Do men wear tuxes any more on "elegant night"?

[asalligo]

I took two tuxes on my cruise 2 weeks ago on the Pride so as not to wear the same one twice. I really enjoy the formal nights, but I wore a jacket and tie to dinner on every other night also. On the Pride at least, tuxes were common, we saw more than we could count.

Edited March 14, 2014 by asalligo

[awhcruiser]

"Dressy" shorts with a polo shirt?

I would never wear a tux on a cruise .. Don't see the point

 

 

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Edited March 14, 2014 by awhcruiser

[TOP DECK]

Tuxes and even suites are very special occasion apparel. Cruises are special but how many other vacations does anyone wear a tux or suite. Very few men dress in a suite for funerals anymore. Tuxes should be reserved for your kids weddings or does a cruise equal in importance to your kids wedding.

I guess it all depends on your life style.

[vols_159]

"Dressy" shorts with a polo shirt?

 

 

I do on ncl and would on non casual night on carnival. Kakis shorts is dressy enought for me while on vacation

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[AZmike480]

No tux here,

 

Since I dress up for work, I dont dress up for vacation!:D

[Chief93]

I do. And I always get a picture from one of the photographers with my tux and my lucha libre mask. (Mexican wrestler mask). It is just my thing.

 

BUT, I don't take a tux if I'm sailing from Galveston. Don't want to be the only one wearing one.

[Drew's Wife]

My husband always wears his Tux, usually twice during the cruise and he also packs his Military Dress Blues. He wears that a couple of nights...The last night of the cruise he will usually just wear a dress slacks, sportcoat and tie. We pack heavy!!

[T. Advisor King]

DH got a tux several years ago just for formal nights, wore it on a few cruises. It's been a couple of years since our last cruise and the conversations here make it sound as though no one dresses up any more. Do any of you (or your partners) do tuxes, or do you see others in tuxes on recent cruises?

 

As others have posted, the number of tuxes you will see on elegant night will be a lot closer to zero than the 30% that one poster estimated. There will be more during the late seating and fewer during the early seating. There will be more on longer cruises and fewer on shorter cruises. There will be more during off-peak times than during high-seasons that attract families on school breaks.

 

On my last 7-day cruise (Magic) there was one day when we didn't see a single tux in the dining room. We saw a few elsewhere on the ship that night, but it was early seating and it was during the summer.

 

I would estimate that maybe 1 or 2% of men wear a tux. Another 10-15% wear a suit. Another 10-15% might wear a sportcoat or blazer and a tie (many people who see a man with a tie and a jacket do not know the difference between whether it is a suit, or a sportcoat or blazer). Another 20% might wear either a jacket of some sort, or a tie, but not both.

 

That leaves about 50% of men who wear neither a jacket of any sort nor a tie.

 

Again, those numbers are averages based on my observations, with the caveat mentioned above that there can be noticable differences based on the seating as well as the time and length of the cruise.

[kennelgang]

I bought my tux several years ago and wear it on every cruise. I like dressing up. I get many compliments. People who say they don't see many tuxes on board are full of "c--p". While tuxes are not so popular perhaps in the Caribbean and Mexico they are very popular on European and Alaska cruises. I think those who state they see no tuxes want to influence others not to dress up so they can feel more comfortable in their dress down mode, you know the ones who wear shorts at dinner in the MDR. Okay I have my flak jacket on ...I'm ready to be blasted!!

Edited March 14, 2014 by kennelgang

[momof4boys]

I bought my tux several years ago and wear it on every cruise. I like dressing up. I get many compliments. People who say they don't see many tuxes on board are full of "c--p". While tuxes are not so popular perhaps in the Caribbean and Mexico they are very popular on European and Alaska cruises. I think those who state they see no tuxes want to influence others not to dress up so they can feel more comfortable in their dress down mode, you know the ones who wear shorts at dinner in the MDR. Okay I have my flak jacket on ...I'm ready to be blasted!!

 

I agree!

[najnelle]

I've heard that you can rent a tux on board. Any idea where I can find information? I've tried searching the Carnival website, but have had no luck. Thanks in advance for your help.

[Jeafl]

Please wear a tux on your next cruise, it is pleasing to the eyes of this 25 year old woman :)

 

It is also pleasing to the eye of this ...ahem..slightly older than 25-year-old woman. I say go for it!

[Nic6318]

DH got a tux several years ago just for formal nights, wore it on a few cruises. It's been a couple of years since our last cruise and the conversations here make it sound as though no one dresses up any more. Do any of you (or your partners) do tuxes, or do you see others in tuxes on recent cruises?

 

 

Of course your husband can dress as he wishes. They don't enforce the dress code any more, that's apparent. That being said I think you should encourage him to wear his tux. ( unless you never liked him wearing it ) You say he specifically got it for the formal nights on cruises. It wasn't that long ago, you said several years...it was still a special occasion even that recently (as one person stated... you only wear a tux for a special occasion), and it had been a tradition when cruising to dress up for dinner.

 

So...times change, people can't/don't want/don't need to make an effort to make this a special occasion for all. That's fine with the cruise line. If we don't see this as a special occasion, they won't either. Why would anybody be surprised that service and quality change for the worse. Imagine selling the concept twenty years ago..."comfort food", lets sell them meatloaf or stew, maybe mac & cheese. The more people want to turn cruising in to an "ordinary" experience the quicker it will get there.

 

In the meantime, I bring my tux. I don't bring a suit to save on luggage space. With a sports jacket, I can dress up for a 1 or 2 wk. cruise.

 

Either way have a great cruise

[Vitamin_Sea]

No way will I wear a tux!!

[asalligo]

I bought my tux several years ago and wear it on every cruise. I like dressing up. I get many compliments. People who say they don't see many tuxes on board are full of "c--p". While tuxes are not so popular perhaps in the Caribbean and Mexico they are very popular on European and Alaska cruises. I think those who state they see no tuxes want to influence others not to dress up so they can feel more comfortable in their dress down mode, you know the ones who wear shorts at dinner in the MDR. Okay I have my flak jacket on ...I'm ready to be blasted!!

 

I agree. I almost went with just a suit two weeks ago on the Pride and all because of this board. I decided to just wear what I wanted and I am glad I did. I would have been very disappointed, because at least 20 percent were wearing tuxes, maybe closer to 50 percent. I am going to watch the video I have of the evening and count tuxedo versus other.

[kennelgang]

I've heard that you can rent a tux on board. Any idea where I can find information? I've tried searching the Carnival website, but have had no luck. Thanks in advance for your help.

 

Carnival's website has never been easy to navigate. I would contact them by phone and ask about tux rentals. I rented a tux twice. Then decided we were going to cruise more often and hence the cost of renting would be far more than buying a tux. I found my Italian designer tux on Ebay several years ago and paid under $300. It was a bargain!! It is still very much in style and looks great. So... my point is if you plan on cruising more than twice in the future consider buying a tux as opposed to renting. By the third cruise it will have paid for itself.

 

Bob

[Crusin Hogs]

I bought my tux several years ago and wear it on every cruise. I like dressing up. I get many compliments. People who say they don't see many tuxes on board are full of "c--p". While tuxes are not so popular perhaps in the Caribbean and Mexico they are very popular on European and Alaska cruises. I think those who state they see no tuxes want to influence others not to dress up so they can feel more comfortable in their dress down mode, you know the ones who wear shorts at dinner in the MDR. Okay I have my flak jacket on ...I'm ready to be blasted!!

 

I can see suits ,tuxes in Europe , But not in the Caribbean .

[loxley]

I agree. I almost went with just a suit two weeks ago on the Pride and all because of this board. I decided to just wear what I wanted and I am glad I did. I would have been very disappointed, because at least 20 percent were wearing tuxes, maybe closer to 50 percent. I am going to watch the video I have of the evening and count tuxedo versus other.

 

I am not sure if you have a math problem or an eyesight problem but I am positive that almost 50% of the men were not wearing tuxes. I personally do not even believe the 20% you claim but post the video because I would love to be proved wrong.

[T. Advisor King]

I can see suits ,tuxes in Europe , But not in the Caribbean .

 

Actually, my observations about not seeing a single tux in our dining room on one of the two elegant nights was on the Magic in the Mediterranean.

 

Bear in mind, I didn't say there weren't ANY tuxes in our dining room. I didn't get around and inspect every person at every table. Nor did I go out of my way to be wilfully blind to as many people as possible, just to be able to make a point. We just didn't see any when we entered the room or within the field of view from our booth.

 

I will make a game of it with my table on my next cruise. Count men and divide them into tuxes, suits, jackets and ties, jackets or ties and neither jackets nor ties. I'm pretty confident it will come out to the 2%, 10-15%, 10-15%, 20-25% and 50% figures that I quoted.

 

I do agree that people tend to see what they want to see, so if they like the idea of tuxes and see a table where more than half the men are wearing at least a suit and some are wearing a tux, they might be inclined to report that "at least half" of the men in the dining room were wearing a tux.

 

I make no secret of the fact that I don't "get" the idea of dressing up in uncomfortable clothes to eat a meal. When I take my family to vacation in Hawaii, the only pants I'll take will be the jeans I wear on the plane. The thought of wearing pants is laughable, and of wearing a suit or tux while on vacation is absurd. I have no idea why anyone thinks differently on a cruise vacation than a regular vacation, but I respect their choice. If it weren't for the photo revenue, I suspect Carnival would have gotten rid of elegant night long ago. And I think the day is coming pretty quick that they'll divide their dining rooms to keep one in its current semi-formal state and transform the other into more of a casual family steakhouse-type atmosphere.

[Captain Carnival]

I never have however this year as two of my sons got married I bought a tux to save on the rental fees and figured that I would wear one on my upcoming "retirement cruise" to Alaska although I'll have to bring it on the plane from Tampa to Seattle.

Edited March 15, 2014 by ShotoJuku

[asylum575]

Best reasons to wear a tux on your cruise

 

1. Wife likes it:)

2. Tux is made of lighter wool than regular suit

3. Trousers have elastic band:eek:

4. Jump to the front of every line by just saying excuse me while wearing a tux:rolleyes:

5. Go on cruise critics and tell everyone that you got a free cruise because you wear a tux:eek:

 

Any other?

[kennelgang]

Best reasons to wear a tux on your cruise

 

1. Wife likes it:)

2. Tux is made of lighter wool than regular suit

3. Trousers have elastic band:eek:

4. Jump to the front of every line by just saying excuse me while wearing a tux:rolleyes:

5. Go on cruise critics and tell everyone that you got a free cruise because you wear a tux:eek:

 

Any other?

 

Yap,

 

I feel manly and sexy in it.

 

I get great compliments..i.e.,"Now that is the way to dress-up. Men should do this more often" (said to me by a great lady on our last cruise).

 

Heads turn with the WOW factor.

 

I match my wife's "dressed to the nines".

 

Dressing down is an everyday event. How often does one get to dress-up in their life? Cruising provides that opportunity, to change your daily routine, which, to me, helps to make it a true vacation!!

 

It's romantic. (yap, I'm a helpless one).

 

No matter how things change, I will forever and always where my tux when on a cruise. It doesn't matter to me if I am the only one in a tux. I have also been known to wear a gardenia, from our yard, with my tux from time to time as well as my antique pearl and onyx studs/chuff links and my antique grandfather watch and bob.

 

To each his own.

 

Bob

Edited March 15, 2014 by kennelgang

[MuffyKismet]

What I have noticed after 29 cruises is that often on the short 3 night/4 day cruises you have a much lower % of men wearing tuxedos (BUT they still do wear them). Either way I have seen folks really dress to the "9's" and really dress casual......to each is own .......personally we dress up and my husband does wear his Tux! We have some beautiful pictures around our home from those formal night pictures!!!! Besides besides weddings when where else to you get to dress up like that!!!!!

[Hammer-STT]

Wear it on ever cruise. As well others do also.

[Lerin]

W

 

 

Thank you for posting photos of tuxedos! They don't always have a bow tie. ;)

 

I saw many of these on our first elegant night, and a decent number the second. Both with or without a bow tie.

 

Men look so polished when dressed up, if you have a tux-wear it! :)