help me understand- formal outfits just for dinner? what else? worth the time/effort?

[CarrieAndBrian]

This is our first cruise.

We're going on a 10 night cruise and there will be a couple of "formal nights."

 

Please share with me WHY I want to take the effort to pack a couple of formal outfits and accessories. If the only purpose is to get dressed up to eat dinner on two occasions, that seems like a big waste of packing space and money. Dinner couldn't last more than an hour or two. (and room service on formal night is looking more and appealing as I try to figure out how to pack all of this stuff in the suitcase...)

 

So, what do y'all do when you get dressed up on the cruise?

 

Thanks for enlightening me

 

:)

Carrie

[Happy ks]

Every night in the dining room is special for us. It is a departure from our normal life and it is great to be pampered. Formal night should really be considered formal evening. Everyone (or almost) is dressed to the nines for formal pictures, a very formal dinner in the dining room, then most stay in their fancy clothing the rest of the evening. It is a tradition of cruising that is unfortunately starting to wane as society is becoming less civilised.

 

You are not required to participate if you choose not to. Room service is fine, there are usually buffets where you can dine more casually. You may or may not feel out of place not being dressed up out and about the ship that night, it really depends on your comfort level. I, personally, feel awkward not dressed up onboard a ship on any evening, the atmosphere is so elegant. I will not, however, judge you in any way if you do not dress in what is the suggested attire of the evening. My pleasure comes from the company of nice people, not from their appearance.

 

It would be a shame for you to miss out on these wonderful evenings just because of your packing space. Why not take one formal outfit apiece just so you can at least experience the tradition one time. I think for many of us who love cruising, it is about the ship board experience as much as it is about the destination you are taken to. If you have to cut anything from your clothing list to make room, leave a couple pair of shorts and a few t-shirts behind. You will be surprised after your first cruise at how much clothing you are able to go without.

 

Have a wonderful first cruise!

[cruisead]

Yes, it is worth the time and effort. How many times do you have the opportunity to really show off and put on your best clothes and have a wonderful, romantic and special night? Like most of us, probably never, unless you take a cruise. Look at it this way---let's say you're putting on a lovely dinner at your home and since you want this evening to be special, you ask your friends to dress up in something more than just slacks and a top. You work very hard all day to make this a special night and you put on very nice clothes. How would you feel if after all your hard work, your guests show up to your house in jeans or everyday clothing? That's exactly what happens on a cruise ship. The crew works very hard to make a cruise a special and memorable event for you. The least you can do is dress up for a few hours in the 10 days you're on the cruise. Plus, depending on which cruise line you're on, you may not be allowed into the dining room if not appropriately dressed. And, some cruise lines ask that you stay dressed in your formal clothes for the entire evening, going so far as to limiting the passengers who chose not to dress to certain areas of the ship.

 

But besides all that, why would you want to miss out on the things you paid for just because you don't want to bother packing formal clothes? No matter what everyone says, going to the buffet on the formal night will not even come close to the experience, or the food, in the dining room. Plus, who wants to miss lobster, prime rib and baked Alaska?

 

And another thing, if you're like a lot of other first time cruisers who feel like you do about packing formalwear, once you're on board the ship and you see everyone dressed to the nines in their fancy clothes, you're going to feel very left out and maybe even a little uncomfortable if you don't bring formal clothes. Quite a few first timers have said they regretted not participating in everything a cruise is designed to be.

[Ellya]

Although dinner is only a couple of hours, our experience was more like this: Be dressed an hour or so prior to dinner. Go to one of the nice bars or lounges to have a beverage of your choice and "people watch". Get your portraits done (you don't have to buy them if you don't want to). Enjoy dinner in the dining room (the fanciest menus are offered on these nights). After dinner, go to the show and/or dancing. So, we stayed "dressed up" for more like 5 hours each evening.

[Lois R]

:) Hi, I agree with the above posters...for me anyway, It is worth the time and effort. I don't have the chance to get all dressed up here at home...and I love being able to do that on the ship!

The entire formal night is a wonderful experience...and I am glad for the opportunity:D and I stay dressed up for the whole evening too!

[jeanbean]

My DH bought a tux for our wedding and the formal nights on cruise ships are really his only opportunity to wear it. We rarely go to really fancy things at home (and especially not now since we have a child) so it is sort of a special treat for us.

[98Charlie]

There are probably as many reasons to go formal as there are passengers who do. If you search through posts here and on the old boards you'll find most of them. Here are some:

• It's romantic
  
• Formal photo ops (no obligation to buy)
  
• The fantasy (think Bond, James Bond)
  
• It's the only time some have the opportunity to really dress.
  
• The opportunity to wear the outfit you bought for a wedding that you thought was a waste of money because you will never wear it again (and you really didn't want to go to her wedding anyway)
  

 

Some of the above may be from our list and some not. Most lines will say nothing if hubby has a tie and jacket and DW is appropriatly attired. The absolute best photo we have ever had taken was from a formal night. (Along with a whole bunch of "OMG that's awful" photos that we didn't buy.)

[CarrieAndBrian]

Thanks for sharing your views on this!

 

We're traveling for our wedding, and then the cruise departs the week after the wedding-

We are having to pack a lot of things for the wedding in our luggage on the airplane from Detroit to Orlando (wedding things including my big wedding gown and accessories, cruise things, our clothing, etc)...

...so with relation to packing, I'm meaning more about our limited space for the entire vacation time (month of October), not just the cruise. We can only take 2 pcs of luggage each on the plane, so we've got limited space to deal with...

 

I think we'll bring one formal outfit each, and see how it goes. Generally speaking we're the khaki pants & a polo top kind of people, sort of mid-way on the formality scale.

 

Interesting some of the comments that were shared. I am hoping now that I've explained things a bit further, that some of the previous posters can empathize a bit better--

 

I guess some folks almost seemed "offended" that I would dare to consider not packing a formal outfit. But, lets face it, if I have to pack a wedding gown AND clothing AND wedding-related necessities, a sparkly evening gown isn't taking top priority here. Especially with just having a formal event (wedding and reception) the week prior to the cruise.

 

I was looking for comments closer to what "Ellya" had to say--- to clue me in more to WHAT you do in your outfits, so that I could make a judgement call as to if this was a priority need or not, in my packing.

 

Thanks for the input!

 

Carrie

[ASM]

Carrie, some cruiselines are dressier than others and 10 day or longer cruises are often dressier as well. I mention this in case your comfort level will be affected by what those around you are wearing. On these dressier cruises people tend to follow the ship's guidelines and remain dressed after dinner in all public areas. That would mean from about 6 to midnight at least. It would include not just the dining room but the bars, nightclubs, casino, shows, etc. -not the Lido or pool deck. Some people will change even on the dressier ships but most probably won't. Formal, however doesn't have to mean sparkly gowns. Perhaps you have a long simple evening dress that packs well? Your hubby can wear a dark suit or rent a tux from ship servives. Just ideas. I can imagine suitcase space is at a premium. I also think I should mention your khakis & polos comment. On most ships that is perfect for your DH's casual night wear and, with a jacket, could work in some cases for informal. For you, it works well for daytime but is probably underdressed for the dining room and various after dinner activities even on casual nights. You probably already know this but I thought I'd better mention it just in case. I assume you wouldn't be asking questions here if you didn't care about blending in with the other passengers. Anyway, have fun and happy wedding day!

[Zeno]

Personally I hate getting REALLY dressed up on vacation. (I don't mind putting on a sundress or nice slacks or a skirt but you can't be bothered with the nylons and cocktail dress routine). This is one reason why our last cruise was on NCL where formal nights are optional (All they require is no jeans or shorts in the dining rooms after 5:30PM - I can handle that.) Now some people really love getting dressed up and that's just fine - I just don't like doing it.

[mcboo]

Carrie,

A great solution to your problem would be to ship your clothes ahead of time to your hotel. I would not ship the wedding dress or fiance's tux. When your land portion of your honeymoon is over ship the clothes you will not need for the cruise home to a friend or neighbors address.

Just a thought.

[CarrieAndBrian]

THANK YOU so very much for all of the helpful advice that you guys have been sharing. I appreciate your time in helping me to prepare for my cruise!!

 

I STILL am fashion-etiquette challenged, however, on packing for this cruise and have STILL more questions.

 

We're doing a 10 night cruise on Princess Sun to the Caribbean in October.

 

I'm needing help to understand what "classifications" (formal, semi-formal, semi/business casual, casual) occur, and when.........and what the classifications really mean in terms of clothing choices.

 

With the exclusion of the formal nights,

What do you wear to breakfast? lunch? dinner?

 

What do you wear when at a port?

 

What do you wear when hanging out on the ship?

 

(other events...insert event of your choice that I am leaving out..)

 

My personal style involves a lot of

*twill capri pants (the kind that are more form fitting, not the kind that look like baggy pants cut at the knee)

*knee length combed-cotton patterned shirts and coordinating solid color tops.

*longer jersey knit skirt with a dressy tank-top.

*black cotton pull-on pants (not sweats, more like dressy yoga pants) with solid color cotton blend v-neck t's.

I wear a lot of black leather slide-shoes (halfway bewteen dressy and casual) with about a 1/2" platform to them.

I own a few knee length crepe dresses in solid colors that I wear to weddings. I have a couple of black dresses, knee and ankle length, in crepe/ similar dressy fabric.

 

My fiance's style is a bit more casual. He wears

*kahki or olive twill cargo shorts and polo tops to work most

*khaki Dockers with a polo for dressy work days

*dark suit with shirt/tie/dress shoes for all other formal occasions.

He wears sneakers a lot, and sometimes sandals (leather Teva-styled ones). I have no clue as to guy shoe protocol.

 

Basically, tell me when these kinds of clothes are OK, and when they need to be spruced up. And what exactly spruced up means.

 

Help!

 

:)

Carrie

[CarrieAndBrian]

typo:

knee length combed-cotton patterned SKIRTS, not shirts.

[lighthouse1492]

No need to pack formal clothes. The only reason they have these nights is to gouge you to death on wildly overpriced photos. All you need is shirt with collar and pants or dress.

[lighthouse1492]

none of this stuff really means anything. I have seen virtually everything worn at every occasion. No one really cares. Just dress the way you like and pack about half of what you think you need. Seriously.

[bUU]

This is our first cruise.

Please share with me WHY I want to take the effort to pack a couple of formal outfits and accessories.

Each of these reasons will be applicable only to the extent that they match your own personal priorities:

1. Because you wish to fit in with others.
   
2. Because you like the way it feels to wear XXX clothing.
   
3. Because you prefer to comply with cruise line suggestions.
   

For me, #1 is meaningless, but both #2 and #3 have some impact on me.

[Happy ks]

I'm assuming your cruise is a warm weather cruise.

 

Day time is very casual, shorts and tees in ports, bathing suits and coverups on sea days. You can't wear your bathing suit into the dining room for lunch, but if you cover it up, no one will notice. Or, if you prefer not to get dressed up you can eat at the buffet, no dress code (other than shoes) there. You are allowed to wear shorts into the dining room for breakfast and lunch.

 

Here is my take on evening wear:

 

Casual - what you might wear to meet friends for dinner at a nice restaurant.

 

Informal (semi formal) - what you might wear as a wedding guest to a nice wedding.

 

Formal - Gown or cocktail dress, dark suit and tie, or tux for men.

 

There is no reason why you cannot wear the same article of clothing twice. Many women take one black skirt or dressy pants and sparkly tops for formal night. Men can use the same suit for both formal nights, my husband just changes ties. I think many people overplan their day wear, more so than evening wear. Your most comfortable shoes are the one thing you should not be without, the fiance's Tevas or sneakers are perfect.

 

I'm all for packing light and taking advantage of the laundry service onboard.

[98Charlie]

Carrie

 

We have always been able to pack for a week or two and stay within the airline guides. Your situation is very different from most with the amount of clothing that you have to take.

 

Have you checked with the airline to see if you can take an extra suitcase and what the charge might be?

[trish1c]

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding.

 

I too was going to suggest that you mail stuff to yourself & then back home again, after the wedding to a friend's house. If that doesn't work, ask your boss if you can mail it to work & just have somebody put in on your desk 'til you get back.

 

For people who have never cruised & say they want to opt out of formal night, I always suggest bringing something just in case you change your mind. You can always stick to your original plan & skip it but if you don't have an outfit with you, it's going to be very hard (& expensive) to pull one together on the cruise. However, men can rent a tux. Some lines also rent women's formals. Check the Princess board for more info about this. If these options are possible, it will reduce the space.

 

Day time clothes are easy -- casual all the way. Bring 2-3 bathing suits b/c they can be hard to dry on ship. If you have a balcony you may want to consider a handful of clothes pins. For a 7 day cruise SO & I usually only bring 2-3 pairs of shorts & 4-5 mix & match tops. We prefer water based activities so we're mainly in swim suits & just need something to throw on. For the same drying reasons, I also bring 2 cover-ups.

 

The outfits you described when explaining your "personal" style will be just fine for both you & soon to be DH.

 

The closest thing to hard & fast rules are no shorts or jeans in the dining room, ever, and if you are not dressed for formal dinner, please eat somewhere other than the dining room. Princess is probably dressier (from what I've read / heard) but neither Mr. Blackwell & his infamous list nor Joan Rivers will be following you around critiquing your every outfit.

[mhquinn]

Hi I am a new cruiser as well. My husband was wondering if as a rule people pack rain coats, umbrellas or anything else for cold or rainey weather. We are sailing on the 7th of August on Navigator.

 

Another question. I can't seem to find any information for meet and mingle for this cruise. I've registered and they show that I have but I can't find the actually roll call board or any postings related to people talking prior to the cruise. Any advise would be helpful.

 

 

Thanks,

mhq

[ASM]

Carrie, HappyKs advice sounds exactly right to me. Your clothes sound fine and you'll need less than you think. I always overpack.I would also remind you to think about your port excursions. If they're all casual, shorts are fine. Some churches and other historic type buildings might require a skirt. Depends on where you're going. Have fun. Don't stress too much about your wedding or your cruise. Just enjoy!

[98Charlie]

mhquinn

 

We generally pack a small folding umbrella and our lightweight windbreaker/rain jacket.

 

To find the roll call boards you can look at the bottom of this page for the Forum Jump. Click on the down arrow and scroll to ROLL CALLS - Royal Caribbean "Meet & Mingle" . Once you click on this you will be directed to the Royal Caribbean Roll Calls board. You can scroll through or use the search function to look for your ship.

[mhquinn]

Thank you 98Charlie...as you know here in the Northeast we've been getting alot of rain. We are going to be in Miami for 3 days prior to our cruise and everyone tells me that August is the rainey season there too. I will do what you suggest do but I sure hope I won't need it much on the cruise.

 

Have you ever been to the Caribbean in August?

[98Charlie]

We have never cruised in August as we tend to cruise in the off season.

 

On board ship, if the weather is bad, you can go anywhere on the ship without going outside.

 

Have a great cruise.

[Happy ks]

It is far too humid to have on an extra layer. We use the umbrella for protection from the sun at times also.