Are dinners on cruises formal?

The rest of the week, proper dress in the evening was a polo shirt or any shirt with buttons, and long pants. And shoes. There is usually one formal dress night in the main dining room. On some cruises I've been on I can go in jeans and a pull over shirt in some of the other dining options.



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Your cruise is your own. If you don't want to dress up for the evening, then you certainly don't have to do so. Many people choose to keep it casual. If you decide that shorts and a t-shirt are as formal as you want to get, you won't be alone.

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Formal nights:
  • 3/4/5 Night Cruises - Usually on Day 2.
  • 6 Night Cruises - Usually on Day 2 and 5.
  • 7 Night Cruises - Usually on Day 2 and 6.
  • 8 - 10 Night Cruises - 2 Formal Nights, Days vary by ship and sailing.
  • 11 - 14 Night Cruises - 3 Formal Nights, Days vary by ship and sailing.


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Men may wear slacks with collared dress shirts or sweaters, but jackets are optional. Women should choose dresses, pantsuits or skirts or slacks with nice tops. On formal nights, proper attire includes tuxedos, suits or slacks (jackets required) for men and evening gowns, cocktail dresses or dressy pantsuits for women.

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For evenings, the recommended onboard dress is elegant casual for most ship venues. Suggested attire for men includes trousers and collared shirts (ties and jackets are optional but not required). For women, dresses, or skirts or slacks with sweaters or blouses are recommended.

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On formal nights, proper attire includes tuxedos, suits or slacks (jackets required) for men and evening gowns, cocktail dresses or dressy pantsuits for women. Jeans are welcome in all dining venues during the day, but they're not appropriate in any public venues for dinner or cocktail hour.

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On informal nights, jackets (ties optional) for men are recommended, while women can opt for dresses or pantsuits. Tuxedos, dinner jackets or dark suits for men and gowns or cocktail dresses for women are suggested for formal nights.

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Most cruises have at least one formal night, but not all do. On short cruises of five nights or less, there may be no formal night. Some cruise lines have very relaxed attitudes to formal nights, and you'll find that many people opt to wear casual clothes on these nights.

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Guests don't have to dress up at any point on a Royal Caribbean cruise if they don't want to. Royal Caribbean does have formal and smart casual nights where there is a dress code in the main dining room but cruisers are able to eat in the buffet or other dining venues without adhering to the dress code.

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Cunard Cruises have a reputation for being the most formal cruise line in the world. People often don't book a cruise with this company because they think you have to dress formally every night.

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All big ships come alive at night -- expect theater shows (ranging from Las Vegas-style revues to Broadway musicals), live music, crew talent shows, stand-up comedy, themed parties on the lido deck or in the dance club, dinner theater, ship wide scavenger hunts, feature films or even renditions of The Dating Game.

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Casual Dining: If your guests do not want to dress up formally for the dinner, they have the choice of casual dining. Most of the cruise lines offer casual dining which is buffet style dinner and also set up to order from the menu with table service (in the evening).

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Most cruise lines permit wearing clean, nice jeans in the main dining room and specialty restaurant on “casual” and “smart casual” evenings. On cruise lines where there is a formal night, jeans are not permitted in the main dining room. However, you can always eat in the casual restaurants and the buffet.

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3/4/5 Night Cruises - Usually on Day 2. 6 Night Cruises - Usually on Day 2 and 5. 7 Night Cruises - Usually on Day 2 and 6. 8 - 10 Night Cruises - 2 Formal Nights, Days vary by ship and sailing.

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T-shirts, swimsuits, robes, bare feet, tank tops, baseball caps, and pool wear are not allowed in the main restaurant or specialty restaurants at any time. In addition, shorts and flip-flops are not permitted during the evening hours.

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Nice jeans would also be ok, although we'd suggest something slightly more dressy. That said, not everything goes. There are some clothing items to avoid if you plan to eat in the dining room on formal night. This includes shorts, tank-tops, t-shirts, and swimsuits, as well as flip-flops.

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Cruise Elegant Ladies: cocktail dresses, pantsuits, elegant skirts, blouses and evening gowns. Please no shorts, t-shirts, flip-flops, bathing clothes, jeans, cut-off jeans, sportswear and baseball caps.

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After breakfast service ends in the late morning, all major cruise lines offer an all-day room service menu of salads, sandwiches, snacks and desserts. Most cruise lines have special in-room dining menus, separate from what you'd find that day on the buffet or in the main dining room.

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Carnival cruise dress code Carnival is one line where casual is the name of the game. Passengers will be just fine in jeans, T-shirts, tank tops, shorts and bathing suits for their days on board or ashore. At night, nice jeans and nice tops are perfect for eating in the main dining rooms.

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I'm talking about any high heels you might feel compelled to bring for a formal dinner night. High heels are not the easiest to walk in, period, and on a big ship with varying surfaces ranging from wooden decks to busy narrow carpeted hallways, it's really awkward. Think about lower heels, block heels or wedges.

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Flip flops, sandals, or waterproof slides These shoes will take you back and forth from your stateroom to the pool and vice versa. They also come in handy if you choose to visit the onboard spa. Lightweight water shoes are great for some ports in the Mediterranean, where beaches tend to be pebbly.

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Here are some of the major things you don't need to pack for a cruise.
  1. Soap and Other Toiletries. Most ships are equipped with soap, shampoo, conditioner, lotion and shower caps. ...
  2. Hair Dryer. Ships all come equipped with hair dryers. ...
  3. Clothesline. ...
  4. Beach Towels. ...
  5. Dirty Laundry Bag. ...
  6. Books. ...
  7. Snacks. ...
  8. Booze.


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