Alternatives on Formal Nights

[3littlepigs]

We wil be on Millennium in December for a 14 night Asia cruise with our 2 teenagers.

 

I understand there could be up to 4 "formal" nights on our cruise, guessing they will be on the only 4 sea days on the trip.

 

We aren't formal people (Aussies rarely are :p) and aren't intending to use our limited luggage allowance (we only get 44lb on international flights) on carrying formal wear when we could use the space for....SHOPPING :D

 

I was wondering what the alternatives are for us on formal nights, do we just turn up in our usual clothes (we are on select dining) or will we be forced to have room service or eat in the buffet?

 

Seems a shame to miss out on our nice MDR dinner just because we don't glam up :rolleyes:

 

Not trying to be difficult...just trying to plan in advance :)

[Gonzo70]

The main dining room is the only area of the ship where formal attire is required on formal night. I believe you will have three, not four, formal nights. For those three nights you may dine in the specialty restaurants (Qsine or Olympic) in smart casual attire, in Bistro on 5 or the buffet in casual attire or room service in any attire - so you have five options for dinner if you elect to not bring formal attire. It is inconsistent whether or not the main dining room enforces the dress code on formal night; on some cruises they turn people away not dressed accordingly and on other cruises they turn a blind eye.

[tip]

Formal attire is requested, not required.

[dkjretired]

Formal attire is requested, not required.

 

Absolutely incorrect, when they enforce it and don't allow you into a dining room unless you are dressed formally then it is a requirement. They are doing this lately on all the ships as has been reported on these boards by numerous posters. 2nd time in two days someone has tried to give this bad advice. It is very bad advice because if someone takes it and goes to the dining room with the improper clothing and is refused, their advice on CC was poor.

 

Gonzo is correct about you cruise only having three formal nights. Here is the link from the web site.

 

http://www.celebritycruises.com/onboard/tabLanding.do?pagename=onboard_dining&tab=onboard_proper_dining_attire_tab%2Fonboard%2FtextPanel.do%3Fpagename%3Donboard_proper_dining_attire

[ceetee]

We just got off Infinity and saw the MDR staff offering jackets to those that showed up with out one.

[1 HappyCruiser]

We just got off Infinity and saw the MDR staff offering jackets to those that showed up with out one.

 

It appears simple enough. Just take the jacket & hang it on your chair for decoration & the problem is solved. The woman can get by with just about anything & call it formal.

[kitty9]

OP, the alternate specialty, extra charge restaurants are smart casual every night. Although it is designated that, people will still dress nicely, but not in a tuxedo and gowns.

 

There is also the buffet, but that venue is very limited food-wise. And you can also do room service, where you can order from the main dining room menu.

[TeaBag]

on Summit a gentleman at our table was offered a jacket also and the waiter helped him on with it. He didn't come back for the second formal night.

[ghstudio]

on Summit a gentleman at our table was offered a jacket also and the waiter helped him on with it. He didn't come back for the second formal night.

 

Funny....I find that when I wear a suit or blazer to dinner on a ship (which I used to do), I almost always put it on the chair behind me and eat without it (and looking around, I noticed that I was never alone). Not sure how that is different then someone eating in a reasonable shirt with reasonable pants. I would have placed the offered jacket on my chair behind me...just as if it were my own jacket.

 

Don't worry if you cruise with me in the future...I won't ruin your dining experience....we now book Aqua/Blu and eat at some of the specialty restaurants, all of which are "smart casual" every night.

[BKFlowerMound]

We wil be on Millennium in December for a 14 night Asia cruise with our 2 teenagers.

 

I understand there could be up to 4 "formal" nights on our cruise, guessing they will be on the only 4 sea days on the trip.

 

We aren't formal people (Aussies rarely are :p) and aren't intending to use our limited luggage allowance (we only get 44lb on international flights) on carrying formal wear when we could use the space for....SHOPPING :D

 

I was wondering what the alternatives are for us on formal nights, do we just turn up in our usual clothes (we are on select dining) or will we be forced to have room service or eat in the buffet?

 

Seems a shame to miss out on our nice MDR dinner just because we don't glam up :rolleyes:

 

Not trying to be difficult...just trying to plan in advance :)

 

Previous posters have covered most of what I would've told you. However, "forced to have room service" means something a little different on Celebrity than some other lines. During dinner hours, you can order anything from the MDR menu in your room. The menu is posted outside the MDR from lunch time. It'll all be delivered at once, so it's not the same course by course experience that you get in the MDR but it's still the same menu. (Of course, you could order appetizers, soups, salads, then call back for your main course/entree, and then call back again for your desert). If you have a balcony cabin, it can be quite nice to enjoy a nice meal on your balcony. It might get somewhat crowded with the 4 of you but the teenagers might want to go to the buffet or bistro on 5 on their own.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[CathyCruises]

To the OP: we are in the midst of a six week land/sea trip. In Paris now. Started with a 13 day TA. We are traveling by train and rental car and packed very lightly. I brought one nice midcalf black dress that folds up very small (nights 1 and 3), and a dressy satin blouse that I wore with black pants (which I wore every other night to dinner)(night 2). Voila, three formal nights' wear. It's possible to do and formal wear shouldn't take any more space in your luggage that regular clothes would. The men can wear their suit jacket on the plane, the it's just a pair of slacks to pack which can be worn on any other night. Actually very easy to do if you plan ahead.

[fleckle]

Previous posters have covered most of what I would've told you. However, "forced to have room service" means something a little different on Celebrity than some other lines. During dinner hours, you can order anything from the MDR menu in your room. The menu is posted outside the MDR from lunch time. It'll all be delivered at once, so it's not the same course by course experience that you get in the MDR but it's still the same menu. (Of course, you could order appetizers, soups, salads, then call back for your main course/entree, and then call back again for your desert). If you have a balcony cabin, it can be quite nice to enjoy a nice meal on your balcony. It might get somewhat crowded with the 4 of you but the teenagers might want to go to the buffet or bistro on 5 on their own.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

In nice weather, our favorite place to have dinner is out on our balcony, especially when cruising through a scenic area at sunset. We prefer it to the noisy, crowded dining room.

 

The same for breakfast, although we may dash up to the buffet afterward to grab some of the famous Celebrity waffles fresh off the griddle.

 

For those of us who do not have (and probably never will have) a private yacht, it is as close as we can come to the feeling of dining in pampered luxury on our own private yacht. :)

 

In a suite, the butler will serve you the meal course by course. But even without a butler, it is no great sacrifice to walk a few steps to carry the dishes out from the coffee table ourselves.

 

It beats dining on our own sailboat because we don't have to shop for the food, carry it on board, prepare it, or clean up afterward.

 

The dishes arrive covered, so the hot dishes stay hot until we are ready for them. When we order an ice-cream type dessert that may start to melt, we immediately put it in the fridge (or else order dessert separately later).

 

If you don't have a balcony, just make friends with some passengers who have a large one, preferably those nice people in one of the penthouse suites. :D

[3littlepigs]

We have an FV so we will have a BIG balcony, sounds like MDR menu by room service on the balcony will be the go! And nobody will mind if the kids order an extra dessert!

 

The cruise is only part of an extended trip so Himself will only have one pair of casual long trousers purely for wearing in the dining room and kids will only have jeans (nice ones but still jeans) so nobody will have jackets/good trousers etc.

 

Except for the "smart casual" requirement they wouldn't even have long pants or jeans! Himself lives in smart tailored shorts and polos all year round...not sure what it is with these outback men they don't seem to feel the cold!

[Redtravel]

Just back from the Summit. Formal nights weren't very formal. Most men wore suits or sports jackets on the 1st formal night. A few tuxedos. Women wore short skirts or pants...not very dressy. The 2nd formal night was even less formal. My husband didn't wear a tie and didn't look out of place. A man at the next table had a crew neck shirt and no jacket. We used to bring very nice formal attire. Not any more. Times have changed. Casual is the norm. Jeans are now in the MDR. I did see a man wearing shorts excluded from dinner in the MDR. He left. It's your cruise. Wear what you want. Keep it clean and neat.

[Gonzo70]

It's your cruise. Wear what you want.

 

That is bad advice. While on your cruise the dress code was not enforced, many recent posts have stated that the dress code was enforced on other sailings. While there is certainly a trend towards more casual attire - for now the company policy is that the formal dress code does apply to the main dining room on formal nights. While this is not always enforced, it often is enforced. Just because it is "your cruise" does not mean one can do as they please - there are still company policies that one may have to adhere to depending on enforcement.

[1 HappyCruiser]

Just back from the Summit. Formal nights weren't very formal. Most men wore suits or sports jackets on the 1st formal night. A few tuxedos. Women wore short skirts or pants...not very dressy. The 2nd formal night was even less formal. My husband didn't wear a tie and didn't look out of place. A man at the next table had a crew neck shirt and no jacket. We used to bring very nice formal attire. Not any more. Times have changed. Casual is the norm. Jeans are now in the MDR. I did see a man wearing shorts excluded from dinner in the MDR. He left. It's your cruise. Wear what you want. Keep it clean and neat.

 

Thanks for the update. I realize it doesn't sit well with some of the formalists in the group but it's nice to know that clean and neat will suffice most of the time.

[nojoke]

Formal night isn't really that difficult for us! I have long black pants which I wear on other nights also--just top the pants with a pashmina over strappy or sleeveless top or a thin sparkly top--don't have to have something different every night.

I think teenagers could get by with 1 pair of Dockers type pants and a long or short sleeve collared shirt. My DH always wears a sport jacket on the plane--so he doesn't have to pack it. We actually enjoy seeing people dressed up--we can be casual at home! Enjoy the cruise! P.S. we travel with only carry-ons only.

[gdpups]

I'm on the Millenium this summer with my two adult kids, 21 and 26. We don't want to bring formal clothes, so I've booked Qsine for both formal nights. If you haven't checked it out it looks like a lot of fun and your teens might really enjoy it for at least one of the formal nights. Dress in the specialty restaurants is dressy casual. Cost is $40 pp, but I think we'll really enjoy the experience.

 

I had originally booked a night in the Olympic speciallty restaurant, but my kids said the food looks too formal for their tastes.

[Gonzo70]

Thanks for the update. I realize it doesn't sit well with some of the formalists in the group but it's nice to know that clean and neat will suffice most of the time.

 

Has nothing to do with "formalists." I could care less about whether they keep or do away with dress codes and am personally skipping formal nights next cruise. That said the post you are praising contained factually incorrect information that could mislead people. It is nice to provide objective, helpful information rather than promulgate one own's personal preferences as though it is company policy.

[Gonzo70]

I'm on the Millenium this summer with my two adult kids, 21 and 26. We don't want to bring formal clothes, so I've booked Qsine for both formal nights. If you haven't checked it out it looks like a lot of fun and your teens might really enjoy it for at least one of the formal nights. Dress in the specialty restaurants is dressy casual. Cost is $40 pp, but I think we'll really enjoy the experience.

 

I had originally booked a night in the Olympic speciallty restaurant, but my kids said the food looks too formal for their tastes.

 

Qsine is a lot of fun; I too am opting for Qsine on formal night on my upcoming cruise. We had so much fun at Qsine last time we sailed on a ship with Qsine we went twice!

[dkjretired]

Has nothing to do with "formalists." I could care less about whether they keep or do away with dress codes and am personally skipping formal nights next cruise. That said the post you are praising contained factually incorrect information that could mislead people. It is nice to provide objective, helpful information rather than promulgate one own's personal preferences as though it is company policy.

 

Absolutely agree, can't stand it when people give incorrect information, very embarrassing for someone to follow that info and then be denied entry to the MDR. Like Gonzo, I don't care what people wear or do I care what the dress codes are now or were in the past. Just don't tell someone its okay and then have them find out its not.

[Nebr.cruiser]

We just got back from a Med cruise on the Equinox and I was really surprised at how few people were dressed formally. Tuxes and long gowns were rare and I saw plenty of people dressed in what I would call casual wear even on formal nights. I don't like this trend, but....

 

Formal (or, really, just dressy or semiformal, which usually is good enough nowdays) isn't that hard. For women, one nice pair of long black pants or a skirt worn with a couple of different tops or jackets; change up the look with accessories. For guys, wear a sport coat on the plane, have one pair of dressier pants and a couple of shirts. Since you only wear these things a few hours in an evening, they can easily be worn again.

 

It is possible, though, to get on a ship where they really do enforce the dress code, so research that in advance.

[1 HappyCruiser]

Has nothing to do with "formalists." I could care less about whether they keep or do away with dress codes and am personally skipping formal nights next cruise. That said the post you are praising contained factually incorrect information that could mislead people. It is nice to provide objective, helpful information rather than promulgate one own's personal preferences as though it is company policy.

 

Oh I realize what the cruise line publishes but even if they enforce it or not, it's still refreshing to know what's being tolerated on the ship rather than the old standard of "dress or don't be admitted" response.

Thanks again Redtravel.

[CathyCruises]

Oh I realize what the cruise line publishes but even if they enforce it or not, it's still refreshing to know what's being tolerated on the ship rather than the old standard of "dress or don't be admitted" response.

Thanks again Redtravel.

 

The problem is that what's being tolerated varies from cruise to cruise and ship to ship. You can't depend on your cruise being strict OR lax so it's best to be prepared.

[1 HappyCruiser]

The problem is that what's being tolerated varies from cruise to cruise and ship to ship. You can't depend on your cruise being strict OR lax so it's best to be prepared.

 

I guess I'll have to just go with what I've read as possibly being accepted & if I get in, then fine. If not maybe I'll be able to borrow one of their waiter jackets - After all I just have to wear it long enough to get to the table.