Newbie Question-How out of place will I be if I wear a full length gown

[themishmans]

on optional formal night? I really like dressing up, but after reading some of the posts here, it seems like I will be the only one on my ship doing it. I prefer not to stand out to such a degree. What do you guys think?

[Flick]

on optional formal night? I really like dressing up, but after reading some of the posts here, it seems like I will be the only one on my ship doing it. I prefer not to stand out to such a degree. What do you guys think?

 

You do not say what itinerary you are sailing but it has been my experience on recent sailings (say....in the last 5 years) that a long gown will be worn by very few of the women on the optional Formal night. Unfortunately, the same is true for men......on last year's 2 week cruise around South America on the NCL Crown I was one of 7 men who wore a tux. This year I am simple taking a dark suit and to be honest I resent giving in to the "dumbing down" of formal night on NCL. They could at least let the patrons of the two main dining rooms be formal only. Afterall, there are plenty of other venues on the ship for everybody to eat! People DO NOT have the right to go anywhere they please and do whatever they please regardless of the "optional" wording. The cruise last year cost $10,000.00 and men sat there in t-shirts?????

[themishmans]

The cruise last year cost $10,000.00 and men sat there in t-shirts?????

 

Maybe they couldn't afford a suit after paying that much for a cruise. ;) We are doing Eastern Caribbean (if that helps) but it is Christmas week so maybe people will want to dress up for their holiday. DH will not wear a Tux, but he feels much more comfortable in a nice dark suit for dinner.

[taxmantoo]

A dark navy blue or black suit will fit in perfectly well regardless of what other people are wearing. The suit will allow the lady to wear a long dress or gown but will stand out less than a tuxedo would. That is also my choice.

[wxtrix]

You do not say what itinerary you are sailing but it has been my experience on recent sailings (say....in the last 5 years) that a long gown will be worn by very few of the women on the optional Formal night. Unfortunately, the same is true for men......on last year's 2 week cruise around South America on the NCL Crown I was one of 7 men who wore a tux. This year I am simple taking a dark suit and to be honest I resent giving in to the "dumbing down" of formal night on NCL. They could at least let the patrons of the two main dining rooms be formal only. Afterall, there are plenty of other venues on the ship for everybody to eat! People DO NOT have the right to go anywhere they please and do whatever they please regardless of the "optional" wording. The cruise last year cost $10,000.00 and men sat there in t-shirts?????

 

that's the whole point of freestyle (although I am not sure what the cost of your cruise has got to do with what anyone else wears). if I am on a freestyle cruise, why should I be shut out of a nice dining room just because I don't want to wear a gown?

 

many of us have to dress up for work and for work-functions, so it is a treat to be comfortable and casual while on vacation. others don't get to dress up in regular life and choose to do so on the ship. if what someone else is wearing--provided it is not lewd or vulgar--bothers you to this degree, I daresay the problem isn't about attire.

[wxtrix]

to the OP: we were on the Pearl last week and there were women in gowns each night that photos were being taken.

[BellaBeauBean]

I say wear what you want, when you want. But if you are going to be uncomfortable wearing your gown, you have to rethink it. I always bring a couple of gowns and it never bothers me if I am a rarety. Its my cruise and really no one knows what day or what special occasion you are celebrating. DH always brings his tux.;)

[themishmans]

I would only be uncomfortable if I was the only one on the entire ship in a gown. If as few as 10% of the diners were similarly dressed, I would be perfectly fine.

 

I am leaning towards bringing a gown and then just seeing how it goes when we are on the ship. I just hate to overpack.

[KerCar]

I would only be uncomfortable if I was the only one on the entire ship in a gown. If as few as 10% of the diners were similarly dressed, I would be perfectly fine.

 

I am leaning towards bringing a gown and then just seeing how it goes when we are on the ship. I just hate to overpack.

 

You won't be the only one! Get dressed to the nines and enjoy yourself! In my experience, more tend to dress up the first of the two formal nights. Many get portraits taken. Long lines for the photographer that night, but well worth the wait if the pics come out nice:)

[starfamily]

Maybe they couldn't afford a suit after paying that much for a cruise. ;) We are doing Eastern Caribbean (if that helps) but it is Christmas week so maybe people will want to dress up for their holiday. DH will not wear a Tux, but he feels much more comfortable in a nice dark suit for dinner.

we have cruised Christmas week for years but on other lines (princess, disney etc) they were always very formal on formal night, I wore a gown DH a tux and DS a suit, last year we were on the NCL sun and I didn't see one tux or gown, this year we are on the jewel and DH is leaving the suit and tux both at home, I will just wear a black dress and the two guys some nice pants and a button down shirt, not even a tie. I would feel very out of place in our true formal attire. (my son loves that btw leaving the fancy clothes at home, I miss it some but we are going on princess in a few months and will dress up then.)

[MonaCK]

I usually will wear an evening gown on formal night, and though this is my first NCL cruise, I will be doing the same on this cruise. I don't get dressed up often, but there is something about getting dressed up on formal night on a cruise that I really enjoy :) Go for it!

[bunnyt]

I agree with those saying wear the dress if you want to. Who cares if your all dressed up and no one else is. I just bought an expensive dress (expensive for me at least) and I am going to wear it on my cruise just so I can wear it again, but I don't think anyone one else in my family will either a) be wearing formal atire, or b. even own formal attire, lol

[DAGVBSB]

I usually will wear an evening gown on formal night, and though this is my first NCL cruise, I will be doing the same on this cruise. I don't get dressed up often, but there is something about getting dressed up on formal night on a cruise that I really enjoy :) Go for it!

 

Even though its your first cruise on NCL, you have the Freestyle Concept down. The whole idea is for each person to dress as they want when they want without worrying about what anyone else is wearing.

 

I believe that NCL called their optional formal nights: "dress as you like nights" and that certainly is what Freestyle is all about.

[trish1c]

On my last NCL cruise I wore a short sequined cocktail dress & stood out b/c I was one of the few women not wearing a gown.

Dress to suit yourself. If you like what you see in the mirror, wear it & have fun!

[DAGVBSB]

This year I am simple taking a dark suit and to be honest I resent giving in to the "dumbing down" of formal night on NCL. They could at least let the patrons of the two main dining rooms be formal only. Afterall, there are plenty of other venues on the ship for everybody to eat!

 

So basically I don't have a right to go to the main dining rooms on the ship because I choose not to dress up?? I'm sorry that is just wrong...I paid for my cruise just like snobs like you.

 

The real dummies are the ones who worry more about what everyone else is wearing instead of paying attention to the company that they are with. Who cares what the people at the next table are wearing? Only those who are insecure with their own image.

People DO NOT have the right to go anywhere they please and do whatever they please regardless of the "optional" wording. The cruise last year cost $10,000.00 and men sat there in t-shirts?????

 

Wrong....they do have the right to dress as they please under Freestyle Cruising as long as it is resort casual.

 

I will make sure to tell my dad not to wear just a t-shirt or polo shirt next time he goes out in his $25,000 car.

[angeljt]

Wear your gown!!!!

Who cares what anyone else thinks....

Have a great time, formal or not. You'll see all types of dress. Just be comfortable with being yourself.

[deepnite10]

paying $10k does nt give someone the right to talk down to

those who choose to follow the rule s of dress..perhap s someone

should learn to show a little more grace in their own live s..

 

freestyle work s great for my wife and i..we limit ourselve s to just two

pieces of luggage, big one s..since i normally will fill only half of mine it

give s the wife alot more space to put her stuff :mad:

[USC93]

We were on our first NCL cruise on the Star June '06 to Alaska and I left the tux at home because, based on what some said on here, I thought the whole ship would be wearing t-shirts and flip flops.:rolleyes: There were a fair number of men wearing tuxes and women in dresses but I guess it depends on the location and time of year of your cruise. I would think at Christmas there would probably be more than normal dressing formally so, by all means, wear your gown and have a great time!

[deliza]

I'm bringing two, and I can guarentee you I will wear at least one, if not both. All of my cruises have been NCL holiday cruises, and I've never felt over dressed. Wear your gown if you want, it won't be akward.

[can'twaittogoagain]

This sounds like it is your first cruise...you will no doubt have photographs taken, etc. How do you visualize the two of you in that picture?

 

We were on the Jewel in April and the Pearl in October and on both cruises there were women in floor length gowns.

 

There were also, in close proximity, women in capri pants..some with flat sandals..some with heels...and men with dockers and polo shirts....and we also saw some jeans this time around.

 

And it's all perfectly acceptable..in fact, NCL seems to make a big deal about the fact that it is your choice...dress up or dress casual...

 

Have a wonderful time!

[themishmans]

Who cares what the people at the next table are wearing? Only those who are insecure with their own image.

 

I care what other people are wearing simply because I want to be appropriately dressed for my environment. It is not an image thing; it is common courtesy. I wouldn't go to a black tie affair in jeans, just like I wouldn't show up to a bar-b-que in a formal gown. Either situation would be extremely uncomfortable, both for me and everyone around me.

 

Since this is my first cruise and I really do not know what to expect (other than from reading these boards), I asked the question.

[greywillow]

You do not say what itinerary you are sailing but it has been my experience on recent sailings (say....in the last 5 years) that a long gown will be worn by very few of the women on the optional Formal night. Unfortunately, the same is true for men......on last year's 2 week cruise around South America on the NCL Crown I was one of 7 men who wore a tux. This year I am simple taking a dark suit and to be honest I resent giving in to the "dumbing down" of formal night on NCL. They could at least let the patrons of the two main dining rooms be formal only. Afterall, there are plenty of other venues on the ship for everybody to eat! People DO NOT have the right to go anywhere they please and do whatever they please regardless of the "optional" wording. The cruise last year cost $10,000.00 and men sat there in t-shirts?????

Surely this was intended to be tongue-in-cheek. I mean...someone really couldn't write stuff like this and be serious about it. Do you think? In a private diary, maybe. But in a public forum where others would read it? Could you imagine being assigned to the same table on a 15-night cruise? "Get me the maitre d', fast! HELPPPPPPP!"

[MonaCK]

I always err towards being overdressed than underdressed. I might not be wearing what everyone else is, but I would rather have someone looking at me because I'm decked out to the nines, than wondering if I remembered to pack for my trip. ;)

 

but that is just me - I have no issue, at all, if others do not get dressed up. It's your vacation.

 

I don't undertstand those who judge other people, and somehow let what other people do effect how they enjoy their vacations. I guess that's my beef for today. ;)

[deepnite10]

here s my idea of casual..

 

i dress to show respect to those around me..not so much embarassing

myself..but embarassing those around me..

 

certainly you can understand the *i don t give a hoot* in your youth as i

did..and as you get older your world get s bigger than yourself..

 

but, back to dining..i will wear what i would normally wear when i

meet with my mother-in-law..:o

[amjdcm]

on optional formal night? I really like dressing up, but after reading some of the posts here, it seems like I will be the only one on my ship doing it. I prefer not to stand out to such a degree. What do you guys think?

Listen, if you are like most ladies, unless you are a diplomat, your gown sits lonely inside of that plastic cover all year long; waiting for the holidays to come around so she can stretch her seams. So why don't you take that gown on vacation. She has been loyal and faithful to you all year having to hang next to those business suits and cashmere sweaters. Why should they have all the fun? LOL;-)