Formal dress code on Princess

[Tedferg]

same same.

----- and lots of men in ties, jackets, quite a few tuxedos, beautiful gowns,.

 

Were they Aussie men in gowns ?:D

[MJSailors]

Just off the Regal Princess- there was absolutely no enforcement of the dress code. Many men were admitted to the dining room in shorts and their "best Crocs." I wish Princess would either enforce the dress code or do away with it.

 

That would have caused me to speak to the maitre'd and Passenger Services representatives concerning the lack of respect given to the dress code by the Regal staff.

Either stand by a dress code that is noted outside the MDRs and in the Patter,or change the dress codes.

We plan to be sailing on the Regal out of NY in October.

I hope that passengers on that cruise will be courteous in their dress .

I know DH and I will be mindful to wear what is expected.

[floridalover5623]

Just off the Regal Princess- there was absolutely no enforcement of the dress code. Many men were admitted to the dining room in shorts and their "best Crocs." I wish Princess would either enforce the dress code or do away with it.

 

That would have caused me to speak to the maitre'd and Passenger Services representatives concerning the relaxation of the dress code and congratulate him & his staff on running a true relaxed mode for vacation.

Great job. ;)

[PrincessLuver]

That would have caused me to speak to the maitre'd and Passenger Services representatives concerning the relaxation of the dress code and congratulate him & his staff on running a true relaxed mode for vacation.

Great job. ;)

 

Ditto!!! ;)

[kennicott]

So.............if you don't mind standing out, and your partner is OK with you being very different from everyone else, you will be allowed in the dining room in business casual attire. But you will unquestionably stand out. I applaud Celebrity, and this next cruise will likely be our last on Princess.:(

 

Here is a link to a similar recent thread as this one, where we thoroughly exhausted the subject.

 

Interesting that you are dumping Princess, for the opposite reason I quit entertaining any idea of booking on Celebrity. "At the time Celebrity made that decision we were looking close at booking future cruises with them. Their decision to do so meant that I threw out all their brochures and hit the delete button for their website."

 

However, "I wouldn't be concerned, if anything Princess is drifting farther away from formal attire, much to our chagrin. They just completed a large opinion survey of selected regulars in an attempt to get an idea how a reduction in required dress standards would set with guests. No, we weren't invited to participate, guess you have to have more than 300 sailing days with Princess in order to get recognition."

 

"We do enjoy formal nights, I still wear my tux then. Sad for us to see the majors getting rid of them. As for formal in the MDR vs. specialties you have to sort of watch each ship as they tend to experiment on board. For instance, most of the time they seem to allow casual in the specialties on formal nights, but last fall we witnessed just the opposite and saw a fellow getting the heave-ho for wearing a T-shirt with collar (polo shirt) in Crown Grill. In order to avoid problems with degradation of service and quality in the MDRs we usually dine most of the time in other venues, particularly on formal nights we use either Sabatini's or Crown Grill where rarely do you experience someone not dressed nicely."

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2331722&page=5

Edited April 8, 2016 by kennicott

[satxdiver]

Princess simply is not enforcing their "formal" dress code. In all the time I have been on Princess the most I have ever worn was a blazer, khaki pants (dockers) and a long sleeved dress shirt with no tie. A few years ago I stopped bringing the blazer. Last cruise I wore a Guaybera shirt with my docker slacks and did not have a problem. Men dressed in tux are few and far between these days. I have noticed an increase of men in suits without ties which is an interesting trend. If Princess dropped their "formal" rules, dress codes would be much easier to enforce and would be fine with me. With Celebrity going that way the pressure on Princess to keep this charade going is getting more intense.

[mrs and mrs]

Were they Aussie men in gowns ?:D

 

Ha ha yes my writing style leaves a lot to be desired,but hey heres a kicker.I allow myself 1 hot dog a cruise(maybe 2 if Mrs 2 dosent find out),and sometimes i'll dress formally for that,i dont care,i might even dress formally at horizons court,i dont care.I do get some incredible service though,especially at the bars and food venues,be it mdr,buffet,hot dog stand.

And to answer your question,i think a few might have been,when topside at the pool party,when Y.M.C.A AND ABBA were playing,:eek::rolleyes::)

[berlingo]

All my Princess cruises have departed from the UK and on each one the vast majority of people have adhered to the formal night dress code.There have been lots of dinner suits (tuxedos) and elegant gowns.

 

On non formal nights smart dress and changing for dinner is still the norm. Jackets, dress shirts, cocktail dresses and heels are very common.

 

On these voyages passengers are from Britain where dining in a restaurant , other than a fast food one, in very casual clothes would be unusual.

[Potstech]

That would have caused me to speak to the maitre'd and Passenger Services representatives concerning the lack of respect given to the dress code by the Regal staff.

Either stand by a dress code that is noted outside the MDRs and in the Patter,or change the dress codes.

We plan to be sailing on the Regal out of NY in October.

I hope that passengers on that cruise will be courteous in their dress .

I know DH and I will be mindful to wear what is expected.

 

Let us all know how that works out for you. I am sure the next formal night there will be many turned away that do not meet your standards. Again please let us all what differences you observe at the entrance to the MDRs.

[floridalover5623]

All my Princess cruises have departed from the UK and on each one the vast majority of people have adhered to the formal night dress code.There have been lots of dinner suits (tuxedos) and elegant gowns.

 

On non formal nights smart dress and changing for dinner is still the norm. Jackets, dress shirts, cocktail dresses and heels are very common.

 

On these voyages passengers are from Britain where dining in a restaurant , other than a fast food one, in very casual clothes would be unusual.

 

People from the UK do have a very different mindset from those in the US, that's for sure.

[wowzz]

All my Princess cruises have departed from the UK and on each one the vast majority of people have adhered to the formal night dress code.There have been lots of dinner suits (tuxedos) and elegant gowns.

 

On non formal nights smart dress and changing for dinner is still the norm. Jackets, dress shirts, cocktail dresses and heels are very common.

 

On these voyages passengers are from Britain where dining in a restaurant , other than a fast food one, in very casual clothes would be unusual.

 

I would guess that a large number of those cruising from Southampton arrived by car, and therefore had no concerns about luggage weight, and thus could pack more formal clothes.

[crows nest club]

All my Princress cruises have departed from the UK and on each one the vast majority of people have adhered to the formal night dress code.There have been lots of dinner suits (tuxedos) and elegant gowns.

 

On non formal nights smart dress and changing for dinner is still the norm. Jackets, dress shirts, cocktail dresses and heels are very common.

 

On these voyages passengers are from Britain where dining in a restaurant , other than a fast food one, in very casual clothes would be unusual.

 

I think you are quite correct. Being from the the U.K we obviously depart from here more often than not. Don't do airports anymore - too much hassle. On those cruises from U.K where obviously there are a greater number of British passengers, I would say ,that about 75% of men would be in DJS and ladies wearing cocktail or long evening dresses. Must be the British custom of "dressing for dinner". However, having said that many of the men still wear a jacket and tie. Not saying what is right or wrong but just what we have experienced over the last few years

[rilco33647]

Just off Regal last Sunday. Here's what I saw:

Dining room casual nights

men- jeans, casual pants, golf shirts, short/long sleeved button down shirts

women- jeans, casual pants, short/long sleeved shirts, casual dresses

Dining Room formal nights

men- jeans, casual pants, golf shirts, short/long sleeved button down shirts, jackets, suits, tuxedos

women- jeans, casual pants, short/long sleeved button down shirts, casual dresses, formal dresses

Basically I saw EVERYTHING and casual or formal everyone looked nicely dressed. Both young and old were in casual dress.

On a side note: This was our 9th cruise and we decided to skip the dining room and eat in the buffet (which was fabulous), Alfredos (amazing), and the specialty restaurants (excellent). It was clear from the amount of people in those venues that we were not alone in skipping the dining room. I think the formality of the dining room with mediocre food (even on casual nights) is quickly fading away. People change, new generations have new expectations which the industry must cater to. Those that still want to dress should and can. Clearly the industry recognizes that a huge amount of people simply don't want that experience. The industry is about making money. They will never enforce a dress code that people don't want. There were 4,000 people on our cruise. Princess isn't going to cater to the small percentage of people in formal wear. They want repeat cruisers to pay again!!! The great majority of those people were in casual attire. It is what it is!!!

[socmft]

That would have caused me to speak to the maitre'd and Passenger Services representatives concerning the lack of respect given to the dress code by the Regal staff.

Either stand by a dress code that is noted outside the MDRs and in the Patter,or change the dress codes.

We plan to be sailing on the Regal out of NY in October.

I hope that passengers on that cruise will be courteous in their dress .

I know DH and I will be mindful to wear what is expected.

 

 

I don't do formal, so I just don't go to the MDR on Formal Nights. I also don't save lounges early in the morning with a towel for hours...or more than one seat in the theater. And, I wish other passengers would also be that courteous, but it's just not gonna happen. Enjoy your cruise.

[floridalover5623]

I would guess that a large number of those cruising from Southampton arrived by car, and therefore had no concerns about luggage weight, and thus could pack more formal clothes.

 

I would almost have to agree with that statement except for the fact that in Florida where many residents that cruise often they don't seem to be as formal as UK residents. Even people from the UK cruising from Florida don't seem to mind packing the extra clothing for formal nights.

 

I don't do formal, so I just don't go to the MDR on Formal Nights. I also don't save lounges early in the morning with a towel for hours...or more than one seat in the theater. And, I wish other passengers would also be that courteous, but it's just not gonna happen. Enjoy your cruise.

 

I see your point and I agree but when it comes to dressing up formally vs. the better food in the DR we part ways. Now if they were to have the same menu at the buffet on formal nights that would be a different story.

They are getting close to the same menu on the newer ships.

I'm glad to here the Regal has relaxed their view on dressing lately...could it be that the survey recently taken has something to do with it. ;)

[Mom33]

With all the mixed posts on who is dressing for dinner on formal nights and who isn't, it should be noted that the OP only needs to worry about what they choose to do.

 

To answer the OP's question, No,as of today, Princess has not ended the Formal night as printed in their Cruise Answer book.

 

Here is what you will find on a current Princess cruise.

The majority of cruisers follow the guidelines presented by Princess if they dine in the dining rooms on formal nights, especially true on cruises outside the Caribbean.

A minority dress as they wish.

 

You have a choice to do what makes you feel comfortable.

 

Since you have no plans to cruise Princess at the moment, you might want to check back when you do to see if the Formal night was changed. Just start another dress code thread.

[shredie]

 

Since you have no plans to cruise Princess at the moment, you might want to check back when you do to see if the Formal night was changed. Just start another dress code thread.

 

What a good idea! :rolleyes: LOL.

[Potstech]

With all the mixed posts on who is dressing for dinner on formal nights and who isn't, it should be noted that the OP only needs to worry about what they choose to do.

 

To answer the OP's question, No,as of today, Princess has not ended the Formal night as printed in their Cruise Answer book.

 

Here is what you will find on a current Princess cruise.

The majority of cruisers follow the guidelines presented by Princess if they dine in the dining rooms on formal nights, especially true on cruises outside the Caribbean.

A minority dress as they wish.

 

You have a choice to do what makes you feel comfortable.

 

Since you have no plans to cruise Princess at the moment, you might want to check back when you do to see if the Formal night was changed. Just start another dress code thread.

 

I will be cruising in less than 45 days. Have no plans to bring tux or suit coat. I do intend to eat in the MDR every night. And will feel totally comfortable each and every night at the time I choose to eat.

Edited April 9, 2016 by Potstech

[Mom33]

I will be cruising in less than 45 days. Have no plans to bring tux or suit coat. I do intend to eat in the MDR every night. And will feel totally comfortable each and every night at the time I choose to eat.

 

Have a wonderful cruise! :D

[mattie00]

We will be cruising with Princess for the first time next February/March/April. As we will be gone from home for 2 months, we will not be taking up valuable suitcase space with formal wear. We both feel very comfortable not being in formal wear when some, or majority, of others are in formal wear. We feel that we need much more casual clothing for our travel. We will, however, wear nice business casual clothes in dining room every night, not just on formal nights.:)

[wowzz]

We will be cruising with Princess for the first time next February/March/April. As we will be gone from home for 2 months, we will not be taking up valuable suitcase space with formal wear. We both feel very comfortable not being in formal wear when some, or majority, of others are in formal wear. We feel that we need much more casual clothing for our travel. We will, however, wear nice business casual clothes in dining room every night, not just on formal nights.:)

 

I agree, but what if other cruisers come into the MDR on formal night in shorts, saying that they didn't want to pack trousers?

The problem with formal dining is deciding where to draw the line? Tie? Jacket? Tee shirt? Shorts?

My thinking is that it is either a formal night or it is a come as you are night.

Princess should either enforce their own rules or let everyone in regardless of dress code.

Just to add, I would prefer that diners on formal nights wore shirts and trousers, but I am not one of the tuxedo police!

[Potstech]

Have a wonderful cruise! :D

 

Thank you and I hope so too.

[kennicott]

I agree, but what if other cruisers come into the MDR on formal night in shorts, saying that they didn't want to pack trousers?

The problem with formal dining is deciding where to draw the line? Tie? Jacket? Tee shirt? Shorts?

My thinking is that it is either a formal night or it is a come as you are night.

Princess should either enforce their own rules or let everyone in regardless of dress code.

 

There is hardly any question that most of the majors will soon have done away with formal nights. Surveys pretty much indicate about two thirds of guests prefer very relaxed policies regarding formal attire. We are close to 600 total days sailing on the high seas, I really would like to pass that mark, if for no other reason than to say I did that, before complete elimination.

 

Currently, and in order to avoid problems with degradation of service and quality in the MDRs we usually dine most of the time in other venues like specialty restaurants, particularly on formal nights we use either Sabatini's or Crown Grill on Princess where rarely do we experience someone not dressed nicely.

 

However, we won't be sailing with those lines who discontinue formal, we have only used Regent, Princess and HAL. We have only Princess left now, and from the sounds of things that isn't going to last much longer. Not certain what the other third is going to do but from reading pertinent posts on these threads it appears to me Cunard and P&O may be the last formal holdouts of the majors. I've written to Cunard to get a handle on their itineraries.

 

It occurs to me that with elimination of formal evenings and general dress discipline on board these vessels that an anarchy of decorum is in the offing. For those that detest the days of yore where a few nights were set aside for fancy dress, I suggest that they might regret achieving what they have wished for.

 

For instance, in the aftermath of Celebrity's no formal night announcement, one guy in response posted: "I certainly won't miss "Formal" nights or the judgmental posts on these boards. Does the way the guy next to you is dressed really affect your ability to enjoy your cruise? Sit back, pour the wine, raise a glass to the good ol' days and enjoy the dinner you didn't have to cook."

 

A lady responded: "I also don't have to cook at McDonalds - doesn't mean I want to eat there. And NO - I don't want to wear a formal evening gown at the same table while you are in jeans. What a joke that makes for all."

 

Just the other day a fellow who was eating in the buffet posted that he was very disgusted when a guy, who obviously had been putting too much over time in with the knife and fork, walked through dressed in only a thong. Uggg.

[mamkmm2]

Cultural and societal norms are different all over. There are some locations and itineraries that are more formal simply because the majority of those utilizing those itineraries have that as their cultural norm. Probably why the Asian cruises are more formal in general on all nights.

 

On the other hand, given the world's current economic situation, a cruise line would be complete fools to alienate an entire population and socioeconomic group simply to satisfy a group that many will see as "elitist" and "exclusionary."

 

Just because your dining partner isn't wearing a tux in no way prevents you from wearing a tux. Same for other types of formal wear. There should be a minimum dress code for all dining rooms ... and I know there still is because I saw it the other day but didn't have the impression that it was anything other than commonsense.

 

If you are so sure that your choice is the correct one then stick to it.

 

And the itinerary should impact application of minimum dress codes. You shouldn't see bathing suits, thongs, etc. on either gender or on any age group (including children) in a dining room or the buffet either. That is simple health and hygiene. Neither should I have to partner with someone wearing a parka or fur coat in a crowded dining room where they will impeded traffic around the tables.

 

Maybe those of us with allergies should start saying that women and men who refuse to moderate their cologne and perfume usage should use room service.

[GUT2407]

What I find really funny these threads are all those who say, I should be allowed wear Jeans and Tshirt, but don't let people in with shorts, thongs (flip flops) and singlets (what seem to be called wife beaters by some)