Alaskan Cruise Dining Room Dress Code Question

[bl010569]

I have read that the regular night (read not formal night) dress code on Alaskan cruises tends to be more relaxed than on other cruises. Are nice / dark jeans ever okay for anytime dining on a Princess Alaskan cruise?

[Pam in CA]

Anytime dining is the same as Traditional when it comes to dress. Jeans are allowed on smart casual nights on any Princess cruise although I very rarely see anyone in jeans in the dining room. You won't be turned away.

[satxdiver]

I have read that the regular night (read not formal night) dress code on Alaskan cruises tends to be more relaxed than on other cruises. Are nice / dark jeans ever okay for anytime dining on a Princess Alaskan cruise?

 

Jeans in good repair are welcome in the MDR on all non-formal nights on men and women. On AK cruises you will see a lot of informal outdoor rugged wear both on the ship and while on land. You will not be alone if you wear jeans in the MDR.

[Florida Skipper]

You can wear jeans to dinner. I've seen it and have worn them.

[bl010569]

Thank you all for your advice. We are struggling trying to pack as light as possible for this cruise, along with our booked excursions, and a week following our cruise split between Homer and Seward that includes a full-day bear excursion and sea kayaking.

Edited May 17, 2016 by bl010569

[floridalover5623]

I have read that the regular night (read not formal night) dress code on Alaskan cruises tends to be more relaxed than on other cruises. Are nice / dark jeans ever okay for anytime dining on a Princess Alaskan cruise?

 

I can't see how it could get any more relaxed then what they now allow which is any pair of light weight pants with at a minimum of a T shirt. On formal evenings you can substitute a pair of decent pant without the jacket, tie & dress shoes to save even more weight.

Packing for an Alaskan trip requires much more clothing than a warm weather cruise & eliminating unnecessary clothing is relatively easy on Princess.

[ghgeckos]

When we extend our vacations and want to pack light we utilize the washer & dryer on a sea day. This way we can wash any slacks that might need to be reworn.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[barbie5401]

Something to remember #1 - no one is going to say "hey didn't she wear that top yesterday?" #2 - take half and do a load of wash - mid week put it in go have breakfast come back put in dryer. Easy.

 

On our week cruise usually around mid-point I do a wash of tee-shirts and underwear, socks - makes packing so much easier. Also, to send a shirt to the laundry to press/starch is much much less expensive if all you need is it to be pressed.

[WupperAV]

The dress code on a Princess cruise is referred to as “Smart Casual" for most evenings. For the main dining room, gentlemen will feel most comfortable in casual slacks (Dockers, khaki's) –no tears, rips or holes. A polo / sports shirt or a button-down shirt is appropriate. For the ladies, casual dresses, casual skirts or pants and blouses, summer dresses and Capri pants –no tears, rips, etc., are all appropriate. Shorts, yes even dressy shorts are discouraged in the main dining rooms. One can pack 2 shirts and 2 pants. One lady I know wears a combination of 2 blouses and camisoles and somehow makes it work to a different looking outfit everyday and very smart.

[kayred]

The dress code on a Princess cruise is referred to as “Smart Casual" for most evenings. For the main dining room, gentlemen will feel most comfortable in casual slacks (Dockers, khaki's) –no tears, rips or holes. A polo / sports shirt or a button-down shirt is appropriate. For the ladies, casual dresses, casual skirts or pants and blouses, summer dresses and Capri pants –no tears, rips, etc., are all appropriate. Shorts, yes even dressy shorts are discouraged in the main dining rooms. One can pack 2 shirts and 2 pants. One lady I know wears a combination of 2 blouses and camisoles and somehow makes it work to a different looking outfit everyday and very smart.

 

 

And a little stinky. Lol. Don't be angry I am just teasing and I know she could do laundry. I just couldn't resist.

[Thrak]

I'm always a bit surprised by this question. All Princess cruises have the same dress standards (just check the web site) and I always wonder why Alaska is singled out for people to ask about it being more casual. While dining on land in Alaska (as in many places) may be less "formal" than in other areas when one is on the ship the normal standards apply.

[barbie5401]

I'm always a bit surprised by this question. All Princess cruises have the same dress standards (just check the web site) and I always wonder why Alaska is singled out for people to ask about it being more casual. While dining on land in Alaska (as in many places) may be less "formal" than in other areas when one is on the ship the normal standards apply.

 

Can't understand - why this is talked about over and over? Read the Princess Guidelines!

[PescadoAmarillo]

I think it comes up more often for cold weather cruises and for cruises with likely pre- and post-cruise land trips because the clothes required tend to be bulkier than those required for Caribbean cruises and people don't want to haul clothing only to find out that, regardless of what the Cruise Answer Book states, the far less than the suggested attire is accepted and in evidence.

 

And, comparing European cruises where there are more passengers from Europe who do tend to dress up for dinner, to Alaska cruises with more casual Americans and Canadians, the latter, with late stays and evening glacier viewing, especially on non-formal nights really is different.

 

I would never pack jeans for dinner on a warm weather cruise. On Alaska cruises, I wore them, along with hiking boots, several evenings. We still dressed formally on formal nights, but on smart casual nights, dressed on the more casual side of stated suggestions.

Edited May 18, 2016 by PescadoAmarillo

[floridalover5623]

Can't understand - why this is talked about over and over? Read the Princess Guidelines!

 

People don't want to read what they print, they want to know what actually happens on the ship. That's all that really matters.

[nooptere]

I'm always a bit surprised by this question. All Princess cruises have the same dress standards (just check the web site) and I always wonder why Alaska is singled out for people to ask about it being more casual. While dining on land in Alaska (as in many places) may be less "formal" than in other areas when one is on the ship the normal standards apply.

 

Good Question. Maybe this might come up by the way Princess sells their Alaska cruises. Their "North to Alaska" promotions where, "To get a true picture of Alaska you need to fully experience it." Further, some cruisers are "day trippers" who go in the morning to see and interact some with the locals, but want to retreat to to the safety of their own secure and predictable culture and generational understandings back on the ship each night. Others want a broader travel cultural understanding. Of course, the culture on and off the ship also differs on Japanese, Hawaiian,European,South America etc.. cruises. Some embrace it more than others.

 

Alaska and the PNW have a different, more relaxed, culture than many other parts of North America. People have different expectations from what they want in their travel.

[Coveguy4]

Just a comment...I got off the Ruby 3 days ago from Alaska. Jeans were common in MDR on smart casual nights with about 15 to 20% wearing them, and surprisingly formal night attire was adheered to by most passengers, many tuxes,mostly suits and sport coats but only a few dress shirts only on men. I was pleasently surprised on MDR attire, like a trip back in time......

[Potstech]

Can't understand - why this is talked about over and over? Read the Princess Guidelines!

 

Yes read the GUIDELINES then go on a cruise and see what Princess allows to be worn at the evening meal in the Main Dining Rooms. Then there is little doubt why it keeps being talked about over and over. Self explanatory.

[dtb55]

Just a comment...I got off the Ruby 3 days ago from Alaska. Jeans were common in MDR on smart casual nights with about 15 to 20% wearing them, and surprisingly formal night attire was adheered to by most passengers, many tuxes,mostly suits and sport coats but only a few dress shirts only on men. I was pleasently surprised on MDR attire, like a trip back in time......

 

 

It would be nice if more people adhered to the guidelines, but it would be even nicer if Princess enforced them. Either way, it's not going to ruin my cruise.

[floridalover5623]

Anytime dining is the same as Traditional when it comes to dress. Jeans are allowed on smart casual nights on any Princess cruise although I very rarely see anyone in jeans in the dining room. You won't be turned away.

 

I couldn't care less if anyone wears jeans in the dining room of not as long as I can wear them. Mine are broken in & the most comfortable pair of pants I own. ;)

[RocketMan275]

The dress code on a Princess cruise is referred to as “Smart Casual" for most evenings. For the main dining room, gentlemen will feel most comfortable in casual slacks (Dockers, khaki's) –no tears, rips or holes. A polo / sports shirt or a button-down shirt is appropriate. For the ladies, casual dresses, casual skirts or pants and blouses, summer dresses and Capri pants –no tears, rips, etc., are all appropriate. Shorts, yes even dressy shorts are discouraged in the main dining rooms. One can pack 2 shirts and 2 pants. One lady I know wears a combination of 2 blouses and camisoles and somehow makes it work to a different looking outfit everyday and very smart.

 

Where does Princess say: "For the main dining room, gentlemen will feel most comfortable in casual slacks (Dockers, khaki's)"? Many gentlemen would find jeans more comfortable than casual slacks.

[GUT2407]

I have read that the regular night (read not formal night) dress code on Alaskan cruises tends to be more relaxed than on other cruises. Are nice / dark jeans ever okay for anytime dining on a Princess Alaskan cruise?

 

The same suggested dress is in place no matter where you are cruising, enforcement might vary.

[shredie]

The same suggested dress is in place no matter where you are cruising, enforcement might vary.

 

That is it, in a nutshell.

[RocketMan275]

So you ask to see a poll you insinuate is non exisrent then when it is shown to you it is proven correct then you just disregard it because of who did it. You only want to believe a "Princess poll" You also basically say all the long time posters are wrong and question their physical characteristics even though you have never meet them. You are posting in the wrong place. You need to find the ego manical board somewhere to post

 

 

An even bigger problem is that the cruise lines most comparable to Princess in terms of their product and their clientele are Holland and Celebrity both of which have changed their dress codes to smart casual. Evidently those cruise lines were not aware of the overwhelming popularity of formal wear on cruise ships. Holland and Celebrity will be sailing empty ships now.

 

Holland and Celebrity changed their dress codes after surveying their customers. Many on the Holland and Celebrity boards insisted that the surveys inaccurately showed that the majority preferred smart casual. After all, they, individually, did not receive the survey so the results were invalid. It was reported several months ago that Princess has performed a similar survey. Guess we will find out just how popular the current dress code is.

[Mommypig]

I just got back from a 111 day world cruise on the Pacific Princess. There are people who love to do the ultra formal tuxedo and gown thing. There are those who don't. There are those who change into cocktail dresses for smart casual night. There are those who don't. Some people feel that dressing up for formal night is an integral part of the cruise experience, and others could care less. IMHO what other people chose to where is their choice. With checked baggage costs these days, and with a great diversity of style preferences, just let it be people's choice.

 

I have worn jeans and a nice sweater or top to dinner on the world and Alaskan cruises. I have worn solid black wash jeans and a dressy to formal night on the world. I have worn a cotton nightgown the I purchased in India to formal night.

It full length, short sleeved with a pretty embroidered bodice.

 

In a nutshell, just look nice. Be yourself, but look nice.

[nooptere]

I just got back from a 111 day world cruise on the Pacific Princess. There are people who love to do the ultra formal tuxedo and gown thing. There are those who don't. There are those who change into cocktail dresses for smart casual night. There are those who don't. Some people feel that dressing up for formal night is an integral part of the cruise experience, and others could care less. IMHO what other people chose to where is their choice. With checked baggage costs these days, and with a great diversity of style preferences, just let it be people's choice.

 

I have worn jeans and a nice sweater or top to dinner on the world and Alaskan cruises. I have worn solid black wash jeans and a dressy to formal night on the world. I have worn a cotton nightgown the I purchased in India to formal night.

It full length, short sleeved with a pretty embroidered bodice.

 

In a nutshell, just look nice. Be yourself, but look nice.

Thank you for a seasoned, worldly experience and knowledge of fashion and culture. :):):)