Question for past cruisers on formal wear for women...

I know there are 2 formal nights as other cruise lines do, where one is more formal than the other. I was wondering if on the more formal one a long velvet sleeveless dress would be fine or if this would be too formal ??? I have a mid-calf little black dress, as they say for the other formal night. Please advise.

Dear Barb,
Your long sleeveless dress sounds perfect for Captains Night. It is the "dressiest" night at sea. The shorter dress is just right for the second formal evening,

Women dress to the nines for formal night. It would be hard to overdo it :-)

...in case you are wondering, fewer and fewer men are wearing Tuxedos. I would say it is 10% or less now...but most do wear a nice dark suit.

The industry trend is toward more casual dining and cruising to attract a broader spectrum of customers.

That dress should be fine. I was on the Atlantica in January and people were wearing an assortment of dresses. From very dressy to some not so dressy.