Formal nights

[Bemidji Ty]

We've done 50 plus cruises - mostly on Princess. My observation is that the great majority of passengers abide by and follow the dress guidelines. We always do whether we are driving to the port or flying across the globe.

 

Enforcement is not unreliable.

[Potstech]

As stated many passengers enjoy dressing up.

There are guidelines and for the most part and despite what the 8 people here on CC say they are followed.

 

Hope you enjoy your cruise

 

 

There are way more than 8 who will tell you the reality of formal night dress in the MDR.

[shredie]

There are way more than 8 who will tell you the reality of formal night dress in the MDR.

 

One. :D

[dlbutler5]

Cunard does it right. You either dress formally or you are told to stay in your cabin. Your dinner will be brought to you.

[dtb55]

Cunard does it right. You either dress formally or you are told to stay in your cabin. Your dinner will be brought to you.

 

 

 

I love it!

 

 

Denise

[floridalover5623]

We are new to Princess and wondering if formal nigh dress codes are enforced? We are very hopeful! Thanks

 

Despite the fact that Princess doesn't enforce the dress code on formal nights, if you really enjoy dressing up why not do so every night?

Princess seems to be the last of the mass market cruise lines that's trying to hold on to the old style of cruising while appeasing both groups by looking the other way when people show up not dressed per their suggestions.

It's your choice.

[GUT2407]

I have on rare occasions seen people turn(ed) away, never been close enough to hear if they were told no, or realised at the last minute that it was formal night.

[Zooguy]

Formal tuxedo tee shirts are available on line!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Potstech]

Cunard does it right. You either dress formally or you are told to stay in your cabin. Your dinner will be brought to you.

 

S you want people who do not wish to follow the clothing police on formal night to be locked up in their cabins just so they do not bother other people. Sounds like something out of a novel. Does this apply to the while day. just the evening of just until the evening meal is over with? Wonder how that will affect the bottom line for Princess.

[Host Hattie]

Cunard does it right. You either dress formally or you are told to stay in your cabin. Your dinner will be brought to you.

 

It's a nice story but it's not true. You can eat in the buffet on formal night if you don't want to comply with the dress code.

[loge23]

While the traditional aspects of formal dinner wear may still have an appeal for some, the reality of a changing world will eventually render the formal night concept moot.

Who wants to pack a separate garment bag - and check it for a fee - for use on two or three nights of a two week holiday?

Further, I don't see the younger demographic - so crucial to the future of cruising - adopting this anachronistic custom. Indeed, the entire concept of the Dining Room dinners may eventually prove to be outdated. Already, many more people are opting for casual dining venues.

I'm not endorsing this behavior, but merely pointing out that you can't stop changing preferences.

Personally, the last time I went formal I was so hot from the Caribbean sun all day that I nearly melted in the DR! I looked over at a gent in his fresh Tommy Bahama button down short sleeve - which probably cost over $100 - in envy.

I find it interesting that the European river cruises do not do formal as well. There, a generally well-heeled group assemble for dinner in what is known as country-club casual, and that suits me just fine.

[UK Cruiser2]

The elegance of formal nights should be kept,the ones that don't dress up are the ones that look out of place and untidy. I appreciate that a lot of shirts and trousers/jeans can run expensive so why not get a nice evening suit for a similar cost and look the part..:)

[JimmyVWine]

Further, I don't see the younger demographic - so crucial to the future of cruising - adopting this anachronistic custom.

It depends on the cruise line. I could definitely see the younger demographic on certain cruise lines scoffing at a dressed-up night. But other cruise lines attract an audience that truly enjoys a glam evening. From my own experience, my daughter insists that we participate in Formal Night. If paying $25 or $30 for one extra bag on top of a $3,000 cruise is the cost of looking nice, then so be it. My daughter thinks it is. I agree.

 

[dtb55]

It depends on the cruise line. I could definitely see the younger demographic on certain cruise lines scoffing at a dressed-up night. But other cruise lines attract an audience that truly enjoys a glam evening. From my own experience, my daughter insists that we participate in Formal Night. If paying $25 or $30 for one extra bag on top of a $3,000 cruise is the cost of looking nice, then so be it. My daughter thinks it is. I agree.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your daughter is beautiful and looks lovely. She must make you proud.

 

My sons also enjoy dressing up, at least for one formal night. We go to a specialty restaurant for the others.

 

 

Denise

[UK Cruiser2]

It depends on the cruise line. I could definitely see the younger demographic on certain cruise lines scoffing at a dressed-up night. But other cruise lines attract an audience that truly enjoys a glam evening. From my own experience, my daughter insists that we participate in Formal Night. If paying $25 or $30 for one extra bag on top of a $3,000 cruise is the cost of looking nice, then so be it. My daughter thinks it is. I agree.

 

 

Wow. How can anyone disagree. What a stunning dress on a beautiful girl,beats the pants off tee shirt and shorts any day

[Stumptowngal]

My husband and I will be taking our first Princess cruise next May. We haven't cruised in the past 15 years; but took three Celebrity cruises before then. We dressed up for Celebrity's formal nights and if I remember right, everyone else did also.

 

My question is: does anything extra or different happen in the main dining rooms on formal nights to make it more special; or is it more a matter of passengers simply dressing up?

[JimmyVWine]

My husband and I will be taking our first Princess cruise next May. We haven't cruised in the past 15 years; but took three Celebrity cruises before then. We dressed up for Celebrity's formal nights and if I remember right, everyone else did also.

 

My question is: does anything extra or different happen in the main dining rooms on formal nights to make it more special; or is it more a matter of passengers simply dressing up?

In the dining room, nothing special other than an upgraded menu by most accounts. No flaming baked Alaska or marching waiters, or stuff like that. In the Atrium there will be a Champagne Tower hosted by the Captain (if possible), and usually a balloon drop and a party atmosphere.

[Pam in CA]

We've done 50 plus cruises - mostly on Princess. My observation is that the great majority of passengers abide by and follow the dress guidelines. We always do whether we are driving to the port or flying across the globe.

 

 

 

Enforcement is not unreliable.

I agree. I very rarely see a gentleman without at least a jacket on formal nights with the vast majority in suits or tuxes. Formal is less formal than it used to be, however. There are alternatives to the dining room if you prefer not to dress up.

[floridalover5623]

I agree. I very rarely see a gentleman without at least a jacket on formal nights with the vast majority in suits or tuxes. Formal is less formal than it used to be, however. There are alternatives to the dining room if you prefer not to dress up.

 

Evidently you haven't been on to many Caribbean cruises where people dress down all the time. There are always a dozen or more couples who do so on formal nights.

We usually go to the dining room on formal nights (dressed casually) only because the food selections are always a better choice and if the same menu was presented at the buffet we'd prefer to dine there.

The better food is always in the DR.

[JimmyVWine]

Evidently you haven't been on to many Caribbean cruises where people dress down all the time. There are always a dozen or more couples who do so on formal nights.

But you do appreciate, don't you, just how few "a dozen or more couples" is when looking at the entire MDR. That's three full 8-tops out of the entire dining room, assuming that they were all seated together. When spread apart, they are hardly noticeable. The simple truth is, while it is absolutely 100% undeniably true that one can get into the MDR on formal night without a jacket or tie, it is also absolutely 100% undeniably true that when one does, they will be in a minority. And from my experience, a small minority.

[getaway101]

NCL is the one that does it right...freestyle. Still no shorts/tee shirts but jeans and a polo are ok. And no formal nights.

 

And I think that's great. I just don't understand why a select few have to try and ruin it for everyone else. If you don't want to dress formal then cruise Celebrity or Norwegian. Even Royal Caribbean is doing away with it for the most part. But with that being said, I feel sorry for the ones who want to dress to the 9's and have to deal with the guy sitting next to them in jeans and suspenders. The last Princess cruise we were on they even put it in the patter that on formal nights the request was to remain dressed in venues like the theater and such.....to no avail :(

[reedprincess]

And I think that's great. I just don't understand why a select few have to try and ruin it for everyone else. If you don't want to dress formal then cruise Celebrity or Norwegian. Even Royal Caribbean is doing away with it for the most part. But with that being said, I feel sorry for the ones who want to dress to the 9's and have to deal with the guy sitting next to them in jeans and suspenders. The last Princess cruise we were on they even put it in the patter that on formal nights the request was to remain dressed in venues like the theater and such.....to no avail :(

 

Why do you feel sorry for someone who is dressed up more formally who is seated next to someone who doesn't dress up? What's there to feel sorry about? And how does it "ruin" anything? We dress up for formal nights on Princess cuz we enjoy it, and when we sailed Celebrity back in March, we dressed up for Evening Chic night also - husband in tux, myself in cocktail dress, the whole shebang, and we were in Blu, which doesn't even have the Evening Chic dress code anyways, it's always smart casual. We thoroughly enjoyed dressing up, there were others who had done so also, while still others had slacks and dress shirts, and others had jeans and a Polo or similar - not a big deal. We sat at a table next to a couple, both man and woman in jeans and normal tops, not dressed up at all. Certainly didn't ruin our dining experience or or evening and I would have found it odd for anyone to feel sorry for us that the others around us opted not to dress up.

Same goes on Princess. We've been on plenty of sailings where someone at our large table opts to not dress up for formal night while the rest of us are in varying degrees of dressed up. Hasn't affected our enjoyment one bit over 14 years of cruising... I don't see why you would feel sorry for anyone because someone else didn't dress up. Nor do i see how it "ruins" anything. We dress up because we enjoy it, and fully appreciate that others don't enjoy it and won't make the effort - thats their choice. It makes no difference to us and our enjoyment of the evening...

[shredie]

I wonder if OP is happy he asked the question. :p

[Valentine's Mom]

Thanks everyone for you very quick responses. I was hoping for full participation but I know that's asking a lot. Our last few cruises have been with Carnival and quite frankly you could go to the mdr in you pjs and flip flops. They have quite a few tables for 2 but they are so close to each other that you would wear a formal dress next to someone wearing the robe provided. We started to cruise back when taking a cruise meant something special and have lost some of that feeling while on Carnival and hope to recapture at least some of it with Princess. Thanks for the info and hope to see you soon

 

Barbara

[Sascol]

I was on a 17 day cruise and there was one man who came to the MDR every night wearing jeans with suspenders and a t-shirt.

 

I never thought of that outfit. I'd wear it to the square dance... but not on a cruise for dinner. Wheee haw!

Edited September 1, 2016 by Sascol