surprised on people dressing up on regal

[floridalover5623]

What is the general 'trend' with regards to formal wear on summer Mediterranean cruises on Princess? And by trend I'm referring to what general percentage of people dress up for formal night, rather than what they actually wear.

 

Reason for asking is that I enjoy dressing up for formal nights and have done so religiously on the two cruises I've done so far, both of which have been from Southampton which also happens to be where I live, so luggage restrictions haven't been an issue at all up until know. Also may be worth pointing out that both of these have been with P&O.

 

This summer I'm going on my first Princess cruise (Athens to Barcelona), which obviously will also be my first fly-cruise. My ideal scenario is that I'll take my tux with me and the majority of other passengers will be dressed up, and everything will be great. However if I'm the only one dressed up it'll be quite a disappointment and I'll be annoyed that I went to the trouble of transporting my formal clothes all that way, likewise if I decide to leave the posh stuff at home but arrive to find everyone else is dressed up I'll be really disappointed. So if the general consensus is that formal dress is either very popular on Med cruises or that no-one really bothers, then I can just flow with the majority and achieve the optimum amount of packing effort for minimal disappointment!!

 

If you've read this far, apologies for finding such a convoluted way to ask a relatively simple question!!! :D

 

What difference does it make how the majority of others dress? If you enjoy taking the formal clothing, then do it. You make the cruise what it is and shouldn't let what others do deter you from your enjoyment.

On the other hand if you really enjoy a more relaxed trip then just cut back on the formal clothing & enjoy yourself. No one will criticize you either way.

[kimlovesfl]

I enjoy dressing up, as I wear a uniform at work and rarely have a chance to wear a skirt or dress. Last year, I didn't bring a suit coat for my husband, and he felt a little underdressed on the Royal. We brought a complete suit for him this year, and he felt much better. I think it's nice, and there is always the option of the buffet if you choose not to dress up.

[yamanid]

What is the general 'trend' with regards to formal wear on summer Mediterranean cruises on Princess? And by trend I'm referring to what general percentage of people dress up for formal night, rather than what they actually wear.

 

Reason for asking is that I enjoy dressing up for formal nights and have done so religiously on the two cruises I've done so far, both of which have been from Southampton which also happens to be where I live, so luggage restrictions haven't been an issue at all up until know. Also may be worth pointing out that both of these have been with P&O.

 

This summer I'm going on my first Princess cruise (Athens to Barcelona), which obviously will also be my first fly-cruise. My ideal scenario is that I'll take my tux with me and the majority of other passengers will be dressed up, and everything will be great. However if I'm the only one dressed up it'll be quite a disappointment and I'll be annoyed that I went to the trouble of transporting my formal clothes all that way, likewise if I decide to leave the posh stuff at home but arrive to find everyone else is dressed up I'll be really disappointed. So if the general consensus is that formal dress is either very popular on Med cruises or that no-one really bothers, then I can just flow with the majority and achieve the optimum amount of packing effort for minimal disappointment!!

 

If you've read this far, apologies for finding such a convoluted way to ask a relatively simple question!!! :D

 

Well, we have always found on our Princess Cruises in the Med, that people still DO dress up for Formal nights - last year on Royal Princess (for 3 weeks) I would say majority of passengers were dressed up for the Formal Nights ( Remembering that a high percentage of the passengers on that Cruise were from all around the world and they transported their Formal attire with them) just go and enjoy your Cruise and wear what you have done on P&O cruises :cool: I am sure you will love Princess

[shepp]

Just off 10 days to the Mexican Riviera on the Grand. On the second formal night I did my Cruise Critic homework and strolled around the MDR (late traditional). Only spotted a few men who weren't wearing at least a sport coat with an open collared shirt, and most were more formally dressed. My husband and I don't dress up "to please others" but because we enjoy making a little extra effort to look good (though it was gratifying to receive multiple compliments re: how dapper we looked).

[kruisey]

my wife and I just came back from a cruise on regal and were really surprised at the way people dressed on the cruise. we have been reading how casual things are getting but on the 2 formal nights we saw more guys wearing tuxes and coats and ties and woman wearing cocktail type dresses than weve seen recently on other cruises. even on the other nights there were quite a few guys with sport coats and woman wearing dresses. on the formal nights there were a few who went to the buffet instead and decided to just stay in their shorts which is fine if that's what they like. everyone has a choice which is great. I will say one thing for those who are debating which way to go on the formal nights. I think at the end of the night you will wish you did the dress up thing. its just a nice experience.

I always take the longer cruises and always dress up on Formal Nights found most folks do.

One does see the few dressed casually out of the MDR.

Its ones own choice dress up or one can go to HC in ones casual gear.Feel its a nice change to see the guys looking handsome in their tux,ladies in their finery.Even the children enter the MDR in their own formal night gear and you can see they enjoy.So no surprises :)

[Wehwalt]

I don't think people should be compelled to dress in a certain way to retain their accustomed place at dinner. I believe this an anachronism whose time is rapidly passing, as it should. It's being an uncompensated extra in someone else's pageant. And handsome, of appearance or of person, is not in the clothes.

[tip]

I don't think people should be compelled to dress in a certain way to retain their accustomed place at dinner. I believe this an anachronism whose time is rapidly passing, as it should. It's being an uncompensated extra in someone else's pageant. And handsome, of appearance or of person, is not in the clothes.

 

Very well-said!

[Nashna]

I don't believe that anyone will change their cruise attire because of posts on CC. Please be comfortable with yourself and dress accordingly. Wear the tux or dress more casually. The point is to enjoy your vacation.

 

 

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[Potstech]

Exactly. We have also cruised for the same number of years and I have taken a tux with me every time. My wife thoroughly enjoys the opportunity to dress up and I enjoy making her happy. It is part of the cruise experience and back in the day you dressed up for every evening meal.

 

Anymore, these days the rules only apply to those that choose to respect them. Others will find a way to ignore them for various self-serving reasons. It would be nice if those that really don't want to pack a tux or a suit or even a sports coat would find another venue for a meal rather than the main dining room.

 

It would be even nicer if those who insist others dress to make them happy and feel important would respect others who are allowed, by the venue, to dress in a different manner. As many will point out times are changing and those who can not adapt with the change soon will be in the minority or be extinct.

[berlingo]

Well, we have always found on our Princess Cruises in the Med, that people still DO dress up for Formal nights - last year on Royal Princess (for 3 weeks) I would say majority of passengers were dressed up for the Formal Nights ( Remembering that a high percentage of the passengers on that Cruise were from all around the world and they transported their Formal attire with them) just go and enjoy your Cruise and wear what you have done on P&O cruises :cool: I am sure you will love Princess

 

I would agree with Yamanid. Having sailed with both Princess and P&O around the Med we have been pleasantly surprised that they have been equally dressy on formal nights. Majority of men wearing dinner suits. Indeed on our last Princess cruise we also felt that people were actually dressier than those on P&O on none formal nights.

 

I do hope you enjoy your Princess cruise. Any questions please ask.

 

Juliax

[kruisey]

I have just read through this thread again.Think it all boils down to this.

Lets respect each others choices .Happy cruising:)

[lovetocruise17]

On a recent 7 days (2 formal nights) Princess Regal cruise in Caribbean lots of people dressed for formal night. Lots of sports coats also. So do what you feel best in. I personally loved my man in a tux!

 

 

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[MissP22]

For what it's worth, the ladies can get away with practically anything these days, while the guys seem to be shamed into wearing a jacket. It's totally a silly game left over form the cruising days many generations ago.

My husband is the one who continually books the Princess cruises & he hasn't dressed formally in years. If they forced him to dress up in the main DR I doubt if he would continue to sail Princess, which we both love.

[Luv my furbaby]

I did notice more people formally dressed on my Regal cruise last month. They all looked very nice. However, I have chosen not to dress formally and yes I will still go yo the MRD.

I stopped about 10 years ago. there was a woman at my table that dressed every night - gowns. However, she smelled, picker her teeth with her finger nailed and stuffed her napkin between her boobs!

So, which is more important to you - someone dressed formally like the woman I just mentioned or someone dressed casually (business casual) and has manners??

Someone dressed in jeans does not bother my meal - someone who smells does.

(Yes, this did happen to me on a Celebrity cruise).

[RedEarth]

I would agree with Yamanid. Having sailed with both Princess and P&O around the Med we have been pleasantly surprised that they have been equally dressy on formal nights. Majority of men wearing dinner suits. Indeed on our last Princess cruise we also felt that people were actually dressier than those on P&O on none formal nights.

 

I do hope you enjoy your Princess cruise. Any questions please ask.

 

Juliax

 

Yamanid, Berlingo, thanks very much for your replies. I'm gonna go for it!!

[GlamorousGirl]

I am so happy to hear this and hope my cruise is the same way. I was very disappointed when I heard about cruises becoming more casual. I can do the "casual" thing at home! I don't get to dress up very often so when I'm in luxurious surroundings like this I want to take the opportunity to dress on par with that. I plan on only dressing casual during the day and dressing up every night, whether it's a formal night or not, especially if I am going to the casino.

[GlamorousGirl]

My husband & I both used to dress up until on a Princess cruise many year ago we realized that it was totally unnecessary & we were only doing it because many others were.

Not to be disrespectful but since it was our vacation after all, why should we have to bow down to what others might prefer?

We haven't conformed to the crowd mentality in many years and yes we do dine in the main dining room on formal nights and never once thought about returning to dressing up only to satisfy others.

There are plenty of opportunities in life to dress as formally as you like but a vacation shouldn't be one of them.

 

I almost never get to dress up at home, so when I am on vacation, a cruise or otherwise, I want to dress up as much as possible (preferably every night at least!) It seems the "crowd mentality" is moving towards casual... not dressing up... and if the trend continues - I wouldn't care if everyone else on the ship was in shorts, I intend to dress up no matter what. It would literally ruin the vacation for us to wear the same clothes we wear at home. We go to land based casinos quite often and find the same trend there - regardless of how luxurious the surroundings are, people in shorts and t-shirts. We dress up every day in there regardless of what anyone else is doing. It enhances the experience for us tremendously. For us, it IS necessary to dress up, regardless of the ship's rules or level of enforcement. Sorry to have to disagree.

[MissP22]

I almost never get to dress up at home, so when I am on vacation, a cruise or otherwise, I want to dress up as much as possible (preferably every night at least!) It seems the "crowd mentality" is moving towards casual... not dressing up... and if the trend continues - I wouldn't care if everyone else on the ship was in shorts, I intend to dress up no matter what. It would literally ruin the vacation for us to wear the same clothes we wear at home. We go to land based casinos quite often and find the same trend there - regardless of how luxurious the surroundings are, people in shorts and t-shirts. We dress up every day in there regardless of what anyone else is doing. It enhances the experience for us tremendously. For us, it IS necessary to dress up, regardless of the ship's rules or level of enforcement. Sorry to have to disagree.

 

I don't take your comments as disagreement but as an opinion. You're entitled to have yours even though we don't see eye to eye.

It those people who feel that they should control everyone on the ship that gets me.

I can understand that people who don't cruise that often and after reading the brochures think that it's a mandatory obligation that everyone must follow that's annoying.

Please continue to enjoy every minute on Princess dressing up when ever the mood strikes you.

[qqwer123]

We go all out on most formal nights. I have some formal gowns that I can't possibly wear anywhere else and my hubby felt underdressed last year so I bought him a gift certificate for a tux and some nicer attire for our next cruise. I love dressing up! If I'm not up to it on the odd formal night I eat at the buffet or room service. That is the true beauty of a cruise. It's your choice! I would never judge anybody for their opinion or even how they dress on the ship!