Formal wear is officially defined as a tux or dark suit, white shirt and tie for men, and evening wear, cocktail dresses, fancy pantsuits or evening gowns for women.
Luxury cruises give you the opportunity to go formal, if you like to, but not an obligation. Many gentlemen do not wear tuxes. I've seen men in the dining room without jackets or ties, too. (Read your particular cruise line materials to see if a tie is required for gentlemen.) If you consider it fun to go formal, this is your chance to shine and you can go as formal as you like.
You can make it a full-meal deal, pampering yourself with a massage, a beauty treatment, a facial and then having your hair done that day. But book early, appointments go fast. Even if you're cruising in the Caribbean in the summertime, the temperature is always cool in the dining rooms.
PHOTOGRAPHS
A large part of cruising for some people is the opportunity for formal portraits. It will say in your schedule when photography begins. Dress early and you may have to stay in a small line. They happily arrange family groups, even as large as 50. If you need a new professional photo, keep this in mind. They do designer-looking black and white head shots as well, and I wish I had known. I could've saved myself the sitting fee here in town, and a lot of time. So consider bringing along a professional jacket for one of the portrait opportunities.
DON'T WANT TO SPEND A LOT ON SOMETHING YOU'LL ONLY WEAR ONCE
There are several options here:
Plan ahead and shop sales to catch something on special
Shop in stores such as Ross Dress for Less. I'vee picked up wonderful formal gowns for $20-$30
Look in resale stores. Their prices run higher, but there are always designer items, and that's fun, too
Don't forget ebay, great deals, and tons of stuff for men
Rent. Yes, they've thought of everything. CruiselineFormalwear for instance, provides a service for cruise guests on Holland America , Disney, Royal Caribbean, and Princess
HERE ARE SOME THINGS THEY OFFER FOR THE GUYS
Tuxedo rental, delivered to your stateroom
Tailor on board ship, contact the Housekeeping Dept. No charge. (Try on your tux right away; don't wait for formal night)
In case of major fitting problems (which shouldn't occur if you measure right), there is usually extra inventory on board
Inquire Instructions on the website on how to measure
When to order? Call 1-800-551-5091 to inquire about your specific cruise. (Usually 1-2 weeks prior)
Included is: jacket, pants, two shirts, cummerbund, bowtie, and cufflinks/studs
Shoes and other optional accessories are rented separately
Sizes up to 60 X-Long
The black formal socks with the rental are yours to keep
To place your order you need:
Name of ship, sail date and port
Current measurements (height, weight, coat size, chest measurement, pants waist and length (inseam and out seam), shirt neck and sleeve, and shoe size
Credit card payment information
If your cabin number, ship or sail date change, YOU must notify Cruiseline Formalwear. The ship won't
Limited last-minute tux inventory for rental is aboard ship, but it's first-come, first-served, and they may not have all sizes
FOR WOMEN
For women, CruiselineFormalwear offers several different items you can rent, including: black velvet, gold, and glitter blouses, black velvet and black crepe long skirts, and black formal shoes.
If you should forget to bring the right jewellery, there are plenty of choices in the ship store. They also offer basic formal wear for women for sale.
FOR BOYS
CruiselineFormalwear also has tuxedos for boys available for rent
AND
You're on a cruise and there will be food 24/7. Sometimes I'm good and don't gain 5-10 lbs. Other times, well, I always pack this great pair of beautiful black spandex-type evening pants with an elastic waist to wear toward the end of the cruise. Get the picture?
And remember, most cruise ships have alternative dining if you want to skip formal night altogether. Anyways it's your vacation; have it your way!