Formal Night Questions

[d&b cruise]

We are going on a 7 day cruise w/2 formal nights and that 1 is a smart casual do you have to have a suit on the formal nights and a coat for the smart casual or can you get away with dockers?

 

Becki:confused:

[johnql]

For me, formal night means at least a dark suit. Tux or dinner jacket would be great. Smart casual means dress pants, nice shirt and a sports jacket with or without a tie. That said, you could replace the dress pants with Dockers.

[caviargal]

For me, formal night means at least a dark suit. Tux or dinner jacket would be great. Smart casual means dress pants, nice shirt and a sports jacket with or without a tie. That said, you could replace the dress pants with Dockers.

 

Great explanation. My SO packs the same way, though he does not own any Dockers and always opts for dress slacks.

 

There are casual venues on most ships these days (sounds like you are on RCI from the reference to Smart Casual) if you choose not to dress for the dining room on formal nights.

[Keksie]

If you are going on the Rhapsody they do not have any smart casual nights. Only 2 formal nights and 5 casual nights. My husband rented a tux for formal nights so he only had to pack for the casual nights plus the shoes he wore with the tux.

[d&b cruise]

If you are going on the Rhapsody they do not have any smart casual nights. Only 2 formal nights and 5 casual nights. My husband rented a tux for formal nights so he only had to pack for the casual nights plus the shoes he wore with the tux.

 

Yes we are going on the Rhapsody on the formal nights can he get away with wearing dockers and a shirt without a tie or jacket?

Becki

[caviargal]

Yes we are going on the Rhapsody on the formal nights can he get away with wearing dockers and a shirt without a tie or jacket?

 

Becki

 

Dockers with no tie and jacket are not formal by any definition. They are very casual.

 

Can he get away with it? Some head waiters enforce the dress code, some do not. It has been ten years since I cruised on Rhapsody so I cannot speak from recent experience.

 

Again, there are other venues which are designed for those who choose not to dress formally. On Rhapsody, it is the Windjammer.

[gerif]

Yes we are going on the Rhapsody on the formal nights can he get away with wearing dockers and a shirt without a tie or jacket

 

Only if you are planning to dine in the Windjammer or have room service, which is certainly an option. If you are planning to eat in the dining room, he should be in at dark suit and tie. If you were invited to a formal evening wedding, think about what he would wear. Will they refuse him entry to the dining room? Of course, not - BUT, I think you will feel really out of place.

[Keksie]

Yes we are going on the Rhapsody on the formal nights can he get away with wearing dockers and a shirt without a tie or jacket?

Becki

A large percentage of men do dress in either a suit or tux. However, I am sure there will be other men who are in dockers and shirts.

 

The Rhapsody is a wonderful ship and you will have a great time.

[GORDONCHICK]

Yes we are going on the Rhapsody on the formal nights can he get away with wearing dockers and a shirt without a tie or jacket?

 

Becki

 

Please honor the dress code in the dining room. If he doesn't want to wear what that (the dining room) dress code calls for, there are plenty of other options for dinner. It really shouldn't be a contest to see who can get away more with not meeting the dress code. After all, it's not as if the dining room is the only option for dinner. If it were, that would be another story (and another cruise line).

[wraithe]

We are going on a 7 day cruise w/2 formal nights and that 1 is a smart casual do you have to have a suit on the formal nights and a coat for the smart casual or can you get away with dockers?

 

Becki:confused:

 

Yes, he most likely can get away with it. Will he feel out of place, most likely. Imagine sitting at a table for 6, two gents in tuxes, and he's in dockers and a polo shirt. If you and he are okay with that, okay, but most of the people that I've seen going in to the dining room in shirt and tie even, look as though they feel out of place, hands in pockets, looking at the floor instead of people around them and such. Just an observation, JMHO, YMMV. I felt out of place on my first cruise sitting at the table with two gents in tuxes, and me in dark suit and tie, so I bought my tux when I got home from that first cruise.

[Garv816]

How much is a rented tux running for these days? We'll be on Carnival in May. Thanks

[GCurry]

Yes, he most likely can get away with it. Will he feel out of place, most likely. Imagine sitting at a table for 6, two gents in tuxes, and he's in dockers and a polo shirt. If you and he are okay with that, okay, but most of the people that I've seen going in to the dining room in shirt and tie even, look as though they feel out of place, hands in pockets, looking at the floor instead of people around them and such. Just an observation, JMHO, YMMV. I felt out of place on my first cruise sitting at the table with two gents in tuxes, and me in dark suit and tie, so I bought my tux when I got home from that first cruise.

We'll be on the Grand next month, I wear a Tux for formal nights, it will be the only one at our table as the other men will wear suits. The only place I really saw the dress code "pushed" was on Norwegian, where our party was in tuxes seated next to the Clampetts!! We do ballroom and belong to two dance clubs, so I have a lot of formal wear, tux, dinner jacket and a lot of accessories. But, I get to wear them often enough to amortize the expense. A dark suit always works, and at least on Princess, "smart casual" no longer requires a coat, so dockers and a shirt will work the other evenings. Princess and RCCL are about the same, IMHO, when it comes to dress.

[wraithe]

We'll be on the Grand next month, I wear a Tux for formal nights, it will be the only one at our table as the other men will wear suits. The only place I really saw the dress code "pushed" was on Norwegian, where our party was in tuxes seated next to the Clampetts!! We do ballroom and belong to two dance clubs, so I have a lot of formal wear, tux, dinner jacket and a lot of accessories. But, I get to wear them often enough to amortize the expense. A dark suit always works, and at least on Princess, "smart casual" no longer requires a coat, so dockers and a shirt will work the other evenings. Princess and RCCL are about the same, IMHO, when it comes to dress.

 

Interesting Gene, my wife and I ballroom dance as well. We started back in January and have had a wonderful time dancing onboard the Mariner of the Seas and Grandeur of the Seas this year. It's really nice to have people stop you at the pool and compliment your dancing from the night before. I get plenty of opportunity to wear my formal gear as well, not just on cruises, which we are trying to do twice a year. The studio we go to has at least two formal dances a year, as well as numerous informal dance parties.

 

I would agree with you about the dress, overall, it's not "pushed" on RCL, but most of the folks do dress up. On Mariner though, we had 4 men at the table, me in tux, two in nice suits, and one guy from Idaho in jeans, wrinkled shirt and tie. Quite a contrast. Like I told the OP, if you're okay with it, you can most likely get away with it.

[girlbuffalo1]

For the dining room Dockers and a shirt or polo I consider casual. For semi-formal Dress pants ans shirt and tie no jacket or dress pants shirt and tie and sports coat. Formal night my husband wears a dark suit with tie of course.

[GCurry]

For the dining room Dockers and a shirt or polo I consider casual. For semi-formal Dress pants ans shirt and tie no jacket or dress pants shirt and tie and sports coat. Formal night my husband wears a dark suit with tie of course.

That's a pretty good explanation girlbuffalo1, these days, the blazer with no tie can work as well. I'll do that for semi-formal if we will be dancing.

 

Wraithe, do you have any of the Navy formal wear? As long as you served in subs, it looks like you would, and some of the dress uniforms really stand out. An Army Captain returning from Iraq will be with us on our Dec. Cruise, he was posting from there, and asked if his dress blues would be alright for formal night. We will be honored if he wears them.

 

We have a "Hanger Dance" tomorrow night, Veteran's Memorial benefit, with a lot of swing and 1940s music, it should be fun.

[ladycaveat]

How much is a rented tux running for these days? We'll be on Carnival in May. Thanks

 

$85.00 plus $12.00 for the shoes . . .

[wraithe]

Wraithe, do you have any of the Navy formal wear? As long as you served in subs, it looks like you would, and some of the dress uniforms really stand out. An Army Captain returning from Iraq will be with us on our Dec. Cruise, he was posting from there, and asked if his dress blues would be alright for formal night. We will be honored if he wears them.

 

We have a "Hanger Dance" tomorrow night, Veteran's Memorial benefit, with a lot of swing and 1940s music, it should be fun.

 

Yep, I do have that Navy formal wear, and wear it on every cruise. Matter of fact, wore it out to a club last night to celebrate Veteran's Day. They do a hangar dance at Allegheny County airport fairly often, but I missed the last one, as well as the Navy Birthday Ball due to scheduling conflicts with my cruise! Here's a pic of my wife and I on the last cruise. Haven't tried putting pics on here much, hope it works out.

[ladycaveat]

Yep, I do have that Navy formal wear, and wear it on every cruise. Matter of fact, wore it out to a club last night to celebrate Veteran's Day. They do a hangar dance at Allegheny County airport fairly often, but I missed the last one, as well as the Navy Birthday Ball due to scheduling conflicts with my cruise! Here's a pic of my wife and I on the last cruise. Haven't tried putting pics on here much, hope it works out.

 

Wow! What a stricking couple . . . you gotta love a guy in uniform . . . :D My son will be wearing his dress whites on our cruise to the Mexican Riviera in January (he's a Lt. in the Coast Guard and his uniform is almost identical to Navy whites). He'll also wear a tux on our second formal night.

 

By the way . . . I actually know where the Allegheny County airport is (went to Duquesne law school in Pittsburgh) . . . :)

[wraithe]

Wow! What a stricking couple . . . you gotta love a guy in uniform . . . :D My son will be wearing his dress whites on our cruise to the Mexican Riviera in January (he's a Lt. in the Coast Guard and his uniform is almost identical to Navy whites). He'll also wear a tux on our second formal night.

 

By the way . . . I actually know where the Allegheny County airport is (went to Duquesne law school in Pittsburgh) . . . :)

Sort of like this?

 

[ladycaveat]

Sort of like this?

 

 

Yeap . . . I think the only thing that is different between the Navy and Coast Guard is the insigna on the cover or hat or whatever it's called. :)

[wraithe]

Yeap . . . I think the only thing that is different between the Navy and Coast Guard is the insigna on the cover or hat or whatever it's called. :)

 

LOL, cover is correct, for the most part. Enjoy your cruise, may you have fair winds and following seas! Post some pics when you get back.

[ladycaveat]

LOL, cover is correct, for the most part. Enjoy your cruise, may you have fair winds and following seas! Post some pics when you get back.

 

Well thank you Sir and I will definately post some pictures when I get back. By the way, last April when I visited my son at Air Station Miami, they were having a change of command and he had to wear his dress uniform. It was raining outside and as he ran to get the mail before we left his condo, he said, "Hey Mom . . . would you put this on my cover for me?" And with that he handed me this round plastic type thingy and was gone. I didn't know what it was or what in the heck a cover was. That's the only reason I now know what a "cover" is . . . :p

[GCurry]

Great Pictures Wraithe, as a Viet Nam era Marine, I never had "Dress Blues". But, I've got plenty of formal wear these days and enjoy wearing it.

 

My DW and I have been dancing Ballroom for about five years now, and belong to two local Ballroom clubs that meet once a month. There are numerous opportunities to dance in our area.

An interesting thing about cruise dancing is learning to adjust the steps for a small often crowded dance floor.

[wraithe]

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[wraithe]

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