Should/Are Eligant/Formal Nights disappear??

[euroguy]

The question is are or should eligant night still exist and are they fadi g away?

I for one on my last cruise did as usual for every previous cruise packed my Tux and my $1000 black suit for formal nights.  I'm use to seeing g gents dressed in tuxes and lady's dressed to the 9's with wonderful gowns or sparkly coctsil dresses. 

Much to my surprise on this last cruise I only saw 1 other Tux, some ill fitted suits that clearly they didn't feel comfortable in and mostly slacks and dress shirts for the guys.  The woman a few had nice dresses but no true gowns or sparkle cocktail dresses, mostly sun dresses.  

I will say that I certainly received many compliments, few winks and couple nudges from age rang of mid 20's to 60's, which tell me women still appreciate a well dressed man 😆 

I even had one walk across the dinning room and said " I couldn't help notice you when you walked in and wanted to tell you how amazing g you look" she was in her 30's. Keep in mind I'm in my mid 50's... needless to say I blushed and had a big smile on my face and all my table mates gazed with shock 🤣 

I for one think the tradition of formal attire for dinner that has been directly linked to cruises stems from a bygone era that represents a since of ones status and self pride. I have always looked forward to formal nights as you can truly dress up and actually have someplace to go.

Perhaps I'm just old school but I think it should remain and be more emphasized by the cruise line.

What do you think???

[FJB]

I like formal nights, I don’t like packing formal clothes. I used to rent tuxes so they were waiting for me upon boarding the ship. I think the last time I checked, I could no longer do that. 

[3Sisters]

@euroguy This is a great question! I personally love to dress up in the main dining room and take photos with my family post-dinner. I enjoy the experience of feeling "fancy," it feels like a vacation to me since I spend much of my days cooking from home dressed casually. I also enjoy the white linen experience at dinner; this is sometimes unusual to me in my everyday as well. Some guests prefer comfortable and casual, but I'm right there with you, I enjoy dressing my best to feel my very best! Usually, my husband wears a suit or just a suit jacket on most elegant nights but I always try to wear a dress or a more formal look on those evenings. A tux is definitely top-notch. If you enjoy it and you feel good about it, I 100% think you should keep on doing it. It's all about being yourself and expressing yourself in a way that makes you feel great. I think new-day culture is more of a do-what-you-feel mentality, which is nice. If you don't feel like dressing up, you don't have to. People like me on the other hand, pack days in advance anticipating the occasion! I hope elegant night continues, and the tradition doesn't change.

[kefthecruiser]

Hey, I enjoy elegant night. I put on my cleanest khaki shorts, a fresh button down shirt (no Polo shirt for elegant night, no sir!), and clean up my Nikes. I enjoy the ambiance on Lido deck and can have as much to eat as I want. Arrive on your schedule. Two desserts?, why take three, they're small. Several times I've have attractive young ladies come over and chat it up. Later they bring me a drink. Yes, the good life.

 

Edited May 15, 2023 by kefthecruiser
clarity

[Cruising Caribbean]

@kefthecruiser It sounds like CCL's casual buffet is the optimal dining experience for you! I love the way you phrased this post; it gave me a great visual with some clean nikes. Honestly, I just enjoy having options. If I don't feel like dressing up and taking the time to do it, I go to the onboard casual buffet. If I feel like getting dolled up and actually getting to the MDR in time, then I dress up! It's best when you just choose what you want to do at the moment, not having to do either or if you don't want to! I love the buffet for late-night bites too!

[Joey]

I agree, I love elegant night; but of course this is the adult that refused to wear denim in high school due to my love for dress attire.

[3Sisters]

@Joey That's funny you refused to wear denim! As much as I love dressing up, I do love to wear a nice pair of jeans every now and again. I'm glad we share the same interest in dressing up spiffy. What is your preferred way to keep your formal clothes wrinkle-free during your cruise? My husband usually has all of his eveningwear pressed onboard. As soon as we get our luggage, my husband asks the housekeeping staff to take his shirts to be ironed ASAP. It's such a bummer that irons and steamers aren't permitted on board, but I understand it could be a safety hazard. 

Edited June 23, 2023 by 3Sisters