how dressy for formal nights?

[MomC]

My husband and I will sailing on the Voyager on the St. Petersburg/Baltics Cruise in August. This is part of a land/sea Tauck Tour. Tauck encourages you to bring only one suitcase which certainly limits the clothes one can take. How dressy are the formal nights on this ship--OR is it country club casual every night in every dining venue???

 

Mom C

[Travelcat2]

I'd suggest that you visit the Regent website (rssc.com) and find the cruise you will be on. They list the dress code for each day -- also describes what each designation means. Limiting you to one suitcase is not reasonable for this type of a trip (just my opinion).:)

[Jim B]

I wish it was Country Club Casual all the time!!

Sorry to say that Formal nights for men are a tux or dark suit.

Ladies formals or very nice cocktail dresses.

Now a few people I cruise with have already or are going to take a

navy blue or black blazer and a couple of dress slacks and with a tie call it "good enough" for formal night.

With these recent airline restrictions updates it is becoming harder and harder to

pack light enough for a cruise.

[Gardening Girl]

We returned home a couple of weeks ago from our Regent Mariner Eastern Caribbean cruise. Formal attire on our ship for men was 50% in Tuxes (looking very handsome) and 50% in Dark Suits. Women on the other hand ran a wide range of possiblities. Few were in long gowns, some were in cocktail dresses and others in dressy black slacks with fancy tops! We had two formal nites, I brought one dressy black cocktail dress with two different wraps and I felt appropriately dressed and no problem wearing my dress for both formal nites! Have a great cruise!! GG

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I haven't done a Baltic cruise, but I know that they tend to be more formal than, say, the Med. My husband gets by with a dark blue suit, and a pair of gray pants so that the jacket can be used as a blazer on informal nights.

 

Women can get by with a very light, simple outfit that could be just a dressy top and slacks, dressed up with a bit of jewellery.

 

We always manage with one suitcase each, but surely they don't mean one suitcase between you?? Any way, with your schedule, that you could store your cruise duds while you do the Tauck part of the trip? We've done that before, several times.

[Travelcat2]

Just checked two Baltic cruises on the Regent website (August 16 and the following week). One week had one informal night -- the second had two informal nights. Neither one had a formal night. The Baltic cruise is extremely port intensive -- perhaps Regent is taking that into consideration in terms of passengers getting back late and having little time to get ready in the evening (?) I honestly do not remember what the dress code was on our trip two years ago -- we did not notice anyone in a tux or dark suit on our photos/video

[klauer]

You might want to check to see if Tauck actually restricts you to one suitcase per person. I went on a tour with another company (Grand European, I think) and found out at the orientation dinner that a second bag was permitted for a small additional charge.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Just checked two Baltic cruises on the Regent website (August 16 and the following week). One week had one informal night -- the second had two informal nights. Neither one had a formal night.

 

Wow, that's great. One reason why I've never considered the Baltic route. Looks like they are keeping formal nights on the longer trips, but dropping them on the 7-day (which is what they did in the Med. several years ago I think.) Now if they'd just drop them altogether...ahem, not trying to start a war here.

 

I'd be interested to hear how big a suitcase Tauck allows. As I said, we easily get by with one case per person, plus a small carry-on.

[kimiata]

Hi, we did this cruise last August. On that one, the dress code was either Informal or Country Club Casual. I wore black pants every night with a dressy top. My husband brought a jacket for the Informal nights and also for dining at Signatures.

 

It was an incredible trip, maybe the best ever. I hope you have a wonderful time!

[MomC]

As always, the cruise critic boards are the best source of information--bar none. I did look at our itinerary as someone suggested, and found, like someone else, that there are no formal nights. Two informal nights and the rest are country club casual. I think we can manage now that I don't have to take my evening gowns and all the shoes to go with them.

 

Thanks again!

 

Mom C

[Travelcat2]

They seem to be keeping formal nights on longer cruises :( Our upcoming cruise (in 13 days:-) has two formal nights. With luggage limitations on airlines (and apparently with Tauck), packing for formal nights is a challenge. We do fine with one suitcase each on 7 night cruises - but am challenged with the 11 night -- and next year a 24 night. . . don't think shoes should be counted when in a suitcase:D

[wishIweretravelling]

Ah, but I love formal nights. Not because of me dressing up--a pair of dressy black slacks and a dressy top get me through any and all formal nights--but because a man has not been born yet who does not look good in a tux. And, on formal nights, at least 1/3 of the men are wearing tuxes. Yes, I realize those men are mostly husbands and partners, but a lady can look, can't she?

[Catnip]

With luggage limitations on airlines (and apparently with Tauck), packing for formal nights is a challenge.

 

I wear the same outfit for both formal nights. Especially if it's a black outfit, you can use different jewelry/belt/scarf. I don't think most people remember what others wear to dinner anyway.

[Travelcat2]

Thanks for the input on formal nights. I do have a dressy black skirt that I could use different nice blouses with. And, I'm already mentally packing too many shoes. Can't disagree with a man in a "tux" -- very sexy. Unfortuantely, my DH comes from a very formal background and now hates dressing up. I'm working on it -- so far, he will wear a black suit and tie. Hopefully, before our long cruise next February, I'll have him in a tux (maybe just wishful thinking):confused:

[Gardening Girl]

My husband hates dressing up, lives in t-shirts, jeans, shorts in summer, etc. He hates wearing suits/sport coat & tie, etc. On our recent cruise he brought along his tux and wore it for both formal nites and looked like a million bucks, and didn't seem to mind it at all!!! Enjoy! GG

[canadagal]

I certainly don't want to turn this into another one of those threads debating about the merits of formal versus CCC but with the recent move by the airlines to charge for the second checked bag I'm hoping that they start to reduce the formal nights as mandatory on cruises. People can always dress as formal as they like on any cruise and not really look out of place but if the formal dress code is in effect those that don't wish to can't really dress down. It's getting harder and harder to pack and especially for those longer cruises. TC2, if you can get your hubbie in a tux for Feb 09 then good for you but mine will be in his dark jacket and pants with tie.....that's about as formal as he will go these days. Right now I'm thinking that you and the others will be seeing me several times in the same outfit and thank heavens there is a self serve laundry on board as that will help to reduce the amount packed in washables. I have the same problem with too many shoes but I'm working on it. I thought about shipping our luggage to Santiago but I have visions of the ship leaving and our luggage not arriving. What a situation that would be!

Pat

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Pat, I was just thinking--perhaps for the "formal" nights, they could think about making it optional, or "suggested", with "informal" as an alternative. As much as we would like completely CCC, that we could live with. Don't like the idea of dress codes being enforced around the ship, but people who love to dress up should be encouraged to do so.

[Paint Horse]

As I sit here out in the country - and I am most definitely a country boy -in my jeans with the right knee torn out, with no shoes or socks on I would argue that dressing in formal attire is just part of this cruise line. There is no significant difference in effort or bulk in a bag between dressing in a tuxedo versus a coat, tie, and slacks. If you do not wish to dress as suggested, then take another cruise line. I do not understand why everything has to seek the lowest common denominator.

[Travelcat2]

As I sit here out in the country - and I am most definitely a country boy -in my jeans with the right knee torn out, with no shoes or socks on I would argue that dressing in formal attire is just part of this cruise line. There is no significant difference in effort or bulk in a bag between dressing in a tuxedo versus a coat, tie, and slacks. If you do not wish to dress as suggested, then take another cruise line. I do not understand why everything has to seek the lowest common denominator.

 

Have to disagree a little bit here. My DH wears/carry's a suit jacket on board the plane -- something that would be difficult with a tux. Even without luggage limits you're talking about some heavy stuff to carry to and from the airport. I understand that you're a "country boy" that can carry around your luggage. Some of us (even with new lightweight luggage and working out three times a week) have difficulty managing that much weight.

 

Your last comment was harsh. Whether or not someone chooses to wear a tux on a cruise ship says nothing about them as a person and definitely does not mean that anyone is seeking the lowest common denominator. :(

 

 

 

P.S. Pat, there is no way I'll talk my DH into a tux for Feb. 09. It's wishful thinking on my part. ;)

[canadagal]

Wendy, I hear you and what you are suggesting but there really is not much difference between formal and informal with the type of clothing the gents have to pack as a jacket and tie is required with both. My point was that people can dress as fancy and formal as they wish on any cruise without being told to but people can't dress down from what the suggested code of the day is. I have been to land based restaurants where I have been more dressed then required just because we were celebrating a special occassion and/or it pleased us to dress that way. The fact that the other patrons happened to be dressed less, if you want to call it that, certainly did not impact on our enjoyment of the restaurant. I certainly do agree with you though that I too would like CCC as the code of the day all the time. I just don't get what the big deal is about people being so concerned about what others are wearing. Painthorse, to suggest that someone is somehow a person seeking the lowest common denominator is really labeling everyone with a wide brush and simply not true. I would bet my last dollar that those that have posted on this thread do conform to the cruiseline code of the day... and probably not necessarily because they like it but because it's there. No one is suggesting that people not conform to the dress code but rather that the cruiselines need to relax the dress code. To tell people to go elsewhere is a pretty cavalier response and impossible as there is no where else to go. Just because some don't like formal doesn't mean they don't appreciate the dining, ammenities and superb service and everything else on the luxury lines.

Pat

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Well, no, you don't need a tie for informal, just a jacket. At least that's my experience. I agree with everything you're saying, and I think I was making more or less the same point.

 

I agree that Painthorse is a bit out of line. But let's not start another flamewar here! :o

[Paint Horse]

My point is there is very little to putting on a tuxedo in comparison to a just a shirt and a pair of pants. What are we adding here? A jacket, a tie, and a vest. I agree that human beings believing that doing so changes the mood is a little strange, but we do. So go with the flow. This line calls for for it, so pack it. This topic comes up over and over and over, which is why I jumped in this time. I am still sitting here barefoot wearing my dirty jeans with a huge hole in the knee, but the tuxedo is also just down the hall. It really is no trouble to pack, then put on once or twice a cruise. :confused:

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Well, the line doesn't actually call for it. Tuxedos are optional, dark suits are just fine on formal nights, aren't they? That's what my husband wears. He does a good job of adhering to the Regent dress code doing that. They also don't insist that ladies wear long formal gowns, do they?

 

We love Regent, and will continue to sail her when we can. We are looking at Oceania, but not because of the dress code, but the overall value.

[canadagal]

Dress code as per Regent's website:

Shipboard attire ranges from Country Club casual to informal to formal. Country Club casual (resort-style attire) is appropriate for daytime on board or ashore. Shorts are not appropriate after 6 p.m. in any of the public rooms or lounges. Guests are asked not to wear bathing suits in the restaurants and lounges at any time. Evening attire can be Country Club casual, informal (sport coat and tie recommended), or formal (black tie optional). Evening dress codes begins at 6 p.m.

 

Sorry, my mistake Wendy, tie is "suggested" and I guess not mandatory for semi-formal. It's the "suggested" word that is perhaps why my hubbie always seems to wears one when he has to put on a jacket. I agree that we are both really saying the same thing. I don't intend in participating in a flame war here. Painthorse, no one has suggested that pax don't go with the flow nor adhere to the dress code. They were just stating that they wished it would be relaxed or modified because of various reasons and until then will adhere.

Pat

[crooz4fun]

My husband and I will sailing on the Voyager on the St. Petersburg/Baltics Cruise in August. This is part of a land/sea Tauck Tour. Tauck encourages you to bring only one suitcase which certainly limits the clothes one can take. How dressy are the formal nights on this ship--OR is it country club casual every night in every dining venue???

 

My wife and I are also taking the Tacuk Tour this August. My TA checked and there is only one informal night and no formal nights. The Veranda is country club casual on all nights. I haven't decided yet whether to bring a sport coat or not.

 

Our Tauck departure on August 14th from Copenhagen. Are we on the same tour?????