New to MSC

[stephen@stoneyard.co.uk]

I have cruised with quite a few companies but mainly Cunard. I am totally new to MSC and very much looking forward to Bellissima. I am travelling by train around Europe.  I added the MSC cruise as a little extra. I am trying to minimise my luggage. 

 

Please could I ask if there is usually a formal night on a three night cruise.  Also I was hoping only to pack my grey trousers, black shoes, blue jacket, blue shirts and a couple of ties would that be fine on a formal night. I would then only need one outfit for all nights.  

 

Thank you you in advance, Stephen. 

[Beamafar]

It depends on if the 3 night is part of a 7 night itinerary and a formal night falls within the 3 nights you're onboard.  However, what you've described will be more than adequate should there be a formal night.  You'll find quite a few people won't be as well-dressed!  The formal night is dying a slow death.

[sptrout]

Based on my limited MSC experience (Seaside/Miami), I would not take a jacket or ties for that matter. Also, do not take shoes that you would only use for formal nights; they just take a lot of unnecessary suitcase space and add weight. No special clothes at all IMO unless you just want to dress up. 

 

"Beamafar" is correct IMO, formal nights days are on their deathbeds. The sooner they are buried the better. But, no formal nights does not mean that people cannot dress up if that is their thing. We saw formal wear on Oceania (all dress is dressy causal on Oceania), and Celebrity there is still many that dress up even though their "formal" nights have been replaced with a made-up dress code night that is kind of in the middle. So you see multiple levels of dress.

 

IMO, one of the things that have silently killed of formal nights is that the dress code is only for the MDRs, and then many people rush back to their cabins and change into comfortable clothes for the remaining part of the evening. Another set of clothes to pack per day. My wife would consider that to mean at least three changes of clothes per day. We really, really, test the 50-pound limit on luggage. On our MSC cruise, we had four checked bags (plus carry on) that all pushed the 50-pound limit.

 

Those of us that have cruised for years remember that the dress code was for the entire evening; 6 PM to lights off. And to add another wrinkle, Celebrity and others, had "informal" nights that for men meant coat and tie. So, for Celebrity and others I assume, there was casual, informal, and formal, for the entire evening. Talk about requiring a bunch of clothes and difficulty in packing for a cruise, especially 14-day or longer cruises.

[stephen@stoneyard.co.uk]

Thank you.  It seems quite relaxed on MSC. Based on your replies my jacket sounds like it will be fine. I will probably wear it for dinner in Venice so it will get plenty of use. 

 

My three day cruise goes from Genoa and returns to Genoa.   I am not sure if it is part of a longer cruise. Our only ports are Barcelona and Marseille. 

 

I think formal has a role on Cunard transatlantic and perhaps P&O but otherwise I am not over fond of the concept. 

 

Thank you, Stephen. 

[Beamafar]

It's not part of a longer cruise, so, as it begins and ends at the same port.  I would doubt very much that there'll be a formal night onboard.

[stephen@stoneyard.co.uk]

Thank you. It does seem to short for a formal night.