Dressing for Formal nights.

[billslowsky]

16 hours ago, vinob said:

Thanks for all your replies folks,  I'm thankful that the code of formal, semi-formal and smart casual has disappeared, but at the same time we do like to dress up on the formal nights, don't mind what anyone wears, but also don't want to stick out like a sore thumb in tux and long dress.

On nights with formal photo sessions in the atrium area, you'll see more people in formal attire, more for that reason than the dinner dress code.  You can wear a tux in the windjammer for all anyone cares.

[cruisegirl1]

16 hours ago, MD_Dan said:

People who like to dress formally once in a while should not be scorned.  If I chose to dress in a tux and go to the Windjammer, I'm sure I would be welcomed.  But I would imagine some may look disapprovingly. 

 

But what really matters is how I feel.  I can tell you that I would feel uncomfortable if, at a formal dinner, I wore a polo shirt and others had a tux or a suit and tie.

 

There is a time and place for everything.

 

I get that people want to be comfortable and not pack formal clothing.  I understand.  That's a valid choice.  And I get it that people may want to eat in the main dining room.  One purpose (IMHO) of the formal night is to look around the table and see every one dressed up.  It makes it special. 

 

Maybe there could be a section of the main dining room for people who don't want to dress.

 

 

Why would anyone look disapprovingly if someone wears a tux to the windjammer?   On our most recent cruises, my husband has worn a sport jacket on formal night and I wore a cocktail dress.   Often we stop in the windjammer to have a cheese and cracker appetizer or  a shrimp cocktail  to hold us till a later dinner.  Or, we stop in the windjammer after an earlier dinner for dessert.  We've been doing this for years, even when my husband was in a Tux.     I've NEVER  felt that my more formal dress was looked upon disapprovingly.  Can you explain your rationale for  the  statement. Am I missing something?

 

Thanks

[George C]

1 hour ago, kernow said:

I guess you've never cruised out of the UK on RCCL, the vast majority wear Tux or suit and only a very few wear anything less than smart casual.

Correct almost all our cruises have been Caribbean from USA, our cruise out of Barcelona a few years ago people seemed better dressed ,did wear my tux on that one. 

[compman9]

Rule of thumb for formal night:

UK Departures: Formal

European Departures: Smart

Asian Departures: Smart

American Departures: Scruffy

 

It depends on your starting point:

Some people believe Chinos and a shirt not made from polyester that has a collar is suitable for formal night

 

 

So, as most posters here have said, wear what the hell you like - It is your vacation

[mitz18]

11 minutes ago, compman9 said:

Rule of thumb for formal night:

UK Departures: Formal

European Departures: Smart

Asian Departures: Smart

American Departures: Scruffy

 

It depends on your starting point:

Some people believe Chinos and a shirt not made from polyester that has a collar is suitable for formal night

 

 

So, as most posters here have said, wear what the hell you like - It is your vacation

 

Pretty much agree.  How "most" people dress really depends on the cruise you are on.   Cruises to the Carib are much less formal than a British Isle cruise.  And maybe rightly so...but I really agree with wear what you are comfortable in, and don't worry about what the next guy/gal is wearing.  Why let what someone else is wearing spoil your evening?  Relax - enjoy - live!

 

[Tin can]

2 hours ago, cruisegirl1 said:

 

 

Why would anyone look disapprovingly if someone wears a tux to the windjammer?   

 

On our Dubai cruise a couple of years ago a Tux for gents and evening dresses for the ladies was normal in the Windjammer and I’m not joking.

 

It wasn’t a shock for us as we are UK based and they are quite formal cruises but not quite as much as we found from Dubai.

 

People’s dress doesn’t really bother us at all but I did raise an eyebrow at some of the attire (or lack of) worn out of Port Canaveral on Oasis and it really was the ‘wear what you want’ that people report here.

 

My personal experience cruising mostly outside of the States and outside of Florida (our last cruise was on Adventure out of NY) is that the ‘wear what you want’ is not so common.

 

Whether this is Royal dictated or passenger led I don’t know but I do know dress style is very different around the World on RCI outside the main hub of Florida departing Caribbean cruises.

 

 

 

 

[loman]

Just got off the Allure caribbean cruise yesterday. 

First formal night I walked up to the gatekeeper at the entrance of the dining room and asked if formal wear required.

His response was ..... we do not turn anyone away .

I was in shorts and a collared shirt and he was insisting that I enter for dinner.

I didn't go but I did the second formal night wearing a jacket and long pants and noticed that about half the guys wore jackets and the other half didn't .

So theré you have it , wear whatever you want .

I will never bring a jacket again . 

Long pants and a shirt is what I will were on formal night and a shirt and shorts for the other nights in the dining room.

 

Another observation in the windjammer , some people were dressed formally up there also . 

.

[chillyw]

On ‎9‎/‎15‎/‎2019 at 6:06 PM, charmy98 said:

 

Be like me, dress up in your long dress and let hubby wear a Tux and don't give a damn what anyone else does or does not do. I love the chance to dress up and I don't give a rats behind what anyone else thinks. If you stick out like a sore thumb who cares. Do what makes you happy, life is too short to worry about what others think. ☺️

 

Damn right. Dressing up does nothing for me. I don't worry about not being dressed up and I don't worry about who chooses to wear what. I hope everyone is having an awesome time and enjoying  themselves the way they want.

[MD_Dan]

18 hours ago, cruisegirl1 said:

Why would anyone look disapprovingly if someone wears a tux to the windjammer? ...    I've NEVER  felt that my more formal dress was looked upon disapprovingly.  Can you explain your rationale for  the  statement. Am I missing something?

OK, I didn't mean to insult anyone at the WJ.  My only point was to say that there is an implied dress code for various locations outside of the ship.  One may normally not wear a dress that was worn in a club, to a religious service.  One would not normally dress as you would by a pool, to a job interview. 

 

On the ship, one may bring clothes specific for various events such as 70s night; 80s night; prohibition event; etc).  Those same clothes would look weird in another venue.

 

In my article, I was suggesting that there be an area for those who want to conform with the social norms and a place for those who choose not to.

[DISFANS3]

We still go formal..

[ElmwoodPark]

Since you asked about the med, we got off the Jewel on Sept. 8th. It was extremely casual, even on formal nights. I don't recall seeing any men in tuxes or women in long gowns. Very few men even in suits. The cruise was over half American so maybe that made a difference in the attire. 

I was surprised how many people were in shorts in the MDR at dinner on the other nights. I thought shorts were not allowed, but that seemed to not be the case. 

[JamesEM]

I sailed on the Freedom  last week out of PR, even though the Compass said Formal Night the dress was anything but formal, very casual.  I wore a blue blazer with a button down shirt and jeans and I was over dress.

[Esprit]

43 minutes ago, JamesEM said:

I sailed on the Freedom  last week out of PR, even though the Compass said Formal Night the dress was anything but formal, very casual.  I wore a blue blazer with a button down shirt and jeans and I was over dress.

But I bet you looked sharp and your wife/partner looked his/her best too.

To me that's what it's all about. Never felt overdressed on a cruise ship, even on casual nights when I may wear a jacket if we are going to a speciality restaurant.

 

Edited September 19, 2019 by Esprit

[Sancho_proudfoot]

On the Explorer last month, out of Southampton, at a guess, 80% were dressed formally. Formal dress on cruises out of the UK has made a big comeback in recent years 5/6 years ago it was probably 50%formal.

 

By all means, wear whatever you feel most comfortable in; however, if you choose not to go formal, please don't make a performance out of it. (Several times over recent cruises, l have heard comments like "it's my vacation, no-one is going to tell me how to dress")

Edited September 19, 2019 by Sancho_proudfoot

[Twice_a_year]

There has been a general decline in "dressing up" for dinner and very few still dress in formal attire on "formal nights". There will always be some who choose to adhere to the dress codes of days gone by. y experience has been European sailings have many more people who "dress up".

 

I for one usually wear  a jacket every night for dinner This is my choice but I no longer bring my tux for formal night.

 

Don't judge others just be yourself.

 

 

[lv2cruisgrl]

Well we think we have the solution for us.  We always dress up and decided this next RCI cruise we are at a table for 2 when we eat in the dining room.  That way we just have ourselves to look at!   We always dressing nice for dinner and dress up for formal night.   By doing this, we won't care about the person in the shorts and baseball hat, because we won't have them at our table!   

[BTHodgeman]

On ‎9‎/‎15‎/‎2019 at 3:16 PM, MD_Dan said:

Maybe there could be a section of the main dining room for people who don't want to dress.

Probably the most reasonable compromise I've ever read on these boards! I think this would make sense. Maybe a formal "level" and a "casual" level. That way everyone gets what they want!

[livylotte]

On 9/19/2019 at 8:53 AM, Sancho_proudfoot said:

On the Explorer last month, out of Southampton, at a guess, 80% were dressed formally. Formal dress on cruises out of the UK has made a big comeback in recent years 5/6 years ago it was probably 50%formal.

 

By all means, wear whatever you feel most comfortable in; however, if you choose not to go formal, please don't make a performance out of it. (Several times over recent cruises, l have heard comments like "it's my vacation, no-one is going to tell me how to dress")

  

Yes, totally agree with you.  We were on Explorer last month too and formal night, especially in MDR 2nd seating was more formal than I have ever seen it.

There were even a few Tux's in the Windjammer.

 

Of all cruises - Southampton based ones are the most formal.

[Charles4515]

4 hours ago, livylotte said:

  

Yes, totally agree with you.  We were on Explorer last month too and formal night, especially in MDR 2nd seating was more formal than I have ever seen it.

There were even a few Tux's in the Windjammer.

 

Of all cruises - Southampton based ones are the most formal.

 

Does not matter to me. i wear the same out of Southampton as any other ports. On formal night long sleeve button down shirt, long pants. On  the other nights polo shirt and long pants. I don't worry about how anyone else dresses.  

Edited September 23, 2019 by Charles4515

[vacationlover_mn]

On 9/15/2019 at 3:12 PM, vinob said:

Thanks for all your replies folks,  I'm thankful that the code of formal, semi-formal and smart casual has disappeared, but at the same time we do like to dress up on the formal nights, don't mind what anyone wears, but also don't want to stick out like a sore thumb in tux and long dress.

I LOVE seeing the super dressed up folks 🙂. They don’t stick out, they just look awesome!  When we do the MDR, we dress up a little (I like to wear dresses every night when I cruise, and DH likes to look good, but he no longer packs a suit coat).  We also don’t stick out.  You will indeed see people in a variety of fanciness...

[14Terry]

DW and I like to dress up for formal nights. I’ll have my tux on! Happy cruising everyone!