formal nights in Carribbean?

[popper]

we are on a Voyager cruise in December, itinerary indicates 2 informal and 5 casual nights. I've read some posts about formal nights being added to the itinerary once on board - anyone have this experience in the Carribbean? We don't want to pack formal wear unnecessarily, don't want to be unprepared either.

thanks

[LOGHL]

I bring a black long skirt.(could actually be any color)..then bring 3 or more nice tops to go along with the skirt. Saves room in the luggage & you really do feel like you are wearing different outfits. This after having been on 900 cruise days on different lines. can use the same color shoes !!!

[KLG]

I think it depends on the itinerary and the timing. Our Dec. 18 holiday cruise on the Navigator is billed as having two formal, three informal, and five casual nights, but the 7 day cruise the week before is all informal and casual. As to having things change later...we've only been on Regent (when it was Radisson) once before, and they followed the dress code announced in advance. Actually it was a Princess cruise where we got caught unprepared, but that was from the addition of a third formal night. So it wasn't much of a problem.

[Mickieg]

We also will be on that cruise. Whether it says 'formal', 'informal' or casual, we have found that anything is acceptable. We recently were on the Voyager and for the informal nights, some men did wear jackets and ties and others were just in nice shirts or sweaters. As for women, anything goes. There were a FEW people who were very dressed up, and they did look out of place.

 

We were on an Oceania cruise a couple of years ago over Xmas and New Years in the Carribean, and that cruise was posted as CASUAL....nothing was noted for the holidays, however, most people did dress up a little for those occasions.

 

Mickie

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Our 7-day December Navigator cruise is all CCC and informal. It will be hard enough to persuade my husband to wear a jacket, let alone a suit and tie. I will probably slip a tie into the suitcase just in case, but if a formal night crops up, we will be stuck with room service that night, we will not lug that stuff with us. Frankly, I wish it was all CCC.

[KLG]

Mickieg:

I'm glad to hear that there's someone else on our cruise. I've looked for fellow passengers on this board and on the roll call list, but so far haven't had any responses. I know it's a small ship, but it would be pretty lonely if we were the only folks on the ship! Of course, we'd have the deck chairs and the dining room to ourselves--and I'd have my pick of the slot machines--but I'd rather have company!

 

Where was your recent Voyager cruise? Some of these trips don't have formal nights--I know Alaska doesn't and some of the European trips don't either. That may make a difference. While men can probably get away with nice shirts and no jackets on 'informal' nights, they might really stand out on formal nights. On our other cruise, formal was formal--just one formal night, though, and this trip has two. Informal on that trip was a cut above casual. Husband loved Oceania's all-casual format (I missed dressing up!), but we won't go back on Oceania anytime soon. Last February we were among the few pax who were still young enough to be working and not retired. And we're in our 50s! While we enjoy meeting all kinds of people, that trip felt more like my parents' retirement community. The average age in their place is 80.

Karen

[annierie]

We did Navigator in February. 8 nights. Two informal and 6 casual. Informal were captain's welcome and farewell nights.

 

They have relaxed the dress codes and it is wonderful. Everyone looks nice, but no carrying extra luggage for the guys to have suits, jackets, etc. Womens' wear is much lighter.

 

We love the laid back atmosphere and it leaves room in our luggage for the "toys" -- books, binoculars, snorkel gear, laptop, camera gear, etc.

[nearly there]

On our Navigator Baltic cruise in late July, there were 2 formal nights, 2 informal and 8 casual. I wish Regent would go the Country Club Casual route. I noticed that "formal" seemed less formal than on past cruises. I would guess that only about 30% of the men were in tuxedos, the rest in suit and tie. The women seemed much less sparkly and glittery. Frankly, I could do without it and without the half suitcase that the formal clothes/shoes used up. I think that especially on port intensive summer cruises, formal wear is not fun.