Specialty Restaurants on Formal Nights

Over a year ago, the Princess website was changed to say that casual attire was fine in the specialty restaurants on formal nights. So, that was our plan last summer on the Ruby. But, when we got onboard, I was told that was wrong and that we needed to be "dressed" on those nights. I didn't have a copy of the page from the website so I didn't argue and just accepted their "rules." This year I have that page tucked away for our July trip on the Pacific Princess ... but, I'm wondering if folks could check in here and let us know about experiences with this "misunderstanding" on whatever Princess ships you're recently sailed on! I'm interested fleet-wide ... but I'd also like to know about the Pacific Princess.

Hi There,

Not been on Pacific, but smart casual has been OK on others for formal night.

But I did see others dressed.

yours Shogun

On the Golden, smart casual was perfectly fine on Formal nights in both Sabatini's and Crown Grill.

From the Princess website:

Dining & Nightlife

Dining with Princess is a celebration of the truest sense with dishes created from the freshest ingredients. Opt to fill your nights by catching a production show, dance the night away or visit our Vegas-style casino. Click on a topic headline to view detailed information relating to your selection.

Casual Dining Venues

When a casual mood calls, you have plenty of choices – even on formal nights. Whether it be one of our specialty restaurants, the 24-hour buffet at the Horizon Court, the pizzeria, burger & hot dog grill, or 24-hour room service, you’re able to choose how you dine with us.

 

From the Princess website:

Dining & Nightlife

Dining with Princess is a celebration of the truest sense with dishes created from the freshest ingredients. Opt to fill your nights by catching a production show, dance the night away or visit our Vegas-style casino. Click on a topic headline to view detailed information relating to your selection.

 

Casual Dining Venues

When a casual mood calls, you have plenty of choices – even on formal nights. Whether it be one of our specialty restaurants, the 24-hour buffet at the Horizon Court, the pizzeria, burger & hot dog grill, or 24-hour room service, you’re able to choose how you dine with us.

Yep ... that's exactly the language I was referring to ... but last summer on the Ruby they didn't acknowledge it and required the same dress as the regular dining rooms on formal nights.

Where does it refer to either dress at all in those statements??

Think they are talking about a casual dining experience not dress.

Yep ... that's exactly the language I was referring to ... but last summer on the Ruby they didn't acknowledge it and required the same dress as the regular dining rooms on formal nights.

We have heard that some ships are trying to enforce their own dress code but have changed their minds when given the policy that is on the website. It is a shame that you have to point it out to them to receive what you are promised from corporate.

Where does it refer to either dress at all in those statements??

Casual Dining Venues

When a casual mood calls, you have plenty of choices – even on formal nights. Whether it be one of our specialty restaurants, the 24-hour buffet at the Horizon Court, the pizzeria, burger & hot dog grill, or 24-hour room service, you’re able to choose how you dine with us.

Here are two places on the Princess website that explain their policy on smart casual clothing being appropriate on Formal Nights in the Specialty Restaurants.

1) Go to the Princess website at www.Princess.com

Highlight “Prepare For Your Cruise” by putting your curser over that tab.

From the drop down menu that appears click on “FAQ: Cruise Answer Place”

On the left hand side click on “Dining & Nightlife” under the Onboard section.

Scroll down to the “Casual Dining Venues” and click on the + sign.

It states the following:

“When a casual mood calls, you have plenty of choices – even on formal nights. Whether it be one of our specialty restaurants, the 24-hour buffet at the Horizon Court, the pizzeria, burger & hot dog grill, or 24-hour room service, you’re able to choose how you dine with us.”

2) Go to the Princess website at www.Princess.com

Highlight “Prepare For Your Cruise” by putting your curser over that tab.

From the drop down menu that appears click on “FAQ: Cruise Answer Place”

On the left hand side click on “Onboard Experience” under the Onboard section.

Click on the + sign next to “Onboard Atmosphere”

Read the first bullet point that again states that on Formal Nights the dress code should be observed in the Main Dining Room and Anytime Dining Rooms. Not included are the Specialty Restaurants. So Smart Casual is the dress code in the Specialty Restaurants, even on Formal Nights.

It states the following:

“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.”

I see that but it still does not address the actual dress issue.

(casual dining experience) To me that means not in the Dining Room.

We experienced the requirement of formal dress at the Crown Grill on formal night so I guess it depends on the ship and you take your chance.

It is very vague.

It is very vague.

It's not vague at all ... as a matter of fact it couldn't be clearer!!!

"Casual" in all of this web-site language refers to "dress" ... not the style of dining. The "style" of dining in the specialty restaurants is always a level above what you'll find in the general dining rooms. It would never be called "casual" if it was referring to the "dining experience" ... which it clearly isn't!!!!

It's not vague at all ... as a matter of fact it couldn't be clearer!!!

 

"Casual" in all of this web-site language refers to "dress" ... not the style of dining. The "style" of dining in the specialty restaurants is always a level above what you'll find in the general dining rooms. It would never be called "casual" if it was referring to the "dining experience" ... which it clearly isn't!!!!

Well paper in hand or not, good luck with that.

It's not vague at all ... as a matter of fact it couldn't be clearer!!!

 

"Casual" in all of this web-site language refers to "dress" ... not the style of dining. The "style" of dining in the specialty restaurants is always a level above what you'll find in the general dining rooms. It would never be called "casual" if it was referring to the "dining experience" ... which it clearly isn't!!!!

I'm with your thinking. It couldn't be any clearer unless they had pictures. :D

Either way I'll be armed with my documentation just in case the head waiter has a bug up his...... :rolleyes:

It's very clear to me too. I've always dressed up for formal nights in the past but we're taking a Caribbean cruise this winter and I'm considering taking the Specialty restaurant/smart casual option on Formal nights.

On our third formal night on our recent cruise on the Royal princess we went to the Steakhouse for dinner. All the folks there were in casual clothes.

Just recently I wore a pair of kackies and nice shirt, and believe me everyone in the Speciatly dining rooms wore the same, I think we saw 2 men in suites. When they sat down off came the jackets. This thread should now but it wont it will go on and on!

Our experiences on the Crown and the Emerald was that it was perfectly acceptable to wear smart casual (this does not mean jeans, t-shirts and/or sneakers) to the specialty restaurants on formal night or any other night for that matter.

You will find that most people dress very smartly for their dining experience at the specialty restaurants. Additionally, we have always done anytime dining on most formal nights and have not really dressed "formally". Sport coats for the men and nicer pant outfits for ladies.

Hope this helps. Barbara

I just put on a sportsjacket in the specialty restaurants. But I don't think that's needed at all.

Of course casual refers to attire. The food is anything but casual and much better (same with preparation and presentation) than the food in the dining rooms. I guess I have heard that the maitre d in the Ruby can be heavy handed. Rather than fight with him, just bring a sports jacket and don't give it a second thought.

This past February we sailed on the Ruby. When I made reservations for The Crown Grill for formal night I was told by the restaurant manager that I would have to adhere to the formal dress code. When I told him that I received an email just prior to the cruise with the previously mentioned casual dining options that included the specialty restaurants. He told me that he knew nothing about that and if I didn't have that email printed out to show to him he would not change his mind. He then told me that he would accept a long sleeve shirt in lieu of a jacket, which is what I wound up doing. Next time I will print out the casual dining options and bring it with me.

This past February we sailed on the Ruby. When I made reservations for The Crown Grill for formal night I was told by the restaurant manager that I would have to adhere to the formal dress code. When I told him that I received an email just prior to the cruise with the previously mentioned casual dining options that included the specialty restaurants. He told me that he knew nothing about that and if I didn't have that email printed out to show to him he would not change his mind. He then told me that he would accept a long sleeve shirt in lieu of a jacket, which is what I wound up doing. Next time I will print out the casual dining options and bring it with me.

We're on the Ruby next week. Since I'll wear a jacket, it's not a big deal for me. But I'll ask the maitre d in any case why his policies are different than the ones for the Crown Grill on the Crown Princess and why they are inconsistent with what is on Princess.com.

Our experiences on the Crown and the Emerald was that it was perfectly acceptable to wear smart casual (this does not mean jeans, t-shirts and/or sneakers) to the specialty restaurants on formal night or any other night for that matter.

 

You will find that most people dress very smartly for their dining experience at the specialty restaurants. Additionally, we have always done anytime dining on most formal nights and have not really dressed "formally". Sport coats for the men and nicer pant outfits for ladies.

 

Hope this helps. Barbara

Since there definition of casual explicitly Ok's jeans on all evenings in the specialty restaurants I don't know why you would post such a statement other than the fact that you personally would not like them worn. Just be prepared with the necessary documentation in case the head waiter has a different interpretation of the printed statement.

We're on the Ruby next week. Since I'll wear a jacket, it's not a big deal for me. But I'll ask the maitre d in any case why his policies are different than the ones for the Crown Grill on the Crown Princess and why they are inconsistent with what is on Princess.com.

Please do.

While on The Emerald in February I asked (just to make sure) at The Crown Grill and the head waiter laughed and said "Please, we are always casual here, come as you are".

Mike:)

Please do.

 

While on The Emerald in February I asked (just to make sure) at The Crown Grill and the head waiter laughed and said "Please, we are always casual here, come as you are".

 

Mike:)

Not a problem Mike. While I won't be doing a live thread, I may pop online after the cruise from the hotel in Barcelona for a quick recap and will post the maitre d's answer on this thread. We will be at the Crown Grill and Sabatinis on the two formal nights.

Thanks. While it is no big deal to me, I don't understand why the folks on The Ruby seem to have their own interpretation of the Princess directive.

Have a great cruise!

Mike:)

This past February we sailed on the Ruby. When I made reservations for The Crown Grill for formal night I was told by the restaurant manager that I would have to adhere to the formal dress code. When I told him that I received an email just prior to the cruise with the previously mentioned casual dining options that included the specialty restaurants. He told me that he knew nothing about that and if I didn't have that email printed out to show to him he would not change his mind. He then told me that he would accept a long sleeve shirt in lieu of a jacket, which is what I wound up doing. Next time I will print out the casual dining options and bring it with me.

We were on the Ruby in January and I had this exact same discussion with the gentleman taking reservations on the first day. He tried to tell me that I had mistaken "alternative dining" for "specialty dining". I offered to take him to the Internet cafe and pull up Princess' web site and show it to him. At that point he relented and said long sleeves would be acceptable.

I have to add though, that in the Crown Grill on formal night the vast majority of men were in suit and tie or a tux. Even though my DH was in black slacks with a nice long sleeve shirt and sweater, and I was in black slacks and a white blouse, we still felt under dressed and canceled our reservation for the second formal night.

On our Caribbean cruise last week we dined in Sabs and CG on formal nights - smart casual. We had decided not to do formal this time around as we had cruised in March with 4 formal nights on Sea P and wanted to keep luggage to a minimum. We were smartly dressed but no tiara and pearls! :D for me - and a short sleeved (smart) shirt for DH.

On both nights there was a mix of formal and very casual dress in those dining venues.

Glenda

We had the same problem on the ruby last year. The head waiter would not let my husband in wearing a $125 Tommy Bahama short sleeve shirt. Since he did nit bring a long sleeve shirt we were out if luck. It was very annoying given that we had previously sailed on the CB and he was admitted inti Sabatinis wearing the same shirt on formal night.