Clarification of dress codes?

[HappyStamper]

Would someone please clarify for dress codes for me? I think I've got a good handle on what is appropriate for each of the three catagories- casual, "smart casual" or whatever they call the in between one LOL, and formal. I've gotten conflicting information on whether RCCI has three catagories or only two. I've read that on a seven night cruise the first and last nights are casual, there are two formal dinners, and the remaining three are the in between catagory requiring men to wear a sportcoat. I've also looked at some Cruise Compasses that people have scanned and posted and seen two formal nights and all the rest casual. Which is correct or how do I find out which it will be for my sailing? My husband has both a tuxedo and a good black suit and my 20 year old son will rent a tux for the formal dinners but neither of them owns a sport coat. I'll purchase sport coats for them if I need to but if I don't I'd much rather spend the money on shore excursions and souveniers!

[PGcruiser]

I am sure I read somewhere that men could wear golf shirts & pants (no shorts) for dinner (no sport jacket) for all nights except formal. Also they can wear dark suits instead of tux if they desire on formal nights. I believe this to be the minimum standard.

 

Ladies can wear dress pants, long or short skirts, coctail dresses, summer dresses for non formal nights and cocktail dresses or long or short formal skirts and of course long gowns of any style for formal nights.

 

Also shorts & Golf shirts for lunch & breakfast acceptable. I also believe this to be the minimum standard.

 

I believe t-shirts for men are not acceptable in dining rooms. Bathing suits, casual beach wear etc also not accpetable in dining rooms.

 

Some one enlghten me if I am wrong.

[Alexis]

What are the dress codes onboard?

There are three distinct types of evenings onboard: casual, smart casual and formal. Suggested guidelines for these nights are:

Casual: Sport shirts and slacks for men, sundresses or pants for women

 

Smart Casual: Jackets and ties for men, dresses or pantsuits for women

 

Formal: Suits and ties or tuxedos for men, cocktail dresses for women

3 to 4-night cruises include one formal night and two or three casual nights.

5 - nights include one formal, one smart casual and three casual nights.

7-night cruises include two formal nights, one smart casual night and four casual nights.

10, 11, and 12-night cruises include three formal nights and three smart casual nights, all other nights are casual.

14 and 15-night cruises include three formal nights and four smart casual nights. All other nights are casual.

 

We appreciate your usual parental guidance and cooperation in observing these easy guidelines with your children.

[BaumD]

I've been on 7 day trips where they had the "standard" 2 formal, 1 Smart Casual, 4 Casual. Have also been on trips where they had 2 formal and 5 casual. You won't know until you get there.

[emma2u]

To add in my two cents worth, it also depends on where you are going and for how long. I have found on longer cruises (over 7 days)there are more seniors who dress much more formally. The summer cruises in Alaska seem more casual, dark suits for men are very appropriate. You will see some tuxedos. You won't see many sport coats for casual and smart casual nights. Lots of golf type shirts and Docker style pants, or shirts with a collar and cuffs but no tie. Hope you enjoy yourself!

[kari333]

The guidelines put out by RCI are "SUGGESTIONS"

Wear what you feel is appropriate-be comfortable and enjoy.

[Mark_K]

Regardless of RCI's suggestions, well under 50% of the men will be in jackets, much less jackets & ties, on smart casual nights.

 

It seems most people, including us, believe having to pack for two distinct types of dress is as far as we're willing to go. The majority take smart casual to mean wear your best casual clothes.

[paylady]

Back in the old days of cruising I would have said a suit or sport coat in addition to the tux. Now, my advise would be a dress shirt and perhaps tie, but I don't think they need to suit or sport jacket.

 

I plan on having my husband in a tux for the two formal nights but in a dress shirt and tie, only, for smart casual night. Frankly, this leaves me more room for packing my clothes. :-)

[melissa76]

HI,

 

I was just on the Navigator and there are 2 formals, only 1 smartcasual, and the rest are casual.

 

It was kind of funny, because my husband was sort of paranoid about smart casual after I mentioned that technically he should wear a jacket. He spent about an hour deciding between jacket with casual shirt (nicer than t-shirt) underneath (I love this look) OR a dress shirt with tie but no jacket.

 

I thought they both looked equally dressy, and he wound up wearing the jacket with no tie because of the "rules". He wound up being very overdressed. Almost no one had a jacket.

 

BUT, before people get all worked up, it wasn't any sort of rebellion. People were very dressed up on formal nights. Truthfully, I think most people didn't even know it was a different (smart casual) night. You would have had to read your cruise compass with a fine tooth comb to even see it. Even then, a lot of people wouldn't have known what it meant.

 

It worked out well, though, because they also took pictures on smart casual night, and being more dressed up resulted in MORE great pictures. We were on our honeymoon so it was nice to get a lot of great pictures out of it. So just keep that in mind.

 

I really think that in most people's minds there is formal/not formal. That's , it :). Contrary to what a lot of people say here, though, people were SOOO dressed up on formal nights. A lot of prom-type dresses. I was thrilled because I brought 2 very very formal dresses. I never ever dress up so it was fun for me :)

 

Have fun!

Melissa :)

[Globaliser]

Regardless of RCI's suggestions, well under 50% of the men will be in jackets, much less jackets & ties, on smart casual nights.

 

It seems most people, including us, believe having to pack for two distinct types of dress is as far as we're willing to go. The majority take smart casual to mean wear your best casual clothes.

Until I'd seen this on RCI's website:-

Smart Casual: Jackets and ties for men, dresses or pantsuits for women

I would never in a million years have thought that "smart casual" would involve jackets and ties. In my experience, "jackets and ties" should be described as "informal" or "semi-formal".

 

I have a grave suspicion that RCI would like the "in-between" nights to be "informal" or "semi-formal" but are too wary of scaring off customers by using those terms and making people think that they're a stuffy dressed-up line. So they call it one thing, and then ask another. Weaselly.

[izzyvet]

On my last two cruises there were no smart casual nights. 5 casual and 2 formal. I packed the sport coat on both those cruises, because you have no idea whether or not you'll have a smart casual. On the Grandeur, smart casual was initially planned, but then cancelled because, to quote a purser "no one knows what smart casual is". I'll probably still bring the sport coat on future cruises for "just in case", but I think they are getting more casual. By the way, lots of shorts and t-shirts in the dining room for breakfast at least. Don't know about lunch.

[HappyStamper]

Thanks for the replies. It looks like we will pack the jackets just in case they are needed. My guys don't mind wearing a jacket, it's the ties they hate!