When we began cruising over 30 years ago, proper attire was required on formal nights. Most 7-day cruises had two formal nights - one on the first sea day, and the other usually on the last sea day (unless that was the night before the end of the cruise). Initially, my husband rented a tuxedo which was delivered to the ship. When we began cruising more and more, he purchased a tuxedo to bring with on our cruises.
We actually enjoyed these "dress-up" nights as we normally didn't do so during the week. This made the cruise something special. It made us feel like we were high class, especially when we went to the theater, or casino after dinner, and when greeting the Captain of the vessel at the Loyalty Party. As you can see, we liked to coordinate our outfits.
To Dress Up or Not
Most cruise lines still offer the opportunity to dress up. Not all lines have formal nights, but even those that don't, will setup photo stations around the vessel, to take family portraits in your finest wear. Some that still have formal nights, will require tuxedos or suits for the gentlemen, and dresses or fancy pants suits for the ladies in the main dining room. If you don't want to dress up, there are alternative dining options where you can be more casual.
The choice is always yours. We had a client several years ago that was sailing on Cunard Line. Dressing up is expected in the main dining room. We explained the dress code expectations. We asked if he'd bought his wife some new dresses for the cruise. His reply was no, that they didn't intend to dress up. They were going to opt for the alternative dining options, because he had to dress up for work, and didn't want to do so on vacation.
Knowing what to expect before they cruised was crucial to a good experience. They loved the cruise, because they made it their own. We love happy cruisers!
(Updated 10/17/21)
Let Us Know Your Choices
Take our poll on our Instagram post or put a comment on this post, to let us know how you feel about dressing up on a cruise. Are there other aspects of cruising that have changed over the years that you like / dislike? What other topics would you like us to cover during National Plan a Cruise Month?
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