Formal night?

[Bigrigg]

I am sailing on AOS in january 09, I was curious as to how dressed up you need to be for formal night? What is appropriate attire for ladies? What is appropriate for men?

[JanineM]

When in doubt, always check Royal Caribbean's webiste:

 

 

Q: What are the dress codes onboard?

A: There are three distinct types of evenings onboard: casual, smart casual and formal. Suggested guidelines for these nights are: Casual: Sport shirts and slacks for men, sundresses or pants for women Smart Casual: Jackets and ties for men, dresses or pantsuits for women

The number of smart casual and formal nights is at the ship's discretion.

Formal: Suits and ties or tuxedos for men, cocktail dresses for women Note: *Some 12-night European cruises may have 3 formal nights

 

We appreciate your usual parental guidance and cooperation in observing these easy guidelines with your children.

 

Please note ice skating on our Voyager Class & Freedom Class ships requires that all skaters wear long pants and socks for their own comfort and safety. Capris and long shorts are permitted.

[satxdiver]

I am sailing on AOS in january 09, I was curious as to how dressed up you need to be for formal night? What is appropriate attire for ladies? What is appropriate for men?

 

I was on the AOS in late September. Formal night was Monday and Thursday. There were a few tux wearers, more men in suits, a good number of sport coats and then there were those in pants and a dress shirt. Some had ties on and some did not. Monday night was a bit more dressy than Thursday night. Thursday night I saw less suits/sport coats and more shirt and pants only. I did see some jeans being worn.

 

You are in the Caribbean where formality is not the normal mode anyway. There will be a lot of Puerto Ricans aboard who live in the Caribbean and dress according to their customs which is for the most part informal.

 

Wear something clean, nice looking and in good condition and have a great time. Incidentally I saw shorts being worn by men in the MDR on nights other than formal nights. Personally I wore a dress shirt and pants on formal night and polo shirt and khaki pants on the other nights and did not feel out of place. I never wear a tie anymore.

[Ohunion Cruzers]

Here's what RCI says:

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do;jsessionid=0000votJ6_mr1_LPog2Yd-YNQL6:12h3g0fq2;jsessionid=0000Otz_MtjJCpHtElRpiSKki_j:12h3g0fq2?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqSubjectName=Life+Onboard&faqId=255&faqSubjectId=334&faqType=faq

 

I follow the Rules.

[Shipyard Cruiser]

Here's what RCI says:

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do;jsessionid=0000votJ6_mr1_LPog2Yd-YNQL6:12h3g0fq2;jsessionid=0000Otz_MtjJCpHtElRpiSKki_j:12h3g0fq2?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqSubjectName=Life+Onboard&faqId=255&faqSubjectId=334&faqType=faq

 

I follow the Rules.

 

Rules such as tossing kids out of the dining room on formal night?

 

As always folks want to know how people dress on a real cruise, not how they dress on the website.

 

Are you sure you don't wear jeans on formal night?:D

[138east]

No one mentioned the ladies! I have two "costumes" for formal nights - long, comfortable summer dresses that I bought to go to weddings. They are both polyester and pack really well. I have a small evening bag and black sandals and I am good to go. Women also wore dress black pants with a dressy evening tops as well as fancier cocktail dresses and long "gowns".

[Bakincakes]

On our last cruise most were dressed properly for formal night.

 

We were glad to see a man who was not dressed appropriately, denied entrance into the MDR.

[HMSDingy]

Here's what RCI says:

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do;jsessionid=0000votJ6_mr1_LPog2Yd-YNQL6:12h3g0fq2;jsessionid=0000Otz_MtjJCpHtElRpiSKki_j:12h3g0fq2?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqSubjectName=Life+Onboard&faqId=255&faqSubjectId=334&faqType=faq

 

I follow the Rules.

 

 

This is the exact quote from the RCI website. Notice the word in red.

 

There are three distinct types of evenings onboard: casual, smart casual and formal. Suggested guidelines for these nights are:

 

Heck I've rented a tux for my last 4 cruises because I like to go the whole nine yards but I'm not that fanatical. As matter of fact for our next cruise I've opted to bring a suit just for a change.

[ubdkjrb]

Here we go again. To the OP - by the time this thread finally dies out, you will still not know how to dress for formal nights.

 

My take: they call it formal night for a reason - not to just confuse you so you have to ask what to wear. The distinction is meant to differentiate your dress for those two nights from what you wear the rest of the time. They use the word "formal" to imply some some sort of "sunday best" which at the least would be shirt and tie for men. The suggestions on the website are there for a reason. If the cruise line didn't care what you wore, they wouldn't waste the space.

 

Now, unfortunately you are going to read that it's your vacation and you can wear what you want. The people that will write that will point out that you paid for your vacation, that the cruise line doesn't enforce their suggestions (God forbid you call them rules or dress code), that the wait staff will encourage you to come to the MDR instead of wearing your shorts to the buffet, etc.

 

On our side of the argument, you will read that it's only common courtesy to dress as requested; not unlike being invited to a wedding reception at the country club and asked to dress accordingly. We will point out that the MDR is decorated as it is for a reason, that the white table cloths imply formallity as does the wait staff's dress.

 

And finally, I will always offer the observation that those that advise you to dress as you like without regard to the suggestions or other people's dress are those same people that let their kid's run rampant thoughout the ship, sponsor loud parties in their cabins until the wee hours of the morning and save seventy-eight seats in the theater. They just don't give a d***!!!

 

Peter

[Shipyard Cruiser]

And finally, I will always offer the observation that those that advise you to dress as you like without regard to the suggestions or other people's dress are those same people that let their kid's run rampant thoughout the ship, sponsor loud parties in their cabins until the wee hours of the morning and save seventy-eight seats in the theater. They just don't give a d***!!!

 

Peter

 

I would advise you dress as you like and don't even have kids and never party in my cabin:D

 

And you know I wear a suit and tie on formal night.

 

I would advise folks to stop assuming based on ther own idea of how you should dress.

 

Just the facts please:)