Dress Code Question

Your thinking about Royal's dress requirements. The OP is sailing on Norwegian, and other than some of the specialty restaurants having a more upscale dress code (as in no shorts) there is no formal, elegant, or chic nights on any of their ships that depart from US ports. So beyond a few universal no-nos, like no swimwear without cover-up and no men in sleeveless shirts, just about any clothing is acceptable in their MDRs for any meal.

Usually on a 7 day cruise, there's two formal nights. They're usually the second and sixth nights on the ship. It used to be that the dress code was really formal. Women weren't allowed to wear pants, we either wore skirts or dresses. It was kind of like going to a ship-wide prom. Everyone would have black tie attire. Women would get all glammed up (my favorite part!): diamonds, glitter, the works! Guys would wear tuxedos or suits.

Nowadays, since the cruise lines don't strictly enforce the dress code anymore, people are dressing more casually. I still dress for formal nights, as that's the only time I ever really get to dress up. If you don't want anything formal, you can always go to the Windjammer and get dinner there, no matter what you wear.

Whenever we travel we use this axiom: it’s going to be colder than you think, it’s going to be hotter than you think & you’re going to get wet. When we went to Alaska, it seemed strange to go inside to get warm. We usually sail in the Caribbean, so we go inside to cool off.

You won't be outside 100% of the time...wear what you like on board....outside it can be chilly, dreary, wet...or not...its Alaska, not the Bahamas...check a weather website for projected weather the time of year you're going....if you have a balcony, they rotate the ship at the glacier you get to see...b4 it all melts away....those folks dressed up at dinnertime are doing it for family pics...they can be quite nice..but check the prices first. and you know theres going to be a couple hundred passersby watching you pose...There is no formal nite...

Specifically for an early-June Alaska cruise...should I leave the shorts and thin pants at home and just focus on heavier clothes? I keep leaning toward single-layered outfits for the time on the ship since I keep seeing YouTube videos of women in their summery dresses but I don't want us to freeze! NOR do I want to over pack!

I have been on NCL twice and have never dressed up for dinner at MDR or any of the specialty dining rooms. I think they might have a formal night when they have a bunch of photographers taking pictures you can buy but as far as I know it is not mandatory. I would say if you want to dress casual then do so. As far as the white hot parties we did not go to the first one and I did not pack any white and still went to the one on 2nd cruise. Only stayed for a little while anyway.

Kids are welcome at the all ages portion which is usually the first hour held up on one of the outside decks afterwards the kids and parents separate. I THINK those parents that sign-up for the (at fee) late night aftercare, that the kids have their own continued party in the kids and teen areas. The adults tend to go to the nightclub for the 18+ party. There will be black lighting around the ship to highlight those that decide to dress in white.

Some CDs do this a the Neon Glow party, since those colors also fluorescence under black lights. Most either treat this as very casual wearing white tee shirts (then let the CD staff splatter paint on them if doing the neon party) with any color shorts or the dress up in Caribbean style white suits and dress, club clothing in white is not unheard of either.

Formal- meh. Casual

Believe me nobody cares what you wear...and yes, lots of drinking...the short answer to your question re bringing "formal" clothes...don't bother...The so-called "dress code" is VERY loosely enforced, if at all.

Kids are very welcome at the white hot early in the evening ... then later on they usually have it more adult oriented