It's official! Formal nights gone, evening chic in! (3 Threads Merged)

[POA1]

From a business perspective, I think that this will allow Celebrity to steal business from Princess, Royal Caribbean, and Holland America. It might bring in a bit of Carnival business too.

[Jane2357]

Traditions like, good manners, good behaviour, respect for other guests, dress codes, impeccable service, the lack of pomposity etc, etc.

Known to many, but not adhere to, are the unwritten cruise codes and protocols, with the exception being on Cunard.

 

We are booked through 2017 on Celebrity - Concierge, Aqua and then a Celebrity Suite - but we only cruise once a year and are not in high cotton but I am going to take a look at Cunard. No, we would not be booking their suites but for a better than average experience it might be a trade off we are willing to make.

 

We will watch as the next cruises come and go and make a decision.

[Jane2357]

Googled Flirty sundress and this was on the first page. I think I'm going to be OK with this chic thing

 

 

 

Flirty or skanky? I think I've seen this dress on Carnival on formal night and the guy had his shorts and sandals on. Welcome to the new Modern Luxury!!! :p

[OCruisers]

Celebrity is probably making a good decision by offering a dress code most people now seem to want. :)

[Tura Lura]

Do guys really wear tuxes anymore? I mean Clooney on the red carpet, but average guys? No one in my office even wears suits, unless they just like the look. Business casual at best, and in my group we can wear jeans/sneakers every day if we like (I work in finance in NYC). Times have changed!

[Gone Fishing]

We are participating in the last of the formal nights on Celebrity sailing Nov 15th.

 

Let Wrangler chic begin!!!

[Queen of Oakville]

I knew I should have checked in with Cruise Critic before this morning.

 

Instead I ran out at lunch to buy my son a new suit since his tux is fitting a bit small. We sail on silhouette in one week.

 

From what I just read at facebook, the new codes won't be in force yet; they are telling people with pending sailings that the old dress code will still be in force. What exactly does that mean? Are they going to prevent "Evening chic" from entrance to the MDR.

 

Need to check X website, has evening chic even been defined?

 

 

 

bad, bad, bad celebrity. Would love to meet you marketing department that comes up with all these "brilliant" ideas. Have they ever even set foot on a cruise ship, let alone a Celebrity cruiseship.

 

 

Between big, better, best and evening chic ... all I can say is there better be a pretty good onboard booking bonus if they want to secure my business.

[sippican]

The perception that this policy is a downward slide is puzzling sincce the following lines have no formal nights (or optional ones). I wouldn't even place Celebrity in the same class with some of these.

 

Azamara

Disney

Oceania

Regent Seven Seas

Seabourn (optional)

Windstar

 

Still shaking my head.

It simply defies all logic that people will cancel cruises or shop elsewhere because of what others may or may not wear in the diningroom.

[florisdekort]

Do guys really wear tuxes anymore?

 

 

Yes. I'm 42 years old and leaving on a 24 night Seabourn cruise on 20 December. 3 formal nights, including Christmas and New Years. I'm bringing my tux and look forward to dressing up to celebrate these holidays with friends on a fabulous ship in a very special part of the world.

 

It's sad to see my once favorite Celebrity morf into Carnival, but then again, we all have choices and I'm moving on. One Zenith less to crowd the Captain's Club events.

 

In retrospect, this all started years back. Small, sophisticated ships (Zenith, Horizon) became mid sized ships and then mega ships (Solstice class) with lots of cabins to fill, mass promotions, unlimited booze packages and the clientele that's attracted by all that. Of course the dress code then has to go.

 

F

[sandav]

Glad to see this. We're doing the Eclipse transatlantic, followed by the Fjords and as such will be taking hiking boots and poles to do some hiking at Geiranger and Flam. Thought we'd have to book another case for the transatlantic flight at a cost of $100. Now my husband doesn't need a tux or suit, we probably won't need the extra case. Does anyone know if the button down shirt quoted on X website needs to be long sleeved or will a short sleeve button down shirt do. My clothing won't change all that much. I've stopped wearing long dresses on cruises now and have noticed less and less tuxes on Celebrity over the last few years. My husband stood out as one of the few with a tux on our Summit cruise two years ago and on last years transatlantic there was quite a variety of clothing on formal nights all of which looked quite appropriate to me. As said on other posts, people who really want to dress up can and others without suit, tux or jacket won't feel out of place.

[ecslady]

Another in agreement.

 

How are you Nancy? Glad to see you are still cruising. We are trying again in 2017 to do the South American route we had to cancel in 2014. We have added the 2nd leg to Miami instead of Machu Picchu. Hope we make it this time with hubby doing much better. :D

 

Wish we were still meeting up in BA,

 

Hi Kay -

 

Yes, still cruising. All is well here. Glad to see you are trying for South America again. And, the 2nd leg is definitely a more relaxing way to get home than that long flight from Chile. Hope things stay well with you and James and you get to do this cruise.

[BosoxI]

These last few posts (the ones with the pictures, that is) are hitting the nail on the head, I'm afraid. I'll reserve a decision until I actually see the effects of this change. Having seen grown men wear baseball caps in the MDR on several X cruises, I have little hope that this change will actually improve things or even maintain the current status..

Some people have no sense of style and this will give them the opening they've been longing for. But maybe I'm wrong. I sure hope so.

Edited November 9, 2015 by BosoxI

[Presto2]

We were eagerly awaiting booking our next Celebrity cruise in the next month or so ---------- forget it now. Very disappointed. If I wanted jeans and a nice top I would eat at the local Brewers Fayre (not sure what that is in the US)

 

Celebrity - used to be special, now just average and expensive for the experience (or lack of).

 

Groan

 

Would be very angry if we had booked a while back to find that the dress code was different.

 

Looks like we will stick to P&O or Cunard ----

 

Or we could try Oceania. If we are going to have the semi formal experience we would want the best.

[blueboro]

20+ years we have been sailing on Celebrity and have yet to meet anyone in "YARD clothes" I think you feel to lowly about the rest of us.:(

 

IMO, when someone wears a t-shirt that is supposed to look like a tux (surely you have seen these) don't be so sure. On our last X cruise in the Caribbean on formal night we spotted one of these. And, the "gentleman" was probably well over 70.

[neverbeenhere]

Azamara-no

Disney - no

Oceania -no

Regent Seven Seas -no

Seabourn (optional)

Windstar - no

 

 

How about?

Carnival

Costa

Crystal

Cunard

Holland America

MSC

NCL

Princess

RCL

[Celebrity Cruises]

Evening Chic FAQs

 

What is "Evening Chic"?

We are evolving the traditional cruise ship formal night. Now, on up to two nights on every cruise, Evening Chic activities are being introduced, and Evening Chic attire is replacing Formal attire. While dressier than Smart Casual, Evening Chic is intended to be less dressy than Formal attire.

 

Women should feel comfortable wearing:

•A cocktail dress

•Skirt, pants or designer jeans with an elegant top

 

Men should feel comfortable wearing:

•Pants or designer jeans with a dress shirt, button-down shirt or sweater

•Optional sport coat or blazer

 

Can I still wear a tuxedo/formal gown on those nights?

Yes. Evening Chic means that you can get glamorous and be sophisticated in your own way. If you would like to still wear a tuxedo or formal gown on Evening Chic nights, you absolutely should.

 

Why is Celebrity making this change?

Celebrity stands out for offering a modern luxury vacation experience. When it comes to attire, modern luxury travel is often more relaxed than traditional formal attire. So, rather than tell our guests they need to wear traditional formalwear to fit in on certain nights onboard, we’re giving formal night a modern luxury reboot. We want our guests to feel free to get glamorous and be sophisticated in their own way.

 

When will the change go into effect?

For all sailings beginning on or after December 4, 2015. (Celebrity Xpedition will continue to feature casual attire for the entire cruise.)

 

Can I wear jeans on Evening Chic nights?

Evening Chic is dressier than smart casual, but less formal than a traditional "formal night." Designer jeans are absolutely acceptable on Evening Chic nights.

 

Do men need to wear a jacket on Evening Chic nights?

No, jackets are optional on Evening Chic nights.

 

How many Evening Chic nights will there be on every cruise?

All cruises that are 7 nights or longer will feature two Evening Chic nights. Any cruise 6-nights or shorter will feature one Evening Chic night. All other nights of the cruise will feature Smart Casual attire.

 

Will the formal night traditions be affected (Captain's Table, lobster on the menu, photos, etc.)?

We will continue to offer lobster on the menu on Evening Chic nights. We also plan to put a modern luxury twist on several traditional formal night traditions, including a new Captain’s Reception featuring destination-inspired cocktails, and photo/portrait opportunities as well as senior-officer-hosted tables at various restaurants throughout the cruise.

[DWhit]

Wouldn't it be ironic if all the fans of formal dress came to the MDR on chic nights in their t-shirts and shorts in protest, and just to see if anybody cared? ;)

[POA1]

Do guys really wear tuxes anymore? I mean Clooney on the red carpet, but average guys? No one in my office even wears suits, unless they just like the look. Business casual at best, and in my group we can wear jeans/sneakers every day if we like (I work in finance in NYC). Times have changed!

Some do. My brother in law (40s) and I (50s) tend to tux it up. My dad (70s) and father in law (80s) don't want to wear anything more than a suit. It's probably a generational thing. I think it's great that Celebrity is reaching out to seniors.

[true45]

Evening Chic FAQs

 

 

 

What is "Evening Chic"?

 

We are evolving the traditional cruise ship formal night. Now, on up to two nights on every cruise, Evening Chic activities are being introduced, and Evening Chic attire is replacing Formal attire. While dressier than Smart Casual, Evening Chic is intended to be less dressy than Formal attire.

 

 

 

Women should feel comfortable wearing:

 

•A cocktail dress

 

•Skirt, pants or designer jeans with an elegant top

 

 

 

Men should feel comfortable wearing:

 

•Pants or designer jeans with a dress shirt, button-down shirt or sweater

 

•Optional sport coat or blazer

 

 

 

Can I still wear a tuxedo/formal gown on those nights?

 

Yes. Evening Chic means that you can get glamorous and be sophisticated in your own way. If you would like to still wear a tuxedo or formal gown on Evening Chic nights, you absolutely should.

 

 

 

Why is Celebrity making this change?

 

Celebrity stands out for offering a modern luxury vacation experience. When it comes to attire, modern luxury travel is often more relaxed than traditional formal attire. So, rather than tell our guests they need to wear traditional formalwear to fit in on certain nights onboard, we’re giving formal night a modern luxury reboot. We want our guests to feel free to get glamorous and be sophisticated in their own way.

 

 

 

When will the change go into effect?

 

For all sailings beginning on or after December 4, 2015. (Celebrity Xpedition will continue to feature casual attire for the entire cruise.)

 

 

 

Can I wear jeans on Evening Chic nights?

 

Evening Chic is dressier than smart casual, but less formal than a traditional "formal night." Designer jeans are absolutely acceptable on Evening Chic nights.

 

 

 

Do men need to wear a jacket on Evening Chic nights?

 

No, jackets are optional on Evening Chic nights.

 

 

 

How many Evening Chic nights will there be on every cruise?

 

All cruises that are 7 nights or longer will feature two Evening Chic nights. Any cruise 6-nights or shorter will feature one Evening Chic night. All other nights of the cruise will feature Smart Casual attire.

 

 

 

Will the formal night traditions be affected (Captain's Table, lobster on the menu, photos, etc.)?

 

We will continue to offer lobster on the menu on Evening Chic nights. We also plan to put a modern luxury twist on several traditional formal night traditions, including a new Captain’s Reception featuring destination-inspired cocktails, and photo/portrait opportunities as well as senior-officer-hosted tables at various restaurants throughout the cruise.

 

 

Sounds great to me

[sippican]

-

Or we could try Oceania. If we are going to have the semi formal experience we would want the best.

 

You may want to check on that.

My understanding is they have no formal dinner dress code (and may in fact even be "casual" - gasp).

Still "the best"?

Edited November 9, 2015 by sippican

[neverbeenhere]

Query..........................................

 

 

What are "Evening Chic Activities"?

[POA1]

Evening Chic FAQs

 

What is "Evening Chic"?

We are evolving the traditional cruise ship formal night. Now, on up to two nights on every cruise, Evening Chic activities are being introduced, and Evening Chic attire is replacing Formal attire. While dressier than Smart Casual, Evening Chic is intended to be less dressy than Formal attire.

 

Women should feel comfortable wearing:

•A cocktail dress

•Skirt, pants or designer jeans with an elegant top

 

Men should feel comfortable wearing:

•Pants or designer jeans with a dress shirt, button-down shirt or sweater

•Optional sport coat or blazer

 

Can I still wear a tuxedo/formal gown on those nights?

Yes. Evening Chic means that you can get glamorous and be sophisticated in your own way. If you would like to still wear a tuxedo or formal gown on Evening Chic nights, you absolutely should.

 

Why is Celebrity making this change?

Celebrity stands out for offering a modern luxury vacation experience. When it comes to attire, modern luxury travel is often more relaxed than traditional formal attire. So, rather than tell our guests they need to wear traditional formalwear to fit in on certain nights onboard, we’re giving formal night a modern luxury reboot. We want our guests to feel free to get glamorous and be sophisticated in their own way.

 

When will the change go into effect?

For all sailings beginning on or after December 4, 2015. (Celebrity Xpedition will continue to feature casual attire for the entire cruise.)

 

Can I wear jeans on Evening Chic nights?

Evening Chic is dressier than smart casual, but less formal than a traditional "formal night." Designer jeans are absolutely acceptable on Evening Chic nights.

 

Do men need to wear a jacket on Evening Chic nights?

No, jackets are optional on Evening Chic nights.

 

How many Evening Chic nights will there be on every cruise?

All cruises that are 7 nights or longer will feature two Evening Chic nights. Any cruise 6-nights or shorter will feature one Evening Chic night. All other nights of the cruise will feature Smart Casual attire.

 

Will the formal night traditions be affected (Captain's Table, lobster on the menu, photos, etc.)?

We will continue to offer lobster on the menu on Evening Chic nights. We also plan to put a modern luxury twist on several traditional formal night traditions, including a new Captain’s Reception featuring destination-inspired cocktails, and photo/portrait opportunities as well as senior-officer-hosted tables at various restaurants throughout the cruise.

Thank you so much. This is awesome.

[Queen of Oakville]

What I'd like to know is who are the Fashion Police that are going to enforce the new evening chic?

 

 

Whatever your dress code Celebrity, please be prepared to ENFORCE IT.

 

 

 

This is all reminiscent of a clubbing experience in NYC many years ago, where there was a guy in drag, outside the club, picking out who was chic enough to be allowed in the club.

 

If the dress code is going to be more LAX, I hope it gets enforced and people who don't meet the definition of 'evening chic' get turned away.

 

Otherwise it may as well be "wear what you want because we ain't going to enforce it anyway".

[gek]

You call it mediocrity; I call it choices. Most of my family will still dress up for formal night because they like to.

 

Exactly. If you like formal wear then there is no reason to stop. It's been that way in Blu for years and it works.

[kelmac]

I've always enjoyed the Formal Nights on Celebrity, and yes I did wear my Tux. I'm kind of go with the flow person, so I will have some fun with this "Chic" thing and see where it leads. Maybe I can find some alternatives to update my look???:rolleyes:

My wife looks stunning in anything, so if I can just keep up with her I will be fine.

 

I don't think this is the end of the world stuff and I'm willing to give it a fair shot. Cunard is still a Formal Alternative; Oceania and Azamara make the upscale casual work, so maybe it will also with Celebrity?

 

Now, if we can just get Celebrity to go back to their quality beef supplier they had four years ago!:o

 

Cruising the Equinox in December, so I will report back with my take on all this.

 

Enjoy!

Kel:)