What to wear for casual nights?

[sherry7]

Only 35 more days until my very first cruise! :D After several months of reading these boards, I think I've pretty much figured out the suggested <cough, cough> dress code for formal and semi-formal nights. ;) However, in all of the reading I've done, I don't think I've ever seen suggestions for dressing for casual nights.

 

Can anyone give suggestions for me, my husband, and 15 year old son? Thanks. :)

[Crafty]

Casual nite covers a wide range of clothing. We just got off the Brilliance last Monday, and we saw everything from shorts to dressy dresses. However, it is suggested that shorts not be worn. Most of the women wore a nice blouse and pants or a sun dress. Men wore nice pants and shirts. Granted many people really dressed up--suits and ties, but it is at your descretion. It was pretty cool in the dining hall, so many nites I was glad that I had on a long skirt or sleeves. In fact, the whole ship was freezing!!! Maybe it is my age--LOL!

[bUU]

I wore light-colored dockers and a rolled-collar shirt, with nice leather sandals (because my toe was broken and my dock-siders weren't an option). My wife wore capris, I think, and a nice top.

[Sun and Fun]

My husband always wears Docker pants and a button down collared shirt. Think business casual. I wear capris with matching tops or sundresses.

[dougp26364]

We just got off the Explorer of the Seas 11/21. IMO, casual nights have become considerably more casual. The only thing posted on our Cruise Compass was no shorts, T-shirts or swimming suits were allowed in the dining room for dinner.

 

At lunch and breakfast it seemed pretty much everything goes. For dinner I saw everything from nice denim jeans with blouses for women or crew shirts for men to dockers and dress shirts for men and pants suits and dresses for women. Smart casual night had been eliminated on our 7 night cruise. The only time smart casual attire was suggested was for Portifino's. The night we ate in Portifino's I saw everything from suits and ties for men to slacks and dress shirts with open collars. Women were wearing pantsuits and dresses.

 

Essentially, so long as you look presentable it won't matter what you're wearing on any night anywhere on the ship. At least that was my impression during our cruise. I did not see anyone attempting to wear faded jeans and T-shirts into the dining room at night. I don't know if they would turn that away or not. I would assume it would be allowed although personally I would feel out of place wearing that.

[sherry7]

Thanks for the suggestions. Both my husband and son have several pairs of Docker style slacks in various colors, so I think that has 1/2 of them covered at least. ;)

 

How about Hawaiian style button up shirts (not too bright)? Or polo style short sleeved shirts? (For the guys, that is.)

[debandbill]

Polos and caribbean style shirts are great for casual night....the tropical ones would be great for caribbean night. On a seven day cruise, hubby takes one pair of khakis, one pair of black docker style pants and mix and matches shirts as well as a jacket for smart casual. The slacks aren't worn too long to get dirty and if there is a spill, there is always the laundry service.

 

As for me, I might take a sun dress but the easiest is to pack a pair of black dressy slacks and a black tank top and then carry tops to go over them.....tops like big silk blouses or a light weight jacket/shirt. The dining rooms and theaters tend to be cold so the overblouses/jackets really look nice and keep your arms covered. Also, this cuts down on shoes as one pair of black strappy low heeled sandals work with everything and are easy to walk in on the unsteady ship with marble (slippery) floors.

[Dreamfinders]

For casual nights on the Explorer this past July my daughter and I wore sundresses, or skirts with dressier tank-type tops, my husband and son wore docker style pants and either polo short sleeve jerseys or hawiian shirts. We like to dress-up for formal and semi-formal nights so our casual attire is probably more "dressier" than other people's. I saw lots of capris and some shorts. Really you can wear anything you like.

 

Have Fun!!

[sherry7]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. :)