How formal is Formal?

[gklingel52]

We just booked a cruise on the Regal Princess and there will be two formal evenings. Can I wear a sport coat w/slacks or do I need to wear a suit? The FAQ states a dinner jacket is acceptable but a haven't a clue as to what is a dinner jacket!? :confused: Also, are the formal nights the only night Lobster is served in the main dining rooms? Thanking you all in advance!

Edited January 27, 2016 by gklingel52

[Keith1010]

I would post this on the Princess Board.

 

Keith

[cruiserking]

We just booked a cruise on the Regal Princess and there will be two formal evenings. Can I wear a sport coat w/slacks or do I need to wear a suit? The FAQ states a dinner jacket is acceptable but a haven't a clue as to what is a dinner jacket!? :confused: Also, are the formal nights the only night Lobster is served in the main dining rooms? Thanking you all in advance!

 

A dinner jacket is a blazer or a suit jacket. Princess is one of the last of the cruise lines to have traditional formal nights. You will find a handful of tuxedos most men wear suits, or blazer and dress shirt and slacks with a tie for formal night.

 

You can ask about formal nights on the Princess boards here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=197

 

Jonathan

[diane.in.ny]

We are Princess cruisers and my husband wears a sport jacket with a nice pair of slacks, dress shirt and tie.

 

On our last cruise, a gentleman at our table didn't bring a jacket but wore a dress shirt and tie.

 

And, yes, typically lobster is served on formal night.

[cb at sea]

You can't be "too" formal on formal night. You can get by with clean, decent clothing. Wear your gown and tux...you will be dressed appropriately. But..many will not even do that...no worries either way.

[WupperAV]

I wear a Tux because they take plenty Photos and you can pick the ones you want to keep or none. It isn't hard sell and we have recd a lot of nice compliments. Can't even tell I'm a Redneck. It's fun and I love to people watch. Wear a Tux and Gown and go out on the Promenade!

[navybankerteacher]

A dinner jacket is a blazer or a suit jacket. Princess is one of the last of the cruise lines to have traditional formal nights. You will find a handful of tuxedos most men wear suits, or blazer and dress shirt and slacks with a tie for formal night.

 

You can ask about formal nights on the Princess boards here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=197

 

Jonathan

 

Not so -- "dinner jacket" is another term for a tuxedo - in isn't a blazer or suit jacket.

 

In any event, only a distinct minority of men on any line other than Cunard wear a tuxedo - a suit is all right on any ship, and, on all but Cunard, a jacket and tie is acceptable on formal nights.

[NMLady]

A dinner jacket is a blazer or a suit jacket. ...

 

Jonathan

 

Nope. If you google dinner jacket you see it is a version of tuxedo jacket.

[Mrs Clooney]

I hate these formal nights..alot of people like dressing to the nines..They look great, but its not me,.. I stick to the black pants, a nice top etc..Hubby, nice pants and a collared shirt..

Sometimes I wear my BEST jeans and nice shirt/heels/scarf etc.. I have never felt out of place ..

Just be comfortable, neat and tidy... Have a great trip..

[Cruisin' Chick]

My hubby wears a jacket (not a dark one), dress shirt, festive ties, and nice slacks on formal nights (tropical shirts on smart casual). On our last cruise on the Golden Princess, which had three formal nights, a man over a couple of tables, wore a dress shirt without jacket or tie on all three nights. It's up to the maitre'd.

[pseudoware]

You can wear khakis and a Polo shirt. You can wear nice jeans, too.

 

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[whataboutport]

You will be fine in a suit. My bf wore a collared shirt and a vest, no tie or jacket on Princess and he was fine. There is a small minority of men who wear tuxes.

 

The lobster is spiny lobster (warm water lobster) and not Maine lobster. Some lines do have Maine lobster but it's in the specialty restaurants which are an extra charge. I've found the spiny lobster served on cruises is not good bc spiny lobster should be grilled, and not boiled or steamed like Maine lobster, but that is exactly what they do to them, steam the spinies. Results in tough and dry meat.

Edited January 28, 2016 by whataboutport

[Husky61]

We just finished two weeks on the Regal. We saw very few men in a Tux on formal night. Most of the men wore either a suit with a tie, a sports jacket with no tie, and many simply wore a shirt and long slacks. The Tux was in the distinct minority, and on the first formal night I counted about 15 men in a Tux.:)

[chipmaster]

We just booked a cruise on the Regal Princess and there will be two formal evenings. Can I wear a sport coat w/slacks or do I need to wear a suit? The FAQ states a dinner jacket is acceptable but a haven't a clue as to what is a dinner jacket!? :confused: Also, are the formal nights the only night Lobster is served in the main dining rooms? Thanking you all in advance!

 

You can also pose this ? on the princess boards.

 

The reality you can get by with as casual as jeans and polo shirt to full on tuxs, others will debate this till the cows come home.

 

It is similar to going to a wedding or a nice place to eat. There is what is "expected" then there is what won't get you thrown out. You are a customer, you'll have to be really terribly dressed to not be admitted for dinner :D

Edited January 29, 2016 by chipmaster

[whataboutport]

Another reason is one of mine: price and itinerary. We choose our cruise based on those two things first, and the cruiseline itself doesn't really matter (as long as it's not Carnival or NCL). That leaves Royal, X, and Princess for the mainstream lines. Seems like Princess is the last one to hold on to what they call formal night, but in reality it isn't 100% formal and has not been for quite some time. Dressing not true formal will not be an issue on any of these mainstream lines.

 

Like chipmaster said above, like wearing jeans to a wedding. You won't be turned away but you'll probably be underdressed and stick out. Do you want to stick out for being underdressed? maybe you don't care. My uncle always wears jeans to weddings. Light colored Levi's like from the 80s. The only time I've ever seen him wear a suit was to his father's (my grandfather's) funeral.

[riclop]

You can make as formal or non formal as you like. A shirt and pants will do.

[cruisestitch]

When you think of a dinner jacket, think James Bond -- that great white jacket he famously wore to formal occasions.

[cruiselvr1]

I wear a Tux because they take plenty Photos and you can pick the ones you want to keep or none. It isn't hard sell and we have recd a lot of nice compliments. Can't even tell I'm a Redneck. It's fun and I love to people watch. Wear a Tux and Gown and go out on the Promenade!

 

 

I miss the days when you could rent a tux onboard, I can't see buying one for one cruise a year. I just wear my formal suit, that is also usable at other times of the year.

 

 

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[rdsqrl]

I miss the days when you could rent a tux onboard, I can't see buying one for one cruise a year. I just wear my formal suit, that is also usable at other times of the year.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

I think you must be mistaken. It's still possible to rent formalwear. The link is available on Princess's website, same as it always was.

[Colo Cruiser]

When you think of a dinner jacket, think James Bond -- that great white jacket he famously wore to formal occasions.

 

Yes.

[Colo Cruiser]

I miss the days when you could rent a tux onboard, I can't see buying one for one cruise a year. I just wear my formal suit, that is also usable at other times of the year.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

 

We and family members just did this in Nov. :confused:

[GUT2407]

I doubt you'll have a problem.

[Bonnie J.]

A friend on their 1st cruise got turned away from the dining room on Celebrity because he wasn't wearing a jacket. (He went and put one on.) My husband used to wear a tux but stopped taking it. Then he took a suit. But last cruise (8 last year) he didn't even take his suit. There are so many men in Dockers & polo shirt he doesn't feel out of place. He does wear fire engine red pants and Hawaiian shirt to match though-Something a bit more dressy.

[satxdiver]

Personally, it is nice to see people questioning what formal means. I would enjoy it if formal meant slacks and a shirt. Not this tuxes and suits. Polo would be great but I would admit it is fairly informal.

 

When I cruise with my wife we will see if simply a shirt will pass or if I can order a bottle of Dom to change the opinion of the maitre'de.

...

 

I have been wearing a long sleeved dress shirt and docker pants for several years now with my athletic shoes (foot problems) and have not had even the second glance from the person at the door. So you will not have a problem. I have not worn a tie in decades.

 

I agree that it always is good for pax to question the rules and not just follow blindly.

[Mom33]

Personally, it is nice to see people questioning what formal means. I would enjoy it if formal meant slacks and a shirt. Not this tuxes and suits. Polo would be great but I would admit it is fairly informal.

 

When I cruise with my wife we will see if simply a shirt will pass or if I can order a bottle of Dom to change the opinion of the maitre'de.

P.S. I consider Dom over priced, but the Delta is worth not wearing a jacket and tie. I guess there is always the specialty dining options too where formal does not exist.

 

I notice you are next scheduled for the Royal on a Greek cruise. Europeans mostly dress by the rules so you won't have as much shirt sleeve company on this cruise. The maitre Ds tend to adhere to jacket and tie in the dining room.

 

Now as an FYI that is personally related to my husband and I, we were not prepared for formal dining on our recent B2B on the Regal. We decided to skip the dining room and eat elsewhere. We packed without the usual suit and dressy cocktail outfit. When we got to our cabin, we had a voucher for our free specialty dining for Sabatinis on the first formal night. We went to confirm that we could enter in Smart Casual attire and the Maitre D suggested we change our dining night. They prefer you dress up. We changed nights and ate a delicious meal in the Horizon on each formal night.

 

The notion that the food is of better quality in the dining room than the buffet is not our experience, especially on the Royal and Regal.