Uniworld Dinner Dress- Christmas Market Cruise

[eab]

Sorry if this topic has been addressed, but I cannot locate it.  We are veteran cruisers, but not on Uniworld.  What type of clothing should we pack for the dining room at night on our upcoming Christmas market cruise?  Should my husband pack a sport coat and tie and should I have a cocktail dress?  We don't mind dressing up, but don't want to be the only ones!  I have read "resort" wear, but would like to hear from others that have done these cruises in December.  Thanks so much!

[mozfoz]

No worries. Nothing is too dressy, though everyone dresses respectfully. The weather is cooler,  so women may appear to look more dressy because of it being cooler and allows a different look. Shaws, wraps, long sleeves, pants and dresses are all very appropriate without looking overdressed. No gowns, though no one would frown if worn. There is also an opportunity for men to wear sport jackets, and though ties were not obvious, they would not make one look as a stand out. Don't forget hats and hand warmers for daytime tours.

Cool weather sailings are our favorites as you lose the crowds with shorts, sandals(ugly feet) and tee shirts.

[eab]

Thank you so much for your great advice.  We are looking forward to the cruise!

[masonpips]

I did Uniworld 5 years ago and the first couple of nights seemed dressier but as we got farther into it (and we headed north so it got colder) people started to relax a little and you saw pants and sweaters a lot!  We are cruising next month so I'm bringing a few sweater dresses I can wear with tights and my husband will have one pair of slacks and nice sweaters.

[IMNiles]

Imagine how quiet these boards would be if we didn’t have dress codes to talk about!  I sympathize with your questions - I’ve been on multiple christmas market cruises, and multiple uniworld cruises, and even I struggle to articulate what is appropriate to the friends with whom I am traveling in a couple of weeks.

 

In the end, I settled on “dress as you would for a nice special occasion dinner at a restaurant that does not sell gift cards at the grocery store.”  This is not to impugn chain restaurants, because who doesn’t love bottomless shrimp or endless breadsticks, but my memory tells me that most people will be dressed, as a previous poster aptly put it, “respectfully.”  This means no ball caps, shorts, flip flops, tank tops, ripped clothes, or anything else that you might be surprised to see at church or work.

 

There is no need to go over the top unless it makes you happy so to do.  For what we paid for this trip, I think it’s fair to expect a sense of occasion, if only at our own dinner table.  So, for my part, I’ll be packing an assortment of slacks, collared shirts, and ties that can be easily mixed-and-matched as the mood suits (pun intended!), and a single sport coat in lieu of sweaters, which I often find to be too inflexible.  While I own a tux, I won’t be bringing it (I’ll save that for Cunard).  My female travel companion will be opting for nice dresses or slacks-and-shirts or sweater-dresses, perhaps lent a little flair with a scarf or well-placed piece of jewelry.  We’ll all probably pick one night to dress our best, most likely the captain’s reception.

 

Remember also that your itinerary probably includes a couple of evening activities off-ship, like a Mozart concert or evening visit to a venue where you may want to be nicely dressed, but also may be called upon to stand in the cold waiting for a coach or visiting a market.  Sensible trumps flashy, because you want to remember the beautiful market, not how cold you were.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 2, 2023 by IMNiles

[eab]

Thank you!! Actually tonight was our first night on board and we dressed as you mentioned. Nice pants and sweater for me and my husband wore slacks and sport coat. We felt appropriate! I appreciate everyone’s nice responses! As you said, we will save our tuxes and formal dresses for Cunard. Thanks again for everone’s thoughtful and kind responses.