Dress for Formal Night

[julia]

[quote name='Ma Bell']

I guess the thing I don't get is how a sportscoat and slacks with shirt and tie is any more comfortable than a suit with shirt and tie. [/quote]


Ma:

If you go back 200 posts to the original question, I don't think it's a matter of "comfort", but more a matter of [I]"versatility". [/I]A sportscoat or blazer can be worn before/during/after a cruise, (and is therefore quite versatile) whereas a suit is just a suit (and will only be worn for a few hours). JMHO.

[OCA REP]

[quote name='Ma Bell']We just returned from Azamara. It's nice but only if you're 80. If you would prefer that just because your husband doesn't want to wear a suit...good luck.[/quote]

This is exactly why we will continue to help Celebrity transition towards a more casual environment. Since we are several decades from our 80s, we will take the best of Celebrity and make it better via a country club casual dress code and never have to change cruise lines...

[OCA REP]

[quote name='Smartcookie']Perhaps a cocktail or Xanax could relieve that anxiety.[/quote]

Great idea!

I never thought of medicating others... I was thinking it would be [B][I]me[/I][/B] that would have to medicate just to deal with some of the haughty attitudes on here! :)

[Smartcookie]

[quote name='OCA REP']Great idea!

I never thought of medicating others... I was thinking it would be [B][I]me[/I][/B] that would have to medicate just to deal with some of the haughty attitudes on here! :)[/quote]

Luckily, I've never encountered any of these attitudes onboard.

We always meet a lot of great people onboard and they seem to like us. Maybe it's because we buy them drinks. ;)

[Smartcookie]

[quote name='julia']Ma:

If you go back 200 posts to the original question, I don't think it's a matter of "comfort", but more a matter of [I]"versatility". [/I]A sportscoat or blazer can be worn before/during/after a cruise, (and is therefore quite versatile) whereas a suit is just a suit (and will only be worn for a few hours). JMHO.[/quote]

Exactly, plus you can wear the pants you wear with the sportcoat on a smart casual night and throw the blazer over a shirt and jeans for the flight so you don't have to pack it.

We only take carry-ons, I cannot stand checking luggage, even when it was free!

[Smartcookie]

[quote name='greeneg']That is a very inaccurate assessment. We have done three Azamara Cruises, have enjoyed them all ( the Best of Italy was the [U]Best[/U] cruise that we have ever taken thanks to the ship, the itinerary, and the Cruise Critic Group that we were a part of ). The passengers were diverse, interesting, and fun to be with.

May I suggest that you perhaps be a little less dogmatic and open in your perceptions. On this one you are down-right wrong.[/quote]

I bet, and I find that the older we get (I'm 50 and H is 52), the more we enjoy socializing with older people. In fact, H and I just met an incredibly interesting gentlemen who lives in our town at a cafe last Saturday. We went in for afternoon espresso and ended up staying and chatting with him for THREE HOURS and we've invited him and his wife (an author) to dinner with our BIL and his 40 year old girlfriend. The older couple spent a year traveling throughout Italy and we have a home in Northern Italy, so I'm sure it will be a fantastic evening.

I really enjoy talking to people about things they've experienced (war, depression, etc) that I could only read about...it opens up a whole new world.

[Kini12]

[quote name='Ma Bell']We just returned from Azamara. It's nice but only if you're 80. If you would prefer that just because your husband doesn't want to wear a suit...good luck.[/quote]

Just got off Azamara and guess what? I am not 80 yrs. old. Most of the people appeared to be younger than 80. Come to think of it, what's wrong with being 80 yrs. old? If you are lucky next year you too will turn 80?! :confused:

[woodofpine]

We cruised the Med end March with layover of a few days in Venice and Paris and - sorry - carry on ain't going to do it... (This time too many shoes and too few jeans! Someday, I'll get it right, I'm doing better skiing.)

I take a Tux cruising because, 1) I always have, 2) family expects it, 3) DW would be disappointed otherwise, 4) weight and volume is really a non-issue (pretext; compared to ski boots!?) At least the thing fits (me) better this year!:) For some reason, I HATE business suits. Fortunately, I can dodge them here in Fla mostly. I'd rather go true formal or none. I tote a khaki blazer to wear open shirt on casual night too.

But I understand the informal trend, especially in the USA. Is 'formal night' a nostalgic dress anomoly? Absolutely! Funny thing: a few people were really underdressed on formal night in the MDR this last cruise. I didn't notice. It was my kids (teen daughters) that were irritated!:D

On ships, I'm a traditionalist - even a conformist (its a muster/naval thing for me). Socio-economically, dress is highly irrelevant, but does it mean nothing? It must mean something given the energy folks put into it here. In armchair prepping for Istanbul this go round, I read about how one of Kemal Attaturk's first reforms was to ban Ottoman dress codes... hmm... Now the French debate over women's headscarves... On the other hand, in the context of vacationing, cruisers that think they're 'proving' or 'improving' something by not conforming to dress standard seem; it seems so trite. As if a blazer over a dinner jacket means something significant (what a 'rebel'?:rolleyes: Maybe one should don a stogie and wear those pressed geens like Fidel and Che!) The clothing debate is so stilted and WEIRD! If you polled cruisers on what's more important, regional famine, nuclear non-proliferation or formal night cruise wear - the results could be pretty nightmarish!

Whatever you wear aboard... follow ZZ Top or Joe Jackson's admonishment (or was it Fidel), "You gotta look sharp!";)

[Ma Bell]

[quote name='Kini12']Just got off Azamara and guess what? I am not 80 yrs. old. Most of the people appeared to be younger than 80. Come to think of it, what's wrong with being 80 yrs. old? If you are lucky next year you too will turn 80?! :confused:[/quote]

You're right most of the people appear to be younger than 80. The point I was making is that there's a much older demographic on Azamara. I'm 66 and most of the people are about in my age range...they just seemed older. I made the remark so people would get the idea that it's "almost all" older people. Celebrity has a more varied age group as do many of the other cruiselines. Good grief, if young people want to go on Azamara they won't die...it won't be horrible and they'll meet some nice people but it probably wouldn't be their first choice. My children who love to sail with us, love elderly people and can get along with anyone would probably not care for Azamara. They are not people who like a free for all atmosphere, but they're not ready for the whole ship to be full of older folks.:rolleyes:

[OCA REP]

[quote name='woodofpine']
Whatever you wear aboard... follow ZZ Top or Joe Jackson's admonishment (or was it Fidel), "You gotta look sharp!";)[/quote]

Excellent advice!

[Kini12]

[quote name='Ma Bell']You're right most of the people appear to be younger than 80. The point I was making is that there's a much older demographic on Azamara. I'm 66 and most of the people are about in my age range...they just seemed older. I made the remark so people would get the idea that it's "almost all" older people. Celebrity has a more varied age group as do many of the other cruiselines. Good grief, if young people want to go on Azamara they won't die...it won't be horrible and they'll meet some nice people but it probably wouldn't be their first choice. My children who love to sail with us, love elderly people and can get along with anyone would probably not care for Azamara. They are not people who like a free for all atmosphere, but they're not ready for the whole ship to be full of older folks.:rolleyes:[/quote]

I agree Ma Bell, this ship is not for everyone. I really loved it but if I were younger, much younger I believe I would be bored.

[Karynanne]

I agree with MaBell on Azamara. We're 61 and 68, but did feel like we were in a younger generation, even though many of the passengers were probably in our age bracket. We had a lovely time, but Celebrity offers a cruising experience that is more suited to our lifestyle, and what we want in a vacation.

[J & G]

Here's someone who took formal night REALLY seriously! [URL]http://news.travel.aol.com/2010/04/22/judge-appeals-dream-cruise-award/?ncid=AOLCOMMtravdynlprim0943&icid=main|htmlws-main-w|dl5|link7|http%3A%2F%2Fnews.travel.aol.com%2F2010%2F04%2F22%2Fjudge-appeals-dream-cruise-award%2F%3Fncid%3DAOLCOMMtravdynlprim0943[/URL]

[Zindy Lou]

Well they sure were not objecting to the required dress!

[Waterlily777]

[quote name='OCA REP']This is exactly why [B][COLOR=red]we[/COLOR] will continue to help Celebrity[/B] transition towards a more casual environment. Since we are several decades from our 80s, [B][COLOR=red]we[/COLOR] will take the best of Celebrity and make it better[/B] via a country club casual dress code and never have to change cruise lines...[/quote]

Talk about your haughty attitude ! :p

[J & G]

[quote name='Zindy Lou']Well they sure were not objecting to the required dress![/quote]

I just have to wonder how many bags they packed.....way too many for me! Of course, I guess if you pay $90,000 for a cruise, you are not worried about baggage charges or about schlepping your own bags! You probably don't even have to pack them yourself......

[SeaCod]

[quote name='Ma Bell']You're right most of the people appear to be younger than 80. The point I was making is that there's a much older demographic on Azamara. I'm 66 and most of the people are about in my age range...they just seemed older. I made the remark so people would get the idea that it's "almost all" older people. Celebrity has a more varied age group as do many of the other cruiselines. Good grief, if young people want to go on Azamara they won't die...it won't be horrible and they'll meet some nice people but it probably wouldn't be their first choice. My children who love to sail with us, love elderly people and can get along with anyone would probably not care for Azamara. They are not people who like a free for all atmosphere, but they're not ready for the whole ship to be full of older folks.:rolleyes:[/quote]

Oh good grief, I'm 57 and on our Constellation cruise last year and our Equinox in March of this year I felt like a kid. Sorry, but Celebrity's client base is on the older side. Nothing that bothers me, but you raised the point and Celebrity may have a few younger people, but be serious most are not younger than I am.

Regarding formal night dress, it's all over the place, some blazes, some suits and fewer tuxes. Also those who don't wear jackets are also seen. Just my experience.