macca5 Posted December 13, 2013 #1 Share Posted December 13, 2013 Hi we are sailing on the Radiance New Years cruise to New Zealand in two weeks, and can't wait. We booked with RC as we felt it was going to be more family friendly and are taking our daughter (15) and son (10). I was wondering how formal the 'formal' nights are, I understand there will be 2-3 formal nights including NYE and wondered if anyone could help with dress code? Is it suits or tuxedo for men? Does our 10 year old need a suit or just smart clothes? We are looking forward to dressing up so don't mind bringing it all! Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micmacmissy Posted December 13, 2013 #2 Share Posted December 13, 2013 You are new to Cruise Critic...welcome! Just a warning, people get very passionate about dress codes on these boards...so be prepared for many different types of answers! I would suggest tux or dark suit for men. Your 10 year old will be fine in dress pants and a collared shirt. Ladies and young ladies in dresses (how dressy is up to you...folks will show up in all different kids of clothes). I would assume NYE to be the "dressiest" evening of all the formal nights. Hope you have a great trip! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m*u*g* Posted December 13, 2013 #3 Share Posted December 13, 2013 (edited) As formal as you want to be. Some will not make any effort, but this is common and you won't be booted out. I wear a tux. Edited December 13, 2013 by m*u*g* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvscruising2007 Posted December 13, 2013 #4 Share Posted December 13, 2013 DH generally wears a dark suit but has worn a tux. I usually wear a cocktail dress. Some ladies will wear long gowns, some cocktail dresses and others in dressy pants with a sparkly top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulette3028 Posted December 13, 2013 #5 Share Posted December 13, 2013 You are new to Cruise Critic...welcome! Just a warning, people get very passionate about dress codes on these boards...so be prepared for many different types of answers! I would suggest tux or dark suit for men. Your 10 year old will be fine in dress pants and a collared shirt. Ladies and young ladies in dresses (how dressy is up to you...folks will show up in all different kids of clothes). I would assume NYE to be the "dressiest" evening of all the formal nights. Hope you have a great trip! You will see everything from very very formal to easy casual or dress down Friday (at work). My DH has to wear a suit to work everyday, so it is his vacation and he doesn't generally want to wear a tuxedo....unless we were cruising for NYEve (I would expect). But he wears a sports jacket and an open collared shirt. I dress similar to him; skirt, casual dress -- not into the super formal wear -- Perhaps a dressier outfit for NYEve. But you will see everything and anything....and it all flows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MS52 Posted December 13, 2013 #6 Share Posted December 13, 2013 (edited) As formal as you want to be. Some will not make any effort, but this is common and you won't be booted out. I wear a tux. This pretty much nails it. My DH wears a tux and I usually wear a long dress. We enjoy dressing for the occasion. But it's pretty much anything goes. Some will get cranky pants discussing the subject. We do what we think is right for us and don't worry about anyone else. Enjoy NYE on a cruise ship! We'll be on 11 days later. Edited December 13, 2013 by MS52 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anandaindonesia Posted December 13, 2013 #7 Share Posted December 13, 2013 You've got enough reply about what to wear so I won't add anything. I just want to wish you a good cruise. Enjoy! NZ is so beautiful, and NYE is something to celebrate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDDONE828 Posted December 14, 2013 #8 Share Posted December 14, 2013 We recently returned from our second Explorer of the Seas trip. For formal night I wore a dark sport jacket, white shirt and tie. I was less formal than the average guest but clearly not out of line. I was close enough to the range that I absolutely did not feel out of place. I got to our table of 60somethings and the men were mixed between dark suits and dark sport jackets. All were with white shorts and ties. The Royal Carib guests, by and large, are not of the stuffy type. That said, NYE might be a different story. Enjoy the cruise and your stops as well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motorman23 Posted December 14, 2013 #9 Share Posted December 14, 2013 Hi we are sailing on the Radiance New Years cruise to New Zealand in two weeks, and can't wait. We booked with RC as we felt it was going to be more family friendly and are taking our daughter (15) and son (10). I was wondering how formal the 'formal' nights are, I understand there will be 2-3 formal nights including NYE and wondered if anyone could help with dress code? Is it suits or tuxedo for men? Does our 10 year old need a suit or just smart clothes? We are looking forward to dressing up so don't mind bringing it all!Thanks! Enjoy your cruise, dress comfortably, your son does not need to be in a suit but a nice pair of dress slacks and a collared shirt will go well for him. Jmoho Mike Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anandaindonesia Posted December 14, 2013 #10 Share Posted December 14, 2013 ... ... the men were mixed between dark suits and dark sport jackets. All were with white shorts and ties...Enjoy the cruise and your stops as well! Oh, I hope it is white SHIRTS....! LOL... :) Michael via Tapatalk. sorry for typo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruiseAddict1982 Posted December 14, 2013 #11 Share Posted December 14, 2013 Hi we are sailing on the Radiance New Years cruise to New Zealand in two weeks, and can't wait. We booked with RC as we felt it was going to be more family friendly and are taking our daughter (15) and son (10). I was wondering how formal the 'formal' nights are, I understand there will be 2-3 formal nights including NYE and wondered if anyone could help with dress code? Is it suits or tuxedo for men? Does our 10 year old need a suit or just smart clothes? We are looking forward to dressing up so don't mind bringing it all!Thanks! Like someone said previously, some people take the formal way too seriously and trust me I've been on severL cruises and it's not that serious. I wore a black suit one time and and another time I didn't want to wear the jacket so I just wore a shirt and tie. You'll see women wearing prom dresses, wedding dresses , Vegas showgirl type dresses etc. Wear what you feel comfortable in. It's not that serious and nobody should care, but they will because they have nothing better to do than judge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davekathy Posted December 14, 2013 #12 Share Posted December 14, 2013 Hi we are sailing on the Radiance New Years cruise to New Zealand in two weeks, and can't wait. We booked with RC as we felt it was going to be more family friendly and are taking our daughter (15) and son (10). I was wondering how formal the 'formal' nights are, I understand there will be 2-3 formal nights including NYE and wondered if anyone could help with dress code? Is it suits or tuxedo for men? Does our 10 year old need a suit or just smart clothes? We are looking forward to dressing up so don't mind bringing it all!Thanks! Easy, just follow the Cruise lines evening dress guidelines posted in their brochures. Can't go wrong. The evening dress guidelines are not based on age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCruisers Posted December 14, 2013 #13 Share Posted December 14, 2013 Like someone said previously, some people take the formal way too seriously and trust me I've been on severL cruises and it's not that serious. I wore a black suit one time and and another time I didn't want to wear the jacket so I just wore a shirt and tie. You'll see women wearing prom dresses, wedding dresses , Vegas showgirl type dresses etc. Wear what you feel comfortable in. It's not that serious and nobody should care, but they will because they have nothing better to do than judge. Agree. You'll find many more "dress police" on CC than you will on the cruise. :D LuLu ~~~~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cb at sea Posted December 14, 2013 #14 Share Posted December 14, 2013 Just know that it's nearly impossible to be "over-dressed" on formal night! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruiseAddict1982 Posted December 14, 2013 #15 Share Posted December 14, 2013 Just know that it's nearly impossible to be "over-dressed" on formal night! Lol I would have to disagree with that! I've seen some over the top outfits on formal night. It's just a dinner and not the Grammys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDDONE828 Posted December 14, 2013 #16 Share Posted December 14, 2013 We recently returned from our second Explorer of the Seas trip. For formal night I wore a dark sport jacket, white shirt and tie. I was less formal than the average guest but clearly not out of line. I was close enough to the range that I absolutely did not feel out of place. I got to our table of 60somethings and the men were mixed between dark suits and dark sport jackets. All were with white shorts and ties. The Royal Carib guests, by and large, are not of the stuffy type.That said, NYE might be a different story. Enjoy the cruise and your stops as well! Woops!!! Sorry-I meant white shirts, not white shorts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macca5 Posted December 14, 2013 Author #17 Share Posted December 14, 2013 Thank you SO much everyone you've answered my questions and more. Hubby will wear a tux and DD and I will wear black cocktail dresses with a bit of bling, I have just got back from shopping and bought DS (10) a pair of smart dark navy shorts, white shirt and tie and some new black converse!! He looks smart and loves the cool look so I think he will be fine. Roll in NYE!! Can't wait and thanks everyone again!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollyeilis Posted December 14, 2013 #18 Share Posted December 14, 2013 (edited) You'll see women wearing prom dresses, wedding dresses , Vegas showgirl type dresses etc. Wedding dresses? Hmm.... :) Easy, just follow the Cruise lines evening dress guidelines posted in their brochures. Can't go wrong. The evening dress guidelines are not based on age. Brochures? Dang, knew I didn't get something. Darned online research and booking by phone. No brochures! Edited December 14, 2013 by mollyeilis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avatheps Posted December 14, 2013 #19 Share Posted December 14, 2013 Hi we are sailing on the Radiance New Years cruise to New Zealand in two weeks, and can't wait. We booked with RC as we felt it was going to be more family friendly and are taking our daughter (15) and son (10). I was wondering how formal the 'formal' nights are, I understand there will be 2-3 formal nights including NYE and wondered if anyone could help with dress code? Is it suits or tuxedo for men? Does our 10 year old need a suit or just smart clothes? We are looking forward to dressing up so don't mind bringing it all!Thanks! Hi Macca5, My wife and I just returned from our very first cruise. I had asked the traditional questions about formal night dress and received answers across the spectrum. I opted to let discretion rule over valor, and we dressed like going to church in the 1960s. That is to say, wife in a nice dress and me with a sport coat, dress slacks, shirt and tie. These days it seems that anything goes at church. We were glad we did, as most folks there dressed to the nines and the few that did not were severely chastised, either telepathically or verbally by way of loud discussions being held from nearby tables. The few children we saw were obviously seasoned travelers and were nicely dressed and well behaved at dinner. My suggestion for you is this; if you are concerned about it do not even attend formal night dinner. There are lots of other places to eat where you can mingle with the hat, sandals, and Hawaiian shirt wearers. If you like to strut your stuff, go and enjoy. You will not be overdressed, trust me. Bob:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarea Posted December 14, 2013 #20 Share Posted December 14, 2013 Wedding dresses? Hmm.... :) Brochures? Dang, knew I didn't get something. Darned online research and booking by phone. No brochures! From the website: http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&snav=2&faqId=255&faqSubjectId=334&faqSubjectName=Life+Onboard&faqType=faq Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Lionesss Posted December 14, 2013 #21 Share Posted December 14, 2013 We dress up in formal wear and have never had a problem with being over dressed. Especially when it falls around a BIG holiday. Have fun Sea Ya Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sherilyn70 Posted December 14, 2013 #22 Share Posted December 14, 2013 (edited) 7Here are two examples of how we do it on our cruises. Whatever you prefer works. There is no reason you even have to get as fancy as we do, we just enjoyed doing it. Long gown with dark suit on carnival in 2011. Cocktail length with dark suit on RCL in 2012. Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S4 Edited December 14, 2013 by sherilyn70 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sherilyn70 Posted December 14, 2013 #23 Share Posted December 14, 2013 Here's a family photo from 2004 as another example. My parents didn't get as fancy for theirs. Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruiseAddict1982 Posted December 14, 2013 #24 Share Posted December 14, 2013 Wedding dresses? Hmm.... :) Brochures? Dang, knew I didn't get something. Darned online research and booking by phone. No brochures! I was exaggerating a bit for the people that took that seriously Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nolesrule Posted December 14, 2013 #25 Share Posted December 14, 2013 (edited) This is what we wore on Jewel back in May. Sorry about the streak. The scanner needs a cleaning. Edited December 14, 2013 by nolesrule Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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