teenage boys - what to wear

[smally]

Hi We are going on our 1st cruise this summer (western Med with Royal caribbean) with our two boys who will be 14 and 12. For formal nights I imagine they will wear black trousers, shirt & tie but I don't know what to take for them for less formal evenings. Previously in hotels they have worn smart longer length shorts with either a short sleeved shirt or smart t shirt. I understand shorts may not be appropriate for the cruise (in the dining room) so what would they wear? Surely not jeans? I don't think they will want to wear smart black (school style) trousers every evening! What will be suitable? Help and advice needed!

[A&Jfamily]

Hi We are going on our 1st cruise this summer (western Med with Royal caribbean) with our two boys who will be 14 and 12. For formal nights I imagine they will wear black trousers, shirt & tie but I don't know what to take for them for less formal evenings. Previously in hotels they have worn smart longer length shorts with either a short sleeved shirt or smart t shirt. I understand shorts may not be appropriate for the cruise (in the dining room) so what would they wear? Surely not jeans? I don't think they will want to wear smart black (school style) trousers every evening! What will be suitable? Help and advice needed!

 

I put mine in kakhi or navy pants and a polo shirt - that way all bases are covered and they will neither be over or under dressed - simply looking sharp.

[msmayor]

My son wore khakis and golf shirts at age 15. I brought 2 pair along with a Tide-to-Go pen to take care of any spills; would have been fine with just one. He only put them on right before dinner and changed out right after...he was much neater than I thought.

[cb at sea]

Buy some casual long pants...any collared shirt will do...

the older child will WANT to look good----when he sees what the girls are wearing!

[quincytoo]

I put mine in kakhi or navy pants and a polo shirt - that way all bases are covered and they will neither be over or under dressed - simply looking sharp.

 

We did this as well and must say, he ended up looking forward to dressing up each night...a nice surprise for his parents :)

 

Next cruise he wants a tux for formal mights :rolleyes:

[todareistodo]

im a teenage boy and i've worn khakis, cords, and yes sometimes dark jeans in the dining room.

 

Polo shirts or a casual buttondown type shirt are easy and pretty cheap at a secondhand store if needed

[kestrel]

My boys wore polo shirts or regular shirts with zip-off pants. We found out that zip-off pants were very useful. They are especially convenient if you plan to visit a cathedral or church that requires your knees to be covered. Some cruise lines accept jeans at dining room during casual nights. However, it will be very hot and humid during summer time in the Mediterranean, and you don't want to wear jeans.

[Missy_rntt]

I posted this on one of the other forums here but thought it might help. We cruised last Summer (Me and my 12 year old son) For the one "formal" night, I had purchased my son a pair of perma pressed walking shorts in white that I paired up with a white shirt and blue tie. He had a dark blue blazer and matching knee sox. looked very "dressy" and he was comfortable

[notentirelynormal]

Sorry, but I don't care how you dress up shorts, they are not formal or even semi-formal, they are casual. White shorts are even less formal then black. It really won't kill a 12 YO to wear a pair of pants to dinner.

[mrs.mobster]

I agree that shorts are always casual, no matter what. Pick up some cheap khaki pants and some polo shirts for casual nights, button down shirts for semi-formal. If possible get him a jacket for formal nights.

[Onessa]

We've done three Med cruises the past three years (two RCCI, one X) -- our DD was 14YO on our last cruise. We have been seated with families with teen boys on two of the three trips and DD has "checked out" many an eligible boy.

 

She enjoys the opportunity to wear skirts, so as it is for most teen girls, it is not an issue for her. But from her perspective, she "appreciates" a young man dressed for dinner -- she's particularly taken by guys in lighter colored polo shirts (yellow, pink, white) or casual oxfords, paired with darker dress pants. She has been known to nudge me to point out some "loser" in a t-shirt in the MDR -- although she doesn't seem to mind the well fitting pair of jeans.

 

(I hope she doesn't read this or I'll be in trouble :eek:)

[newbiecruiser09]

My boys wore polo shirts or regular shirts with zip-off pants. We found out that zip-off pants were very useful. They are especially convenient if you plan to visit a cathedral or church that requires your knees to be covered. Some cruise lines accept jeans at dining room during casual nights. However, it will be very hot and humid during summer time in the Mediterranean, and you don't want to wear jeans.

 

My son (12) has worn these type pants before and liked that he could zip off the bottoms if he wanted (not at dinner though). Some are a lot more casual than others but still better than jeans or shorts IMO. We are taking him on his first cruise this spring and plan for him to wear khakis and polos on most nights and khakis, button down and tie for formal night.

[klauer]

You might try threatening the boys with white shorts and knee socks if they object to wearing khakis...

[catrinabeach]

We are going on our first cruise this May and my 14 yr son has asked to rent a tux for the formal night, and we picked up dress pants, and shoes for the other nights which he will wear with some button down shirt. My 16 yr old hasn't said if he wants a tux too or will wear the dress pants with button down shirts all nights

[crazy4themouse]

As others have done, my son wears khakis and polo-type or nice silk tropical shirts to dinner on more casual nights. For formal nights he has usually had dark blue suits, but this time his best friend is coming too and they (both about to be 14) decided they wanted tuxes. No argument from me! :) I think all guys look great in a tux. Found an ebay seller with $35-ish full 5-piece tuxes, so we're all set now. Can't wait to get some great portraits taken on formal nights!

 

 

-gina-

[WineDown17]

Ditto.

 

Linen pants or khakis ... no shorts. Golf shirt is fine as well.

 

Mine never did jeans- either on RCCL or X... and Europe cruises tend to be a wee bit dressier I found.

 

But that is personal preference. Have a great time. They will LOVE it.

[Onessa]

You might try threatening the boys with white shorts and knee socks if they object to wearing khakis...

 

Good one! :D

[Missy_rntt]

Not funny

[Warmer Climes]

Here's a picture of us with our two teenage boy cruisers a few years ago on a non-formal night. The next year they each rented tuxes for formal night and I have the most fabulous picture of the two of them together in their tuxes.