Dressing for a Princess cruise

[LinnieRed]

Hi Princess cruisers, my husband and I are looking at a Mexican Riviera cruise on Princess. We have only been on NCL which is very casual. For the main dining room and specialty restaurants is smart casual appropriate? Do shorts work anywhere?

We understand there are 2 formal nights. Will we be able to eat in the main dining room if we are not in formal attire, and if not, are there options other than the buffet?

 

thanks for your help,

 

LinnieRed 

[paul929207]

Non-formal nights - casual is fine. No shorts in the Main Dining Rooms. For formal nights, some will wear a tuxedo most a sports jacket.

[NorthwestCruiser]

I'm not really big on dressing up normally but it is part of the cruising experience in my opinion.   We have a hilarious photo somewhere of us at formal night with our table mates (strangers to us) who must not have gotten the memo.  I'm in my Tux and my wife dressed up in black, and they are in shorts and tee shirts.    It did kind of ruin that moment.   (This was on Celebrity, now I recall.)

 

I'd make the effort.   Part of it is the fun for other people, it really was rather annoying to be in a room full of people in tuxes and to be seated next to people in shorts and tee shirts.   Maybe I misremember, it might have been jeans, but it is kind of like people who make a point of 'dressing down' for the Opera or something.   I get it, but really is it necessary to spoil other people's fun?   On the other hand if everybody is dressed up you can pretend that you are in another era, or is some really special occasion with special people.

Edited March 19, 2020 by NorthwestCruiser

[Steelers36]

The answers to your questions are yes, no and yes.  That said, there have been reports on certain ships at certain times that shorts are not turned away at dinner.  Stick with long pants and no issue.  Besides buffet, you can go to specialty restaurants as they are always smart casual.

 

Nice to see a break from coronavirus, cancelled cruises, and other such threads.  Normally "yet another" clothing thread is a downer.  Prepare for a gazillion opinions.

 

[LinnieRed]

5 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

Nice to see a break from coronavirus, cancelled cruises, and other such threads.  Normally "yet another" clothing thread is a downer.  Prepare for a gazillion opinions.

I am well and truly worn out from Coronavirus talk. Our 29 March NCL cruise cancelled and we need something to look forward to, so this is it. My husband is reluctant to go on a “dress up” cruise, so this news about the specialty restaurants is great! We can just go there on formal nights. 
 

thanks! 

[LeeW]

We've seen men in shorts turned away on Regal and Royal even on non-formal nights but it is pretty rare.  All other ships even T shirts with no sleeves and baseball caps are becoming the norm.

[CineGraphic]

You can easily enjoy your cruise without dressing up.

We avoid the main dining room on formal nights by either going to the buffet, or one of the specialty/up-charge restaurants.

[onboard2005]

I never do formal dress. I wear casual dress and feel comfortable. I travel solo and don't pack a lot so it works for me. You'll see some dressed very formal and some more casual. 

[Guindalf]

Don’t forget Haz-mat night.

 

You need a yellow suit for that!

 

🙂

[brisalta]

2 hours ago, LinnieRed said:

Hi Princess cruisers, my husband and I are looking at a Mexican Riviera cruise on Princess. We have only been on NCL which is very casual. For the main dining room and specialty restaurants is smart casual appropriate? Do shorts work anywhere?

We understand there are 2 formal nights. Will we be able to eat in the main dining room if we are not in formal attire, and if not, are there options other than the buffet?

 

thanks for your help,

 

LinnieRed 

 

Mexican Riviera cruise indicates West coast cruise to me.  Which port is the cruise departing from?  This makes a difference to the demographic and how they dress. Northern Californians tend to dress differently than Southern Californians. Californians tend to make up a significant proportion of passengers on West coast cruises to Mexican hence the questions.

[getting older slowly]

Sorry  but  have to say  Clothes..... LOL

 

Really causal is fine   jeans and polo top you could get away with at night in MDR...... but not on formal night...

 

On formal nights go the the buffet  or upgrade to a shirt and go to crown grill on formal night..... 

 

Most of all relax and enjoy yourselves

 

Cheers Don

[Cupcakes22]

I just cruised on the Emerald for 15 days and did not wear anything formal for any of the 3 formal nights and was able to dine in the dining room.  Formal night one was leggings and a t shirt, formal night 2 & 3 wore jeans, t shirt and a lulu hoodie.  No issues and as long as you are comfortable I don't see a problem.

[satxdiver]

Ah another fashion question and welcome break from the COVID19 endless discussion. 

 

One can wear casual such as jeans and collarless shirt etc in the MDR on normal nights.  Any more particularly on Mexican Riviera cruises off the west coast formal nights is anything but formal.  Some do dress formal (few) while others can go with less like a collar shirt and dockers.  Personally I have been wearing black jeans and a short sleeved guayabera (aka Mexican wedding) shirt without any problems.  I have always worn only my athletic shoes in the MDR on any evening (foot issues).  

 

Allegedly they do not allow shorts in the MDR at dinner (all other meals it is allowed), I have seen quite a few men and women in shorts and did try it myself on a Hawaiian cruise last year after watching others do it.  There was an 8 top next to our table where two men wore shorts every night except formal night when they wore jeans.  Formal night saw quite a few Hawaiian shirts worn.  

[skynight]

12 hours ago, LinnieRed said:

Hi Princess cruisers, my husband and I are looking at a Mexican Riviera cruise on Princess. We have only been on NCL which is very casual. For the main dining room and specialty restaurants is smart casual appropriate? Do shorts work anywhere?

We understand there are 2 formal nights. Will we be able to eat in the main dining room if we are not in formal attire, and if not, are there options other than the buffet?

 

thanks for your help,

 

LinnieRed 

In the evening you will be allowed to enter the MDR dressed smart casual every evening. You generally will be turned away if you are wearing shorts except on boarding day and maybe on the last evening. I have also seen some turned away wearing tank top. If you are wearing a cap you might be asked to remove it. Don't know how casual you get, but foot wear is required at all times everywhere on the ship except around the pool areas. On formal nights you will not see very many in actual formal wear. Many men wear suit & tie, many with a sport jacket no tie and many just in nice shirts and pants. Women will be seen in nice dresses or slacks. Not many in gowns.

Specialty restaurant dress is similar to the MDR's. You can ask at the restaurant's front desk if you are uncertain.

Shorts are allowed in the DR's for breakfast and lunch.

Options for no charge dining every day, casual dress, include:

Buffet area, open from 5am until 11pm every day. Never closes during that time.

International Cafe, open 24/7 with a selection of sandwiches, soup, salads, desserts, with danish, doughnuts and some other items in the morning.

Pool side venues which include pizza and the grill, open each day from 11am until around 10pm.

If you are on a Royal Class ship there is Alfredo's, no charge. Waiter served individual pizzas, calzones and other selections. Open from 11am until around 10pm each day. Casual dress.

There is no charge for room service, generally available 24 hours. There is a limited menu unless you are in a full suite. There are charges for some items, such as $3 for a full pizza. 

Edited March 19, 2020 by skynight

[SinbadThePorter]

12 hours ago, LinnieRed said:

For the main dining room and specialty restaurants is smart casual appropriate?

 

Yes. Shoes, long pants (not jeans) and a collared shirt counts as smart casual for men. This is fine for any restaurant even on formal nights. Ladies options are even more flexible.

 

For those whose dinners are "spoiled" by how others dress, it would perhaps behove them to remember that they are not the only ones on vacation.

[MissP22]

14 hours ago, LinnieRed said:

Hi Princess cruisers, my husband and I are looking at a Mexican Riviera cruise on Princess. We have only been on NCL which is very casual. For the main dining room and specialty restaurants is smart casual appropriate? Do shorts work anywhere?

We understand there are 2 formal nights. Will we be able to eat in the main dining room if we are not in formal attire, and if not, are there options other than the buffet?

 

thanks for your help,

 

LinnieRed 

Dressing up on Princess for many years has not been really what anyone would call formal. Although a majority of the people do dress up with at least a suit jacket or dress, many others just go casual on formal nights.

ie.-  dress pants & a dress shirt or Polo for the guys without a jacket and black slacks & just about any dressy top for the women will work on all the ships regardless of where the ship is sailing.

In the past year or so, on casual nights even shorts have been tolerated on many of the ships in the DR.

If they aren't, then a pair of jeans & any shirt will do. 

[Broadside]

As you are upgrading your cruise line from NCL , I would recommend upgrading your attire at the same time . 

 

 

[satxdiver]

On 3/19/2020 at 8:08 AM, SinbadThePorter said:

 

Yes. Shoes, long pants (not jeans) and a collared shirt counts as smart casual for men. This is fine for any restaurant even on formal nights. Ladies options are even more flexible.

 

For those whose dinners are "spoiled" by how others dress, it would perhaps behove them to remember that they are not the only ones on vacation.

 

Jeans are allowed in the MDR for all meals including dinner except for formal night when jeans are not allowed. 

 

Agreed that what one wears to dinner has no impact on my meal.  

[trvlwrld]

Anything except shorts and jeans and logoT-shirts are accepted...this is your vacation, so wear what feels comfortable to you.  Some people want to dress up, and that is their choice...but other passengers are just passengers, not the fashion police, so do what works for you and your suitcase weight limit!

[Potstech]

On 3/19/2020 at 9:08 AM, SinbadThePorter said:

 

Yes. Shoes, long pants (not jeans) and a collared shirt counts as smart casual for men. This is fine for any restaurant even on formal nights. Ladies options are even more flexible.

 

For those whose dinners are "spoiled" by how others dress, it would perhaps behove them to remember that they are not the only ones on vacation.

On smart casual nights jeans are allowed as long as they are not torn or have holes.

[Potstech]

14 minutes ago, trvlwrld said:

Anything except shorts and jeans and logoT-shirts are accepted...this is your vacation, so wear what feels comfortable to you.  Some people want to dress up, and that is their choice...but other passengers are just passengers, not the fashion police, so do what works for you and your suitcase weight limit!

Again jeans areacceptable.

[trvlwrld]

Sorry about the jeans comment...was referring to formal nights...I wear nice jeans anytime but formal night

[satxdiver]

I have been on two ships now one to HI and one in the Caribbean where they were allowing jeans on formal night in the MDR.  Both were allowing shorts on non-formal nights as well.  Things to come?

 

[Skai]

Too soon?

 

[Reader0108598]

Cannot for the life of me figure out how the another person dresses impacts anyones dinning pleasure.My husband worked on a farm for years,dressing for Formal night is not that important to us we are always neat and clean .We don't wear shorts and a T-shirt to the dinning room but if that is what you want to do ....go for it!!! Won't bother me a bit,probably get along with us just fine ! Oh just don't hog the bread, pick up every bun and examine it....lol We had one couple who never spoke to the table they just hogged the bread ...lol We started asking for more /clean bread for our end of the table..lol We all shared! I am not proud that we all laughed before they got there. Wondering how they would go through that basket tonight. Come on folks you are on a cruise ship...starving?? We all tried talking with them got one word response. Yes they spoke English heard them talking to each other. Hubby is Hispanic sounds like Ricky Ricardo...lol Sometimes people don't understand him we laugh and move on. Heck we are going on 40 years together sometimes I don't understand him....lol

 

 

 

Edited March 21, 2020 by Reader0108598