How do men dress on formal night?

[JeanfromBNA]

I would like to find out how men actually dress for formal night.

[MicCanberra]

I would like to find out how men actually dress for formal night.

 

First the left leg then the ...., Sorry, couldn't resist. I hire a tux for the cruise.

cheers Mic:D

[cheryl20772]

My husband hates tuxedos. I found him a tux jacket and he will wear it with some black slacks and black shoes. For a shirt, he might wear a white or black dress shirt. He never wears a bow tie normally, but for a cruise he will - if I tie it for him. He would never be caught alive in one of those wing collar shirts. For him it's more like a halloween costume than a formal situation.

 

So what do you call that? I guess he's wearing a jacket and slacks.

[CarolinaMamma]

Just got off a 5 day Carribbean on Millennium, which is supposedly one of the more casual cruises due to its location and length, and it looked to me as if most men in the MDR were in compliance with the dress code, either in dark suits or tuxes. Surprisingly there were a lot of long gowns on the women, maybe 1/3.

 

I did see some more casually dressed men around the ship, but not in the MDR, so I am assuming they chose other dining options on formal night. interestingly, though, many of the ladies on the arms of these casually dressed men were at least in cocktail dresses. Woman in cocktail dress + man in shorts and a polo is just kind of sad to me!

[Kevnzworld]

Even though I'm in AQ next week, I will still pack and wear a dark suit and tie on formal night. Celebrity is de emphasizing formal nights with the addition of a non formal dining class with Blu.

I could do without formal wear altogether , but I wear a suit out of respect for the passengers that enjoy it.

[HDS]

On our Infinity cruise last month my survey of male dressing at the final formal night was about 20% tuxedo, 60% business suits, 15% blazer or sports coat with trousers, 5% collared shirt and trousers.

[dkjretired]

I wear a suit but not a dark one. "Dark" was removed from the dress code several years ago so there's no entry on the poll for me.

[AMAC86]

Good poll--I imagine it varies by itinerary and ship. I bought a tux for my Summit sailing but it is so cheap (ordered it online) and ill fitting that I am returning it and opting for a dark suit.

[gelo7]

I wear a dark suit.

[portofrome]

I wear a tuxedo.

[rwr235]

I checked Tuxedo (always at least 1 of the formal nights)....but depending on the number of formal nights I also wear a suit 1 or 2 of the nights as well. Like Don though, since we usually cruise in the warmer months...I wear a lighter colored suit most times.

 

 

Woody

[Denny01]

Interesting Poll and results. I know the numbers are a bit low, but most of these polls seem to track by % from early on. So much for the, "men won't wear formal" comments....I picked Tux, although I wear a suit depending on the cruise.

 

Heck, went AQ last cruise and took a suit and glad I did. Many wore Tux/suits there and it isn't required. Felt good. And yes, love to run around in shorts and shortsleeves, but enjoy a good night out stepping out of the norm.

 

Den

[kennetro]

Out of respect for my fellow passengers, I dress formally on formal night.

[Nebr.cruiser]

My husband's choice isn't on the poll. Though he has a tux, he usually wears a blazer and dress pants with shirt and tie. I guess 'suit' would be closest.

[dmwnc1959]

In the very beginning I dressed the part, loved formal nights, even went out and bought me a really nice tuxedo with different cummerbunds and matching bow ties. Yea!

 

Many years later I 'downgraded' to a dark suit and tie, several different colored dress shirts, matching ties.

 

Last year I skipped formal night all together and ate in the Lido buffet. Same goes for my next cruise in October on Princess; no suit, no tux, no formal night for me. Just a buffet.

 

I also do not attend the shows or hang out in pre-dinner lounge areas on formal night out of respect for those who will be in their fine evening attire.

[sbt518]

My husband wears a summer weight black suit (and tie) on formal nights.

He does not own a tux and doesn't like wearing rental clothes.

 

The suit seemed totally appropriate on our recent Eclipse cruise and I managed to pack it so it didn't wrinkle! :D

[dkjretired]

In the very beginning I dressed the part, loved formal nights, even went out and bought me a really nice tuxedo with different cummerbunds and matching bow ties. Yea!

 

Many years later I 'downgraded' to a dark suit and tie, several different colored dress shirts, matching ties.

 

Last year I skipped formal night all together and ate in the Lido buffet. Same goes for my next cruise in October on Princess; no suit, no tux, no formal night for me. Just a buffet.

 

I also do not attend the shows or hang out in pre-dinner lounge areas on formal night out of respect for those who will be in their fine evening attire.

 

Don't know if you have been on Celebrity yet but you do not have to dress formal for the theater or any of the lounges on formal night. Also, on Celebrity, the buffet is not a full buffet as you would get for Breakfast or Lunch. Lots of food but not the same as other lines.

[dmwnc1959]

Don't know if you have been on Celebrity yet but you do not have to dress formal for the theater or any of the lounges on formal night. Also, on Celebrity, the buffet is not a full buffet as you would get for Breakfast or Lunch. Lots of food but not the same as other lines.

 

Was on the Celebrity Millennium last year for 10-nights, Celebrity Mercury for 9-nights the year before. Just didn't feel the part of formal night this last time and I thought I would have felt out of place hanging out in the main lounges where people gather for entertainment before dinner. I really enjoyed the lido buffet, ate there for six of the ten nights. Never got bored with the offerings.

[AMAC86]

Interesting Poll and results. I know the numbers are a bit low, but most of these polls seem to track by % from early on. So much for the, "men won't wear formal" comments....I picked Tux, although I wear a suit depending on the cruise.

 

Heck, went AQ last cruise and took a suit and glad I did. Many wore Tux/suits there and it isn't required. Felt good. And yes, love to run around in shorts and shortsleeves, but enjoy a good night out stepping out of the norm.

 

Den

I bet you people who are not on cruisecritic are barely even aware that there are formal nights and would therefore not be wearing tuxes!

[Marelaine]

The men in our party wore blazers/sport jackets, dress slacks, shirts and ties on formal nights.

[Denny01]

I bet you people who are not on cruisecritic are barely even aware that there are formal nights and would therefore not be wearing tuxes!

My comment was about those on CC who infer most men hate dressing up beyond ballcaps, t-shirts with some reference to their bodyparts, and torn shorts with flipflops.....yup, love to add dumb stuff such as that on these dress code threads!

 

But since there are more than a few (yes, minority but still a lot) Tux at Formal nights, and a majority in Tux and suits on most of my cruises, I would assume a very large number of men on every cruise know the dress code and follow such, and few of them have ever heard of CC.

 

And I don't really see this as a Tux/not Tux discussion....a Tux is just another option for Formal Night and isn't the 'be all' or some optimum since the only 'Formal' portion of the Celebrity Formal Night is in the name - Formal usually doesn't even infer suits in most cases. I wear a Tux on some cruises because I Own one, it fits me great (yup, bought it recently so it fits this multiple-cruise body), and I feel great in one....as I've said in more than a few dress threads, nothing like stepping up to that Bar, leaning over with that so-sophisticated look in my Tux, and ordering a Martini......we all live in a fantasy world and I get to 'live' in that one for a least a few sips.

 

Enjoy your next cruising!

 

Den

[dplusd]

I enjoyed formal night on my first couple of cruises, but consider it a burden now. I would prefer resort casual dress every night while on vacation. But, out of respect for my fellow passengers who still enjoy it, I bring a dark suit for dinner.

 

But, after dinner, I am back in my khaki's or shorts depending on the weather!

[TexCruise371]

A tux 90% of the time and dark suit the rest of the time.

 

We have skipped formal nights on a couple of cruises by not dining in the MDR ;)

[AMAC86]

My comment was about those on CC who infer most men hate dressing up beyond ballcaps, t-shirts with some reference to their bodyparts, and torn shorts with flipflops.....yup, love to add dumb stuff such as that on these dress code threads!

 

But since there are more than a few (yes, minority but still a lot) Tux at Formal nights, and a majority in Tux and suits on most of my cruises, I would assume a very large number of men on every cruise know the dress code and follow such, and few of them have ever heard of CC.

 

And I don't really see this as a Tux/not Tux discussion....a Tux is just another option for Formal Night and isn't the 'be all' or some optimum since the only 'Formal' portion of the Celebrity Formal Night is in the name - Formal usually doesn't even infer suits in most cases. I wear a Tux on some cruises because I Own one, it fits me great (yup, bought it recently so it fits this multiple-cruise body), and I feel great in one....as I've said in more than a few dress threads, nothing like stepping up to that Bar, leaning over with that so-sophisticated look in my Tux, and ordering a Martini......we all live in a fantasy world and I get to 'live' in that one for a least a few sips.

 

Enjoy your next cruising!

 

Den

Yup. As I have never sailed on Celebrity before, I can only go by what I hear. Some people say virtually no men were wearing tuxes--some say 70-80% were wearing tuxes.

 

I will let y'all know what I find when I come back from my cruise next week!:D

[kelmac]

My formal rating:

 

Very formal:

--Cunard

 

Pretty formal:

--Celebrity

 

Formal:

--Holland America

 

Half a** formal:

--Princess

--Royal Caribbean

 

Resort Casual:

--Oceania

--Azamara

 

Anything goes casual:

--NCL

 

Note: only rated cruise lines I've experienced

 

I still bring my *Oscar De Lerenta Tux onboard, as it takes up the same space as a suit. With Cunard, you need SemiFormal stuff as well. On Oceania and Azamara, many guys wear a light weight jacket over their resort casual stuff.

 

Enjoy!

Kel:)

 

*picked this up as a closeout for >$200 from an online discounter.