Alaska - Formal Nights, what does it entail?

[MudderBear]

I've seen many posts about what to wear on a formal night, but can anyone explain exactly what a formal night on the Coral Princess in Alaska would entail?  For example, what room is it in? Does everyone attend at the same time?  What type of food/drink is served.  Is there entertainment?

 

Thank you very much.

[Daniel A]

Formal nights are specified evenings that Princess requests that passengers dining in a main dining room dress in formal attire.  They have photographers at different points to take formal portraits.  Usually they will do events in the atrium along with a champagne waterfall.

 

Not all passengers will dress in a tux and evening gown for these nights.  Some feel that they're on vacation and want to dress very casually every night.  It's considered to be entirely at your discretion.  If you enjoy the experience of getting all gussied up and mingling for an evening with others similarly dressed, then you should enjoy formal nights very much.

[Thrak]

Same as any other cruise in any part of the world. All main dining rooms suggest formal dress. Compliance varies. Buffet and specialty restaurants are just "smart casual" as usual. After dinner folks either change or walk around in their dress up clothing. In the Piazza area and the lower decks most stick with their more formal clothing but many do ditch the jacket or tie. Up on Lido deck people are wearing whatever the like as it's a very casual area at all times. I don't own a tux but do wear a suit on formal nights.

Edited April 16, 2020 by Thrak

[c-boy]

"  Compliance varies."

 

I like that,  has a nice ring to it.

[memoak]

I sure hope you are referring to a 2021 cruise. The only ships sailing to Alaska this year are the Ruby and the Emerald both out of Seattle

[skynight]

1 hour ago, MudderBear said:

I've seen many posts about what to wear on a formal night, but can anyone explain exactly what a formal night on the Coral Princess in Alaska would entail?  For example, what room is it in? Does everyone attend at the same time?  What type of food/drink is served.  Is there entertainment?

 

Thank you very much.

Formal nights are for the evening dinners in the main DR's on the Coral. It isn't one DR is formal and the other is casual.  Your dining times do not change. Other postings will describe what people wear on formal nights. There are certain dishes such as lobster tail, shrimp, filet that are served on formal nights. There are also other menu selections.There is normally a production show in the theater on formal evening, but there is entertainment every evening in the theater and around the ship in various lounges. There may also be a Captain's champagne waterfall in the piazza. While very few passengers dress in true formal wear, the ship's officers and DR staff do dress up in their finest. 

[jeniceglassman]

The Port of Seattle is closed indefinitely.

 

[portiemom]

For dinners in the main dining room, you have a choice of Traditional seating or Anytime seating. You choose one or the other when you book your cruise. We always choose Traditional and find out our dining room assignment on Embarkation Day. Most nights in the main dining rooms are Smart Casual. On the 2 nights that Princess designates as Formal nights, we go to dinner in dressier clothes. DH wears a suit. I wear a long skirt and dressy top. The atmosphere on the ship is different and has already been mentioned there are photographers set up around the ship. They also make the rounds in the dining room. Things feel festive. It's entirely up to you how much you want to participate. Sometimes we get dressed up, go eat as usual, then go straight back to our room and change. Other times we participate more.

[pms4104]

22 minutes ago, jeniceglassman said:

The Port of Seattle is closed indefinitely.

 

Does Princess know that?

[c-boy]

stay tuned for part three

[BigGuy25]

We’ve sailed on two Princess Alaska voyages over the past several years. While the official formal policy is the same as any other cruise, we found people dressed in a more relaxed style on formal nights in Alaska. Not as much adherence to the tie and jackets you usually find on most cruises. 

[nini]

On 4/17/2020 at 7:12 AM, BigGuy25 said:

We’ve sailed on two Princess Alaska voyages over the past several years. While the official formal policy is the same as any other cruise, we found people dressed in a more relaxed style on formal nights in Alaska. Not as much adherence to the tie and jackets you usually find on most cruises. 

 On our (4) Alaska cruises, the Princess policy is the same. Alaska may be a "Frontier"

but basic cruising guidelines still apply. People were honoring the guidelines and there

are more suits (like Thrak does), and men dressing in nice slacks and shirts (many with ties).

They may also have been wearing a nice pullover sweater with the shirt. 

Women wore "glitzy" type tops and nice pants.

 

We see people turned away in shorts, holey jeans, flip slops, tank tops for all nights.

[K.T.B.]

I've been on 3 Alaskan cruises and all the formal nights were a mixture of those being very formal to "work casual" (collared shirts and khakis for the men).  Most people get dressed up.  I honestly do not recall seeing anyone "dressed down" (i.e. in jeans).

[satxdiver]

I have been on several AK cruises both NB and out and back.  AK is our frontier state and as such many dress more casual on formal nights.  Personally I wear dockers and a button shirt sans tie.  I have never worn a tie on any cruise so far.  One thing I have been noticing in the last few years is the number of men wearing suits on formal night without a tie.  

[tip]

3 hours ago, satxdiver said:

I have been on several AK cruises both NB and out and back.  AK is our frontier state and as such many dress more casual on formal nights.  Personally I wear dockers and a button shirt sans tie.  I have never worn a tie on any cruise so far.  One thing I have been noticing in the last few years is the number of men wearing suits on formal night without a tie.  

And the sun still rose and set each day.