Elegant Nights vs. Formal Nights

[karatemom2]

Goodness knows I never thought I, in my right mind, would actually start a dress code thread. But perhaps I'm not in my right mind today or perhaps just curious to hear other's opinions which I always enjoy here.

 

So we have decided to try Carnival next year for our Spring cruise as they still have a very nice MR itinerary and we are getting a lovely 9 day cruise for a terrific price. We love Princess, but it felt like a good chance to try a new itinerary and experience a different line.

 

I have been lurking over at the Carnival Board and have learned that Carnival does not have Formal nights. Instead they have "Elegant" Nights with a more relaxed dress code as follows:

 

Cruise Elegant Dining Dress Code: Gentlemen - Dress slacks, dress shirts. We also suggest a sport coat. If you wish to wear suits and ties or tuxedos, by all means we invite you to do so. Ladies - Cocktail dresses, pantsuits, elegant skirts and blouses; if you‘d like to show off your evening gowns, that's great too!

 

So my question to you regular Princess cruisers is would you prefer to see Princess go this route or would you prefer to maintain the current expectation. I guess the reason I ask is that I have been frankly shocked as to what has passed as "formal" on our most recent Princess cruises. While many passengers still make an effort, it appears more and more simply ignore the guidelines and since they are not enforced I guess why shouldn't they. My thought is that if Princess is not going to stick to its own guidelines for formal dress, wouldn't it be better to just make it official and be done with it. It would certainly alleviate a lot of the confusion. I love formal nights, but they do seem to be going the way of the dinosaurs.

 

What do you all think?

[billco]

I would be happy if Princess eliminated formal nights altogether. I think the only purpose of formal nights is to make money selling pictures.

[Kinkacruiser]

Sounds like it will be a mixed bag of attire, if you are given the option to wear "black tie". According to Carnival's interpretation, I would dress 'elegantly' in the main dining room on all nights. I'm sure I would feel out of place/overdressed in this new environment.

To date, I haven't seen a demise in Princess dress codes on formal nights. Maybe people eat elsewhere on those nights?

[tip]

It would work for me. Those who want to play dress up could continue to do so. Those who don't would be allowed to make dress according to their choice.

[Shogun]

Hi All

 

Princess has in right formal a couple times on a cruise is fine,

 

and if you do not want to then you have other places to eat apart from the MDR

 

yours Shogun

[paul929207]

I enjoy the formal nights, and as we go on the longer cruises, they seem to be popular with the other passengers as well. Seems like Carnival, NCL, RCCL are giving people the option to dress down.

[geoherb]

We enjoy formal nights and like to see other people well dressed. It adds an air of dignity to taking a cruise. If you can't bother to try to dress up, I'd like to see the maitre d's enforce the policy a little bit more strictly.

[karatemom2]

I enjoy the formal nights, and as we go on the longer cruises, they seem to be popular with the other passengers as well. Seems like Carnival, NCL, RCCL are giving people the option to dress down.

 

We enjoy them as well which is why I have been somewhat disappointed to see that they are seemingly becoming more informal based on what people are being allowed to wear in the MDR on formal evenings. On both our recent Canada/New England cruise and Alaska last summer the mix of dress was the most casual I have ever seen on formal evenings.

 

That's what got me to thinking when I saw the definition of "Elegant" night. It appears in most instances based on my own experience and what I read on the boards here that Princess is allowing that leeway in dress already so perhaps they should just go ahead and make it official.

[paul929207]

We enjoy formal nights and like to see other people well dressed. It adds an air of dignity to taking a cruise. If you can't bother to try to dress up, I'd like to see the maitre d's enforce the policy a little bit more strictly.

It is funny, every time this subject comes up, people say they are on vacation they will dress how they want. I suggest having one dining room where people can wear what they want. Cut-offs, sleeveless t-shirts, flip flops, etc. All of a sudden the people who are on vacation and wanting to dress as they like, don't want others to do that.

[paul929207]

We enjoy them as well which is why I have been somewhat disappointed to see that they are seemingly becoming more informal based on what people are being allowed to wear in the MDR on formal evenings. On both our recent Canada/New England cruise and Alaska last summer the mix of dress was the most casual I have ever seen on formal evenings.

 

That's what got me to thinking when I saw the definition of "Elegant" night. It appears in most instances based on my own experience and what I read on the boards here that Princess is allowing that leeway in dress already so perhaps they should just go ahead and make it official.

We were on the Carnival Dantasy a couple of weeks ago. "Cruise Elegant" appeared to mean no cutoffs.

[karatemom2]

We were on the Carnival Dantasy a couple of weeks ago. "Cruise Elegant" appeared to mean no cutoffs.

 

Interesting. We will likely then be way overdressed on our Carnival cruise next year, but I still like to dress up. It will be interesting to people watch that evening.

[doubletree07]

I would be happy if Princess eliminated formal nights altogether. I think the only purpose of formal nights is to make money selling pictures.

\

 

My sentiments exactly. I suppose it is nice for new cruisers who like the idea of dressing up, picking taking, etc. But in my opinion after several cruises it gets to be too much. We no longer have pictures taken and usually eat in a specialty restaurant or the buffet on formal nights. Works for us.

[woodofpine]

It would certainly alleviate a lot of the confusion. I love formal nights, but they do seem to be going the way of the dinosaurs.

 

I don't think there is any confusion at all. People will dress as they want to. They always have.

 

I don't disagree that formal on some lines isn't widely adhered to - so what? That doesn't mean there's 'confusion'. My cruise on HAL last fall was widely observant. I've not cruised Princess lately. So what will I wear on 'Elegant Night' (my next cruise is Carnival) - a tux. Most suits are just work attire (not elegant)... A jacket and tie is... pretty ordinary. What's 'elegant'? Formal is elegant, otherwise it takes some conceptual work! On Carnival (a few years ago) a lot of people made the effort to 'sport a look' and that meant a lot of tuxes etc.

 

However it goes, its OK with me. I'll dress as I dress - AND I EXPECT EVERYBODY ELSE TO DRESS TOO! (Nudists - get your own charter!):)

[1 HappyCruiser]

On ships that have 2 anytime dining rooms the idea of a optional DR would work out great but if there were only 1 AT DR some people would feel cheated.

We've given up on formal dressing & still go to the dining room since the buffet never has the same better selections. If they did have the same food on formal nights we wouldn't think twice about eating at the buffet. It seems like a easier solution to just have the same food, but until then we'll be at the main DR without the formal attire- not shorts, jeans or sloppy clothing but a dress shirt & dress pants without the jacket. .

[Tak8]

I still like to dress up and wear a tux. To me it's part of the cruise experience. I have no problem with those that don't. They don't ruin my meal or my cruise. In my mind, no different then what happens at a church or at a land restaurant. You see many different styles.

[Cruise Junky]

Don't care. We generally skip them anyway and eat elsewhere. We're currently booked on Ocean Princess for 21 days next year...there are 6 formal nights. That's way too many in my opinion.

[shepp]

I suppose it is nice for new cruisers who like the idea of dressing up, picking taking, etc. But in my opinion after several cruises it gets to be too much.

 

Funny, that's the opposite of my experience. On my first cruise, I thought it was silly. Now, on my ninth, coming up in a couple of days, I'm thoroughly looking forward to wearing my tux.

[paul929207]

Don't care. We generally skip them anyway and eat elsewhere. We're currently booked on Ocean Princess for 21 days next year...there are 6 formal nights. That's way too many in my opinion.

I think you missed something. There are only 3 formal nights on a 21 day cruise. We were on the Ocean P for a 28 day cruise this spring and only had 4.

[caribill]

I think you missed something. There are only 3 formal nights on a 21 day cruise. We were on the Ocean P for a 28 day cruise this spring and only had 4.

 

That is if it is a single cruise of 21 days.

 

But, for example, if it is three segments of 7 days each starting Sept.2, 2012, then there will be two formal nights on each segment, a total of six for the three segments over 21 days.

[Cruise Junky]

I think you missed something. There are only 3 formal nights on a 21 day cruise. We were on the Ocean P for a 28 day cruise this spring and only had 4.

 

Well I hope you're right, but my personalizer says 6 as it's 3 7 day cruises strung together. 2 each segment.

[cb at sea]

I'm not sure where the "confusion" stems from....if it say's "formal", then you should dress in formalwear! Just because some folks don't (or won't), doesn't mean you shouldn't or can't! I reckon they keep the "formal" nights so that those who wish to dress up, will!

However, so many folks don't want to put out any effort...and to be honest, the airlines aren't making it easy to bring larger items (suits, tux, shoes (especially men's shoes...so heavy!!, gowns)..so folks are opting out of the formal look!

[Orlando Vic]

I would be happy if Princess eliminated formal nights altogether. I think the only purpose of formal nights is to make money selling pictures.

 

Agree 100%

[rdsqrl]

Given the surroundings (the main dining rooms may not be on par with the Queen's dining room at Buck House but they are more elegantly appointed than your average schlocky chain restaurant), I believe in dressing to match. If I were going to a restaurant on land with the same level of service and appointments, I would wear cocktail/semi-formal dress as a matter of course. So, in my opinion, dressing casually is ludicrously mismatched to one's surroundings. Plus, I don't want Princess to change the dress code because, to me, dinner is a highlight of my day and I like not only getting dressed up but the atmosphere onboard before and after dinner as everyone else is dressed.

I simply don't understand the anti-dress crowd who can't leave well enough alone. Princess had these policies in place long before that crowd began cruising with them; it's on them to conform or take their business elsewhere, but demanding change for no reason other than they don't like the policy is unfair to those of us who like it just fine as is.

[karatemom2]

Given the surroundings (the main dining rooms may not be on par with the Queen's dining room at Buck House but they are more elegantly appointed than your average schlocky chain restaurant), I believe in dressing to match. If I were going to a restaurant on land with the same level of service and appointments, I would wear cocktail/semi-formal dress as a matter of course. So, in my opinion, dressing casually is ludicrously mismatched to one's surroundings. Plus, I don't want Princess to change the dress code because, to me, dinner is a highlight of my day and I like not only getting dressed up but the atmosphere onboard before and after dinner as everyone else is dressed.

 

I simply don't understand the anti-dress crowd who can't leave well enough alone. Princess had these policies in place long before that crowd began cruising with them; it's on them to conform or take their business elsewhere, but demanding change for no reason other than they don't like the policy is unfair to those of us who like it just fine as is.

 

I don't disagree as I like to dress up as well, but lately it seems as if Princess is completely unwilling to stand by its own guidelines and just about anything goes on formal evenings. On our most recent cruise as an example it was not just lack of jackets and ties - it was men in polos, short sleeved hawaiian style shirts and even what basically were long sleeved t-shirts. And some of the women were just as underdressed in casual capris, casual skirts and glorified t-shirts.

 

So I guess I am left to wonder why even have a formal dress code if there is such a wide berth given to those who choose not to comply. It already appears to be considered acceptable.

[rdsqrl]

I don't disagree as I like to dress up as well, but lately it seems as if Princess is completely unwilling to stand by its own guidelines and just about anything goes on formal evenings. On our most recent cruise as an example it was not just lack of jackets and ties - it was men in polos, short sleeved hawaiian style shirts and even what basically were long sleeved t-shirts. And some of the women were just as underdressed in casual capris, casual skirts and glorified t-shirts.

 

So I guess I am left to wonder why even have a formal dress code if there is such a wide berth given to those who choose not to comply. It already appears to be considered acceptable.

I certainly didn't mean to sound like I was directing my comments at you. Not at all. I understood your post, and agree. Lack of enforcement is a definite issue that is, in a sense, worse than the original violation. It has the potential to tick off more people in the long run by annoying and discomfitting both those who were reluctant to dress but went ahead and did so, and those who happily and eagerly dress.

 

Note to Princess maitre d's: man up and enforce your company's policies.