Formal Night on a Cruise: What to Wear

Cruises are typically a laid back affair, but despite being a way to relax and take a vacation, it's fun to dress up nicely from time to time. Formal nights allow just that. If you've never been on a dinner cruise ship before, you'll probably want to ensure that you know what to bring for formal night.

Dressing Up on a Dinner Cruise

It's normal to dress semi-formally for dinner on a cruise, particularly if you are eating in the nicer dining room, as opposed to ordering in or eating at a more informal area. A nice dress or slacks and a blouse for women are appropriate for these dinners, a suit or slacks and a tucked in button-down shirt work well for men.

Another opportunity to dress up a bit would be when you hit the dance floor on the cruise ship. Many people prefer to wear nice clothes and shorts are generally frowned upon in this case.
These are the normal situations that you would find yourself dressing up for on a cruise. Nothing terribly formal and the atmosphere is still relatively casual. Not so on Formal Night.

What to Pack for Formal Night on a Cruise

The formal night on a cruise is meant to be one of a kind and it shows. While a nice suit can be acceptable for a man, tuxedos are now the norm on many cruises. Just think of what you would wear to a nice wedding . . . if it would pass there, then you're probably good to go.

Women have far more choice in what to wear. Formal ballgowns are definitely an option, but your most elegant "little black dress" can also be very appropriate. Again, imagine wearing it to a wedding and you'll know if it's formal enough. Women may choose to wear brighter colors, like red or emerald green, but when in doubt, stick to black or white to be sure you'll fit in.

For women, matching shoes and jewelry is a must. If you have an elegant gold chain or something more formal such as a string of pearls, that will dress up any outfit. Matching earrings add an extra touch of elegance to the outfit, too. Add a touch of more formal makeup and do your hair up for the ultimate in elegant looks.

Can You Rent?

Often cruise ships will have a tuxedo and dress rental where you can pick up something for the evening that will be appropriate. However, these rentals are usually booked very early, so make sure to book as soon as you board, or even earlier, if possible. This requires that you be aware of the option, of course, so you'll need to talk to your cruise ship representative about the Formal Night.

If you find that you are just really stressing out about the dinner cruise event, just make it easy on yourself. Call up the cruise line ahead of time to find out just what is required. Are they offering rentals? Will there be a theme to the Formal Night? Preparing yourself for this event will keep the stress levels to a minimum and allow you to truly enjoy the cruise.

Formal Night is a night meant to be super romantic and beautiful. While not everyone enjoys dressing up, it is still a wonderful occasion to enjoy your partner and have fun in a more upscale environment where you can be the belle of the ball or the prince of the hour for a short while. Just be prepared and arrange everything ahead of time to make sure you won't be thinking about the event the whole time.