Long cruise Formal Nights

[Calvin]

A group of us are sailing on a 15-night transatlantic repo cruise.  Based on my readings, there will be at least 3 Formal Nights.

 

From your experience, when is the 2nd Formal Night?

[Biker19]

21 minutes ago, Calvin said:

From your experience, when is the 2nd Formal Night?

Somewhere in the middle on a sea day. Once you get a bit closer to the sailing, the app should list the middle one.

[Calvin]

40 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Somewhere in the middle on a sea day. Once you get a bit closer to the sailing, the app should list the middle one.

 

Thanks a bunch!  I guess I shouldn't worry about the 8 of us getting the Chef's Table on night 6 conflicting with a Formal Night!

 

I've been on lots of cruises but never a 15 night one...

[njkruzer]

9 minutes ago, Calvin said:

 

Thanks a bunch!  I guess I shouldn't worry about the 8 of us getting the Chef's Table on night 6 conflicting with a Formal Night!

 

I've been on lots of cruises but never a 15 night one...

Why worry?  We've done Chef's Table on formal nights, on new year's eve, etc.  Works well.

[Calvin]

Just now, njkruzer said:

Why worry?  We've done Chef's Table on formal nights, on new year's eve, etc.  Works well.

We've never sailed on such a long cruise, and we don't want to miss one of the Formal Nights (we assume they'll prepare something special). If it were just the 2 of us, I wouldn't worry because we'd likely be able to get another Chef's Table Dinner.  But there's 8-10 of us, so it's much more difficult to get seating for a large table.

[njkruzer]

4 minutes ago, Calvin said:

We've never sailed on such a long cruise, and we don't want to miss one of the Formal Nights (we assume they'll prepare something special). If it were just the 2 of us, I wouldn't worry because we'd likely be able to get another Chef's Table Dinner.  But there's 8-10 of us, so it's much more difficult to get seating for a large table.

Just enjoy your cruise and your friends.  We've done several TAs and spent 35 nts (2 cruises actually) sailing around Australia.  Long cruises are great. 

[Calvin]

9 minutes ago, njkruzer said:

Just enjoy your cruise and your friends.  We've done several TAs and spent 35 nts (2 cruises actually) sailing around Australia.  Long cruises are great. 

 

Understood, but EVERYONE has their OWN preferences.  You saying "just enjoy your cruise" is like telling someone the same thing if they had only inside cabins, or no water slides, or had a bunch of chair hogs, etc.

[njkruzer]

1 minute ago, Calvin said:

 

Understood, but EVERYONE has their OWN preferences.  You saying "just enjoy your cruise" is like telling someone the same thing if they had only inside cabins, or no water slides, or had a bunch of chair hogs, etc.

I guess what I'm saying formal night in the dining room isn't essential but if that is what you want then do it.  Understand that the day might change after you plan.  On transatlantic cruises, since it's not like weekly cruises which repeat almost exactly the same each week.  This is a cruise that's only once a year.  Each TA is different so none of us can tell you with any certainty which night will be 2nd formal night.

[Calvin]

20 minutes ago, njkruzer said:

I guess what I'm saying formal night in the dining room isn't essential but if that is what you want then do it.  Understand that the day might change after you plan.  On transatlantic cruises, since it's not like weekly cruises which repeat almost exactly the same each week.  This is a cruise that's only once a year.  Each TA is different so none of us can tell you with any certainty which night will be 2nd formal night.

 

The standard Royal Caribbean line is "15+ night cruises' formal nights vary by ship, but it will have 3 or 4 formal nights", so I was just hoping someone had a good guess based on their own experience. I doubt the group will sail on another long cruise like this.

[njkruzer]

16 minutes ago, Calvin said:

 

The standard Royal Caribbean line is "15+ night cruises' formal nights vary by ship, but it will have 3 or 4 formal nights", so I was just hoping someone had a good guess based on their own experience. I doubt the group will sail on another long cruise like this.

Usually 3. On our eastbound TA on Jewel April 2022, formal days 2, 7 or 9 (there was some confusion and they posted it 2x!),  and 12.  It was a 14 nt. Anthem, 12 nt wb, it was days 2, 7, 10.  We also had smart casual and casual.  Hkoe this helps.

Edited July 18, 2023 by njkruzer

[Hogbay]

6 hours ago, Calvin said:

A group of us are sailing on a 15-night transatlantic repo cruise.  Based on my readings, there will be at least 3 Formal Nights.

 

From your experience, when is the 2nd Formal Night?

After the first and before the last .

[lovesthebeach2]

Funny how in all the long cruises we’ve done - including TAs - I’ve never paid attention to which nights were formal. I guess since the days of the the fancy food in the MDR are long gone, I see no special reason to adjust plans for specialty dining. But everyone is different 😁

[Biker19]

12 hours ago, Calvin said:

we assume they'll prepare something special)

I wouldn't.

[njkruzer]

10 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

I wouldn't.

Agree.  Not anymore. 

[steveru621]

There will likely be one formal night where you might get a lobster tail, and stand in a long line for a picture with the captain.  The other two will be 'dress to impress' or 'dress your best', with nothing extraordinary.  The formal night will be in the middle.  

 

That's been our experience.

[Baron Barracuda]

We're booked on a 15 night segment of the world cruise next July.  Given that by the time we board they will have already been at sea 7 months  wonder if they will have succumbed to formal night exhaustion.  No formal nights would be fine with us, simplifies the packing.

[Calvin]

17 hours ago, njkruzer said:

Usually 3. On our eastbound TA on Jewel April 2022, formal days 2, 7 or 9 (there was some confusion and they posted it 2x!),  and 12.  It was a 14 nt. Anthem, 12 nt wb, it was days 2, 7, 10.  We also had smart casual and casual.  Hkoe this helps.

This helps a bunch!  If most have said the 2nd formal night is sometime during the 2nd week, then I know we're okay with the Chef's Table.  I've been on 37 cruises, but most have been 7 days.

[Calvin]

11 hours ago, lovesthebeach2 said:

Funny how in all the long cruises we’ve done - including TAs - I’ve never paid attention to which nights were formal. I guess since the days of the the fancy food in the MDR are long gone, I see no special reason to adjust plans for specialty dining. But everyone is different 😁

You ain't lyin'.  I do miss the days of the MDR food being close to what they refer to as specialty dining these days.  I didn't choose to eat at the Chef's Table (I just agreed to go there with the group) but I surely didn't want it to conflict with a formal dinner.  My guess is that they still try to make the formal dinners special.

[Calvin]

7 hours ago, Biker19 said:

I wouldn't.

LOL, you just HAVE to be a dream crusher, don't you?

[Calvin]

5 hours ago, steveru621 said:

There will likely be one formal night where you might get a lobster tail, and stand in a long line for a picture with the captain.  The other two will be 'dress to impress' or 'dress your best', with nothing extraordinary.  The formal night will be in the middle.  

 

That's been our experience.

I think Princess used to serve lobster, filet mignon, and crab legs on different nights, so I was hoping for something along those lines.  I won't stand in a long line for a pic with the captain though, but that's what makes cruising fun for a lot of people (we all do our own thing).

[Calvin]

4 hours ago, Baron Barracuda said:

We're booked on a 15 night segment of the world cruise next July.  Given that by the time we board they will have already been at sea 7 months  wonder if they will have succumbed to formal night exhaustion.  No formal nights would be fine with us, simplifies the packing.

There has indeed been a casualization of the cruise experience, but I doubt you'll get off that easy!  In the old days, I really used to appreciate people getting dressed up, especially with the women in sequins, but today I suspect too many just enjoy being casual.

[Calvin]

11 hours ago, lovesthebeach2 said:

Funny how in all the long cruises we’ve done - including TAs - I’ve never paid attention to which nights were formal. I guess since the days of the the fancy food in the MDR are long gone, I see no special reason to adjust plans for specialty dining. But everyone is different 😁

You make an excellent point but, I'll bet you, if there is any availability, it will likely be on a formal dinner night.

[Biker19]

54 minutes ago, Calvin said:

LOL, you just HAVE to be a dream crusher, don't you?

It's better to assume there won't be anything and be pleasantly surprised if there is.

[steveru621]

18 hours ago, Calvin said:

I think Princess used to serve lobster, filet mignon, and crab legs on different nights, so I was hoping for something along those lines.  I won't stand in a long line for a pic with the captain though, but that's what makes cruising fun for a lot of people (we all do our own thing).

 

It's highly unlikely you will find free fillet or crab legs in MDR. sorry

[Calvin]

12 hours ago, steveru621 said:

 

It's highly unlikely you will find free fillet or crab legs in MDR. sorry

 

That would be a shocker!  I think they've already done away with the crab legs on another line, but I think they will still have filet mignon and lobster on any cruise 7 days or longer.  In fact, in my 36 cruises of at least 7 days, they've always had them.