"Is formal wear facing extinction?"

[Oxo]

Formal night ig getting tomean that you should not use a knife to eat peas.

 

I think that luggage fees and security are driving people to pack less. Plus they want to be more relaxed on vacations.

 

On a Caribbeam cruise I will shower before dinner and get dressed for formal night, by the time that I get my shirt, titans jacket on I am about as wet as I was getting out of the shower. G to dinner, sit down and end up taking my jacket off because it is too hot. After dinner I go back to the cabin and change into some casual clothes. Don't see any purpose of sitting in a theater, lounge at at a bar wearing a suit. Formal night requires that you wear a jacket for dinner in MDR, not in the buffet, Blu or specialty restuarants, so there will be many during the evening not dressed up.

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

If you sweat/get wet that quick, you may need to see a Doctor. That is not normal. Just trying to help. Most MDRs are very cool. Hope you fell better on your next cruise.

[Cruise Junky]

It's obvious that formal is decreasing. My first celebrity cruise was very formal...April this year there were jean capris in the dining room. We have Regent and Seabourn cutting formal nights and now Cunard and Crystal adjusting theirs. Celebrity sometimes changing the third formal night into "cocktail" attire. Anyone who thinks formal is not decreasing is in denial. Will they go away? I don't know. There are still a lot of people that like them and want them. And really, other than Cunard, what's worn most nights doesn't really classify as Formal wear especially in women.

[richsea]

Times change, & I think that eventually formal nights as we now know it, will be a thing of the past. I recently came across a photo of my parents & my aunt & uncle taken when I dropped them at JFK for a Bermuda vacation. The men wore jacket & tie, & the ladies wore dresses. Try to find that on an airplane today..

 

We haven't done formal nights in a couple of years,& eat in other than the MDR on those nights, out of respect to those who do observe it. We find that more & more people are joining us in the alternate venues.

[tip]

Times change, & I think that eventually formal nights as we now know it, will be a thing of the past. I recently came across a photo of my parents & my aunt & uncle taken when I dropped them at JFK for a Bermuda vacation. The men wore jacket & tie, & the ladies wore dresses. Try to find that on an airplane today...

 

Exactly and this is what drives the pro formal folks wild. The tide is changing and they can not do anything about it other than to try and convince us that the pendulum is swinging back to formal, recommend that folks go other venues to dine, or question the validity of those who have not sailed Celebrity enough to express an opinion.

[Anita Latte]

Formal night ig getting tomean that you should not use a knife to eat peas.

 

I think that luggage fees and security are driving people to pack less. Plus they want to be more relaxed on vacations.

 

On a Caribbeam cruise I will shower before dinner and get dressed for formal night, by the time that I get my shirt, titans jacket on I am about as wet as I was getting out of the shower. G to dinner, sit down and end up taking my jacket off because it is too hot. After dinner I go back to the cabin and change into some casual clothes. Don't see any purpose of sitting in a theater, lounge at at a bar wearing a suit. Formal night requires that you wear a jacket for dinner in MDR, not in the buffet, Blu or specialty restuarants, so there will be many during the evening not dressed up.

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

 

I think you may have a body temperature control problem or maybe sailing on ferries in the Indian ocean. Modern cruise ships are now air-conditiomed,

 

If you sweat/get wet that quick, you may need to see a Doctor. That is not normal. Just trying to help. Most MDRs are very cool. Hope you fell better on your next cruise.

 

Just want to say to Miched...you sound just like my DH. He is a heat machine. He grew up in a colder climate...and had big time problems with college in San Antonio. We went back to a colder climate for grad school and several years before hitting the warmth of Houston...and now we end up in north Georgia, which is much cooler by comparison.

 

Anyway...when you live in a place like MI, it is totally normal to have this kind of reaction. There is plenty of evidence supporting an active cooling system (sweating) being a sign of health and fitness...because your body knows how to do it and does it well.

 

DH has to turn on the a/c in the car when he drinks his hot coffee...

 

Just sayin'...could be perfectly normal reaction to the enclosed space of a cabin following a hot shower sans ceiling fan or other air circulation and the layers and lengths associated with fancy dress. Been there. Done that.

[TampaGator98]

My wife and I will be sailing on the Reflection beginning Nov 22 -- third cruise for me, first for her. We both are looking forward to formal nights, and I'm somebody who only wears a suit for funerals and job interviews. There's a tradition tied into formal nights on cruises that I hope does not fade away.

 

Now if only I can keep her from continuing to add to her dress collection...

[Embrace]

I wear a suit almost everyday, although it's becoming less frequent that I wear a tie. On vacation, I have no desire to dress up and unless I'm getting married, would feel ridiculous in a tux.

 

I can empathise with you there. I wear a lanyard around my neck everyday for work with my access card. The last thing I want to do is wear one on a cruise with my seapass. It's like a noose around my neck. So I don't.

 

However, everyone comes from different experiences and want to enjoy other experiences. For us, we look forward to formal nights for the same reason as TampaGator98 ... quoted below.

 

It's good to know there are cruise lines like Celebrity that accomodate for people that "want" and people that "don't".

 

My wife and I will be sailing on the Reflection beginning Nov 22 -- third cruise for me, first for her. We both are looking forward to formal nights, and I'm somebody who only wears a suit for funerals and job interviews. There's a tradition tied into formal nights on cruises that I hope does not fade away.

 

Now if only I can keep her from continuing to add to her dress collection...

Edited October 11, 2014 by Embrace

[Jenna109]

Why this discussion again! I like formal evenings others don't and I accept that. Many different cruise lines to suit us all - just book with the line which has a dress code to suit you ! Sorted

[BosoxI]

 

 

Yeah, sure. The space formerly occupied by a tux surely won't be filled by other things. Fewer clothes, a green thing. I love it. When I board a huge ocean liner or an airplane, the last thing I'm considering is going green. Maybe it's just me. LoL

Edited October 11, 2014 by BosoxI

[emcee207]

Be sure to post all the pics of people in their penguin suits from the Reagan era! That should surely make a case for formal night. :D

 

Was this post really necessary? Smiley face not needed.

[miched]

Just want to say to Miched...you sound just like my DH. He is a heat machine. He grew up in a colder climate...and had big time problems with college in San Antonio. We went back to a colder climate for grad school and several years before hitting the warmth of Houston...and now we end up in north Georgia, which is much cooler by comparison.

 

Anyway...when you live in a place like MI, it is totally normal to have this kind of reaction. There is plenty of evidence supporting an active cooling system (sweating) being a sign of health and fitness...because your body knows how to do it and does it well.

 

DH has to turn on the a/c in the car when he drinks his hot coffee...

 

Just sayin'...could be perfectly normal reaction to the enclosed space of a cabin following a hot shower sans ceiling fan or other air circulation and the layers and lengths associated with fancy dress. Been there. Done that.[/quote

 

It appears as if you are one of the few that understand how the body functions.

I am from Michigan. Do not have a heat problem. If anyone leaves a hot shower, or in a hot area they should normally sweat to cool off their body, if they dotn thyere is something wrong. If you are outside in a rather hot area like Las Vegas where the humidity is rather low the sweat will evaporate, as soon as you walk into a air conditioned area the sweat will not evaporate you will immediately become soaked with your sweat even though your are in a cooler area.

 

Yes if you are in a cooled area wearing a jacket, and a long sleeve shirt you should be comfortable but on a ship in the Caribbean in 90 degree plus weather it is not normal to be wearing that type of clothing. It may also be cool when you walk into a empty theater or dining room as with any large area the temp has to be set colder than normal to be able to handle the heat load when it fills up with people. Affer all of the people are in the area the temp really rises and the AC would not be able to handle the immediate load. So it is cold for the first few minutes but then becomes too warm. This is normal for all arenas, theaters and other large venues and is not unique to cruise ships.

 

Thanks though to all of those that are concerned about my health.

 

Happy crusing 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

[PORT ROYAL]

My title is not necessarily my own opinion but rather the title of an article on P. C2 of the Washington Post, October 10, 2014. The article starts "It's time to put the tuxedo on Washington's endangered-species list." In this season of gala dinners that were formerly all black tie, men and women are definitely emphasizing the last word of the "black tie optional" direction. In a picture accompanying the article the only person I can see with formal wear is the server.

 

It's a question whether Washington leads or follows the nation (or the world:rolleyes:) but there is definitely a trend under way. I've put my tux away and feel the better for it, and still well dressed. I know this topic has been discussed many (too many?) times, but I found it interesting that Celebrity cruisers are not alone in moving toward well-dressed but not formal fashion.

 

You can read the article, with a different pictures, at this web address:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/reliable-source/wp/2014/10/09/the-end-of-the-penguin-suit-why-washington-tuxes-are-gathering-dust/

 

Thankfully not on CUNARD or even P&O where old school etiquette still exists.

Leave the casual cruising on RCL and, going forward Celebrity, to the new demographic.

[miched]

Duplicate post

Edited October 11, 2014 by miched

[Macadian]

I think you may have a body temperature control problem or maybe sailing on ferries in the Indian ocean. Modern cruise ships are now air-conditiomed,

 

Would tend to disagree. Most of my cruising is the Carribean and on formal nights my attire is blazer and dress pants, collar and tie. I inevitably have to remove the jacket and loosen the tie not far into the sitting. I may tend to perspire more easily than some however it is what it is and for me dress pants and open neck shirt will be my 'Formal dress' on my forthcoming 14 day Carribean cruise. I will pack my blazer but will not wear it unless it is insisted upon on Formal Nights. I have considered packing my Kilt etc as this is a very 'cool' attire, but it weighs a fair bit and takes up a lot room in the case and am having difficulty in justifying an extra baggage charge (re the flight) just for 3 formal nights.

Edited October 11, 2014 by Macadian

[richsea]

Exactly and this is what drives the pro formal folks wild. The tide is changing and they can not do anything about it other than to try and convince us that the pendulum is swinging back to formal, recommend that folks go other venues to dine, or question the validity of those who have not sailed Celebrity enough to express an opinion.

 

I don't mean to say that I am against formal nights, or that I think it is "us vs. them". I just choose not to participate. However, I would not, & do not go to the MDR on formal nights because Celebrity asks their guests to dress accordingly in the MDR. For those who like, enjoy it. I'll eat elsewhere. But I do think that sometime in the future, it will go the way of the dodo bird.

Edited October 11, 2014 by richsea

[coolmom]

Times change, & I think that eventually formal nights as we now know it, will be a thing of the past. I recently came across a photo of my parents & my aunt & uncle taken when I dropped them at JFK for a Bermuda vacation. The men wore jacket & tie, & the ladies wore dresses. Try to find that on an airplane today..

 

We haven't done formal nights in a couple of years,& eat in other than the MDR on those nights, out of respect to those who do observe it. We find that more & more people are joining us in the alternate venues.

 

When you have to practically disrobe before getting through security, it doesn't even make sense to dress up to fly anymore. And you get pulled aside for an extra screening...well, let's just say I wouldn't want to be wearing a skirt.

[cruisead]

I don't buy the whole "luggage restrictions" excuse, because to me, it's a lame excuse, especially when you hear all the other stuff people want to pack in their luggage. You see blow up pools, bottled water, booze, their own sheets, costumes for theme nights, fans, decorations for the cabin and door and a lot of other stuff. Face it, we've become a lazy nation and many just don't feel like bothering. We went to the symphony last night, which used to be a dressy affair, and you've got people in shorts, jeans, dirty t-shirts, flip flops and all the rest. People just don't want to bother anymore. It has nothing to do with luggage restrictions, but it's a good excuse.

[Scott2.0]

Was this post really necessary? Smiley face not needed.

 

Was this post really necessary? :D

Edited October 11, 2014 by Scott2.0

[rlbeck]

Would tend to disagree. Most of my cruising is the Carribean and on formal nights my attire is blazer and dress pants, collar and tie. I inevitably have to remove the jacket and loosen the tie not far into the sitting. I may tend to perspire more easily than some however it is what it is and for me dress pants and open neck shirt will be my 'Formal dress' on my forthcoming 14 day Carribean cruise. I will pack my blazer but will not wear it unless it is insisted upon on Formal Nights. I have considered packing my Kilt etc as this is a very 'cool' attire, but it weighs a fair bit and takes up a lot room in the case and am having difficulty in justifying an extra baggage charge (re the flight) just for 3 formal nights.

 

Mac, you and Sandy looked great on our last cruise, keep it up friend!!! :)

[Macadian]

Mac, you and Sandy looked great on our last cruise, keep it up friend!!! :)

 

Your too Kind young man! Good to hear from you! :D

[cle-guy]

When you have to practically disrobe before getting through security, it doesn't even make sense to dress up to fly anymore. And you get pulled aside for an extra screening...well, let's just say I wouldn't want to be wearing a skirt.

 

Airport screening isn't that bad.

 

Worst case, a man has to remove his sport coat and shoes. A woman remove a scarf and coat.

 

No one removes ties, pants or shirts at the airport. Suit vests can eden stay on unless they alert for some reason, at which point a pat-down may occur.

[Macadian]

I don't buy the whole "luggage restrictions" excuse, because to me, it's a lame excuse.

 

 

Depends how much travelling one must do enroute to the cruise port and how many cases you are happy to deal with, not to mention the expense of extra luggage re flying. My wife and I only pack what can be accomodated within the airlines prescribed weight limit in our two suite cases, and myrids of formal attire does not enter into that requirement. In addition most airlines these days charge for each item of checked luggage, gone are the days where one checked item was included in the air fare per passenger. We tend to be pretty minimalist having acquired this skill having cruised for a number of years now. So for us it is not a 'lame excuse' and I am sure that is the case for many others cruisers. For those that don't mind the additional luggage and the expense that goes with it, or those that can drive to and from the Cruise Port its less of an issue, but for many it is. We pack enough to cater for 'Formal Nights' within the dress code, but excludes a different outfit for each evening. With all due respect, this is an issue where one size (or opinion) most certainly does not fit all.

Edited October 11, 2014 by Macadian

[cle-guy]

Formal night ig getting tomean that you should not use a knife to eat peas.

 

 

On a Caribbeam cruise I will shower before dinner and get dressed for formal night, by the time that I get my shirt, titans jacket on I am about as wet as I was getting out of the shower. G to dinner, sit down and end up taking my jacket off because it is too hot. After dinner I go back to the cabin and change into some casual clothes. Don't see any purpose of sitting in a theater, lounge at at a bar wearing a suit. Formal night requires that you wear a jacket for dinner in MDR, not in the buffet, Blu or specialty restuarants, so there will be many during the evening not dressed up.

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

 

 

I am exactly the same way, I always sweat like a prostitute in church after showering anf putting on any long sleeved shirt. But I do it for formal night's and wipe the sweat off my brow for the first half hour after dressing up and settle in.

 

I've mentioned to my doctor, and they feel it's normal for me.

 

I also after dinner go back and change into something a bit more comfortable for the duration of the evening in most cases

[ECCruise]

Depends how much travelling one must do enroute to the cruise port and how many cases you are happy to deal with, not to mention the expense of extra luggage re flying. My wife and I only pack what can be accomodated within the airlines prescribed weight limit in our two suite cases, and myrids of formal attire does not enter into that requirement. In addition most airlines these days charge for each item of checked luggage, gone are the days where one checked item was included in the air fare per passenger. We tend to be pretty minimalist having acquired this skill having cruised for a number of years now. So for us it is not a 'lame excuse' and I am sure that is the case for many others cruisers. For those that don't mind the additional luggage and the expense that goes with it, or those that can drive to and from the Cruise Port its less of an issue, but for many it is. We pack enough to cater for 'Formal Nights' within the dress code, but excludes a different outfit for each evening. With all due respect, this is an issue where one size (or opinion) most certainly does not fit all.

 

Totally agree. Virtually all of our traveling is 30+ days, many times 40,50,60,70 days. So no, luggage restrictions are not a "lame excuse". Maybe if you zip off to the the Caribbean once a year for a 7 day cruise, but no way am I lugging around extra cases for 2 months (and sometimes many additional flights) so that I "fit it" in someone else's opinion for a whopping 3 nights (which is frequently reduced to 2). You will see me right in the MDR, shirt, tie and comfortable blazer and slacks since they are interchangeable with other nights. So over the tux or limited use dark suit deal.

Edited October 11, 2014 by ECCruise