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.
The rule of thumb is that a week-long cruise will have two formal nights during the trip (i.e. Day 2 and Day 5). Shorter trips normally have one. It may be that if you are on a very short cruise (e.g. three days), there might not even be one formal night.
MORE DETAILS
The first Cruise Elegant evening is scheduled for the 3rd or 4th day of the cruise; the second Cruise Elegant evening is scheduled for the 4th or 5th day prior to the end of the cruise, schedules permitting.
MORE DETAILS
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.
MORE DETAILS
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.”
MORE DETAILS
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.
MORE DETAILS
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.
MORE DETAILS
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.
MORE DETAILS
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.
MORE DETAILS
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).
MORE DETAILS
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.
MORE DETAILS
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.
MORE DETAILS
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.
MORE DETAILS
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.
MORE DETAILS
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.
MORE DETAILS
Day: Casual shirts, shorts, trousers and beachwear are ideal. The main restaurants require a casual wear dress code for breakfast and lunch, however you may wear shorts in either the Kings Court (Queen Mary 2) or Lido Restaurant (Queen Victoria & Queen Elizabeth).
MORE DETAILS