What to wear on non-formal nights?

[negrilbride]

How dressed up do most people get on evenings that are not formal nights on the cruise? Do most women still wear casual sun dresses, or are things even more casual than that? Do people dress up to go to the bars at night?

 

I'm just wondering if I should plan to pack dresses for most nights, or if I'd be just as well off to pack casual or dressy capris, and casual or dressy blouses?

 

Thoughts?

[househunter]

How dressed up do most people get on evenings that are not formal nights on the cruise? Do most women still wear casual sun dresses, or are things even more casual than that? Do people dress up to go to the bars at night?

 

I'm just wondering if I should plan to pack dresses for most nights, or if I'd be just as well off to pack casual or dressy capris, and casual or dressy blouses?

 

Thoughts?

 

I wore sundresses for 4 nights, capris for one and jeans (horror!) one night with heels and a nice top. We skipped dinner one night and just went to the Seafood Shack in shorts. We did not bring any formal clothes with us this trip and loved it! Most women were dressed similarly to what I wore on the casual nights. I did not see many sloppy clothes...but there were some and I did not see any shorts on women in the dining room. My husband wore either dress pants or jeans with nice shoes and a button down shirt every night. There were some men in sloppy jeans, t shirts and tennis shoes and many in shorts but most were dressed nicely in the dining room.

 

In the bars in the evening anything goes and we saw lots of shorts.

[negrilbride]

I wore sundresses for 4 nights, capris for one and jeans (horror!) one night with heels and a nice top. We skipped dinner one night and just went to the Seafood Shack in shorts. We did not bring any formal clothes with us this trip and loved it! Most women were dressed similarly to what I wore on the casual nights. I did not see many sloppy clothes...but there were some and I did not see any shorts on women in the dining room. My husband wore either dress pants or jeans with nice shoes and a button down shirt every night. There were some men in sloppy jeans, t shirts and tennis shoes and many in shorts but most were dressed nicely in the dining room.

 

In the bars in the evening anything goes and we saw lots of shorts.

 

Thanks so much for taking the time to help me. This is my first cruise and while I know there is a first-timers board, I figured I could get more ship-specific information here.

 

So men are allowed to wear neat jeans in the MDR on non-formal nights? Something like jeans with boat shoes and a polo? Will men mostly be in dress slacks?

 

Thanks to your help I believe I will pack several casual dresses, and a pair of capris with a couple dressy blouses for dinners, in addition to my dresses for formal night.

 

You mention everything goes at the bars at night. Do people go back to their room and change into something more comfortable after dinner? That seems like a lot of wardrobe changes, though I'm sure my husband would be glad to get out of dress slacks and into shorts after dinner.

[AlBell509]

Thanks so much for taking the time to help me. This is my first cruise and while I know there is a first-timers board, I figured I could get more ship-specific information here.

 

So men are allowed to wear neat jeans in the MDR on non-formal nights? Something like jeans with boat shoes and a polo? Will men mostly be in dress slacks?

 

Thanks to your help I believe I will pack several casual dresses, and a pair of capris with a couple dressy blouses for dinners, in addition to my dresses for formal night.

 

You mention everything goes at the bars at night. Do people go back to their room and change into something more comfortable after dinner? That seems like a lot of wardrobe changes, though I'm sure my husband would be glad to get out of dress slacks and into shorts after dinner.

Our last cruise we went with our friends... And pretty much every night after dinner they went back to change to what they were wearing before! Me on the other hand, I loved to stay dressed up... and seriously.. you can wear whatever you want to! But to me it sounds like you and your hubby will be just fine with what you are thinking of packing! ENJOY and Have FUn!!! :D

[catlady27]

Our last cruise we went with our friends... And pretty much every night after dinner they went back to change to what they were wearing before! Me on the other hand, I loved to stay dressed up... and seriously.. you can wear whatever you want to! But to me it sounds like you and your hubby will be just fine with what you are thinking of packing! ENJOY and Have FUn!!! :D

 

Hey Allison :) I'm like you, I enjoy getting all gussied up for dinner :D

[negrilbride]

Our last cruise we went with our friends... And pretty much every night after dinner they went back to change to what they were wearing before!

 

Ok, I'm confused again... what they were wearing before? Weren't they wearing swimsuits and cover-ups before?

[EJPhilly]

I wore sundresses for 4 nights, capris for one and jeans (horror!) one night with heels and a nice top. We skipped dinner one night and just went to the Seafood Shack in shorts. We did not bring any formal clothes with us this trip and loved it! Most women were dressed similarly to what I wore on the casual nights. I did not see many sloppy clothes...but there were some and I did not see any shorts on women in the dining room. My husband wore either dress pants or jeans with nice shoes and a button down shirt every night. There were some men in sloppy jeans, t shirts and tennis shoes and many in shorts but most were dressed nicely in the dining room.

 

In the bars in the evening anything goes and we saw lots of shorts.

Hey HouseHunter...

 

You guys wore jeans in the Dining Room? Wow that's great!!! We aren't bringing anything "formal" and really don't want to bring "dockers". Hubby would prefer to jeans over dockers. So they didn't give you guys any crap about jeans? I wore capri's last year and might buy a sundress for this cruise. That's great to know!

Thanks

[househunter]

Thanks so much for taking the time to help me. This is my first cruise and while I know there is a first-timers board, I figured I could get more ship-specific information here.

 

So men are allowed to wear neat jeans in the MDR on non-formal nights? Something like jeans with boat shoes and a polo? Will men mostly be in dress slacks?

 

Thanks to your help I believe I will pack several casual dresses, and a pair of capris with a couple dressy blouses for dinners, in addition to my dresses for formal night.

 

You mention everything goes at the bars at night. Do people go back to their room and change into something more comfortable after dinner? That seems like a lot of wardrobe changes, though I'm sure my husband would be glad to get out of dress slacks and into shorts after dinner.

 

Jeans for both men and women are perfectly fine for the casual nights paired with nice shirts and shoes. I think most of the people that we saw in shorts in the bars were people who didn't go to the dining room that night, instead eating in the Windjammer or one of the many other casual places- there are alot! We never changed into shorts after dinner but then all of our clothes are comfortable but you certainly could do that if you wanted.

[househunter]

Hey HouseHunter...

 

You guys wore jeans in the Dining Room? Wow that's great!!! We aren't bringing anything "formal" and really don't want to bring "dockers". Hubby would prefer to jeans over dockers. So they didn't give you guys any crap about jeans? I wore capri's last year and might buy a sundress for this cruise. That's great to know!

Thanks

 

 

Jeans have been acceptable for dinner on RCI for years on the casual nights. Not talking t-shirts and tennis shoes but nice jeans with dress shoes and a nice shirt for men and for women paired with heels and a great top. I personally would rather see this than polyester pant suits on women or baggy khakis on men. We did not eat in the MDR on either formal night, we went to Chops one night and Giovanni the other. Both of those restaurants are casual every night. :)

[EJPhilly]

Jeans have been acceptable for dinner on RCI for years on the casual nights. Not talking t-shirts and tennis shoes but nice jeans with dress shoes and a nice shirt for men and for women paired with heels and a great top. I personally would rather see this than polyester pant suits on women or baggy khakis on men. We did not eat in the MDR on either formal night, we went to Chops one night and Giovanni the other. Both of those restaurants are casual every night. :)

That's awesome!! Hubby will be sooo happy! Yeah, he wore jeans and nice button down shirt w/ sandals last year and I wore capri's! We are going to Chops 1 nice for our anniv. dinner so, maybe we will bring dockers for that nite. Did you like Chops? I want to get the lambchop there...

 

Thanks so much!

[househunter]

That's awesome!! Hubby will be sooo happy! Yeah, he wore jeans and nice button down shirt w/ sandals last year and I wore capri's! We are going to Chops 1 nice for our anniv. dinner so, maybe we will bring dockers for that nite. Did you like Chops? I want to get the lambchop there...

 

Thanks so much!

 

Not sure on the sandals for men. Maybe it's just me but not what I like to see when I'm eating. :confused: I have a thing about feet! Chops was very good, this is the 4th time we had been to one. Make sure you make your reservations in advance because they were totally booked for the whole cruise by day 2 and we would have liked to go again toward the end of the trip but were not able to.

[EJPhilly]

Not sure on the sandals for men. Maybe it's just me but not what I like to see when I'm eating. :confused: I have a thing about feet! Chops was very good, this is the 4th time we had been to one. Make sure you make your reservations in advance because they were totally booked for the whole cruise by day 2 and we would have liked to go again toward the end of the trip but were not able to.

LOL.. Hubby has "closed" sandals, so he'll be good to go!! ha ha.. Since we aren't going till next May, can't make any reservations now, so as soon as it gets close enough i'll be making my reservations for Chops, Shows & Excursions..

[QuickGold]

I think it needs to be defined when you say jeans. I don't have a problem with "nice jeans", the sort of jeans that do not have holes or look distressed or faded. I would have a problem with jeans that look like they are what any 16 year old would be wearing.

[EJPhilly]

I think it needs to be defined when you say jeans. I don't have a problem with "nice jeans", the sort of jeans that do not have holes or look distressed or faded. I would have a problem with jeans that look like they are what any 16 year old would be wearing.

Husband is 46.. he won't be wearing jeans that have holes in them!