Tux vs. Suit - Reviving an old topic

[pat767]

Hi everyone,

 

It's our first cruise on HAL (Nieuw Amsterdam - 14 day West & East Caribbean).

 

Sorry for reviving an old topic, but... We'll be having 4 formal nights and I'm thinking of changing my plans for formal wear.

 

I was initially thinking if renting the tux and shoes (baggage allowance on airlines being limited and expensive) but now, seeing that many men wear suits, I am thinking of switching to this option. I actually own a suit, but it might need to be sent in for an alteration ... pants too tight ... ;)

 

If I could stuff this into my suitcase, I'd be saving the rental money.

 

What would be the proportion of men wearing tuxes vs suits? Would the suit do just fine?

 

Thanks

 

Pat

[bobmagg]

What would be the proportion of men wearing tuxes vs suits? Would the suit do just fine?

 

Thanks

 

Pat

 

The suit will do just fine. I would think no more than 10% will be in tuxes.

 

Bob

[George C]

I always have a tux but I would say that only 15 percent of the men would wear tuxs, suite is fine, can buy a cheap tux for about 100 bucks rather than renting if you like.

[RuthC]

The proportion of tux/suit/sports jacket/fails to meet code will vary from cruise to cruise. The longer the cruise, the dressier the passengers tend to be.

Any of the tux/suit/sports jacket options do meet the dress code for formal evening.

[Krazy Kruizers]

The suit will be fine.

Enjoy your cruise.

[geoherb]

The proportion of tux/suit/sports jacket/fails to meet code will vary from cruise to cruise. The longer the cruise, the dressier the passengers tend to be.

This cruise is actually two 7-night cruises back-to-back. We'll be sailing on the Westerdam in December. I'm planning to bring my tuxedo since we're flying on Southwest and don't have to pay extra for checked luggage.

[SeaRay48]

I will also be on your curise and will wear a suit on formal nights, as will a majority of the men on board.

[kazu]

A suit is just fine:D:D you're all set:) have a great cruise:)

[bepsf]

I'm confused.

:confused:

How would taking a suit be any different from taking a tuxedo?

They're both a jacket & matching pants.

[aliaschief]

I'm confused.

:confused:

How would taking a suit be any different from taking a tuxedo?

They're both a jacket & matching pants.

 

OP owns a suit but would have to rent a tux. I do agree that the weight issue (flying) is a non-issue between suit vs tux.

[jaguarstyper]

Personally, I'm leaning towards a suit instead of a tux on my upcoming cruises. That would be a first for me as I've always wore a tux on formal nights. I agree there is no difference in packing other than a few accessories for the tux. The last cruise I was on, I was one of only 5 guys wearing a tux on the first night and one of 3 on the second night, that I saw. Its kind of a shame because it always feels a little more special to wear a tux since I wear a suit every work day. It just seems that the tux is a dying thing on cruises these days.

 

If you have to rent a tux, I would recommend renting it through HAL and cruiselineformal.com. Its similar to what you would rent at home and you have the advantage of not hauling it and you may be able to exchange it if the fit is a little off. If it were me, I would wear a suit over a rental tux, though. I find rental tuxedos to be horribly uncomfortable.

 

Be forwarned, if your suit is tight, altering it to fit might not be an option. You should check with the tailor well in advance. Your only option at that point is a new suit or to lose a little weight. The latter may take a few weeks. :)

 

At any rate, wear what you are comfortable with, suit or tux. As much as I hate to see it, a sports coat and trousers has also become quite acceptable for formal nights. So, that is always another option you have.

[solocanadian]

Hi everyone,

 

It's our first cruise on HAL (Nieuw Amsterdam - 14 day West & East Caribbean).

 

Sorry for reviving an old topic, but... We'll be having 4 formal nights and I'm thinking of changing my plans for formal wear.

 

I was initially thinking if renting the tux and shoes (baggage allowance on airlines being limited and expensive) but now, seeing that many men wear suits, I am thinking of switching to this option. I actually own a suit, but it might need to be sent in for an alteration ... pants too tight ... ;)

 

If I could stuff this into my suitcase, I'd be saving the rental money.

 

What would be the proportion of men wearing tuxes vs suits? Would the suit do just fine?

 

Thanks

 

Pat

Your suit will be just fine if the pants can be let out. I see you live in Canada. You could also check out a store that rents tuxedos . Some of them sell off their rental tux for less than rental on HAL. A well polished black dress shoe would be fine - patenent leather shoes not a necessity and the dress shoes could be worn any night. Enjoy your cruise.:)

[m*u*g*]

I own a tux and take it with me along with two different vests and ties.

 

However suit and tie is more than acceptable.

[Typhoon1]

The dress code is loosely enforced. Opt for the suit on a fourteen day, and you will be doing fine.

[kazu]

The dress code is loosely enforced. Opt for the suit on a fourteen day, and you will be doing fine.

 

:confused::confused: loosely enforced:confused: a suit is part of the dress code the last time I looked as is a tux and a sports jacket:rolleyes: nothing losely enforced with any of those as far as I can tell - did I miss the boat again:eek:

[PathfinderEss]

I'm confused.

:confused:

How would taking a suit be any different from taking a tuxedo?

They're both a jacket & matching pants.

I agree with you bepsf. DH took his tux along with a sports coat and ofcourse other clothing on our last 14 day cruise, all neatly packed in one suitcase, that end up weighing 46 pounds.

Certainly you can wear a suit instead of the tux pat767, and aguarstyper. Whatever works for both of you, but packing would be the same, ofcourse that is my opinion.

[Himself]

A suit will work! I can even recall someone wearing kilts!

[sandij]

When the cruise involves a flight my DH will usually take a suit, that way he can wear the jacket more than one night with other pants. I do like the look of the tux but it takes room in the suitcase and you'd have to have another jacket also.

[Linda&Vern]

As I've said before in other posts ... my DH will be the last man standing in his tux. He loves wearing it. I can predict that sometime between now and our next cruise he will come home from his favorite tux store with a new color vest & tie set. :D

 

I've also reported on CC the one thing I find strange when he is wearing the tux on a cruise. At least 3 times a night when couples are passing us either in the hall or in the MDR, it is the man who will stop and say quickly "nice looking outfit" while walking past. I often wonder if men supposedly hate wearing a tux why they make a point to comment on DH's. :confused:

[Ineke]

Always interested in this debate. About 4 years ago DH needed to buy either a new suit or a tux. He opted for the tux, because he would enjoy wearing it on cruises, and for the rest he felt that few people wear a suit anymore, a blazer and dress pants usually suffice. I didn't argue :)

Another observation: on last year's New Years cruise to the Southern Caribbean, I'd say it was about 50/50 between tuxes/dinner jackets and suits. This summer on our cruise to the Baltic, it was more 20% tuxes, the rest suits or blazers. The Baltic cruise had a far more international mix of passengers, perhaps that was the reason.

To me, a tux just looks great, and beats a suit hands down.

[KirkNC]

A suit is fine.

[pat767]

Sounds like I'll be opting for my suit, providing the pants can be made to the next size. Obviously, renting the tux with the cruise line associated rental company would have been a good option. It leaves more room in my luggage and I'd look bling bling. But since there will be only 4 formal nights only, maybe spending $15 on fixing my present suit would be considered best bang for my buck. I'm not planning on using my jacket except on formal nights. The rest of the time ill be wearing casual clean pants combined with either a button-up shirt or a polo shirt.

 

By the way, I do have a set of cuff links that have never been used. Can I wear these with a suit, or are they specifically designed to be used in a tux configuration?

[serendipity1499]

Agree a suit will be just fine..My DH has always worn his Tux on formal nights until about 2 yrs ago when he opted to purchase a new suit..As Ruth mentioned, the longer the cruise, the more Tuxes will be seen..

DH tried the suit on yesterday..Only the waist is tight..We'll have it altered for our 3 week Carib cruise this month as we have 6 Formal nights..But for our long cruise in Jan., he will take both his Tux & his suit plus a sports jacket..When we dine in the Pinnacle, he always wears a jacket even though it's not required on smart casual nights..

We're fortunate as we drive to the port..

Enjoy your cruise..

Cheers..Betty

[jaguarstyper]

By the way, I do have a set of cuff links that have never been used. Can I wear these with a suit, or are they specifically designed to be used in a tux configuration?

 

Absolutely! I wear a suit daily on my job and wear cufflinks most of the time. I think they give a suit a polished, elegant look. Keep in mind, you will need a shirt with French cuffs to wear cufflinks. They don't work with a normal button cuff shirt.

[pat767]

Thanks, everyone.

 

It's our first time with HAL and have mainly been on NCL in the past, so we've never worried about the dress code. I mean, I've never been to dinner in jeans or shorts, even on NCL.

 

Guess it will be new for us, with the formal nights... Which is fine. However, we will miss sneaking out of our cabin late at night for takeout chicken wings. Guess we'll have to dress up, should we want to do this... ;)