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dinner in Vienna
Have read conflicting info concerning appropriate dress for dinner in Vienna. Some say jacket is the way to go. Others say it is not necessary. Taveling on the June 2 Amsterdam to Budapest cruise. Cam anyone help?
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There's been much discussion and debate over the various threads about this. It's very obvious that some men will do anything under the sun to avoid wearing a jacket, with or without a tie. They will do anything to avoid changing out of shorts into dress slacks. Some say it's too hot. Some say they never wear a jacket in Florida, Charlotte, Brisbane, Darwin or where ever and aren't about to start now. Some just say that they're on holiday and would rather eat fast food with their fingers, anyway. Okay, I'm taking the point a bit far, but you get my drift. Oddly enough, I don't think I've seen a single post from a woman who didn't enjoy dressing up for a special dinner or occasion ... and this is a very special occasion.
For what it's worth, and just to give those who choose another chance to disagree, here's my view. You are having dinner in a private palace, as a guest of a Viennese Prince. (I don't think it matters that you are a paying guest!) It's a stunning setting, you will be treated to some very special entertainment and the food and wine will be styled and served in the height of Viennese fashion. I think the occasion is worth making a little effort for. I don't think you need a tux or a dinner jacket. I do think it's nice for gentlemen to wear a jacket, even if it does find its way to the back of your chair after the first course. I think it's about showing respect for the occasion. And it also gives ladies a chance to get another wear out of that outfit/shawl/bling they snuck into the suitcase. JMHO.
Cheers,
Jan
Country Club casual worked on that ship, and I see no reason why that won't work on my Tauck Canadian Maritimes tour June 30- July 10, 2013---- nice slacks, collared shirt, sweater if cool-- wife, slacks, skirt, dress, even Capri pants
If we were in Montreal , Toronto, or Quebec City at the Chateau Frontenac, , I'd bring a jacket
Tie??? Only for very upscale East coast US, or private clubs like the Union League, where I was a former member
Kudos to Jan . . . eloquently said!
And scoopdave? I know exactly what you mean about the Chateau Frontenac. And although I did have to look up the Union League specifically, I figured I knew what you meant! That's petty much how I would describe dinner at the Palace in Vienna. Definitely a Chateau Frontenac kind of evening. Very stylish and the kind of occasion you can use the manners that would make you Mother proud she bothered teaching manners to naughty little kids like we all once were! And no, you don't have to dress to the same level of sartorial elegance every night on a Tauck river cruise. But blue jean shorts and tee shirts to dinner? Good grief! As the saying goes ... some mothers do have them ... (You might have to look that one up!)
Cheers,
Jan
Really; it's for "one" time. I'm sure it would not be the "spoiling" point of a beautiful vacation!!!
Looking forward to this much talked about evening.
Viking, Tauck, AMA Waterways, Uniworld are all in the top tier, and I see no difference---we tied up to all of these lines in several ports, they stack them sideways and you may walk through 2-3 of them to get to the dock---all about the same level of casual dress--
And, a bow tie properly tied---with some spiffy cuff links--
Rod
If you can't see the funny side, it really is a sad state of affairs.
Cheers,
Jan
I didn't think it was required, and I thought I was using humour myself. But I thought, having missed a crucial word in my reading of the entire thread, that someone was suggesting it might be appropriate. As for "respect" for the prince who's being paid to invite us into his castle? Hmm. We always dress appropriately on cruises, don't worry.
I was merely remarking on some of the things one does see when travelling. (It is a endless source of amusement to me.) Of course, I do sometimes have to remind myself that Americans, generally speaking, aren't terribly au fait with the use of irony as a tool in humour. (Naturally, one shouldn't generalise, but of course we do it all the time, don't we.)
Apropos of the formal dinner attire issue in general, on a recent Rhine & Mosel cruise there was one gentleman at the Captain's Welcome dinner wearing a dinner suit. He looked terrific! I assumed he didn't pack the suit simply for that one dinner, but for another occasions that were part of his entire travel itinerary.
Cheers,
Jan
I myself think my spouse will probably want to bring a blazer with him, we'll see. But no cocktail dress for me. Of course, if there's an opera singer at this shindig, we might bail and do our own thing that night (I know, I know, that would be a shame, but....)
As I remember the occasion, I don't think there was an opera singer, per se. There certainly were trained voices, but I don't think the musical offerings were operatic ... more musical theatre in the vein of Franz Lehar or Sigmund Romberg. Think The Merry Widdow or The Student Prince. I might be wrong, but I recall an evening of Strauss ... waltzes and Viennese romanticism.
Cheers,
Jan
Yes, I read this too. I have almost 22 months to soften up my husband--we went entirely country club casual in cruising ten years ago, and he does not wear jackets in "real life". But since it will be fall, I think I can convince him that it would be a nice way to stay warm at times. We're tentatively booked in September, 2016.
Is the musical entertainment mostly vocal, rather than instrumental? I'm not a big fan of musical theatre of that type, and my husband actually despises "trained voices", so we may just decide to skip the evening. Don't get me wrong, we love music of almost all types, including classical. If it's a mix of vocal and instrumental, I'm sure we would get into the spirit of the evening.
It is not all classical singing. It was great to go to just to see the castle it is in.