Confused about Specialty Restaurant attire

[floralscent]

We have always enjoyed the formal nights on Celebrity. My husband wears a tux and I always wear a formal dress...we think it is a lot of fun!

 

Our cruise in May is an Alaskan itinerary and we are planning many active excursions which means lots of clothes and clothes for all weather types. Since we are packing so many clothes this time we are thinking about not doing formal nights since formal wear takes up so much space. :(

 

Are we limited to room service, Oceanview Cafe and Bistro on 5 on the Solstice, if we chose to forgo formal nights this time? We never dine in the MDR but instead always purchase a specialty restaurant package. This cruise is no different but we certainly won't go to these venues (especially not Murano) on formal night if we would look out of place not wearing formal wear. I personally might feel a bit out of place but would it be acceptable to wear nice clothes and still go to Tuscan Grille or Silk Harvest on formal night? Are nice pants and a tie acceptable for a man...without a jacket? If he needs to pack a jacket, then we may as well just pack formal wear.

 

I know this has been brought up a million times but I really haven't paid attention to the answers since it never applied to us before.

[Cruising89143]

All specialty restaurants are smart casual regardless of dress in the MDR. Only the MDR requests that one dress formal on formal nights. What you described would be perfect for formal nights in specialty dining.

[gek]

No jackets or ties are required in specialty restaurants ever, not even on formal nights.

 

Depending on the restaurant, the itinerary and the mix of passengers the majority of people may or may not be dressed formally. The point is that in the specialty restaurants it is your choice. Wear whatever you feel comfortable in so long as you feel it meets the smart casual and above guidelines.

[dodger1964]

Only you can answer if u will feel comfortable or not. Obviously the dress code is casual OR above anywhere on ship except in mdr on formal nights.

 

There will be people dressed up in all the restaurants on formal night, but it isn't required. If u would feel uncomfortable in smart casual clothes surrounded by some others that are dressed in tuxes, then dress up or look at other options.

 

It isn't like when you walk in to the room there will be a spotlight fixated on you because you are dressed smart casual, but some feel that way. To each their own..

[ghstudio]

When you are on the ship, you may see a note in the daily for formal night that says "the dress code must be followed in all restaurants". It's very poorly worded but it means that you must follow the dress code for the restaurant you will be dining in....not the formal dress code. This confuses many.....

[yayvacation!]

All specialty restaurants are smart casual all the time.

 

Whatever you would wear to the MDR on a non-formal night will be perfect.

 

 

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[floralscent]

Thank you so much! I guess we will opt out of formal attire this time due to packing space.

[cruisetimeforme]

We tend to go to Muranos on formal nights and there are always people not dressed formally. Agree you need a lot of clothing for Alaska sailings, which seem more casual in evenings than others to me. Usually feel everyone is pretty much too tired after busy days to want to spend a ton of time getting dressed up.

[ClaudiaB]

We always eat in the specialty restaurants on formal nights, but those nights we wear the "nicest" of our clothes, but nothing formal. Alaska is definitely a different cruise to pack for. We typically pack heavier things in one of those space bags that compresses out the air. We have taken long hiking excursions where it was hovering around freezing, and the glaciers and time on deck in the fjords is really really cold so we bring what we need. And often we spend time in California afterwards so we need warm weather clothes too.

It's definitely worth the hassle of the extra clothes though. Have a wonderful time!

[aspen36]

This has been helpful for me as well. We are going to be doing a Norwegian cruise on the Eclipse next year. I don't want to drag around formal wear all over Europe that I won't need except for one night on the cruise. We will be in London and then either the South of France or Italy after the cruise. :)

[dkjretired]

We have always enjoyed the formal nights on Celebrity. My husband wears a tux and I always wear a formal dress...we think it is a lot of fun!

 

Our cruise in May is an Alaskan itinerary and we are planning many active excursions which means lots of clothes and clothes for all weather types. Since we are packing so many clothes this time we are thinking about not doing formal nights since formal wear takes up so much space. :(

 

Are we limited to room service, Oceanview Cafe and Bistro on 5 on the Solstice, if we chose to forgo formal nights this time? We never dine in the MDR but instead always purchase a specialty restaurant package. This cruise is no different but we certainly won't go to these venues (especially not Murano) on formal night if we would look out of place not wearing formal wear. I personally might feel a bit out of place but would it be acceptable to wear nice clothes and still go to Tuscan Grille or Silk Harvest on formal night? Are nice pants and a tie acceptable for a man...without a jacket? If he needs to pack a jacket, then we may as well just pack formal wear.

 

I know this has been brought up a million times but I really haven't paid attention to the answers since it never applied to us before.

 

We are doing Alaska this year also, no formal clothes for us this time as from what I have read it is a more informal cruise than say Europe. This will be the first time we haven't done formal but we are just doing what we think will be comfortable for us.

[Pennstatedj]

Just off silhouette. Tuscan rest first night i saw shorts. Could not believe it.

You are suppose to be smart casual like everyone has said.

So, whatever you feel good in go for it.

[dkjretired]

Just off silhouette. Tuscan rest first night i saw shorts. Could not believe it.

You are suppose to be smart casual like everyone has said.

So, whatever you feel good in go for it.

 

Not uncommon on the first night to see this as they know that some people have not received their luggage. That is why many experienced cruisers pack first nights clothes in their carry on.