another alaska dress question

[ohio cruisers]

Hi All
I have cruised the Caribbean 7 times but never Alaska. This May on the Diamond will be our first. Is is common for men not to wear a suit to formal night on Alaskan cruises? I don't want to feel out of place , but it would be nice not to pack it, being this cruise has more packing. I have heard these cruises are less formal. Like I mentioned I have never cruised Alaska. Cruisers from Ohio

[LisaK]

pack the suit.

[ohio cruisers]

I was 99.9% leaning that way. I wouldn't even dare let the hubby know that I would even consider not packing it. I have even thought of renting a tux the prices don't look to bad on those. Ohio cruisers

[Rev22:17]

Ohio Cruisers,

I have cruised the Caribbean 7 times but never Alaska. This May on the Diamond will be our first. Is is common for men not to wear a suit to formal night on Alaskan cruises? I don't want to feel out of place , but it would be nice not to pack it, being this cruise has more packing. I have heard these cruises are less formal. Like I mentioned I have never cruised Alaska.

The cruise lines do not change their dress standards in Alaska, but the practical reality is that the region seems to draw a somewhet higher percentage of passengers who don't conform -- by which I mean people who show up for formal night in a sport coat or blazer and tie rather than proper formalwear or a dark suit. Perhaps part of the problem is travel agents spreading misinformation ("cruises to Alaska are less formal") that becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy when their clients follow their mistaken advise, and part of the problem may be a lot of first-timers who don't understand the difference between a "sport coat" and a "dinner jacket."

In any case, I agree with the earlier reply -- either pack the dark suit or hire the tux.

Norm.

[CA Cruiser]

Yes, pack the suit but if you are worried about space, fold it up in a bag and put it in your carry on. As soon as you get in your cabin, put it in the laundry bag for dry cleaning or just pressing. We have been doing this lately and it has saved us lots of space and wrinkling headaches.

[Straughn]

It is our experience that on Alaskan cruises, formal nights are less "formal" then on Caribbean cruises. On our last cruise to Alaska (fall 2004), 75-80% of the men did not wear tuxes. There was a smattering of blazers and ties, some tuxes, but the vast majority of the men wore dark suits. I attribute some of this to the packing issues for Alaska. Unlike the Caribbean, you need to pack for multiple climates and therefore need to devote more space to "everyday" clothing. A suit just seems simpler to pack than the tux and its accessories. The women also tended to wear fewer long dresses, but did wear cocktail dresses and dressy pants outfits.

[ohio cruisers]

Thanks so much for all of the replies. The suit is going with us. I will pack fewer shoes for myself. Ohio Cruisers.

[Donna]

For sure pack the suit. You see just about all the men in suits and or tux's on an Alaska cruise, they are not any less formal than a Caribbean cruise.