Formal Night

[Dawnn.Marie]

Cruising for the first time June 2017. What exactly is a formal night and is it necessary to attend?

Thanks in advance!

[Clarea]

Cruising for the first time June 2017. What exactly is a formal night and is it necessary to attend?

Thanks in advance!

The answer could depend on your cruise line, so it would help to know that. For the mass market cruise lines that still have a formal night, formal dress is usually suggested for the dining room.

[Underwatr]

On Cunard formal nights are taken seriously, with the great majority of men in a suit if not in a tuxedo. On many other lines it's a suggestion and compliance varies widely.

[Flatbush Flyer]

Cruising for the first time June 2017. What exactly is a formal night and is it necessary to attend?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

 

Many years ago, "formal night" on a cruise ship meant formal wear (e.g., tuxedos) and, on mass market lines, the MDR meal was a bit fancier.

Fast forward to today: some of those same lines still have "formal" nights. But, the dress expectations have gone downhill and all you're left with is another attempt to sell you pictures.

Fortunately (and somewhat ironically), many of the more upscale lines have abandoned what I call "prom night" and "country club casual" is the rule of the day.

 

 

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[Eleteace]

Without knowing about which cruise line it is difficult to say.

 

I've cruised on Cunard (very formal) and NCL (very informal). Both are good fun!

 

Can't really give you anymore information without knowing the line, you don't ever HAVE to attend though. Here's an introduction to formal nights which may explain a few things http://cruisingisntjustforoldpeople.co.uk/2017/05/05/ss-formal-nights/

 

:-)

 

 

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[Krazy Kruizers]

OP is on Carnival.

OP -- you do not have to attend formal night. You can always eat in the Lido or order room service.

[champagne123]

Carnival does not have formal nights. It was changed to "Elegant" night a few years ago and everyone dresses as they please. Never, ever saw anyone turned away for what they were wearing....and believe me, there were some doozies!!!!:o

[Bonnie J.]

Carnival no longer has a true formal night. They call it 'cruise elegant ' night. We have had table mates who think they can't come to dinner in the dining room because they didn't bring 'formal' wear. We tell them to come anyway and they thank us when they do. We just had our 80th Carnival cruise (1st was 1997!) and see shorts, jeans and all sorts of clothes on these nights.

 

Years ago my husband brought his tux, then just a suit, and now doesn't bring either on cruise. We NEVER wear short or jeans in the dining room but unfortunately people do now.

 

The 1st 'cruise elegant night' will be the 2nd night. For 6 day & longer lobster is on the menu along with prime rib (order both!). They also serve prime rib again at end of cruise.

 

This is when all the officers and the captain greet all the passengers usually in the atrium/lobby on this night from 7pm to around 8pm. The other one is night before the last night.

 

NO NEED TO GO TO BUFFET these nights!

[teknoge3k]

^ What everyone else said. No need to skip it, most people don't dress up so you'll be fine.

[davekathy]

Cruising for the first time June 2017. What exactly is a formal night and is it necessary to attend?

Thanks in advance!

 

Enjoy your first Cruise. Bon Voyage.

[sparks1093]

Here's what Carnival has to say about dress on Cruise Elegant night:

 

"Cruise Elegant Dress Code

• Men: dress slacks, dress shirts, and we also suggest a sport coat; men may also wish to wear a suit and tie or tuxedo
  
• Women: Cocktail dresses, pantsuits, elegant skirts and blouses; ladies may also wish to wear an evening gown
  
• Not permitted: Jeans, men’s sleeveless shirts, shorts, tee-shirts, sportswear, gym or basketball shorts, baseball hats, flip-flops and bathing suit attire"
  

As mentioned some people will wear items on the not permitted list but I have read about people being turned away. Basically if you wear business casual you won't stick out. DW and I usually do take advantage of the photo ops so we do dress up. On our next cruise I'll bring my tux and she'll bring a gown since we're celebrating our 25th anniversary and want to capture the moment in a special way. (I expect that I'll be one of the very few passengers in a tux and may be mistaken for the maitre'd:D.)

[navybankerteacher]

OP is on Carnival.

OP -- you do not have to attend formal night. You can always eat in the Lido or order room service.

 

Carnival's "formal" night has been redesignated "cruse elegant" - with long pants and collared shirts requested (for men) --- and even that "request" is not universally observed. Essentially, it is WTHYW.

[slidergirl]

Also, the "cruise elegant" is just designated for the MDR. You may wear what you want elsewhere that night. I see fewer and fewer people staying in that MDR attire past their dinner - it seems many go back to the cabin and change.

[Flatbush Flyer]

Carnival's "formal" night has been redesignated "cruse elegant" - with long pants and collared shirts requested (for men) --- and even that "request" is not universally observed. Essentially, it is WTHYW.

 

 

How in the world could anyone ever consider "long pants and collared shirt" to be "elegant?"

 

 

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[bUU]

How in the world could anyone ever consider "long pants and collared shirt" to be "elegant?"

 

 

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How in the world could anyone ever consider second-guessing the cruise line's specification of what qualifies as "elegant" on their ship?

 

Part of being a good guest is respecting your host at least that much.

 

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[Flatbush Flyer]

How in the world could anyone ever consider second-guessing the cruise line's specification of what qualifies as "elegant" on their ship?

 

Part of being a good guest is respecting your host at least that much.

 

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Elegant

—adjective

tastefully fine or luxurious in dress, style, design, etc.: elegant furnishings.

 

 

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[bUU]

Elegant

"Cruise Elegant Dress Code... Men:*dress slacks, dress shirts ... Women:*Cocktail dresses, pantsuits, elegant skirts and blouses ... Not permitted:*Jeans, men’s sleeveless shirts, shorts, tee-shirts, sportswear, gym or basketball shorts, baseball hats, flip-flops and bathing suit attire"

 

If you insist on another definition then do not cruise on Carnival. You'll be unhappy.

 

Their house; their rules. They get to say what the definition of elegant means in their ships.

 

 

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[champagne123]

Elegant

—adjective

tastefully fine or luxurious in dress, style, design, etc.: elegant furnishings.

 

 

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Hahahahahah. Does the "Honey Boo Boo Family" fit into this description? I actually think this family was deliberately trying to mimic them. :')

[taglovestocruise]

OP, go to youtube and type in your ships name and formal night. You will find plenty of formal night videos and can see for yourself what people are wearing. You can even look for the exact cruise date in 2016. happy cruising

[navybankerteacher]

How in the world could anyone ever consider "long pants and collared shirt" to be "elegant?"

 

 

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Like much else, the meanings of words evolve over time.

 

"Elegant" now means just a cut above the average. And the average dress code has been on a decades-long slide. When people refer to "dressy jeans" with a straight face, there is obviously some change underway

in the language.

[bUU]

.... there is obviously some change underway in the language.

.... Or in the culture, overall.

 

 

 

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[Flatbush Flyer]

.... Or in the culture, overall.

 

 

 

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Or in a subset of the culture.

 

This whole thread evidences the significant difference between predominant thinking within the various sociocultural segments of a diverse population. Not that one is any better than the other. It's just that they are different.

What I find interesting about CC is the number of people who complain about the behavior/policies/etc of the cruise lines they use yet continue to frequent them for reasons which appear to be largely economic. You'd think they'd figure out how best to afford what would better meet their needs and preferences.

I don't know how to alter this phenomena (nor would I want to). Rather, I can say with confidence that I have found the cruise line that works best for us. We've recently dubbed it "geezer summer camp" (though we are by no means "geezers"). When we were younger, other family oriented lines worked better for us (despite the gosh awful food). Too bad there was no Disney Cruise Line then.

 

Bottom line of this Saturday opinion piece is that folks really need to do their in-depth homework in picking cruise lines, itineraries, travel agents, etc and not rely solely on forums like CC for information.

 

 

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[JVilleGal]

Cruising for the first time June 2017. What exactly is a formal night and is it necessary to attend?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

 

I see your posts in Cruise Critic are all in the First Times board. And I believe you are sailing in Norwegian ? Correct? You need to go over to the Norwegian Board and read those boards from folks who can tell you about the ins and outs of sailing with NCL. This will give you info and help with understanding and setting expectations.

 

Also join your ships Roll Call!

 

Norwegian Board:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=107

 

 

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[JVilleGal]

I see your posts in Cruise Critic are all in the First Times board. And I believe you are sailing in Norwegian ? Correct? You need to go over to the Norwegian Board and read those boards from folks who can tell you about the ins and outs of sailing with NCL. This will give you info and help with understanding and setting expectations.

 

Also join your ships Roll Call!

 

Norwegian Board:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=107

 

 

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And hear is the Carnival Boards:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=215

 

 

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[JVilleGal]

The OP is sailing Carnival

 

 

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