Tuxedo or dark suit

[scott in maine]

In my experience, it very much depends on the sailing and itinerary. A shorter cruise involving resort locations will always be more informal. On those sailings on X, I'd put it about 50/50. Those sailings are also always less expensive.

 

On the much longer sailings, say a Med cruise, I'd estimate it at closer to 80/20 (with the 80% being tuxes). Of course, these sailings appeal, to some extent, to different consumers. Nothing wrong with either way.

[sealover155]

Since I am female, and my husband enjoys wearing his tux, could someone kindly explain why it is so much trouble to put on a tux? My husband takes his tux and one sportcoat, which he usually wears on the plane and to board the ship. To put on the tux requires the same number of items as a dark suit with tie, except perhaps the jewelry (studs and cuff links). If you have a pre-tied bow tie, that will take less time than a standard tie. So, I just don't understand why there is so much resistance to the tux, except cost which is minimal to my way of thinking.

 

Also, I've never met a woman who doesn't swoon at a nicely groomed man in a tux. So, guys, there may be a side benefit, to be enjoyed later on in the evening, not yet addressed.

[gillianrose]

On our cruise it was about 50-50.

 

I am skeptical. That seems extremely high to me.

[Luxuriate]

Since I am female, and my husband enjoys wearing his tux, could someone kindly explain why it is so much trouble to put on a tux? My husband takes his tux and one sportcoat, which he usually wears on the plane and to board the ship. To put on the tux requires the same number of items as a dark suit with tie, except perhaps the jewelry (studs and cuff links). If you have a pre-tied bow tie, that will take less time than a standard tie. So, I just don't understand why there is so much resistance to the tux, except cost which is minimal to my way of thinking.

 

Also, I've never met a woman who doesn't swoon at a nicely groomed man in a tux. So, guys, there may be a side benefit, to be enjoyed later on in the evening, not yet addressed.

 

I don't get it either. I have said many times that my husband's tux was very inexpensive (purchased at Penney's for $150 seven years ago). I just don't see why it is such a big deal to wear a bow tie!

[Pontius Navigator]

my husband's tux was very inexpensive (purchased at Penney's for $150 seven years ago). I just don't see why it is such a big deal to wear a bow tie!

 

Mmm, $22 per year. And your dress Mam?

 

I don't understand the reluctance to wear or buy a Tux. My first cost the enormous sum of about $60. It worked out at about $1.50 per year. It was made to measure in Barathea. I retired it a few years ago not because it had aged but because it had become increasingly difficult to slip into an 18 year olds suit. It was also rather warm for today's climate and central heating.

 

I bought my present suit cloth from a Kurdish tailor in Regents Street for about $400 and my tailor knocked it up for another $450. Its present cost is about $125/year. It is made of 5 oz 150 Superfine and is as light as you can get.

 

Two years ago I bought a ready to wear white jacket - $180 or $90/year - but I feel far more comfortable in the tailored jacket which is also far lighter.

 

The point I am making is that a Gents Tux is far cheaper, function for function, than any ladies dress. Final point Gents, how many dresses are lying on your side of the bed when you go out?

[shipshape sam]

I am skeptical. That seems extremely high to me.

 

On the two Celebrity cruises I have been on it was more like 80 / 20.

 

 

It is as much trouble to bring a dark suit as a tux. And as others have mention, the ladies seem to like the tux and the 'aire' of the being dressed to the T's for an evening of dinner, pictures, drinks, and who knows....;)

[twosit]

My husband loves to dress up and, almost always, prefers to be on the overdressed side, rather than the underdressed.

However, he has never worn a tux on a cruise. It has been our experience that considerably less than 50% of the men wear tuxes. We have discussed purchasing a tux- but his size tends to go up and down regularly.

FYI--this is the dress code..while I acknowledge that formal on dryland means tux, this is not what it says on the website.

"For the formal nights, including the Captain's Welcome Aboard Cocktail Party, dinner on the second night, and the Captain's Farewell Dinner held the next-to-last night of the cruise; both men and women may prefer more dressy attire, such as an evening gown for women and a tuxedo or dress suit for men."

Hope you have a great time!

[Pontius Navigator]

twosit,

 

It all depends on the meaning of dress suit.

 

In UK I would wear a DJ (Dinner Jacket - informal wear) which is the same as a Tux. A dress suit on the other hand might be white tie and tails (formal wear) and it might also be a white, blue or red undress with medals as appropriate.

 

What you are suggesting by dress suit may be what in UK is called a lounge suit.

 

All in a word!

[shipshape sam]

I don't think anyone is suggesting that a dark suit is improper. I think the discussion is preference and why.:)

[raymac46]

I wore a dark suit on both a Baltics and Bermuda cruise with no problems. However I'm going to rent formalwear for my upcoming Med cruise.

I just got tired of schlepping the suit, especially when the airlines are restricting the weight of baggage you can bring on board.

[dam1050]

I'd say for him to wear whatever he feels more comfortable in, whether it be tux or dark suit. Either is just fine. I have found however that Celebrity tends to have more men wearing tuxes than Princess, HAL or RCI. Rather than packing one along he can also rent from http://www.cruiselineformal.com/prod_ccl_m.html which is good service and it will be waiting in your stateroom upon arrival. Enjoy!

Dave

[DeepWaterMariner]

The only 7 day cruise I've been on that had a high percentage of tux wearers was over New Year's Eve and that was on NCL. Otherwise it has been my experience that tux wearers make up far fewer than 50% of the male passengers on a week cruise on mainstream cruise lines, including Celebrity. I recently (in the past year) stopped bringing my tux on cruises of 7 days and now only bring it along for longer trips. Taking three or four cruises a year, generally longer than a week, has worn me out on formal dress. A suit isn't a problem, I wore those every day at work for over 30 years. I cut corners in pursuit of comfort whenever I can these days.

[rannoch]

The formal night require a lounge suit or tux, and the informal require jacket and trousers.

 

Due to the severely restricted baggage allowance, inonsistant standards between airlines, and ripoff excess baggage charges within Europe, I can't/won't take a tux. My solution will be to take a dark lounge suit which I will wear at both formal and informal nights.

 

Regretable, but practicality rules.

 

Rannoch

[Toyboats]

I have not sailed on a Celebrity ship previously, but I just completed a 24 day HAL cruise of Norway and the Baltics. During the cruise there were 6 "formal" nights. Since I don't enjoy hauling a lot of luggage with clothes around airports and trains, etc., I put a post on the HAL board and got a range of comments. After due consideration, I elected to take a navy blue blazer with white and khaki slacks (grey slacks would also have worked). I did not feel out of place with that style of dress. I will be taking a Celebrity Caribbean cruise in February and plan to take the same clothes. This may upset a few traditionalists, but we're cruising to enjoy the ports and warm Caribbean weather, not to dress up. Just my opinion.

 

Chuck

[Pontius Navigator]

Know what you mean about baggage allowances. We almost came a cropper as we had one suitcase that was right on the single case limit of about 38 kg.

 

Our entry into the USA was also a nightmare which is why we look for home port cruises. Take what we like in what we like and not worry too much about tactical packing - packing so that you have at least half a wardrobe when one case goes missing!

[gillianrose]

On the two Celebrity cruises I have been on it was more like 80 / 20.

 

 

It is as much trouble to bring a dark suit as a tux. And as others have mention, the ladies seem to like the tux and the 'aire' of the being dressed to the T's for an evening of dinner, pictures, drinks, and who knows....;)

 

 

The 80-20 sounds about right for Celebrity, but in the reverse, for 7-day cruises. I am not a newcomer to Celebrity.

 

A dark suit includes a dark pair of pants which can be worn for informal as well, plus at shoreside restaurants and for the theater, also. If a man wears his tux to most shoreside restaurants he will surely be stared at.

 

My husband's suits are more expensive, more current, much more stylish than the ghastly cheap tuxedos many have mentioned in this thread.

[Mark_from_Plano]

I've never worn a tux on any of my cruises so far, & don't plan to in the future. I'm never fond of them. Dark suits on formal nights for me.

 

I am your polar opposite. For my upcoming 10-day NYE cruise I'll have three dinner jackets (black, as well as a white dinner jacket and a tartan plaid dinner jacket). That is in addition to a couple of suits and sport jackets. Yes, it's a lot to pack, but so what? I can still get it all in under the weight limit and it's not like I'm hiking to Florida with the suitcase on my back. That's what porters are for! :D

 

Since I am female, and my husband enjoys wearing his tux, could someone kindly explain why it is so much trouble to put on a tux?

It cannot be explained except for the fact that dinner jackets fell so much out of favor that:

(1) Few people owned one anymore and,

(2) Everyone began wearing ill-fitting rental garments that look bad and don't fit and it gave the suits a bad name for being uncomfortable. My tuxedo is one of the most comfortable pieces of clothing I own. But It's not one of the shiny, wear-like-armor models that the rental companies put out.

 

None of these things apply if you buy a nice (not necessarily expensive) dinner suit.

 

If you have a pre-tied bow tie, that will take less time than a standard tie.

Bite your tongue. Pre-tied bow ties are not allowed. A bow tie is no more complicated that tying your shoes. If you need help, look here: http://www.cravateroyale.com/bow_tie_instructions.php

 

People think it has to look perfect. In the case of a bow tie, perfect is bad. A bow tie should be slightly askew. A slighly askew bow tie is, in fact, perfectly tied. So stop worrying about it.

 

Also, I've never met a woman who doesn't swoon at a nicely groomed man in a tux. So, guys, there may be a side benefit, to be enjoyed later on in the evening, not yet addressed.

 

I am constantly amazed at women who look great and are dressed to the nines and put up with slugs who look like they couldn't be bothered. If there were benefits (or consequences) perhaps these guys would try harder.

 

I don't get it either. I have said many times that my husband's tux was very inexpensive (purchased at Penney's for $150 seven years ago). I just don't see why it is such a big deal to wear a bow tie!

Amen sister.

[sealover155]

I certainly wasn't endorsing pre-tied bow ties! My husband would never consider stooping that low. I was just trying to come up with a reason for why men might object to donning the tux and thought that the time factor might enter into it.

 

As a rule, women devote a fair amount of time coordinating outfits with accessories and shoes for formal or informal nights. I still don't understand why many men can't give others the courtesy of continuing the lovely tradition of dressing up a couple of times on a cruise. The excuse of "comfort at any cost" translates a laziness and inconsideration to me.

[shipshape sam]

The 80-20 sounds about right for Celebrity, but in the reverse, for 7-day cruises. I am not a newcomer to Celebrity.

 

A dark suit includes a dark pair of pants which can be worn for informal as well, plus at shoreside restaurants and for the theater, also. If a man wears his tux to most shoreside restaurants he will surely be stared at.

 

My husband's suits are more expensive, more current, much more stylish than the ghastly cheap tuxedos many have mentioned in this thread.

 

Never been on a 7 day Celebrity cruise.

[DaveFr]

Folks,

 

Isn't it difficult enough to get some men to follow the dress code on formal nights without some posters implying that any man wearing a dark suit instead of a tuxedo is not really dressed appropriately and is a slug? :(

[gillianrose]

People think it has to look perfect. In the case of a bow tie, perfect is bad. A bow tie should be slightly askew. A slighly askew bow tie is, in fact, perfectly tied.

 

I just found in Google...

 

"In the passport photo he is a balding figure with round spectacles, his bow tie slightly askew, his expression sober, tinged with a trace of ..."

 

 

Is that what you mean?

[pna]

Thank you to all who joined into this lively discussion. Hubby wore tux on Princess so will definitely want to on Celebrity I think, after reading all of your replies. We may rent on board this time to lighten the luggage. As some of you stated.......weight limits on luggage have changed since we last cruised. If people dress up more on Celebrity, I can hardly wait! Thanks again!

[Mark_from_Plano]

I just found in Google...

 

"In the passport photo he is a balding figure with round spectacles, his bow tie slightly askew, his expression sober, tinged with a trace of ..."

 

 

Is that what you mean?

 

Just because Adolph Eichmann wore his bow tie properly tied doesn't mean it's the wrong way to do it any more than the fact that Tom Cruise wearing a four-in-hand tie with his tuxedo means its the right way to do it.

[grandsix]

Follow the suggested dress code of the cruise line and you can not go wrong.

[Shipyard Cruiser]

Folks,

 

Isn't it difficult enough to get some men to follow the dress code on formal nights without some posters implying that any man wearing a dark suit instead of a tuxedo is not really dressed appropriately and is a slug? :(

 

As I have not sailed Celebrity before I wonder how the over 99% of cruises who don't post to Cruise Critic dress for dinner.

 

People seem to be better dressed on the boards then when you get on the ship if you know what I mean:)