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What's dress code for formal nights for woman?

katrina915

By katrina915,
in Princess Cruises

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Kartgv

Kartgv

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Posted

The 'formal' dress code has a much more relaxed definition now than just a few years ago, whether Alaska or anywhere else. You will see a few 'gowns', mostly cocktail dresses or nice pants or a skirt with a dressier top. Pants are fine, just not casual jeans, though undoubtedly someone will post that they have seen jeans on formal night.

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susancruzs

susancruzs

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I wear dressy, black silky type pants with a very sparkly top. I'm not as dressy as some, a little more than others. I take long cruises, I want to be able to get it all in a 26" suitcase. Some will say formal is a dress, short cocktail or long formal, been there done that, don't feel a need to now. I would not wear what I wear when it is smart casual, would seem out of place.

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capriccio

capriccio

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That's my point- I couldn't find anything on the Princess website. Is there a link to what you are referring to?

 

Thanks.

 

From the website FAQs (https://www.princess.com/learn/faq_answer/pre_cruise/bring.jsp):

Princess makes it easy to know what to pack and what to wear when you’re dining onboard our spectacular ships. There are two designations for dress codes: Smart Casual and Formal.

 

Smart Casual

Guest attire should be in keeping with what they would wear to a nice restaurant at home.

 

  • Skirts/dresses, slacks, and sweaters for ladies

  • Pants and open-neck shirts for men

Inappropriate dinner wear such as pool or beach attire, shorts, ball caps and casual jeans (with fraying and/or holes) are not permitted in the dining rooms. Shoes must be worn.

Formal

When formal nights are held, please observe the dress code in the Traditional Dining and Anytime Dining venues for the enjoyment of all our guests.

 

  • Evening gowns and cocktail dresses for women

  • Tuxedos, dinner jackets or dark suits with a tie for men

As others have noted, the formal guidelines are much stricter than what is enforced on most cases. Nice slacks and a dressy top for women and slacks with a long sleeve shirt (and maybe a sports coat) and tie for men are common.

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katrina915

katrina915

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From the website FAQs (https://www.princess.com/learn/faq_answer/pre_cruise/bring.jsp):

Princess makes it easy to know what to pack and what to wear when you’re dining onboard our spectacular ships. There are two designations for dress codes: Smart Casual and Formal.

 

Smart Casual

Guest attire should be in keeping with what they would wear to a nice restaurant at home.

  • Skirts/dresses, slacks, and sweaters for ladies

  • Pants and open-neck shirts for men

Inappropriate dinner wear such as pool or beach attire, shorts, ball caps and casual jeans (with fraying and/or holes) are not permitted in the dining rooms. Shoes must be worn.

Formal

When formal nights are held, please observe the dress code in the Traditional Dining and Anytime Dining venues for the enjoyment of all our guests.

  • Evening gowns and cocktail dresses for women

  • Tuxedos, dinner jackets or dark suits with a tie for men

As others have noted, the formal guidelines are much stricter than what is enforced on most cases. Nice slacks and a dressy top for women and slacks with a long sleeve shirt (and maybe a sports coat) and tie for men are common.

 

Thanks for posting. That's exactly what I needed to know and the link didn't work for me.

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floridalover5623

floridalover5623

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Princess also posts "For more

formal settings, men should bring a suit and a nice pair of shoes

(or, at the very least, a shirt, tie and slacks), while women may want to bring an evening dress or a skirt with a good blouse."

It's obvious that the dress code has become much more relaxed than it was years ago.

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BJS

BJS

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Thanks for posting. That's exactly what I needed to know and the link didn't work for me.

When you get the "Patter" on the ship it most likely will not say the same for Formal attire. On our cruises in the past few years it has been stated as a more casual dress.

Also for Smart Casual it has said jeans (no holes).

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chrysalis

chrysalis

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When you get the "Patter" on the ship it most likely will not say the same for Formal attire. On our cruises in the past few years it has been stated as a more casual dress.

Also for Smart Casual it has said jeans (no holes).

 

Post #102 of this thread, states what it really says.....this week.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2585125&page=6

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chrysalis

chrysalis

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Different ships say different things:D

How true varies from week to week and ship to ship.

 

I didn't mean that it changes from week to week, I meant that it is from this week.

 

Here is another ship, this time for an Alaska cruise.....

 

https://scottsingercruises.wordpress.com/2017/04/22/alaska-cruise-grand-princess-patter-3/

 

I would be very happy if you would show me one that is different, please.

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susancruzs

susancruzs

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Play nice, people! :) It depends on the cruise length, locations, etc.! The last 3 cruises I've been on, longer, not to the Caribbean or Alaska, I have not seen much casual clothes in the evening at all, certainly no shorts or tee shirts.

 

I had a near catastrophe in the piazza, walking down steps with my long skirt, fortunately had 2 men in front of me who were able to catch me when I slipped. Came home, sent skirt to my niece, bought fancy, silky slacks! Got rid of my heels, bought some sensible black flats, don't really care what others think, it was a scary moment.

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Cobber76

Cobber76

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On my Alaskan cruise on Princess last July, I wore dressy black crops and paired it with a dressy top, sparkly necklace and a pair of dressy heeled sandals on both formal nights. My daughter wore black leggings with a dressy top and colorful scarf—and that was perfectly OK, too. That being said, the formal nights on our cruise actually turned out to be a bit dressier than I had expected. There were definitely women who wore glitzy cocktail dresses, but they were in the minority overall. But none of us in our group ever felt out of place.

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Cancun01

Cancun01

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Posted (edited)
Are skorts OK for women to wear every night, including Formal Nights in the MDR?

 

Haha but in reality the answer is "yes". It was happening on the January 3 Panama Canal cruise on Caribbean Princess. Those wearing skorts/shorts were not turned away from the MDR even on formal night and there were several.

Edited by Cancun01
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Cancun01

Cancun01

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The "suggested dress" is only for the dining rooms...you will see all manner of clothing around the ship on ALL nights!

You have got that right!!!! After not sailing on Princess in two years I could not believe the difference. Two years ago one would have never have seen people in muscle shirts and shorts playing rummy for money in front of the piano player on formal night in Crooners! Not even on smart casual night! It seems that in 2018 anything goes on ALL nights. So the OP should wear whatever she wants.

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Steelers36

Steelers36

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You have got that right!!!! After not sailing on Princess in two years I could not believe the difference. Two years ago one would have never have seen people in muscle shirts and shorts playing rummy for money in front of the piano player on formal night in Crooners! Not even on smart casual night! It seems that in 2018 anything goes on ALL nights. So the OP should wear whatever she wants.

 

Yes, but I wouldn't dress down to the lowest common denominator. Just me saying.

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floridalover5623

floridalover5623

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You have got that right!!!! After not sailing on Princess in two years I could not believe the difference. Two years ago one would have never have seen people in muscle shirts and shorts playing rummy for money in front of the piano player on formal night in Crooners! Not even on smart casual night! It seems that in 2018 anything goes on ALL nights. So the OP should wear whatever she wants.

If you expect to see people dressed formally throughout the ship after 6 PM, you've picked the wrong cruise line.

Cunard would be more appropriate.

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