There are just two evening dress codes on P&O Cruises - Evening Casual and Black Tie (Formal). Find out more below.

One of the most frequently asked cruise questions is “What is the dress code on board”. It can be a real source of worry for new cruisers wondering if P&O Cruises still have formal nights, not wanting to make a faux pas or simply needing to know what to pack. For experienced cruisers it is to allow them to make an informed choice - some love to dress up and live for formal nights; whilst others feel more comfortable in casual dress or simply don’t like having to conform to a prescribed dress code.

Generally dress codes apply mainly to evening wear. Every cruise line has their own take on dress codes, ranging from anything goes to three or four different standards on different nights. In fact when we took our first ever cruise, which was with P&O Cruises, there were three dress codes to adhere to: Casual, Informal (which it definitely wasn’t!) and formal. Although we loved having the opportunity to dress up, it was all a bit over complicated.

However, P&O Cruises has moved with the times and is a now a contemporary cruise line which appreciates that guests want to enjoy their holidays stress free, so they overhauled their dress code policies and now there are just two recommended dress codes (plus some optional extras).

Two evening dress codes apply on P&O Cruises: Evening Casual and Black Tie, effective from 6 pm in restaurants and bars.

EVENING CASUAL

Evening Casual is the recommended dress code for the majority of your evenings onboard, but what does that mean? Think stylish resort or leisurewear that you’d wear on a posh hotel holiday (see below).

What to Wear on Evening Casual

P&O. Cruises suggest that you dress as you would for dinner in a nice restaurant; smart dark denim or trousers and a nice top, open-neck shirts, skirts and dresses (but no tracksuits, football shirts or trainers ideally). casual separates or dresses and open-neck polo shirts and casual trousers (not shorts). A jacket and smart trousers can be worn but are not compulsory. Tailored shorts may be worn in the buffet areas and open deck bars – whether you choose to pair them with your loudest Hawaiian shirt is up to you! Avoid heavily ripped jeans and tee shirts with offensive slogans.

How many Evening Casual Nights on a P&O Cruise?

The bulk of your evenings onboard will be Evening Casual. For a typical one week cruise there are usually six Evening Casual nights and on a two-week cruise there are normally ten Evening Casual nights, so pack accordingly.

What is Black Tie Night?

One or more evenings on a P&O Cruise will be a celebratory Gala Evening. On these glamorous occasions, you can look forward to a gourmet dining experience with special menus, and the opportunity to wear glamorous evening wear. Sometimes officers and even the Captain may attend.

What to Wear on Black Tie/Gala Evening

Here are some suggestions as to what to wear on a Black Tie night. Whether you like to show a bit of leg or prefer to go all out Hollywood diva, any of the following would be appropriate: cocktail dresses, short formal evening dresses, long ball gowns/evening dresses or smart Jumpsuits/trouser suits - glitz and glamour is the name of the game. Whilst Dinner jackets or tuxedos are optimal choices, a dark lounge or business suit and tie can be worn as an alternative. Formal National dress/Military Uniform is also acceptable. Minimum expected standards would be a smart dress or tunic or smart separates; Formal trousers, jacket with a shirt and tie or ideally a smart suit. However, if you are more of the “if you’ve got it, flaunt it” mindset you can go all out and really dress up.

What if you’ve not packed formal wear?

On most P&O Cruise Ships you will find a limited selection of formal wear (dinner suits/evening dresses etc) on sale in the shops, should you decide you’d quite like to dress up after all.

How many Black Tie Nights Will There Be?

As a rule of thumb expect at least one black tie/Gala 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 night per each 7 nights so pack accordingly (or rotate your outfits). 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.

Is Black Tie Compulsory?

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 (think about turning up at a posh club/restaurant/wedding in jeans and a tee-shirt when everyone else is ‘suited and booted’); or face the silent disapproval of fellow guests who have embraced dressing up and made an effort. That said, if you really prefer casual dress, perhaps choose to dine in the buffet on Black Tie nights, where it is more relaxed, or even take advantage of room service.

Daytime Dress Code

So your evening wardrobe is sorted, but what do you pack for daytime onboard? The dress code during the day is just your typical holiday wardrobe. Think t-shirts, shorts and sundresses (unless you’re heading to the Baltic in winter!). Away from the pool, shoes need to be worn and no pool wear is allowed in the ship’s lounges, inside bars, restaurants or reception. It may get chilly on deck and a bit breezy in the evening (even in the tropics), so maybe pack light layers. It’s also wise to pack flat shoes for promenading the Prom deck! Don’t forget to pack “sightseeing” outfits if you are going ashore - comfy shoes/sandals, a cover-up in hotter climates. Also worth finding out any cultural requirements for any ports of call you are visiting, particularly in the Middle East, where there are often strict clothing requirements, especially if you plan to visit any religious sights.

Theme Nights

Theme nights are a tradition on cruise ships - love them or hate them, they can be great fun, though it’s up to you whether you’d like to participate. Unlike the Evening Casual and Black Tie dress codes, dressing up for themes nights is absolutely optional. The usual themes will be 70s & 80s nights, tropical nights and Black and white nights. Its up to you whether you participate, but if you do want to you really don’t need to go overboard (excuse the pun) in your packing. A few carefully chosen accessories (beads, boppers, Hawaiian shirts etc.) will get you in the mood. Of course if you want to rock out the flares or leg warmers feel free. On tropical nights, crew will often hand out artificial Hawaiian lei (flower necklaces). Black and white nights follow the same dress code as Black Tie nights (cocktail dresses, tuxedos, ball gowns and dinner jackets). You could even opt for an all-black or all-white ensemble. If you decide not to dress in line with the theme, you still need to follow the ship's general dress code for that evening. If its npt clear which theme night might be on your cruise, but you know you’d like to join in just plan your packing around something that can be easily adapted (a little black dress or some costume jewellery for example).

What is the Dress Code for Children on P&O Cruises?

For children aged 17 years and under, the dress code every evening is Evening Casual, regardless of the adult dress code (but they are welcome to dress to impress too!). Denim is discouraged on Black Tie nights so you might need to hide their jeans!.

Fancy Dress

P&O Cruises state that fancy dress and novelty items or clothing are not permitted on their ships; the only exceptions to this are clothing for official P&O Cruises theme nights and seasonal events such as Halloween and Christmas. Any clothing that features inappropriate or offensive language, including novelty clothing with printed images or slogans, will not be allowed on board. They feel so strongly about this that they reserve the right to deny embarkation to guests who are inappropriately dressed. This policy does not apply to children aged 17 or under.

Does P&O Cruises Enforce Dress Codes?

This is a tricky one, and also a bone of contention between those that adhere to the suggested dress code and those that refuse to. As discussed above, P&O Cruises ‘recommends’ a particular dress code but how far do they actually go to enforce it? Guests are reminded in the daily Horizon 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. If you do choose to ignore the suggested dress code (particularly Black Tie) you do run the risk of the restaurant Maître D’ having a quiet word and suggesting you eat in a more relaxed, casual venue (i.e. the buffet). Also, contentiously perhaps, guests who have made an effort (especially those who still remember the formal nights of old), often get very put-out when fellow guests seem to flout “the rules”. You might say “that’s their problem”, which is true but still worth pointing out in case you get the odd furtive glance or someone glaring daggers at you!

I hope this answers most of your questions, but please don’t let the dress code become an issue for you. You will have a fabulous time onboard any P&O Cruises ship whatever you choose to wear. Just enjoy every minute!