What's Formal on Spirit

[RM0312]

I know it's been asked and answered but rather than search the various threads, I'll ask again :o ...what is appropriate for the optional formal night if one chooses to participate? I know a suit and tie for a man is said to be fine but is that what has been observed (i.e., would one feel out of place amongst the tuxes or are the tuxes the minority)? Also I see where there are both optional "formal" and "semi-formal" nights. How do the two differ for both male and female?

 

Thanks for helping two cruise rookies!

[johnql]

I haven't been on the Spirit but I have sailed on 3 NCL Freestyle cruises, including the Sky's Alaskan itinerary, which might be similar to what you're booked on.

 

As far as formal dress, a dark (more or less business) suit for a man will be fine on formal night. So will a tux or dinner jacket. You won't feel out of place because the range of dress will run the gamut. I would estimate that the percentage of formally dressed cruisers on my 3 Freestyle cruises ranged from 25-50%.

 

Semi-formal is usually a jacket and tie for a man, not necessarily a suit. A more casual suit would also be appropriate (light-colored, even seersucker, versus a dark suit).

 

Personally, I opted to stick with the "resort casual" throughout all my Freestyle cruises. That's one of the reasons why I love Freestyle.

[Lib0007]

I normally enjoy formal night, but lugging the formal clothing along is quite a chore for only wearing once or twice so it is nice to now have an option and still be able to eat in the dining rooms.

 

During freestyle "optional" formal night, is there anywhere you can't go if you aren't dressed up or are the formal/casual people all in the same restaurants at the same time?

 

Just curious . . . . .

[johnql]

During freestyle "optional" formal night, is there anywhere you can't go if you aren't dressed up or are the formal/casual people all in the same restaurants at the same time?

Yes and no. Depending on the ship that you're on, they sometimes designate one of the main dining rooms as the formal dining room. That way, people can dine with "birds of the same feather" in a segregated way. However, as far as I know, they won't stop a casually dressed person from dining in the formal dining room. It's more of a guideline.

[Laura4cruise]

I was on the Spirit's 6/19 cruise. On formal night I saw lots of men with just suits, with some tuxedos. Semi-formal seemed to be "navy blazer night", but there were navy blazers out in force on formal night too. It's such a mixed bag that I couldn't tell.

 

Women really seemed to glam it up on formal night, more so than the men. A lot of black gowns with sequins or beads.

[RM0312]

Thanks for the feedback. I would just as soon go the "resort casual" route since I wear suits 4 days a week anyway but my wife enjoys the occasional formal night and since making her happy is my loftiest goal, I will probably pack a suit.

 

Thanks again.

[cpayne]

We leave on NCL Spirit 8/21. In reading this post I gather there is only 1 formal night? I thought I had read in the NCL documents there was two formal nights? Am I mistaken? Don't want to take more formal wear than I need because as much as I enjoy those nights it is a lot of extra items to bring and to pack delicately!

[Laura4cruise]

There was one formal night and one semi-formal night.

[cpayne]

Laura4cruise:

 

On the semi formal night did you see men in tuxedos? My husband loves the opportunity to get all dressed up and will be disappointed if a tux is not appropriate on both formal nights.

 

Were full length gowns appropriate for both formal nights for the women?