? about skipping formal night

[pudy68]

We are skipping formal nights in the dining room this cruise. My DH is concerned that this will mean he won't be able to get lobster. Can anyone confirm if that is a formal night menu offering? I personally hate seafood, but I would hate for him to be disappointed. I'm assuming we could always order room service because they offer the same dinner as whatever is happening in the dining room, right? I guess I'm concerned that we either have to do formal night, or risk getting a cold meal from room service. Is there any other option?

 

Thanks!

[hoogie]

I've heard you could do this also, but we missed italian night on AOS a couple of weeks ago and called to see if we could order what was on the dinner menu that night. We actually go a stern no you cannot do that but there was a hint of a possibility that maybe you could but they couldn't do it for us. We called back, got someone else and was told no, only what was on the room service menu.

[HB Cruiser]

I have read on this board, not found out personally, that if you call room service during the dinning room hours that you can get what is offered in the dining roo. Again, I cannot guarantee this but this is what I have read.

 

Tim

[LindaO]

we no longer go formal (unless we are invited to an Officer's or Captain's table)... and then my husband will wear a suit. But... we do go to the dining room dressed nice (no tie for hubby) on formal night... and he get's his lobster. Now I know I'll get slammed for this... but that's what we do... Or... you can always eat in the Windjammer.... But my suggestion... dress in nicer casual clothes (ie: Florida Formal) and go to the dining room... and eat what you want... The dress is suggested and not required...

[pudy68]

I don't suppose the Windjammer will be carrying the lobster, will they? I really don't want to schlep around a garment bag, heels, etc...

[critterchick]

I think formal night is one instance where we women have it easier than the men. You don't need full-out formal wear - a sparkly sweater paired with a long black skirt or slack with FLAT SHOES will work just fine. No need for a garment bag, heels or other instruments of torture.

 

For your DH, it all depends on whether he cares that a few people may whisper behind his back or give him a dirty look for not dressing up. We had some total slobs at the table next to us on formal night. It did not detract from our enjoyment of the lobster at all. I'm sure that if anybody was whispering about them, they didn't care. If your DH wants the lobster, he can either suck it up & wear a tie or not wear a tie & know that some people are being catty about it. But I don't think he'll be banned from the dining room.

 

My personal preference is to dress up on formal night (but not to pack a lot of extras to do it). DH owns a tux, so this gives him an opportunity to wear it (and haul the shoes, which could be tenders:D ). But if my tablemates choose not to, that's their business. I just wouldn't take a table picture that night.

 

Pass the extra helpings!

[pudy68]

I'm thinking that DH can rent something to wear on the cruise, right? I can eat in the Windjammer and he can pig out in the DR. Do you have to reserve the suit very early into the cruise, or before cruising, or can you walk in and just grab something off the rack, so to speak? I doubt he'll want to do the tux routine, but can he throw on a sports jacket, shirt & tie, w/Dockers? Do they have just jackets available??

[Cruisin' Patty]

My husband always wears a suit on formal nights, and he's always in the majority. Not many tux's. And some that are in everyday wear. It doesn't bother me what they wear.

[alexeliz]

I was recently on the Explorer of the Seas. We went to the first formal evening, but weren't up to the second later on in the week. I was dissapointed after to find out they had lobster for dinner (I had salad)

[wallie5446]

To start out I am one of the Tux wear'ers:D . That said, IMHO, if you wear nice slacks and a Tommy Bahamma type collared shirt, go to the DR and eat lobster.

[dad son team]

The only clothing they rent on the ship is a tux. You can make arrangements the first day.

 

The other option you might try, is to make an arrangement with your waiter ahead of time. Since Lobster is usually the second formal night, you can schmooze him ahead of time. Ask him the night before to put a lobster aside with a lid on it, and have hubby pick it up(at about your normal dinner time) and meet you in the windjammer. Don't know if it will work, but it's worth a try.

[bwaveriders]

The last cruise RC cruise i went on lobster was not on a forma; night.

Also i was always under the impression that any night you can have what was at the dining room that night sent to your room for room service (i only had this done with deserts).

 

Catie

[MadCnty]

On our Alaskan Serenade cruise the lobster was not served on a formal night, and that evening we were cruising the Misty Fjords. So I skipped dinner to be able to take pictures (as we had early seating), but DW and DD went to the dinning room to eat and brought me back the lobster and some prime rib too. So the just is we got great pictures and a great dinner too...:D

[jnwilson]

We were on the Serenade this past March and lobster night was the second formal night. We had second seating but were so tired from all of the fun we had that day. I tried to order room service and was very quickly informed that if we wanted lobster we would have to go to the dining room. I quickly just threw on some black pants and a dressy blouse with a nice necklace and called it good. I had been sunburned and also windburned that day so my face resembled my lobster! Anyway the meal was good and I noticed that most people around us were not as dressed up as they were for the first formal night.

The goal is to enjoy - relax and have the time of your life!

[aqusis]

We were on the Mariner last month and lobster was not served on either formal night. Formal nights were Monday and Thursday and lobster was Friday.

[pudy68]

Aqusis, that's very good news to hear! Thanks for sharing, everyone.

[slyster]

Last year on the Explorer, we did not attend either formal night. There is a menu in your cabin. We ordered room service and got the lobster and prime rib since it was on the dinner menu. We did this two years in a row. It is only available during dining room hours.

 

Unless something has changed, it should be available for room service.

[tinker]

My experience has been that lobster is usually served on the second formal night and people tend not to be AS dressy on the second one.

We are just off the Empress and hubby also wanted the lobster, but didn't want to wear his suit again and I said go for it and he wore nice brown slacks

and a rayon Tommy Bahama type shirt in muted print and I also dressed down a bit in black slacks and a summery weight big shirt with mandarin collar.

He was probably one of two men in the dining room without a jacket (saw lots of jackets with no ties on that second formal night) but we were comfortable and looked nice and did not feel out of place eating our favorite seafood.

(Actually we only chose to eat in the dining room three times that week and the Windjammer was excellant as was the service.)

[YvonneSR]

We make a point of not eating dinner in our cabin. I think it's because since our kids have been around (7 years now), I look forward to going out to a restaurant & being served dinner instead of standing next to my kitchen counter & eating a bite here & there.

 

Eating in our cabin would just remind me of eating at home.

 

DH wears a suit on both formal nights. I wear either a dress or a pantsuit that I wouldn't consider 'formal'. However, I dress up my outfits with jewelry & accessories.

 

That being said, I don't really pay attention to what others wear on formal nights. Sometimes I'll notice a really beautiful outfit on a woman, and think, "Wow, I wish I could pull that off." But I don't waste a minute of my vacation time worrying about what others should or should not be wearing.

 

The only time I've been aggravated in the dining room is when we were sitting close to a table of 10 and everyone sitting at that table was drunk, talking loudly & obnoxiously, being rude to the wait staff and shouting comments at other tables. And those people were dressed formally!!

 

Yvonne

[cruislovin]

We were on the Mariner last month and lobster was not served on either formal night. Formal nights were Monday and Thursday and lobster was Friday.

Perhaps it varies from cruise to cruise - we were on the Mariner Eastern itinerary in August and lobster was available only in the DR on the 2nd formal night. Which itinerary were you on?

[critterchick]

Come to think of it, on our Radiance cruise, lobster wasn't on formal night, either. They will be able to tell you in the dining room on the first day which night is lobster night, by the way.

[pudy68]

If I wait until I'm on board, then my DH may have lugged around dressy clothes for nothing. We're trying to pack light and avoid bringing anything unnecessary.

[aqusis]

Perhaps it varies from cruise to cruise - we were on the Mariner Eastern itinerary in August and lobster was available only in the DR on the 2nd formal night. Which itinerary were you on?

 

We were on the western Sept 12-19. 2nd formal night was Thur which was originally Grand Cayman but turned into a day at sea. Lobster was Friday night which was strange because we were in Cozumel until 7:00-combined with the late departure and Carlos and Charlies, lots of folks missed early seating dinner.

[wallie5446]

If I wait until I'm on board, then my DH may have lugged around dressy clothes for nothing. We're trying to pack light and avoid bringing anything unnecessary.

wallie5446To start out I am one of the Tux wear'ers:D . That said, IMHO, if you wear nice slacks and a Tommy Bahamma type collared shirt, go to the DR and eat lobster.

 

Exactely !