Formal nights

[Dan1113]

My impression was that there was one formal night per week with Royal Caribbean, and that is how it was when we sailed with RC a few years ago. The website info pages says 2 per week though. Is this accurate?

 

Thanks!

[OCruisers]

Yes, two formal nights on 7 day cruises.

[impatientlywaiting]

But formal isn't all that formal anymore. On our cruise in September we skipped the first formal night in the dining room because we didn't bring formal wear. Our waiter told us that what we'd been wearing was perfectly fine so the second formal night we showed up and were shocked when we only saw a few guys wearing sport coats; one or two suits; no ladies were wearing dressy clothes. DH wore black Dockers with a short sleeve button down shirt and I wore a casual skirt and blouse. We were pretty much dressed like everyone else. And now that Celebrity has done away with Formal night for something less formal, I wonder if Royal will follow along.

[Oak Hill Cruisers]

As you may know, Celebrity has just ditched its formal nights for 'evening chic'. RCI shouldn't be far behind.

 

I'm never going to take a tie on a cruise anymore.

[OCruisers]

But formal isn't all that formal anymore. On our cruise in September we skipped the first formal night in the dining room because we didn't bring formal wear. Our waiter told us that what we'd been wearing was perfectly fine so the second formal night we showed up and were shocked when we only saw a few guys wearing sport coats; one or two suits; no ladies were wearing dressy clothes. DH wore black Dockers with a short sleeve button down shirt and I wore a casual skirt and blouse. We were pretty much dressed like everyone else. And now that Celebrity has done away with Formal night for something less formal, I wonder if Royal will follow along.

 

Agree! We've found the same to be true for formal nights on Royal Caribbean. They call them Formal Nights ... but they really aren't.

[bigboffs]

Note that in the Cruise Compass it states that the SUGGESTED attire is formal. There is no rule. Also, since RCCL does not define "formal", in today's society that type of attire is wide open to individual interpretation.

[kalliekae]

Yet, when we were on the Oasis in Dec 2013, I would say at least 75% of the passengers were very dressed up. Sequins, black formalwear, etc. Perhaps it was due to the upcoming Christmas season, but I was sure glad I brought my fancy clothes.

[Dan1113]

Our is over the NY period, so yeah, I would hate to be severely underdressed!

[Biker19]

The dressing down on formal night is more of a North America thing and probably more so in the Caribbean - folks dress up more in other parts of the world.

Edited November 16, 2015 by Biker19

[Oscarsgrandad]

from the UK RCCL website:

 

There are three distinct types of evening on board: casual, smart casual and formal. Suggested guidelines for these nights are:

Casual: Polo shirts and trousers for men, sundresses or trousers for women

Smart Casual: Jacket and shirt for men, dresses or trouser suits for women

Formal: Suits and ties or tuxedos for men, cocktail dresses for women

 

CruiseLength

Casual

SmartCasual

Formal

3 nights

2

0

1

4 nights 3

0

1

5 nights 3

1

1

6 nights 3

1

2

7 nights 4

1

2

8 nights 4

2

2

9 nights 5

2

2

10 nights 6

2

2

11 nights 7

2

2

12 nights* 8

2

2*

13 nights 9

2

2

14 nights 8

3

3

15 nights Remaining Casual

3

3

 

Note: *Some 12 night or longer European cruises may have three formal nights

The first and last night of your cruise are normally designated as casual dress. The first sea day after the day of departure is usually the first formal night.

Casual dining is available in the Windjammer every night of the cruise except the last. Your ship may also have other casual dining venues as well.

 

We appreciate your usual parental guidance and cooperation in adapting these easy guidelines for children

[spookwife]

My impression was that there was one formal night per week with Royal Caribbean, and that is how it was when we sailed with RC a few years ago. The website info pages says 2 per week though. Is this accurate?

 

Thanks!

 

on cruises longer than 5 days( 6 and up) there are 2 formal nights.. first full day and second to last night

[Dan1113]

I suppose if I go for say, black chinos, with a shirt and tie and dress shoes, that should be formal enough?

[sr4mjc]

Any guesses on formal nights for this itinerary?

 

Day 1 - San Juan, Puerto Rico 8:30 PM

Day 2 -Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas 8:00 AM 5:30 PM Docked

Day 3 -Basseterre, St. Kitts 8:00 AM 5:00 PM Docked

Day 4 -Cruising Cruising

Day 5 -Oranjestad, Aruba 8:00 AM 5:00 PM Docked

Day 6 - Willemstad, Curacao 8:00 AM 5:00 PM Docked

Day 7 - Cruising Cruising

Day 8 - San Juan, Puerto Rico 6:00 AM

 

2 and 6 per usual?

Edited November 17, 2015 by sr4mjc

[Clarea]

I suppose if I go for say, black chinos, with a shirt and tie and dress shoes, that should be formal enough?

You would be more formal than many others.

[spookwife]

I suppose if I go for say, black chinos, with a shirt and tie and dress shoes, that should be formal enough?

 

perfectly acceptable.

[Merion_Mom]

Our is over the NY period, so yeah, I would hate to be severely underdressed!

 

If NYE is formal night, and is like all the NYE formal nights that "I" have experienced, people REALLY dress up for the celebration. The other formal night, not so much. ;)

[Merion_Mom]

on cruises longer than 5 days( 6 and up) there are 2 formal nights.. first full day and second to last night

 

first = night #2

 

second = EITHER #5 OR #6, depending on itinerary.

[Merion_Mom]

Any guesses on formal nights for this itinerary?

 

Day 1 - San Juan, Puerto Rico 8:30 PM

Day 2 -Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas 8:00 AM 5:30 PM Docked

Day 3 -Basseterre, St. Kitts 8:00 AM 5:00 PM Docked

Day 4 -Cruising Cruising

Day 5 -Oranjestad, Aruba 8:00 AM 5:00 PM Docked

Day 6 - Willemstad, Curacao 8:00 AM 5:00 PM Docked

Day 7 - Cruising Cruising

Day 8 - San Juan, Puerto Rico 6:00 AM

 

2 and 6 per usual?

 

On your itinerary, it is a toss-up between 5 & 6. It's up to the staff on board to decide. You could find out from previous passengers on your ship and itinerary

[sr4mjc]

On your itinerary, it is a toss-up between 5 & 6. It's up to the staff on board to decide. You could find out from previous passengers on your ship and itinerary

 

5 is Thanksgiving if it matters :D

[ckfred]

If you go on a cruise out of Europe, it is surprising how many people dress for formal nights. Whereas in the U.S., it's a very small number of men who wear tuxes (and always a couple of men who wear a dinner jacket and kilt), I would wager that about 40% to 50% of the men who were dressed in coat and tie were in tuxes. Even a fair number of boys were dressed in tuxes.

 

Frankly, I felt underdressed in a navy sport coat and gray pants, even with a dress shirt and tie. I wished I had brought a suit.

 

But then, in London, I got the idea that business casual for men isn't what it is in the U.S., open collar dress shirt or polo shirt and Dockers. It's a suit with an open collar dress shirt, based on what I saw on the Tube during morning and evening rush hours.

 

Regardless, there is one thing that I wish RC would do. There is often a sign that says no shorts in the MDR. Yet, I see men, at dinner, wearing shorts. I understand why RC doesn't enforce a dress code on formal nights, but I do think it should enforce the "no shorts" rule for the MDR.

[tangogulf]

20 years or so ago formal nights were really full on. Usually the Captains cocktail reception was on the first formal night followed by a special dinner in the MDR (these were days when there was no such thing as specialty restaurants). Used to be a Bombe Alaska parade by the waiters, lights off and sparklers on top of the deserts followed by table side crepe Suzette. Those were the days. Now the menu on formal nights isn't special and no special activities except lots of photographers around to take expensive portraits.

[impatientlywaiting]

Regardless, there is one thing that I wish RC would do. There is often a sign that says no shorts in the MDR. Yet, I see men, at dinner, wearing shorts. I understand why RC doesn't enforce a dress code on formal nights, but I do think it should enforce the "no shorts" rule for the MDR.

 

I've seen it enforced.

[ckfred]

Anita,

 

It wasn't enforced this summer on the Brilliance out of Harwich, and it wasn't enforced on a summer 2014 cruise on the Freedom

[ryano]

Anita,

 

It wasn't enforced this summer on the Brilliance out of Harwich, and it wasn't enforced on a summer 2014 cruise on the Freedom

 

Not enforced on Freedom April 2015 either. I saw what I would consider numerous people wearing shorts in the MDR for dinner. Even on formal night. That doesnt bother me. Just an observation was all. I think the only reason I notice is because its been such a heated topic here for years

Edited November 19, 2015 by ryano

[poncho1973]

The dressing down on formal night is more of a North America thing and probably more so in the Caribbean - folks dress up more in other parts of the world.

 

Having been on Med cruises as someone from NA... I can tell you that my personal experiences disagree with this.

 

It hasn't been a lot more dressy than NA/Caribbean cruises. Maybe a few more sport coats over chairs and the like... and MUCH fancier shoes... but nothing more or less formal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

ETA: I will add that the first formal night of our first Med cruise several years ago was about the most formal I've ever seen and, even then, it still wasn't dining in 1st class on the Titanic fancy. It was mostly dark suits and not tuxes or formal wear.

Edited November 19, 2015 by poncho1973