Please don't shoot me-looking for a staight answer

[Sauvignon]

Hi All,

 

Is a dress for me and cotton dress pants and an open neck dress shirt acceptable for formal nights in MDR? Would people be offended if we showed up dressed like that? We did the gown and tux thing on our last cruise but thought we'd tone it down this time around. As I said, please don't shoot me :o Thanks

 

 

It is not so much a question of whether people would be offended but rather a question of common courtesy, the dress code is formal and it could be considered rather disrespectful to ignore that.

 

It is really rather simple, in that when I receive an invitation I respect the instructions contained therein.

 

On the other hand perhaps though Princess isn't clear enough as to what it's intentions are in this respect, do they for example see formal night as being no different than say Caribbean night or Italian night - I don't think so, as the dress code is clearly stated. Perhaps though some clarity as to whether this is ship wide or in specific areas is necessary.

 

So that poses the question do I offend anyone or am I being disrespectful by not wearing clothing appropriate to other themed nights.

[1 HappyCruiser]

The only people who would be offended are the people on this board. Of course the majority on the ship will be dressed but at least 10 % will not be so if you want to lug the jacket along & pretend to be among the properly dressed masses then go right ahead- you'll fit right in. ;)

We've been dressing down for at least 10 years without any problems & we're about to leave right now without the formal clothing & don't expect things have gotten any more formal than 4 months ago.:cool:

 

[kywildcatfanone]

Hi All,

 

Is a dress for me and cotton dress pants and an open neck dress shirt acceptable for formal nights in MDR? Would people be offended if we showed up dressed like that? We did the gown and tux thing on our last cruise but thought we'd tone it down this time around. As I said, please don't shoot me :o Thanks

 

That all depends on the Maitr'd. You might get in and you might get turned away. The enforcement of the suggested dress code seems to vary from ship to ship. On the Crown last week, I saw lots of men on Smart Casual nights wearing shorts and t-shirts with flip flops to the dining room and they were not being turned away, but again that is a ship to ship decision.

As far as whether or not people will be offended, some will and some won't. I wouldn't worry about that at all.

As an alternative to taking dress up clothes, you might consider the specialty restaurants. They are Smart Casual on formal nights and are a nice alternative, although there is a charge.

 

Mike

[kendon]

Hi All,

 

Is a dress for me and cotton dress pants and an open neck dress shirt acceptable for formal nights in MDR? Would people be offended if we showed up dressed like that? We did the gown and tux thing on our last cruise but thought we'd tone it down this time around. As I said, please don't shoot me :o Thanks

 

At the very LEAST, throw in a jacket and tie for your husband.

[Iamcruzin]

Hi All,

 

Thanks for your replies. I was leaning towards skipping those nights myself, but DH told me I should ask the experts-you!!! I guess it's up to him, jacket we're in, no jacket we're out! :)

 

As you can see you will never get a straight answer. Since you don't seem to care either way you can give it a try dressed as planned. If they turn you away you can just go to the buffet which isn't a bad thing as suggested in the negative tone of the members who make it seem like you should be banished from the MDR on formal night. I have read on this board that they offer some very nice choices in the buffet on formal night.

[Mom33]

Hi All,

 

Is a dress for me and cotton dress pants and an open neck dress shirt acceptable for formal nights in MDR? Would people be offended if we showed up dressed like that? We did the gown and tux thing on our last cruise but thought we'd tone it down this time around. As I said, please don't shoot me :o Thanks

 

Actually I wouldn't be offended. I would wonder why you couldn't dress appropriately for the occasion.

 

The majority that eat in the dining room dress for formal night as Princess requests. If you don't mind being different, you could try to get past the Maitre D.

 

If you are looking for validation to do your own thing, you'll have to go with your own conscience.

[Seal]

On our 14 day cruise on the Grand in February - the Princess Patters specified formal wear was also required in the specialty restaurants - not sure if it's a new thing or just something the Grand does.

 

I've read something like that myself within the past six months. We were on a 14 day on the Grand this past January. We dressed formal for two of the nights since some travel companions couldnt believe everyone didn't enjoy the evenings. for the third evening we split up. Between Sabatinis and Crown grill....neither had formal dress required.

 

We set up a dining time for all of us at Anytime Dining which worked well for us.

We mentioned to the MD that the two of us would not be attending formAl nights since we had just disembarked from the

Allure and that DHs brand new...never worn tux had been destroyed. By the laundry on the Allure. When Dh was offered a free press on the tux for the first formal on the Allure he took it. It was returned as a rumpled mess..turns out they threw iti in a washing machine....After a couple of days they paid e dry penny of the new tux.

 

Princess insisted thT we join the group for formal nights with his slacks and shirts for regular nights. He was uncomfortable on formal nights thinking folks would be thinking he wAs protesting the call. For formal dress.

 

Nancy:D:D:D

[Toddy709]

So, the title of your thread is "please don't shoot me, looking for a straight answer". Well, the answer isssssss..... you are NOT GOING TO GET A STRAIGHT ANSWER. Ever. Never. Not going to happen. :(

 

Therefore, do what you want. You have cruised before. You know what to expect. You know what is expected. To ask for a "straight answer" to base your clothing options on is not a good plan, because what you WILL end up with are 160 opinions. Mine won't be one of them. Have a great cruise....... :rolleyes:

 

Even though you weren't trying, I think you've actually succeeded in giving a straight answer! At least IMHO:eek:, it's the best answer on here!

[1153ch]

I totally agree,forget the hazzle and dazzle of how one should be dressed.Everyone has the right to go and dress up however they wish.Just imagine you have a shore excursion during the day and have a fixed time to dine in TD.It would be nice to dress casual rather meeting the expectation of other cruisers.It is sad that people tell others to go to the buffet if they are not dressed up like them.

It sounds like I'm in the minority, CNDDB1, but I totally disagree with all the advice that you've been given.

 

That's EXACTLY how my husband and I dressed for both formal nights last year on the Island Princess. (Dress for me, slacks and a open shirt/no jacket for him). Absolutely NOBODY, including the Maitre D', gave any indication that they cared in the least that we weren't as dressy as some people. And we didn't care in the least that some people were more dressy than us.

 

I really wish that people would stop obsessing about this formal dressing thing. As long as you aren't in shorts or a bathing suit, wear what you want and go have dinner in the Main Dining Room. There's no reason that you should have to feel like a 2nd class citizen and be relegated (whether it is self-relegated or not) to the buffet.

[PescadoAmarillo]

Not to the OP, but a general observation after years of reading formalwear threads on CC:

 

I really don't care if people dress formally or not, but wish they would just admit that if they don't dress formally, it's because they choose not to. It has nothing to do with airline luggage restrictions. Much like purchasing drinks on board vs. sneaking alcohol in luggage, or taking wine from your cabin to the dining room- it's not as if ALL of us who take a cruise can't afford $70 for a second suitcase to fly round trip. If people can afford the cruise fare and excursions, the UST and Chefs Table, the Sanctuary and the casino, they can afford a second suitcase. They CHOOSE not to pack formal clothing. More than likely, it's because they don't like dressing up, don't have the formal clothes to wear, or they don't want to haul them on THEIR vacation. Luggage charges have nothing to do with it. Be honest.

 

Dress as you like, but take responsibility for the way you dress. Just sayin.

[jff50]

The majority that eat in the dining room dress for formal night as Princess requests.

Lots of comments to this effect, but I'm not sure it's strictly true. As stated earlier, Princess defines formal as tux, dinner jacket (not sport coat) or dark suit. I wouldn't be surprised if you went through the dining room and looked at all the men with suits that aren't dark, sport coats, no coats, etc--if those men wouldn't exceed 50% of all the men. I think it's harder to determine for the women.

[Iamcruzin]

Actually I wouldn't be offended. I would wonder why you couldn't dress appropriately for the occasion.

 

The majority that eat in the dining room dress for formal night as Princess requests. If you don't mind being different, you could try to get past the Maitre D.

 

If you are looking for validation to do your own thing, you'll have to go with your own conscience.[/quote]

 

That statement tells me you would be offended. I am not saying it's a bad thing. You are entitled to feel as you like. I totally agree with your second statment. Going with your own conscience isn't a bad thing either. My advice is dress at your own risk.

[waltd]

It's called Formal Night for a reason.

[kywildcatfanone]

I will still say, as I have said on other threads discussing dress, Princess would make this problem go away completely they did one of two things: 1) designate a dining room as Smart Casual on formal nights and those who didn't want to dress up would still be able to participate in the "special" menus of formal night, or 2) have the buffet serve the same menu as the DR's on formal night.

I think either of these would allow those who want to dress up do as they wish, and those who didn't could do as they wish.

 

Mike

[Mom33]

Lots of comments to this effect, but I'm not sure it's strictly true. As stated earlier, Princess defines formal as tux, dinner jacket (not sport coat) or dark suit. I wouldn't be surprised if you went through the dining room and looked at all the men with suits that aren't dark, sport coats, no coats, etc--if those men wouldn't exceed 50% of all the men. I think it's harder to determine for the women.

 

I speak from experience as recent as last week. 90% or more dress as Princess requests in the dining room.

[caribill]

Perhaps though some clarity as to whether this is ship wide or in specific areas is necessary.

 

 

 

"please observe the dress code in the Traditional Dining and Anytime Dining venues" seems clear to me as to what is expected.

[caribill]

Everyone has the right to go and dress up however they wish.

 

I would hate to see what you would wear going to a wedding when formal attire was requested for the ceremony and reception.

[Ima Cruiser]

Hi All,

 

Is a dress for me and cotton dress pants and an open neck dress shirt acceptable for formal nights in MDR? Would people be offended if we showed up dressed like that? We did the gown and tux thing on our last cruise but thought we'd tone it down this time around. As I said, please don't shoot me :o Thanks

 

That would fly on Carnival, but you may feel out of place in the MDR on Princess. Although a full blown tux and gown are not required, a jacket for gent is part of the formal night "uniform" on Princess.

[Wavesprite]

I would hate to see what you would wear going to a wedding when formal attire was requested for the ceremony and reception.

 

Wow, I've never seen a wedding invitation with a dress code. How snobby!!!!

[Mom33]

Actually I wouldn't be offended. I would wonder why you couldn't dress appropriately for the occasion.

 

The majority that eat in the dining room dress for formal night as Princess requests. If you don't mind being different, you could try to get past the Maitre D.

 

If you are looking for validation to do your own thing, you'll have to go with your own conscience.[/quote]

 

That statement tells me you would be offended. I am not saying it's a bad thing. You are entitled to feel as you like. I totally agree with your second statment. Going with your own conscience isn't a bad thing either. My advice is dress at your own risk.

 

I can only be offended when an individual or group does something to me personally. An example would be your comment about me.

How others dress on formal night does not affect me personally. I do the polite and respectful thing as the majority does.

[foodcruiser]

living in Arizona I have seen very sharp tuxedos made of denim. Then there are tuxedos for the formal scottsman. We have not seen the dress pants or dress shirt the op is talking about. These threads usually focus on the guy. I wear a tux because it is the only time in the year I get to wear it. I do find it very uncomfortable and remove the jacket the first chance it get. Formal night is always the night with the best food and I am supposed to enjoy it with a tie on. The tie gets loosened when the food arrives. Ladies please try eating a lobster with a tie on.

[Artemis908]

This will be my first Princess Cruise but I remember being surprised during my last cruise on Royal Caribbean where people were coming in with shorts and jeans on formal night. I would say only half of the people dressed up and even the others at our table picked on my fiancee for wearing a suit, saying I convinced him into doing it. :P I actually enjoy dressing up, so I am looking forward to it. I think I might even wear my wedding dress on the first night, even if it's not formal!

[KruzPrincess]

You will always find people that will dress as they want, try to get away with what they want and do as they want in spite of requests. It's just the nature of the situation. You do what you think is right given the circumstances. Personally, I hate to haul a lot of extra clothes, so I don't. With that choice, I respect the request of the ship and dine in the buffet on most formal nights. It's just a meal after all. I don't care if I go to formal night or not. If you care, then maybe it's more important to bring more clothes. What I actually do care about is respecting the tradition of cruising. So much of cruising has become very casual and mostly that works for me. I'm glad they have choices like anytime dining and buffets. It makes it all so much easier. There used to be 2 formal nights, 2 semi-formal nights and 3 smart casual if I recall correctly. One of the pieces of traditional classic cruising that they try to preserve is the idea of 2 formal nights. I purchase a cruise fully aware of the expectations and I respect that. I respect it because it's what cruising is and I respect it out of consideration for my fellow cruisers. There are other cruise options out there for people who don't want to dress up. I choose Princess and I respect the guidelines that they established. So, bottom line, choose what you think it right. I doubt you'd be turned away from the MDR and most diners probably won't care, but some will.

[Pam in CA]

Wow, I've never seen a wedding invitation with a dress code. How snobby!!!!

In some parts of the country, some couples will have the invitation say that formal is requested. Snobby? It's done fairly frequently in some places. Elegant and very special? Definitely.

 

What I find people obsessing about is how much they can get away with; repeating the cruise line's "Cruise Answer Book" request is not obsessing. The bottom line is that the OP really answered their own question about what is acceptable. Perhaps what they should have asked is, "What can I get away with so I can think only of myself?" And yes, I have been on many cruises where at least 90% of the men were in dark suits or tuxes.

[notentirelynormal]

Not to the OP, but a general observation after years of reading formalwear threads on CC:

 

I really don't care if people dress formally or not, but wish they would just admit that if they don't dress formally, it's because they choose not to. It has nothing to do with airline luggage restrictions. Much like purchasing drinks on board vs. sneaking alcohol in luggage, or taking wine from your cabin to the dining room- it's not as if ALL of us who take a cruise can't afford $70 for a second suitcase to fly round trip. If people can afford the cruise fare and excursions, the UST and Chefs Table, the Sanctuary and the casino, they can afford a second suitcase. They CHOOSE not to pack formal clothing. More than likely, it's because they don't like dressing up, don't have the formal clothes to wear, or they don't want to haul them on THEIR vacation. Luggage charges have nothing to do with it. Be honest.

 

Dress as you like, but take responsibility for the way you dress. Just sayin.

 

I agree 100%. I really don't get the whining about the cost of the suitcase when they are talking about eating at the specialty restaurant etc. If you can afford the extras you can afford to bring your clothes. Like you I wish they would just be honest with themselves about their choice.