Men's attire for formal nights on Reflection - Caribbean & Mediterranean

Evening attire for men!

My husband doesn't know whether to take his dinner jacket (tuxedo) for formal nights. I know they have changed the name to Chic or something but just wondered what most people do now? Don't want to bring it all the way from England if he's not likely to wear it! Our luggage allowance is so small! Any advice?:confused:

Evening attire for men!

My husband doesn't know whether to take his dinner jacket (tuxedo) for formal nights. I know they have changed the name to Chic or something but just wondered what most people do now? Don't want to bring it all the way from England if he's not likely to wear it! Our luggage allowance is so small! Any advice?:confused:

My husband wears a jacket/no tie. He used to wear a tux, but there are very few that do this anymore. Some men do not even wear a jacket!

My husband wears a jacket/no tie. He used to wear a tux, but there are very few that do this anymore. Some men do not even wear a jacket!

The only cruisers we saw with no jacket on my recent e. Caribbean cruise were the younger cruisers. I just wore jeans with a button down shirt for chic night and a polo/tshirs with jeans on normal nights. There were men with tuxes and women in gowns but those were the older cruisers (those over 70)

My husband wears a jacket/no tie. He used to wear a tux, but there are very few that do this anymore. Some men do not even wear a jacket!

On our cruise last month, I think I saw fewer than a dozen tuxes on chic nights. And I'd guesstimate about half of the men had jackets (with or without ties). If packing space is scarce, OPs DH can feel comfortable opting for just a sport jacket or blazer, or leaving them at home altogether.

On our Reflection cruise earlier this month there were a few men who wore tuxedo's but I would guess less than 10%. (Even fewer women are wearing long formal dresses.) A few more wear suits and ties but the vast majority (including my husband) wear jackets over dress shirts, no tie. My husband will pack his tux for a longer cruise (and on our last one he only wore it once!). I actually prefer the way he looks in a jacket and dress shirt and he is definitely more comfortable. Unless your husband loves to wear a tux and has no other opportunity during the year, I would leave it at home, especially on a Caribbean cruise. You can still dress in cocktail attire even if he chooses to wear only a jacket (which is what I occasionally do). Have a great time!

When you compare the suggested guidelines for attire:

Smart Casual

Ladies: Skirt or pants/trousers (no holes, rips or tears) complemented by sweater or blouse.

Gentlemen: Pant/trousers (no holes, rips or tears) with collared sports shirt or sweater. Shirts must have sleeves.

Evening Chic

Ladies: Cocktail dress, skits, pants or designer jeans with an elegant top

Gentlemen: Pants or designer jeans with a dress shirt, button-down shirt or sweater. Optional - sport coat or blazer

you can see that the difference is narrowing dramatically; in another few years I suspect that all nights will be smart casual.

Our last cruise was Jan 2017 out of Hong Kong. We ate at Luminae all evenings. Evening Chic nights I wore Jeans and a Polo shirt. I felt fine with what I wore, but our next cruise in May I will bring a jacket to wear with my jeans for Evening Chic.

Your husband can bring his tux if he wishes, but it is really not required. I just wear a jacket over a shirt and not turned away in dining rooms.

When we were on the Reflection last year, there were more people in tuxes that we'd expected - especially on the second evening chic night. I think a few wanted to see what was worn on the first one, and then went all out once they'd checked the lie of the land :D

We never get to get truly dressed up now, and so used it as an opportunity to do so. I wore a cocktail dress for the first night, and full length the second.

We're taking formal wear this year - need to get wear out of the Tux!!

Just off a Caribbean cruise. Leave the tux at home and bring a sport jacket, collared shirts , dress pants and maybe even a tie. Very few tuxes and I mean VERY few. But if you want to get all dressed up, then go for it. It is your cruise.

It also depends on the cruise. Caribbean = casual, you're on Island time. Mediterranean = a bit dressier if there are Europeans on board. Just my opinion.

I agree with the other posters. Last week on the Reflection, there was a wide variety of attire on evening chic nights. My husband and I dressed up in tux and gown because we enjoy it, but we were in the minority (maybe 10%), Most women were in regular dresses or pant suits while men wore dress pants or khakis and a nice shirt. An additional ~40% of the men wore jackets. Seriously, be comfortable and enjoy what your wearing. As long as you look nice and you're not trying to get away with shorts and a t-shirt you'll be fine.

Evening attire for men!

My husband doesn't know whether to take his dinner jacket (tuxedo) for formal nights. I know they have changed the name to Chic or something but just wondered what most people do now? Don't want to bring it all the way from England if he's not likely to wear it! Our luggage allowance is so small! Any advice?:confused:

My DH enjoys dressing up for dinner- while he might not wear a formal tux- he does wear a jacket and tie- Makes for a special festive evening and great pictures. We purchase clothes that fold easily without wrinkles- but do take extra luggage as we like choice of what we wear daily. Splurge for the extra piece of luggage cost as you will be happier with options.

It also depends on the cruise. Caribbean = casual, you're on Island time. Mediterranean = a bit dressier if there are Europeans on board. Just my opinion.

That's what I was going to say. I think the dress really does change depending on the type cruise one is on. ;)

When we were on the Reflection last year, there were more people in tuxes that we'd expected - especially on the second evening chic night. I think a few wanted to see what was worn on the first one, and then went all out once they'd checked the lie of the land :D

Where was your Reflection cruise based? We will be on her in May in the Med. We also dine in Blu, which is a bit more casual. DH and my SIL are trying to decide if he even takes a jacket. I voted yes! :D

I was on the Reflection Caribbean cruise in December 2016. Very few suits and even fewer tuxes. I'm over 70 and was happily attired per the new Evening Chic dress code:"Pants or designer jeans with a dress shirt, button-down shirt or sweater." Sport coat or blazer is optional. I had a blazer packed in my suitcase and just before I left for the airport I checked Celebrity web site and saw that the dress code changed that very day. Out it came. I did enjoy wearing formal wear back in the day but I think that ship has sailed. Bad pun, I know.

I was on the summit, my most recent cruise Celebrity cruise and I beg to differ- most people even teenagers were dressed up- men with jackets and ties. Ladies however had fewer long gowns and I saw more cocktail "country club" attire- this was also true in Blu- Yes some men, mostly seniors wore Tommy Bahama type shirts. But they were in the minority. We also noticed the crowd at the Martini bar were dressed up. So perhaps each cruise has a different crowd.

Just got off the Harmony of the Seas- and some people-had horrible body odor- so if you take a carry on- please wash your clothes, including pants and shorts daily- you might bathe and look well groomed and clean- but the fabric retains body odor. It was horrible.

IMHO, some still think the Chic nights have ruined the cruise experience, but after several X cruises, we are D+ on RC, We think the Chic dress code is more effective in how people dress, you can dress anyway you want, yes some think they are eating in Mac Donald's but so be it and other will dress ULTRA CHIC and yes some in Tux.

Thank you everyone for your comments and suggestions. My husband has decided on two blazers to go with shirts and trousers. This will be the first time he hasn't worn a dinner jacket so should be interesting to observe others to see if he chose right!

I opted for a less expensive blazer that's become my go to travel jacket in that I fold it into a suitcase and don't worry about it wearing out prematurely because of this.

Slacks, button down, dark sport coat, maybe a tie - did fine on my last two cruise "evening chic" nights on X. He won't be the best dressed, but he'll be better than average. :)

I just continue to be amazed at the obsession over what you and what other people wear on a cruise.

We are approaching 1000 nights on cruise ships and honestly don't think I have ever given more than a few minutes thought to the subject. When it was formal, wore a dark suit. When it was semi-formal, wore a jacket and tie. When it was casual, wore shirt and slacks. When it is chic, wear shirt and slacks, maybe a sweater.

Couldn't care an iota what you wear, whether a "dinner jacket" or suit or blazer or sport coat or jeans or whatever. Honestly, have better things on which to focus.