Who is taking a tux? I know there are two formal nights and one informal, but with the new luggage restrictions, I think I may just try to get by with a sport coat and skip bringing my tux. Hopefully, nobody will get offended.

Don,

The interesting thing is that there are no formal nights in the Med portion. I almost fell off my chair when DH told me he was disappointed! I thought he hated wearing a tux!

Don,

Navy suit for Frank. We'll bring a dress shirt and silk ties. No tux. I also found him a lightweight sport coat for travel last year on sale that looks so nice. It's that suede cloth in black and he can wear it with jeans, dockers or slacks. It's not lined, but it's great for the nights men need a jacket and not a suit. I liked it so much that I found a good wool one that he wears locally if we go to theater. But this inexpensive one is perfect to keep the suitcase light so I have room for more shoes. <img border="0" alt="[c]" title="" src="graemlins/c.gif" />

Well my Frank loves to wear his tux, so I don't know what to do. We would normally take a suitcase each and at the very least share a garmet bag. I'm still confused about this new one bag limit, as we are flying AA from Chicago to London, and then connecting on BA to Nice, so don't know if it applies or not, since some people said there were some exceptions. Sighhhhhh - guess I'll have to work on it and see how we can work this.

In the past, the international luggage weight/number limit has always included domestic flights that preceed or follow a connecting international flight. For example, if you fly AA across the pond to London, your two 50 lb bags will automatically be transferred to wherever (in this case Nice) you fly from there on BA or any other AA partner and the same rules would apply on the return if you're flying from Europe back to the US --even if the originating flight is on a partner airline. Jerry loves to wear his tux too, so I'm sure we'll be bringing it.

Thanks for the info, everyone, on luggage limits. I would hate to have to get our big bag to 40 pounds -- just when we have perfected 50!

I love to dress up ( and I just found out Bob likes his tux too!). Is it strange that they don't have any formal nights in the Med segment or is Regent moving away from formal nights?

I'm hoping that when we get our documents it says that we have at least one formal night!

Maria, Bob looks great in his tux! Wish I could post a picture of him in it from the ofoto site, but can't do it here, unfortunately!

And I don't know how to upload or whatever you call it my own pictures, Isn't that pathetic?

No tux for Alan. A nice black suit and sports jacket are his preferences.

Personally speaking, I'm happy there are no formal nights on the Med segment.

Denise,

Maybe we can compromise and they can slide one of the T/A formal nights into the Med segment! :)

Glad you are back in cyberspace!

Hi Maria,

Sure we can compromise - You and Bob can dress up and Alan and I can dress "midway?"

It's no fun not being in cyberspace! Thanks!

I'd be happy to have no formal nights.

Maria, I will be happy to teach you to upload your photos on CROSS. I will have my laptop.

Thanks Kathy!

To Tux or not to Tux, that is the question! I really don't mind wearing a tux and with the murder mystery that we are going to do onboard, formal wear works really well. However, by the time CROSS comes with my current weight loss, my current tux will be long gone. So, that will mean either buying a new one or just renting one for the cruise. I sure wish that Cruiseline Formal Wear worked with RSSC. That way the tux would already be in our cabin pressed and ready to go.

I think having Cruiseline Formal Wear available is a super idea, Don. With all the luggage weight restrictions in place, it would be one less thing to take along.

Yes, that would be nice for the men, as they are always complaining about the extra weight for a tux. For me, formal wear that I choose to bring actually lightens my load in luggage! Tops that have not much weight or mass, one pair of extra shoes, and one bottom or two (instead of something else informal or casual) to wear with several tops! I just don't get this debate, ever, except when it pertains to men and whether they want to bring their tux and the extra pair of shoes that is involved. For international travel, unless you are going somewhere else in Europe on a plane, we still have the 2 bags PER PERSON of 50 pounds allowed. That's plenty for me! Unless you are under the restrictions that Joanna has talked about (traveling within Europe and the one bag 40lb allowance), what's the problem?

Joanna, send Tony's clothes for FJORDS up to me snail mail. I will pack them in my rolling duffle and deliver for a bit less than $800!

Olivia, I agree with you. I think men can take the same approach to formal wear. We pack Alan's dinner jacket and dress pants in our regular suitcase (don't use a hang-up bag) plus he can wear the same outfit EVERY formal night. When we go on cruises that require formal wear, he takes less semi-formal (need a better word) and CCC. He can use one sports coat, two pair of pants, combine them with two dress shirts, several ties and a shortsleeve silk turtleneck to make many outfits (of course you can guess who does the mixing and matching at our house - me :D ).

I think way too much is made out of this debate. If you like dressing up (like we do), then take your dress-up clothes and be smart about your packing. If you don't like to dress-up, then avoid formal night, wear what makes you happy and your suitcase should weigh less. The beauty of cruising is that there is something for everyone.

I'm looking forward to checking out Tony's threads on FJORDS! Editing to add, we can make room for some of Tony's clothes in our luggage, too. Between Olivia and me, Tony can take plenty of great clothes.

Thanks Olivia and Donna - he bought another sports jacket today for Fjords he never wears tux dark suit- he is worse than any teenage girl I ever raised - tis' his problem - if I had my way I'd miss every formal night and eat in my cozy cabin - I could make 40 lbs work for 3 weeks - not a debate for me - he is headache for me with the clothes :eek: :eek:

How interesting! I always figured I was the only woman who could pack more lightly than her husband! Joanna, John may not bring along quite as much as Tony, but he wants every eventuality covered. Me, I'm a simple mix-and-match girl. It's amazing what you can do with a couple of pairs of black slacks and a variety of tops and jackets!

One more thing, Joanna, don't you think you could convince Tony to bring all that luggage to CROSS? You two would be the "icing on the cake" of this great group for that cruise. C'mon!

Probably no tux for John. He's got several really nice dark suits, and I keep telling him that's just fine for formal nights. (See a pattern here?) I also remind him that he's the one who has to lug around all the luggage. I suspect that's the real clincher.

Exactly my sentiments on every word you've said, Priscilla!

OK, so here is a question. I am assuming the usual check-in is noon till 2pm for boarding in Funchal, but can you check-in later than that? I know that we have to be onboard no later than 5pm, since we set sail at 6pm, otherwise it is an awfully long swim to FLL. LOL

The reason we ask is because we are thinking about renting a car on Sunday and heading out to see more of the island. The other option is to rent it Saturday afternoon and go around the island and then spend Sunday AM wandering around Funchal before heading to the ship.

Don, I assume -- again assume -- that any time before sailaway would work for check-in. We've never cut it too close but definitely have checked in between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m. for a 6:00 sailaway.

Don, as long as you're there for muster, I'm sure you'll be fine. However, like you said, it's a long swim to FLL!

Denise, what? You and I thinking alike? Hard to imagine. :)

Olivia, you are right -- before muster, not sailaway. Otherwise RSSC might scold Don for missing muster!

Ooooh, I just looked at my Ticker! 9 months (just 39 more weeks) from today Diana and I will be boarding to join y'all and party all the way to FLL. Here is to a very smoooth sailing!

Don, I think option two is safer. And besides, Diana will be craving that wonderful RSSC Champagne.

Don, I would go with your second option. Why put pressure on yourself, rushing to ensure getting to the ship before we sail away without you! We would hate to be on deck screaming to the Captain - "STOP! WAIT!" as you and Diana are racing towards Voyager!

Only 39 more weeks! So near, yet so far!

Priscilla, I, too, was quite surprised that we agreed on something ;) BTW, how's your air search coming along? (pester, pester)

Me too Don, I think the second option is best, and that would give you plenty of time on Sunday to just enjoy a leisurly breakfast and all before heading over to the ship.

Love the countdown - 39 weeks doesn't sound too far off right?????

OK, it is done. We have a car from Budget
(34 euro per day) that we pick up at the airport at 11:30 on Saturday. We get to the hotel about noon and drop off our stuff and then will drive around and see the sights of the island.

The next morning we will be up early to wave to y'all as you sail into port. After breakfast we will take the cable car up to Monte and either the cable car back or come down on the toboggan :eek: and then walk around town.

Then we will head to the ship about 11:00 and drop off Diana and the bags while I drive the rental car back to the Budget office in town. I wonder if they'll let us on that early?

We will have lunch onboard ship and of course our champagne and then walk back into town for some more of the sights.

I would love to take the Blandy's Madeira Wine Tour, which looks really interesting, but I don't think they have it on Sundays. I have to check into that. They have some vintage wines there that date all the way back to 1878. That particular one was aged in the cask for 106 years and bottled in 1984. The best however is supposed to be the 1908 Vintage aged 86 years and bottled in 1994. Oh, and they are available for sale. I can't even imagine what the price is for either one of those.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by pkd:
[QB] How interesting! I always figured I was the only woman who could pack more lightly than her husband! Joanna, John may not bring along quite as much as Tony, but he wants every eventuality covered. Me, I'm a simple mix-and-match girl. It's amazing what you can do with a couple of pairs of black slacks and a variety of tops and jackets!

One more thing, Joanna, don't you think you could convince Tony to bring all that luggage to CROSS? You two would be the "icing on the cake" of this great group for that cruise. C'mon!

Priscilla: I mix and match too - so easy - I would love to do Cross - you have a wonderful group!!!

IGNORE ME!!! I am "quote" challenged especially if I didn't have my "nap"

Don,

We can all go ashore and take your luggage on. Aren't you on the same deck as we are?
We'll just have to help out with the arrangements. Actually, I guess they'll be busy debarking the Med Only's.

When we firm up our plans for Funchal, we can figure out if we'll be greeting you in the early AM or when we return from our tour.

Yes, we are wonderful! ;) So...... Come with us!!!!

Maria, I think we should add modest/humble, along with wonderful ;)

I have no doubt we would have the best time - plus I know Denise is not a "napper" so I'd have "sitter" for Tony - unless she quit after her first assignment - I need those "sitters" so he doesn't keep saying "you're going to nap what a waste of time what will I do?" - Call your play dates :ch: :ch:

That goes without saying Denise :cool: :cool:

...and Hilarious!

Found out that Blandy's is closed on Sundays and the only tour they offer on Saturday is at 11am when we are just getting off the plane. :(