Princess Formal Nights

[Golf Cruizer]

This will be our first cruise on Princess and just curious about dress coade on formal night. Is a dress shirt and tie acceptable or is a suit / tux required? HELP

[cb at sea]

A dark suit or tux is the definition of "formal"....can you wear less? Sure... is it formal? No!

[kitty9]

Formal is a dark SUIT or TUX, only. A shirt and tie is not formal at all. Princess is not like some lines, like Carnival, NCL or Royal Caribbean, where you can "get by" with just a shirt and tie. Princess is much more formal in the main dining room.

[CALMOM]

Formal is a Tux or Dark Suit. If you prefer to wear anything else, then try but be prepared to be turned away by the Matre'd :o. Princess is a classier cruise line then Carnival or RCI or NCL. There are other choices on Formal Night, if you prefer to not dress appropriately, Horizon Court, Pizza Bar or Room Service. The specialty restaurants have the same dress code on Formal Night as the MDR.

[lilacbirman]

If you prefer to wear anything else, then try but be prepared to be turned away by the Matre'd :o..

 

Hopefully we won't be turned away when my 13 year old son walks in with his shirt and tie on formal night. Hubby and brother in law have dark suites but there's just no way we plan to buy a dinner jacket that our son will only wear two times. :eek:

[psbtrvlr]

Hopefully we won't be turned away when my 13 year old son walks in with his shirt and tie on formal night. Hubby and brother in law have dark suites but there's just no way we plan to buy a dinner jacket that our son will only wear two times. :eek:

 

We haven't had that enforced for children. You should be fine.

[mizLORInj]

Always a hot topic on these boards for some reason.

We got off the Island princess just yesterday, and for the 2 formal nights I'd say slightly more than half of the men had suits on, there were only a handful of tuxes, and yes, the rest wore dress or polo shirts and enjoyed their dinner in the dining room.

ENJOY your first Princess cruise!!!

Edited April 1, 2010 by mizlorinj

[chipmaster]

Welcome to CC and you made a good choice in selecting princess, we really like that line.

 

The fashion police is out and as another poster noted this is a hot topic ;):D

 

Will you get by with a nice pressed shirt, tie and slacks, yes. Will you be on the less "formal" side of the distribution, yes. Will you be the worst dressed in the dinning room not likely.

 

Formal night is a neat evening, some are decked in tux , most in suits and many in less. They got nice areas for pictures with many photographers, makes for a neat evening regardless of which end of the spectrum makes you most comfortable.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

 

This will be our first cruise on Princess and just curious about dress coade on formal night. Is a dress shirt and tie acceptable or is a suit / tux required? HELP

Edited April 1, 2010 by chipmaster

[Pearlbill]

Always a hot topic on these boards for some reason.

We got off the Island princess just yesterday, and for the 2 formal nights I'd say slightly more than half of the men had suits on, there were only a handful of tuxes, and yes, the rest wore dress or polo shirts and enjoyed their dinner in the dining room.

ENJOY your first Princess cruise!!!

 

That's pretty much what we experienced on the Coral in January.

 

Pearl

[Cruisin' Chick]

My hubby will bring the suit that he has worn for promotional interviews. A bit nicer than his regular work suits. Not dark, dark, more grey. Not a problem. I guess it depends on the maitre'd. I think the idea is that Princess wants to avoid men entering the dining room on formal night without a tie (unless dressed in appropriate cultural outfits of a formal basis) or jacket.

[flvol77]

This will be our first cruise on Princess and just curious about dress coade on formal night. Is a dress shirt and tie acceptable or is a suit / tux required? HELP

 

we have been on 11 Princess cruises, and honestly I have worn a suit twice, I take a pair of nice dress pants, a blazzer, and a dress shirt and tie and I haven't been turned away yet, and just to let you know, on our last cruise I saw a lot more smart causal on formal night and they weren't turned away, and honestly I didn't care, they turned away people with shorts on and that is to be expected.

 

A vacation is not a vacation if you have to worry about what others are wearing, people need to learn to shake their head and laugh at people if it truly bugs them, is it respectful to try to wear shorts to formal night? No, but that is the world we live in today, it is what it is and there are some things that aren't worth fighting over.

[Grannycb]

It kind of depends where your cruise is as to how formal the MDR gets. There are a lot of men wearing nice shirts and ties in the Caribbean and Alaska. The European cruises were more formal with suits and tux.

[Fattony]

Formal is a Tux or Dark Suit. If you prefer to wear anything else, then try but be prepared to be turned away by the Matre'd :o. Princess is a classier cruise line then Carnival or RCI or NCL. There are other choices on Formal Night, if you prefer to not dress appropriately, Horizon Court, Pizza Bar or Room Service. The specialty restaurants have the same dress code on Formal Night as the MDR.

 

This was NOT our experience on our two Princess Cruises (around the Horn, and Alaska, in 2008 and 2009). We had anytime dining. There was a wide range of dress. There were several people in tuxes and long dresses, but I don't think it was a majority. Some wore suits, some shirt, slacks and blazer, and some men didn't even wear a tie. I saw no one turned away. If you're really concerned, call the cruise line. There are some, especially who have cruised for years, who are saddened by the lack of stiff enforcement of formal night. You can rent a tux through the cruise line, but it isn't cheap, and you need to do it beforehand.

Edited April 1, 2010 by Fattony

[binciong]

My cruise has two formal nights. Think it would be okay to wear the same suit with a different shirt and tie for the two nights? I'd prefer to avoid packing two suits just to be worn a few hours each.

[chipmaster]

April fools ? right :D

 

As long as your underwear is clean the only people who care will be the fasion police on CC ;)

 

My cruise has two formal nights. Think it would be okay to wear the same suit with a different shirt and tie for the two nights? I'd prefer to avoid packing two suits just to be worn a few hours each.

[mr green]

While I used to wear a tux, I now wear a blazer, with regimental crest, and tie. Never a problem.

 

john

[tip]

This will be our first cruise on Princess and just curious about dress coade on formal night. Is a dress shirt and tie acceptable or is a suit / tux required? HELP

 

It is acceptable to anyone other than "The Clothes Police"!;) A tux is not required.

[navybankerteacher]

It's pretty clear that dress codes are not enforced -- you can "get away with" pretty much whatever you want to wear. While tux or suit are suggested, a blazer will probably fit in well --- but just a shirt and tie does not come close to suggested dress.

 

But then, no one will make a stink, and the maitre d' will probably look the other way -- so of course you can "get away" with just a shirt and tie -- but why stop there? Why bother with the tie? After all, it's your vacation, and people who worry about what you wear should get a life. So, in fact, why not just wear shorts or jeans and a tee shirt -- because, after all, it is YOUR vacation, and what you wear is your business and no one else's.

[xxoocruiser]

This will be our first cruise on Princess and just curious about dress coade on formal night. Is a dress shirt and tie acceptable or is a suit / tux required? HELP

 

A tux is not required. If a dress shirt and tie is what you're comfortable with and that's how you would go to a dressy function at home , than by all means wear it. Formal nights are overrated. I'm certain I'll be criticized for said this. It's your vacation, it's not meant to stress you out before you even start it.

[kitty9]

My cruise has two formal nights. Think it would be okay to wear the same suit with a different shirt and tie for the two nights? I'd prefer to avoid packing two suits just to be worn a few hours each.

 

Heck, I wear the same long black dress for formal nights, so of course you can wear the same suit.

[Putterdude]

On the Princess cruises we have been on, about 35% of the men are in tuxs or dinner jackets, about 60% are in business suits and the rest are in blazers, sports jackets and so forth. I always take my tux or dinner jacket...we really enjoy formal nights.

[Alaskanb]

Amen! I hope this is still the case today --my husband does not own a suit.

[grumpypenguin]

I'm wondering if there is the wide range of dress on the formal nights in Europe. My husband doesn't have a suit, but he does have a nice jacket, that he can wear with a shirt and tie. Will that be good enough? He doesn't really like dressing up and I don't want to press the issue.

[paul929207]

I'm wondering if there is the wide range of dress on the formal nights in Europe. My husband doesn't have a suit, but he does have a nice jacket, that he can wear with a shirt and tie. Will that be good enough? He doesn't really like dressing up and I don't want to press the issue.

A jacket and tie will be fine

[maggsv]

We have been on several Princess cruises. It's our favorite by far. BY FAR. I swear I remember seeing a man in jeans on formal night. I think I've even seen men in dress shorts (like linen). We are packing now for one of their Mediterranean cruises and my husband is wearing slacks and a button down shirt for the formal nights. He may bring a tie, but I bet he won't wear it. lol Definitely not a jacket. You will see everything on their formal nights. Probably most men in tie and jacket. But you won't feel out of place with just a button down shirt (with or without tie) and slacks. Promise.