Does departure port impact formal dress?

Hey all!

Weird question, but I'm wondering if you think that the departure port has any impact on the overall formality in the MDR. We've only done three cruises, all on the same line, and have a 4th coming up. All were 7-night cruises. I'm trying to decide how formal to go.

On our first cruise, I felt totally UNDER dressed in the MDR in a cocktail dress on formal night. This one left from NOLA, and most people were in tuxes and full-length formals on formal nights.

Then we left out of Miami, and felt like a cocktail dress and suit for DH was just about right.

Our last cruise was a Mexican Riviera out of Long Beach, and that's what we're doing again this time. I wore a cocktail dress, but a little more relaxed. Like what you'd wear to a summer wedding. And I was super OVER dressed! Most people were wearing sundresses or just a dressy maxi!

So, I guess what I'm getting at: is this a factor of where the cruise left from/was going, or was it just the group on that particular cruise? I want to buy a new dress for formal nights on our upcoming trip, and I want to blend in with the overall tone of the MDR. Any thoughts or experiences welcome!

I think so. When we used to sail from Mobile, everyone really dressed up for the Elegant Nights -- probably because Mobile celebrates Mardi Gras with formal balls (white tie & tails for the men & floor-length ballgowns for the women) so everyone is used to dressing up. It was also like that the one time we sailed from New Orleans.

On the other hand when we sailed from Galveston on a Christmas cruise, there were a few cocktail dresses & suits, but plenty of people in everyday clothes, and some in shorts & tee shirts. Very disappointing to us, but there you are!

My advice is to choose a dress you love (and as long as everyone in your group looks like they are attending the same event), don't worry about anyone else!

Recently I've found the most formal to be Europe, particularly out of Southampton, probably because there were a lot of Brits with ease of access to the port, no airline luggage worries for them.

The rest have been a mixed bag, though I've never felt out of place in cocktail dresses and blingy jewelry.

Alaska (Princess) and Hawaii (NCL, pre and post freestyle introduction) may have been the least formal.

But I never really notice all that much, truth be told. I think I noticed sailing from Southampton last year because of the preponderance of tuxedos, not so much the gowns and cocktail dresses.

A suit/cocktail dress can never go wrong...pack it! On "elegant" night...look your best. If others don't..it's not your problem!

Did you write to John Heald about this? It looks familiar.

 

We usually cruise Carnival out of Long Beach. Carnival out of Long Beach is about as casual as you can get. I'll dress the way I usually do for the cruise out of Port Canaveral. I'll be interested to see if there's a difference.

Oh, I didn't, but I'll have to look it up! It was casual, but not classless, if that makes sense. Everyone looked pulled together, just not quite so dressed up. No one was wearing cutoffs and tank tops in the MDR, just khakis and polos for guys and cute sundresses for the ladies.

Recently I've found the most formal to be Europe, particularly out of Southampton, probably because there were a lot of Brits with ease of access to the port, no airline luggage worries for them.

The rest have been a mixed bag, though I've never felt out of place in cocktail dresses and blingy jewelry.

Alaska (Princess) and Hawaii (NCL, pre and post freestyle introduction) may have been the least formal.

But I never really notice all that much, truth be told. I think I noticed sailing from Southampton last year because of the preponderance of tuxedos, not so much the gowns and cocktail dresses.

Same experience here and also on the transatlantic crossings.....