Dress Code for formal nights

[deedee666]

love my honey in his best---love puttin on my best tooo

[katiel53]

So let me get this straight.

 

Requested = reqiured?

 

Required = break the rule?

 

So if I do not wear a suit & tie I am a boor.

 

If I smuggle a gallon of booze aboard I am a hero.

 

But of course none of you Formal wear advocates would ever:D

 

smuggle booze aboard now, huh?;)

 

And we won't even get into poolside lounge chair hogs and the throwing of thier books into the trash subject!:p

 

Each person picks his/her own battles and I guess the dress code is yours huh? I just wish that RCCL enforced what they suggest. I don't care what it would be, just as long as they enforce it. I am not going to get into this discussion as I have very definite views, and no, I don't smuggle, don't even sit at the pool.

[DonnaK]

Hi, an upcoming Sovereign cruise (4 night) will be my first with my brother's children, girl (12) and 2 boys (13 and 16) (p.s.--they're well behaved, I promise!!). I want them to experience formal night--I think it will be good training for them! My niece and I picked out a new dress for her which will work great and is age appropriate, and I've bought nice khaki slacks with white shirts and ties for the boys. I hate buying sport coats for them because they're growing so fast and will not probably ever wear them again (unless we have a funeral, God forbid), and they'll only have them on for 2 hours tops. Will the boys be out of place without a sport coat, or would you guys recommend I go ahead and spring for them.

 

I definitely want to be respectful of our fellow cruisers but don't want to spend any more money if I don't have to! Thanks for your advice to us newbies!:)

 

This will be fine. No worries.

[VaNitz]

Wear whatever you are comfortable with on formal night. I brought a suit and tie with me on the first cruise and wore it on the first formal night only. To me, wearing a suit and tie is NOT comfortable and I couldn't wait to get back to the cabin to throw on a t-shirt and shorts. On the second formal night I wore a pair of slacks and a polo shirt and was very comfortable!

 

Never again will I drag a suit on board. Long as you don't wear t-shirt and shorts on formal night, you'll be fine. Don't let the fancy schmancy dress snobs talk you into bringing something you're not comfortable with.

[Son of a Cruiser]

Wear whatever you are comfortable with on formal night. I brought a suit and tie with me on the first cruise and wore it on the first formal night only. To me, wearing a suit and tie is NOT comfortable and I couldn't wait to get back to the cabin to throw on a t-shirt and shorts. On the second formal night I wore a pair of slacks and a polo shirt and was very comfortable!

 

Never again will I drag a suit on board. Long as you don't wear t-shirt and shorts on formal night, you'll be fine. Don't let the fancy schmancy dress snobs talk you into bringing something you're not comfortable with.

 

So why not T-shirt and shorts on formal night? Or Jeans and a T-shirt? If we are not going to follow the recommended dress why have any bounds? Afterall, some may not feel comfortable in a polo shirt and slacks.

 

Pardon my sarcasm, but I have read many posts like this and always wondered why they set a limit at what they are comfortable with and alway "recommend" that as the level of dress for others to adhere to, while calling those who encourage following the cuise line recommendations as "fancy schmancy dress snobs"

[Guest cvbart]

Each person picks his/her own battles and I guess the dress code is yours huh? I just wish that RCCL enforced what they suggest. I don't care what it would be, just as long as they enforce it. I am not going to get into this discussion as I have very definite views, and no, I don't smuggle, don't even sit at the pool.

 

Why should the cruise line become some sort of police force to make sure you dress right for dinner.

 

Social guidelines such as dress in the dining room is up to each guest to follow.

 

If you can't dress right it's not up to the cruise line to teach you. And it would ruin my vacation if someone was walking around the dining room tossing people out.

 

Now health and safety rules they can and do enforce.

 

BTW very few people do not dress up on formal night and come to the dining room.

 

A lot of us do really see a problem with the way things are now.

 

Should you wear a jacket and tie on formal night...of course.

 

Can you get in without one..yes.

 

Will you look out of place...yes.

 

Will it bother you...that's up to you, not me..and not the cruise line.

[VaNitz]

I can't believe how people get so worked up on what other people are wearing. Why should you care if someone is not wearing a jacket and tie on formal night? Is it the 'If I have to wear a suit then so should everybody else' reasoning? If I'm sitting at your table on formal night without a jacket and tie, I guess you're just going to have to look away if it appals you so much. Remember...it's "Suggested" dress code, not "Required".

[happysinglemom]

You will find a very few men in tux and a few women in long gowns...you will see mostly men in suits and women in dresses....We are tired of bringing our formal wear on ships as you only wear them for a couple of hoursfor dinner, I have to say 85% of people change after dinner into shorts and such.

 

Not so on our cruise - over half the folks were in full formal dress, and though I never followed anyone back to their room to see if they changed, I did not notice the crowd to be any less dressy later in the evening.

 

 

Oh for those who brag about "get dressed and take those pictures" almost every picture we have taken we never find those pictures to be good quality....I really don't care to have a portrait of us in formalwear I rather have pictures of the way we are and just that

 

Sorry you have not had good photos, but ours were absolutely the highlight of all my photos. I loved them, and will definitely plan to try and get even more shots the next cruise!!

[dog8it]

I don't get why people get so worked up about others not being in formal wear; lighten up it is a vacation. Not everyone owns formal wear and those on a tight budget should not have to purchase/rent formal wear. As long as body parts are covered, what's the big deal. I mean, I don't think I have seen anyone wearing tank tops and shorts on formal night and even if I did, I wouldn't care. We have been on 5 cruises that have formal night and it seems that those that were dressed to the hilt for formal night were the least comfortable and many were anxious for dinner to end so they could go change.

[mooseII]

I for one hope that nobody is dressed for formal night on my cruise next week.

 

I look forward to bringing and wearing my tux, and being the best looking guy in the place. That way all your wives, girlfriends, sisters and mothers will be staring at me, wishing they were with me instead of the guy in a polo shirt and wrinkled khaki's.

 

So please, don't dress up.:)

 

(Too bad I just got married last year)

[pcur]

Pardon my sarcasm, but I have read many posts like this and always wondered why they set a limit at what they are comfortable with and alway "recommend" that as the level of dress for others to adhere to, while calling those who encourage following the cuise line recommendations as "fancy schmancy dress snobs"

 

Me, too, Richard. I always study these threads, kind of seeing what type of comments are made on both sides. It's almost always the people that want to dress contrary to the suggested dress code that end up pointing fingers and calling names, like "snob", "fashion police", etc.

 

I looked up the definition of snob in the dictionary once, and was referred to the definition of "inverted snob". Very interesting.

 

It's just that in the process of answering someone's question, repeating what the cruise line suggests, we end up being called snobs or worse.

[happysinglemom]

I for one hope that nobody is dressed for formal night on my cruise next week.

 

I look forward to bringing and wearing my tux, and being the best looking guy in the place. That way all your wives, girlfriends, sisters and mothers will be staring at me, wishing they were with me instead of the guy in a polo shirt and wrinkled khaki's.

 

So please, don't dress up.:)

 

(Too bad I just got married last year)

 

Ha! Love it. My son and I took my parents out for a birthday dinner, and we had dressed really nice (son was in a suit) as we were going to Ruth's Chris. Well, son and I stopped on the way to run into the grocery store to pick up some flowers, and a card. One of our neighbors came up and complimented us on how nice we looked, and my son (who also thinks he is "hot" at 13) got many many looks from the young gals as well as others. He was grinning all the way out to the car. We had exceptional and cordial service, and we got the same flattering attention at dinner as well. Now my son wants to wear his suit to school. Ha ha. Kinda neat watching him learn this stuff, and me not even having to chime in on it. :o

[Guest cvbart]

Me, too, Richard. I always study these threads, kind of seeing what type of comments are made on both sides. It's almost always the people that want to dress contrary to the suggested dress code that end up pointing fingers and calling names, like "snob", "fashion police", etc.

 

I looked up the definition of snob in the dictionary once, and was referred to the definition of "inverted snob". Very interesting.

 

It's just that in the process of answering someone's question, repeating what the cruise line suggests, we end up being called snobs or worse.

 

I dress very well on formal nights and my wife and I follow the fashion guidelines. That's guidelines NOT rules.

 

And I also have used the terms "snobs' and "Fashion Police" many times because I can't understand why people care what anyone but them is wearing.

 

I really just don't get it.

 

But it has NOTHING to do with how I dress.

[pcur]

It's just that in the process of answering someone's question, repeating what the cruise line suggests, we end up being called snobs or worse.

 

But....I'm being redundant, so 'nuff said.:D

[MrLee]

Packing 2 evening gowns and 2 tuxs , shoes, etc. just takes up too much room.

;) ;)

 

 

I have different vests (and a cummerbund) and different ties for my tux. They take up a lot less room. ;)

[IrishMist]

On our first cruise, I pleaded with my husband to bring a dark suit and tie for formal night so we could enjoy the complete "cruise experience". He was reluctant......he dresses in a shirt and tie every day.......however, to please me, he agreed to do the dress up thing for formal night. We looked great, if I do say so myself! Upon arriving at the dining room, we we're seated with 2 nicely dressed women. We were having a nice time, until the table for eight next to us was seated (1/2 hour late). Every one of the adults were dressed in shorts, looking like they just came in from the pool and there were 2 screaming children who did not stop crying the entire time. My husband just kind of gave me this look..........let's just say, we're packing much lighter these days.;)

[Guest cvbart]

On our first cruise, I pleaded with my husband to bring a dark suit and tie for formal night so we could enjoy the complete "cruise experience". He was reluctant......he dresses in a shirt and tie every day.......however, to please me, he agreed to do the dress up thing for formal night. We looked great, if I do say so myself! Upon arriving at the dining room, we we're seated with 2 nicely dressed women. We were having a nice time, until the table for eight next to us was seated (1/2 hour late). Every one of the adults were dressed in shorts, looking like they just came in from the pool and there were 2 screaming children who did not stop crying the entire time. My husband just kind of gave me this look..........let's just say, we're packing much lighter these days.;)

 

Did it ruin your vacation?

[WMQueenie]

On our first cruise, last September - 5 night to Bermuda on VOS - we brought dress pants and dress shirt for my husband - no tie or jacket, dressy black slacks and fancy blouse for me. We had the late seating so we walked around and looked at everyone having their pictures taken before the first seating. We felt underdressed. Went back to our cabin, changed into shorts and ate in the Windjammer. Excellent meal, by the way! We are going on our 2nd cruise this September - we will bring the same clothes but will add a tie to the husband's wardrobe (there were many men without jackets) - we will scope out the situation and see if the tie is enough to feel make him feel comfortable enough to eat in the dining room, if not, then we eat in the WJ again! On the other nights, he wore dress shorts and nice shirts and did not feel underdressed. :o

[hstrybuf]

Shorts, dress or otherwise, are not to be worn in the dining room except on the first (and possibly last) night of the cruise when people don't yet have their luggage. Of course, if the Maitre D' doesn't stop you, then you'll get away with it.

 

There are other exceptions in the case of people with physical problems (as was noted on a thread recently) or national dress (Bermuda).

[mjyanne]

I've heard you can rent a tux onboard, does anyone know how much it costs.

 

We have done this for my son on several cruises. The cost is $85 and includes everything except socks and shoes (you can purchase socks for $5 and rent shoes (I believe $10 - $15). You can do this on board (no need to preorder) the first night. They deliver it to your room and pick it up The last night (I think).

 

As for changing after dinner, I have done both. Sometimes I just feel like hanging out in the casino in shorts and a polo shirt. Also, if I am in areas where there are a lot of smokers I will also change as I don't want my tux to reek of smoke (especially after first formal night).

 

We have also done cruises where we choose not to wear or bring any formal wear, ate in the windjammer and didn't go to the shows just relaxed. I say to each their own. I don't mind dressing up and getting the formal pictures (we even do our own) but the fact others don't doesn's bother me either (although t-shirts, shorts and ball caps in the dining room is dressing down a bit too much).

[webgal318]

I just returned from a seven day EOS.

 

I love to dress so I was glad to have the opportunity.

 

I saw quite a few men with tuxedo jackets and many with at least a jacket and tie.

 

As for the women, the majority of the ones I noticed looked very nice. Gowns, cocktail dresses. . .

 

Portofinos was OK. . .not worth the cover charge. Our cruise compass suggested smart casual. I wore a dress and husband work a nice shirt and slacks. I thought that was about right and felt comfortable.

 

Have a great cruise.

[mjyanne]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IrishMist

On our first cruise, I pleaded with my husband to bring a dark suit and tie for formal night so we could enjoy the complete "cruise experience". He was reluctant......he dresses in a shirt and tie every day.......however, to please me, he agreed to do the dress up thing for formal night. We looked great, if I do say so myself! Upon arriving at the dining room, we we're seated with 2 nicely dressed women. We were having a nice time, until the table for eight next to us was seated (1/2 hour late). Every one of the adults were dressed in shorts, looking like they just came in from the pool and there were 2 screaming children who did not stop crying the entire time. My husband just kind of gave me this look..........let's just say, we're packing much lighter these days.;)

 

Did it ruin your vacation?{quote}

 

While it may not have ruined their vacation I'll bet it (the screaming kids) ruined that evenings dining enjoyment (I know it has ruined mine on more than one occassion). The fact they were in shorts would not in and of itself ruin my dining experience but certainly isn't appropriate for the dining room (use the windjammer). Also, totally uncool arriving 1/2 hour late (unless it's 2nd seating).