Hi, just wondering how formal the formal nights are on board these days? Last time I cruised (Caribbean Islands on Holland America in 1995) it was usually something 3/4 length to long with beading (often heavy beading - think Titanic). This time cruising Mediterranean on the Ruby Princess. Will an evening style after 5/cocktail black dress (below the knee) dressed up with evening shoes and jewellery suffice? Also, what is suitable attire for dinner? Thinking dressy shirts with nice trousers/skirt/heels......

it is a lot more casual than it used to be

on Princess you will find lots of variability.

any thing semiformal works for dress up even pants for some

though many will use it as an excuse to play dress up.

So think you are fine with what you propose.

cruiscritic.com will have Ruby Princess reviews to check

to get specifics from recent cruisers.

There is little on a cruise that is elegant any more so that formal nights,per se, and relics of the past. It seems that most cruisers might the requirements in the least possible way. The lines are losing the battle to rent tuxedoes. For women, I suspect anything fancier than a painted sweatshirt would do.

LOL - thanks for that. It's sad isn't it that people don't "dress up" anymore? Everyone is so blase these days and by making things "affordable" to everyone, unfortunately it's taken the "special" out of special occasion. I went to the theatre a few weeks ago and although my mother and I wore "nice" dresses and heels, and my Dad wore a suit and tie, many people were there looking like they'd just come from the garden. Some guys were even in shorts. Yes, it was a hot night, but really!!

Thank the airlines! I am not going to pay for an oversized suitcase.

Our last Princess cruise I put DH in a suit and tie and I wore black slacks and a beaded top. Will do the same on the cruise we are taking in September. We did see people in tuxes and bridesmaids looking dresses. They were the exception and not the norm. Mostly Sunday dresses or dresses like I've seen younger girls wear in a dance clubs and suits with or without jackets for the men.

Go to cruisecritic and look at the thread "Post a Picture of your dress" There is a seperate one for plus sizes. After looking at those I didn't think what we wore was any better or any worse, but it will give you a good idea.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=627140

You are spot on ... an evening style after 5/cocktail black dress (below the knee) dressed up with evening shoes and jewellery would suffice.

Dressy shirts with nice trousers/skirt/heels would be suitable attire for dinner. Think country club casual.

Check out the International Cafe for light lunch and Expresso.

Your black dress sounds perfect. I have a couple long dresses, very simple (one black; one dark green) that I often wear on formal nights. They're knit so don't wrinkle and are comfortable. On non-formal nights I often wear black slacks with dressy tops and on port days how tired I am determines how dressed up I get. No fashion police arrests yet! lol Enjoy your cruise. I hear good things about the Ruby Princess.

Your black dress sounds perfect. I have a couple long dresses, very simple (one black; one dark green) that I often wear on formal nights. They're knit so don't wrinkle and are comfortable. On non-formal nights I often wear black slacks with dressy tops and on port days how tired I am determines how dressed up I get. No fashion police arrests yet! lol Enjoy your cruise. I hear good things about the Ruby Princess.

On carribean cruises I hae done (5 with the most recent being in 2009) the formal night was very informal. Last one I wore a silky somewhat cocktailish sundress above the knee and husband wore suit with no tie and we were dressier than many. other nights I wore casual sundresses and husband wore khaki pants and golf shirt. That being said we are doing a med cruise in July albeit on the less formal Carnival and was wondering if it woudl be the same or if people dress up more for the med cruises than the caribbean? To be honest we may skip altogether on formal night as the ship stays in port until 7pm and i think we may want to squeeze all the tiem we can in on land - we plan most nights to do dinner on our own in port onthe med trip as with exceptin of formal nioght, we are in port until 9pm each day and I woudl rather eat at a local restaurant in Europe to be honest.