Formal Nights - are they really formal?

howejustin

howejustin

Youth Counselor
I've cruised Carnival three times and have noticed that every formal night, people with jeans and a t-shirt are allowed in. I personally love to wear jeans, a collared shirt and sport coat on formal nights, so I'm wondering how strict RCI is.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks!
 
Cruizer

Cruizer

Staff Captain
Carnival is pretty relaxed when it comes to the dress code. That said, I don't think jeans and t-shirts are in keeping with the spirit of formal night.
 
Cruizer

Cruizer

Staff Captain
Cruizer said:
Carnival is pretty relaxed when it comes to the dress code. That said, I don't think jeans and t-shirts are in keeping with the spirit of formal night.
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Oops - your question is about Royal Caribbean. :duh:

You will find that Royal Caribbean is also fairly relaxed. No doubt someone could (and probably has) gotten in the MDR with jeans and a t-shirt on formal night. Nonetheless, that is not really in keeping with the spirit of formal night.

If one don't have "formal night wear" I usually tell them to wear nice clothing (something you would wear to work if you had a desk job) and you will be fine.
 
howejustin

howejustin

Youth Counselor
Thanks for the information, however I think my original post was misread (or a case of selective reading is going on, as I've seen in previous posts about the same subject). I never mentioned that -I- would wear jeans and t-shirts, just that I've seen others do so on Carnival (which is rude at formal night). I said that I love to wear nice jeans (there is a difference), a collared shirt, sport coat and dress shoes. Think of Richard Branson, and that's the style I like.
 
MisterD21

MisterD21

If you take me serious, it's your problem
Hehe... got my tux packed and ready to go for my cruise.. I enjoy formal nights, or at least i do one if not both on a 7day cruise. I think it is a fine tradition, and should be respected by those who do not wish to participate. I't not like you have to dress like that the entire cruise, it's only for an hour or so during dinner, and perhaps mingling afterwards. I only wish more people saw formal nights as an oppourtunity rather than an inconvienence. There is nothing wrong with taking an evening to show others that you can dress well and interact in a formal setting.

I don't think i would like to go "formal" in most of my social settings, but i do so when attending theatre and stage productions. It is because it is a social event which tradition dictates the dress. Like i've said it's nice to occasionally remind myself that I am capable of rising above my daily social settings and show that i am more than the guy you see day to day in jeans and t-shirts.. Truth be told though, Jeans, t-shirts and sandals are much more comfortable to wear than formal wear... For me it's the tie.. I hate for anything to be close on my neck.. but i suck it up and i do well..
 
MisterD21

MisterD21

If you take me serious, it's your problem
howejustin said:
Why do jeans and t-shirts keep coming up? That's not the main or supporting point of the thread.
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Ditto what Cruizer said.... Plus this is a dead horse issue. It's been posted on many times since i've joined a few months ago. The whole Formal VS Non formal thing is simply been beaten to death. Eeryone knows that the major cruiselines have abandoned their "Formal" dining dress codes to appease the slobs who think appearance is not important. After all their money is as green as someone dressed in formal right??

Look... I enjoy formal nights, others do not.... Unless i am prepared to be the dress code Geheime Staatspolizei(gestapo), then i just have to accept it. Dislike it as i May, I do respect others rights to be mentally deficient... or their lack of using the defective brains they were given.. But, to be honest these are usually the same people who think it acceptable to talk loudly on their cellphones in a library.. so we can't really expect more from them can we??? I wonder if i were to show up to dinner in the MDR dressed in a depends undergarment, and nipple pasties would i still get served..... the answer is probably yes... especially if i were to say it was my service pasties... yeah i'm about over service animals too if you couldn't tell.. I don't care to go grocery shopping with the guy with the pet iguanna on his shoulder either, what damn service is that damn iguanna serving?? eating the flies that swarm him because he lacks personal hygiene??? eeewwwww.... I still say that is the same class of person who refuses to dress for formal night. eeeewwww.... Low class or no class. they should be euthanized to put them out of my misery... .

WOW..... ALL THAT BECAUSE YOU GOT ME GOING BECAUSE YOU ASKED WHY WE WERE TALKING ABOUT JEANS AND T-####S....ERR... I MEAN T-SHIRTS:thankyou::thankyou::thankyou: I APPARENTLY NEEDED TO VENT.

WHERE'S MY DAMN SERVICE ANIMAL ??? .... DOH!!!!!!
 
Mbandy

Mbandy

Staff Captain
MisterD21 said:
I enjoy formal nights, or at least i do one if not both on a 7day cruise. I think it is a fine tradition, and should be respected by those who do not wish to participate. I't not like you have to dress like that the entire cruise, it's only for an hour or so during dinner, and perhaps mingling afterwards. I only wish more people saw formal nights as an oppourtunity rather than an inconvienence. There is nothing wrong with taking an evening to show others that you can dress well and interact in a formal setting.
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Ditto :clap:
 
F

frito

3rd Officer
Howejustin, I have cruised numerous times on Carnival and several times on RCCL.
There is a difference in the dress between the two. Carnival has relaxed it's dress " codes "
( if it ever had one it never enforced it anyway ).
On Carnival, jeans, a sport coat and collared shirt would probably not even be noticed on "formal" nights.
However, as I said, I do feel there's a difference between RCCL and Carnival when it comes to dressing for dinner. ON RCCL I don't wear a suit nor tux but a sport coat, tie and a pair of khaki or docker type pants fills the bill nicely. I would just sub the khakis for the jeans, wear the sport coat with a tie and you'd be fine.
Just a step up from Carnival--that's all.
I would think you'd enjoy RCCL, especially if you're going on one of the larger Voyager class ships. Happy sails to you !!
 
L

LDH1027

Deck Crew
Mbandy said:
Ditto :clap:
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I can honestly say that on 2 RCI cruises with late dining (can't speak for early or My Time) that we never saw jeans (nice or otherwise), Tshirts or shorts. Maybe a few questionable sun dresses but everyone seemed to be at least kind of "dressed up". Maybe because they saw all the other patrons and staff in their party duds so they made a beeline back to the cabin for a quick change, I can't say. I'm not sure if they would have been "turned back" but I'm pretty sure they would have got enough speaking "looks" so they probably didn't do it twice. If they didn't feel like changing they probably trotted off to the Windjammer instead.
 
P

pasvorto

Youth Counselor
On my last cruise, on both formal nights, I saw people in t-shirts (that looked like tuxedos) and I also saw people in shorts and aloha shirts! Formal? Not where I was looking.
 
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