What if We are NOT Formal?

[Pam in CA]

With 21" carryons per person, no gown or tux packed. Husband is Dockers & polos & I am slacks with tops, NO JEANS.

 

We are no BUFFET people, appreciate a table for 2 but will do 4 if we have to. WE ARE BOOKED FOR ANYTIME DINING and told it is for country club casual. She stated Traditional is formalwear heaven.

Not sure who "she" is but they gave you incorrect information. ALL of the dining rooms, both Anytime and Traditional, have the exact same dress code and it's in the banner of the Princess Patter as a reminder. I would say that 95% of the male passengers wear at least a suit and ladies all dressed up; very, very few dress casually, or even "smart" casual on formal nights.

 

A question: are you on a cruise longer than 7 days? If so, I can see where it might be tight in your suitcase but for a 7 day cruise, a 21" should be sufficient to pack even formal attire.

[LARGIN]

Pam... OP is going on a 7 day Caribbean.. Not much clothes needed for that one so a 21 incher should be no problem.

[satxdiver]

I got off the Ruby the end of last month. I am not a formal person and never dress formal. The OP's DH will be fine with a pair of dockers and a long sleeved dress style shirt. I always do TD and participate in formal nights. On the two formal nights on the Ruby I saw everything from tux, suits, sport coats, no coats to kilts. Everyone had a great time. I wore dockers and a long sleeved shirt without a tie and did not have a problem. Don't believe all the naysayers about any strict enforcement in the MDR and don't eat in the HC at night. BTW I immediately return to my stateroom and change into my tevas, shorts and tshirt for the remainder of the evening.

[1 HappyCruiser]

I got off the Ruby the end of last month. I am not a formal person and never dress formal. The OP's DH will be fine with a pair of dockers and a long sleeved dress style shirt. I always do TD and participate in formal nights. On the two formal nights on the Ruby I saw everything from tux, suits, sport coats, no coats to kilts. Everyone had a great time. I wore dockers and a long sleeved shirt without a tie and did not have a problem. Don't believe all the naysayers about any strict enforcement in the MDR and don't eat in the HC at night. BTW I immediately return to my stateroom and change into my tevas, shorts and tshirt for the remainder of the evening.

 

I'll add add that the food in the Cafe Carib was better than all the other Princess ships I've been on. we ate there an a few casual evenings because there was nothing interesting on the regular menu & the food was great.

[cynbar]

You will see posters here who tell you to ignore formal night attire and go to the MDRs anyway. But I can tell you than on my 9 Princess cruises, I have seen very few who don't have on at least a sport coat (for the men) and a dressy top with black slacks/skirt for the ladies. It really doesn't take up a lot of room, especially if your DH wears his sport coat to travel. Anyway, there is always the chance you may be denied admittance , but it also depends on whether it will make you feel uncomfortable to be two of only a few who are dressed casually. I know you said you don't like buffets, but Princess has a better evening buffet than most (tables nicely set with tablecoths, better entrees than I have found elsewhere, especially on formal nights.) Princess is very different than NCL re: dress codes, much less casual overall.

[Grumpy100]

We were aboard the Sun Princess in November and had two formal nights.

DH did bring his suit and I dressed formally two nights. 99% of the people were dressed up formally on formal night and only saw a couple of people turned away. One man in shorts and one man in jeans in the FDR on formal night.

[Tina G]

Wow! What some people consider appropriate attire! Just off the Golden, a young lady(?) was attired in velvet micro-hot pants with black stockings and 4 inch heels! The same person wore a black spandex mini-dress that must have been sprayed on the next week on formal night. I guess she must have needed to save space packing her suitcase!:p

[Sincity]

What you wear won't affect my dining experience assuming you are clean and well groomed.

 

Well said!

[bhopal21]

Wow! What some people consider appropriate attire! Just off the Golden, a young lady(?) was attired in velvet micro-hot pants with black stockings and 4 inch heels! The same person wore a black spandex mini-dress that must have been sprayed on the next week on formal night. I guess she must have needed to save space packing her suitcase!:p

 

She could have been working.:eek::rolleyes:

 

Mike:)

[AFT_LOVER]

and agrees that he will do the same for the 2 nights. I will bring a glitter top with black pants & heels.

 

We are newly retired for over a year & no retirement checks for 2 more years, 60 years old & he is 58. So air is miles to fly, using them up since they are becoming worthless. Free hotel with gift card from Hilton. And we are not paying $100 for luggage to go on vacation, so carry on only. Goodwill has ball gowns & suits, so we are smart casual for all cruises. Time for all cruises to go Freestyle in dress.

 

We are on Crown in April for my 60th (UPS has me wait til 65 for retirement check).

 

I got off the Ruby the end of last month. I am not a formal person and never dress formal. The OP's DH will be fine with a pair of dockers and a long sleeved dress style shirt. I always do TD and participate in formal nights. On the two formal nights on the Ruby I saw everything from tux, suits, sport coats, no coats to kilts. Everyone had a great time. I wore dockers and a long sleeved shirt without a tie and did not have a problem. Don't believe all the naysayers about any strict enforcement in the MDR and don't eat in the HC at night. BTW I immediately return to my stateroom and change into my tevas, shorts and tshirt for the remainder of the evening.

[friedshrimp]

Wow! What some people consider appropriate attire! Just off the Golden, a young lady(?) was attired in velvet micro-hot pants with black stockings and 4 inch heels! The same person wore a black spandex mini-dress that must have been sprayed on the next week on formal night. I guess she must have needed to save space packing her suitcase!:p

 

Canned spray on dresses are fairly easy to pack and don't take up much room! ;)

[Coracii]

You will see posters here who tell you to ignore formal night attire and go to the MDRs anyway. But I can tell you than on my 9 Princess cruises, I have seen very few who don't have on at least a sport coat (for the men) and a dressy top with black slacks/skirt for the ladies. It really doesn't take up a lot of room, especially if your DH wears his sport coat to travel. Anyway, there is always the chance you may be denied admittance , but it also depends on whether it will make you feel uncomfortable to be two of only a few who are dressed casually.

 

I would be in that group that you state to be the "very few" not wearing a jacket on formal night and am scheduled for my 10th Princess cruise. I've never worn a jacket to formal night dinner and most likely never will, and after more than 20 formal night dinners no one working in the dining room has even batted an eye at my choice of slacks and a long-sleeved dress shirt. I have never seen or heard of anyone in that clothing choice being refused seating and most people don't really care what the other people in the dining room are wearing. It's way more important to some people here than it is to the overwhelming majority of people actually on the ships.

[salty jim1]

I would be in that group that you state to be the "very few" not wearing a jacket on formal night and am scheduled for my 10th Princess cruise. I've never worn a jacket to formal night dinner and most likely never will, and after more than 20 formal night dinners no one working in the dining room has even batted an eye at my choice of slacks and a long-sleeved dress shirt. I have never seen or heard of anyone in that clothing choice being refused seating and most people don't really care what the other people in the dining room are wearing. It's way more important to some people here than it is to the overwhelming majority of people actually on the ships.

Have to agree. Just off Ruby , a lot of people on formal night in blazers and grey slacks, there was a real assortment. No one batted an eyelid, just be smart and enjoy !

[cruzendude]

and agrees that he will do the same for the 2 nights. I will bring a glitter top with black pants & heels.

 

We are newly retired for over a year & no retirement checks for 2 more years, 60 years old & he is 58. So air is miles to fly, using them up since they are becoming worthless. Free hotel with gift card from Hilton. And we are not paying $100 for luggage to go on vacation, so carry on only. Goodwill has ball gowns & suits, so we are smart casual for all cruises. Time for all cruises to go Freestyle in dress.

 

We are on Crown in April for my 60th (UPS has me wait til 65 for retirement check).

 

 

If you want FREESTYLE cruising you should go back to NCL....

[Pam in CA]

Pam... OP is going on a 7 day Caribbean.. Not much clothes needed for that one so a 21 incher should be no problem.

Exactly. I bring ONE 25" suitcase for a 31-day cruise. Can't imagine needing anything that big for just 7 days. You just have to pack smartly and efficiently.

[tip]

What you wear won't affect my dining experience assuming you are clean and well groomed.

 

Right on target!

 

While many do dress in tuxes and suits, not everyone does. We were on the Crown last month and saw a variety of clothing. To the OP, do not let "The Clothes Police" try to intimidate you and banish you to the buffet or pizza. I wore a shirt and tie with jacket, but that was my choice!

[Cruiser_Rich]

With 21" carryons per person, no gown or tux packed. Husband is Dockers & polos & I am slacks with tops, NO JEANS.

 

We are no BUFFET people, appreciate a table for 2 but will do 4 if we have to. WE ARE BOOKED FOR ANYTIME DINING and told it is for country club casual. She stated Traditional is formalwear heaven.

I've only done three cruises to date and never Princess until this coming October so most people have more experience than I. But of the three I did each formal night always had a variety of attire, very few tuxedos, many jacket and ties, and many dress slacks and shirt, never an issue. On a disney cruise there were two gentlemen that wore a yankee uniform EVERY night including formal nights. Of all uniforms to wear :p.