Navigator Formal/Dress Up Evening's?

[lesliew]

Please comment on the Formal Evening's on the Navigator.  

I understand they are 'optional' but 'in general' do many people dress up?  

And, how formal? 

We will be on 3 x B2B in October so I am considering bringing one really fancy dress, but not sure if it would be appropriate.

Any info appreciated.

Thank you!

LeslieW

[wcsdkqh]

Bring and wear what you want, but there will be virtually no formal wear even on formal optional evenings. Only cruises of 16 nights or more will even have formal optional nights. B2B cruises do not count unless of course individual segments are 16+ nights.

[GOARMY]

TS:

 

Keeping in mind the 16 or more nights single segment "rule" as to formal-optional nights--

 

My wife brings more "formal" wear to dinner on a routine basis, "optional" or not, because her style (as that of a former model) mirrors, and reflects, the 5 + star service we have received on Navigator going back many, many years.

 

I wear my tux on those formal-optional evenings. Other gents not in a tux may even go one extra mile to put on a jacket for dinner on those evenings. That should not be too much of a stretch.  

 

When last on Navigator, last-year, noted about 15% of the guys donned a tux. So, I was in good company.  The ladies seem to dress-up more even on other evenings.  Gentlemen should take notice.    

 

Again, fashion is never out of style. Neither is Navigator.  

 

GOARMY!

 

 

[labonnevie]

Don’t know if this what you were asking, but on our five Navigator cruises I have not noticed any difference in how passengers dressed from other Regent cruises.
It’s a smaller ship but that doesn’t mean the suitcases brought aboard are smaller. 

[Dolebludger]

The dress code always in effect — elegant casual — describes a minimum (not a maximum) of dress on all nights. So you can wear a tux anytime you wish. We cruised Regent before the 16 night rule for formal optional was in effect, and sometimes there were formal nights on shorter cruises. On those, a coat and tie was the minimum. Of course, tuxes were welcome also. But we saw very few tuxes.

[Pcardad]

You are never required to exceed the dress code as posted on Regent's website.

 

Attire ranges from Casual to Formal Optional. Casual wear consists of resort-style outfits; some examples are jeans, shorts, t-shirts, and tennis shoes. Casual wear is appropriate for daytime both on board or ashore. Casual wear is not appropriate after 6:00 PM. On the night prior to disembarkation, guests may need to pack their luggage early due to morning flights the next day. With this in mind, on the last night of every voyage, we will relax the dress code for dinner to Casual.

Otherwise, the recommended onboard dress in the evenings is Elegant Casual. Dinner dress for ladies includes a skirt, or slacks with a blouse or sweater, a pant suit or dress; slacks and a collared shirt for gentlemen. Sport jackets are optional. Casual wear is not to be worn at dinner. Ties are not required.

On sailings of 16 nights or more, Formal and Semi-Formal attire is optional on two of the evenings. On the two Formal Optional evenings, guests are welcome to dress as per the elegant Casual dress code or opt for a more formal choice of clothing including gowns and cocktail dresses for ladies; tuxedos, dinner jackets or dark suits with tie for gentlemen.

[Bruce61]

We are on Splendor for an 18-night cruise in July-August.    My question is more about where/how formal nights are conducted?  Is this an event in the Theater after dinner, or separated into multiple venues (the restaurants and the lounges)?  That could affect the time and locale people want to dine. Last Friday was our date to make specialty dining reservations which we did.   

 

I was told we would be informed of the actual formal nights when we get our final itinerary after on-line check in (25 days before embarkation).  I was told there would be an "F" next to the days which are formal optional.  

 

So, my questions are: (1)  whether I was informed correctly as to when we would learn the schedule, and (2) what exactly is the format of these nights?

 

Thanks.

[Pcardad]

9 minutes ago, Bruce61 said:

We are on Splendor for an 18-night cruise in July-August.    My question is more about where/how formal nights are conducted?  Is this an event in the Theater after dinner, or separated into multiple venues (the restaurants and the lounges)?  That could affect the time and locale people want to dine. Last Friday was our date to make specialty dining reservations which we did.   

 

I was told we would be informed of the actual formal nights when we get our final itinerary after on-line check in (25 days before embarkation).  I was told there would be an "F" next to the days which are formal optional.  

 

So, my questions are: (1)  whether I was informed correctly as to when we would learn the schedule, and (2) what exactly is the format of these nights?

 

Thanks.

The Formal Optional nights simply give people an excuse to dress up a bit. People are mixed in together so you could be in a tux and be next to a person in khakis and a golf shirt. Most of the time you cannot even tell it is a Formal Optional night because 90% of the people look the same.

[labonnevie]

1 hour ago, Bruce61 said:

We are on Splendor for an 18-night cruise in July-August.    My question is more about where/how formal nights are conducted?  Is this an event in the Theater after dinner, or separated into multiple venues (the restaurants and the lounges)?  That could affect the time and locale people want to dine. Last Friday was our date to make specialty dining reservations which we did.   

 

I was told we would be informed of the actual formal nights when we get our final itinerary after on-line check in (25 days before embarkation).  I was told there would be an "F" next to the days which are formal optional.  

 

So, my questions are: (1)  whether I was informed correctly as to when we would learn the schedule, and (2) what exactly is the format of these nights?

 

Thanks.

Typically the format for formal optional nights is the same as elegant casual nights. Light entertainment (piano or a duo) in some of the bars before dinner, dinner in the various restaurants followed by the show at 9:30. Late night dancing and entertainment to follow. 
We have never tried to coordinate dining in one of the specialty restaurants with formal optional nights. People seem to dress pretty much the same regardless of the venue on formal optional nights. 
I disagree slightly with Pcardad in that I believe that those that want to dress up a little more do so on formal optional nights. In my case, I will always wear my sport coat on formal optional nights and sometimes when dining in a specialty restaurant on elegant casual nights. 

[Pcardad]

1 hour ago, labonnevie said:

Typically the format for formal optional nights is the same as elegant casual nights. Light entertainment (piano or a duo) in some of the bars before dinner, dinner in the various restaurants followed by the show at 9:30. Late night dancing and entertainment to follow. 
We have never tried to coordinate dining in one of the specialty restaurants with formal optional nights. People seem to dress pretty much the same regardless of the venue on formal optional nights. 
I disagree slightly with Pcardad in that I believe that those that want to dress up a little more do so on formal optional nights. In my case, I will always wear my sport coat on formal optional nights and sometimes when dining in a specialty restaurant on elegant casual nights. 

I bring a suit for date night and/or eating with friends/staff...but I usually wear a button down and pants. I tried to skip the pants one night and my gf caught me in the hall and told me I couldn't go to dinner in skivvies.

[SWFLAOK]

We just completed a 20 night cruise on Regent. We had 2 "Formal Optional" nights. I didn't see a tux, but there were quite a few suits, and some very fancy dresses. There were a large number of jackets, some with ties. In general, the majority seemed to take it up a notch.

For some, this wasn't much since they usually only met the minimum for the dress code. But I think part of this is the amount of clothes and shoes needed for a 20 night cruise. You need to dress for travel, for excursions, for sea days onboard, and for after 6. Even with laundry included, that's a lot to pack. And having to lug large amounts of luggage containing those clothes and shoes on long flights isn't easy, especially as we get older.

But a denim skirt weighs more than a light dress, and the dress meets the dress code.

[papaflamingo]

16 hours ago, Bruce61 said:

So, my questions are: (1)  whether I was informed correctly as to when we would learn the schedule,

Yes. On your FINAL CRUISE VACATION SUMMARY it will denote the Formal Optional nights with an "F".  As others have said, some dress up to the level of Formal and some don't.  Just depends on the passengers and, it seems, itinerary.  If a Caribbean cruise, probably less formal than a Northern European cruise (only my observations).  But dress as you wish.  On our Navigator cruise in 2022 there were men in tuxes, kilts, suits, sport coats with ties, sport coats without ties, and those dressed as any other day.  We were in the North Atlantic, so cold weather.  There seemed to be more in at least a sport coat.  But dress as you wish.  Also if there is no Formal Optional night, there will be a "Captain's Reception" night.  People tend to dress better that night too.  Not formal, but often coat and tie.  Again....strictly YOUR choice. 

[Scout16]

The last time I wore a suit was for my aunt's funnel in 2014.  I carry a sport jacket and a necktie for the nights when either there are many officers in their fancy uniforms, such as the Captain's Welcome, or when there is a special event, birthday or anniversary, with the group I am dining with.  This is done not because I like to dress up, but out of respect for the others.  This general respect holds to generally following the dress code, it should be done out of respect for the crew and the other passengers.  I followed the same rules with the optimal wearing of face masks during the first year post Covid.  I only hope that I will have time to drop off the hot sport coat prior to attending the show at nine thirty.         

[mo-chuck]

We were on Navigator in March for a 14 night cruise. There was no formal night I mostly saw sports jackets - very few ties.

[papaflamingo]

3 hours ago, mo-chuck said:

We were on Navigator in March for a 14 night cruise. There was no formal night I mostly saw sports jackets - very few ties.

I know this has probably been mentioned, but there are no Formal Optional nights on cruise segments of less than 16 nights, on any Regent ship.