Formal Dress on Royal Princess for a British Isles Cruise

We're booked for a British Isles cruise with 2 formal nights. Our experience of the 'formal' dress code appears to vary depending on the cruise location so would appreciate advice regarding the need to take tux or sports jacket or neither on this trip.

Thanks for any help past cruisers can give.

We're booked for a British Isles cruise with 2 formal nights. Our experience of the 'formal' dress code appears to vary depending on the cruise location so would appreciate advice regarding the need to take tux or sports jacket or neither on this trip.

 

Thanks for any help past cruisers can give.

For a British Isles cruise, I would pack a dark suit. For some other cruise itineraries I pack a jacket. Princess is quite clear on what they would like the dress to be on formal nights and I tend to follow their wishes.

Since the people from the UK are of the more formal variety I would think the the jacket or tux would almost be a requirement. Much unlike a Caribbean cruise where almost anything goes.

Enjoy...you'll feel right at home. :cool:

I'm on the Royal Princess, British Isles cruise right now and find the majority of passengers are dressed casually most nights, and the formal night is a mixture of attire. Very few tux, sport jacket or suit are more common, though not required. Ladies cocktail dress or "Sunday Best" with many in dress pants and nice top. DH brought his black suit and felt over dressed on the first formal night - this is the guy who also owns a tux. I was comfortable in black pants and a beaded top. T-****s and jeans were common sights, too.

Times have changed, the days of true formal attire and dress codes are long gone.

Darcy

The dress code is worldwide and fleet wide. It doesn't change by region or location.

Does the way people comply change? Yes, to some extent. But that doesn't mean you need to change the way you comply.

I'm on the Royal Princess, British Isles cruise right now and find the majority of passengers are dressed casually most nights, and the formal night is a mixture of attire. Very few tux, sport jacket or suit are more common, though not required. Ladies cocktail dress or "Sunday Best" with many in dress pants and nice top. DH brought his black suit and felt over dressed on the first formal night - this is the guy who also owns a tux. I was comfortable in black pants and a beaded top. T-****s and jeans were common sights, too.

Times have changed, the days of true formal attire and dress codes are long gone.

 

Darcy

Good to hear they're changing with the rest of the world.:)

The dress code is worldwide and fleet wide. It doesn't change by region or location.

 

Does the way people comply change? Yes, to some extent. But that doesn't mean you need to change the way you comply.

In contrast we also did another cruise later that year on Caribbean Princess to Norway where most of the passengers were British and on formal nights and every night really, the dress was completely different. It would appear that the demographic of the passengers makes a difference.

Because our weather in the UK especially in the North of England where we live isnt very warm, we dont tend to go out in the evening for dinner wearing shorts so it seems unusual to us. We also enjoy the opportunity to dress up a bit because we dont often get the chance!☺

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We took a British isles cruise last year. We wore sports coats with dress shirts and ties on the formal nights, which fit in fine. I saw very few men in tuxedos.

Thanks for all the help, particularly WatchHill who let us know the situation on her current cruise. As CruiserBruce noted, the Princess dress code is set but it’s compliance is variable.

We like to respect the wishes of the majority of our companions in their compliance. On Cunard we know we’ll need to take more formal clothing but on previous Princess cruises has been a great variability.

So thanks again to everyone, think we’ll leave the tux at home.

Smooth Cruising

For European cruises dh takes dark slacks Oxford shirt and a tie. He usually does not take a jacket because we are trying to conserve luggage space. Sometimes just carryons. Many men take off their jacket at dinner anyway. I wear a dressy skirt, sparkle top and black dressy sweater. Imho we fit in just fine on formal night.

I find a dark suit with different shirts works fine. Fewer tuxes each cruise although seems more formal wear when more Europeans onboard.

We're booked for a British Isles cruise with 2 formal nights. Our experience of the 'formal' dress code appears to vary depending on the cruise location so would appreciate advice regarding the need to take tux or sports jacket or neither on this trip.

 

Thanks for any help past cruisers can give.

We always pack some tiaras too! :D

Male formal attire from any culture is appropriate. Kilt Dress Mess, Kurta, etc. Show your heritage or identification as you desire. The key is dressier than a normal dinner.

We're booked for a British Isles cruise with 2 formal nights. Our experience of the 'formal' dress code appears to vary depending on the cruise location so would appreciate advice regarding the need to take tux or sports jacket or neither on this trip.

 

Thanks for any help past cruisers can give.

European cruises tend to be a lot more formal than Caribbean cruises. I'd base it on that. You'll see more tuxes on board, but a nice dark suit will work fine. You can try to get away with less, but if the Maître D decides against your choice of attire, well, you'll find out one way or another.

European cruises tend to be a lot more formal than Caribbean cruises. I'd base it on that. You'll see more tuxes on board, but a nice dark suit will work fine. You can try to get away with less, but if the Maître D decides against your choice of attire, well, you'll find out one way or another.

The way its going you would have to be wearing a wife beater shirt, raggedy shorts and a baseball cap to be refused entry to the dining room on a formal night....................

European cruises tend to be a lot more formal than Caribbean cruises. I'd base it on that. You'll see more tuxes on board, but a nice dark suit will work fine. You can try to get away with less, but if the Maître D decides against your choice of attire, well, you'll find out one way or another.

We were on HAL in Europe last year and on Celebrity in Europe a few years ago, and saw very few tuxes on either cruise. The most common male attire on formal (or Gala[emoji849]) nights was a sports coat and dress shirt with or without a tie. DH will pack the same for our Royal Princess British Isles cruise in a few weeks. I wear slacks and a dressier than usual top and fit right in.

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I'm on the Royal Princess, British Isles cruise right now and find the majority of passengers are dressed casually most nights, and the formal night is a mixture of attire. Very few tux, sport jacket or suit are more common, though not required. Ladies cocktail dress or "Sunday Best" with many in dress pants and nice top. DH brought his black suit and felt over dressed on the first formal night - this is the guy who also owns a tux. I was comfortable in black pants and a beaded top. T-****s and jeans were common sights, too.

Times have changed, the days of true formal attire and dress codes are long gone.

 

Darcy

Hi WatchHill... can you tell me if there is currently a Beatles cover band on board? I'm sorry I can't figure out how to PM you directly. I'm going on this same cruise in 3 weeks.

Hi WatchHill... can you tell me if there is currently a Beatles cover band on board? I'm sorry I can't figure out how to PM you directly. I'm going on this same cruise in 3 weeks.

OMG What a fantastic band. The Beatles did two performances in the Princess Theatre - this group was better than Rain, and some of the lesser groups I've heard before. Then one evening, they played for over an hour in the Atrium. GO EARLY to get a seat....we went at 7:30 for the 8: show and it was SRO, so we went back at 10: Seems to be the standard to catch a good show and have seats.

Darcy

Thx Darcy! I hope the Beatles band is still on in June!

Could you tell me who the CD was?

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We're booked for a British Isles cruise with 2 formal nights. Our experience of the 'formal' dress code appears to vary depending on the cruise location so would appreciate advice regarding the need to take tux or sports jacket or neither on this trip.

 

Thanks for any help past cruisers can give.

Hi BlueVinnie We are on the same cruise and my DH will be bringing his tux as he rarely gets chance to wear it and loves dressing up as do I. However we accept that not everyone will feel the same way! It’s one of the reasons we like going on cruises as we enjoy making dinner a bit special. See you on board. Alexis :D

We did two cruises on the Baltic and British Isles, on the Regal and the Royal, about six weeks total. Enjoyed the voyages a lot. On formal nights I wore my tux, my guess was about 10 to 20 percent had tuxes, 70 to 90 percent had suits or sport coats and ties, a few had nice shirts, some, very few, polo shirts.

Can you please tell me which 2 nights were the formal nights on the British Isles cruise?

Can you please tell me which 2 nights were the formal nights on the British Isles cruise?

Guernsey and the first day at sea. This was on the May 1st sailing.

Darcy