere, music, and special cocktails prepared for the occasion.

Of course, join the mood and bring an appropriate outfit for the occasion . My advice is:

For men , think of sharp pinstripe suits, silk waistcoats, and polished oxfords. While, women can opt for dazzle in sequined dresses, feathered headbands, and layers of pearls, completing the look with T-strap heels.

If you don’t have anything to wear there’s no problem, in the on-board shops you can purchase accessories designed specifically for this theme night.

Bianco theme night (3 nights or longer)

The white night is one of the most common and can be found on almost every cruise line .

P&O Australia also has one and it is dedicated to both adults and children, in fact, there is even a special Kids White Out Party .

Choosing the outfit is very simple, as the name says (bianco means white in Italian) you only need to dress completely in white from head to toe .

For this theme night, there will also be a live band along with the DJ who will keep you dancing nonstop with the latest songs and great classics.

Back To School theme night (7 nights or longer)

If your cruise is 7 nights or longer, you will also have a back-to-school theme night .

It will be an adults-only event where nostalgia meets fun, with the best retro hit played by the ship’s DJ.

As for clothes, you can opt for school uniforms or, why not, you can even dress up as a teacher!

In particular, men can opt for a neat button-up shirt paired with chinos or khakis and a fun, novelty tie.

On the other hand, women can choose pleated skirts and cardigans or sporty preppy blazers over graphic tees, complemented by loafers or sneakers to keep the vibe youthful and spirited.

2024 Schedule for every ship of P&O Australia

Pacific explorer.

• Gatsby theme night
• Bianco theme night
• Back To School theme night
• Sailaway party (no special outfit needed)

Pacific Adventure

Pacific encounter, theme nights on the british p&o.

I’m sorry to disappoint fans of theme nights, but the British P&O has cut back on theme nights since the pandemic .

I honestly don’t understand the reason for this decision. Some passengers told me that attendance at theme nights was too low .

However, I don’t think that is a good reason to cancel them, they could simply be better promoted through the cruise program .

Anyway at the moment, to my knowledge, there are only two theme nights, let’s find out more about them.

Black tie night

The theme night that is on every ship is the formal one , usually also called black tie night.

Recommended attire is the usual: men can wear a suit or tuxedo . From what I have seen not everyone wears a tie or bow tie, if you want to be a little less formal you can omit it.

Women, on the other hand, can opt for a long evening gown , a cocktail dress, or a pantsuit .

One thing I want to specify is that it’s not mandatory to dress formally . However, I strongly recommend it since many of the passengers on board like to follow the dress code at least for this evening.

Tropical theme night

For some Caribbean cruises , I have heard that a tropical night is also scheduled.

This is amongst my favorite nights on cruises, and I think it is a shame that it is not done on all ships.

You can dress very colorfully in floral gowns, floral maxi dresses, floral shirts, and of course the must-have flower crown or flower necklace.

2024 Schedule for every P&O Ship

• Formal night
• Tropical night (for Caribbean cruises)

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South Pacific: 10-Night P&O Cruise from Auckland

Something for everyone can be found onboard Pacific Explorer!Whiz down waterslides by day, enjoy great restaurants, bars and edgy stage shows at night. There’s something for every member of the family.When it comes to dining, you are spoilt for choice with 12 dining experiences all included in your cruise fare. Or, treat yourself to something special at Luke's our amazing celebrity chef restaurant with Luke Mangan. Enjoy a mouthwatering signature burger at lunch, a delicious three-course a la carte dinner with the sunset, or try our award winning pizza in P&O Trattoria.

What to Wear on a P&O Cruise – 39 Examples and Enforcement

Before I took my first P&O cruise, I was aware that they had dress codes and formal nights, but had no idea what the dress code actually entailed.  In this post, you’ll find dress code guidelines for all parts of a P&O cruise, including the following:

• Daytime Wear – Onboard the ship
• Daytime Wear – On Shore
• Casual Nights
• ‘Formal’ (Celebration/Black Tie) Nights

We will also look into if the dress codes are actually enforced.

This post is based on my personal experiences cruising with P&O Cruises.

Is There a Daytime Dress Code When on a P&O Cruise Ship?

There is no daytime dress code on P&O cruises.

When within the ship guests do have to wear a T-shirt of some sort and shoes but I don’t think this can really be classed as a dress code. When on the pool deck it’s fine to walk around in just your swimwear. More about this later in the post.

Below are examples of everyday dress:

The dress code during the day is just your typical holiday wardrobe. T-shirts, shorts and sundresses are all fine.

It can be chilly on deck and breezy in the evening, so be sure to pack plenty of light layers even if you are going somewhere warm.

I always recommend flat shoes for strolling the decks.

This is pretty standard within the cruising industry, even the cruise lines with the strictest evening dress codes do not have dress codes during the day.

Dress Restrictions on P&O Cruises (At All Times)

P&O do have some dress code restrictions

• Away from the pool area, they ask for shoes to be worn.
• No pool wear in the ship’s lounges, inside bars, restaurants or reception.
• No fancy dress! (Costume dress)
• Clothing that features inappropriate or offensive language, including novelty clothing with printed images or slogans, will not be allowed on board. 

P&O’s Infamous Fancy Dress (Costume Dress) Clown Incident

Reportedly, a passenger dressed as a clown sparked a mass brawl on a P&O cruise ship.  A passenger on the cruise said he heard the trouble started when another passenger appeared dressed as a clown.

“This upset one of their party because they’d specifically booked a cruise with no fancy dress. It led to a violent confrontation.” 

Allegedly, families fled as a group of passengers used furniture and plates as weapons on board the ship. 

No wonder fancy dress is now banned on board all P&O ships!

P&O Do Have Theme Nights, on Occasion

The only exception to the no fancy dress rule is on the official P&O Cruises theme nights – for example, 70s disco, 80s pop, colourful tropical, black and white nights, or seasonal events such as Halloween and Christmas. 

We did have a Christmas jumper day on our Christmas cruise. Interestingly it was the day after Christmas and we were definitely in the minority wearing our Christmas jumpers.

Dressing up for these theme nights is not compulsory!

Set up and log in to your P&O online account to see details of theme nights before your cruise so that you can prepare. 

Whilst on board you can check the P&O “my holiday” digital pocket planner to keep up with daily dress codes.

Do P&O Provide Dress Code Guidelines For The Ports?

Some countries’ cultures may require you to cover up more than you normally would on holiday and if this is the case, P&O will usually remind guests and let them know in the daily schedule.

It’s always important to be aware of the traditions in the countries you are visiting. 

In some countries modesty in clothing is expected and P&O suggest you pack plenty of light and loose clothing that covered the tops of your arms and legs.

They advise ladies to avoid wearing any shorts or tight-fitting clothes and to take a head covering ashore.

If unsure about the countries you are visiting, P&O suggest you visit a Government foreign travel advice website for further advice regarding dress codes.

Asides from this there are no dress codes.

The moment you step off the ship, you are just like any other tourist.

Comfortable shoes are essential for exploring ports of call, especially if the paths are uneven. It’s always sensible to take a light jumper or layer up, so you will be prepared for all eventualities. 

Take the weather forecast into account before you leave the ship – sunglasses, hats or even rainproof jackets may be needed.

What is The ‘Evening Casual’ Dress Code?

“Stylish resort or leisurewear is ideal for Evening Casual nights, for example casual separates or dresses for ladies and open-neck polo shirts and casual trousers for men.” P&O Cruises

Shorts usually aren’t allowed in the main dining room.

A jacket and smart trousers can be worn but are not compulsory. Smart dark denim is also fine, but not trainers or sneakers, football shirts or tracksuits. 

In reality, if you are wearing dark trainers/denim this is fine, they just don’t want guests in ripped blue jeans and bright white trainers.

Do P&O Have Formal Nights?

P&O cruises do have ‘formal’ nights and these are usually referred to as Celebration Nights or Black Tie nights .

“Our Celebration Nights and Black Tie nights offer a chance to get dressed to the nines in glamorous evening wear. Don your favourite cocktail dress, tuxedo, ball gown or dinner jacket, or alternatively a dark business suit and tie. You may also wear formal national dress or military uniform.” P&O Cruises

It is always possible to avoid the formal night dress codes, if that is something that may be of interest. Check out this post: You Can Skip Formal Nights on a Cruise – Here’s How

What is The ‘Formal/Celebration/Black Tie’ Dress Code?

Celebration Nights and Black Tie nights offer a chance to get dressed up in your poshest evening wear. Wear your favourite cocktail dress, tuxedo, ball gown or dinner jacket, or alternatively a dark business suit and tie.

You may also wear formal national dress or military uniform.

How Many Black Tie Nights Will There Be?

P&O say to expect at least one black tie night on a 7-night cruise and between two and four on cruises of 9-14 nights.

If you are lucky enough to be cruising for longer, there is likely to be one black tie night per every 7 nights so pack accordingly.

On shorter cruises, there may be one Black Tie night on a 2-4 night cruise and one or two on cruises of 5-7 nights.

Does The Dress Code Vary by Ship?

When we took a Christmas Cruise on P&O Ventura, we had two formal nights each week.  This could be due to the fact it was over the Christmas holidays, or because older P&O ships are more formal than newer ships, such as Iona. 

Certainly, passengers who have travelled on Iona have reported back that the dress code is more informal than on ships such as Azura and Ventura. 

You can expect only one formal night whilst on a week’s cruise on Iona or Arvia.

Is Dressing up Compulsory on Formal/Celebration/Black Tie nights?

Whilst not compulsory, it is recommended that guests follow the evening’s dress code in restaurants and bars from 6 pm.

It’s unlikely that you’d be prevented entry or refused service, but you might feel uncomfortably under-dressed or face the disapproval of fellow guests who have dressed up and made an effort! 

If you really prefer casual dress you can dine in the buffet on Black Tie nights, where it is more relaxed, or take advantage of room service. 

Below are examples of black tie dress:

Do P&O Cruises Enforce Their Dress Codes?

76% of P&O cruisers said that they didn’t feel as though P&O’s dress codes were enforced.  P&O’s dress codes are just recommended.

The survey conducted in our Facebook group – 130 people voted for no, 41 for yes.

Guests are reminded in the daily Horizon or the “my holiday” planner what the dress code is for that particular evening, however, if dressed within reason (as in not overtly casual/scruffy) it is unlikely that staff will want to offend guests by reprimanding them on improper dress.

That said, it is policy and therefore they are quite within their right to do so.

Does the Dress Code Apply to Everyone?

The dress codes apply to everyone over 18 years of age. 

For children aged 17 years and under, the dress code in the evening is always Evening Casual, regardless of the adult dress code.

They do ask, however, that no denim is worn on Black Tie nights.

For boys:  Generally speaking, boys would probably be fine to wear a polo shirt and chinos on the formal/smart casual nights. 

For girls:  Any dress/skirt or smart trousers/top would be fine. The main thing is to look presentable and like an effort has been made. This doesn’t have to be expensive!

Some families love the opportunity to dress up and I’ve seen small children wearing full tuxedos and bow ties which are adorable. On casual nights anything goes for kids.

What Should Teenagers Wear on Formal Night?

The formal night dress code doesn’t apply to those under 18 but many teenagers do enjoy dressing up for formal nights. Most teenagers will either wear a dress or a shirt/trousers, some with a tie or jacket. A more relaxed option like a casual shirt with a collar may be a good option too.

It really is up to the teenager.

If your teenagers don’t want to take part in formal night but you do, that’s no problem.

I used to cruise as a teenager and I loved being able to go to the buffet with my cousins rather than go to the main dining room with my parents. Cruising as a teen gave me a lot of freedom and I loved it.

Does the Dress Code Apply When Visiting Speciality Restaurants?

The dress code on P&O cruises does apply to the majority of speciality restaurants.

Some speciality restaurants, like the beach house which is located in the buffet, may have a different or more relaxed dress code.

During my Christmas cruise on Ventura, some of us dined in the beachhouse on formal night to avoid the dress code.

Check on the daily planner before you book to see if the dress code applies to your chosen speciality restaurant.

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• P&O Cruises ( UK )

Black tie nights on 3 night cruise

By cruiseluvva , May 20, 2023 in P&O Cruises ( UK )

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cruiseluvva

I have just booked two relatives on a 3 night cruise on Arcadia, neither have cruised before and have no idea about anything. It’s years since I have cruised with P&O so is there likely to be a formal/gala/black tie night on a 3 night trip?

Thank you. 

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3 hours ago, cruiseluvva said: I have just booked two relatives on a 3 night cruise on Arcadia, neither have cruised before and have no idea about anything. It’s years since I have cruised with P&O so is there likely to be a formal/gala/black tie night on a 3 night trip?   Thank you. 

Yes you do get one gala night on a 2 - 4 night cruise. Hope they have a wonderful time! Arcadia is a lovely ship. 

Just had a look at our up-coming 12 night cruise on Aurora and there's 1 Gala Night and all the rest are smart casual.  Is this the norm now?

6 hours ago, CarlaMarie said:   Yes you do get one gala night on a 2 - 4 night cruise. Hope they have a wonderful time! Arcadia is a lovely ship. 

Happy afloat

5 hours ago, kruzseeka said: Just had a look at our up-coming 12 night cruise on Aurora and there's 1 Gala Night and all the rest are smart casual.  Is this the norm now?

Hi not sure why you've only got one gala night. I don't think this is the norm as we had four on Aurora in April. 

On Aurora, Arcadia and Britannia you should have 2 gala nights in a 7 day period. On Arvia and Iona there is only 1 gala night in a 7 day period. 

So on a 12 night on Aurora you should have at least 3 and possibly 4.

40 minutes ago, CarlaMarie said: On Aurora, Arcadia and Britannia you should have 2 gala nights in a 7 day period. On Arvia and Iona there is only 1 gala night in a 7 day period.    So on a 12 night on Aurora you should have at least 3 and possibly 4.

I forgot to add Azura and Ventura into the ships that have 2 gala nights per 7 days.

We are on Azura for 17 days for the repo cruise. I assume it will still be 2 gala nights. 

Hope this helps. Although I did think there would be more black tie nights for 12 night cruises on the rest of the fleet, so apologies for my previous post thinking there would be at least 3!  It may be cruise specific though. Your cruise personaliser will tell you nearer to your cruise. 

July morning

Our cruise on Ventura in October for ten nights,  it shows in my cruise information that it's going to be three formal

Should have mentioned our five night cruise on Britannia had one formal and the vast majority were wearing "formal"

Thank you all for your responses.  I would have expected 3 and wouldn't have been surprised if that had been reduced to 2 but was surprised to see only 1 (this is on my account as I track through day by day).

It obviously doesn't chime with your experiences or the table CarlaMarie has posted (thank you).

I just wanted to check as I don't think we'd bother taking formal wear for 1 night.  The one night they are showing is the day after sailing (sea day) - perhaps it's just a matter of not yet fixing any additional evenings but it is misleading if indeed they do intend to have more than one.  I'll keep an eye on it.  But thanks again for your input.  

Take what it says on the P&O site with a pinch of salt as the reality can be different. For example the formal nights are planned but might be changed due to weather etc. My 14 night Aurora cruise has 3 listed and my 21 night Arcadia cruise has 6 listed.

Son of Anarchy

Our Aurora 30 night cruise has only 5 formal nights listed.  

18 minutes ago, davecttr said: Take what it says on the P&O site with a pinch of salt as the reality can be different. For example the formal nights are planned but might be changed due to weather etc. My 14 night Aurora cruise has 3 listed and my 21 night Arcadia cruise has 6 listed.

Yes I think it is best to take it as a "guide" to the minimum, but that on the rest of the fleet for cruises of more than 7 nights you could expect more. 

• 4 weeks later...

Just an update.  12nt Aurora still showing on the cruise details as only 1 formal night - thought it might have been updated but not as yet and close to departure now.  Quite surprised it's not 2 and it's not consistent with some of the info other posters report w.r.t to other ships/published info. 

Given the itinerary (Fjords) and adult only ship I would have thought the demographic would be more inclined towards formal nights.  I'm not too bothered really except now questioning whether to bother packing formal wear for only one night.  It will be very interesting to see the % uptake.  I'll report back.  

3 hours ago, kruzseeka said: Just an update.  12nt Aurora still showing on the cruise details as only 1 formal night - thought it might have been updated but not as yet and close to departure now.  Quite surprised it's not 2 and it's not consistent with some of the info other posters report w.r.t to other ships/published info.  Given the itinerary (Fjords) and adult only ship I would have thought the demographic would be more inclined towards formal nights.  I'm not too bothered really except now questioning whether to bother packing formal wear for only one night.  It will be very interesting to see the % uptake.  I'll report back.  

Should be 3 formals on a 12 nighter. 

1 hour ago, Fionboard said: Should be 3 formals on a 12 nighter. 

Well I would certainly have thought a couple but when I log in to My Cruise account as you move through the itinerary from port to port only one night, the day after sailing, is a Celebration Night and all the rest are showing as Evening Casual. Now it could be wrong but definitely only one is shown. 

5 hours ago, kruzseeka said: Just an update.  12nt Aurora still showing on the cruise details as only 1 formal night - thought it might have been updated but not as yet and close to departure now.  Quite surprised it's not 2 and it's not consistent with some of the info other posters report w.r.t to other ships/published info.  Given the itinerary (Fjords) and adult only ship I would have thought the demographic would be more inclined towards formal nights.  I'm not too bothered really except now questioning whether to bother packing formal wear for only one night.  It will be very interesting to see the % uptake.  I'll report back.  

We're on Aurora in September 30 nights roundtrip to USA & Canada.  Only five formals listed in Cruise Personaliser.  Expected more.  

P&O SUE

8 hours ago, kruzseeka said: Well I would certainly have thought a couple but when I log in to My Cruise account as you move through the itinerary from port to port only one night, the day after sailing, is a Celebration Night and all the rest are showing as Evening Casual. Now it could be wrong but definitely only one is shown. 

Yes I would think so too, especially Aurora. We had 3 formal nights on Azura on a 12 night cruise, was pre you know what though!

2 hours ago, P&O SUE said: Yes I would think so too, especially Aurora. We had 3 formal nights on Azura on a 12 night cruise, was pre you know what though!

Yes, though as you indicate, things have changed! 

It just seems so inconsistent given a report that an October cruise of 10 nights on Ventura is showing 3! I would have thought Aurora (and Arcadia) might be the ships to hold on to formal nights longer than the rest of the fleet. 

My suspicion is that it's an error and we may have at least one more once on board but that will be too late for those who might not bother to pack formal attire for one night. It doesn't bother me much one way or another except for packing choices but I can't see the logic if it's correct. 

Time will tell!

On our 7 night Britannia cruise in September we have 2 listed, a Celebration Night and a Formal Night. 

1 hour ago, purplesea said: On our 7 night Britannia cruise in September we have 2 listed, a Celebration Night and a Formal Night. 

Odder and odder!

Just checked our 14 night Britannia in Sept - 1 Celebration + 3 formal!

I’ve just checked ours Aurora cruise in august. Depart 15/8, celebration night on 16/8.  Then formal night on 25/8.  All other nights smart casual. 

1 hour ago, kruzseeka said: Odder and odder! Just checked our 14 night Britannia in Sept - 1 Celebration + 3 formal!

Celebration and formal nights are essentially the same except IIRC you get a drinks voucher on Celebration night or a half bottle of Fizz if you are Caribbean Tier or above?

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How many formal nights will there be on my cruise, and what is the dress code?

by · Published 8th February 2019 · Updated 7th March 2022

Formal nights are one of the main unknowns for any new cruiser.  There are always a lot of questions about this subject, and people are often uneasy and unsure about what to expect on their cruise.

Here is an overview of what you need to know about formal night on the major cruise lines.

Celebrity Cruises MSC Cruises Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) P&O Cruises Princess Cruises Royal Caribbean

• Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity have given formal nights a ‘modern luxury reboot’.    Formal Nights have now been replaced with Evening Chic, and Evening Chic attire has replaced Formal attire.  While dressier than Smart Casual, Evening Chic is intended to be less dressy than Formal attire.

Dress Code:

Evening Chic Women should feel comfortable wearing:   A cocktail dress OR.  Skirt, pants or designer jeans with an elegant top.

Men should feel comfortable wearing:   Pants or designer jeans with a dress shirt, button-down shirt or sweater with an optional sport coat or blazer

Evening Chic means that you can get glamorous and be sophisticated in your own way. If you would like to still wear a tuxedo or formal gown on Evening Chic nights, you absolutely should.

Smart Casual attire can be enjoyed every other night of your cruise.

Smart Casual Women should feel comfortable wearing:  Skirt, pants or jeans with a casual top

Men should feel comfortable wearing:  Pants or jeans with a short sleeve sport shirt.

T-shirts, swimsuits, robes, bare feet, tank tops, baseball caps and pool wear are not allowed in the main restaurant or specialty restaurant at any time. Shorts and flip-flops are not allowed in the evening hours. The dress code will be enforced at all restaurants. And guests are asked to follow the Smart Casual or Evening Chic dress code in the Celebrity Theater for all evening performances.

Number of Evening Chic Nights:

Cruises of 7 nights or longer:  2 Evening Chic nights. Cruises of 6-nights or shorter:  1 Evening Chic night.

All other nights of the cruise will feature Smart Casual attire.

Celebrity Xpedition will feature casual attire for the entire cruise.

• MSC Cruises

“Casual resort wear” is appropriate, except for formal evenings when men are required to put on suits or jackets and ties, and women cocktail dresses.  In addition, passengers who would like to participate in theme nights are encouraged to dress according to a specific theme. Examples of theme nights include White Night, Tropical Night or 60s/70s/80s Night.

The standard Lido buffet (and room service) will serve passengers seeking a more low-key dining experience and who don’t wish to dress formally.

After 6 p.m., jeans, T-shirts and shorts are not permitted in the ships’ public areas. No swimwear is allowed in main dining rooms. Jeans are allowed on casual resort wear nights, as long as they aren’t torn or ripped.

Number of Formal Nights:

4-6 night cruises:  1 Formal Night 7-9 night cruises:  2 Formal Nights 10-14 night cruises:  3 Formal Nights 15 nights or longer:  4 Formal Nights

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL)

NCL’s ‘Freestyle Cruising’ ethos applies to the dress code on Norwegian ships.  NCL believe that guests will have much more relaxing cruise vacations when they are comfortable.

Resort casual is the norm throughout the fleet, so guests can leave their tuxedos and party dresses at home if they wish.

For those who enjoy dressing up for dinner, there is one (two on cruises longer than seven-nights) completely optional “formal night” in various areas of the ship.

P&O Cruises

P&O have two evening Dress Codes on-board their ships, Evening Casual and Black Tie.  Suggestions of the type of clothing you might like to wear are given in the documents below:

Evening Casual dress suggestions

Black Tie dress suggestions

P&O also host Theme Nights where guests are invited to dress up in line with the theme. Dressing up for a Theme Night is great fun but isn’t compulsory.

For 60s & 70s you can either just turn up and enjoy the music or jump at the chance to dig out your miniskirts and flares!

Black and White nights follow the same dress code as our Black Tie evenings with men in tuxedos or dinner suits and women in ball gowns or cocktail dresses.  You can also opt for an all black or all white ensemble (if your wardrobe will allow).

Tropical nights are all about Hawaiian shirts, grass skirts and optional flower necklaces.

Number of Black Tie Nights:

This can vary from cruise to cruise depending on the number of nights you are on board.

As a guide, there is approximately:

• 1 Black Tie night during a 2-4 night cruise
• 2 Black Tie nights during a 5-7 night cruise
• 3 Black Tie nights during an 8-10 night cruise
• 4 Black Tie nights during an 11-14 night cruise
• Princess Cruises

Princess Cruises have two evening dress codes on-board their ships, Smart Casual and Formal.  Suggestions of the type of clothing you might like to wear are given in the documents below:

Smart Casual Guest attire should be in keeping with what they would wear to a nice restaurant at home.

• Skirts/dresses, slacks, and sweaters for ladies
• Pants and open-neck shirts for men

Dinner wear such as pool or beach attire, shorts, ball caps and casual jeans (with fraying and/or holes) are not welcomed in the dining rooms. Shoes must be worn.

Formal When formal nights are held, please observe the dress code in the Traditional Dining and Anytime Dining venues for the enjoyment of all our guests.

• Evening gowns and cocktail dresses for women
• Tuxedos, dinner jackets or dark suits with a tie for men
• Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean have three evening dress codes on their ships.  Evenings will either be Casual, Smart Casual or Formal.    There can be 1-3 formal nights during a sailing and is at the ship’s discretion. The Chef’s Table dining experience also enforces a formal dress code policy.

Here are a few types of suggested attire for each type of night:

• Casual:  You’re on vacation – relax! Jeans, polos, sundresses and blouses are all the right amount of laid back. Please keep swimwear to the Pool Deck. Shorts are welcomed for breakfast and lunch, but not dinner.
• Smart Casual:  Think of this as a step up from your typical dinner wear. Dress to impress with collared shirts, dresses, skirts and blouses, or pantsuits. Jackets, sports coats and blazers are snazzy and welcomed.
• Formal:  Make it a night out in your best black-tie look – suits and ties, tuxedos, cocktail dresses or evening gowns.
• 3/4/5 Night Cruises – Usually on Day 2
• 6 Night Cruises – Usually on Day 2 and 5
• 7 Night Cruises – Usually on Day 2 and 6
• 8 – 10 Night Cruises – 2 Formal Nights, Days vary by ship and sailing
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• Oasis and Allure – Day 2 and 5 on Western itineraries and Day 2 and 6 on Eastern itineraries
• Empress of the Seas – Formal Nights are not offered on some sailings

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Trying to find out how many formal nights Ventura 12 nights & if any theme nights

You will have 4 formal nights on your cruise.

Theme nights, drop p&o a message they will be able to tell you or search Facebook and see if there is a group for your cruise.

Have a great cruise x

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I am so confused on travel insurance!

My question is in your opinion what are safe reliable Travel insurance companies that you know of; that if we do need actually pay? as I have been researching and researching and now my head hurts that much I'm confused

my main thing I suppose would be if one of my kids (most like my 2 babies of the pack) get sick and need to see a doctor on board but would like one that's covers all on a budget if this helps

there so many I don't know what company are reliable here in Australia for international cruise

we have used 1cover before but didn't need to claim

any input would so muchly be appreciated

6 replies to this topic

You can use Compare the Market for searching travel insurance companies.

https://www.comparethemarket.com.au/travel-insurance/

In the US see http://www.insuremytrip.com and check from the list to get some basic ideas and then do call and ask lots of questions including medical and repatriation and if you choose Cancel For Any Reason CFAR some companies require purchase within a week -10 days of booking. CFAR get you 75% back last time I looked but it beats a blank if something happens at the last minute.

I usually end up with Travel Guard or Alliance.

We always used insuremytrip.com to find a company and found ourselves always choosing Generali. So we started going to them directly.

Travel insurance is a must IMO. Some CC companies do offer free travel insurance if you pay for your travel using their CC … it may be a certain % that you are required to pay with your card .. you’d need to check with the CC /Bank/ insurer.

Apart from Covermore, there are others that are reliable such as Southern Cross. If you have health insurance, they sometimes offer travel insurance too such as NIB, I think Bula offers it too… I have a couple of friends who use their health insurer for travel insurance and suspend their health cover if they are travelling out of Australia.

Above all, read the fine print and make sure you delete things you’re not going to do such as skiing for example.

Be aware that claims have been denied by travel insurers if the insured party has an accident and has been drinking alcohol.

Another thing to be aware of is perhaps look into minimising your excess - multiple claims will incur multiple excess basically reducing your payout to not much at all !!

Finally, if nothing else let me tell you what happened to two friends recently.

Another friend had finished her cruise and was spending an extra couple of nights in Japan. Her husband fell down an escalator, he seemed ok but later that afternoon he collapsed and died. Luckily they had travel insurance to cover their extra expenses /repatriation of his body home.

Like any insurance product it's important to read and understand the PDS before purchasing the product to be sure it suits your needs. 🤠

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• P&O Cruises ( Australia )

Theme nights and shows

By Oxstang , March 12, 2007 in P&O Cruises ( Australia )

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I've just got off the phone to P&O asking about theme nights and what shows will be on.

They were very vague!

They did say that the 2nd night is the Captain's formal night and he may have a second night towards the end of the cruise.

There is always an island night. They may have a country & western night and or a Rock & Roll night if there is enough passenger demand. I asked how passengers demand it and she said to see the purser and ask if he can arrange it. Seems strange to me.

I also asked about the shows and whether they still had passenger involvement to which she replied 'yes, maybe'.

I know they have a passenger talent night towards the end.

Has anyone been on the Sun on a 10 day cruise recently that can confirm what they do have?

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They will have two formal nights, Island night, these are the ones most dress for. Country and Western and Rock n roll they will have but not as many participate.

A talent show is held on the last night before disembarking. We sailed on the Sun for 10 nights last March. Every cruise I have done since the 1980's has had these theme nights.

They used to have ' Change of sex" night, (men dress as women, women as men) they were the best! These have now been stopped, don't know why?

Pity customer service isn't more helpful, they even had a list of the formal nights for the Tahiti cruise in 2008, so they do know! Just need to get the helpful operator;)

I've just got off the phone to P&O asking about theme nights and what shows will be on. They were very vague! They did say that the 2nd night is the Captain's formal night and he may have a second night towards the end of the cruise. There is always an island night. They may have a country & western night and or a Rock & Roll night if there is enough passenger demand. I asked how passengers demand it and she said to see the purser and ask if he can arrange it. Seems strange to me. I also asked about the shows and whether they still had passenger involvement to which she replied 'yes, maybe'. I know they have a passenger talent night towards the end. Has anyone been on the Sun on a 10 day cruise recently that can confirm what they do have?       Cheers.

Sounds like she was a big help:rolleyes:

I got back on the 1st from a 10 night cruise on the Sun and we had Island night, Country and Western night, Rock'N'Roll night plus 2 formal nights and a talent show.

Island night was definitely the biggest...then the C&W night. Rock'N'Roll night was a bit flat, with not many people joining in....

The first formal night saw most people dressing up, but the second one I noticed a lot of people didn't dress up as much. They still have the formal photos (with backdrops) on the second formal night though, which was good, since our first night's pics were terrible! :(

As for the "talent show" this was a joke. 6 people performed and they were mainly just karaoke....

Everyone sitting near me was disappointed, as I think we'd all hoped for something more!! But I guess if only 6 people entered, that's all that could perform! :rolleyes:

chaz cruiser

I had the best P&O phone operator the other day. His name was Daniel and he was fantastic. He couldn't answer my question but took my details because he didn't want to "give me the wrong details". Then a couple of days later called me and gave me the information I had asked for.

BTW the answers to my questions were there is seatbelts on the Jet Boat tour, children must be over 120cms tall and larger people may not be able to participate as they can't do up the seatbelt.....

oztraveller

Just got back today from a wonderful week on the STAR and we had 2 formal nights and all three theme nights - rock n roll, country and island. The island night was by far the most popular (I think mainly to having stopped in Vila that day and all the island dress/leis/skirts are so cheap - so lots of people seemed to get into the spirit)

All the theme nights were lots of fun though - the crew go out of their way to provide great entertainment on these nights.

Welcome home... Hope you had a great trip. Can't wait to hear more about it.

begginer_cruiser

I have been told that if you are on a cruise longer than 7 nights the shows are repeated. Can anyone advise if this is correct or if there is a different show for every night of your cruise ie 11 night cruise?

We went on a 12 night cruise last year and had a different show every night.

1 - Welcome aboard show/introduction to performers and guest entertainers

2 - Guest Entertainer 1

3 - Pacific Star Entertainers show - 'Dance'

4 - Guest Entertainer 2

5 - Pacific Star Entertainers show - 'Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance'

6 - Guest Entertainer 3

7 - No stage shows - movie shown in the show lounge instead

8 - Pacific Star Entertainers show - 'Love the Nightlife'

9 - Celebrity Show time - all 3 guest entertainers

10 - Old Time Sing-a-long, moives in show lounge and Island Night Party

11 - Pacific Star Entertainers show - 'G'day G'day', and cruise staff performance.

12 - Passenger talent show.

Thank you Skyrules.

I cannot wait for the entertainment again.

Are there still only 2 formal nights on an 11 night cruise or do you have 3?

We had 2 on the 12 night cruise - 2nd night and 2nd last night.

I've just got off the phone to P&O asking about theme nights and what shows will be on. They were very vague! They did say that the 2nd night is the Captain's formal night and he may have a second night towards the end of the cruise. There is always an island night. They may have a country & western night and or a Rock & Roll night if there is enough passenger demand. I asked how passengers demand it and she said to see the purser and ask if he can arrange it. Seems strange to me. I also asked about the shows and whether they still had passenger involvement to which she replied 'yes, maybe'. I know they have a passenger talent night towards the end. Has anyone been on the Sun on a 10 day cruise recently that can confirm what they do have?     Cheers.

Yes we just got off the Sun ..11 day cruise....We had two formals.Island night,Country,St Patricks Day and the talent show the last night..

So Instead you should have Country,Rock and Roll and Island Night

DEG46, we were just on your cruise! Along with what you said, the special entertainers we had were Monique Montz - a kind of cabaret singer, Mick Meredith a comedien & a hypnotist (can't remember his name). Then one night they had all 3. Th eother nights were the Pacific sun dancers & entertainers - one night was 'Piano Man' - playing songs by Billy Joel, Elton John, Peter Allen etc.. another night was 'G'day G'day' a ribute to Aussie entertainers I guess as we didn't go that night. I thought the Talent night on the last night was absolutely DIRE! A couple of the singer's were really good, but some of the others (a couple of them tried comedy acts) were cringe worthy. I admire them for trying though! Not so many dressed up for Western night but most people did for island night. DEG46 - if you were in the Burgandy room we were the one with the big plastic suglasses on! photo's at www.sydney-webcam.com in the 'gallery'.

It's a shame you didn't go to G'day G'day, it was the best show. Hope you had a great time anyway. Looking forward to your review.

WOW frostm. Just had a look at your photos. Those shots coming back into Sydney are fantastic. You must have arrived pretty early.

Why not add the link to your pics in the sticky photo thread?

Hi Karen, will definitely add our pic's to the sticky - waiting on our friend's photo's to fill in the gaps. Will also do a review when I get a bit more time.

We sailed in an hour early due to the tides! The captain told us the night before so we set the alarm for 4:30am - we were already through the heads. I was so happy it worked out this way. It was STUNNING coming into the harbour around 5am, everything so quiet & still dark. The opera house and the bridgewere lit up and just breathtaking (unfortunately it was too dark so the pic's of this didn't work). My husband manged to take those picture's as it was docking - light must have been better and the crowd's went after the bridge. We then went back to bed at 5:30am for a couple of hours until the last minute when we had to vacate the room at 8am. :)

Yes, your photos are wonderful. Your site has just over 300 photos. Was that all you took or did you just load the best ones?

Only ask because I'm a photo nut and plan on taking over 600 shots with a multitude of cameras. Four to be exact.

Looks like it was a great trip!

Oxstang, hubby took about 400 photo's and spent about 3 hours culling them down to 300! Our friends have some other photo's that we haven't added yet. He took two camera's, but didn't want to take the good one to the islands in case it got sand in it! so a lot of those photo's are probably on our old digital camera. The ones taken from the boat would be from the good digital SLR. He had 3 memory sticks and lucky he did as we used 2 and our friend only had 1 and ran out. She would also have taken over 400 shots.

How on earth did i miss this thread? :cool:

We went on a 12 night cruise last year and had a different show every night.   1 - Welcome aboard show/introduction to performers and guest entertainers   2 - Guest Entertainer 1   3 - Pacific Star Entertainers show - 'Dance'   4 - Guest Entertainer 2   5 - Pacific Star Entertainers show - 'Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance'   6 - Guest Entertainer 3   7 - No stage shows - movie shown in the show lounge instead   8 - Pacific Star Entertainers show - 'Love the Nightlife'   9 - Celebrity Show time - all 3 guest entertainers   10 - Old Time Sing-a-long, moives in show lounge and Island Night Party   11 - Pacific Star Entertainers show - 'G'day G'day', and cruise staff performance.   12 - Passenger talent show.

So it looks like they have the same shows as the 7 nighters, just spread out a little.

....Only ask because I'm a photo nut and plan on taking over 600 shots with a multitude of cameras. Four to be exact. ....Cheers.

We should see some great pics from you then hey?:D

No we were in the other room.....We were sitting with the couple that got married at Villa...

My granddaughter was singing in the talent show and was in the hypnosis show.... all the shows were terrific....Waiting now to go on the Pacific Dawn...

Only 600 between 4 cameras? I'll take about that, maybe more in a day with one camera :eek:

a hypnotist (can't remember his name). Then one night they had all 3. /   Was it Chris Castles?? We had him on Pacific Star last year. Didn't like him.     Th eother nights were the Pacific sun dancers & entertainers - one night was 'Piano Man' - playing songs by Billy Joel, Elton John, Peter Allen etc.. another night was 'G'day G'day' a ribute to Aussie entertainers I guess as we didn't go that night. /   Piano man is a good show we saw that on our Pacific Sun cruise. G'day G'day is a must see - although I have to say (and have said it before) 'The Band Played Waltzing Matilda' didn't have quite the same impact in the bigger show lounge on Sun, or mabye it was just the singer on that night didn't have the voice to carry it.

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School’s officially out. Island Night will be replacing the Back to School Party on all cruises 7 nights or longer from 4 June on Pacific Explorer, 17 June on Pacific Adventure and 22 June on Pacific Encounter.

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