Hey! I am going on a cruise in Dec on the triumph. I am shopping for the trip and cant decide what to wear on the formal nights. I love to dress up and get really into formals but I don’t want to be out of place by dressing up to much. Is it more common to wear short party dresses or elegant long dresses? Anyone that has been on that ship have any ideas? Also is one of the formal nights dressier than the other?

You'll see everything from Prom dresses and beaded evening gowns to just simple, knee-length dresses and even some pants/tops so don't worry about overdressing!!  If you like to dress up, then do it!!  There's great photo stations open on formal night so have a few shots done at each of them - there's no cost and you're not obligated to buy any of them! 

On our last cruise I wore a jacket with tie, the wife wore a dress she had from being a bride's maid- it was pretty fancy/prom like.  our next cruise in january is 7 days so 2 formal nights- i'll be again wearing the same thing, wife has another bride's maid dress (she's in a lot!) and for the 2nd night another beaded prom like dress.  we found the formal nights to be real fun, dressing up, strolling through the ship like a king and queen and had a blast. pictures were actually fun and one turned out so good of us on the grand staircase we bought it.  otherwise they'll leave you alone if not interested.  just about everybody dresses up like that on formal nights, it's a lot more glitzy than other nights where you find button up shirts/polos for guys, nice blouses/slacks or skirts for women, ect.  dress up and have a blast!

Sorry, I just saw the second part of your question.  Yes, usually the first formal night is more dressy than the second - the first is/was when the captain's cocktail party is/was held (not sure if they're still doing that) and the second was just a bit less formal.