Royal Caribbean Formal Nights

I just booked my first RC cruise on the Allure of the Seas. I usually cruise NCL. I do not like to dress up and don't even want to pack formalwear but at the same time I don't want to eat at the buffet two nights. My question is does anyone know from experience if on formal nights they will let you eat in a cover charge restaurant without wearing formalwear. Thanks for any input:)

Not from experience but from observation it is possible to eat in a specialty restaurant on formal nights. By the way...WELCOME to Royal Cruising.

My question is does anyone know from experience if on formal nights they will let you eat in a cover charge restaurant without wearing formalwear.

Yes, the suggested dress code for the specialty restaurants is always Smart Casual, but I have seen both much more and much less. :p

the for fee restaurants do not adhere to Formal night attire.. although a coat and/or tie is appropriate for the menfolk.

We did the explorer of the seas to Bermuda and we did not feel out of place in the main dinning room with regular dress clothes. My husband only had a tie and dress shirt and I wore pants and a dressy top. Our table of 6 were all dressed the same and we were not traveling together. There were a few long dresses but very very few!

I stopped packing a suit/tux for formal nights since the dress code is only a suggestion and there is no enforcement at the door. I wear a nice pair of slacks, a dress shirt, and a tie. The look I go for is I just slipped off my jacket to eat dinner. Trust me, there's always someone who looks like a slob in the MDR, so compared to them I'm dressed to the nines.

You can absolutely avoid formal attire requirements by eating in any one of Allure's excellent specialty restaurants. You may see a few folks in formal attire in the specialty restaurants, but most will be dressed as they would in a typical land-based table service restaurant for dinner.

Chops and Giovanni's Table are favorite places of ours to dine on formal nights. Just make sure you make reservations or you might not be able to get a seat or you might have a long wait.

I hope you like Allure as much as we do. Allure is our very favorite ship.

You do not even need formal attire for the main dining room. RCI no longer has true formal nights, but merely make a "suggestion" of formal attire on those nights. It is not a "rule" or requirement, but merely a suggestion. While lots of people go along with the suggestion, many do not and so long as you look neat and clean you will blend right in. These days it is not too uncommon to see people in jeans or occasionally even shorts, t-shirt, flip-flops and a baseball hat on formal night. While I would not recommend going that casual, long pants and a collared shirt are certainly sufficient.

You can absolutely avoid formal attire requirements by eating in any one of Allure's excellent specialty restaurants. You may see a few folks in formal attire in the specialty restaurants, but most will be dressed as they would in a typical land-based table service restaurant for dinner.

 

Chops and Giovanni's Table are favorite places of ours to dine on formal nights. Just make sure you make reservations or you might not be able to get a seat or you might have a long wait.

 

I hope you like Allure as much as we do. Allure is our very favorite ship.

On the Oasis we saw a few amazing gowns and tuxedos (very few) to jeans and T-Shirts. I wore a sparkly top with pants, DH wore a dark Tommy Bahama style shirt, dark pants and street shoes.....it was anything goes with no issues

thank you to everyone for your information...it will come in useful!!!:)

I do not like to dress up and don't even want to pack formalwear

Remember, I YOUR vacation. You aren't required to do anything. (Except the muster drill :p )

Remember, I YOUR vacation. You aren't required to do anything. (Except the muster drill :p )

LOL - not sure why you bumped this 4 1/2 year old thread, unless you were using the search function in researching your upcoming cruise. OP has sailed. I'm sure s/he worked it out. :D

LOL - not sure why you bumped this 4 1/2 year old thread

Oops ....... never mind😶

Suggested is the key. The only dress code enforcement I have witnessed on board RCCL is when someone come in dining room at noon with a wife beater on, they wrap a table cloth across your shoulders. The table next to us has a youmg man from Europe, married to U S wife and he comes every night in a t shirt to dinner. Formal night the t shirt had a tux design.

You will see it all. From the nice, tailored dress to stuff you wear to a picnic! ! My recommendation is to consult With your cruising friends and do what your table plans. If packing makes fpr limitations do not be concerned or go rent a tux, it is not required. Check the menu out, you might prefer to dine elsewhere that night as well. Have fun but don't lose sleep over this.

FYI: The buffet at night is usually very good -- better than lunch and not as crowded. I know some people who choose to eat in the buffet for dinner every night.

FYI: The buffet at night is usually very good -- better than lunch and not as crowded. I know some people who choose to eat in the buffet for dinner every night.

That would be me and my dw. 😉👍

That would be me and my dw. [emoji6][emoji106]

To me, that's what cruising is all about.

ramja chooses the buffet, we have met people who choose a speciality restaurant every night. It's all about choices. Please yourself where you eat, and what you wear (within reason, no mankini in the MDR, thank you).

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within reason, no mankini in the MDR, thank you).

 

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Well, that settles it. No MDR for me if I can't wear my banana hammock. LOL

FYI: The buffet at night is usually very good -- better than lunch and not as crowded. I know some people who choose to eat in the buffet for dinner every night.

That is almost me, too. I don't eat red meat and prefer to do vegetarian (I'll do fish or fowl if it's what is offered). You can only have pasta so many times. I don't like cream sauces, either. So, the offerings in the MDR have been rather meager and boring. I much prefer to go into the buffet and whip up a very nice entree-sized salad myself. I can't remember which line it was, but I could find some really cool Indonesian-style curries at night. To me, definitely better than the fat-laden junk served in the MDR. The specialty restaurants aren't much better if you don't do meat.

You can wear khakis and a Polo shirt in the MDR on "formal night." Wear nice (or not so nice) jeans if you want. No need to spend at one of the restaurants, or eat buffet food because you're not into putting on a costume and playing along.

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