Not wanting to dress up this time.

[mklions]

Hi Fellow Cruisers.

We are sailing on Splendour in January and we are seriously thinking about not dressing up for the two formal nights. The weather will be roasting and just for a change we think we may skip the whole formal thing.

On our last cruise we had four formal nights and I felt quite uncomfortable sitting for dinner in a suite and tie all night.

 

My question is what do other like minded passengers do when they do not want to dress up on these nights, can they still eat in the MDR? or the specialist restaurants?

Are passengers who do not dress up look out of place??

regards.

MKLIONS

[Clarea]

Windjammer is always an option.

[setsail]

When we don't want to dress formal we leave those clothes at home. Eat anywhere we want, Dockers and a shirt for me and a dress for the wife, simple

Edited November 23, 2015 by setsail

[garnetpalmetto]

Hi Fellow Cruisers.

We are sailing on Splendour in January and we are seriously thinking about not dressing up for the two formal nights. The weather will be roasting and just for a change we think we may skip the whole formal thing.

On our last cruise we had four formal nights and I felt quite uncomfortable sitting for dinner in a suite and tie all night.

 

My question is what do other like minded passengers do when they do not want to dress up on these nights, can they still eat in the MDR? or the specialist restaurants?

Are passengers who do not dress up look out of place??

regards.

MKLIONS

 

Yes, you can still eat in the MDR and no, you won't look out of place.

[akcruz]

Not sure what you would want to bring, but rest assured you really do not need to have suit to eat in the MDR on formal nights. A nice pair of pants with a polo shirt or button down will be fine for men, and a casual dress, or nice top and pants for women are fine. (smart casual as they call it sometimes)

 

All specialty restaurants are casual all nights, although you will see some dressed up on formal nights.

 

The buffet is always there as well. We found this worked well for us on our last cruise when we were just too tired from the long days to take the time to get dressed for the MDR.

 

It seems like cruises are becoming more and more casual. Dress neatly and you will fine to each just about anywhere you wish.

[OCruisers]

Not sure what you would want to bring, but rest assured you really do not need to have suit to eat in the MDR on formal nights. A nice pair of pants with a polo shirt or button down will be fine for men, and a casual dress, or nice top and pants for women are fine.

 

Per above ... you don't have to actually be formally dressed on formal nights. Just wear what you would at home when going out to a nice restaurant. :)

[graphicguy]

OP...as others have mentioned, dressing casually is the norm in all dining venues these days. It's been moving that way the last several years.

 

No need to worry. Casual dress is the majority of what you'll see.

 

Royal's Celebrity brand has just done away with so called "formal nights". Probably just a matter of time that it will be cancelled on Royal!

 

I'm leaving on the Anthem on December 11. I'm not even packing a tie for this cruise.

Edited November 23, 2015 by graphicguy

[north29]

Dress as you like, but IMHO just look a little nicer on the SO CALLED FORMAL NIGHTS. That does not even mean tie or jacket. Celebrity now calls it Evening Chic, and that is a very good suggestion.

[kenevenpar]

Have not been on here in a while. Is this still the dress code, but we do not need to adhere to it? Just a practical question, not starting a dress code debate.

 

Suggested guidelines for these nights are:

 

 

Casual: Sport shirts and slacks for men, sundresses or pants for women

 

Smart Casual: Jackets and ties for men, dresses or pantsuits for women

 

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

[davekathy]

OP...Dockers and a golf type shirt will be fine no matter the evening in the MDR. Enjoy your Cruise.

[akcruz]

Have not been on here in a while. Is this still the dress code, but we do not need to adhere to it? Just a practical question, not starting a dress code debate.

 

Suggested guidelines for these nights are:

 

 

Casual: Sport shirts and slacks for men, sundresses or pants for women

 

Smart Casual: Jackets and ties for men, dresses or pantsuits for women

 

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

 

Notice it is suggested guidelines, not a dress code. There are some rules that are enforced (most of the time) such as no tank tops on men, flip flops, bathing suits and the like but nobody will get turned away if they are not dressed in suits/gowns on formal night.

[BillOh]

Regarding the Specialty restaurants, I've seen conflicting info even on the same ship. I've taken to going "smart casual" in the specialty restaurants for several cruises with no problems. On a couple of 4, 5, and 7 cruises recently I have worn a white shirt, tie and black pants to the MDR on formal night with no problems.

[cincicruisers]

My husband dresses in a button down shirt on formal nights. He never feels out of place. More the norm anymore.

[OCruisers]

Notice it is suggested guidelines, not a dress code. There are some rules that are enforced (most of the time) such as no tank tops on men, flip flops, bathing suits and the like but nobody will get turned away if they are not dressed in suits/gowns on formal night.

 

Very true! It's a suggested dress code and not what people are actually allowed to wear to the MDR. :)

[kenevenpar]

Notice it is suggested guidelines, not a dress code. There are some rules that are enforced (most of the time) such as no tank tops on men, flip flops, bathing suits and the like but nobody will get turned away if they are not dressed in suits/gowns on formal night.

 

Thank you.

[rudeney]

I guess I am a bit more traditional, but I dress up (suit and tie) on formal nights, even in the specialty restaurants. On our Navigator cruise last month, we saw fewer tuxedos than in the past, but a large majority of passengers in the MDR and the specialty restaurants were dressed nicely (men with ties, women in dresses) on the two formal nights.

[Biker19]

The weather will be roasting and just for a change we think we may skip the whole formal thing.

On our last cruise we had four formal nights and I felt quite uncomfortable sitting for dinner in a suite and tie all night.

 

Compared to UK weather sure, but I would hardly call high 70s (the norm for that time of the year) roasting. As others have said, lose the tie and jacket and you'll be fine.

[Havingfun2010]

Although many people are stating that polo shirts are ok, and that they won't turn you away, the part about you being out of place will occur. Most adults generally will follow the dress code for the evening our of respect for the occasion. A shirt and tie if properly fitted will not increase a discomfort level. Most dress shirts are a lighter weight than a polo shirt.

 

If you really don't want to dress nice for an occasion, use the options that night that are available to you that do not have the same expectation, such as the Windjammer or specialty restaurant.

[monctonguy]

My first few cruises I avoided formal night as I did not want to dress up or feel uncomfortable. So I would do the windjammer or eat at somewhere else on the ship..no biggie.

 

But the past couple of cruises I have eaten in the MDR during formal night, I wore jeans and button down shirt...never felt out of place and most others around me were dressed similarly.

 

I wouldn't worry about it at all..but I certainly wouldn't be bringing a suit and tie to wear ever.

[CaribSailor]

Just wear what you want and it doesn't matter where you dine you will be fine. In my opinion it's actually the people that do dress up that look out of place these days..MDR or specialty nothing formal is required at all. And thankfully this formal attire thing on cruises is dying off. For those of you who really enjoy the formal nights I hear HAL is running them strong. Also they have special discounts on interior cabins for RC diamond/+ members. 🤓[emoji111]🏻️

Edited November 24, 2015 by CaribSailor

[TC1957]

OP...dress the way you want and enjoy the MDR. If some "hoity-toity" in a tux or gown says anything...like "The Windjammer is always an option on formal night"...just reply, "I have heard that. Do you need me to give you directions to it or do you know where it is located?"

 

:D

[gkny]

We never take a jacket and tie and just wear a nice pair of pants and a sweater.

[Cruzin RN]

Suggestion: please take at least one outfit in case you change your mind.

 

We never dine in the MDR on short cruises but last cruise we were invited to the hotel managers table. We scrambled to rent/buy appropriate clothes for the guys. Women attire easier to upgrade[emoji3].

The meal was the highlite of our trip

[MisterFidgetpants]

For those of you who really enjoy the formal nights I hear HAL is running them strong. Also they have special discounts on interior cabins for RC diamond/+ members. 🤓[emoji111]🏻️

 

1. HAL got rid of formal nights. They replaced it with gala nights and relaxed their dress code to something along the lines of "no shoes, no shirt, no service." can't tell what gala means because HAL doesn't say anything special about it.

 

2. Are you just pulling chains on the second part? Because I'm always eying up HAL for a deal even though we're not the target audience

 

:eek:

[impatientlywaiting]

Hi Fellow Cruisers.

We are sailing on Splendour in January and we are seriously thinking about not dressing up for the two formal nights. The weather will be roasting and just for a change we think we may skip the whole formal thing.

On our last cruise we had four formal nights and I felt quite uncomfortable sitting for dinner in a suite and tie all night.

 

My question is what do other like minded passengers do when they do not want to dress up on these nights, can they still eat in the MDR? or the specialist restaurants?

Are passengers who do not dress up look out of place??

regards.

MKLIONS

 

DH wore black Dockers with a short sleeve button shirt; I wore a casual skirt with sleeveless blouse and sandals. We skipped the first formal night because we didn't think we would be dressed well enough. Our waiter told us what we'd been wearing was perfectly acceptable and when we showed up for the second formal night we realized he was right. We saw only a small handful of suits and most men were dressed just like DH.