How many people Actually DO formal Night?

[cruisinmama2]

I would like to do formal night and so would my daughter, by my son (15) and husband are just not interested... I could skip, honestly, but I don't want to feel left out if the whole ship is participating. We are on RCCL over Spring Break, not sure if that makes a difference. I would also feel really weird walking around the ship in shorts when everyone else is dressed to the nines..... Also, is the dinner just fabulous that night too? Will we be missing, let's say Filet mignon, or Lobster if we don't go? Sigh... what to do????

[caviargal]

JMO, but the food is not the main reason to go and enjoy formal night as it is not any better than on other nights. However, the waiters are dressed up, the dining room is looking really nice and most of the other passengers are into the spirit of the evening.

 

I would dress up and enjoy the evening with your daughter personally. :)

[cruisinmama2]

I would dress up and enjoy the evening with your daughter personally. :)

 

I thought about that!!! I just may do it.....;)

[spartygrad95]

I agree... put your best jeans on, and go whoop it up!:p

[DKane]

My husband doesn't like to do formal nights either and we're cruising over Easter week. On our first couple of cruises it was lots of fun for him dressing up for the evening but now that we've been on several cruises we realize that the formal wear really takes up a lot of luggage space. Especially the tux, the shoes, shirts and everything that goes with it. Every time we play a new cruise we say initially that we're not going to the formal dinner but we always decide at the last minute to pack formal clothes and actually go. This time instead of a tux and long dress we may go the suit and fancy short dress route. I think I'll feel like I'm missing out on a popular event on the ship if we don't go. Maybe we should move on over to NCL the next cruise, but I don't think I'll be happy with their ships.

[WEELYNCRUZER]

Most people dress for formal nights. That is part of the cruise experience. Hopefully that won't get dumbed down. If hubby and sonny don't want to dress maybe they should go camping. I enjoy the show and taking part in it. So does my wife and daughters.:)

[ryzmom]

I agree, most people do dress up on formal nights and it is part of the cruise experience. We love it, especially the pictures.

 

I would at least do one night with my daughter if I were you. She will feel so special with just you and her doing it. Have fun!!!

[paul929207]

I bring my tux and wear it every formal night.

[glgolfer]

I've amortized my tux down to about $5 a wearing now.

[WEELYNCRUZER]

I forgot to mention formal night is a good time to wear all the expensive jewelry that your spouse bought for you over the years.

[cb at sea]

Most do formal night! I'd estimate about 80%! Maybe more--at least on the longer cruises. 3 and 4 nighters tend to have folks who try to pack lightly, so they don't always do the formal evening.

[clackey]

I agree, most people do dress up on formal nights and it is part of the cruise experience. We love it, especially the pictures.

 

I would at least do one night with my daughter if I were you. She will feel so special with just you and her doing it. Have fun!!!

Formal night is something special for us because here in Northern Arkansas we get few opprtunities to "put on the dog". Funerals and weddings are about the only chances that we get at home. I even went down to the Salvation Army and bought a new suit for our last cruise. Yelp, splurged and got me a new $5 suit and I looked GOO-O-OD!

 

It would be a shame to have the opportunity to look ravishing (like me) and not flaunt it. If Hub doesn't want to rub elbows with the Elite, then you and dd have at it.

 

Picture this in your mind: You look absolutely stunning in your black evening gown with a diamond pendant earrings and matching necklace. Every eye in the place is on you as you make your way to your table. The lights are dim, the atmosphere is exquisite and romance is in the air. (To bad Hub isn't here. He might have got lucky.) The only thing that throws a kink in things is the guy at the table beside you all decked out in his deerhunting jeans and camo T-shirt.

 

The menu has all of the good stuff like Lobster, Mahi Mahi, Tiger Prawns and my favorite, Chateau Briand. Dessert comes and it is a choice of Decadence of Chocolate, Chocolate Melting Cake or Baked Alaska. In my case it is at least two of the above, unless I am in great form and then it is all three.

 

This is what you have to look forward to. If you don't go, you will always wonder about it and wish that you had gone. Camo or no camo.

[10X]

We have done formal nights on all of our 14 cruises. However, next year we are off to New Zealand and Australia and, while we're there, we have decided to tour Australia some. Australian airlines allow less than half the amount of luggage that U.S. airlines do so we have decided to skip formal nights on the cruise to lighten our luggage while flying in Australia. Onboard, we'll likely stay with the Smart Casual look but avoid the dining room on formal nights.

[Seago2]

Formal night DOES traditionally have the best dinners- Beef Wellington, lobster, etc. You will feel funny in shorts on formal night- even if you go to the buffet. Others will be walking around, getting their picture taken, and you'll probably want feel awkward- even on NCL. That said, you'll be fine if you want to skip it but have on clothes that are a little bit dressy- a golf shirt and khakis for the guys and something that is any kind of step up from shorts and a t shirt for you.

 

I am not a huge fan of formal night- I'm usually tired, full of sun, and not particularly wanting to put on a heavy dress and panty hose (thank you, Spanx). Also, I am in the middle of packing right now and DH's suit and shoes, etc, are heavy and I am dreading the final weigh-in of the suitcases (the airlines now limit you to one bag, 50 pounds or less, and a carry-on).

 

BUT- gotta get the formal night pictures. That is a must-do. In fact, I will change my avatar to one of them right now...

[ehfl]

No problem...you and your daughter go to the dining room...let your husband and son do some male-bonding at the buffet. The great thing about cruising, is everyone can do what they want....formal or not....and you can always meet up afterwards for the shows.

[clackey]

No problem...you and your daughter go to the dining room...let your husband and son do some male-bonding at the buffet. The great thing about cruising, is everyone can do what they want....formal or not....and you can always meet up afterwards for the shows.

That is if a handsome man in a $5 suit doesn't sweep you off of your feet.;)

[Fredr]

Hello,

 

I agree that you and your daughter should get dressed up and go to formal night. Even after 24 cruises my DW and I will get dressed up as this is part of the fun of cruising. I suggest, however, that your husband can take a nice jacket, a tie, and a pair of dress shoes, and same for your son and they will look great. On most of the cruises that we have been on, I have seen some outstanding dress combinations on men wearing jackets and ties. They didn't wear tuxes or dark suits (I wear a tux but because I bought it for cruises and our daughter's wedding). My point...if you wear a jacket and a tie, you will look very nice on formal nights.

 

Hope that this helps.

 

Fred

[cruisinmama2]

Thanks all... We have never cruised before so it is just good to know if formal night is one of those things that just SOME people take part in. I think my DH and son would just have more fun doing other activities rather than dressing up... neither are complaining about it, just don't see it being necessary if its not something that's really a big thing.... that's all. And Weely, you're a real charmer aren't you? :rolleyes: far be it for MY family to dumb down YOUR cruise.....

[jscdagourmet]

:p ROFL

[agabbymama]

CruisinMama2

 

I have no idea of the actual number of people that do FORMAL NIGHT, the only thing I can tell you, is that the dining room has been full of folks in their formal attire on every cruise I've ever gone on. Getting their photos taken and enjoying the elegant ambiance of a special night.

 

Now my husband wore a suit when we were married in 1964 and hasn't had one on since, until we went on our Alaska/Yukon cruisetour this past August. I bought him a suit jacket and pants. He did put them on for formal photo, but then immediately went back to his cabin and changed, then went to the Lido for his dinner, while my sister-in-law and I went to the main dining room still dressed in our formal attire and the place was full of people.

 

It's a fun, elegant, old tradition, one of the reasons a lot of people cruise. Makes me think of an ocean voyage, not just a cruise.

[suezyq50]

I really like formal night. It is a night of excitement. It is a special time in the dining room, too. As long as DH is good with it, so am I.

[Bobug]

For us the formal nights are part of the whole cruising experience....I would do like others have suggested & take your daughter.

As for you that say the tux & dress take up too much luggage space....have you tried renting from the ship? My dh hasn't worn a tux since highschool (he always wears a suit for formal nights) so we rented one from Princess. It worked out great.

 

HAPPY SAILING :)

[Essiesmom]

Teen girls just love formal nights. In fact, on a cruise with a lot of youngsters, formal night was just the beginning...Every night thereafter, it seemed they had brought every formal they had owned and were intent on wearing them all evening. EM

[Krazy Kruizers]

We always do formal night.

 

In fact DH just picked up a new Tux the other day.

[PennyAgain]

We don't 'do' formal attire. My husband refuses to travel with a tux.

 

Due to the airline baggage restrictions and the length of our trips, we are very careful what we pack. No overweight charges for us!

 

I wear a black skirted suit on formal nights and he wears a gray brazer, white shirt, dark pants and neck tie. We've never been turned away at the door of the dining room!