How 'formal' are formal nights?

[Canadianguy]

My partner and I are traveling on Infinity in February and are wondering how dressed up the guys get on the formal nights.

 

At home we both wear suits to work everyday and attend a number of black tie events through the year. Like to loosen up a bit on holidays.

 

Would dark jackets and no tie work? With a tie? Is the formal standard for the dining room only? Loosen up after? Willing to go with the flow if important.

 

Appreciate any comments.

 

Thanks,

[espmass]

Celebrity requests that you maintain the dress code of the evening in all public areas throughout the entire evening. Although not everyone complies, the majority do. My husband sometimes wears a tux and sometimes wears a dark suit. I have seen all sorts of formal wear including a man in a kilt on my recent cruise (he looked great). I have also seen men (and women) very casual including one guy in a Hawaiian shirt who was actually lat into the dining room. I'm sure you will get all different views on this subject.

[greydog]

My partner and I are traveling on Infinity in February and are wondering how dressed up the guys get on the formal nights.

 

Would dark jackets and no tie work? With a tie? Is the formal standard for the dining room only? Loosen up after? Willing to go with the flow if important.

 

Appreciate any comments. Thanks,

 

This 'formal wear' thing is just a recurring typo in the daily bulletin - none of us take this "dress up thing" seriously at all, as you can see from this previous board discussion: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=124311 :D

[greydog]

Canadianguy:

Seriously, I appreciate your inquiring, researching this issue of attire. Always glad to have considerate folks on board X.

 

Anyhow, about 25-45% of men seem to do 'full formal' (depending on cruise locale and time of year) and many more do 'dark suit, tie' so that the 5-10% 'non-compliants' do stand out. It also seems 'hit or miss' how the main DR dress code is enforced, even on the same cruise. Have a great cruise with X.

[Char]

For what it's worth, the Bobster always wears a tux (looks so good in it! ;) ) and we will also be on a February Infinity sailing. Which one will you be on Canadianguy?

[greeneg]

I have to admit that I wear the tux, and all the trimmings. Only mileage that I get out of the dam' thing.......

[chessbriar]

No tie would be acceptable on informal, but on formal plan on either a tux or a dark suit with tie.

 

Dress code is for the entire evening. But like everywhere in the world there seems to be people who are unwilling to follow the rules.

[Canadianguy]

For what it's worth, the Bobster always wears a tux (looks so good in it! ;) ) and we will also be on a February Infinity sailing. Which one will you be on Canadianguy?

 

Thanks. We are sailing February 12th out of Ft. Lauderdale.

[Canadianguy]

Thanks everyone for your great advice. Sounds like we are in for a couple of elegant evenings during our cruise....we will pack accordingly.

 

btw- we sailed our first cruise aboard RCCL's Navigator of the Seas last year and it appeared that 'dark suits' for the guys were about as formal as anyone got....maybe 60%...the rest were jackets of all types. But then again we booked Celebrity this year hoping for a slightly better experience;)

 

Thanks again. Cheers!

[psychboss]

I have only been on one cruise, leave on our second in 11 days. DH and I were quite upset with those that could not follow the dress code in the dining room. There are many dining choices if you do not wish to follow the dress code. There are many reason you many not want to get "dressed up" and that is perfectly OK, to each his own. But don't ruin it for others. My DH has to wear a coat and tie to work every day also, but it is not the same as wearing a tux or suit and tie to a marvelous dinner aboard a luxury cruise ship. I respect your desire not to participate, but IMO either participate fully or don't participate.

[psychboss]

I apologize if that sounded mean - I did not mean it that way, just trying to say that there are other choices if you don't want to "go formal" and it is OK if you don't want to. We had 2 men at the table next to us, during the last cruise, that wore banlon shirts without collars or jackets and it was really aggravating. There was also a woman that wore one of those basketball short outfits. Our waiter told us how irratated the staff gets at patrons that don't follow the dress code but there is nothing they can do about it. Again, I apologize if I sounded mean, I did not mean it that way.

[Canadianguy]

I apologize if that sounded mean - I did not mean it that way, just trying to say that there are other choices if you don't want to "go formal" and it is OK if you don't want to. We had 2 men at the table next to us, during the last cruise, that wore banlon shirts without collars or jackets and it was really aggravating. There was also a woman that wore one of those basketball short outfits. Our waiter told us how irratated the staff gets at patrons that don't follow the dress code but there is nothing they can do about it. Again, I apologize if I sounded mean, I did not mean it that way.

 

No worries Psychboss. We were merely doing some research before our cruise. Elegant can be fun... even on vacation. Cheers!