Been on P Sun lately -formal dress do I need it?

[Ripeka]

Hi all

Am cruise newbie & a bit confused with all the talk about formal wear to dinner :o. I am a very casual person dress wise esp on when goin to the pacific islands! With anytime/freedom dining is there any expectation of an evening dress code? Are there any formal nights on an 8 night cruise? If there are, what happens if you dont "dress up"? What should I bring or leave behind clothes wise? All feedback gratefully received as I only want to take what is necessary. We are flying to Auckland before boarding so there are limits on the gear:p

[Aus Traveller]

Some people dress in formal gear (dinner suit/long dress or skirt) but they are in the minority. Quite a few go for a mid-course with the guy in business suit, shirt & tie and the lady in a dress or evening pants and nice top. There will be others who wear what they wear every other night. Usually they do not allow anyone wearing shorts, T shirts or thongs into the dining room for dinner.

 

If you don't want to bother with dressy gear, you will be quite OK if the guy wears dressy long pants and a nice shirt (don't bother with a tie if you don't want to). The lady can wear evening pants and take a couple of dressy or glittery tops.

[fishtaco]

Hi all

Am cruise newbie & a bit confused with all the talk about formal wear to dinner :o. I am a very casual person dress wise esp on when goin to the pacific islands! With anytime/freedom dining is there any expectation of an evening dress code? Are there any formal nights on an 8 night cruise? If there are, what happens if you dont "dress up"? What should I bring or leave behind clothes wise? All feedback gratefully received as I only want to take what is necessary. We are flying to Auckland before boarding so there are limits on the gear:p

 

All depends on weather you like getting dressed up and like the formal photos!

 

We got dressed up on both our formals on recent pacific sun cruise!

 

I will say though, the people who got dressed up got a lot of strange stares from the majority of cruisers! Before anytime dinning was introduced it would have been the other way around!

 

Formals are no longer anything special so i would say dont bother if you dont have space for the cloths or dont like getting dressed up, because there is a chance you will be the only ones dressed up on your table anyway!

 

We had a permanent dinner booking,same table same guests,so we all discussed formals and agreed all would make the effort.

 

 

Not sure you will be allowed into captains cocktails in casual dress though! and this is usually before dinner on a formal night.

[rockie]

People may point and laugh at you.;):D No, not really, but dressing up is part of the holiday for me. Don't get much chance to in normal everyday life, so I just love the formal nights.

[Sandielle]

On our recent NZ cruise on Pacific Dawn, most people made an effort to dress nicely and there were long queues for formal photos. Even for ordinary nights people dressed less casually than for lunch.

[Ripeka]

great replies thanks. gives me a really good idea of what to take. Will go with the "nicely dressed for dinner theme" but without anything too formal and make sure I pack shoes other than jandels:D