Formal Nights... Do you?

[CarnivalPlatCruiser]

I own my own tux, and I always loved dressing up for formal night and the Captains Gala Cocktail Party. Some of my fondest cruise memories was dancing on the stage with my wife, and sometimes my daughter while she was growing up.

 

I have to admit, since the party in the lounge is gone, with the band playing... the dancing... the free drinks and hors d'oeuvres... Its just not the same for me...

 

Dressing up now, just to stroll the atrium and get 1 dollar off my drink... Just doesn't seem like its worth all the fuss.

 

I get that its a great day for photos, but as a professional photographer myself, I rarely buy the ship's photos.

 

Do you still dress up for it? Have you ever dressed up for it?

[joeyancho]

My last cruise was the first time in 28 cruises that I did not wear my tuxedo. Just no point to it anymore, when dockers and a polo shirt pass for formal wear. I wore a suit and still stuck out like a sore thumb.

Edited January 26, 2014 by joeyancho

[Lace]

I own my own tux, and I always loved dressing up for formal night and the Captains Gala Cocktail Party. Some of my fondest cruise memories was dancing on the stage with my wife, and sometimes my daughter while she was growing up.

 

I have to admit, since the party in the lounge is gone, with the band playing... the dancing... the free drinks and hors d'oeuvres... Its just not the same for me...

 

Dressing up now, just to stroll the atrium and get 1 dollar off my drink... Just doesn't seem like its worth all the fuss.

 

I get that its a great day for photos, but as a professional photographer myself, I rarely buy the ship's photos.

 

Do you still dress up for it? Have you ever dressed up for it?

 

Ever since they've taken what was a special night and dumbed it down, it's no longer like going "to the ball". It's more like going to the mall, so the best we do is jacket and tie, and dress.

[sparks1093]

I own my own tux, and I always loved dressing up for formal night and the Captains Gala Cocktail Party. Some of my fondest cruise memories was dancing on the stage with my wife, and sometimes my daughter while she was growing up.

 

I have to admit, since the party in the lounge is gone, with the band playing... the dancing... the free drinks and hors d'oeuvres... Its just not the same for me...

 

Dressing up now, just to stroll the atrium and get 1 dollar off my drink... Just doesn't seem like its worth all the fuss.

 

I get that its a great day for photos, but as a professional photographer myself, I rarely buy the ship's photos.

 

Do you still dress up for it? Have you ever dressed up for it?

 

We dressed up, but not in formal wear. I do own a tux now but I am not sure that I would bring it with me.

[swanlady2000]

Having sailed with other lines and love to dress up on formal nights.. I booked carnival for a cruise in April before I realised they take a more relaxed approach. (RCL was the most relaxed so far). I have told hubby to leave the tux at home and he will just wear a normal suit. I will be leaving the long dresses at home and taking 2 cocktail dresses so we will probably be way over dressed still. Even on casual nights I like to dress as I would going to a nice restaurant at home, so i always change into smart clothes for normal nights as well and wouldn't dream of wearing a t shirt in MDR. I live in jeans and t-shirts st home so want my cruise to be a special experience so dressing up on an evening is an important part of cruising for us..So will see how I find it and if I feel uncomfortable dressing up I don't think I will be going on another.

[1313steve]

I also own a tux and really enjoyed wearing it for formal nights in the past. But it's pretty clear those days are behind us now, so on my last cruise in October, I simply wore a suit and tie. My lady wore a long dress, but it wasn't what I would call a formal gown.

 

Nonetheless, we were still some of the most dressed up people on the cruise, which I had no problem with. :D

 

The invention of "Casual Friday" in the workplace seems to have been the start of the downgrading of wardrobes everywhere. I'm always amazed at what some people will wear out of the house.

[rch3]

Have always worn the tux, regardless of cruiseline.

[B Russo]

We like to dress up, I bring my tux. :D Bill

[jonbgd]

Not a Tux anymore but still wear suit and tie to MDR on elegant night.

We do stand out because we are such a good looking couple.......JK :p

There were a lot of others dressed up as well

[Ehpride]

I love dressing up for formal night. I wear gowns for elegant night and cocktail dresses or nice dresses for other nights. I do miss the old cocktail parties, but I like getting pictures taken and just enjoying the overall atmosphere onboard.

[Motorboatin]

In my somewhat young (28) opinion, I like the way it is now. Don't believe people should just wear slacks and a polo but a nice suit or at least a long-sleeve dress shirt. I like it this way because if it was tux only then everyone would look exactly the same, being able to wear a suit allows individuality. Personally, I love to mix things up a bit and go against the grain and stick out with my suits, I like to think of myself as a poor Scott Disick. Just my .02

[hdowney]

Going on my first cruise this year and have to say I'm looking forward to dressing up for dinner. I would never go to a restaurant at home in casual clothes so wont on the cruise and for the formal nights I'll dress up that little bit more.

 

sent from my Samsung using the CruiseCritic app

[PortSideCruzan]

I own my own tux, and I always loved dressing up for formal night and the Captains Gala Cocktail Party. Some of my fondest cruise memories was dancing on the stage with my wife, and sometimes my daughter while she was growing up.

 

I have to admit, since the party in the lounge is gone, with the band playing... the dancing... the free drinks and hors d'oeuvres... Its just not the same for me...

 

Dressing up now, just to stroll the atrium and get 1 dollar off my drink... Just doesn't seem like its worth all the fuss.

 

I get that its a great day for photos, but as a professional photographer myself, I rarely buy the ship's photos.

 

Do you still dress up for it? Have you ever dressed up for it?

 

Hi CarnivalPlatCruiser :)

 

My wife & I have been cruising for 30 years now. We always

dress up for formal/elegant evenings no matter what cruise

line we are traveling. To us these evenings are much more

than a mere stroll down the atrium, free drink at the capt

party or photos to be taken or avoided, etc etc etc...

 

We view formal/elegant evenings as a night out on the town.

Dinner, dancing, a show, comedy club, specialty restaurant,

and so on. I never understood the fascination people have in

regard to what others are wearing, and if others are dressed

down, some do the same. That's like the old saying, if they all

jump off the bridge, you gonna jump also?

 

I am on my vacation, not theirs. My only concern is to look

and match as nice as I can to whatever gown my wife is

wearing that evening. The people sitting next to me could be

covered in mud, they are on vacation also.

 

:)

 

[vols_159]

I own my own tux, and I always loved dressing up for formal night and the Captains Gala Cocktail Party. Some of my fondest cruise memories was dancing on the stage with my wife, and sometimes my daughter while she was growing up.

 

I have to admit, since the party in the lounge is gone, with the band playing... the dancing... the free drinks and hors d'oeuvres... Its just not the same for me...

 

Dressing up now, just to stroll the atrium and get 1 dollar off my drink... Just doesn't seem like its worth all the fuss.

 

I get that its a great day for photos, but as a professional photographer myself, I rarely buy the ship's photos.

 

Do you still dress up for it? Have you ever dressed up for it?

 

Nope..

[Laurie S.]

A cruise is my only chance to dress up, and so I do. I wear long dresses every night--formals on elegant night and fancy sundresses on casual night. My guy prefers casual for himself and I'm fine with that. But, he does love to see me dressed up.

[Doug910]

...Own my own tux. Used to wear it every cruise and wore the tie color to match my wife's dress. Stopped that around 3 years ago and started wearing a suit. For our Liberty cruise next week, I think I'm going with just slacks and a sport coat. Hope I never get the urge to go down to a polo shirt and Dockers.

[sanmarcosman]

Not since 1991.

[vols_159]

...Own my own tux. Used to wear it every cruise and wore the tie color to match my wife's dress. Stopped that around 3 years ago and started wearing a suit. For our Liberty cruise next week, I think I'm going with just slacks and a sport coat. Hope I never get the urge to go down to a polo shirt and Dockers.

 

Nothing wrong with polo shirt .. I wear polo shirt and jeans

[Mysticks1]

I have never really liked dressing up. I loved NCL where there was a dining room for wearing casual clothes. We normally wear nice clothes with me in a nice dressy pantsuit and husband would wear a suit and tie but we change immediately after dinner.

[Shaded Lady]

Not a tux and a formal gown, but my DH and I have always 'gussied up' for formal night, even when we didn't feel like it, mostly because the choices beyond the dining room were limited for us. We're going to be cruising soon on a ship that finally offers something other than the Lido deck for dinner (first time with a steakhouse, first time with a Cucino d'el Capitano). So now that we will have other choices, we'll probably to the MDR in full dress one night, but opt for one of the other choices so my DH can go with dress pants and a blazer, no need for suit & tie.

[BigRed93]

yes, DH has a tux and wears it. He is not alone. I would say at least a dozen other guys in tuxes, sometimes more. I don't head count, but I'm happy that MOST still try to at least look nicer than the normal night. Now that may be long pants vs. shorts, and collared shirts vs. tshirts, but whatever floats your boat.:)

[Cruisin Dave]

I'll be wearing my Tux. This may get the last CCL cruise until they moved up from the Walmart of cruises.

[jonbgd]

Nothing wrong with polo shirt .. I wear polo shirt and jeans

 

Sounds good just not on Elegant night. Maybe you should just stick with NCL:p

[silverpenguin]

I love playing sparkly dress up & I don't care if I'm the most dressed up person there! Our first cruise, I was disappointed that I couldn't wear my formal dress (I'd lost too much weight!), so we went in our very best church clothes. For this next cruise, we will be a little more formal, hopefully. I haven't decided on long or short dress, though. DH doesn't own a tux, but he does have a black suit & tie.

[SAM527]

For me it depends on how I feel before I'm cruising or what's planned. On my next cruise I'm just bringing a suit jacket and a few ties, I don't feel like dressing up this time. When we did a family cruise this past Summer, for family photos we all brought and wore our tux's.

 

What's funny is how many people look at you when you're wearing a tux. Like the men are saying look at that idiot and the women are saying, I wish my husband would get dressed up like that.