Formal nights

Hi, we have booked on the Celebration sailing out of Newcastle in June 2017. It is a 14 night cruise which we haven't done before with a couple of sea days. Will there be more than one formal night?

We were on Celebration over new year for two weeks and had three formal nights - one on each week and another special one for New Years eve.

It's my understanding that there is one for each weeks cruise.

There will be two at least - not sure how the criteria for a third formal night pans out over 14 days.

We were on Majesty last week - I was very much in the minority wearing my penguin suit and bow tie.

Thanks WCM, I think it is a shame that not many people take part in the formal night any more. I feel that some people think it too posh or stuck up but we enjoy it and find it a bit of fun.

Ditto 😀

I reckon there are several reasons that evening dress is now worn less on formal nights these days.

Many (especially younger) men don't have a dinner suit - and those that do feel that it is unnecessary extra weight to carry.

Quite a few men at the formal night with collar and tie, some with lounge suits or jackets.

Changing social trends and habits - the Officers Mess dress code of the Victorian/Edwardian era is long gone.

All valid reasons. My husband has got around one of those issues by just taking a black suit a dress shirt (or plain white) and a bow tie. Then he can wear the jacket and trousers separately.

A dark suit is much more useful than a dinner jacket. I have a navy blue one and it saves on packing to be able to use the trousers on non formal evenings. On my next Thomson cruise I might take my linen jacket with a white bow tie to go with a coloured shirt. Or I might just take a tie. Of course Thomson evening dress code is smart casual so no need to take anything formal with you. Of course you can get dressed up but you really don't need to.

Deffinetly 2 nights , one each week, have fun

Thanks, I only wondered about it because it is a 14 night cruise and not 2 sevens back to back.

Quite a few men at the formal night with collar and tie, some with lounge suits or jackets.

 

Do you mean just shirt and tie? My hubby is debating what to take this week. Last time he was in the minority in black tie and we noticed that people soon changed after dinner - can't really see the point in taking a suit and only wearing it for a couple of hours.

Depends how he feels, we always like to dress up and I would say about a third have the full dress suits but a few just have shirt and tie, remember its only necessary in the main restaurants, you can wear shorts in the self service if he's happier doing that.

It looks like Thomson don't mind if you don't have a jacket as long as you have a collar and tie. I know for a fortnights cruise my case weighs less than 17Kg and that includes a suit. So I might as well throw in a light jacket and tie, after all, it is not P&O or even Cunard :eek:

IMO Thomson don't need a formal dress code which is why they don't have one ;)

Will a kilt look out of place at a formal night (with waistcoat, jacket and tie if course !). We have 60kg luggage between 3 of us so plenty room for it weight wise but will I be "over dressed" on the Dream ?

Its the first thing we look for and more often than not we are not disappointed you will probably not be on your own.

Excellent - Kilt's it is for me and the boy then and given it's 2 weeks BtB then that's 2 nights taken care of.

DH has decided on the full black tie attire, so that means I get to dress up too:)

Good for you. Go for it! I dress up in the evening no matter what. I like to make the distinction between day and night.

Excellent - Kilt's it is for me and the boy then and given it's 2 weeks BtB then that's 2 nights taken care of.

How good will that look then. When are you going.

8 July from Corfu

We are off to the airport hotel tomorrow evening and a 6am flight on Friday - after some of the not-so-good reviews, we are going with an open mind and will let you know how we go on. At least we should have some nice weather and be able to relax:)

I am certain you will have a good time and you have some nice poc.

Just arrived back from the Dream and there were approx half the men in dinner suits and many more in lounge suits. 2 in kilts. The ladies all dressed to kill! :)

How did you find the ship as you were a little apprehensive?

It appears that on Discovery they have dropped formal nights as such and replaced them with a weekly captains reception at 9pm in the atrium. As I have met lots of captains I probably wont bother taking a jacket and tie.