Princess Survey about Formal Nights

[sheba12]

We did not receive the survey on formal nights, but would like to. We do not dress in a tux and gown, but we do dress very nicely. Cord pants, button long sleeve shirt, summer dress and no one has ever turned us away at the door. It is our vacation and we just want to relax and enjoy ourselves. We never pay attention to what others wear. To each his own.

[MicCanberra]

I'd expect that formal night is far more popular among CCers, who are diehard cruisers, than among casual cruisers.

I am sure there are people who cruise often and may be considered diehard cruisers but are not on this forum. I have met many a cruiser who have many nights at sea who are not on CC and many others on CC who do not cruise very often. It takes all sorts.:D

[MicCanberra]

No its actually 13 people.

 

My mistake.:o

[Iamcruzin]

After visiting UK arrived back home end of November.Noticed in the department stores over there the many womens evening wear items which would be considered Formal night wear very prominently displayed.If there was a downturn in the market for that class of clothing why would they promote such a big display ?

 

It was the end of November. All of the department stores here in the U.S. merchandise holiday apparel in all departments including men's and children's department on the main aisles. It's a short selling period for this classification and they have to move the merchandise before New Years. In the spring you will see prom and bridal dominating the dress department. I'm sure it isn't any different in the UK

Edited December 20, 2015 by Iamcruzin

[UpcountryTravelers]

Wow! Quite a discussion. If I may be permitted to put in my 2 cents (OK; 2 bux) worth:

 

Cruising is a DIFFERENT type of vacation. If I do an all-inclusive Caribbean vacation, I expect to be casual all the way. Cruising it is NOT.

 

I (male) LOVE "formal night". (Why quotes? Because it is usually far from really formal.) Why? Again, because cruising is different. It is a different kind of vacation. And Princess is different. As you can see below, we have cruised on several different lines (DW more than me - before we met). One of the things we LOVE about Princess (and keep coming back) is because Princess is more traditional than the others. More of the real cruising experience. Decor, experience, etc. That includes "formal nights".

 

While formal does not mean tuxedo (that's evening wear, not formal), we do thoroughly enjoy formal night. I will wear a tuxedo (or white dinner jacket if in the Caribbean) one night, then full formal (white tie, regulation doublet, decorations and kilt) the other "formal night". My absolutely beautiful DW will dress appropriately on those nights. (wow!) Why? Because that is part of the experience and also, because we live in a rather small city, that is one of the rare opportunities we have to enjoy a night dressed appropriately to our station in life! ;)

 

I really don't understand all the objection to some people being able to enjoy a really nice evening (while the others enjoy theirs as well, in other venues).

 

I haven't received the survey, but I will (if given the opportunity) vote strongly to KEEP a "formal night" (even though it's not really formal).

 

As for the other cruise lines...... their lack of a formal night will adversely affect my tendency to book them. (Celebrity's Mardi Gras cruise in 2017 is an exception, of course!!!)

Edited December 20, 2015 by UpcountryTravelers

[Iamcruzin]

There was a lot of "talk" on the celebrity boards of switching to Cunard when Chic came in. No idea if they did or not.

 

I don't know either. But their switching would be appropriate since they were the ones insisting that those who did not like formal nights could choose another line like Carnival.

 

BTW, there was also some talk about Canard relaxing their enforcement of the dress codes.

 

These changes are inevitable.

 

I don't know how Cunard can even be an alternative for most people. They only have 3 ships and limited itineraries compared to Celebrity and Princess.

[Lucky TGO]

I received the survey this morning and selected the strongest "KEEP FORMAL NIGHT" option for each question. Why? If you don't like formal night there a lot of options for you. If you want a formal night, you are limited...unless you don't mind having pizza while sitting next to a guy wearing a tank top...the same tank top he wore to breakfast...yesterday:)

 

I haven't received a survey. So I called Princess and the girl said she know nothing about the survey :eek: I just like to say I totally agree with you!!!

"KEEP FORMAL NIGHT"

Tony

[shredie]

I haven't received a survey. So I called Princess and the girl said she know nothing about the survey :eek: I just like to say I totally agree with you!!!

"KEEP FORMAL NIGHT"

Tony

 

I'm in the same boat (so to speak, haha.) Nobody sent me a survey, and I would vote as you would, too.

[MicCanberra]

I'm in the same boat (so to speak, haha.) Nobody sent me a survey, and I would vote as you would, too.

 

It is not unusual for companies to send out surveys randomly and also via a third party. This may explain why:

a) not everyone got the survey; and

b) the girl at Princess didn't know about the survey.

[amusea]

This discussion seems to exclude persons that include a cruise in a more extended voyage. If I have to fly to Europe, it is a more interesting trip if I can include a land vacation along with the cruise. For instance, if I am traveling in Europe for four weeks including a ten night cruise, I am not anxious to drag the formal clothes around for the whole trip. Recently when I cruised to Barcelona on Princess I sent all the formal clothes ahead by train to the last stop on the itinerary once we disembarked. The luggage never arrived. I won't do that again.

There is nowhere in Europe or any other destination where formal attire such as that seen on ships is needed. Even in the most upscale hotels and restaurants in fashion conscious countries such as France and Italy, there is no need for "formal" clothes. Part of the reason is that Europeans in general have learned how to be truly creative and elegant in casual clothes. Most formal attire worn on ships is only seen at sea and seems to me to be in a time warp. On the smaller ships where elegant casual is the code every night I have found that people seem to be able to dress in a much smarter style. Hopefully that will trickle down to the mass cruise lines in time. Instances such as my being turned away from the MDR on a very long "Grand Voyage" HAL cruise for wearing a quite elegant polo shirt has thankfully been eliminated. Since HAL was such a bastion of formal attire on long cruises, I think it really is a sign of the changing attitude about dress codes on ships.

[MicCanberra]

I think a lot of people combine their cruises with other forms of travel such as stays, and land tours.

We certainly do but so far I have managed to still take our formal clothes (my Tux and my wife's gowns) and only have around 13-15 kgs each in our main luggage and 5 kgs each in hand luggage for our 6 week trips.

However, I know others would not be able to do this and for our upcoming tour of the Med and B2B cruise on X, we will not be taking the formal wear.

[Steelers0854]

I apparently think differently as I don't understand why people's enjoyment of a dinner or cruise is so closely tied to what others wear. No one seems to have an issue with people wearing less than formal clothes at any other location on the ship, why does it matter if they are formally dressed in the dining room? I think there should be minimum standards, no shorts, no t-shirts or tank tops and shoes should be required, beyond that it's my opinion anything is fair game. I always wear slacks and collared shirt on smart casual nights, and doubt I would change but I also wear a sport coat on formal nights which many, for some reason, seem to find inappropriate on formal nights.

 

I personally would really like to have them rename formal nights to something else like a Gala as I have heard mentioned on here before. This gives people the choice to be able to dress as formally as they would like while allowing others flexibility and still being able to dine in the dining room. I honestly think that on Princess, given the choice, many will continue to wear formal wear.

[GUT2407]

I apparently think differently as I don't understand why people's enjoyment of a dinner or cruise is so closely tied to what others wear. No one seems to have an issue with people wearing less than formal clothes at any other location on the ship, why does it matter if they are formally dressed in the dining room? I think there should be minimum standards, no shorts, no t-shirts or tank tops and shoes should be required, beyond that it's my opinion anything is fair game. I always wear slacks and collared shirt on smart casual nights, and doubt I would change but I also wear a sport coat on formal nights which many, for some reason, seem to find inappropriate on formal nights.

 

I personally would really like to have them rename formal nights to something else like a Gala as I have heard mentioned on here before. This gives people the choice to be able to dress as formally as they would like while allowing others flexibility and still being able to dine in the dining room. I honestly think that on Princess, given the choice, many will continue to wear formal wear.

 

 

Why should there be your so called "minimum standards" and not someone else's.

 

I find is strange the number of posters here who say no formal nght with dark suit as minimum for men, but in the next breath say no shorts, T-shirts flip flops and ball caps.

[dickinson]

For those people who say that what other people wear doesn't matter to them…. somehow I think that if everyone was wearing shorts or jeans for the evening and you were wearing a suit or tux and wife a gown or cocktail type clothing you would feel out of place. Same goes if you went to a wedding on a Saturday night…. everyone is wearing fancy type clothes and you go wearing jeans. You stick out like a sore thumb!!!

 

Not everyone wants to wear formal. I get that. HOWEVER, there are other dining options for you! Stop trying to take away something that many other people enjoy or at least adhere to. Personally I have found on Princess ships people stay dressed for the evening. It is not just a dining room thing. I like that and that is one reason why we travel now on Princess (except for my next upcoming cruise which costs me less than half of what Princess charges AND I don't have to fly. However, it WILL have a formal night as it is a special cruise)

[chamima]

Wow! Quite a discussion. If I may be permitted to put in my 2 cents (OK; 2 bux) worth:

 

Cruising is a DIFFERENT type of vacation. If I do an all-inclusive Caribbean vacation, I expect to be casual all the way. Cruising it is NOT.

 

I (male) LOVE "formal night". (Why quotes? Because it is usually far from really formal.) Why? Again, because cruising is different. It is a different kind of vacation. And Princess is different. As you can see below, we have cruised on several different lines (DW more than me - before we met). One of the things we LOVE about Princess (and keep coming back) is because Princess is more traditional than the others. More of the real cruising experience. Decor, experience, etc. That includes "formal nights".

 

While formal does not mean tuxedo (that's evening wear, not formal), we do thoroughly enjoy formal night. I will wear a tuxedo (or white dinner jacket if in the Caribbean) one night, then full formal (white tie, regulation doublet, decorations and kilt) the other "formal night". My absolutely beautiful DW will dress appropriately on those nights. (wow!) Why? Because that is part of the experience and also, because we live in a rather small city, that is one of the rare opportunities we have to enjoy a night dressed appropriately to our station in life! ;)

 

I really don't understand all the objection to some people being able to enjoy a really nice evening (while the others enjoy theirs as well, in other venues).

 

I haven't received the survey, but I will (if given the opportunity) vote strongly to KEEP a "formal night" (even though it's not really formal).

 

As for the other cruise lines...... their lack of a formal night will adversely affect my tendency to book them. (Celebrity's Mardi Gras cruise in 2017 is an exception, of course!!!)

 

 

 

 

I had forgotten about the men in kilts on formal night.

 

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE seeing that and would be SO sad to lose that extra special bit of elegance! :(

 

(It's funny - we sail Princess and Celebrity. I never thought about it before but we never see men in kilts on Celebrity - I think they've been a slightly less traditional line for a while.)

 

 

EDIT: And to those that keep saying "Why does what other people wear affect your enjoyment?"

Why do I get such pleasure out of seeing a man in a kilt in the dining room?

It's because it changes the whole atmosphere. It makes that evening something special.

Edited December 20, 2015 by chamima

[Alabaster Cruiser]

Wow! Quite a discussion. If I may be permitted to put in my 2 cents (OK; 2 bux) worth:

 

Cruising is a DIFFERENT type of vacation. If I do an all-inclusive Caribbean vacation, I expect to be casual all the way. Cruising it is NOT.

 

I (male) LOVE "formal night". (Why quotes? Because it is usually far from really formal.) Why? Again, because cruising is different. It is a different kind of vacation. And Princess is different. As you can see below, we have cruised on several different lines (DW more than me - before we met). One of the things we LOVE about Princess (and keep coming back) is because Princess is more traditional than the others. More of the real cruising experience. Decor, experience, etc. That includes "formal nights".

 

While formal does not mean tuxedo (that's evening wear, not formal), we do thoroughly enjoy formal night. I will wear a tuxedo (or white dinner jacket if in the Caribbean) one night, then full formal (white tie, regulation doublet, decorations and kilt) the other "formal night". My absolutely beautiful DW will dress appropriately on those nights. (wow!) Why? Because that is part of the experience and also, because we live in a rather small city, that is one of the rare opportunities we have to enjoy a night dressed appropriately to our station in life! ;)

 

I really don't understand all the objection to some people being able to enjoy a really nice evening (while the others enjoy theirs as well, in other venues).

 

I haven't received the survey, but I will (if given the opportunity) vote strongly to KEEP a "formal night" (even though it's not really formal).

 

As for the other cruise lines...... their lack of a formal night will adversely affect my tendency to book them. (Celebrity's Mardi Gras cruise in 2017 is an exception, of course!!!)

 

 

 

I enjoyed reading your opinion and strongly agree with it!

[Wehwalt]

For those people who say that what other people wear doesn't matter to them…. somehow I think that if everyone was wearing shorts or jeans for the evening and you were wearing a suit or tux and wife a gown or cocktail type clothing you would feel out of place. Same goes if you went to a wedding on a Saturday night…. everyone is wearing fancy type clothes and you go wearing jeans. You stick out like a sore thumb!!!

 

Not everyone wants to wear formal. I get that. HOWEVER, there are other dining options for you! Stop trying to take away something that many other people enjoy or at least adhere to. Personally I have found on Princess ships people stay dressed for the evening. It is not just a dining room thing. I like that and that is one reason why we travel now on Princess (except for my next upcoming cruise which costs me less than half of what Princess charges AND I don't have to fly. However, it WILL have a formal night as it is a special cruise)

 

So if people stay dressed up they must like it and people will still dress for dinner under a "gala night" policy, right?

 

And if they would not, and they are a sufficiently large majority, how do you say them nay?

[RocketMan275]

For those people who say that what other people wear doesn't matter to them…. somehow I think that if everyone was wearing shorts or jeans for the evening and you were wearing a suit or tux and wife a gown or cocktail type clothing you would feel out of place. Same goes if you went to a wedding on a Saturday night…. everyone is wearing fancy type clothes and you go wearing jeans. You stick out like a sore thumb!!![/quote

 

No, I wouldn't feel out of place wearing jeans when every one else is wearing a tuxedo. I would feel comfortable.

 

Essentially, you are arguing that other passengers should dress in a certain fashion so you will feel comfortable. Why do you feel it is your prerogative to make others feel uncomfortable to make yourself feel better?

 

Not everyone wants to wear formal. I get that. HOWEVER, there are other dining options for you! Stop trying to take away something that many other people enjoy or at least adhere to. Personally I have found on Princess ships people stay dressed for the evening. It is not just a dining room thing. I like that and that is one reason why we travel now on Princess (except for my next upcoming cruise which costs me less than half of what Princess charges AND I don't have to fly. However, it WILL have a formal night as it is a special cruise)

 

The only thing being taken away from the 30% who like formal nights is the ability to compel the 70% who do not to dress up. I know it is popular among those who like to dress up to say that there are other very good options for those who do not. If you really believe that the buffet is such a great option, why not have formal nights in the buffet?

[RocketMan275]

Then you are tone deaf to the posts made here by people who want to keep Formal Nights. Quite simply, a slice of the cruising population wants Princess to keep them specifically because other lines are abolishing them. You may not agree with that sentiment. But your disagreement does not nullify its existence.

 

I do not believe that "a slice of the cruising population wants Princess to keep them specifically because other lines are abolishing them." That "slice" was arguing to keep them before the other cruise lines ever contemplated abolishing formal nights.

[ohioblue52]

Would anyone object to a strict policy of no shorts, flip flops, tank tops, and the like EVER in the MDR for dinner? I have no problem if someone is wearing dockers and a polo short on formal night or any other night. I do not believe I'm being elitist in saying I don't EVER think the shorts, etc. dress is appropriate at dinner. You can disagree, I don't want it on any night.

 

No objection here...totally would agree to that

[cruzsnooze]

 

Not everyone wants to wear formal. I get that. HOWEVER, there are other dining options for you! Stop trying to take away something that many other people enjoy or at least adhere to.

 

I'm not going to other venues because you want me to dress as you see fit. I paid for my cruise just like you and prefer the full service of the dining room for all my dinners. It may be YOU that are trying to take away what others enjoy, dressing comfortably for dinner.

[RocketMan275]

I do not think Princess would remain one of my preferred cruise lines if Princess, alone among the mainstream cruise lines, were to retain formal nights while the other lines abolished them.

 

I can see where this would result in an influx of passengers who do prefer formal nights from the other cruise lines. Obviously, concentrating the 30% of passengers preferring a more formal standard on Princess would change the overall demographic and ambiance of Princess. Based upon the comments of many lamenting the decline in standards of dress, Princess would be under pressure to upgrade the dress code to please these passengers.

 

Formal nights would become formal with black tie required. The minimum standard for other nights would be sports coat and tie. Smart casual might be allowed on embarkation and the last night only. The same dress codes would prevail throughout the ship. Passengers who choose not to dress up would be confined to their cabins and room service their only option.

 

I like the relaxed ambiance of Princess and do not want to see it transformed into a mainstream version of Cunard.

[Husky61]

I haven't received a survey. So I called Princess and the girl said she know nothing about the survey :eek: I just like to say I totally agree with you!!!

"KEEP FORMAL NIGHT"

Tony

 

And I'm sure many others say get rid of formal night. It all boils down to personal choices. I don't care if others dress in formal wear every night, it doesn't impact my cruise.:)

[ohioblue52]

Wonder when they'll do away with a dress code, and turn MDR into another buffet?

[Colo Cruiser]

I do not think Princess would remain one of my preferred cruise lines if Princess, alone among the mainstream cruise lines, were to retain formal nights while the other lines abolished them.

 

 

Well based on the 13 people here that want a more casual dining atmosphere at least you would have many choices if you choose to leave Princess.