How formal is formal night ?

[Ohunion Cruzers]

With the economy today as it is, buying a suit or formal dress, if you don't own one, may be the last of your priorites. What you wear should never be a reason to not experience life, as long as you are not being disrespectful to the people around you.

 

But buying a cruise should be at the top of the list?

 

I have always wondered why people think they can afford a cruise, when they can't even afford the proper garments. Yet, they always seem to be able to afford an expensive camera, snorkle gear, booze, and all the other items that they "just can't live without, on a cruise".

[Shipyard Cruiser]

They already do... If you do not know how to dress for formal night, RCI provides alternate dining options. Examples include: Johnny Rockets & Windjammer.

 

Did you ever think they know how to but just don't care to?

 

Again, if formal night is loved by so many, why do so many just skip it?

 

Other mass market lines (Carnival, NCL) have, for the most part done away with it.

 

And there will always be cruise lines where the dress code/formal night lover can go.

 

For example, Celebrity has a whole bunch of dress codes, and even formal teas in the afternoon. Many more formal events then RCI.

 

But for so many folks vacation means formal nights, the most beloved part of cruising if what I read here is correct:D

[Shipyard Cruiser]

I have always wondered why people think they can afford a cruise, when they can't even afford the proper garments. Yet, they always seem to be able to afford an expensive camera, snorkle gear, booze, and all the other items that they "just can't live without, on a cruise".

 

What people can afford is none of your business.

 

Always love the types who think they can tell you where you can eat and what you can afford.

 

If you just wear your formal uniform from the website and MYOB you will have a wonderful cruise.

 

And so will the rest of us.:)

[tip]

Those cruisers who do want the formal experience are impacted by your decision to ignore the dress guidelines.

 

I have never been "impacted" by what other people are or are not wearing.

 

I take that back. I went into a lounge once where ladies were on the stage dancing in a state of undress. I was impacted by that!;)

[Beckyfaye-2008]

Now I know why I stick to P&O, 99.9% of their passengers adhere to the dress code and on Formal nights 90% of men wear a tux, on Black & White formal night 30% of men who wear a Tux, wear a white tux jacket. Most of the men also wear Black Patent shoes to go with the tux. Dinner becomes a special occasion and not like a night down at Mc Donalds.:rolleyes:

[wallaby]

um, if you wear brown shoes with a black suit you still have big problems :eek:

 

Yep. Even the USN Brown Shoes switch to black patent leather when going formal.

 

Never seen an empty table on a formal night but also never had a dinner companion that was not dressed 'smartly'.

 

The conversation and companionship is what is most important.

 

Regardless, I will always abide by the 'dress code' - I don't see it as 'desirable' but rather 'required'. If you should be at my table in a t-shirt I would be extremely annoyed. If the best you could manage is a collared shirt - I could live with that.

[carhirer]

I love this forum!

 

It's like sitting at a cafe watching the world go by, backwards and forwards. And forwards and backwards. And on and on .....etc etc

:cool:

[rcacace]

I love this forum!

 

It's like sitting at a cafe watching the world go by, backwards and forwards. And forwards and backwards. And on and on .....etc etc

:cool:

 

But it does make some interesting reading to get others viewpoints. :p

[Shipyard Cruiser]

I love this forum!

 

It's like sitting at a cafe watching the world go by, backwards and forwards. And forwards and backwards. And on and on .....etc etc

:cool:

 

This and most of the other threads out here really are for entertainment use only.

The formal night thread has been go on for years now and it's mostly the same old stuff over and over.

But it can be a really good time killer while at work.:D

BTW I have attended formal night on every cruise i've been on and always wear the same thing, suit and tie but no tux.

[edmasbetsy]

Not much said about what the women wear? Are black pants and a dressy top ok for formal night? Also, do people tend to dress up more at the second seating for dinner.

[carhirer]

But it does make some interesting reading to get others viewpoints. :p

 

Yes. And if you're lucky a fight will inevitable break out, out of nowhere. Better here than on board!

[Chrispmoto]

Thanks for the info people.

I am NOT gonna bring my nice jacket though. If I have to I will rent. My travel bag isnt very well "suited" to carring formal wear. Pun intended..... ;)

[Cymro1953]

Not much said about what the women wear? Are black pants and a dressy top ok for formal night? Also, do people tend to dress up more at the second seating for dinner.

have a look ath this post from Peggy on another CC forum thread

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=18305444#post18305444

It's been driving my wife crazy too

[J & G]

We just returned from a 7-day Caribbean cruise on Voyager out of Galveston. There were two formal nights and I think I saw more people than ever who were not in what anyone would consider formal attire.

 

Everyone looked very nice, but MANY were not in anything even remotely formal. We saw men in Hawaiian shirts, western shirts and jeans (with a jacket), and so on. Nobody wore shorts, t-shirts, or "gimme caps". They all looked just fine and it didn't decrease our enjoyment in the least.

 

Was it less "shi-shi"? Absolutely! It didn't seem much like formal night. Did we care? Not in the least.

 

In fact, one member of our party ended up on the ship with no long pants except his jeans, since he left his hanging bag hanging on his closet door at home in Austin. He was one of the ones in boots, jeans, and a jacket (no tie) on formal night. He looked just great, IMHO!

 

DH and BIL wore suits with silk t-shirts and the women wore everything from cocktail dresses to black pants and sparkly tops.....and it was all OK. We all had a great time, as did the other diners around us.....no matter what they wore.

 

I can say that we're not very formal people and I think P&O is not for us if a tux for men is the expected dress on formal nights. That's OK, though.....we have many other choices. :)

[galavant3]

We just returned from a 7-day Caribbean cruise on Voyager out of Galveston. There were two formal nights and I think I saw more people than ever who were not in what anyone would consider formal attire.

 

Everyone looked very nice, but MANY were not in anything even remotely formal. We saw men in Hawaiian shirts, western shirts and jeans (with a jacket), and so on. Nobody wore shorts, t-shirts, or "gimme caps". They all looked just fine and it didn't decrease our enjoyment in the least.

 

Was it less "shi-shi"? Absolutely! It didn't seem much like formal night. Did we care? Not in the least.

 

In fact, one member of our party ended up on the ship with no long pants except his jeans, since he left his hanging bag hanging on his closet door at home in Austin. He was one of the ones in boots, jeans, and a jacket (no tie) on formal night. He looked just great, IMHO!

 

DH and BIL wore suits with silk t-shirts and the women wore everything from cocktail dresses to black pants and sparkly tops.....and it was all OK. We all had a great time, as did the other diners around us.....no matter what they wore.

 

I can say that we're not very formal people and I think P&O is not for us if a tux for men is the expected dress on formal nights. That's OK, though.....we have many other choices. :)

 

I was amused when I read this! I was on the Voyager last month also (2/8) and I thought just the opposite. I felt that there were many more dressed up than on previous cruises. I attributed to my other cruises taking place during school holidays and there were many, many more kids and young families. This cruise I noticed more tuxes than ever. I have to admit that I do notice men in tuxedos because I think they look so darn good! I did see some Texans, in for lack of a better term, Texas Tuxedos, lariat (is that what the "tie-like" thing is called?) and all and they looked pretty awesome as well. I do think "Formal" for Texas might differ slightly from other areas. I'm ok with that!

 

My advice was going to be dress more formally if you are going when school is in session (not over holidays, summer, spring break) and feel comfortable easing up when school is not in session.

 

However, based on the previous post, maybe my advice is questionable!

[mwne2nks]

We tend to overdress, for most events because I have the wardrobe and like to wear it. So I bring my Tux and DW wears a long black dress. We like to think its "Formal" night not just another night. This is just our opinion and people can wear whatever.

[J & G]

I was amused when I read this! I was on the Voyager last month also (2/8) and I thought just the opposite. I felt that there were many more dressed up than on previous cruises. I attributed to my other cruises taking place during school holidays and there were many, many more kids and young families. This cruise I noticed more tuxes than ever. I have to admit that I do notice men in tuxedos because I think they look so darn good! I did see some Texans, in for lack of a better term, Texas Tuxedos, lariat (is that what the "tie-like" thing is called?) and all and they looked pretty awesome as well. I do think "Formal" for Texas might differ slightly from other areas. I'm ok with that!

 

My advice was going to be dress more formally if you are going when school is in session (not over holidays, summer, spring break) and feel comfortable easing up when school is not in session.

 

However, based on the previous post, maybe my advice is questionable!

 

 

You know, you could be entirely correct about Voyager. We chose My Time Dining and were in our own little corner of the dining room. Since we chose 6:30 PM as our dining time, we were still in shorts while those who had main dining were in their formal wear. We did see LOTS of very nicely dressed people headed for the dining room.....

 

Maybe it was just the people who were doing MTD who were not as dressed up. I have to remember that I only saw a tiny fraction of the people who ate in the main dining room.

[AudioFilly]

I was amused when I read this! I was on the Voyager last month also (2/8) and I thought just the opposite. I felt that there were many more dressed up than on previous cruises. I attributed to my other cruises taking place during school holidays and there were many, many more kids and young families. This cruise I noticed more tuxes than ever. I have to admit that I do notice men in tuxedos because I think they look so darn good! I did see some Texans, in for lack of a better term, Texas Tuxedos, lariat (is that what the "tie-like" thing is called?) and all and they looked pretty awesome as well. I do think "Formal" for Texas might differ slightly from other areas. I'm ok with that!

 

 

It's called a Bolo Tie, a lariat is a loop in a rope used to lasso a steer. :D And you are right a Bolo Tie can look pretty awesome. I know men in my family that have their slides custom made with various materials and have their favorites that they prefer for 'formal' occasions. :p

[bluegirlum]

I have always wondered why people think they can afford a cruise, when they can't even afford the proper garments. Yet, they always seem to be able to afford an expensive camera, snorkle gear, booze, and all the other items that they "just can't live without, on a cruise".

 

I find it ironic that OSU fans are lecturing anyone on culture or class. :D

 

Seriously, though, I was brought up to dress up to fly, and dress up for dinner, but I could not care less about what other people wear to dinner. I don't think that the men who wear polos to formal night feel "conspicuous"--I'm guessing they feel comfortable and are having a great time and not caring what other people think of them. I can also tell you that the jeans that some people are wearing to the MDR probably cost more than some of all of your "fancy outfits." If you are so bothered by what other people are wearing, you're probably not spending enough time enjoying your own vacation, and that's a shame.

[galavant3]

It's called a Bolo Tie, a lariat is a loop in a rope used to lasso a steer. :D And you are right a Bolo Tie can look pretty awesome. I know men in my family that have their slides custom made with various materials and have their favorites that they prefer for 'formal' occasions. :p

 

Too funny! Thanks so much for the education!