Why formal dinner?

[The Viking]

I noticed numerous treads regarding the formal dinner(s) on cruises and started to wonder why have them?

 

During the formal dinner on our, so far, only cruise for 5 days, I noticed many people absent from the other tables for formal evening.

 

Do we have the formal dinners for the guest's pleasure, or for the cruise lines so they can sell more pictures.

 

I do not think it is worth it to bring a dark suit and black shoes etc. for one or 2 dinners only, with the same dining companions and servers. I can see myself dressed up if they have a more festive tablesetting, dimmed lighting etc. than on the other nights.

 

I will dress up for the dinners, as my wife enjoys it.

[dforeigner]

It is something different. Some people actually enjoy dressing up. In addition, it is a tradition.

[Fredr]

Hello,

 

Why have formal nights on cruise ships? Formal night is part of the tradition of an ocean voyage, when it was very expensive to travel and only people of means could do so. The exception to this was immigation, where travel by sea was the only way to go from Europe to the United States, and to the USA from other places.

 

Today a cruise is much different. Cruise lines, however, use tradition and romance as a major selling point and millions of people who have tried cruising enjoy dressing up two or three nights, to go to a fun filled New Year's eve type of party while at sea.

 

I also believe that the great increase in the number of ships and cruisng in general, is due to the simple fact that thousands of women love to dress up, if only for a couple of nights while on vacation.

 

Sadly, though, as cruising becomes much more popular there are those who do not want to dress up, and this is their right because their money is as good as mine. If, however, formal nights are discontinnued, then much of the tradition and romance of travel by sea, will be lost.

 

Hope that this helps.

 

Fred

[Hoyaheel]

You said in your question that your wife enjoys the formal nights and that's why you dress up. If we assume that half of all cruisers enjoy the formal nights, well, then the lines are doing it for the customer and not themselves. I love to dress up and never buy (rarely pose for) the photos. Therefore I will continue to cruise on lines that have a formal night....

[Cuizer2]

I noticed numerous treads regarding the formal dinner(s) on cruises and started to wonder why have them?

 

During the formal dinner on our, so far, only cruise for 5 days, I noticed many people absent from the other tables for formal evening.

 

Do we have the formal dinners for the guest's pleasure, or for the cruise lines so they can sell more pictures.

 

I do not think it is worth it to bring a dark suit and black shoes etc. for one or 2 dinners only, with the same dining companions and servers. I can see myself dressed up if they have a more festive tablesetting, dimmed lighting etc. than on the other nights.

 

I will dress up for the dinners, as my wife enjoys it.

 

Not all cruise lines have a required formal night. NCL has optional formal nights, and a smaller percentage of the people dress up, yet they still get to eat in the dining room of their choice. I don't like dressing up, but I do it so I can eat in the main dining room.

[Happy ks]

I think your one experience, being that it was on a short cruise, was probably not as well attended as a longer cruise (7 nights +) would be. We do take short cruises as we are close to a port, but we tend to "dress down" from what we take on a longer cruise.

 

I'm very much in favor of doing away with formal nights and I think it would be lovely if every night (except first and last) were semi-formal or another term, smart casual. The dining rooms are so elegant and it's nice to dress up for dinner.

 

There are still many cruisers who love the formal nights and we will continue to dress formally as long as the request is made.

 

It hasn't been all that long since too casual clothes were totally banned from the dining rooms at sea on every line. We just started cruising in 1998 and have steadily watched the decline of dinner attire. I'm not meaning this as a criticism of anyone, nor does it affect my dinner, I've just noticed, that's all.

[sugarcoated]

i cant WAIT for formal night, i love that we can both get dressed up and enjoy a dinner looking and feeling great. We dont get to go to many formal nights these days because of the amount of hours we work, we go for some very nice meals but its very rare that i get to wear a long gown.

i'm glad we have formal night coming up on our cruise, the dress shopping is tiresome but i'm loving it at the same time!

each to their own really.

[hommebronze]

there are fewer and fewer places to show off elegance and style for the average joes...but on a ship you both can be the ones for at least a night...like an extended honeymoon in clothes :>))

 

http://travel.webshots.com/album/330890473AhasNk?start=12

[mousetravel]

One of the stressfull things for me as getting ready for a Cruise is trying to find/buy new outfits or dresses for the Formal Dinners. Mostly to just wear one time.

[GORDONCHICK]

While I love formal nights and getting all dressed up, I wouldn't mind if the cruise lines did away with the formal nights, but actually enforced either informal or country club casual dress codes.

[MsWitty1]

i think it started as a tradition when crusing was more glamorous. I know just as many people who LOVE formal night as who hate it. It is up to each person but I think they should keep it.

 

I see many, many people in the dining room on formal night in normal attire. It's your vacation, do what you want!

[isujim]

Hello,

 

Why have formal nights on cruise ships? Formal night is part of the tradition of an ocean voyage, when it was very expensive to travel and only people of means could do so. The exception to this was immigation, where travel by sea was the only way to go from Europe to the United States, and to the USA from other places.

 

Today a cruise is much different. Cruise lines, however, use tradition and romance as a major selling point and millions of people who have tried cruising enjoy dressing up two or three nights, to go to a fun filled New Year's eve type of party while at sea.

 

I also believe that the great increase in the number of ships and cruisng in general, is due to the simple fact that thousands of women love to dress up, if only for a couple of nights while on vacation.

 

Sadly, though, as cruising becomes much more popular there are those who do not want to dress up, and this is their right because their money is as good as mine. If, however, formal nights are discontinnued, then much of the tradition and romance of travel by sea, will be lost.

 

Hope that this helps.

 

Fred

 

Fred you are so right with your response. Formal night is a carry over from the old days of cruising.........and we are talking even back before transcontinental flights made cruising almost non existant. Then in the 70's some cruise lines like RC and Carnival (and others) began vacation cruises instead of using cruising for just transportation.........as the vacation idea exploded, a whole new set and generation of cruisers have sailed in the past 30 years.........it has become less and less formal.

 

There is an element that wants to continue the old traditions of cruising and an element that wants it more and more informal. Used to be back in the 40's and 50's you dressed for dinner every night........it may have something to do with pictures in 2007.......but it wasn't that way in the past.......

[Daw6id]

If you don't want formal nights, try Oceania, where ties are NEVER expected, and Country Club casual is the order of the day. Some women did dress up more - especially in the speciality restaurants, but men in ties were definitely the exception, and mine never left the suitcase.

[Maverick Cruiser]

I personally enjoy dressing up for formal evenings. I also agree with people who say that it is a tradition of cruising. I hope that cruise ships continue the tradition. I also agree with people who say that cruise ships should enforce the dresscode for informal nights. I personally do not like to see people in shorts and flip-flops on those evenings. I do enjoy the country club dress codes on those nights. I sometimes wonder if people see informal and feel they can wear anything. Maybe cruiselines need to rename these nights, they can call them semi-formal or country club dress. When lines say formal or informal most people think that those terms are the two extremes.

[The Viking]

Thank you all for the responses.

 

Now, do you think it will continue if the guests did not have formal photos taken? My wife has already talked about having a formal photo taken.

 

Again thanks all for responding to my question.

[Cuizer2]

Thank you all for the responses.

 

Now, do you think it will continue if the guests did not have formal photos taken? My wife has already talked about having a formal photo taken.

 

Again thanks all for responding to my question.

 

I think the photos are taken because it is formal night. I don't think formal nights are held just so photos can be taken.

[molaurie]

To each his or her own. Back in the "olden" days, only the very wealthy could afford these cruises, which we take for granted; hence, the formal attire--because that's how they REALLY dressed.

 

I have to dress up every day for work, so, for me, a vacation is NOT having all the stress of putting on the panty hose, heels, and all that make-up! And especially not having to cart it all with me, for such a short period of time. Then again, I am perfectly content to dine in the buffet or casual restaurant or order room service. I would never even consider going to the dining room in my "vacation" clothes, out of respect and consideration for all of you who love to dress up!

 

Isn't it great to be able to choose? That's the best part about cruising!

[RuthlessBoss]

Of course the photos are done on formal nights when you're out of your routine way of dressing. The thought that someone presented about dressing up if pictures were not taken is food for thought. I probably would dress up but my pictures on my camera wouldn't be the same. We never had a picture done until a few years ago, tried it at several photo stations and were floored! Couldn't decide which was best, so bought a bunch, gave them to family as gifts--what a hit! Last cruise we weren't so lucky to get super good ones, but got 1 good one for ourselves. In 2 weeks we sail again and oh yes, pics will be taken!

[Gingee]

I love to dress up. I wear casual clothes all the time in my job (preschool teacher) so I love to dress up. I hope they keep the formal nights up and I wish they would inforce it. If you don't like it, go to the buffet area.

[daiB]

I noticed numerous treads regarding the formal dinner(s) on cruises and started to wonder why have them?

 

During the formal dinner on our, so far, only cruise for 5 days, I noticed many people absent from the other tables for formal evening.

 

Do we have the formal dinners for the guest's pleasure, or for the cruise lines so they can sell more pictures.

 

I do not think it is worth it to bring a dark suit and black shoes etc. for one or 2 dinners only, with the same dining companions and servers. I can see myself dressed up if they have a more festive tablesetting, dimmed lighting etc. than on the other nights.

 

I will dress up for the dinners, as my wife enjoys it.

 

 

Now, if you cruise on a British ship e.g. P&O Aurora or Oriana you will find that on a formal night 95% of the passengers will ware DJ's and not just dark suits. Why? because we want to do that. My cruise really comes to life on that first formal night when you have 1000 men in Dinner Jackets and all the ladies dressed 'up to the nines'. It is so impressive. In the theatre with the audience looking as good as the cast and I adds to the enjoyment, it adds class.

 

I like to play the tables and on a formal night there is a different atmosphere in the casino. Everyone looks as if they are in a James Bond movie

 

Of course there is another difference, on P&O you are asked to remain in formal attire for the whole evening, right up to the late night disco.

 

It is noticeable that the vast majority of teens on board also dress up and stay that way for the evening and look very impressive. Far better than some of us old has beens.

 

However, what is good about cruising is that if you prefer to stay casual then you can if you choose the correct cruise line, e.g. in our case Ocean Village which has no formal nights.

 

But, if a cruise is advertised with formal nights then I would expect all those on board to conform so they respect there fellow cruisers who have chosen that cruise, with the formality in the evening. If you want informality then chose the correct cruise and do not set out to spoil the cruise for other people.

 

 

:):)Happy Cruising:):)

[isujim]

Thank you all for the responses.

 

Now, do you think it will continue if the guests did not have formal photos taken? My wife has already talked about having a formal photo taken.

 

Again thanks all for responding to my question.

 

Great question..........to me the short answer is YES it would continue......

 

Regardless of the number of threads on the boards moaning about formal night and it's my vacation I'll do what I want..........I have a feeling that if the truth be known........most people enjoy one or two formal nights a cruise........don't think the pictures have a thing to do with it......but the cruiselines found a revenue source on a night they were having anyway.:)