Formal - to wear or not to wear

[hopeless holiday booker]

We will be on the Oasis on Saturday and wondering whether to pack a suit for formal night as it's a caribbean cruise. we've been told that people don't dress up. What do you think?

[joepeka]

Quite honestly, it's up to you. If you want to wear a suit on formal night (which many do, including me) and make it feel like a special evening, then do that. Some men compromise a little and simply wear a shirt and tie (which is perfectly acceptable) and others go with slacks and an open neck dress shirt or nice polo. You won't be turned away with any of those choices - just don't show up dressed like that famous comedian named Larry and expect to be seated. :eek:

Edited February 11, 2015 by joepeka

[Grandma Dazzles]

We will be on the Oasis on Saturday and wondering whether to pack a suit for formal night as it's a caribbean cruise. we've been told that people don't dress up. What do you think?

 

Such a controversial topic on these boards!

 

You are going to get lots of people with the "it's your cruise, do what you want" answers, plus, yes, people don't dress up as much as they did a decade ago.

 

However, have sailed the Oasis and Allure, and many other ships, and found that while not so many men are wearing a tux, a very large percentage do wear a suit or jacket on formal night.

 

It is the Caribbean, however, all indoor locations are air conditioned (sometimes to the point of being cool). It is still "formal" night and many families/couples enjoy the chance to get a picture taken.

 

There are around 6,000 people on board; cruise critic represents a very small portion of those passengers.

 

My personal opinion is that a suit is definitely the norm/appropriate and that you would be in the minority especially in the main dining room/specialty restaurants if you were not wearing one.

[cruisingram1]

Recent formal night on the Oasis. I saw a gal in short jeans walk in with a guy in long jeans. They followed someone who was wearing a flowing long gown whose beau was in a tux.

 

As well as everything in between.

 

I guess what I am saying is it's your call. Driving local, a suit is not as much of an issue as if you're flying in. And I don't know if the gal in shorts was turned away in the end, but she did make it past the maitre' d.

[KansasK]

I was on the Oasis last May and men wearing suits on formal night outnumbered those who did not. This may have just been for this cruise, but as someone said before, most of the passengers are not on Cruise Critic.

[mickev99]

I was a stay at home mom and now work from home since my kids started school, so I welcome any chance to dress up. I also have 3 girls who always want to dress in fancy clothes, so we use it as a chance to get a nice family picture. However, I really don't care what anyone else wears. Now if someone is dressed inappropriately, I will secretly judge them, but that would be someone in short shorts and a tank top. I say as long as it's appropriate for a nice restaurant, go for it. Of course if you are wearing a bikini on the way into the MDR for a character breakfast, you will find yourself in my record afterward, LOL.

[trihawks1]

The first cruise, we packed my DH suit shoes etc. pain and took up a lot of space. Second cruise, we rented a tux on the ship. He was measured at men's warehouse then ordered his tux using the measurements. Loved this! The tux was there in the cabin when we arrived and we left it there at end of cruise. Well worth the cost. Our last cruise, Dec. 2013, we were on Indy. We took our DD and three of her adult friends. We decided the girls would wear cute short dresses and the guys wore nice slacks with shirt and tie only on formal nights. The other nights the guys wore khakis and polo shirts. I wore Chicos travelers outfits myself for entire cruise using sparkler type tops for formal nights.

 

We saw very few tuxes on Indy, quite a few suits as well as slacks, long sleeve shirts w ties. So just do whatever makes you comfortable. We did have fun though when my husband had the tux...we had awesome photos of the two of us!

 

 

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[bobmacliberty]

I wear a tux. DW bought it for me after our first cruise and the only time that I've ever worn it is on a cruise ship. Count us as part of the crowd that likes to dress up, get our picture taken, etc. There's a definite buzz in the ship on formal nights. Maybe we just haven't been on enough cruises yet for the excitement to wear off.

 

The last couple of times I've cruised it seemed like the dress up crowd far outnumbered the casual crowd. I don't recall seeing anyone in the MDR that I would consider inappropriately dressed, but I wasn't really paying attention. Although we like to dress up, I'm also one of the "It's your cruise" people.

[Deptacon]

I wear a suit 1 night....we get dressed up to take pictures.

 

Every other night its a nice pair of jeans and a nice collar shirt....

[bluegirlum]

We also saw everything on formal night on Oasis--Hawaiian shirts, suits, tuxes, men in kilts, military attire. I was raised to dress for the "occasion" (I still dress up to fly), so if I go to formal night in the MDR/specialty restaurant, I wear a dress and BF will wear a suit, but I don't care what others wear. I personally would wear sweatpants all day everyday if I could, but I realize that's not always appropriate. :)

Edited February 12, 2015 by bluegirlum

[cb at sea]

We dress up, because we look good and that's fun! It's totally up to you how dressed up (if, at all) you want to get!

[perkli25]

We love dressing up for formal nights. My husband always wears a suit. No tux. Its part of the fun of cruising. That being said, do what sounds fun for you and your family. Its your vacation and other people's wardrobe selections don't distress me one bit :)

[mickev99]

I meant in my review, not record. That's what I get for not wearing my glasses. I was referencing one of my reviews where a dad thought it was appropriate to bring his daughters into the MDR for breakfast in bikinis and no shoes. Luckily the hostess told him they could not enter dressed (or not) like that.

[OCruisers]

Not as many dress TRUELY formally any longer on RCCL. ;)

LuLu

[hopeless holiday booker]

Thank you all. We are going to pack a suit. We like dressing up but didn't want to look over dressed. Cruise review in a just over a weeks time!!!

[papaflamingo]

Do not let others bully you because you dont live up to their standards.

 

Quick comment. It's actually Royal Caribbean's "standards." It's on their website and is quite specific. They just don't require it. But it's still what they request and since they own the ship, they set the "standard." Not trying to be argumentative, or start a nasty thread.

 

Thank you all. We are going to pack a suit. We like dressing up but didn't want to look over dressed. Cruise review in a just over a weeks time!!!

 

You'll enjoy dressing up. Everyone who does looks elegant and it can make for a nice evening. If you find out you don't want to bother, then you'll know. But like another thread has said, it's a nice opportunity for some great family pictures. As others have said some dress, some don't. So no need to worry if you aren't in the mood to dress up. We, too, have seen the gamut from t-shirts and jeans to full dress uniforms. At least the guys in t-shirts wore "pocket t's" so I guess they did "dress up." :)

[bluegirlum]

Thank you all. We are going to pack a suit. We like dressing up but didn't want to look over dressed. Cruise review in a just over a weeks time!!!

 

Always better to be overdressed!! :)

[cecelia0613]

Cruise Compass last week now says ties optional. Hubby took slacks and a blazer and saw many with this

 

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[PCWalton1]

Thank you all. We are going to pack a suit. We like dressing up but didn't want to look over dressed. Cruise review in a just over a weeks time!!!

 

Have fun on your cruise. We were on Oasis last month and I brought a suit so we could dress for the second formal night. On the first one the NFC Championship game was playing at the Aqua Theater and we knew it would not finish in time for us to get ready.

 

We enjoy dressing up and normally go to MDR that night as there is where you will find the most people dressed up. I wish I could tell you what percentage were dressed up in MDR that night but I really don't pay that much attention to the other tables. I know most of them in our immediate vicinity dressed up. :)

 

I did a live review and there is probably a picture or two from that night.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2151400

[hopeless holiday booker]

I've been reading! Great review