"Formal Nights" What is your preference?

[riclop]

Formal nights will be a thing in the past.

[John&LaLa]

Formal nights will be a thing in the past.

They were a lot of fun in the past. [emoji6]

 

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[grapau27]

So on a 7 day there are 2 formal nights? any semiformal nights?

Thanks

For semi formal read smart casual on a couple of nighs then casual the rest.

My wife wears cocktail dresses every night and often people come up and say how lovely she looks so don't be put off wearing nice outfits every night.

 

Love RCCL and P&O.

[grapau27]

My preference is jeans or khakis and a knit shirt .

Your cruise you make it what you want it to be.

 

Love RCCL and P&O.

[grapau27]

I despise the whole dress up thing. I rented a tux the first few cruises, went to Dockers and a polo after those but am changing to shorts, shirt ( logo tee or polo) and flip flops for our next cruise which is my retirement celebration cruise with the whole family. I didn't put on long pants for over a year after I retired, still wouldn't have if we didn't have company that wanted to go to the Grand Canyon in January

I would never rent a tux,i have brought lightweight suits before and got them pressed for second formal night.

I love wearing dress shorts and Ralph Lauren tee shirts during the day and if i was on a land based holiday i would wear that on a night but on a cruise especially when my wife makes such an effort i always wear trousers and branded short sleeve shirts on a night and long sleeve shirts on a formal night.

 

Love RCCL and P&O.

[grapau27]

Formal nights will be a thing in the past.

As long as people want a sense of occasion and all the formal night trimmings they will always be here but maybe 1 instead of 2 per week.

In the UK there are a lot of people who still like the pomp and circumstance of these occasions.

 

Love RCCL and P&O.

[grapau27]

I love formal nights. Life is becoming too casual all around. On formal night one I will be wearing a long black halter style black dress with a beaded trim and open back. Very classy and sexy at the same time. On formal night two I'll either be wearing a short red backless a line dress that ties around the neck (have to use tape to hold in place....) or a long black one shouldered beaded gown. Already looking forward to it!!!

 

 

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I admire your embracing of what formal nights are about and if everyone had the same attitude everyone would get into the spirit of formal night.

 

Love RCCL and P&O.

[pamela27]

I admire your embracing of what formal nights are about and if everyone had the same attitude everyone would get into the spirit of formal night.

 

Love RCCL and P&O.

I love formal nights too. It's the only chance we get to dress up. I don't care what other people wear, as long as I feel comfortable in what I am wearing.

Formal nights are 1 of the highlights of my holiday.

[poohtaz]

For semi formal read smart casual on a couple of nighs then casual the rest.

My wife wears cocktail dresses every night and often people come up and say how lovely she looks so don't be put off wearing nice outfits every night.

 

Love RCCL and P&O.

 

 

Perfect! we enjoy dressing for dinner :)

[amkras]

I was just on The Anthem and attire on formal nights was about 50/50. I saw shorts, flip flops , tees, jeans (that would be me). Attire is a suggestion so wear whatever you want.

 

 

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[Milwaukee Eight]

I know every cruise line is different as it relates to formal nights, but the last time I was on RCC (Oasis of the Seas) i didn't see another evening dress in the crowd other than my own. In fact, my companion at the time felt a bit overdressed for the night. I personally don't mind getting all decked out for the formal nights since I have not too many chances to play dress up, but I am conflicted on what I should tell the first time cruisers which are coming with me on Anthem of the Seas in December. This is especially true since I saw people in shorts and t-shirts during formal nights. What do you choose to wear during the formal nights? and what do you think I should tell them to bring since they want to participate in the formal nights?

 

A lot of people like to play dress up. Many never had jobs were they were required to wear a uniform or suit and tie for work, or nice dress. So they like to do it on cruise ships. Too much Titanic movie.

[John&LaLa]

I enjoy dressing up. It makes Laura happy

 

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[deliver42]

I enjoy the formal nights, but I'm retired, living in Fl, and never dress otherwise. For me, it's the exception. The only cruise I didn't dress for was Alaska.It just didn't seem the right ambiance for it. For others, I can fully understand not wanting to dress up. I, personally, don't care what anyone else wears.

[CruisinSunBunny]

A lot of people like to play dress up. Many never had jobs were they were required to wear a uniform or suit and tie for work, or nice dress. So they like to do it on cruise ships. Too much Titanic movie.

Formal nights have existed long before the movie Titanic :')

[cbelc]

I enjoy wearing a pretty dress on formal night. I suppose if I were required to wear a 'stuffy suit' to work every day, it would be different. I can tell you for certain that people are sometimes turned away at the door and told to go change. An 18 year old in our group was turned away on the Radiance of the Seas on a casual night from my time dining for wearing a sleeveless t shirt. It was not a tank top, and the theme was rock and roll night. He went quickly and changed and joined the group, but I was appalled that he was singled out when the dining room was full of sleeveless tops.

 

 

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[davekathy]

I enjoy wearing a pretty dress on formal night. I suppose if I were required to wear a 'stuffy suit' to work every day, it would be different. I can tell you for certain that people are sometimes turned away at the door and told to go change. An 18 year old in our group was turned away on the Radiance of the Seas on a casual night from my time dining for wearing a sleeveless t shirt. It was not a tank top, and the theme was rock and roll night. He went quickly and changed and joined the group, but I was appalled that he was singled out when the dining room was full of sleeveless tops.

 

 

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On men?

[BopRN]

We enjoy dressing up because there are just not many other occasions to do that. Is it a hassle to pack all that stuff? Absolutely! But we figure it is worth it and figure someday, it will be a goner on most cruise lines.

 

2 years ago, we had the unfortunate experience on a cruise that our tablemates...a lovely couple....came to formal night dressed as if they were going to a picnic! As we approached our seats, they apologized and said "we don't dress up anymore". As much as people say they don't care how other's dress, it did bother us since we were the only other people at the table. So here we sat with my husband in a 3 pc suit and I in a gown....and it honestly just took away from the ambiance of the evening. I enjoy seeing other's with nice hair-do's, pretty evening wear and the formality of the dining room. Makes no sense to me why others don't choose a different venue if they don't want to participate. No one is being forced to participate.

 

On a Princess cruise last year, our one tablemate was turned away from the MDR for wearing shorts on ANY night! We thought THAT was interesting.

[cbelc]

No. The men were wearing sleeves. But he wasn't wearing pool clothes and it was casual night. He had a good attitude about it. The cruise was his graduation gift and he had a rough childhood. I didn't see that much wrong with his attire, jeans and sneakers and the t-shirt on rock and roll night.

 

 

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[davekathy]

No. The men were wearing sleeves. But he wasn't wearing pool clothes and it was casual night. He had a good attitude about it. The cruise was his graduation gift and he had a rough childhood. I didn't see that much wrong with his attire, jeans and sneakers and the t-shirt on rock and roll night.

 

 

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So no need for you to have been appalled as he wasn't singled out then.

Edited August 2, 2017 by davekathy

[Johnamac123]

For me personally? Suit, tie, national medal ribbon bar and enjoy being dressed up for the night. Certainly beats my usual t-shirt and shorts that I get around in most of the time. Always good to hit R-Bar or other bar/lounge afterwards and make a real night of it.

 

Why are you wearing a ribbon bar on a cruise?

[momofmab]

I like the idea of having one dining room with a dress code and one for the casual cruiser. That way if you want to dress up more on your cruise, you can be in a room with others who feel the same - and vice versa. And you'd be free to switch between the venues, if you wanted to dress up on formal nights only.

[Clarea]

I like the idea of having one dining room with a dress code and one for the casual cruiser. That way if you want to dress up more on your cruise, you can be in a room with others who feel the same - and vice versa. And you'd be free to switch between the venues, if you wanted to dress up on formal nights only.

Unlikely to work unless the cruise line uniformly enforces the dress code.

[Milwaukee Eight]

We enjoy dressing up because there are just not many other occasions to do that. Is it a hassle to pack all that stuff? Absolutely! But we figure it is worth it and figure someday, it will be a goner on most cruise lines.

 

 

 

2 years ago, we had the unfortunate experience on a cruise that our tablemates...a lovely couple....came to formal night dressed as if they were going to a picnic! As we approached our seats, they apologized and said "we don't dress up anymore". As much as people say they don't care how other's dress, it did bother us since we were the only other people at the table. So here we sat with my husband in a 3 pc suit and I in a gown....and it honestly just took away from the ambiance of the evening. I enjoy seeing other's with nice hair-do's, pretty evening wear and the formality of the dining room. Makes no sense to me why others don't choose a different venue if they don't want to participate. No one is being forced to participate.

 

 

 

On a Princess cruise last year, our one tablemate was turned away from the MDR for wearing shorts on ANY night! We thought THAT was interesting.

 

 

 

Really... so you let what others wear bother you. SMH

 

So you seldom dress up at home but feel people on vacation should just because you want them too? Many dress up each day or have worn uniforms and suits nearly all their life and want to getaway from that stuff while on vacation? Why not dress up and go out at home?

 

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[grapau27]

Really... so you let what others wear bother you. SMH

 

So you seldom dress up at home but feel people on vacation should just because you want them too? Many dress up each day or have worn uniforms and suits nearly all their life and want to getaway from that stuff while on vacation? Why not dress up and go out at home?

 

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We dress smart at home for work and going out for meals and dress smart on ships which is our choice.

What other people wear is up to them and we would never complain or judge them because it's none off our business.

 

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[LMaxwell]

My preference would be for a return to great service. Wine stewards, scraping of crumbs from table, sorbet between dishes, white glove service, table side preparation of salads. These things all used to exist on Royal and made the dining experience feel special. Nothing about any Royal Caribbean ship on formal night in the past 10 years feel special to me at all in the dining room. That's why you will see formal nights move from a dining room experience (because there is none) to events around the ship that help make the night different / special.