I’ve been on quite a few cruises now after finding my love for them last year, and I’ve also sailed with various companies. I love going to sleep and waking up in a different place or country without having to worry about airports and flying. There’s so much to do on cruise ships as well, and I particularly love formal nights.

Formal night is a special evening, usually on the second-to-last night of the cruise on a short sail, where passengers are encouraged to dress in elegant or formal attire. Men often wear suits, while women may choose cocktail dresses, evening gowns or other dressy outfits.

Formal night usually includes enhanced dining experiences, opportunities for professional photographs, and special entertainment.

Although dress codes vary by cruise line, the event is designed to create a memorable and glamorous experience, allowing guests to celebrate and enjoy the tradition of dressing up while at sea.

If you’re on a week's cruise, you may even have two formal evenings.

Of course, those who don’t want to attend can still visit other restaurants and the buffet in casual clothing.

But, on my recent cruise, I was surprised to see guests attending the main formal restaurant in casual clothing.

While the majority of guests adhered to the dress code and wore smart outfits, others wore shorts, T-shirts, and flip-flops.

I found this quite surprising, as the dress code had been clearly communicated beforehand and was intended to create a sense of occasion for everyone on board.

I enjoy formal nights because I do not get many opportunities to dress up in everyday life, and it was a shame that not everyone followed the rules.

Whether other cruise lines enforce the rule more strictly, I think the one I was on could have done more to enforce the dress code.

It was also similar on my cruise last year, where there were a handful of guests in the main dining room on formal evening, but not in formal clothing.