How formal is formal night?

[Biker19]

6 hours ago, mpk said:

So in the Caribbean, there effectively isn't a formal night on Royal?

That has been sorta the case for many years.

[LEMJMcC]

7 hours ago, CanHardlyWait4NextYear said:

There is a formal night in name only. 

 Kind of like "gratuities" are in name only when they are automatically included.

[vjmatty]

No matter what you wear on formal night, you will not feel over dressed or under dressed, because if you look around the room you will see someone wearing the same level of formality, or lack thereof, as you.  That being said, hubby still likes wearing his tux...as long as it still fits.... so I pack the most lightweight cocktail dresses or evening gowns I can find and we don't mind so much.  Once you've sailed on the QE2 with every night being formal, everything after that is a piece of cake.

[jerseygirl3]

On 9/6/2022 at 8:37 PM, Airbear232 said:

Okay, bring on the haters - I miss actual formal nights.  Now it’s anything goes.  Takes away from the experience IMHO.  

We just got off the Enchantment yesterday.  Our Head  Waiter told us that "technically" shorts are not allowed in the dining room.  However, they are not allowed to say anything to the passengers for fear of getting written up.  He said he had a couple show up one night to the MDR (he didn't stipulate if it was a formal night) in bathrobes and their wet bathing suites underneath.  He said they were still dripping wet!  He told them they could not enter the MDR in that attire, because 1) it was inappropriate, and 2) the dripping water was a safety hazard.  He was written up because this couple reported that he was rude.  So now he says nothing.  

 

By the way, although we did see some in shorts and very few tuxes, the majority of the guests on our 6 night sailing to Bermuda this past week were very dressed up, especially the women.

Edited September 9, 2022 by jerseygirl3

[mjkacmom]

On 9/7/2022 at 9:22 AM, fenton04 said:

The reason given in the past was that dressing up for work and dressing up for formal night was an over reach for the guest.  Then COVID hit now the same guest are working from home (casual, street clothes, pajamas) you would think that guests would welcome dressing up.  Naw.  

My husband frequently wore suits to the office but now he usually wears a button down with his boxer shorts in our dining room. He was in a bit of a panic when he had to do some travel to other branches for work, not knowing if his suits still fit (one did). Occasionally he wears a jacket and tie with his boxers.

[Ptroxx]

On 9/7/2022 at 5:59 AM, moposh said:

I've seen men wear tuxedo t-shirts on formal night.

 

I get a new one for every cruise. Lolol.   

[slyster]

5 hours ago, vjmatty said:

No matter what you wear on formal night, you will not feel over dressed or under dressed, because if you look around the room you will see someone wearing the same level of formality, or lack thereof, as you.  

 

This.  One type of dress is not consistent.  All kinds of different ideas of dress on formal night.  I wore slacks and a blouse and didn't feel out of place at all.

[Deeliteful]

I enjoy dressing for dinner most nights and upscale it a bit more on formal nights but I’m a Brit 😂 that’s what we do.

However why do they even call it formal night when it really isn’t any more?

[shipgeeks]

On 9/7/2022 at 9:28 AM, fenton04 said:

Very clever.

Very juvenile.

[shipgeeks]

15 hours ago, mpk said:

 

So in the Caribbean, there effectively isn't a formal night on Royal?  I have a sailing in the next year.

It is called Formal in the Cruise Planner on those days.

[fenton04]

30 minutes ago, shipgeeks said:

Very juvenile.

I. Have to agree it is both clever and juvenile.  But I think calling the shirt juvenile is a little over the top.  That is why I kept my comment civil.  Just sayin…

[mpk]

3 hours ago, mjkacmom said:

My husband frequently wore suits to the office but now he usually wears a button down with his boxer shorts in our dining room. He was in a bit of a panic when he had to do some travel to other branches for work, not knowing if his suits still fit (one did). Occasionally he wears a jacket and tie with his boxers.

 

... boxer shorts... ???   😃     😃

 

[mpk]

5 hours ago, jerseygirl3 said:

We just got off the Enchantment yesterday.  Our Head  Waiter told us that "technically" shorts are not allowed in the dining room.  However, they are not allowed to say anything to the passengers for fear of getting written up.  He said he had a couple show up one night to the MDR (he didn't stipulate if it was a formal night) in bathrobes and their wet bathing suites underneath.  He said they were still dripping wet!  He told them they could not enter the MDR in that attire, because 1) it was inappropriate, and 2) the dripping water was a safety hazard.  He was written up because this couple reported that he was rude.  So now he says nothing. 

 

Wow.  Just wow.

 

I'm pretty neutral in this eternal formal/not formal debate, but dripping in bathrobes is a line too far for most anyone I think.  And then to have the guts to write up the poor employee trying to do their job?  Priceless.

[Nunagoras]

On 9/7/2022 at 1:23 PM, mpdog42 said:

It was the airlines with their insane bag fees that changed this(In Part)

This exactly, even though, the society is becoming less formal on general dressing everywhere...

[BirdTravels]

3 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

It is called Formal in the Cruise Planner on those days.

Yes. Formal night includes tuxes and shorts. That is what cruising is all about. The days of dressing up are extinct like the dinosaurs. 

[Husky1987]

6 hours ago, Deeliteful said:

However why do they even call it formal night when it really isn’t any more?

 

So people will dress up and buy pictures.  That's about it.

[Nunagoras]

10 hours ago, Husky1987 said:

 

So people will dress up and buy pictures.  That's about it.

Humm... Actually: If on one hand the airline strict luggage limits and sometimes extra price started the end of formal nights, the implosion of the smartphones with a built in photo machine definitely sealed its coffin. Whom will to purchase professional photos these days? Back in 2018 on another line's cruise, one of the photographers there told me that the cruise photo business had decreased some 30% on the last 5 years to that date. Things might to be even worse for that business nowadays. I ceased to purchase pro photos by 2015 or so. The Allure in Europe might have been my last pro photo purchase.

[shipgeeks]

11 hours ago, Husky1987 said:

So people will dress up and buy pictures.  That's about it.

We always dress up, but we have never bought photos.  We've never taken photos, either.  We just enjoy the whole Date Night element.

[mjkacmom]

17 hours ago, mpk said:

 

... boxer shorts... ???   😃     😃

 

Yes, it’s always casual Friday here, needs some work on remembering to have some door pants around though.

[kidz_rn]

Why have rules if they’re not enforced? Chair hogs are the worst!!

[Bushdog]

Just finished my first formal night in Coastal Kitchen (on Oasis). Hit or miss. Some people wearing polos, 2-3 men in suits, some people with t-shirts. Really people doing whatever they want.

[ldubs]

On 9/10/2022 at 7:01 AM, Nunagoras said:

Humm... Actually: If on one hand the airline strict luggage limits and sometimes extra price started the end of formal nights, the implosion of the smartphones with a built in photo machine definitely sealed its coffin. Whom will to purchase professional photos these days? Back in 2018 on another line's cruise, one of the photographers there told me that the cruise photo business had decreased some 30% on the last 5 years to that date. Things might to be even worse for that business nowadays. I ceased to purchase pro photos by 2015 or so. The Allure in Europe might have been my last pro photo purchase.

 

I assumed photo sales were down, but had no idea how much.  I'm not surprised by the decrease you indicate.  I'm sure  it has continued to decline.  

[CanHardlyWait4NextYear]

3 hours ago, kidz_rn said:

Why have rules if they’re not enforced? Chair hogs are the worst!!

They have never been called rules. Just suggested attire. Suggestion being the operative word.

[kidz_rn]

7 hours ago, CanHardlyWait4NextYear said:

They have never been called rules. Just suggested attire. Suggestion being the operative word.

Okay, Formal Night attire is a suggestion, not a rule. How about throwing a book on a poolside lounger at 6:30 am but not coming back until 4 hours later? 

(I suppose this discussion belongs in another thread topic!) 😀

[Ptroxx]

10 hours ago, CanHardlyWait4NextYear said:

They have never been called rules. Just suggested attire. Suggestion being the operative word.

This exactly.    Formal night is just a way for the cruise line to make money on photo packages.   That is all.