Formal nights

[MicCanberra]

For domestic cruises, I take my tux, which is more to do with how I want to dress and get use from my Tuxedo without packing/ travelling issues. For other cruises, it is  lounge jacket and chinos.

[JohnGc]

20 hours ago, yes!yes!yes! said:

When I was on the Coral last year for 4 cruises I saw Men turned away from the dining room at dinner in shorts. This applied on any night, not just formal night. A friend, who loves dressing down, asked the concierge at the door if he could wear shorts in the dining room at dinner and he said no.

I love dressing up and love looking at well dressed men.

Shame, you would not be looking at me then.😂

[MicCanberra]

I don't really care what people wear, but if the dining room is policing the dress rules, they need to do it for everyone and be consistent for the whole cruise.

[Over from NZ]

6 hours ago, valantine80 said:

On our  last cruise on Princess in Feb 2020, we were turned away from the dining room on the first night as my husband was wearing shorts. We protested they were allowed first and last night's. Maitre d said "Not on Princess". Well hello we are elite. Several years previously on P&O were denied entry as he was wearing sandals, otherwise dressed in long pants and good shirt. We protested that a person at our table the previous night was wearing sandals. Response was "We can't check everybody". How things have changed".

The post-covid reset. Things have changed a lot since 2020! 🙂 

[Hogbay]

7 hours ago, anjo said:

Thankyou everyoneI for your helpful comments. Transpires my husband is more bothered by it than me. Says he will take his suit otherwise he will feel uncomfortable.Can't  win.😁

Anjo.

You can not over dress on a cruise voyage ...👍🙂

[NSWP]

14 hours ago, Hogbay said:

You can not over dress on a cruise voyage ...👍🙂

True, but some underdress and get away with it.

[NSWP]

18 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

I don't really care what people wear, but if the dining room is policing the dress rules, they need to do it for everyone and be consistent for the whole cruise.

True Mic and the same level of policing right across the fleet.

[Yaya_in_Oz]

I don't do formal as I haven't got luggage room, also CBB, so I just don't go to the MDR on formal nights. I still go to the theatre and do anything else I please but I would wear smart casual not what I'd been wearing round the pool. So many people really enjoy dressing up and having their photos taken. They look great and its possibly a highlight of their cruise. I know the system as every one does so I wouldn't make waves to be allowed into the MDR on formal nights wearing inappropriate attire. Simply selfish.

[OzKiwiJJ]

9 minutes ago, Yaya_in_Oz said:

I don't do formal as I haven't got luggage room, also CBB, so I just don't go to the MDR on formal nights. I still go to the theatre and do anything else I please but I would wear smart casual not what I'd been wearing round the pool. So many people really enjoy dressing up and having their photos taken. They look great and its possibly a highlight of their cruise. I know the system as every one does so I wouldn't make waves to be allowed into the MDR on formal nights wearing inappropriate attire. Simply selfish.

Smart casual seems to be OK on formal nights these days and I don't see that as an issue. You don't need gowns or tuxedos unlesz you want to wear those of course. Cruise formal nights aren't black tie formal.

 

We always change for dinner. I usually wear black pants and a dressy top. One outfit I often get complimented on is a floaty black "jacket" with coloured feathers printed on it worn over a black shell top. The "jacket" is actually a swimsuit cover-up! 🤣 Most of my tops are very lightweight but look dressy. Rolf just wears chinos, a shirt (sometime short sleeved, sometimes long sleeved, and sometimes a casual linen jacket.

 

For formal nights I wear silk kaftans, again ultra lightweight and very easy to wear. Rolf loves wearing his tux, and even bought an extra dinner jacket last year!!!

 

Although I don't really care what people wear I do think shorts, thongs and scruffy tshirts or singlets shouldn't be allowed in MDRs in the evenings. 

[marinating]

A few years ago we were lucky to pick up a UK P&O ship from Melbourne for a four day segment of a World Cruise, I double checked prior that there were no Formal nights as our group love to get dressed up in Dinner suits. Unfortunately there was a Formal night, the guys were not allowed in wearing smart pants and jackets but us ladies were invited to stay as we were appropriately dressed! Even though I produced the email confirming there would not be a Formal the guys were asked to leave, what was hilarious was the loud comments from many of the Brits sitting nearby, comments ranging from what would you expect from Australians to they don’t know how to dress in the Colonies! Whilst us girls enjoyed lobster the men went off to the buffet!

[arxcards]

1 hour ago, marinating said:

A few years ago we were lucky to pick up a UK P&O ship from Melbourne for a four day segment of a World Cruise, I double checked prior that there were no Formal nights as our group love to get dressed up in Dinner suits. Unfortunately there was a Formal night, the guys were not allowed in wearing smart pants and jackets but us ladies were invited to stay as we were appropriately dressed! Even though I produced the email confirming there would not be a Formal the guys were asked to leave, what was hilarious was the loud comments from many of the Brits sitting nearby, comments ranging from what would you expect from Australians to they don’t know how to dress in the Colonies! Whilst us girls enjoyed lobster the men went off to the buffet!

P&O UK can be more brutal than Cunard on formal nights.

[NSWP]

4 hours ago, marinating said:

A few years ago we were lucky to pick up a UK P&O ship from Melbourne for a four day segment of a World Cruise, I double checked prior that there were no Formal nights as our group love to get dressed up in Dinner suits. Unfortunately there was a Formal night, the guys were not allowed in wearing smart pants and jackets but us ladies were invited to stay as we were appropriately dressed! Even though I produced the email confirming there would not be a Formal the guys were asked to leave, what was hilarious was the loud comments from many of the Brits sitting nearby, comments ranging from what would you expect from Australians to they don’t know how to dress in the Colonies! Whilst us girls enjoyed lobster the men went off to the buffet!

I can relate to that, In 2012, Arcadia, Sydney to southampton. Quite strict and many comments about the Aussies dress standards from the Poms.

[NSWP]

2 hours ago, arxcards said:

P&O UK can be more brutal than Cunard on formal nights.

Totally agree there Geoff having been on a few P and O uk ships, like Arcadia, Oriana and Aurora. The Brits like their cruising traditions.

[MicCanberra]

4 hours ago, arxcards said:

P&O UK can be more brutal than Cunard on formal nights.

Policy enforcement seems to be the main difference in my experience.

[MicCanberra]

1 hour ago, NSWP said:

Totally agree there Geoff having been on a few P and O uk ships, like Arcadia, Oriana and Aurora. The Brits like their cruising traditions.

Some do but not all, at least that was the case on both Cunard's QM2 and P&O's Azure.

In addition, cruising on other lines out of Dover and Southampton has many Brits n9t packing formal gear for what is a domestic cruise for them.

[arxcards]

1 hour ago, MicCanberra said:

Some do but not all, at least that was the case on both Cunard's QM2 and P&O's Azure.

In addition, cruising on other lines out of Dover and Southampton has many Brits n9t packing formal gear for what is a domestic cruise for them.

That is true. We are getting pieces of their world cruises when those ships are calling here, and that is a much more traditional crowd than a summer cruise.

 

Policy enforcement is achieved because their traditional passengers want it that way, and will insist on "Keeping up appearances".

[lyndarra]

12 hours ago, arxcards said:

That is true. We are getting pieces of their world cruises when those ships are calling here, and that is a much more traditional crowd than a summer cruise.

 

Policy enforcement is achieved because their traditional passengers want it that way, and will insist on "Keeping up appearances".

The Cruise episode was a scream.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b007c3zx/keeping-up-appearances-sea-fever

[arxcards]

12 minutes ago, lyndarra said:

The Cruise episode was a scream.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b007c3zx/keeping-up-appearances-sea-fever

One of the best moments in TV. I think this is floating around on YouTube as well, as the link is UK region 

[arxcards]

1 hour ago, arxcards said:

One of the best moments in TV. I think this is floating around on YouTube as well, as the link is UK region 

The Youtube version for those that have somehow avoided it over the years. I am sure I have met her on a cruise.

 

[windsor26]

On 10/4/2023 at 1:11 PM, OzKiwiJJ said:

Smart casual seems to be OK on formal nights these days and I don't see that as an issue. You don't need gowns or tuxedos unlesz you want to wear those of course. Cruise formal nights aren't black tie formal.

 

We always change for dinner. I usually wear black pants and a dressy top. One outfit I often get complimented on is a floaty black "jacket" with coloured feathers printed on it worn over a black shell top. The "jacket" is actually a swimsuit cover-up! 🤣 Most of my tops are very lightweight but look dressy. Rolf just wears chinos, a shirt (sometime short sleeved, sometimes long sleeved, and sometimes a casual linen jacket.

 

For formal nights I wear silk kaftans, again ultra lightweight and very easy to wear. Rolf loves wearing his tux, and even bought an extra dinner jacket last year!!!

 

Although I don't really care what people wear I do think shorts, thongs and scruffy tshirts or singlets shouldn't be allowed in MDRs in the evenings. 

DH has often said  if you would not be allowed at night in an RSL club in those clothes you should not wear them to dinner on a cruise  (and that includes hats/caps)

[c-boy]

crikey ! I'm coming down next month, and packing three jackets I'll show you blokes how it's done 🤣

[Kristelle]

On 10/5/2023 at 12:01 PM, marinating said:

I double checked prior that there were no Formal nights as our group love to get dressed up in Dinner suits. Unfortunately there was a Formal night, the guys were not allowed in wearing smart pants and jackets but us ladies were invited to stay as we were appropriately dressed! Even though I produced the email confirming there would not be a Formal the guys were asked to leave,

 

 

I would be really annoyed if that happened to me - not because there were formal night requirements but because you specifically asked about them and were told otherwise in writing

 

what is the point of checking things if answers are wrong.

 

Not your fault their left hand doesn't know what their right hand is doing.

[windsor26]

Continuing on the RSL dress code theme   We recently went to Nabucca Heads and used their lovely RSL club   Men were allowed in in shorts if they were 'smart' shorts not swimmers or ragged jean cutoffs

[Gwendy]

On Caribbean Princess in August on formal night, family where males wore daggy tshirts, shorts and baseball caps worn backwards.