dinner in Vienna

Mapledorf

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?

jdurkin

Hi Mapledorf,

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

crackers54

jdurkin wrote:

Hi Mapledorf,

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 the 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

well said Jan

scoopdave

My 2 cents-- I for one didn't take a blazer on my Viking River Cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam last year, never came close to needing it--- having said that, we did have some Texans who wore blue jean shorts and tee shirts to dinner, a bit crude for my liking

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

rabo

When I worked, I wore a jacket and tie every day . . . retired now, I don't have the opportunity that often. When The occasion arises, I take advantage of it. I take a jacket on Tauck tours (Canadian Rockies coming up), and I even take a tux on cruises (not river cruising). Dressing appropriately is part of the experience for me.

Kudos to Jan . . . eloquently said!

Nick of Skara Brae

I agree, Jan. As a general rule, I don't like to surrender 10% of my 50 lb. luggage limit to something that I may use only once. However, I plan to make this an exception and wear a jacket and tie - for precisely the reasons that Jan states.

jdurkin

Good grief! Someone agreed with me!!!! Only joking! And the tip for packing a jacket is? Don't waste an ounce of that 50 lbs of checked luggage. Wear the jacket on to the plane, then take it off and relax until it's time to disembark.

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

babajuju

Wow, this special night seems to be a "concern" for a lot of people. If you look into the Tauck information on what type of clothing to take, it does mention a dinner jacket for the men. That would tell me that there is a time and place on the cruise that would be appropriate to wear it.
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.

scoopdave

There is absolutely no reason to bring a jacket on a European river cruise, trust me---I suppose if you eat in town, in Vienna, Cologne, etc. there are places where you might need one, but in 14 days, we ate one dinner off the ship, in Germany and we ate outdoors in very casual clothes---our mindset was we had 3 superb meals a day, beautifully presented and prepared, never had one miss in 42 meals

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--

grand isle joe

We have dined there and it would be respectful to wear formal wear. It is a very nice evening and the surroundings dictate you at least reflect the fact that the violinist is playing a Stratavarious (sp?) and putting on a great intimate performance. Even our 11 yr. old loved dressing in her best and enjoying the formal evening. And our evening was on the hot side and I am glad I had this wonderful experience.

scoopdave

OK, I give in, I'd wear a tux to that dinner if I went---I'd be styling my plaid vest, cummerbunds are passe---

And, a bow tie properly tied---with some spiffy cuff links--

OzJohnno

This is always a very emotional topic. I broached this subject prior to our Sept 2011 cruise and I was soundly counselled on what I should wear so I reported on "jackets" when I returned. Whether you wear a jacket or not at the Palace you'll not look out of place. On our cruise only around 50% of the gentlemen wore a jacket and the rest of us wore neat attire. The ladies of course all looked superb.

Rod

WWanderer

A tux in Vienna, are you kidding me? I am very happy that this river cruise will be "elegant casual", as have most of my ocean voyages. I may be able to persuade my husband to bring a blazer (which he only wears at weddings and funerals) and a nice pair of gray trousers, but a tux? I'd rather skip this exhalted dinner in a palace. And god knows what I'll wear--I barely wear a dress in normal life, even on a cruise. I've seen one of the videos here on the Tauch website and I distinctly remember seeing men wearing sweaters and shirts, no jackets.

jdurkin

Yes, we are kidding you. If you take the trouble to read the entire thread you will see that nowhere does anyone suggest that a tux is required. As an experienced ocean cruiser I'm sure you have seen everything ... from the inappropriate right through to the downright hysterical. There is quite a range from which you can choose. But as always for these types of occasions, it comes down to a degree respect ... for your surroundings, fellow diners and the occasion. I do realise that many people just don't care. You are free to pick you own spot on the spectrum.

If you can't see the funny side, it really is a sad state of affairs.

Cheers,

Jan

WWanderer

jdurkin wrote:

Yes, were are kidding you. If you take the trouble to read the entire thread you will see that nowhere does anyone suggest that a tux is required. As an experienced ocean cruiser I'm sure you have seen everything ... from the inappropriate right through to the downright hysterical. There is quite a range from which you can choose. But as always for these types of occasions, it comes down to a degree respect ... for your surroundings, fellow diners and the occasion. I do realise that many people just don't care. You are free to pick you own spot on the spectrum.

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.

jdurkin

I wasn't thinking the Prince, in particular, warranted your respect. I was thinking more generally … for the occasion, your fellow diners, the people responsible for cooking and serving you, even the building itself and what it represents in culture and history. The entire occasion. Definitely a more humanist and egalitarian approach than anything servile. Further, I certainly wasn't implying that your own garb would be a source of amusement. I apologise if that's how you understood me.

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

WWanderer

Well I'm not American, but point taken. It's difficult expressing irony sometimes on the internet, I find. And as I scanned the thread, I missed your post where it was obvious you were joking.

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....)

WWanderer

Oh, and I just read on the northbound forum that a jacket is now *required* for the dinner in Vienna. But that they will hand them out to anyone who shows up with out one. Can someone confirm this

jdurkin

Well, it was certainly the case when I attended this event in 2010 that the people guiding the guests through the building ... think "footmen" in Downton Abbey (although these guys just looked like normal hospitality staff to me) ... were handing out ties to men who weren't wearing them. I really can't say if they were loaning jackets, too, because I don't recall any men who weren't wearing one. I know many men have posted since then saying "No to the Jacket". I know Tauck do their best to lay out the dress code for this evening, but you can lead a horse to water but ... well you know how that one goes. Perhaps sometime between 2010 and now the poor staff have given up the good fight.

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

Kathy18

I am taking this tour in 2015. For that reason I have been reading this dialogue and even though I am not a man, I decided to see what it tells one to pack under Before You Go. It states in the paragraph under What to Pack "Please note that our Imperial Evening in Vienna is a slightly more formal occasion, and a sport coat for gentlemen is required." This tells me that this is one of the evenings where I would need to wear "dressier" clothes. On my previous riverboat tour, I discovered that it was not necessary to dress for dinner on the boat.

WWanderer

Kathy18 wrote:

I am taking this tour in 2015. For that reason I have been reading this dialogue and even though I am not a man, I decided to see what it tells one to pack under Before You Go. It states in the paragraph under What to Pack "Please note that our Imperial Evening in Vienna is a slightly more formal occasion, and a sport coat for gentlemen is required." This tells me that this is one of the evenings where I would need to wear "dressier" clothes. On my previous riverboat tour, I discovered that it was not necessary to dress for dinner on the boat.

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.

Bob Burch

I have been on this trip and can tell you that I felt very comfortable in my Sports Coat, with tie and slacks that evening. It is an amazing evening, and one that you will want to photo for memories. That may also help you to decide to dress up a bit. I hope you enjoy that the much as I did. Tauck is great!

crackers54

WWanderer wrote:

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.