do people dress up on Epic?

I do understand freestyle, really I promise.

I don't want to change what others wear. But I don't want to stick out like a sore thumb.

DH & I enjoy dressing up. Go figure why we like NCL so much, but we do. Sailing out of NY mostly, people do tend to dress up a little but New Yorkers tend to dress up even when they are casual. I'm always over dressed when we go to the west coast. :o

On a Jewel cruise I think DH was one of the only male passengers in a tux. He loved the attention. :p

If you had to guess, what percentage of passengers do you think opt for tux / dark suit and gown / sparkly cocktail dress on the Epic? The difference being I may pack a plain LBD which I can accent with some bling jewelry v. a fully beaded cocktail dress.

I wouldn't say so from what I've seen comparing Epic to other NCL ships.

You will see more dress up on the dress up/photo op nite(s).

This may change when it goes to Europe as Europeans tend to dress up more, at least that's what we experienced on the Jade.

We will be on Epic for 14 nights - and will dress up 14 nights -

We will also do full formals on a couple of nights (dress up or not nights) ie kilts, gowns etc.

To us, dressing "smart casual" means for me, glamourous cocktail style shorter dress, killer heels etc - For my husband - Italian style, designer shirt, trousers, nice shoes -

Each to their own I guess - but we will never get this "shorts and t-shirts" for dinner - not ever. But thats us. I just hope no one ridicules US for dressing up. That's our personal choice. I might do jeans one night, but if I do, they will be stylish jeans with heels and glitzy halter top.

I understand Manhattan main dining room on Epic has a more formal (well "dressiER hardly formal) dress code than Taste - I do like that there are options for either. The pay restaurants are also "dressier" ie Le Bistro.

I guess that's the beauty of Freestyle - personal choices.

(I hope!)

We shall see :)

One thing I don't understand about freestyle is why some people seem to think that it means most people will dress down. Not long ago someone asked in here whether people ever dressed up on NCL, of whether it was all freestyle.

Freestyle doesn't mean dress down. It means dress as you like, and lots of people like to dress up. It's true you don't see many tuxedos (I don't see many at home either), but as far as I've seen, you get a full range of dress on NCL ships and nobody will stand out for having dressed up a bit.

I've spent 54 nights onboard Epic with another 14 planned this month.

On the Norwegian Night Out there are probably 10-15% dress up (as in tux or gown dress up). The rest resort casual, a lot with tailored shorts etc.. Except Manhattan Room and Bistro where a stricter code is enforced. If you dress up and go there you'd blend in. If you dressed up but was say in O'Sheehans then you'd be noticeable.

The good thing about NCL is unlike other lines you won't get the snobby or otherwise comments. People in tuxes happily stand at the bar next chatting to someone in Bermuda shorts and a polo shirt.

Image is all a state of mind..

We're the people in tuxedo / gown happily standing at the bar chatting with everybody.

We have always embraced the freestyle concept to mean that since we can dress however we want whenever we want, we can go more dressy every night.

We'll be more casual this trip because we're flying to the port & those pesky airlines have weight limits unlike when we drive & I can pack 2-3 changes of clothes per day. :rolleyes:

I recently got a full A-line (think ball gown) gown for the local Navy Ball and was hoping to bring it on our Epic cruise over Thanksgiving (with my fiance wearing a tux). Love that dress and any excuse to wear it is awesome. After reading the boards here I'm kind of worried that people would laugh at something that dressy?

Tell me to leave it home or reassure me? Thanks!

It does sounds gorgeous but you will be one of the few dressed like that. If it makes you feel beautiful & you don't mind being the center of attention, go for it! My husband would stop cruising if I tried to deprive him of bringing his tux. He insists on wearing it at least 2x during the cruise.

One thing I don't understand about freestyle is why some people seem to think that it means most people will dress down. Not long ago someone asked in here whether people ever dressed up on NCL, of whether it was all freestyle.

 

Freestyle doesn't mean dress down. It means dress as you like, and lots of people like to dress up. It's true you don't see many tuxedos (I don't see many at home either), but as far as I've seen, you get a full range of dress on NCL ships and nobody will stand out for having dressed up a bit.

Blondie008 say they dress up every night plus formal a couple nights so don't know what the definition of dress up is for them.

For us I follow resort casual and NCL rules for the specialty restaurants which we only use. We'll wear non torn jeans and shorts around the ship and pool area

But yes you do see some real eyes sores at the buffet and going into the mdr's.

I do understand freestyle, really I promise.

 

I don't want to change what others wear. But I don't want to stick out like a sore thumb.

 

DH & I enjoy dressing up. Go figure why we like NCL so much, but we do. Sailing out of NY mostly, people do tend to dress up a little but New Yorkers tend to dress up even when they are casual. I'm always over dressed when we go to the west coast. :o

 

On a Jewel cruise I think DH was one of the only male passengers in a tux. He loved the attention. :p

 

If you had to guess, what percentage of passengers do you think opt for tux / dark suit and gown / sparkly cocktail dress on the Epic? The difference being I may pack a plain LBD which I can accent with some bling jewelry v. a fully beaded cocktail dress.

My wife and I LOVED dressing to the 9's each night of our past cruises. We did NCL on the Epic, and had a little bit of a culture shock that we ended up actually enjoying. We dressed in full suit/evening gown on the formal night and we were almost completely alone. There were a few others more dressed up, but we absolutely stuck out. We packed away our formal wear and wore standard resort attire for the rest of the trip. It made things a lot more relaxing, and on future cruises we will leave all dress clothes at home and pack MUCH lighter.

I would recommend you leave the real formal wear at home and pack light and easy.

6&8

I would recommend you leave the real formal wear at home and pack light and easy.

I'm sorry to hear that because DH loves to dress up. I'm hoping we can find a happy medium. maybe me in a cocktail dress; DH will most likely wear his tux but maybe only on "formal night" (I always forget what stupid name NCL came up with for it -- NCL's night out, or something?)

Like I said on the NY cruises people do dress.

I'm sorry to hear that because DH loves to dress up. I'm hoping we can find a happy medium. maybe me in a cocktail dress; DH will most likely wear his tux but maybe only on "formal night" (I always forget what stupid name NCL came up with for it -- NCL's night out, or something?)

 

Like I said on the NY cruises people do dress.

Go for it!

I ignore the naysayers and do my own thing

If it makes YOU feel good - then DO IT!

I'm sorry to hear that because DH loves to dress up. I'm hoping we can find a happy medium. maybe me in a cocktail dress; DH will most likely wear his tux but maybe only on "formal night" (I always forget what stupid name NCL came up with for it -- NCL's night out, or something?)

 

Like I said on the NY cruises people do dress.

Ncl used to have a dress up or not night but people were confusing it for a formal night which NCL doesn't have.

They have a "Norwegian Night out" instead which is basically lots of photo opportunitues and the captain comes down for photos etc.. But it's not a formal night.

Ncl used to have a dress up or not night but people were confusing it for a formal night which NCL doesn't have.

 

 

 

They have a "Norwegian Night out" instead which is basically lots of photo opportunitues and the captain comes down for photos etc.. But it's not a formal night.

Exactly.

Norwegian Night Out isn't what NCL call Formal Night, it's a totally different thing.

On most cruises I've been on, the details for Norwegian Night Out don't mention dress at all.

From a link on ncl.com

NORWEGIANS NIGHT OUT

Dress up and step out for a meet & greet with the Captain, signature cocktails, specialty dining promotions and more.

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Ncl used to have a dress up or not night but people were confusing it for a formal night which NCL doesn't have.

 

They have a "Norwegian Night out" instead which is basically lots of photo opportunitues and the captain comes down for photos etc.. But it's not a formal night.

It's as close as NCL gets.

I've come to the conclusion the people who dont like dressing up will give it the "oh you dont need to dress up etc etc spiel" and the people who DO like dressing up - the opposite view.

Epic TA this April still had "dress up or not nights" - (I know for I have the dailies here in my house) - so this must be very new "Norwegian night out" ?

Well - sore thumbs or not - we choose glamour all the way!

I couldn't care less what others are wearing. Resort casual to smart casual European style does it for us. :)

Of course you can dress up if you wish. However, when folks ask "will we stand out" or "will we feel over dressed" then the answer is probably. The optimistic ones will tell you 15-20% dress up. Generally I think it is less than 10% and on some cruises less than 1-2%. So yes, you will stand out. The quote above says dress up for a meet and greet with the Captain. We've noticed some of that in the last year or two. Folks dressed up, had formal photos taken with the Captain and themselves, and then changed and gone out for the night.

I couldn't care less what others are wearing. Resort casual to smart casual European style does it for us. :)

Exactly. But what does annoy me is when you read some reviews of people who have cruised on Norwegian and moaned about how others didn't dress up on "formal night" .

Every other line does dress up formal nights, Norwegian signature is relaxed freestyle, when, where, whatever time, etc..

Quite happy for people to wear whatever but don't complain if some on an adjacent table are wearing nice tailored shorts and a casual collared shirt.

:D

The changing after dinner thing I don't get either.

Late night when DH's roguish 5 o'clock shadow is coming in, & the bow tie from his tux is hanging open at his neck with the button undone at his throat . . . . let's just say I'm usually very happy that it's dark & they don't let kids in Bliss. :cool:

Exactly. But what does annoy me is when you read some reviews of people who have cruised on Norwegian and moaned about how others didn't dress up on "formal night" .

 

Every other line does dress up formal nights, Norwegian signature is relaxed freestyle, when, where, whatever time, etc..

 

Quite happy for people to wear whatever but don't complain if some on an adjacent table are wearing nice tailored shorts and a casual collared shirt.

 

:D

Totally agree. :D

We will be on Epic for 14 nights - and will dress up 14 nights -

 

We will also do full formals on a couple of nights (dress up or not nights) ie kilts, gowns etc.

 

To us, dressing "smart casual" means for me, glamourous cocktail style shorter dress, killer heels etc - For my husband - Italian style, designer shirt, trousers, nice shoes -

 

Each to their own I guess - but we will never get this "shorts and t-shirts" for dinner - not ever. But thats us. I just hope no one ridicules US for dressing up. That's our personal choice. I might do jeans one night, but if I do, they will be stylish jeans with heels and glitzy halter top.

 

I understand Manhattan main dining room on Epic has a more formal (well "dressiER hardly formal) dress code than Taste - I do like that there are options for either. The pay restaurants are also "dressier" ie Le Bistro.

 

I guess that's the beauty of Freestyle - personal choices.

 

(I hope!)

 

We shall see :)

I never dress up but I do like to see other people doing whatever they want being happy maybe next time I will dress up and get some photos took before all my hair is grey

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We will be on Epic for 14 nights - and will dress up 14 nights -

We will also do full formals on a couple of nights (dress up or not nights) ie kilts, gowns etc.

To us, dressing "smart casual" means for me, glamourous cocktail style shorter dress, killer heels etc - For my husband - Italian style, designer shirt, trousers, nice shoes -

Each to their own I guess - but we will never get this "shorts and t-shirts" for dinner - not ever. But thats us. I just hope no one ridicules US for dressing up. That's our personal choice. I might do jeans one night, but if I do, they will be stylish jeans with heels and glitzy halter top.

I understand Manhattan main dining room on Epic has a more formal (well "dressiER hardly formal) dress code than Taste - I do like that there are options for either. The pay restaurants are also "dressier" ie Le Bistro.

I guess that's the beauty of Freestyle - personal choices.

(I hope!)

We shall see :)

A couple of comments. Dressier is not the right description, both the larger MDR and Le Bistro have the exact same dress code as all other dining options except they do not allow shorts for dinner. And no one will ridicule you any more than you do with "never get this shorts and t-shirts" comment. Since they are allowed by NCL what is there to understand?

A couple of comments. Dressier is not the right description, both the larger MDR and Le Bistro have the exact same dress code as all other dining options except they do not allow shorts for dinner. And no one will ridicule you any more than you do with "never get this shorts and t-shirts" comment. Since they are allowed by NCL what is there to understand?

I said WE as in WE PERSONALLY wont ever get this shorts and t shirts for dinner - as in its not what WE would do. As I said, its personal choice and I have NO problem what so ever in others wearing whatever pleases them to do so.

We would never dream of dining out at home in shorts and t shirts (it d be too chilly for a start) and would never ever do so on a cruise ship. OUR choice!

Seriously :rolleyes: