'Formal' nights now 'Dress to Impress'?

[PrincessLuver]

4 hours ago, FlaMariner said:

But when asked on here if I would be turned away if I showed up in my kakai pants and long sleeve dress shirt I was told I would be fine.

(Minimum requirements that are actually required and enforced, would be useful...especially to a newbie who cannot "read between the lines")

I'm planning on bringing my usual Holland America Line "gala" night attire....kakai pants and long sleeve dress shirt....If I am not permitted in the MDR, I'll just say that "cruise critic said it was OK".  LOL

You will be fine and there will be no problem....probably better dressed then quite a few actually.......

[Luckiestmanonearth]

2 things from me

1.  I’ve been working from home over the last 2 years and way to close to my fridge and pantry so as you can imagine, I haven’t been wearing formal clothing and amazingly they don’t fit well anymore

2. Formal clothes take up a lot of room in a suitcase and I like to travel light

 

So I’m all for not pushing the fancy dress up nights.  I’ll wear nice pants and a button down shirt but no one should care what I’m wearing.

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, 17pandd said:

Most of the rules were written before we started paying by the suitcase and being mindful of pounds of luggage adding to the weight and fuel usage on a plane.  My husband loves to dress up but we try to get by with one suitcase for a 10 day plus cruise and that means adding a suit and dress shoes is not possible.  Nice slacks, a shirt and a tie fit in that one suitcase and I even get a bit of room, too.  If someone loves to dress up and wants to take their evening clothes, they should do it and enjoy their vacation.

Last sentence is 100% bang on.  As for the rules, I am surprised more ladies don't complain about them being way out of date and sexist as they don't even mention dress pants and seem to insist on dresses or skirts.

[stoneharborlady]

6 hours ago, Grego said:

 

Formal night is a special night and dressing up is part of the history of cruising.  I don't look down on those that don't care to participate and more than I would like them to look up at us as those that get the whole cruising experience.

Really?  Two pages ago you were telling those who dont care to dress formally to eat elsewhere, at specialty restaurants or the buffet.    I am sure that the entire dining room looks up to you as those who get the whole cruising experience.  

[generichandle]

Once again, how did this 'tradition' start, and why? I know you don't WANT to think about it, when it only inconveniences others. Exclusion is always rationalized as being 'traditional'. 

 

But they do serve the more upscale food on 'Formal' nights. Exclusion is made manifest by that,  'not a coincidence' scheduling. Well, what did we expect would happen when cruising became priced for 'everyone'?

 

Sorry, I am certain you don't want my thoughts on the lunacy of how markets are created to, by social force, compel people to pay insane amount for a few bucks worth of cut cloth to hang on your body. I have never been able to resist asking how and why things work as they do. 

 

My last posting in this thread, regardless. Cruising [which I love] is supposed to be about finding joy, and I am a killjoy on this kind of stuff. Sorry.

[Tedferg]

19 minutes ago, generichandle said:

Once again, how did this 'tradition' start, and why?

You make good points. I wonder if Formal Night is a vestige of the grand old days of cruising a la Titanic. I would have been in steerage back then so it would not have affected me 🙂

 

[NthernLgts]

This is one area where Princess has been confusing for YEARS with their inconsistency and I wish they would clean it up.  It seems pretty simple to me, if the CL's choose to have a dress code then they should make an attempt to enforce it.  If not, ditch it.  Simple enough.  Guests should quit whining and follow the dress guidelines or pass on the MDR's for the formal/DTI nights (oh the horror).  If we're not going to participate in formal night, we'll find a specialty restaurant or some other venue to grab a bite.  No big deal.  Some act like they've never heard of a dress code before or been in an establishment that's had one, and are now somehow offended by the concept even though they were made aware of it before they booked. 

Edited January 21, 2022 by NthernLgts

[NthernLgts]

On 1/6/2022 at 3:07 PM, PRNole47 said:

Cruiser now aboard the Sky says their 'formal nights' are now called 'Dress to Impress" and there are people wearing shorts and 'tees' on this night. Is this accurate or only aboard that ship?

The Sky last month was DTI.  Didnt see any tees or shorts in the MDR's.  I only saw one tux the entire cruise.  I wore a 2 pc suit & tie.

[PrincessLuver]

It is hard for me to see what the real problem is because we have done plenty of Princess cruises and the majority of people seem to follow the dress code as best they can and support whatever is happening each evening and dress accordingly....I rarely have seen someone dress where I would question their intentions....maybe their style but never that they were trying to sabotage a dining experience for others.....as usually CC people people are turning a code into a cause....I mean making a mountain out of a molehill.......🤔😎

Edited January 21, 2022 by PrincessLuver

[MissP22]

9 hours ago, NthernLgts said:

This is one area where Princess has been confusing for YEARS with their inconsistency and I wish they would clean it up.  It seems pretty simple to me, if the CL's choose to have a dress code then they should make an attempt to enforce it.  If not, ditch it.  Simple enough.  Guests should quit whining and follow the dress guidelines or pass on the MDR's for the formal/DTI nights (oh the horror).  If we're not going to participate in formal night, we'll find a specialty restaurant or some other venue to grab a bite.  No big deal.  Some act like they've never heard of a dress code before or been in an establishment that's had one, and are now somehow offended by the concept even though they were made aware of it before they booked. 

I'm not certain why your so upset. Princess implies that it's formal & if people want to follow their examples, so be it. If not they also allow them to dress down a bit & they still can participate in the formal dining food without being considered outcastes. This is also specified in their description of what to wear on formal nights, although you do have to look for it.

It really depends on what your preferences are. There's nothing to clean up. 

[NthernLgts]

2 hours ago, MissP22 said:

...This is also specified in their description of what to wear on formal nights, although you do have to look for it.

Interesting, I've never seen that.  I'm really not that upset, I just like consistency.  At the end of the day it's a 1st world issue and I'm happy to be on a ship.

[PRNole47]

On 1/17/2022 at 2:11 PM, Tedferg said:

You make good points. I wonder if Formal Night is a vestige of the grand old days of cruising a la Titanic. I would have been in steerage back then so it would not have affected me 🙂

 

That's exactly what it is, an homage to the old days of sailing, not necessarily linked to the Titanic, but to ocean crossings in general during most of the 20th century.

[Tedferg]

I think Formal Night initially was a Party, everyone dressed up to sone degree and the whole evening felt special. Just like a Christmas, Fancy Dres or Halloween party. It only works if most attendees go along with the theme. DW and dress more festively for Christmas get togethers but find our mid 40's children do not wear anything special. We therefore have less reason to dress up. I think Formal Night is now passe and Princess should give up trying. I would like to see 'Country Club Casual' as a minimum. I still wonder why people feel it is OK to sit at a dinner table with a baseball hat on - but that probably dates me.

[c-boy]

1 hour ago, Tedferg said:

I would like to see 'Country Club Casual'

🤔  I donno. We have seen that attire  at our club, and it is suspect . Polo shirt with a sport coat and skinny jeans ....   😏