Formal night dining

[bdjam]

This thread sounds like a soap opera. If you have any questions about attire, why not try calling Princess? Perhaps they can clarify what "formal dress" means.

 

This is why I stick to the buffet...no drama! :)

I agree.

The best advice - if you want to call it that - to give is this...the link to the dress guidelines in the Cruise Answer Book - then the original poster can decide on their own what they want to do.

http://www.princess.com/learn/answer/before_you_leave/bring.jsp

[smoosh21]

I personally enjoy dressing up for dinner on formal night, but I don't stay dressed up all night. To me, the formal dinners are part of the cruise experience.

 

We always do late seating, and I must admit, that I feel a bit akward when I am coming back from the pool in my swimsuit and start passing everyone dressed to the nines heading to first seating.

 

Anyway, it is true that dress codes are suggested, so take that as you wish.

[MoonPet]

How about the 2-year old with shirt and tie?

 

The little ones are often the cutest on formal night.

 

Although my 8 month old niece was sick just before our cruise and my brother and sister in law had to cancel at the last minute, they had some really adorable fancy dresses picked out for her for the two formal nights.

[MoonPet]

One thing people don't seem to understand about formal nights is that they set a certain expectation of the ambience and product quality on board - even for the non-formal nights. If Princess becomes a casual cruise line like NCL, then it's product will become like NCL in order to support the market a more casual line will attract. Princess will not present the same product without the formal component of the cruise experience...it will be marketing to a more casual demographic and that will tell in its overall product. If one is willing to accept a lower quality experience, then by all means complain to Princess about having to dress appropriately for a small percentage of the time spent on a ship (even though casual alternatives are offered) - but then don't complain when the results you seek are achieved.

 

When I look at where Princess is today compared to 10 years ago, I see a lot of issues with lower quality - much of that is a result of Princess becoming more focused on the mass market instead of the premium market it focused on in the mid-90s. Perhaps a response to the business climate, but becoming more casual has left Princess without a lot of the things that used to make it a unique cruising experience.

 

Well said bdjam. I agree whoheartedly although I've only been cruising on Princess since 2005.

 

Also wanted to add, on our July CB sailing there was an entire table of Scottish men in the traditional dining room in full Scottish dress - kilt with all the accessories. They looked stunning and received many a compliment.

[MoonPet]

That's a good idea.

 

I once suggested that a formal version of a cruise cost a little more and come complete with additional amenities. The passenger would pay an extra amount per day, but they would be assured formal evenings and dinners on board and enhanced amenities around those evenings. Passengers who wanted a totally casual cruise would not have to pay the additional per diem, but they would also not be allowed to partake in the formal evenings. The number of posts suggesting that I was elitist from those who wanted the enhanced amenities without the option to pay for them or dress for them was overwhelming. Face it - people want to take part in a more sophisticated cruise experience, but they don't want to put out any effort for it.

 

While far from a Cunard expert, isn't this the general idea behind, what I think are called, the Princess/Queen's Grill on the QM2?

[MrPete]

Personally, I've grown tired of formal nights. I've also grown tired of the debate.

 

If the lines choose not to even attempt to assist in creating or sustaining the atmosphere, nor am I.