Formal night

[emmac25]

Hello

 

How do I find out ahead of time when formal night will be, and how many formal nights there are? And just how formal? I love getting dressed up but dont want to feel out of place if everyone else is more casual and doesn't take formal night "seriously"

 

Thanks in advance

[Clarea]

Hello

 

How do I find out ahead of time when formal night will be, and how many formal nights there are? And just how formal? I love getting dressed up but dont want to feel out of place if everyone else is more casual and doesn't take formal night "seriously"

 

Thanks in advance

If you post your cruise info, other posters here can relate their experience with your specific cruise.

 

A typical 7 day cruise will have 2 formal nights, the first one on day 2 and the last one on day 5 or 6.

[emmac25]

Thanks! We are on Jewel of the Seas, southern Caribbean in May

[toxicfairy]

Hello

 

How do I find out ahead of time when formal night will be, and how many formal nights there are? And just how formal? I love getting dressed up but dont want to feel out of place if everyone else is more casual and doesn't take formal night "seriously"

 

Thanks in advance

Formal Night is always a touchy subject around here. You will get your

"Wear what you want,it's your cruise and you paid for it" and your "Formal is Formal". I love to dress up so that is what I do ! I wear a dress evey evening to dinner when cruiseing . I don't even take pants other than shorts for day time and maybe a pair of lounging/sports pants for walking around the track . I wear a full length gown on formal night and I leave it on all night after dinner because it is the few times I can feel like and princess ! My hubby wears a suit almost every night and when he is not in a suit he has a pair of chino style pants and with a button down shirt and sports jacket and that is for the non formal nights. We like the look of being drssed up. It makes it a nicer classier vacation for us. Beware though Opinions on this will vary :cool:!!!!

[NYCRUISR]

Very true,it is a subject with much continued various opinion. We have been formal dressers and we have seen the decline of formal attire over the years. In 1990 we found it to be heavily black tie and Gowns. As the years went by, the black tie has diminished and on some cruises it nearly non existent.

 

Cruising was a very special thing at one time and not for everybody. Not so now. Cruises attract a wide demographic. It's not what it once was but then neither are the cruise lines. Midnight buffets...etc GONE!

[DespyMic]

Very true,it is a subject with much continued various opinion. We have been formal dressers and we have seen the decline of formal attire over the years. In 1990 we found it to be heavily black tie and Gowns. As the years went by, the black tie has diminished and on some cruises it nearly non existent.

 

Cruising was a very special thing at one time and not for everybody. Not so now. Cruises attract a wide demographic. It's not what it once was but then neither are the cruise lines. Midnight buffets...etc GONE!

 

I've always wondered what is so special about a midnight buffet? Is there something unique that goes out? Better quality food? You can get food anytime, what makes this so great?

[papaflamingo]

We are also "dressers." I bought a tux years ago as they actually are quite cheap (got one for $190). We like Formal Night as it makes for a nice vacation (our opinion only). As we got older and we travel with friends, we tend to "overdress" every night. Coat and tie for "Smart Casual" (as suggested), and often wear sports coats on casual nights (no tie). But that is only our choice. As for Formal Night, you'll still see many dressing at least in a coat, coat and tie, or tux. Seems the women like to dress more than the men. We stay in our formals all night and people do occasionally comment on how nice we look. So by all means, if you like to dress up, don't hesitate. If you dress to the suggested level by the cruise line, you certainly shouldn't feel out of place. Nothing wrong with looking good.

[royalcruz]

Read recent reviews of your cruiseship under the member reviews section on CC for some clues to the answers to your questions.

[travelgenie]

Hello

 

How do I find out ahead of time when formal night will be, and how many formal nights there are? And just how formal? I love getting dressed up but dont want to feel out of place if everyone else is more casual and doesn't take formal night "seriously"

 

Thanks in advance

 

I agree with the poster that said Formal Night is a touchy subject, there was a time on these boards that you would be blasted, scolded and ridiculed for having an opinion. Back in the day Formal Night was taken very seriously, that was a time when cruising was a more expensive upscale vacation. Over the years cruising has become very mainstream and affordable for most everyone and can be a great bang for your buck. Our society in general has become more casual, like it or not, look at what people wear to church for instance. I for one do not like dressing "Formal" on cruises, I don't like packing and schlepping all of that stuff. While in the past when having said that, most responses are, "then eat in the Windjammer".....I don't want to have my dinner in the Windjammer, I have my black "cruise pants" and bling "cruise top", my husband wears a sports jacket and off we go to the dining room. You will see a little of everything, we have been on lots of cruises from high end to regular mainstream, in the end what I wear or what you wear, makes no difference to anyone else and don't let anyone tell you any different. The dress codes listed are just suggestions, dress to the nines, if you want and have a fantastic cruise!

[JulieRose]

I wear a dress evey evening to dinner when cruiseing . I don't even take pants other than shorts for day time and maybe a pair of lounging/sports pants for walking around the track . I wear a full length gown on formal night and I leave it on all night after dinner because it is the few times I can feel like and princess ! My hubby wears a suit almost every night and when he is not in a suit he has a pair of chino style pants and with a button down shirt and sports jacket and that is for the non formal nights. We like the look of being drssed up. It makes it a nicer classier vacation for us. Beware though Opinions on this will vary :cool:!!!!

 

This is similar to what we do. I always wear a long gown on formal night and a dress ranging from dressy to plain every other night, even if we're just going to the buffet! DH usually wears his tux on formal nights ( though he's decided to leave it home on this next one for a suit instead) He hates sports coats so he usually wears a button down shirt and tie on non-formal nights or just a nice button down with no tie for the buffet. It's just what we like to do.

[Paul65]

I've always wondered what is so special about a midnight buffet? Is there something unique that goes out? Better quality food? You can get food anytime, what makes this so great?

 

 

Once upon a time, Royal Caribbean had a nightly midnight buffet. It was not particularly special, but just a tradition for those who were out and about late to be able to get something from the buffet.

 

But....One of the nights would be the "Gala" midnight buffet, which was special for its presentation, with elaborate displays, ice sculptures, fruit and vegetable carvings, etc. People would line up just to take pictures of it, before it was officially open for serving. It was cool, but not something that I miss tremendously.

[Paul65]

Oh, and formal night is not really THAT touchy of a subject, if your question is, "will I feel out of place, if I dress up." The answer to that is simply, no, you will not feel out of place. Lots of people still dress up for the formal nights; many don't. As long as you're not offended that not everyone adheres to the suggested dress, it's not touchy at all.

[Delphi Dolphin]

The bottom line is do what you feel like doing. I love formal night. This year we will be on Allure in March with 2 other couples. Ladies are wearing gowns and guys tuxes. Not too many opportunities to get all dressed up anymore. I'd say 1/2 dress up; the other 1/2 don't, but I feel "special" when I am all dressed up.

[Gonzo70]

The *facts* about formal night (this is not my opinion on what it should be, but simply an objective comment about the reality of what occurs) are that formal night is purely optional. RCI makes a "recommendation" as to how to dress (just like they recommend various spa treatments, shore excursions etc.) and one is free to abide by the suggestion, dress even fancier or dress casually (even very casually if one wants). There is ZERO enforcement of any dress code - one walking in to the dining room on formal night in short, flip-flops, a t-shirt and a baseball cap will not be turned away. On any given formal night usually a majority of people dress according to the recommended dress set forth by RCI, but a sizable number dress more casually, some very casually (more casually than what I would wear to McDonalds).

[emmac25]

Any further input on WHEN formal night will be?

 

I'm "guessing" it will be our second or third night, and the last night? (The last night is our only "at sea" day):confused:

[Clarea]

Any further input on WHEN formal night will be?

 

I'm "guessing" it will be our second or third night, and the last night? (The last night is our only "at sea" day):confused:

Not the last night. Everyone is packing to get off the ship the next day.

[Eriksgarden]

I eat so much on a cruise, the last thing I am thinking about at 12am is food! LOL

[Big_G]

It only gets touchy when the opinionated enter the arena and then the opinionated about the opinionated seem to come out of the woodwork. At that point it's a full out donnybrook. :D

[emmac25]

Not the last night. Everyone is packing to get off the ship the next day.

 

OK, thanks, I will re-guess that it is the second to last night lol

[canadianeh934]

Formal nights is just another time that the cruise lines can take your picture and sell them to you at an over inflated price.....every night is formal night or causal night. Dress in a way that makes you happy and then there is no need to worry one way or the other.

 

It is your cruise and you do not need to worry about anyone but yourself!

[jbond]

We've cruised the Southern Caribbean route several times. I like it because it's very port intensive. On all occasions the formal nights have been the second night and the sixth night.

[AliceJ]

Formal Night is always a touchy subject around here. You will get your

"Wear what you want,it's your cruise and you paid for it" and your "Formal is Formal". I love to dress up so that is what I do ! I wear a dress evey evening to dinner when cruiseing . I don't even take pants other than shorts for day time and maybe a pair of lounging/sports pants for walking around the track . I wear a full length gown on formal night and I leave it on all night after dinner because it is the few times I can feel like and princess ! My hubby wears a suit almost every night and when he is not in a suit he has a pair of chino style pants and with a button down shirt and sports jacket and that is for the non formal nights. We like the look of being drssed up. It makes it a nicer classier vacation for us. Beware though Opinions on this will vary :cool:!!!!

 

Are you my long-lost sister?? Just finished packing for our cruise this weekend & I will be dressing just the same!