Allowable suitcase weight vs. dress code on Silver Origin

My husband and I are going on the Hidden Galapagos & Peru trip in October, 2022. The Galapagos part of the tour will be aboard the Silver Origin. I have been doing some research and have learned that the Silver Origin will have 1 formal night, 3 semi-formal nights, and 3 elegant casual nights. It is recommended that on formal nights men wear tuxedos or dark suits and women wear long gowns. On informal nights men wear suit jackets and women wear cocktail dresses or nice pants outfits. On casual nights, men might wear nice slacks and a nice golf shirt, and women would wear a pants outfit, skirt, dress, etc.

How closely are other Tauck guests planning to follow the recommended dressing guidelines?
My concern is that if we bring so much evening wear, our suitcases will exceed the allowable weight for the included flights.

Is it possible to pack an extra suitcase for Tauck to hold while we go to Machu Pichu and then return to us when we board the Silver Origin?

Comments

  • edited January 2022

    Sounds like a cruise from the 60's! I have never heard of such a "suggestion" from anyone on the forum. We cruised on the Isabela II, a smaller, "expedition" ship and everything was casual aboard ship.

    I would guess no Tauck Travelers follow the Silver Origin guidelines. In the "Important Info" > "Air, Health, etc. Before You Go" > "Air info and Luggage Restrictions" and "What to Pack" on the Tauck website (see link below) for your tour, it says, "This is a very casual tour. Dressy clothing is not required for the farewell dinner. You may, however, want to bring one dressy outfit for our dinner at a private home on Night 2." Also,, "space constraints and weight limitations aboard the train to Machu Picchu require guests to carry limited personal belongings. . . . Therefore, we will provide you with a duffel bag for your one-night stay in Machu Picchu" (main luggage stays in Cusco). For more details read the luggage restrictions in the "Before You Go" section of the website or give Tauck a call if you have further concerns.

    https://www.tauck.com/tours/hidden-galapagos-peru-escorted-tour?tcd=eb2022#info

  • GrandmaJune - We traveled with Silversea to Iceland this past June. Our ship was called the Silver Shadow and it was cold in Iceland even in June. They had a formal night and I was shocked to see men in tuxedos and women in long dressy gowns. My husband had a nice jacket and wore a tie and I had one nice dress. We felt a little out of place. Tauck is more casual and it would be my first choice but we were going to join some friends that love Silversea. We are going to travel with them to Alaska in July and I am hoping that the Tauck group will be a little more casual.

  • I’m so glad we did Galapagos on Isabella II. We did not have to take any dress up clothes at all. We’ve taken the tour with them twice.
    We are on vacation now and it’s so wonderful to not have to bother what we wear, no one dresses up at all! (In fact, I wore a linen blouse and nice Bermuda shorts for the welcome dinner, everyone else was in Safari type pants, and either Safari shirts or t shirts, I felt over dressed.) We’ve been white water rafting, walking through the rainforest etc, wearing the exact same clothes we took to Galapagos.

  • Alan S, I got my information from https://www.sophisticatedtravel.com/silversea-cruises/. The ship's guidelines are considerably more formal than Tauck's guidelines. Will we be dining in the same dining rooms as the other non-Tauck guests? I'm concerned that, like Noreen, we might feel a little out of place.

    If anyone else on the forum is going on the October 22 tour, are you bringing any dressy clothes?

  • I haven't been on the Silver Origin. If someone else doesn't weigh in, just give Tauck a call. Remember, you are on a Tauck tour, not a Silver Origin tour- they are just the vehicle. And you will have just come from hiking at Machu Picchu.

  • I’ve just been talking to someone about Silverseas. There are Classic cruises and Expedition cruises. This tour is classed as an expedition tour and has far more relaxed rules for dress.

  • We did the Galapagos with Silversea in 2018. I believe it was considered an Expedition. There was nothing that even hinted at formal or dressy. It was more about the gear: which hiking boots, walking poles, camera equipment, etc. My husband did not bring a nice jacket; I had a few casual dresses. We ran into friends from home on the trip (who knew?) who mostly had gear they had used on a African safari. I think long pants were required for men at dinner.

    Now we're going to Iceland with Silversea in June. It is also an expedition (up to the Svalbard). I've been in discussion with Noreen (so nice and helpful), but I think she was on a different kind of trip. So I too am confused about the dress code. We don't mind bringing a few nicer outfits, but just aren't sure about what's needed or appropriate. I'm more concerned about changing temperatures and the right outerwear and footwear.

    Just my two cents on the subject. I'd love to hear from someone who has more recently done an Expedition trip. Thanks!

    Shari

  • SGF - I did the Iceland Tauck tour, on a Ponant ship, this last July. It’s not nearly as much of an ‘Expedition’ as the Galapagos or Kenya & Tanzania. You aren’t out trekking on lava beds like in the Galapagos. For most of the Iceland excursions you’re on paved walking trails or city streets, with an occasional dirt trail thrown in. In addition, Iceland is nowhere near as dusty as the K&T tour.

    There were occasional evenings on the boat in Iceland where dressier attire was worn. That was never the case on the Galapagos or K&T tours.

  • I’ve taken the Iceland tour with Tauck, they must have changed where they go, we walked on small rocky beaches, muddy wet trails etc. we needed lots of layers and sensory shoes

  • British - We had at most two trails not paved. Perhaps it’s a function of which excursions you pick.

  • Yes, must be.

  • We are on the Silver Origin in early April. My husband is bringing a suit and I am bringing some dressy clothes. Nether of us are bringing formal attire. We like to dress up a bit for dinner but not formal. Will report when we return.

  • We will be on the Hidden Peru and Galapagos October 22 - November 6. I usually bring a blazer just in case as we will be in Lima the first few nights. Otherwise some of our friends came back from the trip and said casual is the key. I doubt anyone on the Tauck will bring a tux or long gown. Just made final payment!

  • We were on the Silver Origin this past September. There absolutely was no requirement for fancy dress. It's an expedition ship and the dress reflects this.

  • You might want your blazer if you meet "Kevin Costner" or "Tom Cruise" in Cuzco or the Sacred Valley. Kevin followed us from the Sacred Valley and often hangs out at the Monasterio. :D:D:D

  • edited June 2022

    We were on this trip in March/April. Once in a while some of us chose to dress up a bit - sport jacket for men and a bit of sparkle for the women. Other nights we did neat casual. The ship is elegant in a modern style and service upscale. One of the Tauckers showed up in shorts (likely sloppy - I did not see them) and sandals in the dining room the first night and was turned away. He was fine with that. The less casual dining room on the upper deck is reservation only and filled up early. The Monasterio dining room was elegant and we were regaled with opera singers.

    No tux or long gowns needed.

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