Dressing up on formal nights a thing of the past?

[7x5090g]

I admitted I have not set foot on a cruise ship since 2017 (yes there was also the pandemic since then) so I feel so out of touch.   Recently booked a trip on VOTS in June 2024 for a 7 night Greek Isles + Turkey cruise.  My tuxedo has been sitting in my closet (and yes I last wore it on Oasis in 2017) and I was thinking if I should dust it off.  Hearing these days no one dresses up like they used to anymore on formal nights. I wanted to find out if I put my tux on would I just end up looking like the maître d' among other cruise pax in their shirts and slacks only....appreciate some recent observations.  Thx.

[kernow]

Despite what you read on here DH always wears one and he is never the only one.Also as your cruise is in Europe you usually see a few more than on a Caribbean cruise.

If you want to wear it go for it.

[neverbeenhere]

Tux: you will be one of a few wearing

 

jacket and tie: many more than tux

 

tie only: more than jacket and tie

 

long sleeve shirt: some

 

polo/short sleeve button down: many many

 

tshirt: many

 

 

[doghog]

9 minutes ago, 7x5090g said:

I admitted I have not set foot on a cruise ship since 2017 (yes there was also the pandemic since then) so I feel so out of touch.   Recently booked a trip on VOTS in June 2024 for a 7 night Greek Isles + Turkey cruise.  My tuxedo has been sitting in my closet (and yes I last wore it on Oasis in 2017) and I was thinking if I should dust it off.  Hearing these days no one dresses up like they used to anymore on formal nights. I wanted to find out if I put my tux on would I just end up looking like the maître d' among other cruise pax in their shirts and slacks only....appreciate some recent observations.  Thx.

Don't concern yourself with what others are wearing or possibly might be thinking about what you are wearing. Do what you makes you feel good. 

[smokeybandit]

Plenty of people still dress up. Just a lot more don't. 

[7x5090g]

thx all.  To me changing from swim wear to a tuxedo is part of the cruise experience that I have always enjoyed.  Playing a hand at the Casino in a tux with a vodka martini in hand  (...ok too much of a JB fan too)...LOL

[h20skibum]

In the UK and the Med, you will see many more dressed for formal night than you will on a typical Caribbean cruise.   
 

Granted, I haven’t done the Med since 2019, but more were dressed formally than those who were not.

 

Our cruise on Symphony last month in the Caribbean had a higher percentage dressed for formal night, but I attribute that to the large number of families wanting nice photos for the holidays.  That said, I saw no one else with a tux other than me.   

[livingonthebeach]

Tuxes are few and far between - so are kilts, but you do see them occasionally. I love to look at them but I figure if I’m not wearing a ballroom gown, I don’t expect my mate to wear a tux. 

[Sunshine3601]

We love to dress up.    Hubby may not bring his tux on every cruise (3 to 5 times a year) but as others have said European / Med cruises tend to dress up more than Caribbean cruises.      If you enjoy wearing your tux then go for it and have fun!

[CynBeth6]

We were on a Med cruise in July from Barcelona to Civitavecchia and most people wore shirts and shorts to dinner or a nice top and pants. Maybe once in a while saw a suit or dress. There were no tuxes. We had the first seating.

[AlohaLivin]

No. I think my parents would both be shocked by this fact, but I actually enjoy dressing up on occasion and we use cruises as those occasions, DH has several tux jackets and often brings one on a cruise (or a jacket/slacks for others). Plus formal dresses aren’t inexpensive, formal night gives me a reason to get extra use from them. Since we each get a free 8 x 10 photo for each cruise, we might as well take advantage of it! 
 

* I finally learned how to tie a bowtie this year, so I am up for lease for free on a cruise if someone needs help 😂

Edited January 14 by AlohaLivin

[toxicfairy]

I always wear a full length gown and hubby wears a suit and tie. He would wear a tux but doesn't own one. But he does have some VERY nice suits. Best part of cruising is seeing him in a suit!

[Tree_skier]

4 hours ago, 7x5090g said:

I admitted I have not set foot on a cruise ship since 2017 (yes there was also the pandemic since then) so I feel so out of touch.   Recently booked a trip on VOTS in June 2024 for a 7 night Greek Isles + Turkey cruise.  My tuxedo has been sitting in my closet (and yes I last wore it on Oasis in 2017) and I was thinking if I should dust it off.  Hearing these days no one dresses up like they used to anymore on formal nights. I wanted to find out if I put my tux on would I just end up looking like the maître d' among other cruise pax in their shirts and slacks only....appreciate some recent observations.  Thx.

Absolutely not!  I wore a tuxedo on harmony in December.  While I was in the minority there were many other passengers who dressed up.  I love it when folks dress for formal nights.  

[zaylyn2590]

I personally don't dress up but i definitely felt like I was in the minority. It was a holiday cruise so I'm assuming more people dressed up due to that. 

[George C]

22 hours ago, 7x5090g said:

I admitted I have not set foot on a cruise ship since 2017 (yes there was also the pandemic since then) so I feel so out of touch.   Recently booked a trip on VOTS in June 2024 for a 7 night Greek Isles + Turkey cruise.  My tuxedo has been sitting in my closet (and yes I last wore it on Oasis in 2017) and I was thinking if I should dust it off.  Hearing these days no one dresses up like they used to anymore on formal nights. I wanted to find out if I put my tux on would I just end up looking like the maître d' among other cruise pax in their shirts and slacks only....appreciate some recent observations.  Thx.

Yes dressing up is a thing of the past , I packed my tux on more than 50 cruises from about 1985 to a few years ago , doubt I will ever wear it again, glad we have lots of pictures from back then. I don’t even pack a sports jacket anymore.

[Mim Lloyd]

Dressing up on Formal nights in the Med is definitely on the wane. I was on the Explorer in the Med for 2 weeks in September/October 2023 and didn't see any tuxedos on any Formal night, in fact very few people dressed in suits or long dresses. You barely noticed any difference to non-formal nights. We were very happy with this as we don't want to waste our luggage allowance on fancy clothes and 'proper' shoes .... Holidays are to be relaxing! 

[Oxo]

26 minutes ago, Mim Lloyd said:

Dressing up on Formal nights in the Med is definitely on the wane. I was on the Explorer in the Med for 2 weeks in September/October 2023 and didn't see any tuxedos on any Formal night, in fact very few people dressed in suits or long dresses. You barely noticed any difference to non-formal nights. We were very happy with this as we don't want to waste our luggage allowance on fancy clothes and 'proper' shoes .... Holidays are to be relaxing! 

This is not only on RCI. This change in evening dress has changed on other cruise lines too. Very casual today! 

[SoloAlaska]

Dressing up means different things to different people. I love getting changed for dinner but travelling with carry on only for my next cruise will make that challenging. With airlines now charging up to $100 for checked luggage it’s just not worth carrying all that extra stuff. 
 

I love cruising in Alaska so dressing up means getting out of your hiking clothes which for me means a knee length dress and a little makeup and I’m good to go. I don’t do this just for formal nights but try to do it every night of the cruise.

 

A tux is a little much but making an effort is always nice to see. Do note I am allergic to wool which most tuxes are made from so I’m the person who avoids them. My bf knows if he wants to dress up it better be linen, cotton, or silk.

[CntPAcruiser]

DH and I brought our tuxes and wore them on the first formal night of our last cruise. As it turned out, we ended up not wearing them on the second formal night, partly because our tablemates in the MDR were not dress-up folks, but also because of the itinerary and the fact that we just didn't feel up to it. That was a first for us, not wearing tuxes since we've brought them on a cruise. I guess we're slipping.

[PhillyFan33579]

5 hours ago, Oxo said:

This is not only on RCI. This change in evening dress has changed on other cruise lines too. Very casual today! 

It hasn’t changed on Celebrity. I just got off a 9 day cruise and saw passengers denied entry to the MDR every night. Of course people tend to dress a lot nicer on Celebrity than on RCI ships. Personally I like both environments. On RCI I usually wear shorts to the MDR and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere while I like dressing up on Celebrity and enjoy the more formal environment. 

[doghog]

4 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

It hasn’t changed on Celebrity. I just got off a 9 day cruise and saw passengers denied entry to the MDR every night. Of course people tend to dress a lot nicer on Celebrity than on RCI ships. Personally I like both environments. On RCI I usually wear shorts to the MDR and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere while I like dressing up on Celebrity and enjoy the more formal environment. 

It changed in 2016. Celebrity now has evening chic for the MDR. A lot more relaxed dress suggestions for the MDR in the evening. 

[PhillyFan33579]

11 minutes ago, doghog said:

It changed in 2016. Celebrity now has evening chic for the MDR. A lot more relaxed dress suggestions for the MDR in the evening. 

Understand. I was referring to the point that men still have to wear pants in the MDR, unlike RCI (i.e. Celebrity still enforces their dress code to a point unlike RCI).  I agree across the board most main line cruise lines have relaxed their dress codes over time. 

[SPacificbound]

Only pack your tux if you enjoy wearing it.

[doghog]

6 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

Understand. I was referring to the point that men still have to wear pants in the MDR, unlike RCI (i.e. Celebrity still enforces their dress code to a point unlike RCI).  I agree across the board most main line cruise lines have relaxed their dress codes over time. 

Except the first evening in the MDR, I always wear short pants. 

Edited January 16 by doghog

[George C]

My first cruise in a suite we were invited to dinner with the captain glad I had a tux , this was about ten years ago , one person didn’t even have a tie . 

50 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

Understand. I was referring to the point that men still have to wear pants in the MDR, unlike RCI (i.e. Celebrity still enforces their dress code to a point unlike RCI).  I agree across the board most main line cruise lines have relaxed their dress codes over time. 

Depending I saw someone with cutoff jeans and a baseball cap enter celebrity mdr about 5 years ago , I even questioned the girl at the front door and she said she wasn’t allowed to deny entering. But I hav seen dress code enforced in suite restaurant.