You should be applauded for trying to find out as much as possible about the cruise you have booked. The internet is invaluable (including the many fine people on this message board). There are also worthwhile books on cruising. Your travel agent should also be helping you with your concerns. In addition, the cruise line itself will provide you with the answers to many of the questions you have.
For example, regarding dress on a Celebrity cruise, the cruise line on its website and in its brochures offers the following:
“Celebrity Dress Codesâ€Â
“You will need three types of clothing on your Celebrity cruise: casual shipboard attire or day wear, conservative port wear and eveningwear.
Daywear includes slacks or pants, blouses or shirts, knit tops or polo shirts. Bring a pair of sneakers or rubber-soled shoes for deck sports and a swimsuit cover-up for cool areas on the ship.
Port wear for women includes a casual dress, skirt and blouse, or pants outfit; for men, casual pants or walking shorts, and polo-type shirts. Comfortable walking shoes are a must.
A gentleman's choice for casual nights includes a sport shirt and slacks, while women will be comfortable in a pants suit, skirt and blouse, or casual dress.
On informal nights, men are requested to wear a jacket, shirt and tie, while women may want to wear a suit or dress.
For the formal nights, including the Captain's Welcome Aboard Cocktail Party, dinner on the second night, and the Captain's Farewell Dinner held the next-to-last night of the cruise; both men and women may prefer more dressy attire, such as an evening gown for women and a tuxedo or dress suit for men.†(Quoted from Celebrity’s website FAQs.)
In these days of Levis and tee shirts, many people do not follow the suggested dress guidelines. Still there are many people who do dress-up on cruises, especially on what is regarded as the more refined, upscale cruise lines such as Celebrity and especially on “formal†nights. For example, on any given formal night aboard Celebrity a larger than expected percentage of the males will wear the prescribed formal wearâ€â€a tuxedo (some owned, some rented aboard ship) or a white dinner jacket. Many will wear dark dress suits, which are also suggested in the Celebrity dress code. Yet an equal number will only wear business attire or sports jackets and ties. A few attend formal dinners in casual clothes. Many people who do not wish to participate or to wear the dress suggested will decide not to eat in the main dining room on formal nights choosing instead the more casual dining available or room service.
Some people on this message board replying to questions on dress take a “don’t worry, it doesn’t matter, wear what you want†stance. Unfortunately, when it comes to dress there is no best answer. A lot depends on the make-up of the passengers aboard your cruise and even more depends on you. On some cruises, if you don’t follow the suggested attire you could at times feel under dressed. To some this wouldn’t matter to others it could be embarrassing. You have to decide how that would make you feel and how it may or may not impact your vacation. (The opposite can also happen. Sometimes there are so many passengers, for whatever reason, so casually dressed; you ask yourself why you bothered packing finer clothes.)
Although dress standards everywhere have drastically been relaxed and will continue to change, it is important to know that formal dining and dressy attire on ship is a significant tradition. Often not mentioned is that many passengers enjoy wearing better clothes while cruising and have a strong preference for everyone to do likewise. Many passengers do not appreciate those that make no effort at all to abide by the dress code. Some would suggest that it shows lack of respect to those who do dress up and follow the guidelines. Many people feel that cruising is special, a part of which, like say going to the symphony, is wearing the appropriate clothes. After all, they say that if they make the effort (it is after all for most people a hassle and a considerable added expense to dress as suggested) everyone should at least try. Many people think it takes away from the cruising experience and their own vacation when others disregard the dress code and wear, for example, nothing but jeans and tee shirts.
Much depends on the cruise line. For example, it is safe to assume that older passengers appreciate the tradition of formal nights and adhere to the suggested dress more so than younger passengers. So the issue of dress becomes more of an issue on cruise lines like Celebrity that caters to and attracts a large number of older passengers. Also where you are traveling and the time of year play a part. A cruise to the Caribbean is going to be more informal than a European cruise. Likewise, when school is out more families cruise and those cruises tend to be more casual. And, of course, daytime on ship is always more casual than dinner.
The key is to select your cruise and cruise line wisely. Each cruise line offers a different product and is geared to specific segments of the cruising public. Sometimes when people are dissatisfied with a cruise it is not the fault of the cruise company. Often the person has just selected the wrong cruise line. This is not to suggest that some people do not belong on some ships. It is just that cruise lines cannot be all things to all people. Some cruise lines put their money in their spas and others in their youth programs. All cruise lines have onboard activities--some have experts lecturing others have toga parties. Some ships have rock walls to climb while others serve high tea. In regards to dress codes, of the major cruise lines, most would agree that Celebrity (as well as the so-called luxury and other premium lines) and their passengers still put more of an importance on dress and formal nights than others. Norwegian, for example, now has no formal nights at all.
People that like cruising will usually have a worthwhile experience on any mainstream cruise that they select. (Celebrity Cruise Lines, in particular, provides a quality product and good value.) But knowing what is important to you and which cruise line is most apt at delivering it will go a long ways to making sure you have the most enjoyable and memorable sailing possible.
