How formal is formal?

[ECCruise]

I don't wear ill-fitting or worn clothing. I have used rentals a few times and they were not worn and fit perfectly. I feel very comfortable in a tux or suit. I almost always wear a jacket to dinner because I like to have pockets. Not saying you are, but I don't worry about baggage fees compared to the cost of a cruise.

 

Great that you fit in your tux. Many don't to the point of being ludicrous. Have rented from CruiseLine Formals close to a dozen times (back when it "mattered" about 30 cruises ago) and almost every time they needed some adjustment (minor or otherwise) and yes, they were worn and yes they were polyester and I don't do polyester anymore. Don't know why I ever did except to "fit in" I guess.

 

Has a little to do with baggage fees. Has more to do with many of our trips are 30-70 days and I refuse to lug around formal clothing for 2 or 3 of those nights.

 

So, alas, you will need to see me in a dark blue blazer and tan or grey slacks, all of which are interchangeable with other nights.

Edited September 29, 2014 by ECCruise

[Queen of Oakville]

My dress on casual nights is probably nicer than what some will wear on a formal night.

 

I dress to please myself and my immediate dining companions.

 

I agree that people over all are not as formal as they used to be, and some blatantly ignore the dress code and do what they please. On Oasis, a man at the next table wore a printed t-shirt, jeans and flip-flops. My (then) 6 yo was dressed in a 3 piece suite, and could not stop shaking his head at how this man blatantly ignored the dress code.

[wallie5446]

On Oasis, a man at the next table wore a printed t-shirt, jeans and flip-flops. My (then) 6 yo was dressed in a 3 piece suite, and could not stop shaking his head at how this man blatantly ignored the dress code.

 

This situation being allowed into the MDR was not any fault of the passenger, it was the Staff that should have nipped it in the bud at the door.

[Queen of Oakville]

This situation being allowed into the MDR was not any fault of the passenger, it was the Staff that should have nipped it in the bud at the door.

 

I think it is the responsibility of the passenger to follow the dress code and the responsibility of the cruise line to enforce it.

 

I do have to say that at least on one cruise (it may have been HAL) ...I saw a young man in a baseball cap and sleeveless t-shirt) turned away from the MDR at breakfast.

Edited September 29, 2014 by Queen of Oakville

[NLH Arizona]

If Celebrity lets someone in in whatever they are wearing, then the fashion police should take it up with Celebrity right then and there, if it so ruins their cruise.

 

I could care less what someone is wearing, unless they are dirty and smelly. I care more about how a person acts toward me and others. If I judged people on what they wear, I probably would not have met some of the nicest people in the world. People need to stop being judgment and look in the mirror and worry more about themselves and their actions toward other people.

[MR_T]

You said you didn't want to bring formal clothes due to packing limitations. If the suit or tux fit correctly, they are very comfortable. Ships are usually pretty cool in the evening.

 

 

 

Celebeity rents tuxedos but not suits.

 

 

Firstly I've never said I don't bring a tux due to luggage limitations it's purely a comfy thing!!

 

And secondly how do you know what myself or any other person other then you are comfy in?? For the record I'm not completely comfy wearing a jacket but choose to do so to follow the celebrity dress code!! 😎

 

And finally... what someone calls cool other might consider warm and vice versa!!

[Hotel CA]

Thought better of my post and deleted it

Edited September 29, 2014 by Hotel CA
add to indicate joking

[MR_T]

Is wearing nice clothing for two nights really that uncomfortable?

 

 

So you only consider formal dress nice clothes... Do you wear a load of old rags for the rest of the cruise... 😁 And yes wearing a tux for 5 mins is 5 mins too long for me! 😱

 

Personally I feel I wear nice clothes for the whole cruise... Formal & non formal! Now I'm fully aware others might have a different opinion on some of my choices but that's their problem not mine... 😃

[MR_T]

If Celebrity lets someone in in whatever they are wearing, then the fashion police should take it up with Celebrity right then and there, if it so ruins their cruise.

 

I could care less what someone is wearing, unless they are dirty and smelly. I care more about how a person acts toward me and others. If I judged people on what they wear, I probably would not have met some of the nicest people in the world. People need to stop being judgment and look in the mirror and worry more about themselves and their actions toward other people.

 

 

Well said! 😃

[MR_T]

Thought better of my post and deleted it

 

 

Go on join in.. It's all a bit of fun! 😁

[ghstudio]

 

I could care less what someone is wearing, unless they are dirty and smelly.

 

Now you've done it...you've broached the perfume subject. I am convinced that some of the showers on the ship use perfume instead of water. I am allergic to most perfumes and when I get in an elevator on formal night, it's terrifying at times.

 

I realize that in earlier times, women used perfume to mask the odor of not bathing for many days....but we are more modern now...and you don't have to wash in perfume.

 

The only reason I picked up on this is that the perfume seems to flow much more freely on formal nights so it's at least tangentially related to the topic.

[ECCruise]

 

The only reason I picked up on this is that the perfume seems to flow much more freely on formal nights so it's at least tangentially related to the topic.

 

Yes!

We've even had to avoid our balcony on formal nights because someone 2 or 3 cabins down and upwind decided the fragrance shower was better than, or in addition to, the water one. :)

[Ma Bell]

If Celebrity lets someone in in whatever they are wearing, then the fashion police should take it up with Celebrity right then and there, if it so ruins their cruise.

 

I could care less what someone is wearing, unless they are dirty and smelly. I care more about how a person acts toward me and others. If I judged people on what they wear, I probably would not have met some of the nicest people in the world. People need to stop being judgment and look in the mirror and worry more about themselves and their actions toward other people.

 

Personally, I "couldn't" care less what someone is wearing and I also care more about how a person acts. Celebrity has a wide range of what is acceptable in their dress codes and then a lot of options for people who don't care to choose any of them

 

It really isn't the clothing that is sometimes the problem. It's the actions. When someone knows what they should do and then just purposely does exactly as they please without any concern for others, it's their actions that are the problem, not the clothing. I don't find that particularly admirable but it's not my problem, it's theirs.

 

The purpose of these boards should be to provide information that is correct and helps people to decide what they are going to do. Once on the ship, they've already made their choice. Since I've NEVER seen another guest confront someone on the ship and since most people do comply with the dress codes, all of the pontificating is just unnecessary.

[NLH Arizona]

Now you've done it...you've broached the perfume subject. I am convinced that some of the showers on the ship use perfume instead of water. I am allergic to most perfumes and when I get in an elevator on formal night, it's terrifying at times.

 

I realize that in earlier times, women used perfume to mask the odor of not bathing for many days....but we are more modern now...and you don't have to wash in perfume.

 

The only reason I picked up on this is that the perfume seems to flow much more freely on formal nights so it's at least tangentially related to the topic.

I have to admit, when someone over uses perfume, it really bothers me. I've been tempted a couple of times to ask guest services if they would put a blurb in the daily about not putting too much on, but think better not to do it, as I wouldn't want to have anyone's feelings hurt, just because they like perfume more than I do.

[ghstudio]

Personally, I "couldn't" care less what someone is wearing and I also care more about how a person acts. Celebrity has a wide range of what is acceptable in their dress codes and then a lot of options for people who don't care to choose any of them

 

It really isn't the clothing that is sometimes the problem. It's the actions. When someone knows what they should do and then just purposely does exactly as they please without any concern for others, it's their actions that are the problem, not the clothing. I don't find that particularly admirable but it's not my problem, it's theirs.

 

The purpose of these boards should be to provide information that is correct and helps people to decide what they are going to do. Once on the ship, they've already made their choice. Since I've NEVER seen another guest confront someone on the ship and since most people do comply with the dress codes, all of the pontificating is just unnecessary.

 

As always, people are people. On one cruise, I was walking to Blu on formal night in smart casual and had someone turn and comment that it was formal night and smart casual wasn't appropriate.

[Lsimon]

I'll say here what I said on another recent dress code thread.

 

The debates on these boards lead inexperienced cruisers to get the impression that only a minority complies with the formal dress code on Celebrity cruises. This is not at all true. In our experience the vast majority do comply with the dress code. I really can't say what the percentage of tuxes vs. suits is as I don't count. There are plenty of tuxes and the suits comply with the dress code in any event. The numbers wearing sport jackets or blazers are smaller but even though they don't meet the technical wording of the formal night dress code most look just fine and fit right in. I can't comment on the types of women's clothing as I don't know the names of all the various types of garments but I can say that the vast majority of them wear elegant and beautiful attire that looks very appropriate for a formal night. The number of people getting into the MDR dressed casually varies from zero (on cruises where the dress code is enforced) to a very small minority which doesn't bother me much.

 

Even in specialty restaurants and Blu where formal is not required there will be a good percentage of people dressed formally on formal nights along with some dressed in smart casual so that one would be comfortable dressed either way.

 

Someone not following the code is not going to ruin my cruise. But at the same time the formal nights do have a more elegant flair than the other nights and I believe following the cruise line's dress code shows respect for your fellow guests.

 

Cruise lines started relaxing the dress codes after the airlines started charging hefty fees for checked bags. Formal wear takes room in the luggage. We travel in carry-on only bags - have for years....

 

I do not believe the formal dress code has changed at all in the 10 years I've been sailing on Celebrity ships. The only change we've seen in the dress code has been the elimination of semi-formal nights which required a sport jacket and tie and the end of the prohibition of jeans on non-formal nights. Also, they've dropped the request that guests dress formally in other areas of the ship throughout the evening on formal nights.

Edited September 29, 2014 by Lsimon

[miataman19]

Mr. Simon always seems to calm a post when it starts to get out of control :). You remind me of one of my college professors at SUNY Buffalo. Political science prof who was a straight down the middle independent. Always calmed a situation between Liberals and Conservatives by stating facts and turning a hostile situation into a serious factual discussion. Well done Larry :)

Edited September 29, 2014 by miataman19

[Hotel CA]

Personally, I "couldn't" care less what someone is wearing and I also care more about how a person acts. Celebrity has a wide range of what is acceptable in their dress codes and then a lot of options for people who don't care to choose any of them

 

It really isn't the clothing that is sometimes the problem. It's the actions. When someone knows what they should do and then just purposely does exactly as they please without any concern for others, it's their actions that are the problem, not the clothing. I don't find that particularly admirable but it's not my problem, it's theirs.

 

The purpose of these boards should be to provide information that is correct and helps people to decide what they are going to do. Once on the ship, they've already made their choice. Since I've NEVER seen another guest confront someone on the ship and since most people do comply with the dress codes, all of the pontificating is just unnecessary.

 

I'm with Ma Bell-- I could care less what people look like but how they smell --THAT I care about! I believe that we should force the wearing of eye masks on formal nights so we all learn a valuable lesson about disabilities and we can experience the importance of having a good 'signature smell'--and you could then guess how they were dressed according to their unique smell and we could allow or prohibit use of the MDR based on the richness and depth of their unique odor regardless of what they were wearing (if anything)--sort of levels the playing field as you could wear jammies if that was more comfortable for you and no one would know (providing you smelled rich of course)-- later we could argue and complain about those "cheap smelling sorts"...."no matter that it was supposed to be French--it was a terribly cheap imitation sold by bored housewives living in a neighborhood nearby" --just not satisfactory for a cruise of this stature and cost!!!!! The Horror...........

[ghstudio]

Mr. Simon always seems to calm a post when it starts to get out of control :). You remind me of one of my college professors at SUNY Buffalo. Political science prof who was a straight down the middle independent. Always calmed a situation between Liberals and Conservatives by stating facts and turning a hostile situation into a serious factual discussion. Well done Larry :)

 

There is no room for facts in discussions of formal night dress, music volume or comfort animals.

[Crazy Cruzer]

There is no room for facts in discussions of formal night dress, music volume or comfort animals.

 

When I bring my comfort dog, Barkey, to dinner on formal nights can he wear the service dog vest I bought for him on Amazon or does he need to wear a more formal vest?

 

 

(With apologies to those who look at life more seriously than me and to all of those with legitimate service dogs as well.)

Edited September 29, 2014 by Crazy Cruzer

[mdwcruises]

When I bring my comfort dog, Barkey, to dinner on formal nights can he wear the service dog vest I bought for him on Amazon or does he need to wear a more formal vest?

 

 

(With apologies to those who look at life more seriously than me and to all of those with legitimate service dogs as well.)

 

Cute poochie!

[tonyrocks922]

I don't want to get in the middle of the debate on what's appropriate, but I will say that if "nice" clothing is uncomfortable for you, you are almost certainly wearing the wrong size.

 

If a tie is restricting your neck your shirt neck size is too small, if you feel like your motion is restricted in a jacket it is too big, too small, or not tailored properly in the shoulders.

Edited September 29, 2014 by tonyrocks922

[babyher]

When I bring my comfort dog, Barkey, to dinner on formal nights can he wear the service dog vest I bought for him on Amazon or does he need to wear a more formal vest?

 

 

(With apologies to those who look at life more seriously than me and to all of those with legitimate service dogs as well.)

 

 

 

 

Awwww he is a cutie , and he has better table manners than a few people I have seen in the MDR *LOL*

[MR_T]

I don't want to get in the middle of the debate on what's appropriate, but I will say that if "nice" clothing is uncomfortable for you, you are almost certainly wearing the wrong size.

 

If a tie is restricting your neck your shirt neck size is too small, if you feel like your motion is restricted in a jacket it is too big, too small, or not tailored properly in the shoulders.

 

 

Or maybe we/they just don't like wearing them!

Edited September 29, 2014 by MR_T

[coolmom]

Gone are the days when formal meant tuxedos and long gowns. I used to bring very fancy clothing on cruises. However, in the past 10 years, the formal night attire has become less formal. I now bring a black skirt or slacks worn with a nice blouse. My husband wears a suit or sport jacket with dark slacks. Some men have given up the ties. There are some without jackets. On longer cruises, formal nights get less formal with each formal night. If you like wearimg formal clothes, bring them. If you feel uncomfortable in formal clothes, bring what you enjoy wearimg. You can't go wrong woth dark slacks and a coordinating blouse or shirt with jacket. Do not go out and buy clothes for formal night. I love cruises that have discontinued the formal night. I wish that Celebrity would do away with formal nigts.

 

As much as I love to dress up (and see my DH in his tux) I have to agree with you. It's really difficult if not impossible to pack formal clothes PLUS all the clothes for sightseeing, especially if you're active, and keep the luggage under 50 lbs. I'm all for the whole ship to be Smart Casual all the time like Blu and enforcing the no jeans/tees/shorts dress code in the MDR.

 

Then there's simply the fact that Celebrity is not the bastion of affordable luxury it was in its heydey. The cost cutting has been discussed elsewhere, it bothers some people while others could care less. What gets to me is the hypocrisy of asking us to dress formal and make an effort when the cruise line no longer bothers to keep up the pretense. Don't ask me to lug a ballgown and a tux and then not even bother to put fresh flowers or candle holders on the table.