Another formal night dress question (sorry)

[Wedgeh]

I've been watching with interest the various debates about what people should wear for formal night, but it hasn't really answered my question of what they actually do wear. I'm debating whether to bring the tux from the UK for my first caribbean cruise out of the USA. I know the stock answer is 'wear whatever you want' but what I want to wear will depend on what my fellow passengers do. On the european cruises I've taken with Princess enough people have worn suit/tux/blazer/jacket/etc that I've been comfortable doing the same (whereas on Celebrity in Europe they don't so I don't). If I'd be in a smallish minority doing so on my upcoming cruise I simply won't bring it for it to just sit in my suitcase.

 

Again looking for recent experiences (on week-long cruises if that matters) not a debate on what should happen.

[MissP22]

While people wear what they themselves choose, I really think you'd be much happier bringing your tux to wear. Don't let anyone deter you from enjoying getting dressed up. 

[Outerdog]

1 minute ago, Wedgeh said:

but it hasn't really answered my question of what they actually do wear.

 

Then you didn't read the threads very well. It's a mix of casual, smart casual, and semi-formal. Not too many tuxedos and gowns these days.

 

[Lady Arwen]

Most people will not wear formal wear.  Most will be in some form of casual.  As you’ve already read here, you can wear whatever you want.  My DH wears a tie and jacket, most don’t bother.  You do you.  There are thousands of responses to your question on these boards, please read them and you will get all the opinions you need.

 

Please, everyone let this thread end here.  The number of threads involving how to dress is getting way out of hand.

[Wedgeh]

2 minutes ago, Lady Arwen said:

 There are thousands of responses to your question on these boards, please read them and you will get all the opinions you need.

 

I posted this precisely because I was reading a huge amount of opinion and very little fact...

 

However I've now got my question answered, happy to close

Edited January 24, 2023 by Wedgeh

[Outerdog]

1 minute ago, Lady Arwen said:

Please, everyone let this thread end here.

 

Hahahah, yeah right. I'll set the over/under at 50 posts and take the over.

 

[Lady Arwen]

Just now, Outerdog said:

 

Hahahah, yeah right. I'll set the over/under at 50 posts and take the over.

 

You are probably right! lol

[PacnGoNow]

11 minutes ago, Wedgeh said:

I posted this precisely because I was reading a huge amount of opinion and very little fact...

 

However I've now got my question answered, happy to close

1 more…  Factual 

 

We did 6 caribbean cruises last year, very few tuxedos on any of them.  Caribbean cruises are much more casual than the European cruises.  

That is from experience. DH does a sport coat and dress pants on those. 
Okay done!  Lol

Edited January 24, 2023 by PacnGoNow

[MissP22]

40 minutes ago, Lady Arwen said:

Please, everyone let this thread end here.  The number of threads involving how to dress is getting way out of hand.

I'm just curious as to why you read them if you feel there are to many? Many people find them informative even though I'll admit there are many of them.

Another thing is that actual dressing has changed considerable since the return from Covid and unless you've recently cruises on Princess, you wouldn't know.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

55 minutes ago, Wedgeh said:

I'm debating whether to bring the tux from the UK for my first caribbean cruise out of the USA.

I would not bother lugging a tux all the way from the UK to the US for a Caribbean cruise.

We only cruise in the Caribbean and we rarely ever see a tux.

 My DH wears dress pants and a button down shirt. I wear pants and a blouse.

[Bobbiegentry]

1 hour ago, Wedgeh said:

 I want to wear will depend on what my fellow passengers do.

Why?

Drag your formal duds along if you wish. 
Leave them at home if you wish. 
The fashion police will be outside their jurisdiction while you are on board.
You will absolutely fit in whatever you decide to do. 

[SargassoPirate]

On a Caribbean cruise now and here's what the patter states as dress code for formal nights - however it's enforced about as rigidly as no reserving loungers, no saving seats in the theater, and no parking mobility devices in the exit corridors overnight.

 

 

[JimmyVWine]

1 hour ago, Wedgeh said:

but it hasn't really answered my question of what they actually do wear.

Depends on the itinerary.  Our only post-shutdown cruise was in the Med, so a good mix of US and European guests, with some Asia in there as well.  And on Formal Nights we dined in the MDR, so I don't know what the people in the buffet or Specialty Restaurants were wearing.  But in the MDR, the vast majority (and I mean that seriously) of men had some sort of jacket.  There was a mix of tuxes, suits, blazers with ties and blazers without ties.  And some long-sleeved collared shirts and some short-sleeved golf shirts.  But I would by lying if I said that the jacketless men dominated.  Far, far from it.  If I had to estimate I would say the men were 10% tuxes, 20% suits, 25% blazers with ties, 30% blazers with no tie and the balance were jacketless.  The women were mostly in dresses and pant suits.  Yes, we did see a few (could count them on one hand) people who were sporting their finest t-shirts and well-worn jeans.  But they stood out as outliers.  All of this goes to show that there is a wide gap between what people can wear and what they do wear.  Again, this was a European itinerary and not in the Caribbean or Mexican Coast. 

[Potstech]

Notice it says "Please observe...."  Not you must observe. It is a request not a demand.  Thank you for posting this.

Edited January 24, 2023 by Potstech

[llarsen]

We have cruised the Caribbean around 20 times over the years on Princess, Holland, Norwegian, Celebrity and Oceania. The Caribbean has always been more casual than the Med cruises we've taken. (It's warm, many guests get sunburned which can also make dressier clothes more uncomfortable in my opinion)

My husband usually wears casual pants and a button up shirt (short sleeve for Caribbean) to MDR every night and on "formal" nights he wears a long sleeve shirt and black casual pants. (He no longer brings a jacket or tie).

There are those who still like to dress in formal attire, and age doesn't seem to determine that. 

Our Princess Alaska cruise in 2022 was the first since Covid, and almost everyone was in jeans every night. There were some people who were dressed up in tux and gowns on "Formal" night and also getting their photos taken. 

Wear what you feel comfortable in. Don't let what others wear keep you from wearing what you would like to wear. This is Princess and I'm sure there will be some in a tux. How many is impossible to determine.

If you don't bring your tux, will you regret it if you see others in a tux and wish you had yours? Would a suit jacket and tie be more of a happy medium for you if some are in tuxes and others in casual pants and short sleeve shirts?

I know it's hard. I used to stress about what to wear, but no longer worry about it so much.You'll see a little of everything.

Enjoy your first Caribbean cruise!

[MissP22]

What everyone has posted is 100% correct.

The days of people limiting themselves to formal dress in the Caribbean are at a minimum. They've learned that Princess now lets everyone choose for themselves how to dress and not that they have to dress for others in the DR for a few short hours. 

Enjoy your Caribbean cruise no matter which style of clothing you choose. 

[Wedgeh]

50 minutes ago, llarsen said:

Would a suit jacket and tie be more of a happy medium for you if some are in tuxes and others in casual pants and short sleeve shirts?

Thanks to everyone who's given their experiences. I'm thinking along these lines, something in between, so it's definitely been helpful for me.

[RNRcruisers]

 In my experience, people put a little more effort into their dress for the formal nights. I don't usually see tuxes and long gowns though. My DH wears a suit for formal nights and looks very handsome if I do say so ☺️ Shirt and nice pants for the other nights.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

1 hour ago, llarsen said:

the first since Covid, and almost everyone was in jeans every night.

now that I've been working from home in yoga pants, sweats and pjs for 3 years, jeans is definitely dressing up for me now. 🙂

A lot has changed...

[PTMary]

5 hours ago, Wedgeh said:

I posted this precisely because I was reading a huge amount of opinion and very little fact...

 

However I've now got my question answered, happy to close

 

There have been many, many comments on what people have actually experienced, both as to what they themselves wear and what they observed others wearing. I would consider that "facts" and not opinions. 

[bjkTX]

We took an 11 day British Isles cruise in Oct and saw a few people in a tux, a few in suites, but most wore dress shirts and slacks.

 

We took an 11 day Caribbean cruise over Christmas and it was pretty much the same.  I think because it was a Christmas cruise more people than I would expect on a Caribbean cruise were more formal - Christmas picture time.  But it was still 90% or more in shirts and slacks.

[Torfamm]

7 hours ago, Wedgeh said:

I've been watching with interest the various debates about what people should wear for formal night, but it hasn't really answered my question of what they actually do wear. I'm debating whether to bring the tux from the UK for my first caribbean cruise out of the USA. I know the stock answer is 'wear whatever you want' but what I want to wear will depend on what my fellow passengers do. On the european cruises I've taken with Princess enough people have worn suit/tux/blazer/jacket/etc that I've been comfortable doing the same (whereas on Celebrity in Europe they don't so I don't). If I'd be in a smallish minority doing so on my upcoming cruise I simply won't bring it for it to just sit in my suitcase.

 

Again looking for recent experiences (on week-long cruises if that matters) not a debate on what should happen.

We’ve been on several Caribbean cruises in the last year and there were always enough men in tuxes or dinner jackets that you wouldn’t have felt like you stood out if you chose to dress formally. It’s less than in the UK, Europe or Asia, but there were always men in tuxedos. 

[MissP22]

2 hours ago, bjkTX said:

We took an 11 day British Isles cruise in Oct and saw a few people in a tux, a few in suites, but most wore dress shirts and slacks.

 

We took an 11 day Caribbean cruise over Christmas and it was pretty much the same.  I think because it was a Christmas cruise more people than I would expect on a Caribbean cruise were more formal - Christmas picture time.  But it was still 90% or more in shirts and slacks.

It was a little dresser during Christmas and even more so during New Years.

Still, it wasn't enough to make my DH dress up to their standards.

His standard is Polo & black jeans on formal nights which worked nicely.