What does your teen wear on formal nights?

[Craving A Cruise]

What does your teen wear on formal nights? We are bringing our two sons, age 15 & 17, on our next RCL cruise. (Mariner of the Seas) I was wondering what other young men wear on the formal nights. I'm assuming that the girls love to dress up and don't take much coercing to do so, but I'm curious as to whether or not the guys dress up.

 

Do most guys wear tuxedos, suits or just nice slacks and a shirt & tie? Please tell me what your teens have worn in the past and if you could post photos that would be very much appreciated! :)

 

Also, I read something about a "Prom", please tell me more about that too.

 

Thank you in advance for your help and advice!

[NanciRDH]

You're right, girls for the most part like to dress. :) When we cruised with other family members, my nephew was expected to dress also. He wore khakis with a white button down and a sportcoat and tie on the formal nights...we visited the 'better' thrift shops in the area until we found something nice at a reasonable price, sent it to the cleaners and it was good as new and didn't break the budget! I knew he'd never wear it again, and it did come off right after dinner. His mother was thrilled because she now has a formal family portrait!

[Luv2Cruise525]

My brother usually wears a black suit with a white button down shirt and a tie. He actually doesn't mind wearing it and knows that if he doesn't, he would look silly next to everyone else.

[rebeccalouise]

Yes- teens on formal night will look fine in a sports coat or dark suit. Sometimes you can find tuxes on ebay for a steal. I got a brand new tux for my son on ebay for about 40 dollars a few years ago. So don't hesitate to look there.

[reallyitsmema]

We have cruised on the Mariner twice in the last two years with our son who is now 18. On formal nights, we saw anything from tuxes to polo shirts. The majority wore at least a dress shirt and tie.

 

Our son wore a navy blue blazer, shirt, tie and dress pants since this is what he already owned. If he had a suit, we would have brought that but I wasn't going to go out and buy one since I knew I have to get him one this year for all his senior year school events.

 

Your sons are going to love the Mariner.

[JordanLovesCruisin]

The "prom" at the teen club is an activity usually on the fifth night of a cruise, it is incorporated in the "Teen Disco/Dance" at night from like 10-1am. I went on the Marine a year and a half ago, it was so fun.

 

Ours was planned after a formal night, so we were all dressed up anyways. You don't have to wear REAL prom clothes. By no means was I going to wear my prom dress :) Basically all the kids who have been hanging out together the past week vote on a prom king/queen (kids that are well liked and have made a lot of friends usually). It's all in good fun :)

 

If you have any more questions about the club, feel free to ask!

[cb at sea]

Most will be in suits and tuxes---since the girls will be gladly dressing, the guys don't want to look "sloppy"!

[notentirelynormal]

MY DS has always worn either a tux (when he was smaller I could get them cheaper) or a dark suit with a tux shirt and cumberbund, etc. He would have felt out of place otherwise as everyone else in our group wears the same.

[Craving A Cruise]

That is my concern also. I didn't want to spend a ton of money on something that will probably only be worn once!!! LOL. I think my DS#1, that is a senior, will probably have more use for a suit, but I can't see my younger son wearing anything "dressy" for more than 2 hours. Thanks for the suggestions! :)

 

You're right, girls for the most part like to dress. :) When we cruised with other family members, my nephew was expected to dress also. He wore khakis with a white button down and a sportcoat and tie on the formal nights...we visited the 'better' thrift shops in the area until we found something nice at a reasonable price, sent it to the cleaners and it was good as new and didn't break the budget! I knew he'd never wear it again, and it did come off right after dinner. His mother was thrilled because she now has a formal family portrait!

[Craving A Cruise]

they will be the only guys dressed up. They would be mortified if they showed up in a tux and everyone else was in khakis and a sportcoat! :eek:

 

Remember that scene with Tom Hanks in the movie BIG? He is attending a company Christmas party and all the men are wearing black tuxedos and in strolls Tom Hanks wearing a rented baby blue tuxedo with tails! I love that scene.... LOL:D (Not that I'm going to rent blue tuxedos for my dear sons or anything. hahahaha.) But they don't want to be the oddballs.

 

I'm glad to tell my sons that they will look out of place if they don't dress up. Thanks for your help :-)

 

My brother usually wears a black suit with a white button down shirt and a tie. He actually doesn't mind wearing it and knows that if he doesn't, he would look silly next to everyone else.

[cruisead]

Our boys always wanted to wear tuxes, so we bought them at a second hand store. When one outgrew the tux, the younger brother took it over. Once they realized that the teen girls were goo-goo over them in their tuxes, they were always in a hurry to cruise so they could show off their best. And the girls, when they see the guys dressed up, do their best to make themselves look great. Kinda like a mutual admiration society.

[Craving A Cruise]

My dh and I love to cruise, but this is the first time we have brought our kids. We booked them into a promenade room. At first, they were very opposed to going with us but now they are starting to warm up to the idea. They are actually asking more questions about it and I think that once they talked with a few friends, and realized just how fortunate they were to be going on a cruise, they agreed it was a good thing!! :-)

 

I will keep an eye on ebay. That is a great idea. One problem is that my sons are still growing like weeds and I'm worried that if I buy something too early it won't fit them when June rolls around. I was hoping to pick up a great bargain after Christmas in the clearance sales. I'm still looking for size 14 dress shoes for one of them....no luck so far.

 

Yes- teens on formal night will look fine in a sports coat or dark suit. Sometimes you can find tuxes on ebay for a steal. I got a brand new tux for my son on ebay for about 40 dollars a few years ago. So don't hesitate to look there.

 

We have cruised on the Mariner twice in the last two years with our son who is now 18. On formal nights, we saw anything from tuxes to polo shirts. The majority wore at least a dress shirt and tie.

 

Our son wore a navy blue blazer, shirt, tie and dress pants since this is what he already owned. If he had a suit, we would have brought that but I wasn't going to go out and buy one since I knew I have to get him one this year for all his senior year school events.

 

Your sons are going to love the Mariner.

 

I hope they have a great time! Sounds like your ds had a fun time cruising. Does your son have any tips or words of advice for my sons? I previously posted a few questions (sorry not sure how to link to that post) It was my first post. If you don't mind reading it and answering some of those questions about the teen activities I would really appreciate it very much!

 

Thank you to everyone else for your replies and advice. It is very much appreciated!!! Well, I better log off for a while and go finish my Christmas shopping. I will check back with you all later!

 

Thanks!!!:p

[reallyitsmema]

I just read your other thread about the teen activities. My son said there is Rock Band and "fake" DDR in the living room. They are available during structured time but he said that when that room is monitored, if they asked for them, they would let them use them.

 

There was an airhockey tournament in the arcade at one point during the week, just check the teen compasses. He said the table were unlocked and free for the tournament and the staff kept them open and free for a while after the tournament too.

 

Both times we were on the Mariner, 6/10/07 and 6/15/08, there was free arcade at least once during the week. The kids found out from the teen staff the first night at the meet and mingle. Both times it was late, 11pm or midnight and was free for an hour or so.

 

If you have any specific questions, my son said ask away and he will answer them if he can.:)

[Luv2Cruise525]

they will be the only guys dressed up. They would be mortified if they showed up in a tux and everyone else was in khakis and a sportcoat! :eek:

 

Remember that scene with Tom Hanks in the movie BIG? He is attending a company Christmas party and all the men are wearing black tuxedos and in strolls Tom Hanks wearing a rented baby blue tuxedo with tails! I love that scene.... LOL:D (Not that I'm going to rent blue tuxedos for my dear sons or anything. hahahaha.) But they don't want to be the oddballs.

 

I'm glad to tell my sons that they will look out of place if they don't dress up. Thanks for your help :-)

 

haha no problem!!! :) he used to hate getting dressed up but my whole family would tell him how great he looked and we would all fix his collar and make sure his tie was straight so he looked perfect. it always worked!! good luck

[NanciRDH]

That is my concern also. I didn't want to spend a ton of money on something that will probably only be worn once!!! LOL. I think my DS#1, that is a senior, will probably have more use for a suit, but I can't see my younger son wearing anything "dressy" for more than 2 hours. Thanks for the suggestions! :)

 

 

If you're going to go the thrift shop route, we had the best luck with ones affiliated with churches for finding better menswear...you know, old church clothes! lol

[quincytoo]

If you're going to go the thrift shop route, we had the best luck with ones affiliated with churches for finding better menswear...you know, old church clothes! lol

What a good idea :) Thank you!!!

 

We just got back last month from the Repo cruise on the CB, our 16 year old wore dark dress shirt,tie and dark pants. Almost every other teenaged boy was dressed similar, so that seem to be the norm for this cruise.

 

We were going to buy him a suit or Tux then decided not to for this cruise being that it was the Caribbean and it was a repo, any other cruise it would have been a suit or tux.

 

He actually wants a tux.......:eek:

[JordanLovesCruisin]

I just read your other thread about the teen activities. My son said there is Rock Band and "fake" DDR in the living room. They are available during structured time but he said that when that room is monitored, if they asked for them, they would let them use them.

 

There was an airhockey tournament in the arcade at one point during the week, just check the teen compasses. He said the table were unlocked and free for the tournament and the staff kept them open and free for a while after the tournament too.

 

Both times we were on the Mariner, 6/10/07 and 6/15/08, there was free arcade at least once during the week. The kids found out from the teen staff the first night at the meet and mingle. Both times it was late, 11pm or midnight and was free for an hour or so.

 

If you have any specific questions, my son said ask away and he will answer them if he can.:)

 

I was on your cruise 6/10/07! How funny!