I almost always skip formal night on a cruise, and it’s the best choice I make on every vacation.
Many cruise passengers look forward to formal night in the Main Dining Room. It’s a great opportunity to dress up and enjoy a multi-course, sit-down meal with friends and family.
In the past, formal night was true to its name. Passengers dressed in ball gowns and tuxedos, and the event was akin to an elegant gala.
Nowadays, formal night is far less formal. Dress codes are rarely enforced, and unlimited lobster is a thing of the past.
Even still, there are six reasons I opt out of formal night on a cruise, and doing so makes my experience a whole lot better.
I don’t need to pack as many clothes
As someone who doesn't live within driving distance of a cruise port, I fly to every cruise I take. While I don’t mind flying, I absolutely hate paying for checked bags.
These days, most airlines charge between $35 and $45 each way for a checked bag. Flights are expensive enough, so I try to avoid checking a bag whenever I can.
Instead, I pack lightly for my cruises. My carry-on suitcase provides adequate space for a week’s worth of clothes, especially when I utilize packing cubes to compress clothing items.
Related: Royal Caribbean formal night: What to wear
Packing a carry-on means I have to pack thoughtfully. Sometimes, it’s challenging to fit daytime outfits, evening outfits, bathing suits, shoes, toiletries, and formal night clothing into my carry-on.
I simply don’t have the packing space to bring a long, formal dress and nicer pair of shoes.
Even though formal night is far less formal than it used to be, I don’t see the need to pack extra outfits just to sit in the dining room.
Other venues onboard, such as the buffet or even some casual specialty restaurants like Playmakers, have a more relaxed dress code. These restaurants can be a great alternative.
Lobster isn’t unlimited anymore — plus, there is better lobster elsewhere onboard
One of the main reasons passengers love formal night is for the free lobster tails. However, I’d argue that this dish alone is not worth planning your entire dinner over.
First, Royal Caribbean has cut down on lobster tail service in the Main Dining Room. In the past, passengers could order unlimited lobster tails on formal night. For lobster-lovers, this was a huge benefit of attending.
In 2023, though, Royal Caribbean reversed their unlimited lobster policy. Now, passengers can only order one lobster tail at no cost. Any additional lobster tails incur a fee of $16.99 per dish.
Related: Royal Caribbean menus: Main Dining Room, specialty restaurants & more
Even if you’re attending formal night just for lobster, I’d say you’re better off ordering the dish at a specialty restaurant instead.
150 Central Park, a specialty restaurant on Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class ships, has perhaps the most delicious lobster dish the cruise line offers—Lobster Thermidor.
This French dish involves cooking lobster meat in a creamy, cognac-based sauce seasoned with tarragon. It’s then stuffed into a lobster tail and topped with parmesan cheese.
This is one of my all-time favorite dishes on Royal Caribbean. It's perfectly tender, flavorful, and rich. Despite the restaurant’s cover charge, which hovers around $60, I find that this dish alone justifies the cost.
Related: How does specialty dining work on Royal Caribbean?
So, if you’re planning to attend formal night for one small lobster tail, I wouldn't say it’s totally worth it. Instead, consider dining at a specialty restaurant instead for a higher-quality dish.
Specialty restaurants offering lobster include Chops Grille, 150 Central Park, Hooked Seafood, and Izumi Sushi.
Meals in the dining room aren’t as private as I’d like
I don’t mind eating in the Main Dining Room on a cruise, but it’s never my first choice.
My problem with the dining room doesn’t have anything to do with the food itself, but the placement of dining tables.
With thousands of guests onboard a cruise ship, tables are typically close together, but sometimes they’re way too close together.
In particular, the tables of two and four can be just inches away from each other. This leads to a lack of privacy, as you can usually hear conversations from the tables next to your own.
I like mingling with other passengers here and there during a cruise, but prefer to enjoy a more private ambiance when dining. On formal nights, the dining room is even busier than normal, so my chances of snagging a private table location are slim to none.
Related: How do I get a table for two in the Main Dining Room?
Therefore, I prefer dining elsewhere on the ship to encounter fewer crowds. The buffet, for instance, has a ton of tables available at dinner, so there’s no need to sit inches away from another party.
Likewise, specialty restaurants have a more intimate atmosphere than the Main Dining Room. Tables are further apart from each other at specialty restaurants, and I greatly prefer this type of dining environment.
The buffet offers some of the same food
If a dish on the formal night menu catches your eye but you don’t want to dress up for a sit-down meal, consider eating at the buffet instead.
More often than not, you’ll find similar food items at the Windjammer buffet as in the Main Dining Room. While you won’t find lobster tails, you’re likely to see some of the same appetizers, main courses, and desserts at the buffet stations.
Sure, you won’t get that same sit-down service that you would have in the dining room, but there are benefits to the buffet, too.
First, there are a lot more choices available. Whether you’re craving made-to-order pasta, stir fry, Indian curry, or a classic hamburger, you’re likely to find what you’re looking for in the Windjammer.
Related: The overlooked buffet station you should visit on your Royal Caribbean cruise
Not only that, but you can try more dishes, too. Even though you can order multiple entrées in the Main Dining Room, you’ll have to wait for each dish to come to your table. At the buffet, you can try a variety of items with no additional wait time.
Finally, there are virtually no crowds in the buffet on formal night. Because so many passengers head to the dining room, you might just have the venue (almost) all to yourself.
Ironically, the atmosphere in the quiet buffet could be more suitable for a relaxing dinner than that in the busy dining room.
Service is slower due to higher demand
One of my favorite things about eating in the Main Dining Room is the wonderful service from Royal Caribbean’s dining team.
Without fail, my waiters have always been exceptional. Whether they suggest a dish I might enjoy or bring extra ice cream for my chocolate cake, I love the personalized service and attention I receive in the dining room.
That being said, meals can sometimes take longer on formal night. Due to higher demand, the kitchen and wait staff are working more diligently than ever.
A meal that might usually take around 75 minutes could take longer than 90 minutes on formal night.
Longer meals don't always bother me, but sometimes I just want to get in and out of the dining room, especially if I plan to attend a show later in the evening.
The rest of the ship has fewer crowds
Speaking of crowds, formal night can be the best time to enjoy the ship’s public amenities like pools, sports activities, and lounges.
On my recent cruise, I visited the ship’s Solarium on formal night instead of eating in the dining room. This venue was completely packed most days of the cruise, but was nearly empty on formal night.
I enjoyed the pools and hot tubs with no crowds—a rarity on a ship with 5,000 guests!
Related: Chill spots to get away from the crowd on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship
If you’re hoping to try out the ship’s waterslides, FlowRider surf simulator, rock climbing wall, or ice-skating rink, formal night could be the best time to do these activities with fewer lines.
Even if you’re just planning to chill with a drink on the pool deck, it might feel like you have the ship to yourself.
Everyone’s cruising style is different, and some passengers love attending formal night
I almost never attend formal night on a cruise, but that doesn’t mean you should skip it.
For some cruisers, formal night is a classic cruise activity they like to participate in on every vacation. It’s a chance to dress up, take formal photos, and enjoy an elegant meal.
These passengers may find it perplexing to skip free lobster tails in the dining room in favor of the buffet, but it’s what works for me.
Every cruiser has a different style. Some may love spending their days at the pool while others might prefer engaging in activities like trivia and sushi-making classes.
There’s no right or wrong way to cruise. Whether you want to attend formal night or skip it, you’re free to cater your cruise vacation to your personal style.
