Dress Code for Alaska

[25cruiser25]

I have been going back and forth from the Alaska forum to this forum and I have conflicting reviews on the dress code for Alaska. We will be on the Mariner for the August 24th sailing but spending three nights in Anchorage prior to sailing. Is it really necessary for my husband to bring his sport jacket??? Can we get into any of the restaurants aboard the Mariner without one? Just thinking of trying to pack lighter than heavier and a sport jacket is awfully bulky. My parents will also be joining us along with my sister and her husband - and if we decide not to bring a sport jacket, they won't either.

 

Thanks in advance!

[corniglia]

I returned from the Mariner Alaska cruise a few weeks ago. All restaurants are smart casual ie no tie or jacket required, with the exception of Signatures, the restaurant you have to book. HOWEVER, despite the fact that this is stated we had made the decision not to take a jacket on the advice in a few posts on this board. My husband wore a nice long sleeved shirt and there was no problem at all. They didn't blink an eyelid.Most men (but not all) were wearing jackets but about half of them took them off to eat anyway. For us it wasn't worth filling up the case with one or two jackets that would only be worn once. Have a great holiday. Sue

[25cruiser25]

Thanks so much for replying. I think we will skip the jacket and do a long sleeve shirt also. I always overpack and this will help out immensely!

[MamaQuack]

We took the June 15 sailing and were thrilled to hear "no formal nights". Hubby and son did take their blazers and did, as posted above, remove them in Signatures - it was hot in there. We plan to cruise Alaska again next summer and will definitely omit the blazers, pack the dress shirts and polos for the guys.

[barbe405]

My Mother and I will be on that cruise too, had it booked for nearly a year, really excited about it....we are spending two pre cruise days in Anchorage, with a side trip to Seward and 4 days post in Victoria and Vancouver :) This is my first time to Alaska, and I am beside myself:)

[MamaQuack]

Barb,

 

Wow, you are going to have a first time visit that will be wonderful. Enjoy Victoria and Vancoer too - so much to see and do.

 

Enjoy!

[Bunster]

I had our travel agent call Radisson to ask whether men needed to have a suit on the one formal night that is supposed to occur on the Alaska trip. I assumed that Radison would say that a sports coat would be fine or that whatever you have would be fine. But to my surprise, Radisson'sr answer was "definitely yes, you should have a dark suit and not just a sports coat and slacks for the formal night." I didn't ask about the other nights, but assumed that a sports coat was the minimum.

 

So I'm very surprised to see people who got by without even a sports coat. I wish I had seen this website before sending my father out to buy a suit.

[JeannieMD]

I am wondering what ladies wear at Signatures?

[JeannieMD]

I am wondering what ladies wear at Signatures?

[petlover]

Bunster,

I fear you could be getting some wrong information as the Alaska itineraries on the Mariner do NOT have a formal night so no suit is necessary.

 

25cruiser25, I think the men should bring one light weight sports coat to wear at Signatures. Your husband can wear it on the plane flying up and back so you don't even need to pack it. Wear the jacket with a silk tee or such if he doesn't want to bother with a dress shirt or tie. Ties are never required in Signatures, only jackets.

 

As for the ladies dress in Signatures....a nice pantsuit or going to church type dress is fine. You don't need to be formal. Feel free to leave your heels at home too if you're more comfortable in flat shoes. I've eaten in Mariner Signatures many times and I think everyone should try it. It's a nice variety to Compass Rose or La Veranda.

[Iamboatman]

I can confirm that there were no formal nights on my Alaskan cruise nor any that I have booked for others.

 

As for the jacket thing, I hate to be a stickler, but the fact that you can get away without wearing a jacket doesn't mean it is the right thing to do. Signatures is the only more formal restaurant on the ship and for those that desire a more formal experience it would be a great courtesy and respectful to honor their wishes and the dress code. If you don't want to pack or wear a jacket, then just eat at the other venues. (I will now step off of my soapbox.)

[klauer]

Well, I can confirm that on the 5/14 Mariner sailing to Alaska, there are two formal nights (5/15 and 5/22) and two informal nights (5/17 and 5/19). The other nights are casual.

[ChatKat in Ca.]

Regent's usual policy is that there are no formal nights on the 7 day Alaskan sailings. I did look up and see that the 10 day from San Francisco had two formal nights.

 

The 7 day cruises have one informal night. Days in where the ship's been in port are Country Club Casual.

 

In 2001 they had formal nights posted on our 10 night inaugural cruise, but, the Captain has decided that Alaska was not condusive to having formal nights and so they were changed to informal nights on that sailing. Some of the passengers who lugged tuxes and fur coats were not too happy with that decision.

[Iamboatman]

I have checked and literally every 7 night cruise has no formal nights. There is one informal night, for what that is worth. It is only on the two longer cruise at the beginning of the season from SFO and LA (which is really the same cruise) that there are any formal nights.

[Honeymooner2006]

Well, I can confirm that on the 5/14 Mariner sailing to Alaska, there are two formal nights (5/15 and 5/22) and two informal nights (5/17 and 5/19). The other nights are casual.

 

That's because that itinerary is essentially a repositioning cruise and not RSSC's typical 7-night Alaska itinerary. Doublecheck me on the website to be sure, but the rest of the Alaska cruises are more casual.

 

Hope that helps,

 

-Ann

[MamaQuack]

Ann,

 

I think you are right. We cruise late last July and there was pretty much no dress code except in the specialty restaurant. Folks were wearing jeans and nice shirts/sweaters in the dining room every night. My hubby & son wore their khakis but there were a lot of jeans.

 

MamaQuack

[ChatKat in Ca.]

I would not be all that happy to see people dressed in Levi's in Compass Rose or Latitudes on board ship after 6 pm. They were not dress that casually in the evenings in 2001 on Mariner or on any of the other RSSC cruises I have taken - including Tahiti on the PG, Navigator in New England and in Bermuda, the Panama Canal or Alaska.

[thescubamom]

How cool or warm are the dining rooms? Were mean wearing short sleeves or long sleeves? What about a sweater for the ladies?