Seriously, How Many of You Truly Enjoy Formal Nights?
 

Just curious how many cruisers out there truly look forward to formal nights during their cruises? My husband (43) detests them and I (44) wouldn't be upset if they discontinued them, or at least limited them to one per 7 night cruise. Opinions anyone?

Have you considered a Carnival cruise? They're more casual.

I like Formal nights. In fact, would avoid a line who eliminated them.<BR><BR>

I like formal nights. It's very pleasant to be in the midst of well-dressed people -- seems everyone is a little nicer to be around, more smiles, better manners.<BR><BR>Another factor -- we especially like longer cruises and there, the formal nights add variety and a change of pace. <BR><BR>Looking forward to our transatlantic crossing in June -- all formal nights except first and last (if desired).

It is nice to get dressed up. We are living in a too casual society. Have you been too any public place and looked at how sloppy people are? I enjoy dressing up, and my husband looks great in a suit! Just hate panty hose!

Merrien<BR>I too hate panty hose! Last cruise I took a tux and loved it!!!

We love formal nights. Our lifestyle does not include dressing up all that frequently so it's not a chore for us. My husband never has the opportunity to wear a tux and he was a bit resistant the first time and now he a big proponent of getting into the tux. I don't think we would choose a line that eliminates formal nights either.

Just love Formal Nights..it great to see entire families including the small ones dressed up.. We live in such a time of torn dungarees and t-shirts that I love dressing that way to remiind us of a time when people actually cared about how they looked.

I agree it is fun, to plan on what you will wear on the formal nights. We do live in a extremely casual society. I also think it romantic to get dressed up for a change. Never have a chance to do so, and see my husbands face light up and say &quot;Oh how beautiful you look,&quot;. (lets hope this is what he says!!) He did last time. Or I will toss him over board. Ha-ha. It is all in fun. It is all part of the cruise experience. If some don't like it I do not think they should be forced to do so, just eat elsewhere in the other dining rooms.

I, personally, after 20 + years of cruising are tired of formal nites--<BR>as is my husband...<BR><BR>I go on a cruise to relax and not have to primp---this does not mean I am sloppy,nor do I wear jeans to dinner--<BR><BR>I much prefer the CASUAL ELEGANT cruise lines-- where you just need to wear country club casual...and do does HUBS.

My husband and I are both lawyers. We have to dress up 5 days a week. For us, vacations are to kick back and relax, and not have to spend time wondering who invented the tie, its purpose, and why it is still necessary to wear one.

I too just despise those dratted panty hose, especially when I have to go to the potty. Hard to stand there and get everything undone.<BR>I love to sit and watch all the overweight ladies crammed into their sausage like sequined dresses.

You probably were never invited to prom either!!!!

Shannon--why is important we know you and your husband are lawyers?

Hotels, Restaurants, and Cruise Lines love formal nights. When people dress well, they behave better and also spend more money.<BR>Those of us who work on ships wish that every night was formal night.<BR>Mass Market Cruise Lines are slaves to the desires of &quot;the masses&quot; who cruise on them. All the market research shows that &quot;the masses&quot; do not want to get out of their denims and jogging suits.<BR><BR>If you want to harken back to the &quot;good old days&quot; of sophisticated and well dressed cruise passengers, you usually need to go with one of the upscale (not mass market) cruise lines. It will cost you a bit more, but it is well worth it.

Grumpy,<BR><BR>She probably mentioned they were lawyers as an example that they always have to dress up during the week and therefore prefer to dress down on vacation, it does get tiresome, obviously you wouldn't know. Now if she said they were farmers or waste management I would tend to wonder why she mentioned it. Why did you feel the need to question her? Jealous?

I fail to see the correlation with being a &quot;lawyer&quot; and dressing for a formal p.m. I don't think one goes before the judge in a cocktail dress. They are totally unrelated with the exception of wearing panty hose. A totally different dress code. One is strictly business, one formal. I think the point of being a lawyer was just a reference to dressing up in a fashionable attire. A suit is not formal.

I love being able to get dressed up on a cruise.It makes for a special evening. I really dislike it whan it's a formal night and people change into their jeans after dinner. Tacky. I never wear panty hose on a cruise though, if you are tan enough you don't really need to.

I love formal nights.

I'm taking my first cruise in more than 10 years... In May..and I am sailing on Celebrity. I was told there are 2 formal nights.. Dont mind it...but ladies, I do have a question..a cocktail dress is allright isnt it? I have no reason to buy a long gown do I?....Please dont think my question is funky....Am really curious if a silk pants suit and and a dress would be appropriate..<BR>Thanks so much

Lois, you should be fine, some wear gowns some do not, a lot of sequins are usually seen. On ours it is 2 formal and one casual-formal. Wear the silk pants that p.m. A basic black dress is also fine. You see it all from very dressy, to semi-dressy.

Lois, a cocktail dress is okay in my book. A nice silk pant suit would be fine , too. Dress up black pants or skirt with nice blouses or scarves and just have a good time.<BR> IMO, people hardly notice what you are wearing unless it is far to either end of the continuum. I hardly remember what my tablemates where from night to night. Many think dress is such a big deal, but personalities have a longer, lasting impression at least to me.<BR> I love Celebrity and I, too ,like to dress up a couple times on the week long sailing.<BR> Just get out there and cruise and enjoy yourselves!!

hi.. thank you cruiser and xxx for the nice responses:)... I thought I would be ok with them..nice to hear (read) positive answers..<BR>I am traveling on this cruise SOLO..I was told by my sister ( she cruises 2 or 3 times a year) that Celebrity has a variety of ages.. I am 44.. so hoping at least my table at dinner has some nice folks there!<BR>Thanks again for the input

Good for you Lois. I hope you have a wonderful time.

thanks so much! and when I come back I will let you know how much fun I had too!! SMILE

XXX---Glad I got your attention. Your post is just another example of unproductive sniping. <BR><BR>You said, “She probably mentioned they were lawyers as an example that they always have to dress up during the week and therefore prefer to dress down on vacation, it does get tiresome, obviously you wouldn't know. … Why did you feel the need to question her? Jealous?”<BR><BR>Why did you not let Shannon speak for herself? In what way did she need your help?<BR><BR>My interpretation of the comment was obviously an attempt by Shannon to show how important she was. The law and formal nights have nothing to do with one another. Many people dress for work in suit and tie, as do I. That comment would have sufficed.<BR><BR>Now, as to being “jealous,” if you would have taken the time to look, instead of shooting from the fingers, you could have found my back ground, as I disclosed it in a previous post.

I love formal nights...and have you ever heard of knee highs or thigh highs? If you wear a long gown they would be perfect. Also who would know ( except you ) if you did not wear stockings or pantyhose at all? My husband bought a new tux for cruising and our son's wedding, they are available in dicount warehouses at great prices! Also gowns need not be expensive either.<BR>And if the clothing fits right, why should they feel uncomfortable?

Wow, what a surprise! The majority of Fodorites voting for formal nights.<BR><BR>I too love those elegant evenings.<BR><BR>Thanks Lenore. Great question.<BR><BR>Paul

Lenore,<BR>I know dressing up is a very personal preference. But I enjoy that little bit of &quot;civilization&quot; that seems to be going by the way side. It reminds me of kinder gentler folk.<BR>I do believe it can be done with simplicity though. Once long black skirt and tank can have two jackets for variety, same shoes and bag, different earrings, there you are.<BR>Do be sure to take your husband to a great alterations place along with his Tux or suit and be sure he will be comfortable in his dress clothes. There's no reason to be less comfortable in dressy clothing. Think how handsome he'll be and that beautiful picture of you two, all dressed up, to keep from now on.<BR>Have fun.<BR>Linda

Wow! I have to admit I'm surprised to see all the nods for dressing up. My personal experiences with our table mates (through six cruises) have been just the opposite.....most people complain about having to dress up and being uncomfortable. I do remember a 20-something nanny commenting that she loved formal nights because it gave her a rare opportunity to get decked out. My job demands professional business attire M-T and casual day on Fridays. I have to wear suits, dresses, panty hose and heels almost everyday for work, so I don't really look forward to it on vacation. However, we always follow the dress code of the ship and dress appropriately each evening.

I prefer the &quot;elegant casual&quot; of Windstar. I am going on Seabourn soon for fourteen days with four formals and that is the part of the cruise I like the least. It's so much easier when you don't have to pack the tux, the sports jackets and all the accessories. Much easier to pack nice shirts and sweaters. And with all the food, I have to worry about my tux being comfortable towards the end of the cruise.

Have to wear scrubs at work and sure don`t dress up much otherwise Love being able to dig out the fancy clothes and dress up on a cruise. Beside, it`s fun to see what othe people are wearing.

I also wear &quot;whites&quot; all day. I look foward to dressing up for the cruise. It is different than the ordinary day for me. Afterall, that is what a vacation is all about. Doing something totally different than every day.

My wife and I enjoy formal nights very much. We would not cruise on a line that did not have formal nights. In fact when booking a cruise we seek out those ships and cruise lines that are more formal. If we didn't like it, we would look for a cruise ship that was more casual.

I can't imagine what a cruise would be like without a formal night. It's frightening.

I've only been on one cruise so far, next one is in April 03, and I don't have sequins to wear (call me Cinderella) but I quite enjoy dressing up for dinner, and seeing lots of glitter !!

to H.Simpson --HOMER-- a cruise without a formal nite is sheer bliss--<BR>Don't need tux or jacket , yet you have the best of both worlds on those types of cruises--<BR><BR>5 Star dining, upscale people and clothing, small ship and NO formals anywhere--<BR><BR>Try it- most MEN love this kind of cruise as they don't have to lug a tux or sportcoat around....And once they have tried it, it is very hard geting them back into traditional cruising...<BR><BR>And NO,the people are not sloppy-not in jeans,have LOTS of lawyers,docs, upscale businessmen-- GREAT GREAT GREAT///<BR><BR>And Everyone on the cruise has this same idea of cruising- treat the ship as your own yacht!!<BR><BR>Pooh on the mega liners with the masses on vacation- and give me a small ship geared for quiet casual and tons of elegance!!

I am not a lawyer but I, too, have to wear a suit and pantyhose (and pumps) everyday to work . . . but, my daughter just got married in Sept and I have this gorgeous dress that I paid a fortune for and I am looking forward for someplace to wear it.<BR><BR>Yes, this will be great! I'm going to love formal night, I know it. And, my hubby will look so handsome . . . even after 38 years.<BR><BR>Our first cruise . . . a little dancing, a little wine, a little romance . . . I'm getting goosebumps just thinking about it.<BR><BR>Sandy

I love formal evenings and look forward to them. I too dress during the week, but dressing up on formal evenings are entirely different. And, by the way, hasn't anyone caught on to the idea that you don't have to wear pantyhose -- sexy, strappy high heeled sandals with red painted toe nails are to die for!!!<BR>Just ask my husband!!!!

Sequins are not necessary. Seems to be NYC thing. Also I am getting to see a lot less ties with tuxes. Take a look at the Academy Awards and you will see the latest in fashion. Assorted vests under tuxes with matching bow-ties are great looking. Stay away from cumberbunds.<BR><BR>Paul