Celebrity Cruises Swaps Formal Nights for Evening Chic

[Higgy64]

Not necessarily the majority but likely the most vocal

[tismon]

We're actually bummed a bit at the change. We would have at least like to go to one of them, but since our first cruise is in January, that won't happen now.

 

Since even for formal nights, there were other dining options, I don't quite grasp the issue. Dressing up at all is only fun when those around you do the same.

 

The more logical step would have been to dedicate one of the smaller venues as formal only for a night to remove the idea that the main dining option isn't welcoming.

 

EDIT: and for the record, we're both in our late 20s

Edited November 9, 2015 by tismon

[mickey89]

Celebrity, how are you notifying your customers of this major change? Remember less than 3% of your customers are registered Cruisecritic members.

I knew nothing of this changes until today..................

[notsomadhatter]

Celebrity, how are you notifying your customers of this major change? Remember less than 3% of your customers are registered Cruisecritic members.

I knew nothing of this changes until today..................

 

If you have a cruise booked there was an email blast this morning. I got three (three cruises between now and January).

[Charles4515]

Celebrity, how are you notifying your customers of this major change? Remember less than 3% of your customers are registered Cruisecritic members.

I knew nothing of this changes until today..................

 

 

I received an email this morning about the change saying a change had been made that would affect my cruise. My cruise is December 13. So they are notifying customers.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[mickey89]

I have 2 cruises booked and both past final payment for January and February. I have had NO Email. !!!!!!

[rua642]

We're thrilled about the change --especially my husband, as he'll no longer have to bring a suit and a tie. We always wear smart casual when we eat out locally and prefer to dress that way on our cruise.

[eldercruser]

I have 2 cruises booked and both past final payment for January and February. I have had NO Email. !!!!!!

 

Neither did I!

[bEwAbG]

I have 2 cruises booked and both past final payment for January and February. I have had NO Email. !!!!!!

 

Maybe they just haven't gotten to those cruises, yet? The news just broke this morning, so it's not unusual to me that you wouldn't have been notified yet.

[danorton]

Why would you be shocked? This is what passengers here and on other lines have been asking for and Celebrity has actually been one of the slower ones in responding to its customers' preference. Not all customers, but clearly the majority.

 

As Higgy said just below your post: "Not necessarily the majority, but likely the most vocal." There have always been people who prefer to dress down on formal nights for as long as they've had formal nights... But I still believe the 'majority' enjoy the opportunity for a formal evening with their fellow cruisers, and a vocal minority has caused Celebrity to take action.

 

It's an upscale cruise line, for crying out loud. If you can't manage a dressy evening without something nicer than jeans on, try Olive Garden. Even Carnival Cruises says 'no jeans permitted' on their 'Cruise Elegant' nights.

[CanadianDee]

... But I still believe the 'majority' enjoy the opportunity for a formal evening with their fellow cruisers, and a vocal minority has caused Celebrity to take action.

 

 

I don't about that. Judging from the response on these threads about the change, a lot of people - certainly more than a minority - are very happy about the new dress code.

[K.T.B.]

I have a mix of emotions. Mainly I'm OK with the change. What they're calling "evening chic" is how I usually dress on any other night in the MDR though, so for me nothing changes in that regard. Though I am now no longer renting a tux for my upcoming cruise. I may bring a jacket with however. We shall see.

 

Overall, I really do see chaos ensuing. You'll probably be seeing people wearing "dressy" t-shirts and jeans trying to get in and not understanding why they're turned away. :rolleyes:

[Higgy64]

So that's the kicker, what exactly are "designer-looking" jeans ? Who decides ?

Personally I think they should exclude jeans on a night where the dress code is intended to be different than the usual smart-casual ( otherwise why bother with a different code )

[2CatsInFlorida]

Good news for our Dec 7 cruise. [emoji3] It will simplify packing and free up one third of our suitcase for more stuff to buy and wine to bring aboard. For those who want to dress up, perhaps X could seat them with like minded cruisers. I bet when powdered wigs and petticoats went out of style there were some upset at the decline in standards. Change takes some time to become the new "standard".

[padgman1]

Higgy - I agree with you, there is a difference between smart casual and chic, whatever that may be......if you can get in the MDR with jeans on during regular "Smart Casual" nights ( can you really ?!), you shouldn't during "Chic" nights.....

 

Kevin - Celebrity shouldn't allow that kind of dress during regular "Smart Casual" MDR nights, why should they even consider it during "Chic" nights?

 

People who are on this forum with any regularity are aware that standards have changed......they are also aware that enforcement of dress policies at MDR is highly irregular/ haphazard/ insert your own word for "nonexistent."

 

Really, for guys, is it that hard to look like the State Farm guy for "Smart Casual" nights and a little dressier for "Chic" nights ( say, maybe, a dress shirt, long OR short sleeve, with dress belt and shoes....and maybe a tie ?)...

[bbappel]

I don't like this change. From what I understand, we won't be enjoying our cruises as much.

 

We are Elite so we've been on a number of cruises, and we always enjoyed the formal nights. It was only 2-3 nights out of 11-14 and it made those nights special. I've managed to purchase clothing that didn't take up a lot of space (and I'm not a size 2, or even a 12), so I was able to do the formal nights without a great impact on my luggage. It was fun figuring out how to do that. Jewelry, scarves, etc. Light weight jackets.

 

We've been enjoying our cruises less due to the reduction in luxury and are on the cusp of moving to land based vacations. We cancelled a September 2015 cruise and stayed near Yellowstone Park instead. We cancelled a January 2016 cruise and are staying in a condo in Florida instead. Now we have two cruises booked on Celebrity - Amsterdam to Rome - September 2016 and Caribbean - January 2017. So the food isn't special any more, now the dining experience won't be special, I'm not sure what the attraction will be to take a cruise.

 

Maybe part of this is age related, I went to college when 2 nights a week the guys had to wear a jacket and tie to dinner and women had to dress nicely (stockings, dresses). But I think even if I were younger, I would have appreciated the formality that one enjoyed on a cruise. Even at 40, I was the one to volunteer to fill out a table at a gala.

 

I would suggest that they instead let those in traditional dining retain formal nights since we are the most likely to miss it. Part of the traditional cruise experience is traditional dining with the formal nights.

 

I'm not a curmudgeon and I realize the issues of traveling and trying to keep luggage within the guidelines, but that was always a fun challenge.

 

Pretty soon the pajama bottoms style will reign, even on cruises. Yecch.

 

Beth

Edited November 9, 2015 by bbappel

[K.T.B.]

Kevin - Celebrity shouldn't allow that kind of dress during regular "Smart Casual" MDR nights, why should they even consider it during "Chic" nights?

 

The line from the release, unfortunately, will be widely interpreted incorrectly by many (emphasis mine):

 

The change, driven by the line's evolving passenger mix, is designed to enable passengers to express their own sense of sophistication.

[dkjretired]

Higgy - I agree with you, there is a difference between smart casual and chic, whatever that may be......if you can get in the MDR with jeans on during regular "Smart Casual" nights ( can you really ?!), you shouldn't during "Chic" nights.....

 

Kevin - Celebrity shouldn't allow that kind of dress during regular "Smart Casual" MDR nights, why should they even consider it during "Chic" nights?

 

People who are on this forum with any regularity are aware that standards have changed......they are also aware that enforcement of dress policies at MDR is highly irregular/ haphazard/ insert your own word for "nonexistent."

 

Really, for guys, is it that hard to look like the State Farm guy for "Smart Casual" nights and a little dressier for "Chic" nights ( say, maybe, a dress shirt, long OR short sleeve, with dress belt and shoes....and maybe a tie ?)...

 

Are you aware that Celebrities dress code has allowed Jeans for several years. That hasn't been an issue for quite awhile now.

[Fouremco]

Not necessarily the majority but likely the most vocal

 

As Higgy said just below your post: "Not necessarily the majority, but likely the most vocal." There have always been people who prefer to dress down on formal nights for as long as they've had formal nights... But I still believe the 'majority' enjoy the opportunity for a formal evening with their fellow cruisers, and a vocal minority has caused Celebrity to take action.

I've always worn a suit and tie, or at minimum a blazer and tie, for formal nights on all cruise lines we've sailed. When HAL made its change to "Gala Night", with virtually identical requirements to "Chic Night", I continued to wear blazer and tie. So I'm old school, and can sympathize for those who see this as a bad decision.

 

Nevertheless, I see this a recognition on Celebrity's part that the majority of cruise passengers (not just CC members) prefer a more relaxed level of dress. This isn't Celebrity out of step with the industry because of a vocal minority of CC members, but instead a reflection of its need to catch up with the other lines. For better or worse, society is changing, and the cruise industry, including Celebrity, is simply trying to keep pace and remain relevant.

[ricka47]

We're actually bummed a bit at the change. We would have at least like to go to one of them, but since our first cruise is in January, that won't happen now.

 

Since even for formal nights, there were other dining options, I don't quite grasp the issue. Dressing up at all is only fun when those around you do the same.

 

The more logical step would have been to dedicate one of the smaller venues as formal only for a night to remove the idea that the main dining option isn't welcoming.

 

EDIT: and for the record, we're both in our late 20s

 

The trouble with that is that, lately, we've been dressed up and the folks at the table next to us considers formal to be turning his baseball hat around instead of wearing it backward. So, we have mixed feelings on this. Last year, we were on the Oasis for Christmas and there were still a few in tuxedos besides me on Christmas Eve. We'll be on the Eclipse this Christmas and, as of today, I will be leaving the tux (and my red Christmas bow tie) in the closet.

Edited November 9, 2015 by ricka47

[gek]

In other words, the MDR is adopting the standards that were already in place in every other restaurant on board (or on land for that matter).

 

I'm sure the staff will be happy. No more weird, arbitrary rules to enforce.

[bottomfeeder]

:D :p

 

So why do they have to be designer jeans? Is someone from X going to check the label :p? And who is going to determine if your sundress is too flirty :eek: :rolleyes:?

 

I don't think it can be TOO flirty. I think they kick you out of the MDR if it isn't flirty ENOUGH!! :)

[Celebrity Cruises]

Check out the latest Celebrity Cruises news from Cruise Critic:

 

Celebrity Cruises Swaps Formal Nights for Evening Chic

 

Evening Chic FAQs

 

What is "Evening Chic"?

We are evolving the traditional cruise ship formal night. Now, on up to two nights on every cruise, Evening Chic activities are being introduced, and Evening Chic attire is replacing Formal attire. While dressier than Smart Casual, Evening Chic is intended to be less dressy than Formal attire.

 

Women should feel comfortable wearing:

•A cocktail dress

•Skirt, pants or designer jeans with an elegant top

 

Men should feel comfortable wearing:

•Pants or designer jeans with a dress shirt, button-down shirt or sweater

•Optional sport coat or blazer

 

Can I still wear a tuxedo/formal gown on those nights?

Yes. Evening Chic means that you can get glamorous and be sophisticated in your own way. If you would like to still wear a tuxedo or formal gown on Evening Chic nights, you absolutely should.

 

Why is Celebrity making this change?

Celebrity stands out for offering a modern luxury vacation experience. When it comes to attire, modern luxury travel is often more relaxed than traditional formal attire. So, rather than tell our guests they need to wear traditional formalwear to fit in on certain nights onboard, we’re giving formal night a modern luxury reboot. We want our guests to feel free to get glamorous and be sophisticated in their own way.

 

When will the change go into effect?

For all sailings beginning on or after December 4, 2015. (Celebrity Xpedition will continue to feature casual attire for the entire cruise.)

 

Can I wear jeans on Evening Chic nights?

Evening Chic is dressier than smart casual, but less formal than a traditional "formal night." Designer jeans are absolutely acceptable on Evening Chic nights.

 

Do men need to wear a jacket on Evening Chic nights?

No, jackets are optional on Evening Chic nights.

 

How many Evening Chic nights will there be on every cruise?

All cruises that are 7 nights or longer will feature two Evening Chic nights. Any cruise 6-nights or shorter will feature one Evening Chic night. All other nights of the cruise will feature Smart Casual attire.

 

Will the formal night traditions be affected (Captain's Table, lobster on the menu, photos, etc.)?

We will continue to offer lobster on the menu on Evening Chic nights. We also plan to put a modern luxury twist on several traditional formal night traditions, including a new Captain’s Reception featuring destination-inspired cocktails, and photo/portrait opportunities as well as senior-officer-hosted tables at various restaurants throughout the cruise.

[gergles]

Evening Chic FAQs

 

What is "Evening Chic"?

 

Thank you for providing this information.

[dkjretired]

:D :p

 

So why do they have to be designer jeans? Is someone from X going to check the label :p? And who is going to determine if your sundress is too flirty :eek: :rolleyes:?

 

Who defines "designer", reminds me of the old George Carlin bit about defining curse words on TV.