Formal nights

[brisalta]

1 hour ago, steelers36 said:

Yahbut, you cannot just get a jacket and then will it go with rest of clothing.  Easiest way to take a jacket is to wear it on the plane.  Airports and planes can be cool.  Also good for getting into airport at home if it is cold weather season.  No need to order a whole "get up" if it is just about a jacket.  We have folded one nicely in a carry-on after arriving in FLL.  Have even had one de-wrinkled on board.  Think I may take a jacket for Nov cruise.  Just in/out of FLL/PE.  You don't have to have a jacket.  Ties are easy to pack and LS shirt and tie is fine enough for any occasion on board.  I am taking a tie for sure.  One tie can cover two formal dinners, NP.

 

Nothing worse for a nice jacket than wearing it and sitting on a stinky aircraft seat for hours. Folding a jacket correctly so it does not wrinkle is an art which can be aided by the technology of suitable suit case. Not all suitcases are made for transporting jackets or suits by those unskilled in packing.

[Steelers36]

33 minutes ago, brisalta said:

 

Nothing worse for a nice jacket than wearing it and sitting on a stinky aircraft seat for hours. Folding a jacket correctly so it does not wrinkle is an art which can be aided by the technology of suitable suit case. Not all suitcases are made for transporting jackets or suits by those unskilled in packing.

This isn't going anywhere, but I don't wear it during the flight.

[MissP22]

14 hours ago, NCbmwmom said:

I am torn with making my husband drag his suit jacket all the way to London, or just going with long sleeves and a tie. I’ll be wearing dresses of course, but they don’t take up nearly the luggage space as a suit jacket. 

Simple answer id to have him wear just a dress shirt, slacks & dress shoes. He'll be more comfortable & won't have to pack it or spend the extra money to rent one. 

[Kimba2]

4 hours ago, MissP22 said:

Simple answer id to have him wear just a dress shirt, slacks & dress shoes. He'll be more comfortable & won't have to pack it or spend the extra money to rent one. 

Exactly.  The formal dress is just a suggestion on formal nights.  I wear slacks or jeans, a long sleeve white shirt and boat shoes - I've never, ever had a problem.  The host is telling you that dressing formally is an option - take it if you want to, don't if you don't want to.  But no reason to avoid the main dining room if you're not wearing a tux, a jacket or a tie.

[c-boy]

we just spent thousands of dollars on a cruise. I'm not fretting  another 100 💲 on a tux rental. 

[mawvkysc]

How about Alaska cruises? Any difference in the level of attire for formal night? It seems like I’m going to have so many layers to pack. My husband has worn his suit jacket on the plane before, but we might have to wear our coats on the plane. 

[brisalta]

22 hours ago, mawvkysc said:

How about Alaska cruises? Any difference in the level of attire for formal night? It seems like I’m going to have so many layers to pack. My husband has worn his suit jacket on the plane before, but we might have to wear our coats on the plane. 

 

Alaska cruise? If you are going to take a bulky coat do what many people do when flying. Carry the coat folded over your arm and put it in an overhead bin on the aircraft. It is accepted practice and a coat is not considered a piece of luggage.  If the coat has large pockets you can use those to carry items you do not have room for in your luggage or to free up room in your luggage for other things.

Edited September 19, 2019 by brisalta

[mawvkysc]

25 minutes ago, brisalta said:

 

Alaska cruise? If you are going to take a bulky coat do what many people do when flying. Carry the coat folded over your arm and put it in an overhead bin on the aircraft. It is accepted practice and a coat is not considered a piece of luggage.  If the coat has large pockets you can use those to carry items you do not have room for in your luggage or to free up room in your luggage for other things.

That’s what we’re planning on. I just thought a suit jacket and a coat on the plane would be a lot. We will figure it out no matter what. 😄

[brisalta]

54 minutes ago, mawvkysc said:

That’s what we’re planning on. I just thought a suit jacket and a coat on the plane would be a lot. We will figure it out no matter what. 😄

Put the suit jacket on then the coat and then take the two off together so that the jacket is now inside the coat and can be carried as one item.

[mawvkysc]

12 minutes ago, brisalta said:

Put the suit jacket on then the coat and then take the two off together so that the jacket is now inside the coat and can be carried as one item.

Brilliant

[satxdiver]

For the last many years my attire on formal night is a pair of khaki dockers and a shirt with collar, no coat or tie and athletic shoes.   On US cruises I wear a short sleeve Guayabera and have noticed I am certainly not alone 

 

One trend I have been seeing is men in suits/sport coats and no tie rather open collar.  The other trend I am seeing is more without a coat and tie.  AK cruises are certainly less formal.   On US cruises it seems there are fewer tux and long gowns.  Everyone needs to dress according to their own style.  

 

I just completed a cruise out of Southampton where half of the pax were British.  I must say I have not seen so many in tux or long gowns but by the third formal night there were considerably less.  On that cruise I did have to wear a long sleeved dress shirt but kept the rest of my attire the same. 

[c-boy]

scary and interesting observations there satx.  

[toads45froggy]

On 9/16/2019 at 6:19 AM, voljeep said:

just another biased thread on what to wear ... hopefully this one too will be deleted as ab-so-lute-ly nothing new will come out of this ... only the same ole tired answers by the same posters with their same agendas as to what they want to see on THEIR cruise ... sorry

as apposed to your bias which is the correct bias?

[Thrak]

Dinibng rooms, Piazza, theater... Lots of suits and the occasional tux. Buffet and Lido deck... Not much in the way of folks dressed up. Not much reason to dress for that part of the ship. I once sank down on a lounger to watch MUTS while wearing a suit. Some clod had soaked the cushion and it hadn't been changed by staff. (They are supposed to take care of that in the evening for MUTS.) Never again. If I want to watch MUTS I'll go change my clothes.

[Sanz]

10 hours ago, satxdiver said:

For the last many years my attire on formal night is a pair of khaki dockers and a shirt with collar, no coat or tie and athletic shoes.   On US cruises I wear a short sleeve Guayabera and have noticed I am certainly not alone 

 

One trend I have been seeing is men in suits/sport coats and no tie rather open collar.  The other trend I am seeing is more without a coat and tie.  AK cruises are certainly less formal.   On US cruises it seems there are fewer tux and long gowns.  Everyone needs to dress according to their own style.  

 

I just completed a cruise out of Southampton where half of the pax were British.  I must say I have not seen so many in tux or long gowns but by the third formal night there were considerably less.  On that cruise I did have to wear a long sleeved dress shirt but kept the rest of my attire the same. 

I am wondering what we will encounter on a 7 day Mediterranean cruise leaving from Italy. It is a port intensive cruise and I am thinking that there will be only one formal night.  My husband has always worn a suit on our many USA cruises.  We will be on a 9 night land vacation in Italy prior to boarding and will be spending a couple of nights in Athens when we debark. I am trying to convince him of the practicality  of just bringing  a sports jacket rather than a suit. He does not care when some of the men are in their shirtsleeves with or without a tie on formal night, but  I know that he will not enjoy being one of the few that is not wearing a suit.

[janina]

4 hours ago, Sanz said:

I am wondering what we will encounter on a 7 day Mediterranean cruise leaving from Italy. It is a port intensive cruise and I am thinking that there will be only one formal night.  My husband has always worn a suit on our many USA cruises.  We will be on a 9 night land vacation in Italy prior to boarding and will be spending a couple of nights in Athens when we debark. I am trying to convince him of the practicality  of just bringing  a sports jacket rather than a suit. He does not care when some of the men are in their shirtsleeves with or without a tie on formal night, but  I know that he will not enjoy being one of the few that is not wearing a suit.

In my experience the Europeans tend to dress more therefore most will be wearing suit/tux and tie.

[MissP22]

6 hours ago, Sanz said:

I am wondering what we will encounter on a 7 day Mediterranean cruise leaving from Italy. It is a port intensive cruise and I am thinking that there will be only one formal night.  My husband has always worn a suit on our many USA cruises.  We will be on a 9 night land vacation in Italy prior to boarding and will be spending a couple of nights in Athens when we debark. I am trying to convince him of the practicality  of just bringing  a sports jacket rather than a suit. He does not care when some of the men are in their shirtsleeves with or without a tie on formal night, but  I know that he will not enjoy being one of the few that is not wearing a suit.

As a previously poster said "In my experience the Europeans tend to dress more therefore most will be wearing suit/tux and tie."

It all depends on how your husband feels on being in the minority. If it perturbs him that much then carry the jacket along. 

My DH couldn't care one way of the other what the others think.

It's a decision he has to make on his own.

[Steelers36]

3 hours ago, janina said:

In my experience the Europeans tend to dress more therefore most will be wearing suit/tux and tie.

I have read the same.  On our Baltic cruise this summer, there was a large Asian contingent which appeared to be a group booking.  So, a mix of folks.  We were doing extended land tours pre and post cruise and I did not take a suit.  We were prepared to eat elsewhere on the two formal nights, but not a problem at all with pants and a LS shirt.

[tailspintom]

8 hours ago, Sanz said:

I am wondering what we will encounter on a 7 day Mediterranean cruise leaving from Italy. It is a port intensive cruise and I am thinking that there will be only one formal night.  My husband has always worn a suit on our many USA cruises.  We will be on a 9 night land vacation in Italy prior to boarding and will be spending a couple of nights in Athens when we debark. I am trying to convince him of the practicality  of just bringing  a sports jacket rather than a suit. He does not care when some of the men are in their shirtsleeves with or without a tie on formal night, but  I know that he will not enjoy being one of the few that is not wearing a suit.

The sports jacket may be a good compromise.  It may be useful on the land portion in the evenings where it could get cool depending on where and when you are touring. For myself, I have migrated from tux to dark suit to jacket and tie.

[generichandle]

A word on 'bias'. Two positions are NOT equal when one says 'you must always do as I say', and the other says 'you can wear whatever is comfortable for you'. If the second had said 'you may NOT wear formal clothing', THAT would be equal argument.

 

Same as gay v straight has always been. No gay person insists 'everyone must be compelled to be gay'. One side believes in choice, the other in self-righteousness. Yet they pretend it is 'just each person's opinion'.

 

Why do you care. Wear what you enjoy and let others be comfortable too. I just do not go to 'Formal Nights'; though I miss th extra quality food served then. I avoid the arguments. But please, do not pretend 'equal bias'. Not!

[Ombud]

I'm on a 5 night Cabo Getaway ..... For those of you who have done short cruises: how out of place will I be if I don't bring formal attire and eat in MDR? I'm packing in a backpack only so if I can skip shoes / dress / wrap / jewelry that I wear for only 2+ hours that'd be great! Now that there's no PES Captains Party so I'm thinking of just nice slacks and a pale pink chiffon top. 

 

WWYD? I love dressing up but that would take up most of my backpack

Edited September 20, 2019 by Ombud

[dog]

On 9/16/2019 at 12:03 AM, bemardc said:

How many formal nights on a 10 day cruise?

What percentage of people dress formal?

 

 

2 formal nights on a 10 day cruise, usually. Your Personaliser will provide this information for your cruise.

 

Most of the cruises I've been on in past couple of years tend to have many people dressing "smart casual" on all nights.

With the exception of the cruise from Southampton, England  in May 2018 where the formal dress code was being enforced on the 2 formal nights in the MDR.

[MissP22]

2 hours ago, dog said:

 

2 formal nights on a 10 day cruise, usually. Your Personaliser will provide this information for your cruise.

 

Most of the cruises I've been on in past couple of years tend to have many people dressing "smart casual" on all nights.

With the exception of the cruise from Southampton, England  in May 2018 where the formal dress code was being enforced on the 2 formal nights in the MDR.

Did they provide a dinner jacket for the guys that showed up without any?

[dog]

12 hours ago, Ombud said:

I'm on a 5 night Cabo Getaway ..... For those of you who have done short cruises: how out of place will I be if I don't bring formal attire and eat in MDR? I'm packing in a backpack only so if I can skip shoes / dress / wrap / jewelry that I wear for only 2+ hours that'd be great! Now that there's no PES Captains Party so I'm thinking of just nice slacks and a pale pink chiffon top. 

 

WWYD? I love dressing up but that would take up most of my backpack

 

You won't be out of place at all. Have a great cruise!

[dog]

22 hours ago, Sanz said:

I am wondering what we will encounter on a 7 day Mediterranean cruise leaving from Italy. It is a port intensive cruise and I am thinking that there will be only one formal night.  My husband has always worn a suit on our many USA cruises.  We will be on a 9 night land vacation in Italy prior to boarding and will be spending a couple of nights in Athens when we debark. I am trying to convince him of the practicality  of just bringing  a sports jacket rather than a suit. He does not care when some of the men are in their shirtsleeves with or without a tie on formal night, but  I know that he will not enjoy being one of the few that is not wearing a suit.

I've been on several cruises from Italy and can advise that your DH will be just fine with that jacket rather than a suit. Enjoy your cruise! Lucky!!!