We've decided not to do any formal nights on our Mariner cruise

[framboesa]

I like the formal nights and my husband likes it too :) I can't imagine one cruise without it ;) But I understand that there are persons who don't like it...My parents will skip the formal nights in their next cruise...and I can't wait to dress my new dress in formal night!:D

Conclusion: do what makes you happY;)

[dfishner]

Have not done formal nights in over two years and do not miss it. We decided that we no longer wanted to take any type of formal wear with us and just go casual that is what a vacation for us is about. We do not go to the MDR on those nights out of respect for those who do dress up and want that night to be special.

[SliderNc]

I remember the days where Formal Night was a black tie affair and every other night, men wore dinner jackets/suits and ladies wore cocktail dresses. It was a big deal for my family growing up and cruising that we had family pictures on formal night all dressed up.

 

My fiance and I did both formal nights on our last cruise and enjoyed them however, our next cruise, we're debating if we really want to get dressed up or not. It will easily eliminate one large fold-over suitcase and empty half of the smaller shoe suitcase out so that she can fill it with flip-flops. :) As she always tells me, you can never have enough flip-flops.

[eal]

We're just off the Jewel. :) Our Head Waiter told us as long as we followed the standard dress code - no shorts, no tank tops, no flip flops, no ripped jeans - we could eat in the MDR on formal night. We weren't the only ones dressed casual.

 

The standard dress code applies to Chops and Portofino on any night.

[ritzcruise]

Was on Voyager in March. There were a LOT of people in the MDR on formal nights with casual dress, given it was a huge Texas crowd even a few with cowboy boots. With airlines clamping down on luggage the formalwear takes up to much space and is a hassle for how little it is worn. Service in the MDR was just fine for me regardless of what I wore.

 

If someone seated at my table was offended by my lack of formal attire that is their problem. If they offer to pay for my next cruise I'll dress as formal as they want me to, if I am paying I go by my rules. As it says in the Royal Caribbean literature the "suggested attire is formal". Never mandatory and i've never seen them kick anybody out. Just use a little class and don't be a slob.

 

If there is something good on the menu for formal night in the MDR dress how you like (no shorts, tank tops, etc - dress decent) and enjoy the meal. If not skip it and try Windjammer, Portofino's, etc.

[Cruising89143]

I haven't gone to formal nights in 9 years and don't plan to ever do it again. I like having the alternatives.

[krisko]

I would like to not do formal night either on my upcoming Liberty cruise. I really don't want to subject myself to the windjammer though. Would it be okay if I wore a sport coat and put my kids in slacks for formal night?

[terisu10]

wait, wait, wait, wait...

 

So does this mean that, if we decide to do MTD on our next cruise we dont have to dress as if we are eating in the MDR???

 

For us, parents of two toddlers, having to spend the time making ourselves look fairly presentable, and having to bring the extra luggage required to house all of the formal wear (on top of the required child gear), is the reason we skip MDR dining all together.

 

Can we wear jeans? Shorts? Tank tops? What's the deal?

 

YES! Cruises are no longer so formal, at least, these are not. You can wear a nice sundress, or jeans with a sparkly top and heels. Men can wear a dress shirt and pants - many no longer wear jackets. I know folks go crazy and critizice but we are no longer such formal dressers. In addition, because of the luggage restrictions on airplanes these days, people travel much lighter than was customary. Don't miss out on dinner in the MDR because of dress. Put something cute on the kids and enjoy your dinner in the MDR. That's what WE plan to do :D

[lbullard]

So because my hubby dresses in suits all week he said no to dressing up formal nights. However if he is in a nice polo and kaki pants will they turn us away???

[Bakincakes]

RCI will let you wear just about anything you wish. It isn't really a high end cruise line.

 

I've seen lots of different dress in the MDR including "formal" night and usually pax get in wearing whatever they feel like wearing.

 

So wear whatever you feel like wearing.

 

Think of it as a year round Halloween party. You will see just about every get up you can imagine.

 

The waitstaff will still be dressed in their best and will still give you good service no matter what you happen to look like.

[goddessgrrl]

We're going on the New England/Canada cruise on Royal Caribbean's Enchantment of the Seas & we're not doing the formal night OR dinner seatings! :) I just want to be able to do whatever I want, whenever I want. My hub is happy about that not-dressing-up thing. This is my second cruise, his first!

 

How do I get one of those little countdown boxes like you guys have? :confused: Obviously, I'm a newby!

[Valchie]

wait, wait, wait, wait...

 

 

Can we wear jeans? Shorts? Tank tops? What's the deal?

 

Goodness, no! I'm all for dressing casual but shorts and tanks? Absolutely not, no matter what ship you sail. Capris. Slacks. Skorts. Actually, skorts are like shorts but they're not! There you go! :p

[Valchie]

So because my hubby dresses in suits all week he said no to dressing up formal nights. However if he is in a nice polo and kaki pants will they turn us away???

 

Nope, I've never seen it...

[Into the Sun]

so we have decided that we will dress as if we were going out to a "nicer restaurant". I am not paying $50 so that I can "play dress up for an evening". That is what the extra baggage fee was on my IOS. So pardon me for not "dressing to the nines" for dinner, but, I am paying my way and so I will satisfy myself. We will look very well attired in our "smart casual" clothing. Sometimes I look better than the people who haven't checked the mirror before they go out. Body parts exposed (and I mean drooping body parts that need a parachute to hold them up), dress way to tight (every cookie they ever ate is present), and the men haven't checked to see if the suit fit since they gained 50 lbs. Seriously many people look swell, some not so and the ones who keep trying to stuff an extra 50 lbs into their once favorite article of clothing should stop and consider it isn't all that appetizing. And just for clarification I am not a size 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10. But I do when my clothes look ridiculous.

So you paid for the cruise, that includes the MDR. Eat where ever you darn well please.

[eal]

We're just off the Jewel. :) Our Head Waiter told us as long as we followed the standard dress code - no shorts, no tank tops, no flip flops, no ripped jeans - we could eat in the MDR on formal night. We weren't the only ones dressed casual.

 

The standard dress code applies to Chops and Portofino on any night.

 

 

I forgot to add...I did see them turn away one guy in a tank top on a casual night.

[octagonmike]

I forgot to add...I did see them turn away one guy in a tank top on a casual night.

 

 

You mean a vest yes ?

[eal]

A tank top meaning sleeveless T-shirt, normally worn under a shirt. However, this guy just has it on with a pair of knaki pants, no dress shirt over it.

 

Do you refer to them as 'vest' in the UK?

[momofmab]

I would like to not do formal night either on my upcoming Liberty cruise. I really don't want to subject myself to the windjammer though. Would it be okay if I wore a sport coat and put my kids in slacks for formal night?

 

You would be fine! There were plenty of casual diners in the Liberty MDR on formal nights. You pay for your cruise, you should eat where you want. I plan to leave the formal attire home for our next RCCL cruise. Of course I'll still dress appropriately, but much more comfortably :)

[Bestofthe last]

Just returned from the Serenade over Spring Break. Loved the ship and the itinerary. We are fairly experienced cruisers and enjoy the cruises out of Puerto Rico. Several years ago we decided that we liked the idea of anytime dining and skipping the formal nights. We cruised for many years with Princess because it had this feature. We were delighted when RCI also adopted this method of dining and will never go back to the traditional seatings. Unlike Princess Cruises, RCI assigns you to a waiter for the entire week even if you use my time dining. I did not realize this and when we skipped the first formal dinner and showed up the next night he commented on us not being present. I told him that we didn't bring any formal clothing and would not attend the next formal night either. He said we could wear what we wanted and encouraged us to attend the formal night. We skipped it anyway and showed up the next night and he commented again on our absence. He said we were the "only " family assigned to him that didn't show up. I almost told him it was not any of his business but decided we were on vacation and something so minor would not ruin an otherwise great week. Looking back on it I kind of feel I let him down. He was a great waiter and very attentive. Next time I might just pack a light weight sport coat and some slacks and go to the formal nights. But no tie!!!

[anotherdude]

Just returned from the Serenade over Spring Break. Loved the ship and the itinerary. We are fairly experienced cruisers and enjoy the cruises out of Puerto Rico. Several years ago we decided that we liked the idea of anytime dining and skipping the formal nights. We cruised for many years with Princess because it had this feature. We were delighted when RCI also adopted this method of dining and will never go back to the traditional seatings. Unlike Princess Cruises, RCI assigns you to a waiter for the entire week even if you use my time dining. I did not realize this and when we skipped the first formal dinner and showed up the next night he commented on us not being present. I told him that we didn't bring any formal clothing and would not attend the next formal night either. He said we could wear what we wanted and encouraged us to attend the formal night. We skipped it anyway and showed up the next night and he commented again on our absence. He said we were the "only " family assigned to him that didn't show up. I almost told him it was not any of his business but decided we were on vacation and something so minor would not ruin an otherwise great week. Looking back on it I kind of feel I let him down. He was a great waiter and very attentive. Next time I might just pack a light weight sport coat and some slacks and go to the formal nights. But no tie!!!

 

Thats kinda weird since with My Time dining you must pre pay your tips...I wonder why he cared, if it was me I would be thinking less people equals less work! LOL

[pscruzinboyz]

Bill and I are leaving in 2 weeks on the Mariner and it is going to be an all Causual Cruise.....One pair of Dockers and button down for Chops on B-Day night and that is it....The rest of the cruise is shorts, t-shirts and polo's...and swim suits...Wait until we go into the CL everynight in Shorts....Boy will we get stares....OH WELL!!!

 

We will have a great time because we will be very comfortable! :)

 

Mike

[Puffinater]

.Wait until we go into the CL everynight in Shorts....Boy will we get stares....OH WELL!!!

Mike

 

Believe me you won't be alone. Have seen guys in the CL in shorts on every Mariner cruise we have done. Let em stare.

[DGNY]

Thats kinda weird since with My Time dining you must pre pay your tips...I wonder why he cared, if it was me I would be thinking less people equals less work! LOL

 

Some cruisers tip above and beyond the standard amount. I have no idea what percentage do. But, staff would still be trying to earn those.

[Bakincakes]

Bill and I are leaving in 2 weeks on the Mariner and it is going to be an all Causual Cruise.....One pair of Dockers and button down for Chops on B-Day night and that is it....The rest of the cruise is shorts, t-shirts and polo's...and swim suits...Wait until we go into the CL everynight in Shorts....Boy will we get stares....OH WELL!!!

 

We will have a great time because we will be very comfortable! :)

 

Mike

 

I doubt you will get many stares..unless you are deliberately looking for them..:confused:

 

RCI isn't known for the "elegant" dress of its pax. I doubt anyone will find it out of place for you to wear shorts into the CL.

:)

[bplazo]

On our next cruise we are going to skip the formal nights in the dining room and just do WJ or Jr's. I just do not want to dress up when I am on vacation. However, I will still tip the same amount for the servers in the dining room. We still eat three meals a day and someone is still waiting on us and cleaning up for us.