What do men Actually wear on Formal Night - 2011 poll

[Astro Flyer]

I always wonder about forum polls, aren't they really showing statistics for those that answered the poll? Surely not everyone who cruises voted.

 

Just my 2c. :)

I don't think it's designed to be a true scientific poll but rather one based on CC members input. Thankfully there's a way to limit it to 1 vote per member so it's probably going to be a fairly accurate representation. Pollsters only use a small number of opinions based on many factors to find an average opinion. Many times those polls are very accurate at predicting an outcome.

 

It's not meant to show how every passenger onboard every ship gets dressed for formal nights but it's still interesting to me. The percentages haven't changed much all day & it will be interesting to read the final results when posted in mid-May.

[Niche79]

Im only 31 yrs old atm. I work for UPS so I have a set uniform which doesnt include a tie. I just wear tie with a nice button up shirt and slacks with dress shoes and thats my extent. No one ever mentions a thing to me. I work all week long so when I am on vacation, I dont want to dress up, im there to have fun!:D

[Cupcrazy]

I am 29 and enjoy wearing a suit and tie on formal night. I like the history of cruising when every man wore a tux and every woman wore a formal dress every night.

[hughdm]

I always wear a tux on Princess. As a Scottish American, I'd love to wear a kilt, but they are surprisingly expensive,so I've never gotten one. I'll have to settle for my Murray tartan bow tie, cummerbund, and crest cufflinks. Maybe someday...

[Times Prince]

Check back in a while to see what the numbers say. As of right now there have been 204 votes cast, and last year we ended up with around 585. That's a pretty good sample, even if most of us are cruise-a-holics who visit Cruise Critic.

 

It will be interesting to see if there is really a shift away from tuxedos or not...

 

Bob

[rcacace]

Im only 31 yrs old atm. I work for UPS so I have a set uniform which doesnt include a tie. I just wear tie with a nice button up shirt and slacks with dress shoes and thats my extent. No one ever mentions a thing to me. I work all week long so when I am on vacation, I dont want to dress up, im there to have fun!:D

 

I must be one of those ten percent or less. I am on the Grand TA this spring. I have worn suits and ties for nearly 40 years and when I am on vacation, I want to relax, not dress up. DW and I usually eat in Lido or specialty restaurants on formal nights. Besides, to bring formal wear usually entails another entire suitcase which these days costs more than a little to travel with. Uncomfortable. Not me. I am not on vacation to impress anyone.

 

It appear as though there won't be many people dressing down on vacation this year. Maybe people have started to dress once again and we should follow their lead. :D

[5:00_Somewhere]

Thus far, we have always worn tuxes. In the beginning, to be honest, it was because we thought we "had to". It's also because we enjoy dressing up (especially since my company went "business casual" and I no longer have to wear a suit and tie to work most days.) And, finally, to be perfectly honest, it's because we rent the tuxes through CruiselineFormal and it's just easier and saves on packing and luggage weight. :o

 

However, we are considering not doing it for the coming cruise. It depends on whether the ship (Coral) permits non-formal wear in the specialty restaurants on formal nights at this time. Still trying to get a straight answer on that. It's our first time on the ship and we're just not completely comfortable that we'll have satisfactory dining options if not dressed formally (I absolutely despise any kind of buffet - it's just a quirk of mine.)

 

We've decided that we are absolutely not doing formal dress on our upcoming December cruise, however, because we know we will have plenty of alternative options on the Crown, other than the MDRs and specialty restaurants (we can make a meal at the I.C. and/or Vines very easily.)

 

We still enjoy the whole experience of dressing for formal might, but just want a break for a change.

 

Something I noted: many on CC will say, "Well, you may feel UNCOMFORTABLE" if you are dressed down. Really? I had to purposely LOOK AROUND to see what the men were all wearing (I did this because of what I'd read on CC and I really just wanted to see what was out there in the dining room). Otherwise, I would not be able to tell you what those other men were wearing. I think you'd have to be a fairly paranoid person to feel so "uncomfortable" in this situation.

 

I'm with you: I really don't look for or care how other people dress on formal night, though I have heard people who are dressed to the nines comment disparagingly on those in less formal dress. I actually found myself stopping to explain to one woman on our last cruises (after hearing her derisive comment as I passed by her standing in line for a portrait) that I was running around in shorts, a t-shirt and flip-flops because it was only 5:30 and I was eating late and I was running an errand for my mother, thank you very much. Don't know why I was so ... "concerned" that night; normally I wouldn't have bothered.

 

I do have to say that, even in just the 11 or so years we've been cruising, we've noticed a change in the formal night (and even "smart casual") dress, both trending toward the less "formal". On our first cruise, I recall wearing a jacket and tie on non-formal nights. On the second, it was a jacket and open necked shirt. Now, it's usually some type of "aloha" shirt and khakis. :D I personally have no problem with that, but there has been a definite change. To each his or her own, I say. You're on a cruise, enjoy yourself. :p

[PhoneGoddess]

I always wear a tux on Princess. As a Scottish American, I'd love to wear a kilt, but they are surprisingly expensive,so I've never gotten one. I'll have to settle for my Murray tartan bow tie, cummerbund, and crest cufflinks. Maybe someday...

 

My husband can't wait to wear his kilt on our next cruise! We only spent the money because that's what he wore for our wedding a couple of weeks ago (they are expensive!). It was worth it because he looked so handsome and he can wear it for so many other occasions including formal night. :D

 

He's always dressed in a suit and tie at the very least for formal night and has worn a tux a couple of times too.

[PtownGirlz-NH]

I think it depends if you want to get dressed up or not. We love cruises because we can look sharp all most every night. We wear ball gowns and tuxs because where else can you do it and still have fun???!!!??

[RD64]

I wear a suit and tie...if I had a tux I would wear one. A suit/tie is very North American...I truly enjoy seeing Scotsmen dressed in their kilts, Indians in their traditional dress, and African Americans in their dashiki's (sp). I think it lends a very festive and international bit of flavour to formal nights.

[Times Prince]

Thanks for posting this survey...nice to see just numbers & not opinions. :p

 

Early returns are about 84% with some sort of coat & tie and will enjoy seeing the results after the poll ends in mid-May. Too many surveys are too limited in their options (including many of the CC ones on their homepage) & obviously you took your time to cover every situation...thanks again for an informative, non-biased survey. :)

You are most welcome.

 

The last time we did this survey some people asked if we could include the results in a "sticky" at the top of the board.

 

I've thought of the same thing for women, but there doesn't seem to be the controversy and I lack the vocabulary to properly describe women's dress options.

[6pack]

Always enjoy wearing a Tux :)

[Astro Flyer]

It depends on whether the ship (Coral) permits non-formal wear in the specialty restaurants on formal nights at this time. Still trying to get a straight answer on that. It's our first time on the ship and we're just not completely comfortable that we'll have satisfactory dining options if not dressed formally (I absolutely despise any kind of buffet - it's just a quirk of mine.)

I seemed to recall a statement about specialty restaurants being smart casual even on formal nights. I couldn't find it but based on the same info on Princess' FAQ site & in their Cruise Answer Book, that appears to be the case for all ships.

 

Formal

When formal nights are held, please observe the dress code in the Traditional Dining and Anytime Dining venues for the enjoyment of all our guests.

[Tak8]

I've worn a tux my past several cruises and I plan on wearing one this year. My son also enjoys the tux. It also means less luggage or more space for the spouse depending on your point of view.

[5:00_Somewhere]

I seemed to recall a statement about specialty restaurants being smart casual even on formal nights. I couldn't find it but based on the same info on Princess' FAQ site & in their Cruise Answer Book, that appears to be the case for all ships.

 

Formal

When formal nights are held, please observe the dress code in the Traditional Dining and Anytime Dining venues for the enjoyment of all our guests.

 

Yeah, sorry, didn't mean to derail this thread. There's another thread where this issue is being discussed. Here's a link so as not to take this discussion too far afield:

 

Formal Night attire in specialty restaurants.

 

The short version is, Princess apparently changed the language recently to make it more vague and decidedly less definitive as to the acceptability of smart casual dress in the non-MDR venues.

[notentirelynormal]

My DH and male family members wear a black suit with a tuxedo shirt, cumberbund etc. So half and half.

[Latitude 20]

[quote name='Times Prince']I've thought of the same thing for women, but there doesn't seem to be the controversy and I lack the vocabulary to properly describe women's dress options.[/QUOTE]

Don't feel bad. Even Miss Manners says that the difference between a woman's most formal dress and her second most formal dress is "what she says it is."

[Tikibird]

Formal ethnic clothing counts? Because my husband is from the Cook Islands (near Tahiti) and nice Hawaiian shirts ARE formal over there!

Seriously, we will probably just eat in the buffet though. The only thing that could tempt us is Baked Alaska, do they do that on formal night?

[5:00_Somewhere]

[quote name='tikibird']formal ethnic clothing counts? Because my husband is from the cook islands (near tahiti) and nice hawaiian shirts are formal over there![/quote]

love it! :d

[asctony]

[quote name='Tikibird']Formal ethnic clothing counts? Because my husband is from the Cook Islands (near Tahiti) and nice Hawaiian shirts ARE formal over there![/QUOTE]
Glad he is not from an Island that is a clothing optional. LOL Happy Cruising!!

[kahluatoo]

Just got back from the Crown and I saw a lot of men not in tux's... saw one guy in a flannel shirt even! But he stood out, obviously. My father wore a sport jacket both nights.

[loge23]

Also just back form the Crown. Tux's are clearly on the way out. I counted less than ten. I wore a suit for the two nites - my first time w/o the tux. It's just not right for a tux on a Caribbean cruise in Spring, imo. I would, however, wear one for a Holiday cruise.

[PescadoAmarillo]

We saw a lot more tuxes on our Emerald cruises in early December than we did on the same cruises in January/February. Noticably more. I don't know why it would be that different-the passenger demographics appeared to be about the same- but seeing that has stopped me from making further predictions about the future of tuxes on Princess. I think they will always a popular choice on the longer, more exotic cruises. And I think Brits tend to dress up more than Americans or Canadians, so if a cruise is heavily British, that will play a roll also.

DH wears one, and I generally wear a long dress. In fact, he shows no sign of stopping, so I think I will spring for a new formal dress or two this year.;)

[chipmaster]

Interest results, IMHO those most likely to post or participate here are likely skewed to the formal / elegant side:D

But so far the results look about right but like all polls the error bars are large and here even larger as its not a natural sampling of the cruise population!

[LARGIN]

[quote name='chipmaster']Interest results, IMHO those most likely to post or participate here are likely skewed to the formal / elegant side:D

But so far the results look about right but like all polls the error bars are large and here even larger as its not a natural sampling of the cruise population![/quote]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=Black]Agree, but using the poll approximately 85% dress according to the published guidelines however 15% do not. On the Ruby with 1500 male passengers (little less than half of 3080 passengers on board), this means that you will potentially see 225 men not formally dressed on formal nights. I wonder how many of these will be eating in the MDR's? [/COLOR][/FONT]