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How formal is a 'formal' newbie question!

macca5

By macca5,
in Royal Caribbean International

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macca5

macca5

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Posted

Hi we are sailing on the Radiance New Years cruise to New Zealand in two weeks, and can't wait. We booked with RC as we felt it was going to be more family friendly and are taking our daughter (15) and son (10). I was wondering how formal the 'formal' nights are, I understand there will be 2-3 formal nights including NYE and wondered if anyone could help with dress code? Is it suits or tuxedo for men? Does our 10 year old need a suit or just smart clothes? We are looking forward to dressing up so don't mind bringing it all!

Thanks!

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micmacmissy

micmacmissy

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You are new to Cruise Critic...welcome! Just a warning, people get very passionate about dress codes on these boards...so be prepared for many different types of answers!

 

I would suggest tux or dark suit for men. Your 10 year old will be fine in dress pants and a collared shirt. Ladies and young ladies in dresses (how dressy is up to you...folks will show up in all different kids of clothes). I would assume NYE to be the "dressiest" evening of all the formal nights.

 

Hope you have a great trip!

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Paulette3028

Paulette3028

Posted
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You are new to Cruise Critic...welcome! Just a warning, people get very passionate about dress codes on these boards...so be prepared for many different types of answers!

 

I would suggest tux or dark suit for men. Your 10 year old will be fine in dress pants and a collared shirt. Ladies and young ladies in dresses (how dressy is up to you...folks will show up in all different kids of clothes). I would assume NYE to be the "dressiest" evening of all the formal nights.

 

Hope you have a great trip!

 

You will see everything from very very formal to easy casual or dress down Friday (at work). My DH has to wear a suit to work everyday, so it is his vacation and he doesn't generally want to wear a tuxedo....unless we were cruising for NYEve (I would expect). But he wears a sports jacket and an open collared shirt. I dress similar to him; skirt, casual dress -- not into the super formal wear -- Perhaps a dressier outfit for NYEve.

 

But you will see everything and anything....and it all flows.

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MS52

MS52

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Posted (edited)
As formal as you want to be. Some will not make any effort, but this is common and you won't be booted out.

 

I wear a tux.

 

This pretty much nails it. My DH wears a tux and I usually wear a long dress. We enjoy dressing for the occasion. But it's pretty much anything goes.

 

Some will get cranky pants discussing the subject. We do what we think is right for us and don't worry about anyone else.

 

Enjoy NYE on a cruise ship! We'll be on 11 days later.

Edited by MS52
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DDDONE828

DDDONE828

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We recently returned from our second Explorer of the Seas trip. For formal night I wore a dark sport jacket, white shirt and tie. I was less formal than the average guest but clearly not out of line. I was close enough to the range that I absolutely did not feel out of place. I got to our table of 60somethings and the men were mixed between dark suits and dark sport jackets. All were with white shorts and ties. The Royal Carib guests, by and large, are not of the stuffy type.

That said, NYE might be a different story.

Enjoy the cruise and your stops as well!

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Motorman23

Motorman23

Posted
Posted
Hi we are sailing on the Radiance New Years cruise to New Zealand in two weeks, and can't wait. We booked with RC as we felt it was going to be more family friendly and are taking our daughter (15) and son (10). I was wondering how formal the 'formal' nights are, I understand there will be 2-3 formal nights including NYE and wondered if anyone could help with dress code? Is it suits or tuxedo for men? Does our 10 year old need a suit or just smart clothes? We are looking forward to dressing up so don't mind bringing it all!

Thanks!

 

Enjoy your cruise, dress comfortably, your son does not need to be in a suit but a nice pair of dress slacks and a collared shirt will go well for him. Jmoho

 

Mike

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

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CruiseAddict1982

CruiseAddict1982

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Posted
Hi we are sailing on the Radiance New Years cruise to New Zealand in two weeks, and can't wait. We booked with RC as we felt it was going to be more family friendly and are taking our daughter (15) and son (10). I was wondering how formal the 'formal' nights are, I understand there will be 2-3 formal nights including NYE and wondered if anyone could help with dress code? Is it suits or tuxedo for men? Does our 10 year old need a suit or just smart clothes? We are looking forward to dressing up so don't mind bringing it all!

Thanks!

 

Like someone said previously, some people take the formal way too seriously and trust me I've been on severL cruises and it's not that serious. I wore a black suit one time and and another time I didn't want to wear the jacket so I just wore a shirt and tie. You'll see women wearing prom dresses, wedding dresses , Vegas showgirl type dresses etc.

 

Wear what you feel comfortable in. It's not that serious and nobody should care, but they will because they have nothing better to do than judge.

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davekathy

davekathy

Posted
Posted
Hi we are sailing on the Radiance New Years cruise to New Zealand in two weeks, and can't wait. We booked with RC as we felt it was going to be more family friendly and are taking our daughter (15) and son (10). I was wondering how formal the 'formal' nights are, I understand there will be 2-3 formal nights including NYE and wondered if anyone could help with dress code? Is it suits or tuxedo for men? Does our 10 year old need a suit or just smart clothes? We are looking forward to dressing up so don't mind bringing it all!

Thanks!

 

Easy, just follow the Cruise lines evening dress guidelines posted in their brochures. Can't go wrong. The evening dress guidelines are not based on age.

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OCruisers

OCruisers

Posted
Posted
Like someone said previously, some people take the formal way too seriously and trust me I've been on severL cruises and it's not that serious. I wore a black suit one time and and another time I didn't want to wear the jacket so I just wore a shirt and tie. You'll see women wearing prom dresses, wedding dresses , Vegas showgirl type dresses etc.

 

Wear what you feel comfortable in. It's not that serious and nobody should care, but they will because they have nothing better to do than judge.

 

Agree. You'll find many more "dress police" on CC than you will on the cruise. :D

 

LuLu

~~~~

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DDDONE828

DDDONE828

Posted
Posted
We recently returned from our second Explorer of the Seas trip. For formal night I wore a dark sport jacket, white shirt and tie. I was less formal than the average guest but clearly not out of line. I was close enough to the range that I absolutely did not feel out of place. I got to our table of 60somethings and the men were mixed between dark suits and dark sport jackets. All were with white shorts and ties. The Royal Carib guests, by and large, are not of the stuffy type.

That said, NYE might be a different story.

Enjoy the cruise and your stops as well!

 

 

 

Woops!!! Sorry-I meant white shirts, not white shorts.

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macca5

macca5

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Thank you SO much everyone you've answered my questions and more. Hubby will wear a tux and DD and I will wear black cocktail dresses with a bit of bling, I have just got back from shopping and bought DS (10) a pair of smart dark navy shorts, white shirt and tie and some new black converse!! He looks smart and loves the cool look so I think he will be fine. Roll in NYE!! Can't wait and thanks everyone again!!!

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mollyeilis

mollyeilis

Posted
Posted (edited)
You'll see women wearing prom dresses, wedding dresses , Vegas showgirl type dresses etc.

 

Wedding dresses?

 

Hmm.... :)

 

Easy, just follow the Cruise lines evening dress guidelines posted in their brochures. Can't go wrong. The evening dress guidelines are not based on age.

 

Brochures? Dang, knew I didn't get something. Darned online research and booking by phone. No brochures!

Edited by mollyeilis
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avatheps

avatheps

Posted
Posted
Hi we are sailing on the Radiance New Years cruise to New Zealand in two weeks, and can't wait. We booked with RC as we felt it was going to be more family friendly and are taking our daughter (15) and son (10). I was wondering how formal the 'formal' nights are, I understand there will be 2-3 formal nights including NYE and wondered if anyone could help with dress code? Is it suits or tuxedo for men? Does our 10 year old need a suit or just smart clothes? We are looking forward to dressing up so don't mind bringing it all!

Thanks!

 

Hi Macca5,

 

My wife and I just returned from our very first cruise. I had asked the traditional questions about formal night dress and received answers across the spectrum. I opted to let discretion rule over valor, and we dressed like going to church in the 1960s. That is to say, wife in a nice dress and me with a sport coat, dress slacks, shirt and tie. These days it seems that anything goes at church. We were glad we did, as most folks there dressed to the nines and the few that did not were severely chastised, either telepathically or verbally by way of loud discussions being held from nearby tables. The few children we saw were obviously seasoned travelers and were nicely dressed and well behaved at dinner.

 

My suggestion for you is this; if you are concerned about it do not even attend formal night dinner. There are lots of other places to eat where you can mingle with the hat, sandals, and Hawaiian shirt wearers. If you like to strut your stuff, go and enjoy. You will not be overdressed, trust me.

 

Bob:cool:

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Clarea

Clarea

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Posted
Wedding dresses?

 

Hmm.... :)

 

 

 

Brochures? Dang, knew I didn't get something. Darned online research and booking by phone. No brochures!

 

From the website:

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&snav=2&faqId=255&faqSubjectId=334&faqSubjectName=Life+Onboard&faqType=faq

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sherilyn70

sherilyn70

Posted
Posted (edited)

7Here are two examples of how we do it on our cruises. Whatever you prefer works. There is no reason you even have to get as fancy as we do, we just enjoyed doing it.

 

qy5etate.jpg

Long gown with dark suit on carnival in 2011.

 

urenabeh.jpg

Cocktail length with dark suit on RCL in 2012.

 

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S4

Edited by sherilyn70
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