How formal is formal?

[FLACRUISER99]

I guess I must not be up to date on the current dress code can someone tell me where I can find it?

http://www.celebritycruises.com/frequently-asked-questions#1 Scroll down to "What is the onboard dress code"

 

"Smart Casual & Above" attire includes:

Ladies: Skirt or pants (no holes, rips or tears) with a sweater or blouse. Gentlemen: Pants (no holes, rips or tears) with a sports shirt or sweater. Shirts must have sleeves.

 

"Formal" attire includes:

Ladies: Cocktail dress, gown, or dressy pantsuit. Gentlemen: Tuxedo, suit, or dinner jacket with slacks.

 

The dress code in Celebrity’s specialty restaurants, including Blu, is “Smart Casual & Above” for every night of the cruise, regardless of the evening dress code in the main restaurant.

 

Note that T-shirts, swimsuits, robes, bare feet, tank tops, baseball caps and pool wear are not allowed in the main restaurant or specialty restaurants at any time. Shorts and flip-flops are not allowed in the evening hours. The appropriate dress code will be enforced at all restaurants. Additionally, you are asked to follow the "Smart Casual & Above" dress code in the Celebrity Theater for all evening performances.

 

The daily program, delivered to your stateroom and available at the Guest Relations Desk, will be your guide to the correct attire each evening. A casual dress code applies at all time onboard Celebrity Xpedition®."

[Jane2357]

I love to dress formal and while my dh happily complies because he knows that I think he is very handsome in his tux or dinner jacket. :D We now take select dining and on formal nights request a table for two - to protect our experience - learned this the hard way.

 

I'm truly not sure which X cruises though folks are taking where they claim that many don't dress to code. 14 nights in the caribbean and it was a VERY dressy crowd for all 3 nights.

 

I would not want to book a cruise without formal nights - I am amazed that people come to Celebrity to cruise and then refuse to comply or eat in non-formal venues, when there are other options out there.

[iancal]

We very much like Celebrity. One of the reasons is that they provide great options for us on formal evenings when we want to give the MDR a miss.

 

We seldom bother with formal any more. We are currently on a land trip for seven weeks prior to taking a Med cruise. Packing formal clothing for four hours on two or three nights hardly seems worthwhile. Leaving Dec 31 on a land trip followed by a Feb 20 cruise. We won't be packing formal wear for that cruise either nor do we plan on dining in the MDR.

 

So does this mean that we should not consider a Celebrity cruise? Somehow I do not think yhat Celebrity would agree with that stance. Celebrity is about so much more than formal nights.

[Theodorable]

 

I would not want to book a cruise without formal nights - I am amazed that people come to Celebrity to cruise and then refuse to comply or eat in non-formal venues, when there are other options out there.

 

We cruise for the itinerary, where the ship goes .....not the dress code. Why on earth should I choose another line just because I don't dress formally. As someone else said ..there is a lot more to Celebrity than formal night!

 

PS I also meant to say "this is what drives me crazy"

Edited September 28, 2014 by Theodorable

[simoncha]

Lets have a poll.

 

What would annoy you most on a cruise?

 

a) A woman who wears her robe to the breakfast buffet.

b) A large guy wearing speedos at the pool.

c) Someone's knickers hanging on the line in a cabin 5 rooms away.

d) Some busybody who worries about everyone else's business/dress etc and spend the cruise criticising them or complaining to others about them.

 

There is only one of the above that would have ANY affect on my fun at sea.

 

a) I've told the better half about this but she pays no attention to me - a woman who knows her own mind

b) I'm so sorry about this - I'm now officially on a diet

c) ouch - that must be our cabin

d) Hurray - something that doesn't relate to me!!!!

[Hotel CA]

a) I've told the better half about this but she pays no attention to me - a woman who knows her own mind

b) I'm so sorry about this - I'm now officially on a diet

c) ouch - that must be our cabin

d) Hurray - something that doesn't relate to me!!!!

 

 

 

Nice!!!!

[farmboy2u]

To the excuse makers....How would you feel if I showed up at your daughter's wedding wearing torn jeans and a "wife beater" T-shirt ?

Same difference to me.

[wallie5446]

To the excuse makers....How would you feel if I showed up at your daughter's wedding wearing torn jeans and a "wife beater" T-shirt ?

Same difference to me.

No it is not. You receive a personal invitation to attend the wedding, based on a relationship with the family. They know your lifestyle, and would probably not send the invitation knowing you would do this. Ya need a different comparison.

[Vitulla]

"Can I just wear a shirt and tie on formal nights ...... no jacket?" YES

"Will they let me into the MDR?" PROBABLY

"Will I be following the dress code on the website?" NO

 

 

And for goodness sake, for all those who say something like, "its your vacation, you paid for it, do what ever you want" ....... it reminds me of the woman who wore her robe and nightgown every morning to the buffet, or the large guy with his speedo at the pool, or the couple about 5 rooms down from us who hung a clothes line out on their balcony and hung their underwear out to dry ....... its their vacation let them do what they want .....

You seem to be caught up with everyone else on your cruise. Enjoy yourself and forget about what other people are doing. If this bothers you this much maybe cruising is not for you. 3000+ passengers on a ship seems like you will do a lot of worrying about everything. Rent a private island and enjoy your vacation

[MR_T]

To the excuse makers....How would you feel if I showed up at your daughter's wedding wearing torn jeans and a "wife beater" T-shirt ?

Same difference to me.

 

Well maybe that says more about you then it does anyone else!

 

What a ridiculous comment! :rolleyes:

[CFC]

Lets have a poll.

 

What would annoy you most on a cruise?

 

a) A woman who wears her robe to the breakfast buffet.

b) A large guy wearing speedos at the pool.

c) Someone's knickers hanging on the line in a cabin 5 rooms away.

d) Some busybody who worries about everyone else's business/dress etc and spend the cruise criticising them or complaining to others about them.

 

There is only one of the above that would have ANY affect on my fun at sea.

 

:)Like

[Giorgi-one]

I believe that most people sail on Celebrity because it has a different ambiance than the other mass market cruise lines. I have heard it described understated elegance. Formal dress on formal nights is an important part of the atmosphere on the ship. As more and more people choose not to dress accordingly, Celebrity becomes more and more like NCL. I have been on NCL and enjoyed every cruise but it is not Celebrity. I would assume that most of the people who do not dress accordingly could care less. They probably got a real good deal with the beverage package and can drink themselves into oblivion. But is that what the majority of Celebrity cruisers really want? Yes I realize that seeing a few people in jeans on formal night does not ruin your cruise. But at what point does it start to bother you. How about 50% of the people in the MDR in jeans and shorts?

[Giorgi-one]

Lets have a poll.

 

What would annoy you most on a cruise?

 

a) A woman who wears her robe to the breakfast buffet.

b) A large guy wearing speedos at the pool.

c) Someone's knickers hanging on the line in a cabin 5 rooms away.

d) Some busybody who worries about everyone else's business/dress etc and spend the cruise criticising them or complaining to others about them.

 

There is only one of the above that would have ANY affect on my fun at sea.

 

a, b and c. I am d.

[Giorgi-one]

We very much like Celebrity. One of the reasons is that they provide great options for us on formal evenings when we want to give the MDR a miss.

 

We seldom bother with formal any more. We are currently on a land trip for seven weeks prior to taking a Med cruise. Packing formal clothing for four hours on two or three nights hardly seems worthwhile. Leaving Dec 31 on a land trip followed by a Feb 20 cruise. We won't be packing formal wear for that cruise either nor do we plan on dining in the MDR.

 

So does this mean that we should not consider a Celebrity cruise? Somehow I do not think yhat Celebrity would agree with that stance. Celebrity is about so much more than formal nights.

 

I you can afford that vacation, you can certainly afford to rent a tux for your cruise!

[davekathy]

I believe that most people sail on Celebrity because it has a different ambiance than the other mass market cruise lines. I have heard it described understated elegance. Formal dress on formal nights is an important part of the atmosphere on the ship. As more and more people choose not to dress accordingly, Celebrity becomes more and more like NCL. I have been on NCL and enjoyed every cruise but it is not Celebrity. I would assume that most of the people who do not dress accordingly could care less. They probably got a real good deal with the beverage package and can drink themselves into oblivion. But is that what the majority of Celebrity cruisers really want? Yes I realize that seeing a few people in jeans on formal night does not ruin your cruise. But at what point does it start to bother you. How about 50% of the people in the MDR in jeans and shorts?

 

Oh well, too each their own.

[tip]

We cruise for the itinerary, where the ship goes .....not the dress code. Why on earth should I choose another line just because I don't dress formally. As someone else said ..there is a lot more to Celebrity than formal night!"

 

Very well said!

[MR_T]

I you can afford that vacation, you can certainly afford to rent a tux for your cruise!

 

 

To be honest I can afford to rent a different tux every night if I choose to but it's not a matter of expense is a matter of comfort!! 😎

 

The dress code doesn't say you have to wear a tux anyway! 😱

[tip]

Lets have a poll.

 

What would annoy you most on a cruise?

 

a) A woman who wears her robe to the breakfast buffet.

b) A large guy wearing speedos at the pool.

c) Someone's knickers hanging on the line in a cabin 5 rooms away.

d) Some busybody who worries about everyone else's business/dress etc and spend the cruise criticising them or complaining to others about them.

 

There is only one of the above that would have ANY affect on my fun at sea.

 

I would vote for "D". And for what it is worth, a perfect example of a "busybody" would be someone who tries to tell me what I can or cannot afford. What I can afford and how I choose to spend or not spend my money is my business and no one else's!

[iancal]

Why on earth would I want to rent a tux?

 

Money and affordability have absolutely nothing to do with our decision making process. The notion of equating those dress who formally with personal wealth or station in life could not be further from the truth.

 

In fact my experience is that those who aspire to wealth are the most conscious of dressing formally. Those who are wealthy do not really give a damm about what others think. They tend to be independent thinkers.

 

Not only does the dress code NOT require formal on formal nights, MDR excepted,Celebrity provides multiple options for those who prefer casual attire. So are some people suggesting that the Celebrity dress code is not reasonable or are they trying to establish their own version of a dress code? Perhaps those folks might want to try a different cruise line..maybe Cunard.

 

If we decide to go casual and make Bistro on Five our dining venue on a formal evening it is not really any body else's business or concern.

Edited September 28, 2014 by iancal

[NLH Arizona]

To be honest I can afford to rent a different tux every night if I choose to but it's not a matter of expense is a matter of comfort!!

 

The dress code doesn't say you have to wear a tux anyway!

I would rather have dinner with someone who is comfortable, funny and a nice person....what they are wearing doesn't define the person.

[MR_T]

I would rather have dinner with someone who is comfortable, funny and a nice person....what they are wearing doesn't define the person.

 

 

Exactly! 😊

[wallie5446]

I believe that most people sail on Celebrity because it has a different ambiance than the other mass market cruise lines. I have heard it described understated elegance. Formal dress on formal nights is an important part of the atmosphere on the ship. As more and more people choose not to dress accordingly, Celebrity becomes more and more like NCL. I have been on NCL and enjoyed every cruise but it is not Celebrity. I would assume that most of the people who do not dress accordingly could care less. They probably got a real good deal with the beverage package and can drink themselves into oblivion. But is that what the majority of Celebrity cruisers really want? Yes I realize that seeing a few people in jeans on formal night does not ruin your cruise. But at what point does it start to bother you. How about 50% of the people in the MDR in jeans and shorts?

See, this type of post is not reality. Which is why threads about dress always get shut down. We got a great deal on our upcoming 11 day cruise, chose the beverage pkg, and have yet to reach oblivion, from having it on previous cruises. We dress to the suggested levels because we enjoy doing so. Not because we are worried about some high and mighty in the next cabin having a heart attack if we did not.

 

The example you use we have never experienced on any of the 7 lines we have sailed on, let alone on Celebrity.

Edited September 28, 2014 by wallie5446

[Redtravel]

Gone are the days when formal meant tuxedos and long gowns. I used to bring very fancy clothing on cruises. However, in the past 10 years, the formal night attire has become less formal. I now bring a black skirt or slacks worn with a nice blouse. My husband wears a suit or sport jacket with dark slacks. Some men have given up the ties. There are some without jackets. On longer cruises, formal nights get less formal with each formal night. If you like wearimg formal clothes, bring them. If you feel uncomfortable in formal clothes, bring what you enjoy wearimg. You can't go wrong woth dark slacks and a coordinating blouse or shirt with jacket. Do not go out and buy clothes for formal night. I love cruises that have discontinued the formal night. I wish that Celebrity would do away with formal nigts.

[ghstudio]

My goal is to not stand out...call it paranoia :) Personally, I hate tuxedos because, honestly, I don't look good in them...and I've worn quite a few, most actually owned and tailored to fit. Michael Douglas looks great in a Tux...I have neither his build or his looks (or his money or I wouldn't be on Celebrity, but I digress)...I don't.

 

I've found that a nice blue blazer really fits most anywhere other than a wedding or charity event. I can wear a white shirt, if necessary, and tie (or bow tie), and when worn with grey slacks (I pack gray and beige), no one notices because most of the evening I find that I'm eating and few (that I am aware of) are crawling under the table to check what I'm wearing.

 

Yes, I wear the blazer to Blu or specialty restaurants on formal nights....it's easy and my wife prefers for us to blend in as well. I've also worn just a nice shirt with a collar to both and I wasn't alone, but I was in the minority. My blazer fit the bill perfectly....never travel without it.

[NLH Arizona]

I believe that most people sail on Celebrity because it has a different ambiance than the other mass market cruise lines. I have heard it described understated elegance. Formal dress on formal nights is an important part of the atmosphere on the ship. As more and more people choose not to dress accordingly, Celebrity becomes more and more like NCL. I have been on NCL and enjoyed every cruise but it is not Celebrity. I would assume that most of the people who do not dress accordingly could care less. They probably got a real good deal with the beverage package and can drink themselves into oblivion. But is that what the majority of Celebrity cruisers really want? Yes I realize that seeing a few people in jeans on formal night does not ruin your cruise. But at what point does it start to bother you. How about 50% of the people in the MDR in jeans and shorts?

I've actually seen some women on NCL's dress up or not night more formally dressed that some women I've seen on Celebrity on formal night.

 

I would hope the majority of Celebrity cruises want to enjoy their cruise and it really doesn't bother them what someone else wears. Since I don't think that I've ever seen someone in the MDR for dinner in shorts, I don't think there is a reason to worry about that.