Anyone Miss the Formal Nights?

[nyfltraveler]

Agree that no need to be formal. However, it does rub me the wrong way that they do not have at least a collared shirt and pants (or Bermuda/Golf shorts) rule for the specialty restaurants. Recently I was on a NCL cruise in the steakhouse at 830pm and the people sitting at the next table were in a t shirt advertising a beer company, swim suit type shorts and flip flops. Certainly fine attire by day at the pool or if eating in osheehans or the buffet for example, but in a dining room type restaurant they should have certain minimum dress codes in effect.

[LMaxwell]

Agree that no need to be formal. However, it does rub me the wrong way that they do not have at least a collared shirt and pants (or Bermuda/Golf shorts) rule for the specialty restaurants. Recently I was on a NCL cruise in the steakhouse at 830pm and the people sitting at the next table were in a t shirt advertising a beer company, swim suit type shorts and flip flops. Certainly fine attire by day at the pool or if eating in osheehans or the buffet for example, but in a dining room type restaurant they should have certain minimum dress codes in effect.

 

They decided they wanted the money more than they wanted a fashion show.

[abbyar]

I do like to dress up, but I get the sense that I'm a bit more traditional that the average NCL passenger, so this could very well be my first and last time on NCL.

 

I can see why people like the freedom of not having to dress up, but I wouldn't call formal nights "outdated." I think formal night is part of the cruising tradition, and I'll miss it on my upcoming cruise.

 

You may be pleasantly surprised. I love formal nights,and usually bring a dress for each evening on our cruise. As much as I enjoy formal nights, it's wonderful to have it not be dictated to walk into the dining room - if for what is the pre-set formal night you're not in the mood to dress up or your son doesn't want to wear a jacket that evening it's no fight. I've had my photo taken every evening we wanted and since we dress I get to choose the one I like best. And we can pick dining times based on the entertainment that evening. The flexibility of NCL makes it sooooo much easier. Add in kids and its a life saver.

 

I've never been bothered by others who don't dress up - hell on DCL most of the poeple are so relaxed at formal night the NCL specialty restaurants had people better dressed on "regular" nights. Plus many people still dress for the dress up or not night - so you still have that feeling of the ship being dressed. But since I love dressing and do, I also enjoy the smiles for those who see us dressed. It really is the best of both worlds.

[PhillyTravelBug]

Never liked the idea of a formal night. I'm on vacation and want to kick back.

[NMLady]

I love formal nights! Bring the tradition back!!

 

Where on earth did you find this thread that is more than a year old???

 

If you want formal nights, cruise on Cunard, or even on HAL which has Gala nights.

And no one is stopping you from dressing formally on NCL.

[HarpHarp]

Nope. There may be times and places to dress up, but eating surely isn't one of them. That said, I'd love to sail HAL one of these days. I think it's a cruiseline that combines a lot of what I like about NCL and Carnival, and there are always ways to avoid any formal nonsense. I'm just waiting for the right cruise at the right time for the right price.

 

Just booked my first HAL cruise. They now have GALA nights which simply require a collared shirt & no jeans. Otherwise the dress code is the same as NCL. I'm sure jackets, etc. will be there, but they are no longer required. Really as an NCL girl, it took that change to get us to book.

[Barb Nahoumi]

An outsider popping in, I have looked many a time at NCL but somehow it has never aligned when our cruise bug bites. The thought of go as you are/feel to dinner every night was/is intriguing.

 

I'm about as informal a person as one can find, wearing jeans and t-shirt to work for 22 years and my formal wear decades old, but believe it or not the only time I get my family dragged out together in formal wear is on cruise. You can call it a money racket but formal pictures of the family and a sitdown dinner in a monkey suit once every year or so, ain't to much to lug my 20 year old sports jacket and dated tie. As I look back at those vacations and pictures, timeless ;)

 

I don't often get pictures like the one below either so even for $50 bucks for one check-in I opt in to formal night. Of course its only a "picture" but still timeless IMHO so.. hmm maybe I'll still bring the monkey suits. Do they have all them photographers and fancy backgrounds on NCL?

 

Oh one last thought, comment, clothing police aside here, on my last princess I saw lots of slacks and polo shirts on them "formal" "elegant" " formal" nights... so you can still be comfortable if you choose.

 

 

 

 

 

Beautiful family pictures.

[BirdTravels]

We miss the days of gowns and tuxes. Even when on vacation, it was nice when people made an effort for dinner. Tshirts, shorts and flip flops belong in the buffet not the dining room.

Edited September 4, 2016 by BirdTravels

[hummy0605]

Just returned from the jade after doing 9 rci cruises so we were a little concerned with differences beforehand.

Loved the jade, loved the staff and had a great time.

We dressed up formally for two nights and on the others the men still wore suits or waistcoats and shirts etc.

we wanted to do this and at no point felt out of place. Yes we were in a small minority but also had a lot of people stop us each night and comment how lovely/smart we all looked. We are a family group of 11 ranging from 16 up to 75.

We wanted the same large table in the grand pacific at 7pm each night as my parents have to eat at set times. We loved having the same wait staff and she appeared with our drinks each time and refills without even being asked.

This is our own preference, yes it works for us but also understand others like the less formal aspect of ncl.

Can honestly say that every staff member we came across was brilliant and would definitely travel with ncl again.

(Helped as well as i won $400 on deal or no deal and my daughter won $500 on the last bingo game 😄

[Gershep]

I don't miss it at all. One of the reason's I prefer sailing NCL. Just too many clothes to pack.

[HoopTroop]

NOPE!

 

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk

[nyfltraveler]

....it was nice when people made an effort for dinner. Tshirts, shorts and flip flops belong in the buffet not the dining room.

 

That's for sure. It's really something when people cannot even wear a collared shirt and pants/golf or Bermuda shorts in the Mai. Dining room or Cagneys. On a recent cruise we had people just off the beach in Cagneys complete with a beer company t shirt, swim suit and flip flops.

 

Freestyle, yes I get it and like it, but there should be certain dress requirements for certain restaurants in the ship.

[Barb Nahoumi]

We don't miss formal night at all. Although we do dress nicely for dinner, we don't want the tux and gown.

[FM]

N O P E ... not missed at all :)

[NLH Arizona]

When I want to dress formally for dinner, I cruise on a cruise line that still has it, but on NCL I enjoy not having the dress formally or semi-formally. I still change for dinner and wear something nice, but what someone else wears has never impacted my dinning experience.

[zactak]

I don't necessarily miss the dress up nights. I like that with NCL they still have nights where you can dress up if you want to, and it is a choice. I'm a person that likes to eat dinner in the MDR or a specialty restaurant and not at the buffet. I took a cruise on X last year, and I hated that they had a dress up night in order to eat in the dining rooms. With NCL, those that want to dress up can, and those that don't, don't have to dress up. I plan to pack my suit jacket next month.

[Vyhanek]

I think many of you haven't cruised on any other line in many, many years.

 

Most of the major lines have dress up optional on any given night.

[NLH Arizona]

I think many of you haven't cruised on any other line in many, many years.

 

Most of the major lines have dress up optional on any given night.

Many have changed their requirements. Celebrity, for example, has changed their formal night to Evening Chic, where jeans are now allowed on those nights:

 

Evening Chic

 

Ladies: Cocktail dress, skits, pants or designer jeans with an elegant top

Gentlemen: Pants or designer jeans with a dress shirt, button-down shirt or sweater. Optional - sport coat or blazer

 

On my Celebrity cruises, there were a lot of women who have been wearing, what I call, daytime dress on the formal nights, now evening chic for quite sometime now.

 

Crystal Cruises has reduced the number of formal nights on a seven day cruise from two to one.

 

It seems that a lot of cruise lines are going the more casual route.

Edited September 4, 2016 by NLH Arizona

[zactak]

I think many of you haven't cruised on any other line in many, many years.

 

Most of the major lines have dress up optional on any given night.

 

This thread was almost a year and a half old until someone revived it this weekend. There aren't too many newer posts....

 

I figure you're right in regards to most of the major lines don't have required dress up nights anymore, but I'm sure that's primarily limited to NCL, RCCL, Carnival and Disney. I'm sure some of the more mainstream "luxury" lines, such as Celebrity, Holland America and others still have official dress up nights.

[Cap'n Ron]

No, don't miss them at all. We really enjoyed the more relaxed dress code on the Escape this summer. Especially now with all the airline fees, every ounce counts and not having to drag a suit and tie with you is a nice luxury. NCL's policy is the best because it lets you dress up if you wish, and you don't have to if you don't wish to do so.

Edited September 5, 2016 by Cap'n Ron

[bostonfred]

No, we don't miss formal nights...however, if others want to dress up,go for it !!

[Number34]

I don't, that's why I like NCL.

My Next trip is on QM2 and I have to take an extra case with tuxedo etc as otherwise I cannot go to all bars and restaurants in the evening.

A real pain in the ...

Edited September 5, 2016 by Number34

[Askmelanie]

We like to dress up for dinner. But not nec meaning hubby has to wear a tux.

 

A nice suit for him and fancy dress for me on dress up or not night is fine, esp so we can get some pics.

 

The other nights I wear nice, more casual dresses, and hubby gets to sport his fancy shirts. LOL!

 

Neither one of us dresses up at home for work, and we love to get dressed up, so for us this makes our vacation fancy!!

[NH Cruisers]

I like that I can or not. It is nice to know that you can dress up and not stick out like a sore thumb. Each his own, never been an issue. I do feel if they did have a official formal night they could relagate the more fancy MDR for it.

[NH Cruisers]

This thread was almost a year and a half old until someone revived it this weekend. There aren't too many newer posts....

 

I figure you're right in regards to most of the major lines don't have required dress up nights anymore, but I'm sure that's primarily limited to NCL, RCCL, Carnival and Disney. I'm sure some of the more mainstream "luxury" lines, such as Celebrity, Holland America and others still have official dress up nights.

 

Mainstream "Luxury"? I guess... Other than the clientele, by and large I wouldn't know the difference. I have sailed all the US mainstream lines multiple times so I know from past experience. I have loved every cruise line, just some more than others.

 

Yes though, I do feel Celebrity and Holland did promote and encourage "formal dress". It was all good.