"Smart Casual" night?

[nisky]

In my RCI documents, it mentions that a 7-night cruise includes 2 formal nights, 4 casual nights, and 1 "smart casual" night -- the latter of which men are supposed to wear jackets. Does it really happen this way and do most men wear sports coats/suit jackets on this night?

 

We are coming to RCI from 3 Princess cruises where smart casual was defined as sports shirts and nice slacks.

 

Your experiences please!

nisky

[dbarry]

On my upcoming Mariner cruise, I also have two formal nights and one smart casual. I have seen a few Compass's (the daily schedule) for my cruise and they also suggest that you can wear "smart casual" OR "island dress", your choice. Our "smart casual" night is the day that we are in Jamaica and is the evening of our deck party/buffet. As a female, I usually choice the island style dress and wear a pretty tropical print long dress. Have you checked the roll call for your cruise date? You could always check there and see what everyone plans on wear.

 

Darlene

[Teachlady]

On smart casual nights, my DH wears a sportcoat without a tie. Course he wears the rest of his clothes too! But really nobody is that concerned whether you dress EXACTLY right or not. Just be comfortable and enjoy. Common sense dictates that you wouldn't wear jeans or shorts in that elegant dining room.

[BobBeaSea]

Not too many men wear sport jackets any more for Smart Casual night. On our cruise you had a choice of Smart Casual or '50s attire. I saw very few sport jackets.

[kenandlinda]

On Smart Casual nights my husband wears dress slacks with a dressy pullover such as Izod or the like. He really isn't into wearing jackets, so I don't press it. For casual nights he will wear dockers and a sporty polo shirt. Of course he does wear a nice black suit and white shirt and tie for formal night.

 

We will be sailing on the Enchantment on the 1st of April!! I'm counting the days!!

[glgolfer]

Smart Casual seems to be a thing of the past on most cruises even if it is shown in the Compass. Very few jackets and fewer ties. it's pretty much casual every night except for formal.

[dougp26364]

On our Nov. '04 E. Carib. cruise, they didn't even have a smart casual night. 2 formal nights and the rest were all casual.

 

On the cruises that did have smart casual nights, it's always been a mix. I generally wear a sport coat and tie but, I don't typically have the occasion to get dressed so it's a nice opportunity for us. Many of the male passengers seem to wear a dress shirt, some with a tie, some without. I haven't generally seen a lot of sports coats but there are a few. There's also a lot of people who don't seem to dress much different than on casual nights.

[MiniMom57]

On our last 2 cruises, the cruise docs stated that there would be a smart casual night, but once on board the ship there was NO smart casual night mentioned in the Cruise Compass! RCI needs to get their act together and give out consistent information! On our next cruise (next Spring), my husband has already said he's not lugging along his sport coat and tie. He will bring his suit for Formal nights, though.

[CRUZ-AHOLIC]

On smart casual nights, my DH wears a sportcoat without a tie. Course he wears the rest of his clothes too!

 

He should have been instructing others in proper dresswear. On our last cruise, we sat next to a table of 'spring breakers'. On one of the formal nights, one of the guys obligingly wore his suit & tie....without any shirt whatsoever. :-(

 

Cindy

[cb at sea]

I bet that was lovely! Really, tho. This is your vacation, you paid for it and as long as you're presentable, you won't be turned away. Just wear whatever you would wear to a very nice restaurant. Don't stress! Have fun!

[CRUZ-AHOLIC]

Just wear whatever you would wear to a very nice restaurant.

 

Thank you! I personally have been debating on whether or not I will look OVERdressed on the non-formal nights. Speaking for myself, I LOVE to take the opportunity on a cruise to dress to the nines! Where else can you wear an aqua sequined full-length gown (on formal night) and NOT stand out, LOL!!!

 

Your statement is very helpful to me. I don't NEED a defined 'Smart Casual' night to wear one of my favorite cocktail dresses. The dining room is like a very nice restaurant, so I won't look out of place dressing UP.

 

Thanks again!

Cindy

[dougp26364]

IMO, you'll never look out of place dressed up for dinner on an RCI cruise. Not even on casual nights. For the most part, everyone has always dressed very nicely on each of our cruises. True that on casual nights you'll see some people dressed in blue jeans or other very casual attire but for the most part, people will at least be in nice, business casual dress clothes.

[cunarder]

I mostly agree with all of you but, on our cruise on Explorer in January we had a terrible table next to ours. Lets just say shorts, sneakers, and tshirts were the norm on every night except formal night. On formal night they (the men) dressed up by wearing sneakers, old jeans and a polo/plaid shirt (untucked).

 

It did no good saying anything to the Head Waiter. This was on the third tier of the dining room. They WERE enforcing the dress code on the first level though. I checked it out when the Head Waiter would do nothing.

 

Ed

[Nliedel]

Honestly no one seemed to follow the "Smart Casual" rules but the people in my group! I was not happy about that. A lot of people just wear whatever. Sigh.. I know I am being a fuss pot but I love it when people dress to the suggestion.

[Baxters_DH]

Flamers welcomed, as this is one topic that ticked me off on our just completed cruise. RCI does not seem to enforce any dress policy to speak off on ANY NIGHTS at least from the Galveston Departures.

 

An example of acceptable attire on formal night seems to be "JEANS, COWBOY BOOTS, SPORTS COAT, AND FOR 1 INDIVIDUAL A BASEBALL CAP-which was worn every night of the cruise. At least he was consistant.

 

On the casual nights- jeans, shorts and t-shirts were WELL represented.

 

We only witnessed one lady being talked to about her barely there top, one of those tops that 2 postage stamps would cover more skin....of course that conversation seemed to take place after dinner was over with.

 

To me it ticked me off mostly because we had to bring extra luggage to ensure we dressed according to their policies....it seems certain persons or states may be exempt.

 

It was a very noticiable difference in Dress code from the same departure with Princess last season to RCI this season.

[Nliedel]

No flames here. I know it probably should not bother me when people dress so down but it does, it bothers me a lot.

 

In fairness to RCI I have seen casual dress on formal night son Carnival and Princess as well as RCI.

[jbond]

Maybe on the 7 night Caribbean itineraries is "smart casual" disappearing, but on the 12 night and longer, my observation is that it's still being observed by quite a few passengers.

An example of acceptable attire on formal night seems to be "JEANS, COWBOY BOOTS, .........

I may have been the one you saw wearing the cowboy boots. I prefer to call them western boots. Black eel skin that look perfect with my tuxedo. My brown eel skin go really well with the suit that I wear on smart casual nights and when we dine in the alternate restaurant. They look a lot smarter than the sneakers that a lot of people consider to be casual footwear.

[Nliedel]

Black Eelskin Boots with a tux are divine. Some of the outfits I have seen, that bug me nuts, are.. well I don't want to point fingers and hurt feelings but they were not that great.