It's official! Formal nights gone, evening chic in! (3 Threads Merged)

[PORT ROYAL]

Ugh! Now Celebrity has acquiesced and is like all the other cruise lines. People will be coming to formal night in Dockers and Hawaiian shirts. While that may be fine on other nights, why is it that everything that was once "cruising" is changing to, we don't care about tradition, just give us what we want, like Veruca (Charley and Chocolate Factory). It's just too bad that we have lost the history and traditions of cruising. Guess I'll have to settle for ice skating, bumper cars, climbing walls, surf riding and merry go rounds on a ship to have a fun cruise, NOT. Are we cruising or going to an amusement park? What happened to enjoying things for what they are/were? What are we teaching our kids/grandkids? Such a waste.

 

You and your family will find a warm welcome on Cunard ;)

[Ma Bell]

What has Celebrity done in, say, the past 2 years or so on formal night to differentiate it or make it special compared to non-formal night?

 

I guess that's the point.

[villauk]

It would appear you are in the minority.

 

Is it a deal breaker?

 

If so there are several UK based cruise lines who love formal.

 

I suspect I am in the minority as a UK cruiser, I do smart casual and that is my limit.

 

Annie

 

This is where I'm slightly confused as I also do not do ball gowns. I do wear a cocktail dress, LBD etc. to formal nights and a 'sparkly-type' dress for holiday sailings, but I can count on 1 hand how many ladies have been in ball gowns on either of our 2 Equinox cruises this year :confused:. The majority wear knee length or shorter dresses. TBH, I have seen more men in kilts, who sound as Scottish as I do :D, than anyone in a ball gown. Cocktail dresses - yes, there have been many. So, where are all these pax in ball gowns?? I don't sail from Southampton (UK) as I prefer a wide range of nationalities when we cruise, so are all these gowns being worn on those sailings?

 

Is this change going to result in most pax not changing for dinner and dressing appropriately? I doubt it, this has not been the case since both Aqua and Luminae have been introduced and they are both casual dining rooms. Are X regular cruisers suddenly going to change their hygiene/presentability standards just because the cruise line has suddenly changed the name of an evening? These are the same people cruising, folks - they will still have the same values and standards. They haven't suddenly been slobberised (if Roald Dahl can do it, so can I :D); just because someone doesn't want to wear a tie doesn't mean they'd feel comfortable in a string vest :eek:!

 

If there were hundreds of pax in their ball gowns every cruise, I could understand the uproar. But, honestly, can any of you hold your hands up and state there have been more than a handful of pax in ball gowns on your last few cruises (obviously excluding UK departures :p)?

[LMaxwell]

I guess that's the point.

 

It's certainly part of it! Dressing up just to dress up when the host treats it as EXACTLY the same as any other night feels like a farce.

[DirtyDawg]

It's certainly part of it! Dressing up just to dress up when the host treats it as EXACTLY the same as any other night feels like a farce.

 

.....or a costume party.:)

[Jane2357]

.....or a costume party.:)

 

BINGO!! Why would I want to put on a formal gown and then have somebody in "designer jeans" plop down next to me. Trick or Treat. They better be adding additional tables for two - the ONLY way to ensure your "formal" evening has any chance of being that.

[LMaxwell]

BINGO!! Why would I want to put on a formal gown and then have somebody in "designer jeans" plop down next to me. Trick or Treat. They better be adding additional tables for two - the ONLY way to ensure your "formal" evening has any chance of being that.

 

I'm still waiting to hear about all these traditional and special touches Celebrity uses. I suspect no one has answered because they haven't done much of anything lately

[Classynfun1]

I am disappointed in the company, not upset, and since Luminae is a very new concept, I've spent many years and many cruises dining in the MDR.

 

It's possible to disagree with a policy and express one's displeasure without personally attacking others and calling people names. I've posted on these threads for a long time without denigrating people or personally insulting their choices. Unfortunately there are a few who don't ever discuss the issue, but only comment about others.

 

I've always understood that some people never like to dress up for dinner and sometimes I don't feel like it either. I thought Celebrity did a good job providing alternatives for those few nights and I have taken advantage of the alternatives myself. I always hoped that people would find that those alternatives were very nice and gave everyone a chance to enjoy what they liked. This change, regardless of them saying it's still OK to dress formally, effectively changes the whole experience. I will personally miss it and I think it's a mistake but it certainly won't ruin my life or my experiences. It's just one more thing that is taking Celebrity away from being something special to being the same as all the rest in the large, mainstream cruise category. It just gives us all more reason to shop around.

 

If some find it necessary to gloat and make insulting comments it has no effect on me and only serves to demonstrate who they are. I guess I should just learn my lesson and not worry about others.

 

Well said and I agree with you completely.

[sr4mjc]

BINGO!! Why would I want to put on a formal gown and then have somebody in "designer jeans" plop down next to me. Trick or Treat. They better be adding additional tables for two - the ONLY way to ensure your "formal" evening has any chance of being that.

 

Well it was already that way before the announcement, so nothing has changed.

[grandgeezer]

It's certainly part of it! Dressing up just to dress up when the host treats it as EXACTLY the same as any other night feels like a farce.

 

When we first started cruising, they were all formal nights. Then they went to nights where the men didn't have to wear a tie, but should wear the jacket. Then they made some nights where the jackets we cast off. Now, wear whatever you want. The dining room setup and dress of the wait staff hasn't changed, the passengers have devalued the formal nights. The way it's going, in another year or two, it'll be Hollywood Hillbillies take over Denny's. They haven't enforced the dress code before, why should they start now? As long as the "free" drinks are flowing, who cares?

[Classynfun1]

This is where I'm slightly confused as I also do not do ball gowns. I do wear a cocktail dress, LBD etc. to formal nights and a 'sparkly-type' dress for holiday sailings, but I can count on 1 hand how many ladies have been in ball gowns on either of our 2 Equinox cruises this year :confused:. The majority wear knee length or shorter dresses. TBH, I have seen more men in kilts, who sound as Scottish as I do :D, than anyone in a ball gown. Cocktail dresses - yes, there have been many. So, where are all these pax in ball gowns?? I don't sail from Southampton (UK) as I prefer a wide range of nationalities when we cruise, so are all these gowns being worn on those sailings?

 

Is this change going to result in most pax not changing for dinner and dressing appropriately? I doubt it, this has not been the case since both Aqua and Luminae have been introduced and they are both casual dining rooms. Are X regular cruisers suddenly going to change their hygiene/presentability standards just because the cruise line has suddenly changed the name of an evening? These are the same people cruising, folks - they will still have the same values and standards. They haven't suddenly been slobberised (if Roald Dahl can do it, so can I :D); just because someone doesn't want to wear a tie doesn't mean they'd feel comfortable in a string vest :eek:!

 

If there were hundreds of pax in their ball gowns every cruise, I could understand the uproar. But, honestly, can any of you hold your hands up and state there have been more than a handful of pax in ball gowns on your last few cruises (obviously excluding UK departures :p)?

 

Ball gowns do NOT equal formal. Full LENGTH gowns do. I always bring full length gowns for formals nights and see quite a lot of other women doing the same thing. I also saw quite a lot of cocktail length, but full sequined dresses that fit the atmosphere well.

 

I was married on October 30 and did NOT wear a princess "ball gown" then either. I did wear a fitted, full length, with chapel length train and layers of lace, wedding gown. It fit the formality of night (with men in full military dress or tuxedos) and women in similar attire.

[waldorf]

It would appear you are in the minority.

 

Is it a deal breaker?

 

If so there are several UK based cruise lines who love formal.

 

I suspect I am in the minority as a UK cruiser, I do smart casual and that is my limit.

 

Annie

 

I am delighted with this news. The formality of UK based lines such as P&O and Cunard, is the reason why we do not sail with them.

 

Well done Celebrity, we will be sailing with you next time we book.

[anniegb]

I am delighted with this news. The formality of UK based lines such as P&O and Cunard, is the reason why we do not sail with them.

 

Well done Celebrity, we will be sailing with you next time we book.

 

Snap.

 

Annie

[ECCruise]

When we first started cruising, they were all formal nights. Then they went to nights where the men didn't have to wear a tie, but should wear the jacket. Then they made some nights where the jackets we cast off. Now, wear whatever you want. The dining room setup and dress of the wait staff hasn't changed, the passengers have devalued the formal nights. The way it's going, in another year or two, it'll be Hollywood Hillbillies take over Denny's. They haven't enforced the dress code before, why should they start now? As long as the "free" drinks are flowing, who cares?

 

The wait staff attire has changed completely. They used to wear full tuxedos or dinner jackets (as did the room stewards) and white gloves. No more. And it has been decades since main stream lines like Celebrity were 100% formal.

 

This weeping and gnashing of teeth is just silly. Any number of lines just do fine with this type of dress code. Never saw Jed or Ellie or Jethro on any of them and they have had this type of dress code forever.

 

 

 

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[anniegb]

This is where I'm slightly confused as I also do not do ball gowns. I do wear a cocktail dress, LBD etc. to formal nights and a 'sparkly-type' dress for holiday sailings, but I can count on 1 hand how many ladies have been in ball gowns on either of our 2 Equinox cruises this year :confused:. The majority wear knee length or shorter dresses. TBH, I have seen more men in kilts, who sound as Scottish as I do :D, than anyone in a ball gown. Cocktail dresses - yes, there have been many. So, where are all these pax in ball gowns?? I don't sail from Southampton (UK) as I prefer a wide range of nationalities when we cruise, so are all these gowns being worn on those sailings?

 

Is this change going to result in most pax not changing for dinner and dressing appropriately? I doubt it, this has not been the case since both Aqua and Luminae have been introduced and they are both casual dining rooms. Are X regular cruisers suddenly going to change their hygiene/presentability standards just because the cruise line has suddenly changed the name of an evening? These are the same people cruising, folks - they will still have the same values and standards. They haven't suddenly been slobberised (if Roald Dahl can do it, so can I :D); just because someone doesn't want to wear a tie doesn't mean they'd feel comfortable in a string vest :eek:!

 

If there were hundreds of pax in their ball gowns every cruise, I could understand the uproar. But, honestly, can any of you hold your hands up and state there have been more than a handful of pax in ball gowns on your last few cruises (obviously excluding UK departures :p)?

 

I also don't sail Celebrity from the UK but from European mainland or USA.

 

Hands on heart, I have seen 2 ladies in long dresses and 2 ladies in long evening skirts on my Celebrity cruises. No ball gowns but I don't think we really do ball gowns in the UK do we? Are they practical in our weather. ? Of the 4 ladies, 3 were English.

 

Annie

[LMaxwell]

When we first started cruising, they were all formal nights. Then they went to nights where the men didn't have to wear a tie, but should wear the jacket. Then they made some nights where the jackets we cast off. Now, wear whatever you want. The dining room setup and dress of the wait staff hasn't changed, the passengers have devalued the formal nights. The way it's going, in another year or two, it'll be Hollywood Hillbillies take over Denny's. They haven't enforced the dress code before, why should they start now? As long as the "free" drinks are flowing, who cares?

My first Celebrity cruise was nearly 20 years ago and the host certainly had special touches that don't exist today. Sorry I won't give the company a free pass and put the change all on guests. Takes 2....

[LMaxwell]

When we first started cruising, they were all formal nights. Then they went to nights where the men didn't have to wear a tie, but should wear the jacket. Then they made some nights where the jackets we cast off. Now, wear whatever you want. The dining room setup and dress of the wait staff hasn't changed, the passengers have devalued the formal nights. The way it's going, in another year or two, it'll be Hollywood Hillbillies take over Denny's. They haven't enforced the dress code before, why should they start now? As long as the "free" drinks are flowing, who cares?

My first Celebrity cruise was nearly 20 years ago and the host certainly had special touches that don't exist today. Sorry I won't give the company a free pass and put the change all on guests. Takes 2....

[villauk]

Ball gowns do NOT equal formal. Full LENGTH gowns do. I always bring full length gowns for formals nights and see quite a lot of other women doing the same thing. I also saw quite a lot of cocktail length, but full sequined dresses that fit the atmosphere well.

 

I was married on October 30 and did NOT wear a princess "ball gown" then either. I did wear a fitted, full length, with chapel length train and layers of lace, wedding gown. It fit the formality of night (with men in full military dress or tuxedos) and women in similar attire.

 

You are only fooling yourself if you believe the majority of women cruisers on X wear full length gowns. I can categorically state that on every one of our cruises, the majority of women DO NOT wear long gowns - a handful at most. Granted, we have seen changes over the years, however, it still remains that the majority of women wear cocktail/LBDs on formal evenings. And why can't that continue on 'Chic' nights?

[SeaCBear]

The majority of women are in gowns on formal nights on Celebrity? That's certainly not at all what I've seen, in the Caribbean or Europe.

 

Even when we cruised for two weeks last year on Cunard, IN Europe, there were many women in cocktail dresses, not gowns. There have been many references to Cunard on this thread, but they too have altered their dress code in recent years. Men no longer need to wear ties on non-formal evenings.

 

 

Edited November 13, 2015 by SeaCBear

[cheeseheads4ever]

We will still dress up. How do you get invited to Captains Reception?

[lakelady02]

I'm still waiting to hear about all these traditional and special touches Celebrity uses. I suspect no one has answered because they haven't done much of anything lately

 

 

They made it special by designating it "Formal".

 

 

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[Tura Lura]

Oooh ballroom dancing, yeah don't do that either. That looks hella stuffy. Won't be going on that line.

[need2bespoiled]

We will still dress up. How do you get invited to Captains Reception?

 

Everyone is invited. It's usually in the theater, on the first formal, err, chic night. Sometimes we've seen it in the atrium, but that may have been a test as I have not seen or heard of that recently.

 

Oooh ballroom dancing, yeah don't do that either. That looks hella stuffy. Won't be going on that line.

 

Can you say Dancing with the stars? How stuffy is THAT? Market is millennials me thinks?

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

[LMaxwell]

They made it special by designating it "Formal".

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

I once stuck a BMW badge on a Chrysler Town & Country, but alas, it did not make it so

[Tura Lura]

Everyone is invited. It's usually in the theater, on the first formal, err, chic night. Sometimes we've seen it in the atrium, but that may have been a test as I have not seen or heard of that recently.

 

 

 

Can you say Dancing with the stars? How stuffy is THAT? Market is millennials me thinks?

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

 

Millennials? No like most tv 18-45 is the target. I don't watch it, it's super cheesy. but I love So you think you can dance.

 

But then again, I'm a boomer. Not even Gen x.