Formal dress required?

It depends on what you call formal. A jacket and tie are required for the dining room on formal nights. If they don't want to wear that they can always dine in the lido which is set up in the evening as sit down dining - not buffet.

I have yet to see anyone actually turned away on a "formal night" and many men wear a dark suit or a jacket and tie or not.

I think if you look closely you'll find the cruise line actually "suggests" a certain sort of attire.

I HAVE seen people turned away from cruise ship dining rooms if they tried to wear a swimsuit to a meal.

Dukey - actually I have seen on both Princess and HAL men turned away if they didn't have a jacket on. The only time they didn't need one was casual night. These were on longer cruises - so perhaps they are not so strict on the short cruises. It is certainly not necessary to wear a tux or even a dark suit - sports jacket and slacks with tie is fine. It is nicer for the guests who have taken the time to dress up to have at least others at the table in something other than golf tees etc. That is why there is always alternate dining options for those who don't want to be "dressed"

I saw 2 young men trying to march into the restaurant in the white fluffy robes provided by the cruise line It was on Dawn Princess to Alaska.

If nicely dressed, like no torn jeans, should be fine. Maybe black jeans, nice top - don't think they will be refused a dinner. It's more about "everybody looks formal, and I am not, this makes me feel bad"

Just sailed Coral Princess - Alaska, with 2 "formal" nights. Saw only a couple of tuxes, about 50% dark suits, 25% sports jackets, ties, nice pants and remainder dress shirt, tie, dress pants. For woman, mostly dresses which would have been considered day wear - not even cocktail dresses. Very few gowns. And this was for later dinner seating.

Sailed Celebrity Caribbean 1 1/2 years ago - people were more formal on formal nights.

However, I suspect it is itinerary rather than cruiseline in this case.

I cannot understand why they have formal nights, very few seem to actually enjoy them to the rest they are just a nuisance, possibly to take your mind off the food. We will never travel in future unless they have at least one dining room that is casual every night. Problem nowadays is baggage, from Australia we are allowed just 20 Kgs, by the time that you've packed the transformers etc for the cameras, laptops and all that there isn't much room left for clothing and the cost of an extra suitcase is prohibitive.

If you hate formal nights like I do, try sailing Oceania or Azamara cruises.
They each have great "small" ships (around 700 passengers) and NEVER have formal nights. They call their dress code "Country club casual" - any nice shirt and slacks will do for men.If you want to wear a jacket/tie - "suit" yourself.
They also have great itineraries.

The minority dress formal on formal nights. WE have done about 7 Celebrity cruises and have dressed up but never formally. Just use good taste and do dressy casual and you will be fine...especially in Alaska.

Americans have become a classless, tastless bunch of slugs and slouchers. Wearing jeans and shorts 24/7 has become the uniform of the day. Sitting on floors or slouching against walls are standard waiting area postures. We make our cruises special through elegance: I pop for the least pricey suite with butler service; I order High Tea "in cabin"; I order the best availble wine package; I bring my tux with several different ties & cumerbunds and wear them on formal AND business attire nights. I order champaign with desert and bring the unfinished bottle "in bucket" to the casino and finish the night in the cigar bar with a great cigar and brandy. If others wish to dress and act as 3rd world natives, that's their decision but I see it as civilization regressed.

On Holland America Trans Atlantic crossing, our friend's 20 something son was turned away from dinner on several occasions for not having a collared shirt. He tried to go everywhere in a T shirt. On formal night he did wear a suit. Many people were dressed nicely and women in cocktail dresses or gowns! We were pleased to see that the ship was keeping good standards, we did not want to sink to t shirts and jeans for our fine dining experience.

I happen to agree very much w/you John. Unfortunately, with advent of modern-day conveniences there is also a meteoric rise in the dumbing down of folks.
Cruises are one of the last bastions wherein one may dress & dine w/aplomb. However, there are the philistines who do detract from the experience.

I went on a Celebrity Alaska cruise, and they did ask some people to change that were not dressed appropriately. I do like formal nights, and so I tend to go for the more traditional cruise lines that still have them. There are many cruiselines that have Eat where you want, when you want, how you want so there really are options for both kinds of cruisers.... But - that being said, you don't have to wear a tux to formal night - just some nice, simple clothes - suit for the men, dress or nice pants outfit for women....