Voluntary Formal Night

[livetheatre]

For us on our first cruise we dressed 'nice' but NOT formal at all. Linen pants and a nice shirt for me and a very nice dress for the wife. We dressed pretty much the same each evening. We wanted to be comfortable but at the same time we wanted to look nice for each other.

 

We did not have our picture taken except when forced to when getting on or off the boat etc. We kind of viewed the pictures as a bit of a trap.

 

After sailing NCL I cannot imagine sailing any other way. The Freestyle Cruising was great and not being forced to put on a suit and tie made it that much better in our book!

[garycarla]

Hi Cruisers, I haven't figured out what the big deal is about 'dressing for dinner'. Most of us will shower and change after a long day. What's the difference if you put on a pair of docker-type slacks (men) and slip on a shirt vs. slipping on jeans and a polo shirt?? You are still 'dressing', aren't you? How can someone be that uncomfortable in a shirt and dockers while eating? As for ladies, same applies. Slacks and a top vs jean/capris and a polo shirt. Still need to dress. We presume you're still combing your hair and perhaps putting on a little makeup, so what's the big deal??

 

Wouldn't you prefer to see yourself looking nice going to dinner? It's a cruise, however freestyle.... A little discretion as to dining in public venues, (buffet excluded, of course). It's not to impress others, but to present yourself in a positive light. It's your image, why not show you refined side. I know we all have that side and the "I don't care side". There is really and time and place for each side. A cruise should be the 'refined side', (mainly at dinner in DR's.). Thanks for letting me vent.

 

OK, I've said my piece. Have a safe cruise whatever you choose .

 

I agree with you 110%. I just don't get why it is so hard to look nice - I do get that folks do not want to wear a suit, but is a nice shirt and clean pants that difficult?

 

We run a business and see people come in all the time with what many would call sleepwear and hear comments like " I was just going out for a minute". I have timed it - I can put shoes on in 45 seconds and a pair of real pants in 30 seconds. Give me a break.

[snorklinbarb]

To those of you who have cruised in Europe - there is a thread where someone asked about dress code in Europe.

I've only cruised in the Med. I've never seen people really sloppily dressed in the MDR. Even though it was Summer no man wore tank tops and even the T-Shirts were smart ones. I never saw anyone with sweat pants/tops. Even kids were dressed well.

The woman wearing sweats would have stood out so much I'm sure even she would have felt embarressed.

On Trip Advisor, Americans always say that Europeans dress smarter and even that their jeans are smart and elegant enough to be dressed up for the evenings.

I have accepted that jeans are a way of life for many and nice ones worn for dinner don't bother me.

Do you think that people dress up for dinner in Europe more than they do in the Caribbean or Bahamas ?

 

We were on the Jade in June on a 12 night cruise and definitely found people more dressed up in the evening. There were 500 Americans, 900 Brits, a couple hundred each Spaniards and Germans, and the rest an international mix.

 

Though we did not take DH's tux along, he did take a sportsjacket & tie and wore that on the Dress up or not nights. Had some long sleeved sports shirts along, too. I had a 2 pc. dress that rolls up easily for packing & a few other outfits.

 

We were suprised how many tuxes, dinner jackets, suits & sports jackets we saw. In fact, the few who were wearing jeans (quite fine under NCL's dress code) actually stuck out. Absent was the track suit look.

 

so yes, compared to Caribbean, for sure it was dressier in the evening on a Eur. cruise.

 

They had dancing in Medusa lounge every evening & it seems the dancers were among the most dressed up. Probably because there's a lot of people watching...and maybe jeans just aren't that comfortable for ballroom.

 

Also the age of the crowd on a longer cruise may have had something to do with it, too.

[*Wink*]

I have timed it - I can put shoes on in 45 seconds and a pair of real pants in 30 seconds. Give me a break.

Just out of curiosity, Gary.. what other activities do you time? ;)

[mbisson]

I wear my best Hawaiian shirt "the one with the blue lightning bolt's and skull's" man I love that shirt.;)

 

LOL-I have a couple Hawaiian shirts that my wife calls my 'cruising shirts'

U-G-L-Y They ain't got no alibi-they're ugly

 

Just out of curiosity, Gary.. what other activities do you time? ;)

I just hate digital clocks that seem to mock me in the dark LOL

[Bridge Maven]

Does anyone remember the days when clothing stores had a cruise wear department during the winter months that included shirts and dresses with wild "Caribbean" patterns?

 

I think it is ironic that my very conservative parents who were usually very formal in every way would come home from their cruises during the fifties and sixties with photos wearing wild "cruise wear" outfits that they would never wear at home, while so many people today love to have cruise photos in formal attire.

[jeepndd]

On our last cruise I wore a suit to the first formal night on the Dawn, I think there was one other guy in a suit. Even the waiters were wearing t-shirts. I didn't wear a suit the second formal night, like everyone else but that one other guy I saw...

 

I've sailed on other cruise lines and I haven't seen anyone turned away from the MDR because they didn't have a suit on but YMMV. Yes they looked out of place but they weren't turned away for resort casual.

[alwayssingin]

I chose "Other" because I won't know until Formal Night rolls around what I will feel like wearing. I won't pack a gown again, but I will pack a few things dressier tops, and maybe a dress.

[WeLuvVacation]

I usually opt for my Maxwell Q. Klinger collection, the yellow "Scarlet O'Hara" one is my wife's fave! :o

 

My wife goes with the Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce tuxedo look (the real one not the "t-shirt" tux). She looks just smashing wearing a tux! :D

 

But that's just us!:eek:

[rrobynec]

I usually opt for my Maxwell Q. Klinger collection, the yellow "Scarlet O'Hara" one is my wife's fave! :o

 

My wife goes with the Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce tuxedo look (the real one not the "t-shirt" tux). She looks just smashing wearing a tux! :D

 

But that's just us!:eek:

As Hawkeye would say---"AWWW, you crazy kids!";)

[LOWTYD]

I usually opt for my Maxwell Q. Klinger collection, the yellow "Scarlet O'Hara" one is my wife's fave! :o

 

My wife goes with the Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce tuxedo look (the real one not the "t-shirt" tux). She looks just smashing wearing a tux! :D

 

But that's just us!:eek:

 

Jockularity!!!!:D

[flowerchild]

We usually sail on wither NCL or Carnival...when we are on NCL, we stricty go casual...we do pull out the stops when we sail Carnival and go the ball gown/tux route when sailing with them.

 

On our most recent NCL cruise on the Dawn to Bermuda, I wore skorts and tops w/sandals to dinner. Hubby wore jeans and yes, I will confess, after noticing many with shorts in the MDRs, we asked the maitre d and he told us it was ok to wear shorts. My DH took advantage and wore nice dockers shorts with golf shirts and sandals. He was very happy. It was a very casual cruise and was extra relaxing since we did not dress up at all.

 

We have a 13 day cruise booked in 2011 and I am looking forward to packing very lightly and casually.

 

I am one that couldn't care less what others are wearing as long as they are relatively covered up and do not smell! LOL My dining experince does not depend on others appearance.

[FanofFlorida]

The best dinners on NCL though are the ones I eat on the balcony wearing my pajamas. There is no dress code there!

 

I have to completely agree! :D Dinner on the balcony

 

 

I really appreciated this thread re-surfacing as my search for formal wear advice somehow missed this five page conversation.

 

I was surprised to see debate on NCL pages. With their lack of dress code (generally; in comparison of other lines) I didnt expect anyone to have a platform for judgement. Of course you are all much kinder than the dress code bobbies on RCCL.

 

I thoroughly enjoyed the read, and think that if I make my family dress up for dinner on Christmas day, we may be the minority, but probably not alone. I will stop asking my husband to rent a tux- doesnt sound like a popular choice.

 

Now if I can just get my daughters in matching dresses... (ha-ha) :p

[Toyz711]

to alaska: we had family members with us..took the time to have a nice family dinner on "dress up or not" nights.

going to west caribe, we drove...but the ports were so active, we were too worn out to dress up. for our activities, resort casual was dress up.