Silly question about formal nights???

[escapeperth]

I am embarressed asking this but i will anyway :o

 

With the formal dinners - are they still at the two seatings or do they do it different for these nights?

 

If it is the two seatings that makes it a very fast formal dinner to get prettied up for doesn't it??:p

 

Thanks in advance ~

[Denny01]

I am embarressed asking this but i will anyway :o

 

With the formal dinners - are they still at the two seatings or do they do it different for these nights?

 

If it is the two seatings that makes it a very fast formal dinner to get prettied up for doesn't it??:p

 

Thanks in advance ~

 

Yes, Formal night is for both seatings and most remain in their finery for the evening.

 

Not sure what you mean by making it a very fast dinner. Main is at 6:15 and Late is at 8:30 and even with time to reset (they do that for each table when it is vacated and not one big effort), that gives you about 2hrs to dine. No matter what you are wearing, that is a lot of time to dine. We've never felt rushed, relaxed over coffees and drinks afterwards with no problems. Left so our waitstaff could prep and continued at a nice lounge.

 

Not a silly question.

 

Denny

[Bridge Maven]

I am embarressed asking this but i will anyway :o

 

With the formal dinners - are they still at the two seatings or do they do it different for these nights?

 

If it is the two seatings that makes it a very fast formal dinner to get prettied up for doesn't it??:p

 

Thanks in advance ~

 

The only difference is that on a few occasions when we had early seating at 6:15 PM our waiter told us to come to the table at 6:00 PM instead on formal nights so there would be more time to serve the meal.

[Cindibear2]

Formal nights generally start around 5pm and everyone stays dressed up for the whole evening. If you choose not to, that's ok too. I don't know if the dining room is strictly formal on those nights but you can check once on board. It's fun to see everyone all dolled up. Very elegant indeed!

[lucky white heather]

The only difference is that on a few occasions when we had early seating at 6:15 PM our waiter told us to come to the table at 6:00 PM instead on formal nights so there would be more time to serve the meal.

 

But there is always a queue for those who stand there and wish to rush in just as soon as the doors are opened...you can't go in early as far as I recall!They keep the doors closed until they are ready.

[Bridge Maven]

But there is always a queue for those who stand there and wish to rush in just as soon as the doors are opened...you can't go in early as far as I recall!They keep the doors closed until they are ready.

 

It appears that my previous post was ambiguous so I would like to clarify it.- On a few of our cruises where the normal time time for early seating was 6:15 PM, our waiter told us to come at 6:00 PM instead on formal nights because it would take longer to serve that night. However, on those nights the doors to the dining room opened at 6:00 PM instead of 6:15 PM.

[lucky white heather]

It appears that my previous post was ambiguous so I would like to clarify it.- On a few of our cruises where the normal time time for early seating was 6:15 PM, our waiter told us to come at 6:00 PM instead on formal nights because it would take longer to serve that night. However, on those nights the doors to the dining room opened at 6:00 PM instead of 6:15 PM.

 

I've been unaware there has ever been any exception to the set dining times even on formal nights on all of my previous cruises..we are always early seating and the doors have never been opened earlier than the stated time that we have seen...but it may happen? Of course the formal dinner could be longer than other regular nights but I can't say I have ever been aware of that either...with the exception of the "big parade" nights when they introduce the staff to the guests which does extend the time taken.

[usha]

It appears that my previous post was ambiguous so I would like to clarify it.- On a few of our cruises where the normal time time for early seating was 6:15 PM, our waiter told us to come at 6:00 PM instead on formal nights because it would take longer to serve that night. However, on those nights the doors to the dining room opened at 6:00 PM instead of 6:15 PM.

I'm pretty sure I remember dinners on formal nights being at 6:00 pm too.:)

[lucky white heather]

I'm pretty sure I remember dinners on formal nights being at 6:00 pm too.:)

 

I'm still confused ....are you saying the time for dinner swopped between 6pm amd 6.15pm during any cruise depending on whether it is a formal night or not ? This is what I was reading into the post? Our waiters have only informed us if it was going to be open seating ..we've never had to change timings during a cruise...when in Europe they will perhaps make early dinner at 6.30 instead of 6 or 6.15 but it was always at whatever time was given on the dailies and they did not open the doors ahead of the stated time simply because it was a formal night as far as I recall anyway?

[Ships R Great]

Now I'm confused.

[Spender Nui]

New to me.

[2sunny]

We find formal nights our best nights on the cruise! Now, we always eat at the late dining, on formal nights, we dress and leave our room early. We go around to a few of the photographers and have our pictures taken. Then we go to the Martini Bar or Champagne Bar (on M class ships you could hear the dance band while in these bars - I do not know about the Solstice Class ships) listen to the music and spend some time there before dinner. We have NEVER felt rushed during dinner, we always take our time while dining and linger over coffee and dessert - would never miss dessert :D

 

We leave the dining room and walk around the ship admiring everyone's beautiful dresses and the handsome men in their tuxes. I think a man looks SO good in a tux and I am glad that on Celebrity so many men wear them! We sometimes go to some of the lounges, the casino, stroll the deck, etc. But we are always out and about later on those nights than any others.

Please enjoy your cruise - formal nights, like all of them, will be what you make them! Often, my husband orders me a corsage, it is such fun and makes me feel so special! I LOVE cruising!!!!!;)

[Bridge Maven]

I'm still confused ....are you saying the time for dinner swopped between 6pm amd 6.15pm during any cruise depending on whether it is a formal night or not ? This is what I was reading into the post? Our waiters have only informed us if it was going to be open seating ..we've never had to change timings during a cruise...when in Europe they will perhaps make early dinner at 6.30 instead of 6 or 6.15 but it was always at whatever time was given on the dailies and they did not open the doors ahead of the stated time simply because it was a formal night as far as I recall anyway?

 

Yes, to allow for an additional fifteen minutes for service on formal night, but this only happened on some of our cruises. The reason why I remember it so well is because I didn't hear the waiter when he told our table the night before our first formal night and couldn't understand why everyone else was already in the dining room when we arrived at 6:15 PM. Needless to say, I was well aware of it for our second formal night. By the way, this only happened on some of our Caribbean Cruises and we never had this experience in Europe or in Alaska.

[lucky white heather]

Yes, to allow for an additional fifteen minutes for service on formal night, but this only happened on some of our cruises. The reason why I remember it so well is because I didn't hear the waiter when he told our table the night before our first formal night and couldn't understand why everyone else was already in the dining room when we arrived at 6:15 PM. Needless to say, I was well aware of it for our second formal night. By the way, this only happened on some of our Caribbean Cruises and we never had this experience in Europe or in Alaska.

 

Even with your explanation, I am still sceptical simply because we have never experienced it ... and we've completed 35 ( Celebrity) cruises ( and obviously attended many Formal nights which is when you say these time changes particularly occurred) in both Europe and the Caribbean and even more cruises with other lines all over the world, but have never had differing time schedules for dinner DURING a cruise (which had two separate seatings to get through ) but it may happen which is what the OP needs to know.

 

On Celebrity in our experience in particular they keep the MDR doors firmly shut until the designated time of opening simply because (I think) the queueing crowd that seems to believe there will be no room inside the MDR (even at their designated table) would be in there before the wait staff are properly ready for them if they don't shut the doors. The staff don't seem to appreciate diners just dropping in willy nilly because they want everything all ready and prepared for the onslaught !!!

Now on open seating things can be different but we have always eaten at the same designated time every night and the times were just as normal on the regular nightly schedule , and these open seating nights were never held on Formal nights.

[Hflors]

We find formal nights our best nights on the cruise! Now, we always eat at the late dining, on formal nights, we dress and leave our room early. We go around to a few of the photographers and have our pictures taken. Then we go to the Martini Bar or Champagne Bar (on M class ships you could hear the dance band while in these bars - I do not know about the Solstice Class ships) listen to the music and spend some time there before dinner. We have NEVER felt rushed during dinner, we always take our time while dining and linger over coffee and dessert - would never miss dessert :D

 

We leave the dining room and walk around the ship admiring everyone's beautiful dresses and the handsome men in their tuxes. I think a man looks SO good in a tux and I am glad that on Celebrity so many men wear them! We sometimes go to some of the lounges, the casino, stroll the deck, etc. But we are always out and about later on those nights than any others.

Please enjoy your cruise - formal nights, like all of them, will be what you make them! Often, my husband orders me a corsage, it is such fun and makes me feel so special! I LOVE cruising!!!!!;)

 

2sunny - I totally agree. Formal nights are the best! Dh and I usually begin at Michaels (on galaxy) and listen to the violins. such a romantic way to begin our evening. Then move to the Martini or champagne bar. It is so refreshing to see the guests dressed and enjoying themselves. I love my dh in a tux. More romance in my opinoin.

 

We also sometimes just dress on our cruise even if it isn't formal nights. If we happen to be celebrating something special we will dress for dinner even on causal night. Who cares, we have never felt over dressed. Being in a beautiful dining room like celebrity, how could you be "over dressed"?

 

Just my 2 cents

 

Helen

[2sunny]

2sunny - I totally agree. Formal nights are the best! DH and I usually begin at Michaels (on galaxy) and listen to the violins. such a romantic way to begin our evening. Then move to the Martini or champagne bar. It is so refreshing to see the guests dressed and enjoying themselves. I love my DH in a tux. More romance in my opinion.

 

We also sometimes just dress on our cruise even if it isn't formal nights. If we happen to be celebrating something special we will dress for dinner even on causal night. Who cares, we have never felt over dressed. Being in a beautiful dining room like celebrity, how could you be "over dressed"?

 

Just my 2 cents

 

Helen

 

Dear Helen - Thank you for your kind comments! AND you live on the Eastern Shore - we are in Cambridge. We have dressed up when dining in the specialty restaurant. The Millennium is the only M class ship we have not sailed on, but we LOVE the M class ships, so I am sure you will have a great cruise.

Perhaps we will cruise together sometime.

[bububr]

I think this is because so many guests want to have their formal photos taken...sometimes due to the long lines some come in a little later..opening 15 minutes earlier just makes it easier for everyone to have a relaxed enjoyable meal...

 

Dave:eek: