5 Theme Nights You May (and may not) Have on Your Next Royal Caribbean Cruise
Royal Caribbean offers up a variety of themed nights, events, and parties throughout your cruise. All of which create a lively and fun atmosphere for guests.
While not every ship or itinerary will feature the same theme nights, here are some of the most popular Royal Caribbean theme nights and events you can expect during your next cruise.
1. Formal Night
Formal Night on Royal Caribbean is a designated evening during your cruise where guests are encouraged to “dress their best” in formal or semi-formal attire for your evening activities.
The number of Formal Nights you can expect during your cruise all depends on the ship’s itinerary and how long your sailing is, but you can expect at least one Formal Night on your cruise.
Dress Code: Ladies, this is your opportunity to dress up and enjoy a more glamourous look! Bring on the sparkles and high heels. On Formal Night, you will typically see ladies dressed in evening gowns, cocktail dresses, or elegant pantsuits.
Men most commonly wear a dress shirt and slacks on Formal Night. Many men also choose to wear a suit jacket and tie.
Activities: On Formal Night, you’ll typically enjoy a special dinner in the Main Dining Room, a festive atmosphere, and possibly live music or a cocktail reception hosted by the captain of the ship.
You’ll also find many great photo opportunities with a professional photographer throughout the ship featuring themed backdrops.
A more detailed outline on Formal Nights can be found here.
2. 70’s or 80’s Dance Party
Be prepared to be transported back in time with Royal Caribbean’s 70’s or 80’s Dance Party!
Dress Code: Break out your neon, legwarmers, and big hair! These parties are sure to be a throwback for many.
Activities: Expect a high-energy night with a DJ playing your favorite 70s or 80s hits. Most ships have a dance party located in the Royal Promenade, pool deck, or another central gathering area on the ship.
And don’t forget about the Cruise Director and Entertainment Staff! They are always busting out their best dance moves and giving you a full experience with costumes and glittering decor.
3. White Night
Dress Code: As the name suggests, on White Night, passengers are encouraged to wear white. This chic, elegant night is a great opportunity to dress up in your best white attire for a sophisticated evening at sea.
Activities: The White Party is often a huge, all-ship event. Typically held outdoors on the pool deck, you’ll enjoy a live DJ playing a mix of contemporary hits and dance classics.
4. Caribbean Night
Now onto one of my favorite nights, Caribbean Night! There really is nothing better than wearing a bright tropical shirt while sipping on a tropical drink and dancing to the beat of some island tunes – all while sailing in the Caribbean on a cruise ship!
Dress Code: Guests often wear tropical, colorful clothing for Caribbean Night. Think Hawaiian shirts, sundresses, or anything bright and tropical.
Activities: Enjoy a Caribbean-inspired buffet at the Windjammer, or head to the Main Dining Room and enjoy a Caribbean-themed menu.
Check your Cruise Compass for live Caribbean music and steel drum bands so you don’t miss out. Some ships even host a Caribbean Party right on the Royal Promenade with live music and dancers.
5. Country Western Night
Giddy-up and get ready for a honky-tonking good time!
Dress Code: Grab those cowboy boots, hats, denim pants, plaid shirts, and get ready to enjoy some country music.
Activities: No Country Western Night can be complete without some line dancing. Often hosted on the pool deck, or lounge get ready to hear some tunes from legends like Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, and more.
Our Experiences
We love a good theme night while cruising and try to participate in all of them. It is fun for us to get all fancy on Formal Night and to let loose a bit and have some fun on Caribbean Night and White Night.
Though, we have not experienced a County Western Night yet, it sounds like a great time. We are country music fans. We can only hope this is on a cruise itinerary of ours in the near future.
The themed parties on the Royal Promenade are always a hit with our family. The crew is always entertaining and ensuring that everyone is having a great time.
Prior to disembarkation, we have found it helpful to search for old Cruise Compasses online with a similar itinerary to ours. We can then look to see what themed nights were offered on the ship in the past, which helps us plan on what attire to pack.
Wrap Up: 5 Theme Nights You May (and may not) Have on Your Next Royal Caribbean Cruise
So, there you have it. 5 theme nights you may (and may not) have on your next Royal Caribbean Cruise.
It should be noted that none of these themed nights are mandatory. It does, however, add a little extra fun and creativity to your cruise experience, so take advantage of the opportunities to get involved!