Is Formal Night a thing of the past?

[evitacruiser]

I was just reading about the dress code for our upcoming trip and from what I have read Formal night is no more. So is a Tuxedo not required now? It would lighten our luggage load but we do enjoy the dressing for dinner aspect. Do some cruisers still do the full-on formal attire or has it completely gone? 

[Reel Love]

The previously named Formal Nights are now called Evening Chic, and a tuxedo is not required.  On our cruise on Edge in December, we saw everything from t-shirts/sweatshirts and jeans to tuxes and fancy gowns on Evening Chic nights.

[markeb]

Formal wear isn’t required. You will see a variety from slacks and button down shirts to tuxedos, but the tuxes will be in the minority. If you enjoy dressing up, take them with you. If not, no need. 

[cruisingnewtoit]

I just got off the Sumitt for a Caribbean cruise. I didn't see anyone wearing a tux. I ate in the select dining restaurant for both chic nights at 5:30. Most people were casual. Men wearing sneakers & I saw some flip flops. Others wearing jeans and casual polo shirts or shirt sleeved shirts & some khaki pants. I did one man wearing a sport coat. 

 

Attire was the same in Tuscan grill in the night I ate there.

[Husky61]

I don't ever recall that a "Tux" was required on formal night.

[shipgeeks]

Dressing up is not gone; it is just one of the options.  Many of us still do dress up on Chic nights, others less so.  DH does not cruise without his tuxedo.  If you, like us, enjoy that, keep doing it; you will not be alone.

[evitacruiser]

Thank you, that is very interesting. If we were cruising without baggage restrictions then we would be happy to take the Tux but we are doing the Greek Islands from Venice and so we have to adhere to quite onerous (for me!) packing limits, so if it is not essential I think it will be left at home for this trip.

 

It does seem a shame that the elegance factor has been so much diluted though.

[dkjretired]

1 hour ago, Husky61 said:

I don't ever recall that a "Tux" was required on formal night.

 

It wasnt, under formal it was tux or a dark suit, then they removed the word dark.

[c-boy]

3 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

Dressing up is not gone; it is just one of the options.  Many of us still do dress up on Chic nights, others less so.  DH does not cruise without his tuxedo.  If you, like us, enjoy that, keep doing it; you will not be alone.

d w and I head to the casino where I say "Bond ...James Bond"  and my wife say's  " in your dreams ! "   🤣

[Ma Bell]

3 hours ago, evitacruiser said:

Thank you, that is very interesting. If we were cruising without baggage restrictions then we would be happy to take the Tux but we are doing the Greek Islands from Venice and so we have to adhere to quite onerous (for me!) packing limits, so if it is not essential I think it will be left at home for this trip.

 

It does seem a shame that the elegance factor has been so much diluted though.

Do they not allow you to bring an extra bag or is it just that you have to pay for it?

[evitacruiser]

Just now, Ma Bell said:

Do they not allow you to bring an extra bag or is it just that you have to pay for it?

Yes, they will allow extra bags,  but as we are staying in Venice prior to the cruise we need to minimise luggage as it has to be carried on arrival and Venice is not the easiest place to navigate with excess luggage. 

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

A TUX has never been required on any of the standard cruise lines. Usually a jacket but no longer. Cruise elegant or chic night is dress up. This is for restaurant dining only. Smart casual in the evening is the norm.

[Cruise it or lose it]

Airline weight limits made taking formal wear more challenging. But 2 years ago when we sailed to Bermuda on Summit from NJ, a large group was on board. And the guys wore tuxes in every variety. They looked (marvelous). I loved it!

Edited April 20, 2019 by Cruise it or lose it

[Quo Vadis?]

Casual day in the office on one day has gone to every day in many professions.

The number of men on board wearing tuxes, downgrading to suits, to sports jackets, to long sleeve shirts, some with a ties, to polo shirts has become the norm.

Casual, not even chic will be seen in ever increasing numbers.... this is the pattern, not my preference but my observation. (yours may differ)

 

[edstrek]

I personally enjoy dressing up on Formal nights. Yes I will wear a TUX. I also wear a button shirt with slacks to dinner normally.

[sailco]

People tend to dress more formally on European cruises especially in the Mediterranean. 

[shipgeeks]

7 hours ago, evitacruiser said:

Thank you, that is very interesting. If we were cruising without baggage restrictions then we would be happy to take the Tux but we are doing the Greek Islands from Venice and so we have to adhere to quite onerous (for me!) packing limits, so if it is not essential I think it will be left at home for this trip.

 

It does seem a shame that the elegance factor has been so much diluted though.

Yes it does.

We have always been able to pack formalwear as well as all our other things and still be far below the airline weight limit.  However, we do not pack laptops, hairdryers/curlers/straighteners, smartphones, drones, selfie sticks, rice cookers, or coffee makers.

Since you mentioned that you will be sailing in Europe, I might add that those cruises do seem to have more passengers who dress up in the evening.

[OCruisers]

Just because no formal dress is needed ... you still can dress formally if you wish.  

[PAsailors2]

We are currently on the Solstice TP and Polynesia cruise. We’ve had 2 formal nights so far, and there have been men in tuxes as well as just casual wear. The women have been dressed in everything from jeans to cocktail dresses to full length gowns. No one minds what the next person has on. As for us, DH wears his tux and I dress accordingly. Whatever you select you will have a wonderful time, I’m sure

 

[Oville]

11 minutes ago, PAsailors2 said:

We are currently on the Solstice TP and Polynesia cruise. We’ve had 2 formal nights so far, and there have been men in tuxes as well as just casual wear. The women have been dressed in everything from jeans to cocktail dresses to full length gowns. No one minds what the next person has on. As for us, DH wears his tux and I dress accordingly. Whatever you select you will have a wonderful time, I’m sure

 

Formal nights or Chic nights?

[fleckle]

12 hours ago, evitacruiser said:

I was just reading about the dress code for our upcoming trip and from what I have read Formal night is no more. So is a Tuxedo not required now? It would lighten our luggage load but we do enjoy the dressing for dinner aspect. Do some cruisers still do the full-on formal attire or has it completely gone? 

 

It appears that you have not cruised with Celebrity recently because they did away with formal nights back in 2015.

 

The way it was explained at the time, they want passengers to wear whatever makes them happy and to express their individuality, not for everyone to dress alike.

 

By all means, wear the tuxedo, or not, as you please.  You will see a wide range of dress from one end of the spectrum to the other,  and nobody should feel out of place.  Whatever you choose to wear (within the posted guidelines) will be just fine.

 

If you like to stand out and be noticed, dress at one extreme or the other, but if you just want to blend in and be inconspicuous, dress somewhere in the middle.  You are likely to draw compliments if you are among those who dress up.

  

 

Edited April 21, 2019 by fleckle

[George C]

Formal dress seems at least simi-dead. Really dislike there is no enforced dress codes celebrity andmost. Lines down not seem to care if you dress like a slob. Do not want to go back to wearing a suit and tie every night like the old days but do think baseball caps and shorts should not be allowed .

[CGTNORMANDIE]

6 minutes ago, George C said:

Formal dress seems at least simi-dead. Really dislike there is no enforced dress codes celebrity andmost. Lines down not seem to care if you dress like a slob. Do not want to go back to wearing a suit and tie every night like the old days but do think baseball caps and shorts should not be allowed .

 

So true George,

 

The one thing I have noticed is that the staff, officers, stewards and waiters appreciate the effort.  When you think about it they have to make an effort to look nice on formal nights so I believe we should make an effort...rise to the occasion. 

 

[sailco]

1 hour ago, PAsailors2 said:

We are currently on the Solstice TP and Polynesia cruise. We’ve had 2 formal nights so far, and there have been men in tuxes as well as just casual wear. The women have been dressed in everything from jeans to cocktail dresses to full length gowns. No one minds what the next person has on. As for us, DH wears his tux and I dress accordingly. Whatever you select you will have a wonderful time, I’m sure

 

Wearing full length evening gown and tux my husband and I were sat next to a couple in sweats and ugh boots on formal night. We quietly asked our waiter to find us another table which he did.

[evitacruiser]

We have not sailed Celebrity since 2013, but we have sailed with RCI, MSC, NCL, Cunard, Princess and P&O and always taken formal wear with us. I do like to see an uplift in passenger attire for those evenings but we personally always 'dress for dinner' so it seems that we will not need to do anything more on the 'chic; evenings.