Formal night attire

[srichardm]

Anyone who has been on a Seabourn cruise in the summer in the Baltics, please advise on what men were wearing on formal nights.  Specifically I'd like to wear a white dinner jacket, but not if no one else will be in the cooler climate, even in summer.

[Chairsin]

We were on a 24 night Iceland, Greenland and Canadian cruise this past August where my husband wore a white dinner jacket for all of the formal nights. There were a handful of other gentlemen who also wore a white DG. We have also done a Baltics and a Norwegian Cruise as well over the last 10 years and I can tell you there were gentlemen in white dinner jackets.  

[srichardm]

Good to hear.  I guess summer is summer, even in the way north.  Thanks for posting.  

Any other cruise critic followers have experience in no. hemisphere summer?

[frantic36]

I haven't done the Baltics recently but in July in the Med this year, my husband wore a white dinner jacket and there were other men wearing them as well.

 

Julie

[Redtravel]

Are there any men that do not go formal, just wear a jacket with or without tie?  My husband hates formal nights. Somewhere I read that Seabourn is now formal optional. 

[srichardm]

"Formal" dress is only about one night a week on Seabourn, and only applies to The Restaurant.  If you don't want to dress formally, then just eat at one of the several other restaurants that night.  For my first Seabourn cruise, for formal night I wore a dark sport coat, no tie, and felt underdressed.  Many, many guests (again, just in The Restaurant) were in tuxedos or white dinner jackets, which is what I'm doing on formal nights.  The staff gets dressed formally on formal nights as well.

[Fletcher]

Redtravel - I also dislike the dressing-up thing, so I just wear smart casual at all times and avoid the Restaurant on Formal Night (and most other nights as well).  It's really relaxed on these Seabourn ships so unless you need a jacket for warmth you don't need one.  Yes there are people who dress up and wear tuxedo things and glittery ball gowns but to each his and her own.  I've noticed over the years that the dressy thing is becoming rather more of a minority sport.  

Edited November 23, 2018 by Fletcher

[IanL]

Last night on the Oddessey I would say about 40% wore black tie (of various types) in the Restaurant - I was surprised but it may have been because it was thanksgiving.

[jenidallas]

13 minutes ago, IanL said:

Last night on the Oddessey I would say about 40% wore black tie (of various types) in the Restaurant - I was surprised but it may have been because it was thanksgiving.

 

Surprised at how few or surprised at how many?

 

40% sounds just about right for last night and probably the least number of tuxes/glittery gowns I’ve seen on a Seabourn formal night.  I did spy several fantastic and oh-so-fabulous dinner jackets.  I only spied 1-2 parties in the Restaurant that looked as if they were dressed for the Patio Gril instead.

[IanL]

Surprised so many, but on the two previous formal nights (departing Barcelona) I would'nt have put it above 25% and many without even a tie. (My surprise was a happy one - as we sit along side the Queen Vic and when we were here in March last on her the figure would have been around 85%).

[Hlitner]

18 hours ago, Redtravel said:

Are there any men that do not go formal, just wear a jacket with or without tie?  My husband hates formal nights. Somewhere I read that Seabourn is now formal optional. 

Many men hate formal nights (I am the exception) but I have never understood the "jacket" thing.  If you are going to wear a jacket then why not wear a suit or tux jacket (which is essentially the same as a sport jacket except it matches the trousers :).  But perhaps your husband would prefer one of these shirts:

https://www.spreadshirt.com/tuxedo+t-shirts   

 

Wearing one of those shirts would make him the topic of many conversations :).

 

Hank