Formal Nights

[david63]

1 minute ago, MissP22 said:

the fact that Princess was the only remaining cruise line to publish a formal dress code

There are still many cruise lines that publish formal. and other, dress codes.

[Guest Snaxmuppet]

2 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

Oh, I get it alright. Yes, I'm almost sure that they've changed their policy due to many arguments at the door on formal evenings. That and the fact that Princess was the only remaining cruise line to publish a formal dress code while the other cruise lines had long abandoned it. 

It all boils down to them not wanting to lose $$$$$. 

Then why do they still have the published guidelines?

[Abercrombie2019]

29 minutes ago, Snaxmuppet said:

Someone has to put the other side... Sorry.

My sphere of influence begins and ends with me, myself and I.  I don't work for the cruise line, and I have no desire to interpret or enforce a policy that the cruise line doesn't seem to want to enforce anymore.

 

[Bgwest]

17 minutes ago, david63 said:

There are still many cruise lines that publish formal. and other, dress codes.

Seems like the perfect place to insert Dress CODE = Dress SUGGESTION. 

Abide by said Suggestion if you wish, disregard if you wish. 

 

For those who desperately cling to some antiquated Code, there is always Cunard, etc. 

Enjoy your Cruise!!

[Guest Snaxmuppet]

21 minutes ago, Abercrombie2019 said:

My sphere of influence begins and ends with me, myself and I.  I don't work for the cruise line, and I have no desire to interpret or enforce a policy that the cruise line doesn't seem to want to enforce anymore.

 

Your choice. 🙂 

[Host CJSKIDS]

Okay...... let's get back to the OP's actual question as a new cruiser to Princess. 

 

I hope you have been able to gather some answers to your question.  As you can see, the suggested dress code topic on these boards can run the gambit of getting personal thoughts of dress and decorum , to what others have witnessed to discussions around what one's opinion is on the subject. 

Our beliefs on dress and what is acceptable is clearly very different in all areas of the world, hence the different answers.  It's also why you will get answers that say "wear what you would to a nice restaurant in town" which again will differ on where you live in the world. 

 

IF you do a search when on the main Princess board, you will see many threads on this topic and can wade through many more threads and thoughts. 

 

Whatever you decide to do, I hope you enjoy your cruise.  I'm a huge Princess cruise line fan and am happy to share a table with anyone no matter what they are wearing.  I will still enjoy that meal, some  laugher and hopefully make some new friends. 

[555]

3 minutes ago, Host CJSKIDS said:

Our beliefs on dress and what is acceptable is clearly very different in all areas of the world, hence the different answers.

That is very true but that one thing that is certain is Princess's enforcement of their dress code or lack of it, lately. 

[MissP22]

1 hour ago, david63 said:

There are still many cruise lines that publish formal. and other, dress codes.

I was referring to the mass market cruise lines like NCL, Celebrity, HAL,  Carnival, MSC. I'm sure there must be a few remaining cruise lines that still have dress up nights besides Cunard. 

Edited October 3, 2023 by MissP22

[Host CJSKIDS]

1 minute ago, 555 said:

That is very true but that one thing that is certain is Princess's enforcement of their dress code or lack of it, lately. 

 

I've not seen them enforce it for years, but then again I have only been doing Caribbean cruises for years so perhaps that is why.  I've been watching shorts in the dining rooms for years now and personally never seen anyone turned away but that's just my experience for whatever it's worth. 

 

  

[MissP22]

1 hour ago, Snaxmuppet said:

Then why do they still have the published guidelines?

I think the answer is quite obvious. 💲💲.

Over a billion dollars profit last quarter even with a non enforcement of a dress code/suggestion. I guess a good number of people are satisfied the way things are today. 

[Steelers36]

<deleted>

Edited October 3, 2023 by Steelers36

[Princessfan20]

56 minutes ago, 555 said:

That is very true but that one thing that is certain is Princess's enforcement of their dress code or lack of it, lately. 

 

Agree.  Wow I do not see how people have time to monitor what others are wearing to the dining room and then get upset about it.  Do they get a table by the MDR door and act as guards?  I wish every time a dress code thread is started here the monitors would just close it.  They always go no where and Princess still allows almost anything to go in the MDR's.

[Guest Snaxmuppet]

30 minutes ago, Princessfan20 said:

 

Agree.  Wow I do not see how people have time to monitor what others are wearing to the dining room and then get upset about it.  Do they get a table by the MDR door and act as guards?  I wish every time a dress code thread is started here the monitors would just close it.  They always go no where and Princess still allows almost anything to go in the MDR's.

That is silly... I am sure no-one "monitors" it... it is obvious from just looking around the room!

[Steelers36]

Who remembers the final 10 - 15 seconds of the 24 TV series?  Chloe had the last line, with tears in her eyes no less. 

 

I doubt we will ever see the end of clothing and formal night debates.  Even if Princess re-worded their recommendations.

[jwattle]

3 hours ago, Lady Arwen said:

Sorry, but I have to disagree on one point.  My DH and I don’t dress nicely to please the “formalist crowd” or anyone else.  We like to look good for ourselves and each other.  We look good going to Home Depot!  
 

Some of us take pride in how we look and how we present ourselves to others.  Some people don’t care if they look good, so they don’t  even try.  It doesn’t bother us even a tiny little bit how other people dress.  What is nice though, is when we walk into the MDR, we always get smiles and compliments.  Totally worth the effort!  And, the way my DH looks at me is with a million bucks!

 

 

 

 

Absolutely agree, 100% ❤️

[HMSDingy]

Our European cruise next August will be our first post COVID. We are Platinum and for all of our past Princess Cruises I have always rented a tux and DW in a cocktail dress. For the other cruise lines we sailed on, I wore a suit. For this next cruise I'm debating bringing at least a sports jacked on top of chinos.  Our last cruise with Holland was a Med cruise and I wore a suit on that one. We don't mind dressing up a bit.

[stevenr597]

I do remember that when we first began to cruise on Royal Caribbean I wore a jacket and tie most evenings to the dining room and a tuxedo on formal nights.

But that was a time when you had assigned seating and very elegant dining.  Each night we would also have a midnight buffet. 

[rbtan]

2 hours ago, MissP22 said:

I was referring to the mass market cruise lines like NCL, Celebrity, HAL,  Carnival, MSC. I'm sure there must be a few remaining cruise lines that still have dress up nights besides Cunard. 

Princess IS a mass market line. It seems they are trying to go up market with the New Sun coming out in the near future. We booked a Cabana Reserve to give it a try. We like the fact the Reserve & Suites have their own designated rest.Food has not been really that good on Princess, which is why we've been doing Oceania. We do want to see if the Sun has the right kinds of quality we like in the mass market lines.

[rbtan]

2 minutes ago, HMSDingy said:

Our European cruise next August will be our first post COVID. We are Platinum and for all of our past Princess Cruises I have always rented a tux and DW in a cocktail dress. For the other cruise lines we sailed on, I wore a suit. For this next cruise I'm debating bringing at least a sports jacked on top of chinos.  Our last cruise with Holland was a Med cruise and I wore a suit on that one. We don't mind dressing up a bit.

From your description, you'll be fine. You don't have to go all out, unless you want to.That's basically the style we wear on Oceania.

[rbtan]

3 minutes ago, stevenr597 said:

I do remember that when we first began to cruise on Royal Caribbean I wore a jacket and tie most evenings to the dining room and a tuxedo on formal nights.

But that was a time when you had assigned seating and very elegant dining.  Each night we would also have a midnight buffet. 

Yeah really miss the midnight buffet. A nice way to grab a light snack(well, some of us)before heading back to the room.

[karatemom2]

This is always such a heated topic for some reason - always has been. I remember a day on this board where the argument over jeans in the DR on smart casual nights caused the equivalent of virtual fist fights. And now, that is a non-issue as jeans in the dining room are commonplace.

 

I think we can all agree that society has changed and cruising has changed along with it. In general, in all aspects of life people dress more casually now for all sorts of things that used to require a stricter dress code, including places like church, school and work. When I started my career you wouldn't catch me at the office in anything less then a suit or dress and always pantyhose. 30 plus years later, my work wear is most often more casual trousers, flats and a sweater set - never pantyhose (thank goodness). And often I'm still the most dressed up person at the office.

 

Princess still has guidelines, but that is all they are. It is "suggested" and there is very little enforcement unless it is pretty egregious like someone showing up for dinner in ratty gym shorts and a tank top (I have seen that turned away). By and large, you should do what feels comfortable for you. It's a wide range of apparel, especially on formal nights that can range from very casual to full tux and gowns. We dress somewhere in the middle - DH in a suit, sometimes a tie, sometimes not, and me in dressy evening pants and a dressy blouse. That's about as far as we go these days and on more casual cruises like Mexico and Alaska we veer even into the slightly more casual dressy.

 

So you can assess what works for you - we don't dress the same on every cruise. We have noted that our European cruise, especially out of Southampton tend to be very dressy. Our cruise a few weeks ago featured lots of stunning gowns, tuxedos and even some kilts. We knew this would be the case so we dressed up more on that cruise. It won't be the same story on our Caribbean cruise next year, so I will pack accordingly. 

 

Just dress in the way that makes sense for you and grab some popcorn and enjoy the banter here! : )

[Potstech]

16 hours ago, rbtan said:

Figures. It's England not the Caribbean stop give wrong information.

Nothing wrong with their info.

[Oxo]

What do you consider Formal wear? 

[Guest Snaxmuppet]

This discussion isn't really about formal wear... more about what is acceptable in the MDR at any time.

 

However, since you didn't direct your question to anyone in particular I consider formal wear as a tux or dinner suit, bowtie, accessories. ladies evening gown. Or lounge suit, normal tie if you don't want to go all out but want to be smarter than smart casual.

 

Should people be forced to wear formal wear on formal nights? Of course not. Should people be forced to wear smart casual as a minimum on any night including formal nights... IMO yes. 

 

(ducking for laughing emoji fest from the usual suspects 🙂 Don't bother, you are wasting your time )

[Abercrombie2019]

OP asked about how "formal" formal nights were on a British Isle Cruise.  We were on the Regal in July (2023) for a British Isle Cruise.

 

I wore a dress shirt, tie, coat, dark jeans and black running shoes on the first formal night (we were eating in Sabatini's).  Wore the same thing on the "Dress to Impress" night (the second formal night).

 

I did not feel under dressed.  Actually felt a little overdressed for the "Dress to Impress" night.  Most of the men were wearing long pants, dress shirt and sweaters.

 

I know that I have a rule about not posting to formal threads anymore - but rules were made to be broken. 😁