How do I know if my cruise has formal night?

The best source for this information is the Compass (daily cruise newspaper) which will post the suggested dress along with the weather forecast so check it each day of your cruise. Not always. We've had formal nights on port nights too. But, in general, first formal night is almost always night 2.



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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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Viking Ocean Cruises also eschews formal nights, but requests no jeans at dinner. Virgin Voyages has perhaps the most liberal policy of the big ship cruise lines, saying, “We encourage you to wear more than a bathing suit if you go to a restaurant and kindly consider shoes, but your style is your style.”

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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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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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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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Dinner or “smart casual” attire If you're having dinner in the main restaurant or any meal at one of the specialty restaurants, you'll follow a “smart casual” dress code on most nights. This means long pants, jeans, a dress or skirt, a stylish top, or a button-down.

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For dinner in restaurants and the main dining area guests are suggested to wear smart casuals such as sports shirts, slacks, skirts, and pants. Every sailing that lasts six nights or less on a Celebrity Cruise features a formal night, where guests have to be in formal attire.

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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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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. If you'd wear it to the pool or the beach, you don't want to wear it to formal night.

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If you want to attend a “cruise elegant” evening, bring a fancier, more formal outfit. Men can wear suits or dress slacks with a sport coat and dress shirt. For women, cocktail dresses, pantsuits or elegant skirts and blouses are appropriate. Some guests like to go all out with a tuxedo or ball gown.

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Dressy shoes It's a good idea to bring just one pair of dress shoes that can go with your outfits for formal nights. I like to bring a pair of gold strappy dress shoes, as they look fabulous with every color of dress (black, white, navy ect).

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Food and drinking are usually complimentary on the cruises. You are also allowed to bring your own snack on the cruise so that you can have what you love. A certain time is fixed for every meal - breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You can either have it with everybody in the dining room or bring it to your room.

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Cruise ship workers are not supposed to hook up with passengers, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen. It is rare though – most crew follow the rules because they know they'll lose their job if they're caught. You won't be surprised to hear that cruise lines ban crew from having sex with passengers.

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In accordance with the dress code, passengers cannot wear regular shorts or gym shorts, bathing suit attire, beach flip-flops and other similar items in the dining room.

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On one night of your cruise, your cruise director will be throwing a White Hot Night Party… and you're invited! So when packing for your cruise, remember what an amazing photo op this will be and bring your favorite, most fun… even quirkiest white clothing and matching accessories.

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