RickinSTL

In reaction to the "mens only" post, that's pretty much what my hub did.  I told him he didnt need to wear a tuxedo, but he'll do the suit thing because I'm wearing a formal dress.
 
For me, formal night is like adult prom, I get to have fun dressing up in something I almost never get a chance to wear, and hub isnt too put off by having a suit on for a few hours.  

So @Matt,  can we consider a “slap” reaction face?! ??

This reply is for MEN ONLY. Women, DO NOT read this post! Okay, now that we men are together by ourselves.... here's where I stand on formal night. Women like to dress up. Sorry but they do. Ask the wife what she's wearing. Ask her to suggest something for you. She is thinking not just what you or she will look like, she'll be thinking what you'll look like together, standing in that line or in front of the photographer. Of course you can suggest a slight downgrade "Honey the jacket is nice but I don't think the tie is necessary" might get you out of the tie, but if the wife wants to dress to the hilt.... sorry bud, you will too. Think about it... it's all really about making them happy, and if a night or two of pinched collars, tight shoes and sweating in a jacket will do it, it's really a small price to pay. When dinner's over suggest grabbing a drink to take back to the room. Then change out of that monkey suit as fast as you can and continue on with your plans for the night. 

That's how I do it also on "formal night", but I do wear a tie. However, no socks and I go commando style, much to my wife's chagrin. Hey it is formal night indeed! 

I think its GREAT!  I have a floor length black gown I like wearing for formal night.  I love embracing formal night.  My mother has borrowed an old prom gown of mine for a cruise (was kind of funny seeing her rocking my circa 1990 peach colored prom dress but hey, like daughter like mother!) She now has a sequined jumpsuit and a silk pantsuit she uses as well.
 
I dont think there's anything that would be "too fancy" for formal night.  If you want to rock a ball gown, you rock that ball gown.  If you want to rock a gown with a train, you do you.  And if you want to rock a sundress or a pantsuit, you rock that pretty sundress or pantsuit.  
 
In the end, if you want to wear that black sequinned gown, then you rock out that gown!  Have photos taken (you dont have to purchase them), take your own photos, dance with your +1 if you have a +1.  Make it a wonderful night to remember!

So true!!  I never get to dress up anymore. Nowadays I'm either covered in my kids' snot or milk, or food splatter from cooking.   Alright, I'm gonna fancy it up like no one's business.

I like to see military members in dress uniforms, they almost always look sharp. If my wife sees a handsome naval officer in dress whites she starts to breathe funny, gets the shakes and begins to mumble.

We used Blexie last year.. It cost us130 CUC.. I was so impressed by his assistant Jorge that I tipped them an extra 30 cucs on top of the bill..   Message him on FB.. sometimes it takes a day or two for him to get back with  you ?
 
I actually own a bar in Key West.. Its called Ricks lol ?
 
 

Exactly I didn't serve in the US Army to "qualify" for discounts.. If theyre given and advertised then ill take them.. When I enlisted in 1989 that was the last though on my mind lol ?
 
FREE drinks for Veterans is a policy I could get behind!  could you imagine the carnage at the bar? lmao

As retired U.S. Air Force I feel a bit compelled to weigh in here....with a response that may surprise!  I think they should get rid of the military discount altogether!  Here is why...First, it only exists on paper.  It rarely if ever actually gets applied.  Meanwhile you ruffle the feathers of those non-U.S. non-Canadian military personnel.  There is seemingly no problem with state-side companies offering discounts to U.S. service personnel only, as they are stores/restaraunts etc. that are based in thr u.S. and physically located in the U.S. (I would not expect to get a military discount at McDonalds in Japan.....   BUT despite the fact that TC is suposedly a U.S. company, their market is very international including international ports, routes, and indeed crew!  So to only offer the military discount to certain countries defenders slights others and in today's world of reading-to-much-onto-everything could even be viewed as a political statement.  Offering the military discount to ALL military likewise doesn't work..do yo offer the discount to military from opposing countries?  If not, s soon as you elimnate one you make a statement.  Too many pitfalls here.  Get rid of it I say!   (Now, free drinks for veterans i could support!  ?  

Ok here is my take on this.
I served and I have received discounts here and there, however I have never ever "asked" for them.
I did not serve to get discounts later on in life. If others get discounts and I don't, so be it. I will not ask my "share".
My freedom and that of my family and fellow countrymen is good enough for me.

Sad it has taken all these years to come out.  I personally have asked that question many times.   Getting a state discount is a joke also.  Or a senior discount or a disabled discount.  And so on and so forth.  To all who have served : THANK YOU.

We used Blexie last year.. It cost us130 CUC.. I was so impressed by his assistant Jorge that I tipped them an extra 30 cucs on top of the bill..   Message him on FB.. sometimes it takes a day or two for him to get back with  you ?
 
I actually own a bar in Key West.. Its called Ricks lol ?
 
 

Key West is super easy to just walk off the ship and find something to do - I absolutely love the charm and walk ability of Key West. 
As for Havana, I can't say because I haven't been but I did book a tour for my trip in November through Blexie Tours. It's a private tour in a classic car, but it is through third party. That said, I know lots of people who have used them with great feedback. 

Ok, so I just got off allure on March 31 and was not happy the Chicago forecast predicted snow this week.  That might have had something to do with it!  Or....I was feeling guilty that my daughter was graduating from university of Illinois and I didn’t go to mom’s weekend!  Or....I was still not 100 days til we head to Barcelona and board our first European cruise!   Or it might have been the excitement of finally making platinum but I totally flipped and decided to give my daughter the choice of a trip for her graduation.  And she picked a cruise!  And in searching I realized that the 4 day cruise to Havana and key west was pretty much the same as the 5 day to Cozumel.  Within 24 hours of coming up with this crazy idea, we booked it with my husband’s blessing...which was nice because he will be teaching summer school to pay for the other summer cruise.  So in 66 days, my 22 year old, my 16 year old and I will be boarding majesty!  With this cruise I will have been on 5 different classes and to 11 different ports.  I never thought when I booked my first cruise in 2015 that I would take more cruises in 4 years than trips to Disney!   My obsessions still war (someday Disney cruise) but I have to say that 4 cruises in a 13 month period will make all those long hours of babysitting worth it!  And I must say, this blog might encourage my yolo book it tendencies a bit too much.  I will need lots of advice on where to go in key west and Havana!   Jane

Maybe I'm stupid (ok, I'm probably stupid), but isn't it just semantics whether they call it gratuities or a service fee?

I always pre-pay also.
I'm right in line with these other figures, except on the last 5-6  cruises I have not eaten in the MDR but at specialty restaurants with the UDP, I typically leave a  written in $10 tip per specialty  dinning.  

Right now its 3 but that's subject to change.. lol 
Harmony September 8, 
Harmony Sept 15th
and Freedom September 20, 2020

Harmony B2B would be great. There's always so much to do, so you'll have time to do all with double cruise. ?

Right now its 3 but that's subject to change.. lol 
Harmony September 8, 
Harmony Sept 15th
and Freedom September 20, 2020

How I do formal night ?

How I do formal night ?

Thanks @twangster that was really cool.. I think at this point in my life, I'm just going to stick with cruises..  We've only ben on one land based vacation since we started cruising (Gulf Shores AL for my brothers wedding).  it was nice.. but we realized that land vacations aren't for us 

Wow, I loved pretty much every one of those bands back in the day, and saw many of them live. I saw Trixter MANY times. 

Ahhhhhhh...Cinderella......Skid Row.....Extreme.......some of my all time fav ballads and vides of the late 80's early 90's.......