Is a suit coat necessary on formal nights?

[Nascar girl]

We are sailing on the Ruby next April in the Caribbean. Can anyone tell me if it is necessary for my husband to wear a suit coat on formal nights in the main dining rooms? He was hoping to leave the suit coat at home and just wear a shirt and tie on the formal nights.

[dfields1814]

The answer is yes

[coasterwiggs]

My husband always leaves his jacket at home. Suit pants, white dress shirt and tie have been just fine for our 13 cruises. It just too darn hot to wear a suit jacket over his dress shirt and undershirt when its 95 degrees in the Caribbean.

[ckr31]

At dinner you do not have to wear a suit coat. pants and shirt with tie is fine.at formal night a must for a suit coat, or you have one option DON"T GO.

[Toto2Kansas]

We take the easy way out. We dine at the buffet or order in on formal nights. ;)

[StillPooh]

It just too darn hot to wear a suit jacket over his dress shirt and undershirt when its 95 degrees in the Caribbean.

Presumably the dining rooms are air conditioned?

[cruiserus]

Here is what Princess says on their website:

 

"Formal

When formal nights are held, please observe the dress code in the Traditional Dining and Anytime Dining venues for the enjoyment of all our guests.

• Evening gown, cocktail dress, or elegant pant suit for women
  
• Tuxedo, dark suit or dinner jacket and slacks for men"
  

Yes, the dining room is air conditioned, as is the theater and other public rooms.

[christinelee]

Your host (Princess Cruie Line) kindly requests that you wear:

 

• Evening gown, cocktail dress, or elegant pant suit for women
  
• Tuxedo, dark suit or dinner jacket and slacks for men" f you wish not too, then they suggest you go to optional dining. Why is that so hard for everyone to understand?
  

[Nascar girl]

Thanks. Our first cruise, I didn't mean to offend anyone.

[gerryl12]

There is usually someone that they let in without a jacket. Personally I think the maitre'd should refuse them, they can go to the buffet.

That said, the dress code for fromal nights is JACKET. Why be a maverick and spoil it for the people who are following the code. I always wear at least a dinner jacket at formal dinner and a dress shirt, tie, slacks.

[Pam in CA]

The key phrase here is, "He can get away with it." It's not "formal" by anyone's definition and he'll stand out as almost no one goes so informally. At the very least, the vast majority of men respect the cruiseline's request for appropriate dress and wear a jacket. The bottom line is that he may or may not be allowed in without a jacket. Chances are he will, but he'll stick out. It's up to you whether he's comfortable with that.

[RetiredandLovingit]

Thanks. Our first cruise, I didn't mean to offend anyone.

 

Please don't worry about offending anyone! Those that would be offended probably are not real CC"ers anyway:D:D:D

 

Don"t you be offended either. Some of us are just plain speaking folks and don't mean to offend. Also, some of us do seem to have a strange sense of humor at times. Just enjoy the site and post often!

 

Jim

[pmd98052]

You get to wear the suit/tux into the room then promptly take it off and put it on the back of the chair - quite a waste of time. :)

[paul929207]

Presumably the dining rooms are air conditioned?

Yes, the dining rooms are air conditioned, so the Dining Room temperature in the summer in the caribbean is the same as in the fall in Iceland.

[satxdiver]

The reality is that men only need to wear a long sleeved dress shirt and pants (dockers will do) on formal night. Ties and coats for men are not needed. I have done it many times myself and even when I do take a sport coat with me, I carry it in on my arm, put it over the back of the chair and carry it out. Talk about a ridiculous way to do things. On my first cruise I had not brought a coat not intending to go to formal night. However my table mates who I met on the ship and the waiter both encouraged me to come anyway. The first formal night I went to the buffet and the second one I went to the MDR. No problem at all.

 

Don't pay attention to the fashion police on here who would convince you that you would not be allowed in or if you were you would be the subject of stares. It does not happen. Most can't even tell you who comes in because they are busy talking and eating with their table mates.

 

I now do individual dining. The last time I did traditional dining on formal night of the four males at the table, we had one in a tux, one in a suit, one in a sport coat and one without. I probably don't have to tell you who the last one was. We had a great time talking and comparing notes. Nothing was said about the manner of dress which goes to show that no one really cares all that much.

[Griller]

I don't care what anyone else wears but it is a rare thing these days for most folk to dress elegantly, and a formal night on a Princess cruise is one of those opportunities.

 

Nostalgic, and harkens back to less hurried and politer times.

 

I can just pack a tux etc and everything I need for a 14 day cruise into an airline permitted size carryon without a problem, so if you have a regular sized suitcase as well then space should not be a factor.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Most men wear a suit coat {SORRY} But I do take it off at the table.

[flintg]

Since the vast majority of men take their jackets off as soon as they get to the table it makes no sense to me to bother with one.

A dress shirt and tie is all they end up with anyway! how does the mere act of walking through the door and parading to ones table makes it

Eligant, or Formal?:confused: Other peoples clothing has never had any impact on

how my food tastes or the service recieved!

[betterthanworking]

we are sailing on the ruby next april in the caribbean. Can anyone tell me if it is necessary for my husband to wear a suit coat on formal nights in the main dining rooms? He was hoping to leave the suit coat at home and just wear a shirt and tie on the formal nights.

 

 

yes!!!!

[1 HappyCruiser]

The reality is that men only need to wear a long sleeved dress shirt and pants (dockers will do) on formal night. Ties and coats for men are not needed. I have done it many times myself and even when I do take a sport coat with me, I carry it in on my arm, put it over the back of the chair and carry it out. Talk about a ridiculous way to do things. On my first cruise I had not brought a coat not intending to go to formal night. However my table mates who I met on the ship and the waiter both encouraged me to come anyway. The first formal night I went to the buffet and the second one I went to the MDR. No problem at all.

 

Don't pay attention to the fashion police on here who would convince you that you would not be allowed in or if you were you would be the subject of stares. It does not happen. Most can't even tell you who comes in because they are busy talking and eating with their table mates.

 

I now do individual dining. The last time I did traditional dining on formal night of the four males at the table, we had one in a tux, one in a suit, one in a sport coat and one without. I probably don't have to tell you who the last one was. We had a great time talking and comparing notes. Nothing was said about the manner of dress which goes to show that no one really cares all that much.

 

Many years ago I did likewise carrying my jacket to he dining room but found out it gets old real quick having to pack & lug it around for decoration on two nights. I also resorted to wearing a long sleeve dress shirt and rolling up the sleeves when seated but have recently found out that Princess is even turning their heads & allowing shirt sleeve shirts as well.

 

We are sailing on the Ruby next April in the Caribbean. Can anyone tell me if it is necessary for my husband to wear a suit coat on formal nights in the main dining rooms? He was hoping to leave the suit coat at home and just wear a shirt and tie on the formal nights.

 

As you can see by all the answers most people comply to the standard jacket but it's also not a requirement any longer & any decent form of dress will be acceptable. Princess leaves the formal attire statement in place but doesn't rigorously enforce their dress code so as to please everyone. I'm sure someone will post that they've seen people turned away for not dressing but they were far & few between & as long as he makes an effort to look half way presentable, without the jacket, he'll be fine.

[Doug R.]

Since the vast majority of men take their jackets off as soon as they get to the table it makes no sense to me to bother with one.

A dress shirt and tie is all they end up with anyway! how does the mere act of walking through the door and parading to ones table makes it

Eligant, or Formal?:confused: Other peoples clothing has never had any impact on

how my food tastes or the service recieved!

 

Honestly I have never noticed that. :confused:

[RetiredandLovingit]

Yes, the dining rooms are air conditioned, so the Dining Room temperature in the summer in the caribbean is the same as in the fall in Iceland.

 

Depends on the ship and/or dining room in my opinion. We have been on some ships where it was nearly perfect all the time and other ships where it was quite warm during some meals!

 

Jim

[loge23]

Nascargirl, I am embarrassed by some of the snarky comments that your very reasonable request has generated. Thankfully, there have also been enough positive responses to help you make your own decision.

The formal dinner night is a throwback to the golden days of cruising, before cruising went mass marketing, before airlines started charging for bags, and before the ONLY time you would wear a tuxedo was on a cruise (unless you are a classical musician or high-end waiter). Nonetheless, I complied for the bulk of our 20+ cruises, only for the fact that most of our trips embarked from a port accessible by driving.

This Oct. we will embark from a port that requires a much dreaded airline flight. The tux will not make the baggage cut. Frankly, I will be in the majority of the diners, dining without the monkey suit, if my last 3 or 4 cruises are any indication. I won't miss being uncomfortable, hot, and over-dressed while watching my fellow comfortably and casually dressed diners ordering the same meals.

Princess is all about "Personal Choice". Enjoy your cruise!

[ONT-CA]

...This Oct. we will embark from a port that requires a much dreaded airline flight. The tux will not make the baggage cut. Frankly, I will be in the majority of the diners, dining without the monkey suit, if my last 3 or 4 cruises are any indication. I won't miss being uncomfortable, hot, and over-dressed while watching my fellow comfortably and casually dressed diners ordering the same meals.

Princess is all about "Personal Choice". Enjoy your cruise!

 

We have found that those foreign cruises requiring now mucho expensive flights are the ones where formal attire (monkey suit?) is more prevalent. The manner of dress is not about the individual. You dress well in attending a wedding to honour the bride and groom. To do otherwise is to insult them. Those who enjoy formal attire enjoy being in the company of other like-minded people. Those who rebel and repel have some other objective.

[hubofhockey]

We have found that those foreign cruises requiring now mucho expensive flights are the ones where formal attire (monkey suit?) is more prevalent. The manner of dress is not about the individual. You dress well in attending a wedding to honour the bride and groom. To do otherwise is to insult them. Those who enjoy formal attire enjoy being in the company of other like-minded people. Those who rebel and repel have some other objective.

 

 

I think this post is spot on. I think people dress a little down for Caribbean cruises and up for European cruises. On a Caribbean cruise, I'll bring a sports jacket. On Med/European cruises, I'll bring my tux (if I didn't have one, I would wear a dark suit and be okay with it). I want to fit in and, personally, I don't feel comfortable when I am underdressed. Some people don't care and hope to get by dressed down as much as possible. Some head waiters will look the other way and not create a scene. Is the aggravation worth it?