Ladies dress on Regent

[Phantom41j]

This is our first Regent cruise although we've been on all the other luxury lines. I know what Regent says about dress but my wife is very anxious about what the ladies are wearing to dinner particularly the formal option nights. Last year we did a Seabourn Antarctica cruise and I guessed wrong with most ladies going formal. We are doing a Caribbean cruise in March and would hope that most would opt for resort casual. I quit wearing the suit when I graduated from work and only haul it out for Crystal. Any advice from Regent cruisers would be appreciated especially those who have traveled to the Caribbean.

[ridolphi]

The Caribbean is likely to be more casual overall, and unless your cruise is over 15 days there won't be a formal optional evening, it will all be Country Club casual. I and most of the ladies I know wear nice slacks or a skirt with various tops and maybe a light jacket or sweater, sparkly tops work well and can be mixed and matched. Strappy sandals/heels are suitable as well. My husband wears open necked shirts or Hawaiian shirts with slacks or Khakis, and some men add a light jacket, but ties and suits are not necessary.

 

On the longer cruises with formal optional nights my husband will often wear a suit, or slacks with a shirt and tie, but that is just his preference. I will usually dress up a black skirt and top with a sparkly jacket, but will then wear that same skirt later with a more casual top. Most of the ladies we cruise with bring a lot of Chico's type tops, pants and skirts, that pack well and can be mixed around.

 

Daytime wear is the usual casual, capris, shorts, tee's, sandals, etc.

 

Hope that helps, have a great cruise.

[Travelcat2]

Agree with last poster (especially Chico's:-) I also wear either a skirt or pants and a sparkly top or jacket for formal optional nights. I cannot recall seeing any women in a cocktail dress. I believe that Regent was the first luxury cruise line that went "Elegant Casual" -- it seems that the other lines are still getting used to it and tend to be a tad more formal than Regent.

[OctoberKat]

During my recent cruise, I wore linen pants, plain tops with lovely shawls (xmas gifts from my husband sourced from the Metropolitan Museum in NYC). I was comfortably in the median of dress. Yes, there were some cocktail dresses; also matching pants outfits, many sparkling tops (not my cuppa, nor is Chicos, yikes!), tailored pants suits, lovely hippie-ish long skirts and flowing tops and the like. In short, any attempt whatsoever at "dressy" is appropriate and you will be comfortable. Even adding a silk scarf to an all-black skirt or pants ensemble would be fine. Shoes could be anything but sneakers. I wore sandles of the comfy type or "ballet" shoes.

[Travelcat2]

During my recent cruise, I wore linen pants, plain tops with lovely shawls (xmas gifts from my husband sourced from the Metropolitan Museum in NYC). I was comfortably in the median of dress. Yes, there were some cocktail dresses; also matching pants outfits, many sparkling tops (not my cuppa, nor is Chicos, yikes!), tailored pants suits, lovely hippie-ish long skirts and flowing tops and the like. In short, any attempt whatsoever at "dressy" is appropriate and you will be comfortable. Even adding a silk scarf to an all-black skirt or pants ensemble would be fine. Shoes could be anything but sneakers. I wore sandles of the comfy type or "ballet" shoes.

 

IMO, those of us that travel a lot need clothes that pack well and do not require ironing (although I do receive free washing and ironing on Regent) and are easily mixed and matched. I learned about Chicos from our TA and would not put them down (or any company for that matter). While my Chicos clothes are only my "cruise wear", they work well and are very affordable (especially when they have sales).

 

While I agree that it is fairly easy for women to dress appropriately on Regent, simplicity, IMO, is the best way to go. I personally would not wear a "cocktail dress" (nor do I recall seeing many in my 11 years of cruising on Regent). If one is comfortable wearing a cocktail dress, they should go for it...... just as men who enjoy wearing tuxedos should do the same.

 

Packing a pashmina is really helpful to many on the ship that find the temperature in dining venues too cold. People from warmer climates tend to find the air conditioned ships cold. I have noticed people asking for the heat to be turned on when it is 70 degrees. Compass Rose, for instance, is kept on the chilly side because, once it is full, it gets quite warm. For those of us who enjoy the cooler temperatures, it is easier for passengers that are cold to put on a sweater or pashmina than turn the heat up.

[OctoberKat]

Okie dokie. Different people, different cruises = different reports, all as valid as subjective experiences are; no right, no wrong.

 

The take away message to Original Poster (aka OP) is: you'll be fine most any way you choose to sway and dine.

 

Hope your cruise is FAB.

[OctoberKat]

I personally would not wear a "cocktail dress" (nor do I recall seeing many in my 11 years of cruising on Regent).

 

This response of "never in my XX years of cruising" have I seen X or Y or "many" leaves me dyspeptic. It would seem to be a back-door, passive-aggressive way of rejecting the first observation as, essentially, a lie. Or, holding one's own experience as more valid. Observation is a fine talent -- what one sees, what one remembers, when one dines, where one dines, how long one is in the dining room, how often on how many cruises, etc. I would counsel more generosity of acceptance as to the observations posted by others.

[Emperor Norton]

 

... (nor do I recall seeing many in my 11 years of cruising on Regent)...

 

I have. But I've also seen a man wear dirty sweat stained workout clothes to CR for dinner.:eek:

[fizzy]

Lots of what I think of as cocktail dresses are worn on Regent. I think of them as short, dressy alternatives to long gowns and certainly as appropriate as long black polyester pants and sequined tops. I can't see why they would become a packing issue any more than the other usually mentioned stuff. Very classy. In my opinion.

[ridolphi]

Have worn "cocktail" dresses many times, as have many of the ladies we cruise with. Have also seen many tuxes, although less lately with the more relaxed dress code, but a couple of years ago while on a Monte Carlo - Rio cruise we had two formal optional nights, and several of the men in our group wore tuxes and the ladies went for cocktail type dresses.......a choice made ahead of time, and those who dressed more casually were fine as well.

 

But if you prefer the more casual clothing, it will be fine. Jeans, shorts, tee shirts, baseball caps not apropriate......slacks, skirts, khakis, open necked shirts, jacket or not.....all appropriate.

 

Have a great cruise.

[borntocruz]

This response of "never in my XX years of cruising" have I seen X or Y or "many" leaves me dyspeptic. It would seem to be a back-door, passive-aggressive way of rejecting the first observation as, essentially, a lie. Or, holding one's own experience as more valid. Observation is a fine talent -- what one sees, what one remembers, when one dines, where one dines, how long one is in the dining room, how often on how many cruises, etc. I would counsel more generosity of acceptance as to the observations posted by others.

 

There are those who are masters at the passive-aggressive response. I have so enjoyed all of your observations and even though you are a "newbie" (a label that leaves ME dyspeptic), your posts hold a wealth of good information. I look forward to reading more from you. :)

[lincslady]

It would be more helpful to the original poster to say that most 'dressy'wear would do for evenings - we generally wear what suits our own figures and styles, which might indeed be a cocktail dress, long skirt or pants with dressy top,and any of these would be appropriate.

 

I don't much care for what sounds a bit like 'bitching' which has been appearing here.

[Travelcat2]

ridolphi: Agree that, prior to the 'Elegant Casual' policy, there were quite a few men in tux's and women in cocktail dresses. There could well be some people dressed up on 'Formal Optional' nights that I simply have not noticed. What I have noticed are quite a few men wearing suits and ties on regular nights -- sometimes sports jackets and slacks at lunch. At lunch, it is quite a contrast to most of the passengers that wear shorts, t-shirts, jeans, etc.

 

Note: "Newbie" is a term that has long been used by posters on CC and simply means someone that is a newcomer to Regent. Many people (myself included) introduced ourselves as a "newbie" on our initial CC posts.

 

OctoberKat: Not sure why you sound upset -- I said is that "I do not recall seeing............." Not calling anyone a liar or intimating that my experience is more valid that someone else's. The only thing that the number of years a poster has sailed on Regent means is that they have experience. ridolphi is also a long time Regent cruiser and has different observations. Emperor Norton has seen someone at dinner in dirty sweat pants. I doubt if many cruisers have seen that but this is what he saw. When someone new to Regent asks a question, it is helpful to know what you saw, what ridolphi observed, what I observed, etc. These comments are meant to be helpful. Hopefully we can get back to giving the OP the feedback they are asking for without arguing.

Edited February 19, 2015 by Travelcat2

[borntocruz]

Yes, well, I know what the term "newbie" means. It sounds condescending to me, that's why I don't particularly like it. I'm sure I've used it myself, but I really try not to. It just rubs me the wrong way. I hope my explanation is sufficient. Perhaps I should not have added that tidbit to my post. Sorry for the disruption.

[Emperor Norton]

Yes, well, I know what the term "newbie" means. It sounds condescending to me, that's why I don't particularly like it. I'm sure I've used it myself, but I really try not to. It just rubs me the wrong way. I hope my explanation is sufficient. Perhaps I should not have added that tidbit to my post. Sorry for the disruption.

 

Because online it's an insult (which it seems you are aware of). Newbie = n00b.

[Travelcat2]

Because online it's an insult (which it seems you are aware of). Newbie = n00b.

 

Disagree 100%. Try looking at the General CC board -- most people new to cruising or the specific cruise lines refer to themselves as "newbies". Do you feel that they are insulting themselves?

[Emperor Norton]

Disagree 100%. Try looking at the General CC board -- most people new to cruising or the specific cruise lines refer to themselves as "newbies". Do you feel that they are insulting themselves?

 

Perhaps its a generational thing (or a general internet experience thing or...) I haven't seen the tag newbie/n00b or whatever applied to anyone in a kind manner. It's like the internet equivalent of FNG or cherry.

[fizzy]

Newbies was a word Miss Joan used on the toddler TV show "Romper Room".

[Zqueeze1]

Newbies was a word Miss Joan used on the toddler TV show "Romper Room".

 

 

Wow. Obscure fact for sure. She was the hostess in NYC on channel 5 if I remember right. I was a little brat at the time in the lower east side.

 

Z and TB

[fizzy]

wow. Obscure fact for sure. She was the hostess in nyc on channel 5 if i remember right. I was a little brat at the time in the lower east side.

 

Z and tb

 

score!!!!!!!..........and then on weekends.....wonderama with sonny fox?.....for bigger kids.

[OctoberKat]

Fashion tip: this is the shawl which garnered highest accolades during my recent 10-day cruise.

 

http://store.metmuseum.org/shawls/william-morris-flower-garden-jacquard-shawl/invt/80019762

[liptastic]

OctoberKat this is very much to my style too. Your husband chose well for your Christmas gift.

I take lots of different shawls and paschminas with me and they can transform any outfit in different ways. I enjoy wearing dresses that are not too formal but classy. As you have said smart casual elegant and comfortable are all acceptable on board.

Jean.

[RachelG]

Missed out on the start of this as I was cruising, on silversea of all things, but on regent, in the Caribbean, I can guarantee I would be in a cocktail dress almost every night. Short sexy dress, maybe with sparkles, with heels. Just my thing.

[Travelcat2]

Missed out on the start of this as I was cruising, on silversea of all things, but on regent, in the Caribbean, I can guarantee I would be in a cocktail dress almost every night. Short sexy dress, maybe with sparkles, with heels. Just my thing.

 

Most people could not carry off that look (jealous :) ). Earlier on this thread I posted that I do not recall seeing cocktail dresses on Regent. After giving it some thought, I have seen them on members of the entertainment crew and the social hostess. They look fabulous in their "duds" as I am sure you do. For the rest of us, long skirts or pants with pretty tops work well. After my recent knee replacement surgery, I'll be happy to be able to wear heels on our upcoming cruise (fingers crossed).

[RachelG]

Fortunate not to have had to have knee replacement. And truly hope yours is going well.

 

If I did have to have such surgery, I would avoid the short dresses most likely.