Formal vs. Informal

[cookingsteve]

I am sailing on the Century on July 31, 2004. I am bringing my new tux :) for formal nights, but I am concerned about informal nights. I have read that a dark suit is recommended for informal nights, but that sounds like formal night to me. I do plan on wearing slacks and collared shirts for causal nights. What are your experiences and recommendations for informal night?

[kitty9]

Informal/semi-formal nights on Celebrity are sport coat and shirt and dress slacks. A lot of men chose to wear a tie, but it's not required. You're correct that it's dark suit or tux for the formal nights.

[CaribbeanCruisesRock]

[b][color=red]Informal should be dressed nice still but not in a tux.[/color][/b]

[CEV426]

People confuse "informal" with "casual." On Celebrity, "informal" should be called "semi-formal"......

There is at least one night that they call "informal" ( used to be 3 nights) where people are in suits, sport coats, and dressier outfits for ladies. (Similar to what one may wear to a wedding) There's a fine line between informal and formal. Many of my social dresses can do double duty for informal and formal, and on the other hand.....some of my casual outfits can pass for informal as well.

[pamperedprincess]

I'm helping my husband with his cruise wardrobe. For men, what pants constitute dress pants? My husband has some cotton Dockers type pants, that's what I was planning for him for informal nights (semi-formal). Are those dressy enough, or are we talking real dress pants in a wool blend or gabardine type thing? Men are harder to dress than women, who'd a thunk it?

[Lois R]

Hi, I would say the dockers would be more appropriate for casual evenings:).

[JanetMarie]

[font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=seagreen]My DH likes to wear linen slacks with a long sleeve linen shirt for the casual nights. He has tan linen slacks and a pair of olive green linen slacks. When he pairs them with his shirts, boy, does he look nice! ;)[/color][/size][/font]
[font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=#2e8b57][/color][/size][/font]
[font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=#2e8b57]He used to wear a tux for formal night, but we have found that the ratio has changed over the years. It used to be 80% tux, 20% dark suit, lately we have found that to be inverted! :eek: It seems that 75% of the men fashion a dark suit with 25% still in tux. I'm not sure why this has changed so much...[/color][/size][/font]

[greatam]

My husband must be the complete opposite of most husbands. He lives in Levi's, sweatpants, and shorts. He WILL NOT GO on a cruise where people do not observe the dress code. We have already cancelled two cruises after he read the reviews and examined the dress code. Refuses to go on the OM2, after reading about the people in their shorts, Dockers, etc. He feels if HE can put on the nines, so can everyone else. I am getting rather limited in cruising options. QE2, Seabourne, Crystal, and Silversea seem to be the only options left. Unless I can find a VERY good price on those cruise lines, I guess I will not be cruising.

[jp2001]

[quote name='greatam']My husband must be the complete opposite of most husbands. He lives in Levi's, sweatpants, and shorts. He WILL NOT GO on a cruise where people do not observe the dress code. We have already cancelled two cruises after he read the reviews and examined the dress code. Refuses to go on the OM2, after reading about the people in their shorts, Dockers, etc. He feels if HE can put on the nines, so can everyone else. I am getting rather limited in cruising options. QE2, Seabourne, Crystal, and Silversea seem to be the only options left. Unless I can find a VERY good price on those cruise lines, I guess I will not be cruising.[/QUOTE]
That is so sad, not able to cruise because your husband don't want to look at people who look like he looks in real life...
I prefer when people go for the dress code but I really don't care if they don't. I prefer someones who behaves well and not dressed to the nines than someone wearing a tux and way too drunk (believe me, I've seen that often). I don't think clothes make the person (free translation of an expression we have here. If it does not make sens, don't worry about it, I'm just a poor little french-canadian :) )

[bUU]

Could folks drop some brand names for linen slacks that looks decent. I'm horrified by what I find in the stores I typically am in. If I see another pair of Hagar slacks I think I'll wretch. :-P

[ASM]

Bicker-
Do you have an S&K Men's Store? My DH has some gorgeous cream slacks from there, a silk blend rather than linen, but I know they carry linen suits.

[bUU]

No S&Ks here.

[jjssitters]

[quote name='greatam']My husband must be the complete opposite of most husbands. He lives in Levi's, sweatpants, and shorts. He WILL NOT GO on a cruise where people do not observe the dress code. We have already cancelled two cruises after he read the reviews and examined the dress code. Refuses to go on the OM2, after reading about the people in their shorts, Dockers, etc. He feels if HE can put on the nines, so can everyone else. I am getting rather limited in cruising options. QE2, Seabourne, Crystal, and Silversea seem to be the only options left. Unless I can find a VERY good price on those cruise lines, I guess I will not be cruising.[/QUOTE]


dont give up :) ,last sept.we sailed on celebritiy infinity to hawaii.everybody followed the dress code.the ratio was more tuxs than suits on formal night the women looked gorgeous in thier gowns.on informal night almost all the men wore the jacket and tie some wore the jacket without the tie but it was a higher ratio with the tie.casual nights they wore a collored shirt and slacks.casual nights for the women they had nice pant suits or casual dresses.for the women on informal night they wore dressier dresses and suits.we were very impressed that so many followed the dress code and like your husband we like to dress up.so dont give up.this time we are sailing on princess :confused: for the first time and I will over pack again because I dont know if it is going to be like this on princess.if anyone has sailed both lines I would appreciate some advice :)

[Happy ks]

Has beautiful silk casual slacks for men. DH loves them and they feel sooo good to the touch. A bit pricier than Dockers, but a much better drape and higher quality than a pair of Dockers.

Nordstrom has a mens brand of easy care slacks, lower priced, that we also like. Here is a link [url]http://store.nordstrom.com/product/product.asp?styleid=1362&category=2376777~2374609~2374615~2378146&PrevStyleID=none&NextStyleID=2777227[/url]

The nature of our work is such that we dress casually during the normal course of life. We also enjoy dressing up when on a cruise, but the clothing choices of others around us will not dictate our own experience. It is sad to think this would be a pre-requisite for someones state of mind, I hope you find a venue that is more befitting your wardrobe.

[greatam]

[quote name='jjssitters']dont give up :) this time we are sailing on princess :confused: for the first time and I will over pack again because I dont know if it is going to be like this on princess.if anyone has sailed both lines I would appreciate some advice :)[/QUOTE]

Princess Alaska was the cruise where my husband threw the fit about the dress code. One guy spent the entire evening in the atrium on formal night in his pajamas and robe from home. Another group of about 20 thought T-shirts with Alaska in sequins were formal wear. My husband was one of only 3 gentleman with a dinner jacket on (the captain introduced himself and made the comment). More gentleman in blazers and silk t-shirts than suits or tuxes.

I was generally disgusted with the cruise (Dawn Princess) and NOT just the dress code. Dirty suite (the curtains going to the balcony had make-up all over them-looked like someone wipe their hands on them), burns all over the carpet, room service was a disaster, and Personal Choice dining is the pits. All that being said, we are going to try Princess again, but only because they are the only cruiseline doing a big sweep through Asia in 2005.

We have been on 7 Celebrity cruises and as you stated, the dress code was generally upheld, although there was a general "down grading" of the dress code on our Mexico cruise. But we have run out of Celebrity destinations.

[jjssitters]

wow, anyone else feel this way about princess :( ,we just canceled the infinity to hawaii because of work related problems it wasnt possible to go in sept. :mad: so we booked the 15 day round trip on princess and after the dissappointment of having to cancel one cruise,I would hate to think we are making a bad mistake with princess :confused: .as for celebrity I felt as though the cruisers went out of thier way to look nice and most dressed to the nines.maybe the luxury lines are a better idea for you :)