Formal vs. Semiformal??????

[uncle al]

I am a bit confused - we are going on our first cruise 12/27/03 7-night Eastern and I have read as much information as I can get my hands on about the cruise and have tried to absorb as many tips as a mind can possibly hold. But there is one thing I am still confused about - what are the "definitions" of formal & semiformal? Being a southern gentlemen (or at least I like to think so) formal to me means black tie. Semiformal means business suit. As I read, I don't get the impression that is necessarily correct. Enlighten me, PLEASE!!!

 

[jlrose]

I took it the same way you did. Formal = Black tie, Semi-formal = dinner jacket. so thats what I planned for.


jlrose

 

[ducklite]

uncle al--That's how I (a displaced New Englander) was also raised

DH and DS wore a tux on formal night and a conservative suit for semi-formal. They looked so nice

There will be all types of dress, including people who think formal is flip flops with shorts and a t-shirt. But on our cruise most men wore either a suit or tux on formal and semi-formal nights.

Have a wonderful cruise!

Anne

 

[krhardy]

OK, here's what we came up with.....DH and I do NOT get a chance to get fancy very often, so he wore a tux both nights. BUT, we also saw people in suits both nights, and believe it or not, people in shorts and jeans. Bottom line, it's YOUR cruise, so wear whichever you are comfortable wearing. We had fun getting fancy both nights, but not everybody enjoys that. You'd be fine with either on either night. Have fun and enjoy your cruise!

 

[Buckaroo's Dad]

what are the "definitions" of formal & semiformal?

Formal = black tie.

Semi-formal = same as formal, but you don't have to change your underwear...

 

[fireplug]

QUICK, UNCLE AL
put on these goggles and helmet.

Now tighten your safety belt and hang on.

This is gonna be a rough one!


Steve


PS: This topic usually results in a VERY heated discussion

 

[uncle al]

Thanks everyone for the help. DW & I also enjoy "playing Ken & Barbie" so I think that's what we'll do.

Buckaroo's Dad: Glad to hear I don't have to make that change for semi-formal, it'll provide a little extra room in the luggage

Fireplug: Thanks for the warning - I somewhat enjoy a little controversy - especially if I am at the center of it

 

[CindyAnn]

On our 7 day Western cruise in January I decided to take a head count of the men in our dining room (second seating) on formal night. The tally was roughly:

suits or blazers with dress pants + shirt & tie - 75%
polo shirts or long sleeve shirts (with pants I'm glad to say) - 20%
tuxedos or dinner suits - 3 %
beach wear (cut-offs, slogan T-shirts, etc) - 2%.

DH lugged along both a suit and a blazer with dress pants, and three dress shirts and three ties. They were all worn (formal night, semi-formal night, Palo's) but he said if he were to do it again he would only take a navy blazer & grey dress pants and perhaps two dress shirts. As a matter of fact, we've just booked a cruise for next January (4 day Wonder, this time) and he insists that he's not even planning to take a blazer on this one. The jury is still out, but I may give in gracefully.

Conclusion: If you had really wanted to blend with the crowd on formal night, the business suit or blazer would have been the way to go on our cruise. The men wearing tuxedos all looked very nice, but it was by no means necessary to buy or rent a tux especially for the cruise.

Hope that helps, Uncle Al.

 

[cruisnfamily]

Originally posted by CindyAnn
On our 7 day Western cruise in January I decided to take a head count of the men in our dining room (second seating) on formal night. The tally was roughly:

suits or blazers with dress pants + shirt & tie - 75%
polo shirts or long sleeve shirts (with pants I'm glad to say) - 20%
tuxedos or dinner suits - 3 %
beach wear (cut-offs, slogan T-shirts, etc) - 2%.

This is fabulous info! thanks so much CindyAnn. I wondered what "most" people actually did as opposed to what DISers do. We will be following the dress code but I must say I was very curious and am glad to hear the results of your informal poll. Has anyone else done their own tally? I will try to do this on our 7 day in Sept

 

[eva]

My husband has decided that he is going to wear a tux both nights. I think mainly because he does not want to drag along a suit with him for two weeks. (We're going to WDW for a week afterwards.) He said that it will be nice to have the tux waiting for him in the stateroom all pressed and ready to go. I hope that he doesn't feel out of place. He really is a more casual type person. Maybe I should have him rethink the whole tux idea if that few people do wear tuxes.

 

[ducklite]

Originally posted by CindyAnn
On our 7 day Western cruise in January I decided to take a head count of the men in our dining room (second seating) on formal night. The tally was roughly:

suits or blazers with dress pants + shirt & tie - 75%
polo shirts or long sleeve shirts (with pants I'm glad to say) - 20%
tuxedos or dinner suits - 3 %
beach wear (cut-offs, slogan T-shirts, etc) - 2%.

On our Eastern Magic the numbers were different. We had second seating.

I'd say about 30% were in tuxes, 60% were in conservative suits, 8% were in some combo of sport jacket over shirt and tie with dress pants/shirt and tie with dress pants/shirt and tie with chinos, and 2% were in any combination of jeans to cleaning their garage clothes to shorts and a clean t shirt. Tuxes were definitely MANY more than 3%.

Anne

 

[imgoingtodisney]

After our 11/30 cruise was cancelled, I told DH that when we finally do get onboard the ship that he can wear whatever he wants, do whatever he wants, etc.

However, he told me he is still planning on renting a tux!

 

[CindyAnn]

I wonder to what extent your dining rotation plays a role in how formally people are dressed? Even though we were second seating, it was still the APLAPLA rotation. I had expected to see more tuxedos, (my 3% comes from a count of 5) but decided it must have been due to the larger proportion of children in the APLAPLA seating.

If anyone wants to go with a tuxedo, they'll look great and the photos will be stunning. I would just hate someone to feel compelled to go to the expense of buying/renting a tux and then finding out that they would have been just as comfortable in the suit already hanging in their closet after all.

PS - I like your "cleaning the garage clothes" description, Anne.

 

[shoes99]

DH is going to rent a tux for the Sept 20th 7 night Eastern. We are going to WDW after the cruise, and I thought the same thing, why bother carrying the suit when we can rent a tux. He just lost 50 lbs and doesn't have a suit that fits now. He's going to look great in a tux.
Michele