Modern day purpose of formal night?

[LookingForward2]

"Do they change dining rooms for the other nights that are casual or informal? No, they don't."

 

 

that's one thing I love about Disney cruises. They assign you to a different dining room each night. When we are in the formal dining room, we dress up more formally.

 

btw - for those not familiar with DCL, there are 3 different dining rooms, one formal, one caribbean and one artists themed. You rotate each night, but your servers come with you. A great concept in my opinion!

[MikeNJ1109]

Hello,

 

You are correct. In years past (and still on some ultra luxury cruise ships) you dressed up for dinner. Now, there are formal nights (one to three depending on the length of the cruise) so that persons who enjoy reliving just a little the traditions of the sea, can do so.

 

Formal nights, to me at least, are fun. And those who do not participate (walking arouund the ship in their casual clothes) have a look on their faces as if to say " I didn't realize that a formal night on a cruise ship is a wonderful party".

 

Hope that this helps.

 

Fred

 

Then there are those of us who walk around in our casual clothes, looking on our face as if we're saying, "Thank goodness we didn't bring our penguin suits with us, we're having too much fun watching others suffer in silence."

 

Michael

[caviargal]

Then there are those of us who walk around in our casual clothes, looking on our face as if we're saying, "Thank goodness we didn't bring our penguin suits with us, we're having too much fun watching others suffer in silence."

 

Michael

 

Can't imagine that dressing up equals suffering unless your clothes do not fit properly.;) I am happy that my DH enjoys wearing a suit or tux:).

 

I look at folks dressed down after dinner and remember the good old days of cruising.

[madelinerose]

Then there are those of us who walk around in our casual clothes, looking on our face as if we're saying, "Thank goodness we didn't bring our penguin suits with us, we're having too much fun watching others suffer in silence." Michael

 

Hmmmmm.....due for a new fitting? :rolleyes:

[San Diego Ellie]

For me, formal nights are exciting. I really feel like it is a special evening in a special place. I would not like it if every night was a formal night, but I sure do look forward to the 2 or 3 nights on the cruises I take.

[iheartbda]

Formal clothing weighs more for my husband than resort casual does. His formal suit with shoes, etc. weighs 8 pounds. If we fly to Tahiti and do a post cruise in Bora Bora, we have a 44 pound per person weight limit. I do not find it enjoyable to give up almost 20% of his wieght allowance for something dark and warm to be worn for 8 hours total on a ship in the South Pacific.

 

Add to that the problem these days with lost or misplaced luggage, and we don't particularly enjoy the possibility of losing our more expensive clothing with little real compensation for it, unless we want the hassle involved.

 

We'll continue to pick the casual luxury lines that don't require formal, and let the mass market cruise lines continue to make money on photos, which is one of the real reasons formal nights continue to exist.;)

 

It's not just the mass market lines that make money on photos. To say that's one of the real reasons formal nights continue to exist is over simplifying.

 

As much as we'd all like to think that cruise lines exist solely for our pleasure there is another factor involved. Cruise lines are a money making entity and must look to means to make that money. No one is forced to have their photo taken or even to buy it. All things considered, why are there casinos or bingo? Because people enjoy them and the cruise lines make money. It's these kind of things that help to keep the cost of the cruises down.

 

You're smart to pick the cruise lines that work for you and more people should do what you do.

 

For the other people who only look at formal wear and think everyone is suffering by wearing it, I didn't come across any post that indicated that. Maybe they were enjoying it in silence. :)

 

I still like the suggestion made by someone that there be a dining room just for the ones who truly want to go formal. That way, no one will have any issues one way or another about how others may be dressed.

[Carlz]

Formal night for me is just another theme night- like any of the others. Join in or don't join in...it's up to you.

 

Are there cruise lines where if you don't want to go to the formal night there are no other options for dining? I don't think there are! (but feel free to correct me if I am wrong!:rolleyes: )

 

I'm not about to wear a coconut bra and hula skirt to "island" or 'carribbean" night...but do you hear me complaining that there shouldn't be an island or carribbean night?? nah!

 

From what I've read the enjoyment of a cruise relies a lot less on the actual cruise line and a lot more on the attitude of the cruiser.

 

PS- IMeversoHO Men who do not like dressing up occassionally do themselves an injustice! I've never met a guy who didn't look great in a nice dark suit!:D We should do a poll on how many get lucky on formal night...

 

smooth sailing everyone!

[kanigeta]

Sometimes it's fun to get formal, to be able to use clothes and accessories that some of can't very often, and sometimes it's nice to opt out and enjoy one of the alternatives on board.

 

When travelling with my teens, it was an excellent opportunity for us to enjoy the air of excitement involved with dressing up for an evening out. That's simply not something that happens in our neck of the woods, but when we travel we enjoy it.

 

I do think it's too bad that some people look down upon others for not being dressed "to the nines", but I've rarely seen that happen. What I've experienced on board, is that any reasonable formalwear did the job. Do I want to look over to see someone dressed casually on formal night? I wouldn't particularly care. But I'd wonder why they didn't take advantage of one of the alternative options that night.