How "formal" is formal night.

[disneymom1]

How formal is formal night and semi formal night. DH has put on some weight and does not have a suit that fits him. Can a dark sport coat and pants be worn? Once he is sitting down, no one will be able to tell the difference will they? We really don't want to have the extra expense of renting a tux and don't want to eat at the buffet since our experience with the food quality on the buffet on other cruise lines has been pretty bad.

 

[BELLE16127]

My DH and DD both wore suits, but we saw people in everything in the dinning room. Formal night is fun but I think that some people make too much of it. After all you are on vacation and you want to have fun and be comfortable too. I would wear something maybe a step up from what you wear the other nights, like you said I think his dark jacket and pants would be fine. Maybe add a tie if he can take it.

 

[TooPure4u]

I, for one...HATE dressing up, especially while I am on vacation. I brought a long flowery summer dress with a light jacket that came with it. Actually it was ugly lol but that was about all I could find in January and I wasnt about to spend a ton on a gown I would probably never wear again. Some people werent dressed up at all. They obviously prefer it since it is "formal" night but they werent kicking anyone out... Wear what your comfortable in.....have a great cruise!

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally posted by disneymom1
DH has put on some weight and does not have a suit that fits him. Can a dark sport coat and pants be worn?

That would be fine. If he wears the dark sport coat over a white dress shirt and tie, he'll fit right in. He'll be less dressed up than some, but more dressed up than others.

He can wear the same coat for semi-formal night, Palo, and even as protection against the aggressive air conditioning in many part of the ship.

 

[beachbumfamily]

my idea of formal is a pair shorts and a shirt thats how we floridians live

 

[feenie]

I am looking forward to formal night! (How often does a girl get to feel like a princess!) However, I totally understand why a person would not want to drag a ton of formal stuff on a sunny vacation. I don't think anyone will (or should ) get too hung up on how other people are dressed compared to them.
Of course there is always that one person who likes to be miserable, and find something to complain about.... But the best thing to do there is ignore them!
The number one thing for anyone to remember is that its YOUR vacation! Enjoy it!!

 

[Debbart]

If you don't want to get dressed up on a vacation remember you can always order room service or go to topsiders on formal night...I really don't think any of us can give anybody permission to ignore a dress code ...flame away

 

[lilkitty819]

Hi all

My Hubby for most part wears A sport jacket and pants...So don't worry about it...This year is the first year he'll be in a tux's for our tenth anniversary or else he would be in a sports jacket..go enjoy and don't worry about other people...have fun

 

[Olsons]

I second Debhart. The dress code is not always enforced but is quite clear. If nothing else one can attend to your appearance on formal night and at Palo out of respect for your fellow passengers and the hardworking cruise staff. Both appreciate your efforts.

 

[Grumbo]

Grumbo pulls up his Lazy Boy, gets the Orville Redenbacher popcorn and readies himself for "The Battle of the Cruise Clothing - Part CCIX"

Cheers,
Grumbo

 

[MrsMork]

Hubby wears a tux on formal night. Fellas always seem to act more "gentlemanly" when they are all cleaned up. And he does clean up quite nicely! I love it when he offers me his arm for a stroll and pulls my chair out for me. Although he is always a gentleman, it just seems he is even more so when dressed formal. We both enjoy formal night and agree that topsiders is always an alternative if you don't want to dress up.

 

[beachbumfamily]

thanks grumbo a sense of humour at last its supposed to be fun guys

 

[NJ Cruisers]

Right Gumbo ... and I usually just watch and laugh, but I just have to ask this time - why does ANYONE care if my DH wears a sports coat, dress pants, dress shirt (NOT white ) and tie? How does it possibly affect YOUR vacation and YOUR dining experience if his shirt is not white and his pants aren't the same color/material as his jacket? I just don't get it.

Diane

 

[bobsuzla]

Diane, I so agree with you!!! My hubby hates no, HATES to dress up, he barely left his tie on through our wedding ceremony, and most of our pictures are without bow tie and jacket, but he wanted to wear a tux for formal night! However, if he only wanted to wear a sports jacket and dress pants that would have been perfect fine with me. The clothes do NOT make the man, he is... a HARD WORKING blue collar guy who would lay down and die for his family, and is certainly making a lot of sacrifices so we can have this trip... Does a tux make him better than that? I don't think so! I would be perfectly happy to see him in anything, as long as he is by our sides enjoying every moment of our hard earned well deserved vacation.

 

[CM_Mom]

Absolutely go with the sport coat and pants. DH wore a navy blazer with grey pants and a shirt and tie - but that was at my request. We say several gentlemen with jackets without ties and we saw folks "dressed to the nines". I wore black jersey pants and a glittery top buy my mom and aunt wore "Sunday dresses" and we all felt that we fit in fine. Not the dressiest of folks and not the most casual there.

I used the cruise to as an excuse to "encourage" DH to get a new Blazer since he too had "relaxed" his size a little. But the truth is that we also have lots of elderly relatives and I wanted to be sure he was prepared for funerals also.

I've read that they now have sit down service at Topsiders in the evening that's really almost as nice as the restaurants. Can't verify that personally however.

I would do what you're comfortable with and enjoy your cruise.

 

[adelle]

DH will not take a suit so will wear a sports coat, white shirt and tie for formal night. Luckily he looks great in anything! I will be wearing a long skirt and sequin top. I bought a cute suit for 4 year old grandson, so will have a least one suited dude to escort me! Grandson loves to dress up!

 

[ma2patrick]

Ah, my favorite topic, formal attire.

*Ahem*

Once upon time there was a who loved to dress as a for formal occasions. Her stepmother was horrified! "But you must wear your dressiest attire!" She commanded. This made the very sad. One day, the royal explained to her. "It is not what you wear on the outside, it is the person you are on the inside that matters! If you wish to be a then be a !" He then strode off to the stepmother and to her. "Your stepdaughter is very , can you not make an exception for her and allow her to be a on your party?"

The stepmother refused. Then, all of a sudden a :space: appeared from nowhere, sucked up the stepmother, and she has never been heard from since.

The loyal subjects :thewave: and all was right with the world.

Oh, and the asked the to be his and they lived ever after.

The End.

 

[Olsons]

Bravo Grumbo, enjoy the popcorn. We wish all a great time. If you choose to enhance the atmosphere with your dapper/ glamorous attire, thank you for your extra effort. I suspect hard working CMs appreciate it as well.

 

[allears]

If you don't want to get dressed up on a vacation remember you can always order room service or go to topsiders on formal night...I really don't think any of us can give anybody permission to ignore a dress code ...flame away

No flames, but perhaps a little spark. The dress codes all read as Suggested. The only mandates are "please no jeans or shorts".

We love to get dressed up on formal and semi-formal night. It just adds to the atmosphere of the elegant ocean liners of yesteryear and adds a sense of occasion to the whole experience. However, it really doesn't much matter to us what our fellow passengers wear, well in most cases. So people, don't feel like you have to be hidden away in your staterooms or Topsiders if you want to be in your regular dining room on formal night.

This debate has gone on for years now with no end in sight. Basic common sense should prevail, of course sense just isn't that common any more. If everyone follows the basic rules, no shorts, jeans and swimwear (we have seen this at lunch) the rest is just suggestion. And it's a shame if anyone let's their good time get spoiled by not liking what someone else in the dining area is wearing. I think then you have bigger issues than clothes.

 

[MarcyIn Florida]

Originally posted by bobsuzla
The clothes do NOT make the man, he is... a HARD WORKING blue collar guy who would lay down and die for his family, and is certainly making a lot of sacrifices so we can have this trip... Does a tux make him better than that? I don't think so!

I have seen everything from a sports coata nd pants to a tux on formal nights (on all cruise lines) -- I don't think it matters what you wear within that range, but I do think it's nice to see everyone dressed up for dinner. I wouldn't go to a restaurant that requires jackets without one (and they wouldn't let a man eat there without a jacket, unless he wants to wear one of the nasty loaners from their lost and found closet), so I'm not sure why there is always so much debate about attire on the cruise.

Of course, I'm still floating from my bargain shopping high from this weekend, where i found a formal dress for me for $30 and 3 dresses for dd1 for $30.

Marcy