LOTUS EATERS TRAVEL

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CELEBRATION NIGHTS ON P&O CRUISES: WHAT TO EXPECT.

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We recently spent two weeks aboard P&O’s newest ship Arvia, our first cruise around the Caribbean.

Before sailing, I’d read a lot about celebration nights (often called black tie nights), but I still wasn’t quite sure what to expect in reality. Now that we’ve experienced two of them onboard, here’s a complete, honest guide to what celebration nights on P&O Cruises are really like.

What is a celebration night on P&O Cruises?

Celebration nights are P&O Cruises’ formal evenings, designed to feel a little more glamorous and special than the rest of the cruise. They usually take place twice on a two-week itinerary (or once on a shorter cruise) and are positioned strategically, one early on and one closer to the end.

On these evenings, guests are encouraged to dress up, the dining rooms offer enhanced menus, and the whole ship takes on a more elegant, festive atmosphere. Think champagne in the atrium, photographers stationed around the ship, and a general sense that tonight is an occasion.

What’s the dress code for celebration nights on P&O cruises?

The official dress code for celebration nights aboard a P&O cruise is black tie. This is why you’ll often hear them referred to simply as black tie nights.

For men

For men, black tie is refreshingly straightforward. Traditionally, this means a dinner jacket (tuxedo) with a bow tie. P&O’s interpretation is flexible, however, and also allows:

• National dress (for example, a kilt)
• A smart, dark suit with a tie

In our experience onboard Arvia, around 95% of men wore a classic black dinner jacket, so if you’re debating whether to pack one, you definitely won’t feel overdressed if you do.

For women

There’s far more variety when it comes to women’s outfits. Black tie on P&O cruises can mean anything from a full-length ball gown to a smart midi dress.

On Arvia, I saw the full spectrum:

• Elegant floor-length gowns
• Sparkly cocktail dresses
• Simple but chic midi dresses

Black, gold and silver were the most popular colours, but red, pink, blue and green were also common. Because we were travelling over Christmas, there were lots of sequins and glittery fabrics on show.

Most women wore heels or smart sandals, paired with statement jewellery and small evening bags.

Personally, I packed two outfits:

• A classic black midi dress with sparkling embellishments (a reliable Gina Bacconi number)
• A brighter satin dress, although I ended up buying a blue maxi dress in Martinique and wore that instead on our second celebration night.

Tip – you don’t have to spend a fortune. I bought the Gina Bacconi dress from a local charity store in the UK for £10 and my second dress in Martinique for €17.

Packing tips for your black tie nights

If you’re flying to join your P&O cruise, you’re unlikely to be able to take a suit carrier onboard the plane (airline dependent), so make sure you leave enough space in your main suitcase for formalwear.

A few practical tips:

• Pack two outfits if you have two celebration nights. One early, one later – and yes, cruise food is delicious, so a slightly more forgiving second outfit can be a wise move.
• Creases happen. Thankfully, P&O ships have self-service laundry rooms with irons.
• Don’t leave ironing until the last minute. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself queueing behind half the ship’s men ironing dinner shirts just before dinner.

Where can you dine on celebration nights?

All restaurants are open on Celebration Nights. The ship is divided into venues with Black Tie dress code, and those that are allowing more casual diners.

On Arvia – black tie applied in the main dining rooms, Chefs Table, The Epicurean, Sindhu and many of the bars.

If you want to wear casual dress, The Six Street Diner and the buffet restaurant (Horizon on Arvia) are available to you.

Food on P&O’s celebration nights

P&O put on an “extra special” menu on celebration nights. The main dining rooms offer a five course menu, rather than three. This tends to also include an amuse bouche and coffee and chocolates afterwards too.

We thought the food onboard was generally good quality – the same went for celebration nights. The menu’s just had a bit more sparkle.

Is the Chefs Table worth it?

Before sailing, you may be invited to book the Chef’s Table experience on celebration nights (available on ships like Arvia and Iona).

It’s marketed as an exclusive fine-dining experience with menus created by celebrity chefs and optional wine pairings. However, there are a few things worth knowing:

• Wine is not included, despite how it may sound when booking
• The menu is, as far as we could tell, identical to the main dining rooms
• On Arvia, the Chef’s Table is located in a section of the Horizon buffet that’s been dressed up for the evening – you’re still essentially dining in the buffet space

That said, there are benefits:

• Guaranteed dining times (usually 18:30 or 20:30)
• Less waiting compared to the main dining rooms on busy nights

We actually booked the Chef’s Table initially, but after seeing the setup on the first celebration night, I decided to cancel and dine elsewhere.

What else can you expect?

Not everyone onboard participates – but most people do. As a result:

• Bars near the main dining rooms and Grand Atrium get very busy
• Quieter venues, like the Crow’s Nest on Arvia, are a great alternative
• Virtual queues for the main dining rooms are longer but manageable (we joined while having a drink and it felt very straightforward.)

One unexpected bonus?
Most guests head back to their cabins to get ready fairly early, which means the pools and hot tubs are wonderfully quiet from around 4pm – a perfect time for a peaceful soak.

Above all, celebration nights just feel special. The ship buzzes with excitement, everyone looks fantastic, the food is elevated, and the atmosphere is warm and festive.

They ended up being some of our favourite evenings onboard and a big part of what makes a P&O cruise feel like a proper holiday treat.

Written by Emma

Wine Lover. Yogi. Hiker. Writer.

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