Proper attire question

[rs12065]

We just returned from an eastern Caribbean cruise aboard the Celebrity Millenium. Most of our previous cruises have been on Princess Grand class ships. While we always looked forward to dressing up on formal evenings (tux for me, gown for my wife). it suddenly hit me on this last cruise as to what the heck I was doing. Dressing up in the tropics? If I went to an all inclusive resort on a Caribbean island the most formal clothing would be khakis and a cool Hawaiin shirt, and if really lazy neat khaki shorts instead.

So, my question....with NCL's Freestyle dining and more laid back ambiance, would I be out of place and frowned upon if my "formal" attire on a "formal" evening consisted of freshly pressed khaki pants and a Tommy Bahama shirt?

And I would wear my best flip flops.

[garycarla]

As I sit here with a noose slowing tightening around my neck, I will DARE to provide an answer. This topic comes up every week or two and often gets heated.

 

BUT - I can tell you this.

 

Freestyle means you do not have to wear a tux or suit, ever. You can, but not required.

 

Freestyle also does not mean you can wear frayed cutoffs, shower shoes and a T-Shirt saying " I'm With Stupid!". Okay, you could wear it, and there will be a few, but usually not in the main dining room.

 

Somewhere in between those two is resort casual.

 

As to what is appropriate on "formal evening". You will be perfectly fine on most of the ship, and maybe okay in the main dining room with your idea. Some might question the flip flops in the main dining room, and that comment will start another blast from the past. Not exactly sure what a Tommy Bahama shirt is, but....

 

Not gonna comment since I don't know.

[DJ Dale]

I'm breaking out my tuxedo t-shirt ;0)

[chrisbd1]

We just returned from an eastern Caribbean cruise aboard the Celebrity Millenium. Most of our previous cruises have been on Princess Grand class ships. While we always looked forward to dressing up on formal evenings (tux for me, gown for my wife). it suddenly hit me on this last cruise as to what the heck I was doing. Dressing up in the tropics? If I went to an all inclusive resort on a Caribbean island the most formal clothing would be khakis and a cool Hawaiin shirt, and if really lazy neat khaki shorts instead.

So, my question....with NCL's Freestyle dining and more laid back ambiance, would I be out of place and frowned upon if my "formal" attire on a "formal" evening consisted of freshly pressed khaki pants and a Tommy Bahama shirt?

And I would wear my best flip flops.

I think you'll be fine. I've never seen a no flipflop sign at any of the main dining room doors.:D

[rs12065]

I was just kidding about the flip flops. Boat shoes would suffice. What I was really trying to find out was how much do I not have to worry if I don't pack my tux and my wife doesn't pack any evening gowns.

Damn it, I finally want to ditch the tux and spend my vacation with the same clothes I would wear around my own pool, and not have the fashion police in my face. So, I am just trying to find out about the atmosphere on NCL and the "Freestyle" dining. Besides, I love the anytime dining on Princess. Just have reached a point that it is my vacation and my money, so we would love to dine when we want to and wear what we want to. The days of etiquette are over for us. I have worked too long and too hard to adhere to archaic standards, so that is why NCK appears to be so enticing.

Dr. Bob

[chrisbd1]

Dude, you're free to ..whatever. On some ships there's a Freestyle deck where you're free to...not worry about getting a tan line :o . Ditch the fancy threads if you wish. Wear them if ya want to. Just no jeans or cut-offs in the bigger main dining room after 6 pm (I think) and you must wear some sort of shoes in most of the dining venues. Have a blast.

[slotaddict]

Wear your Tommy Bahama shirt and khackis you will be fine.

(I love Tommy Bahama clothes)

[greywillow]

Damn it, I finally want to ditch the tux and spend my vacation with the same clothes I would wear around my own pool, and not have the fashion police in my face.

This is one of the great joys of cruising NCL: they let you wear what you would choose to wear if it were your decision. There is no hint of requiring EVERYONE to dress up to please the few who get some kind of kick out of being surrounded by people overdressed for the occasion.

 

Book an NCL cruise and enjoy yourself.

[CC Help Michell]

I agree... NCL is all about "whatever." Polo shirts, khakis, boat shoes (preferably without socks) is pretty much the definition of "resort casual." Even jeans are okay except in one main dining room. From reports here and personal experience (at LeBistro :rolleyes:) even the "no shorts at dinner" thing appears to be negotiable or flexible.

 

You might love or hate other things about NCL, but from your first post I think you will LOVE the dress code! :) (oh and disembarkation... EVERYONE loves Freestyle disembarkation, so much that other lines are now copying that, too, like they did alternative restaurants and fee-based specialty dining, and open seating dining... and... and. :) )

[Ms belp]

We just returned from an eastern Caribbean cruise aboard the Celebrity Millenium. Most of our previous cruises have been on Princess Grand class ships. While we always looked forward to dressing up on formal evenings (tux for me, gown for my wife). it suddenly hit me on this last cruise as to what the heck I was doing. Dressing up in the tropics? If I went to an all inclusive resort on a Caribbean island the most formal clothing would be khakis and a cool Hawaiin shirt, and if really lazy neat khaki shorts instead.

So, my question....with NCL's Freestyle dining and more laid back ambiance, would I be out of place and frowned upon if my "formal" attire on a "formal" evening consisted of freshly pressed khaki pants and a Tommy Bahama shirt?

And I would wear my best flip flops.

 

Any man who would wear a tux and a woman who would wear a gown will be fine. You should finally take a vacation where you can really relax. But, please, no flip-flops in the dining room. Toenails; yuck!

[zqvol]

As I sit here with a noose slowing tightening around my neck, I will DARE to provide an answer. This topic comes up every week or two and often gets heated.

 

BUT - I can tell you this.

 

Freestyle means you do not have to wear a tux or suit, ever. You can, but not required.

 

Freestyle also does not mean you can wear frayed cutoffs, shower shoes and a T-Shirt saying " I'm With Stupid!". Okay, you could wear it, and there will be a few, but usually not in the main dining room.

 

Somewhere in between those two is resort casual.

 

As to what is appropriate on "formal evening". You will be perfectly fine on most of the ship, and maybe okay in the main dining room with your idea. Some might question the flip flops in the main dining room, and that comment will start another blast from the past. Not exactly sure what a Tommy Bahama shirt is, but....

 

Not gonna comment since I don't know.

 

Going to reply here instead of the OP, just to address the Tommy Bahama shirt issue. These are clearly resort casual. Think of a very dressy Hawaiian shirt, with buttons all the way from top to bottom. Nothing wild or unusual. You have probably seen them and didn't know you were looking at them. there are perfect for resort casual, in fact what the Op describes is resort casual as opposed to country club casual which would require gentlemen to wear closed shoes.

[Cosmopolitan]

So, my question....with NCL's Freestyle dining and more laid back ambiance, would I be out of place and frowned upon if my "formal" attire on a "formal" evening consisted of freshly pressed khaki pants and a Tommy Bahama shirt?

 

Your formal attire will be fine:)

[NorthernNeighbour]

Having just returned from the GEM cruise to the Caribbean, I can assure you your idea of attire will be just fine.

 

Personally, I would NOT wear the flip-flops to the dining room, but some guys did, but not very many. However, lots of guys with trousers and sport shirts.

 

The only time I saw a tuxedo the whole cruise was ONE GUY in Cagney's on Valentine's Day. That night, my idea of dressing up was a blue blazer paired with my light tropical trousers.

 

Actually Freestyle does not necessarily mean dressing down -- the tradition is that one never dresses formally on the first night out of a port or the night just before landing at a port. On this cruise, I saw one lady dressed to the nines on the first night out -- a first time cruiser I guess (but you never know, maybe just a show off!)

 

The worst 'faux pas' I witnessed, in terms of dressing down, was an older lady not very slender who showed up in Cagney's for breakfast (with the penthouse crowd that has breakfast there) wearing her swim suit. Since she was not young and not slender, it was not a pretty site.