Formal nights

[rbtan]

1 hour ago, ImperialLady said:

Love it! And love your sense of humor!! My husband would wear that in a heartbeat. We normally don't attend 'formal' nights because it's his vacation and I don't want me or anyone else dictating to him what me must wear to be 'acceptable' to others. But this trip we will...his choice only because on our first trip to Alaska very, very few men were dressed up. So he decided a white shirt, tie and sweater would be his formal attire. 

That sounds fine. Especially if he wears pants. LOL

[93yearsyoung]

17 hours ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

The I guess you'll never sail on NCL, with their attitude towards dressing for dinner, you'd have heart palpitations.

 

Granted I am new here, but I am trying to figure out how these comments are helpful to the original poster, who isn't asking about NCL. They are asking about Princess. This topic isn't a theoretical discussion on what the dress should be on Formal Night, but what does Princess request and what is the reality.

 

We have taken the great grandkids on NCL and also Cunard. They have dressed accordingly to the ships requested attire each time.

 

16 hours ago, Ptroxx said:

Maybe her husband can go on NCL.   And she can go on Princess.   Just sayin. Lol.   

 

I am sure you think that is funny. I find it rude and not helpful to the original poster who is looking for real world advice and experience.

[Cruise till you drop]

8 minutes ago, 93yearsyoung said:

I am sure you think that is funny. I find it rude and not helpful to the original poster who is looking for real world advice and experience.

I’m sure you thought you were giving constructive criticism but it did not move this topic along one bit.

People are simply sharing their various experiences on Princess and other cruise lines. It’s been informative and funny which is refreshing

Edited July 26, 2022 by Cruise till you drop

[PTMary]

4 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

If you are looking to interpret the facial expression, how do you know it doesn't have to do with the large purple balloon attached to his party hat?

 

Isn't that large purple balloon considered formal wear? It's been so long since we decided to be un-formal wear anarchists that I don't know what is considered formal wear anymore. Does the attached image qualify as formal wear? It has all the elements that you formal wear fans insist on. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 26, 2022 by PTMary

[RDJ]

In my cruising experience so far, which is more Princess then other lines… it used to be traditionally formal… but in the last 10 years it continues to reduce. My husband and I look forward to dressing up for the dining room, but if my feet hurt then I’m changing right after and still continuing my night around the ship in jeans. I think what is formal or dressy is open to interpretation these days and that’s ok! The majority still make an effort to dress up and we like to see that 😊 and to those that don’t, enjoy your vacation however you want to! Times are changing, rule enforcement is lessoning, and people are allowed to be people! Now if only the cruise lines backed off on all the covid rules too 😉

[PTMary]

15 minutes ago, RDJ said:

... rule enforcement is lessoning....

The dress code is a recommendation, a request. It is NOT A RULE! 

 

If it was a "rule", Princess would not get my business. Any company that is in the business of providing vacations to get away from work rules and day to day responsibilities and then makes me dress up when I paid to be on vacation and not at a coronation, is not going to get my business. Fortunately, Princess is not that cruise line.

 

If people want everyone to be forced to dress formally on a cruise, then Cunard is where they should be. 

Edited July 26, 2022 by PTMary

[Steelers36]

12 minutes ago, RDJ said:

In my cruising experience so far, which is more Princess then other lines… it used to be traditionally formal… but in the last 10 years it continues to reduce. My husband and I look forward to dressing up for the dining room, but if my feet hurt then I’m changing right after and still continuing my night around the ship in jeans. I think what is formal or dressy is open to interpretation these days and that’s ok! The majority still make an effort to dress up and we like to see that 😊 and to those that don’t, enjoy your vacation however you want to! Times are changing, rule enforcement is lessoning, and people are allowed to be people! Now if only the cruise lines backed off on all the covid rules too 😉

Just a FYI.  You can feel perfectly correct in either keeping your clothes or changing right after dinner.  The dress recommendations are for the main DR's and not the rest of the ship.  When we used to dress up more in past years, I would often wait to change until after the show simply because there wasn't time between end of dinner and the time to get a good seat!  This was perhaps an initial loosening of things as I think X used to ask it for the entire evening and I am sure Cunard did (does still??... wouldn't know as I wouldn't be there ..lol).  

[pupntaco]

Last night on the Discovery, I’d guess that fewer than 10% were dressed any differently than they were on other nights. At my 7 PM seating, I did not see anybody else in so much as a sports jacket in my immediate proximity. I saw a few dressed folks here and there  I saw plenty of shabby jeans and even one guy in shorts and flip flops. Things have certainly changed. 

[SiliconCruiser]

3 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

You can feel perfectly correct in either keeping your clothes or changing right after dinner.

Just for grins on a Hawaiian cruise, I wore my normal tux for dinner and for the show, but went and changed my shirt, to an Aloha shirt, tucked it in, put the bow tie back on and went to take formal portraits (when they still had the unlimited photo package.)  I swear that the photographer didn't even blink an eye, and I was quite familiar with most of the photographers since we were talking "shop" half the time during the cruise.

 

[Ptroxx]

13 hours ago, pupntaco said:

Last night on the Discovery, I’d guess that fewer than 10% were dressed any differently than they were on other nights. At my 7 PM seating, I did not see anybody else in so much as a sports jacket in my immediate proximity. I saw a few dressed folks here and there  I saw plenty of shabby jeans and even one guy in shorts and flip flops. Things have certainly changed. 

I’ll be on discovery in 4 days and we’ll see how things are.    
personally I could care less what others wear.   
just don’t be naked. No one wants to see that.  

[Doug R.]

On 7/25/2022 at 10:46 PM, 93yearsyoung said:

 

Have you ever met Onslow?

Even Onslow dressed up on his cruise.

[KeepCalmBearOn]

11 hours ago, Ptroxx said:

personally I could care less what others wear.  just don’t be naked. No one wants to see that.  

 

Every argument for not wearing a coat & tie or alternately, not caring what others wear, logically extended, extends to no clothes at all. Lots of people are naturists/nudists. Why shouldn't they dress (or undress as the case may be) how they want? In what makes them comfortable? It is their vacation too. Why should them having no clothes on effect your dining experience.

 

For the OP, hopefully they have the answer they need. Formal Nights aren't as formal as they once were, but a lot (most) people try to conform to dressing nicer on Formal Nights.

[PTMary]

27 minutes ago, scottca075 said:

 

Every argument for not wearing a coat & tie or alternately, not caring what others wear, logically extended, extends to no clothes at all. Lots of people are naturists/nudists. Why shouldn't they dress (or undress as the case may be) how they want? In what makes them comfortable? It is their vacation too. Why should them having no clothes on effect your dining experience.

 

SMH!

 

Edited July 28, 2022 by PTMary

[Ptroxx]

34 minutes ago, scottca075 said:

 

Every argument for not wearing a coat & tie or alternately, not caring what others wear, logically extended, extends to no clothes at all. Lots of people are naturists/nudists. Why shouldn't they dress (or undress as the case may be) how they want? In what makes them comfortable? It is their vacation too. Why should them having no clothes on effect your dining experience.

 

For the OP, hopefully they have the answer they need. Formal Nights aren't as formal as they once were, but a lot (most) people try to conform to dressing nicer on Formal Nights.

 

36 minutes ago, scottca075 said:

 

Every argument for not wearing a coat & tie or alternately, not caring what others wear, logically extended, extends to no clothes at all. Lots of people are naturists/nudists. Why shouldn't they dress (or undress as the case may be) how they want? In what makes them comfortable? It is their vacation too. Why should them having no clothes on effect your dining experience.

 

Exactly.  Just like wearing my shorts. Lol.  Why should  my shorts effect your dinning experience.   
i do love me a good nude beach.   But not a nude cruise ship Lolol.  
 

[Thrak]

2 hours ago, scottca075 said:

 

Every argument for not wearing a coat & tie or alternately, not caring what others wear, logically extended, extends to no clothes at all. Lots of people are naturists/nudists. Why shouldn't they dress (or undress as the case may be) how they want? In what makes them comfortable? It is their vacation too. Why should them having no clothes on effect your dining experience.

 

For the OP, hopefully they have the answer they need. Formal Nights aren't as formal as they once were, but a lot (most) people try to conform to dressing nicer on Formal Nights.

 

There actually are nudist cruises. I pity the crew.

[MissP22]

7 hours ago, PTMary said:

 

SMH!

 

It's amassing how these dress code threads degrade to the ridiculous examples as soon as someone doesn't fully want to comply to a strict formal dress code. 

Princess chooses not to enforce a strict set of rules in their dining rooms. Period.

Get over it or move on to another cruise line that does. 

[suzyed]

On 7/26/2022 at 6:53 PM, Steelers36 said:

Just a FYI.  You can feel perfectly correct in either keeping your clothes or changing right after dinner.  The dress recommendations are for the main DR's and not the rest of the ship.  When we used to dress up more in past years, I would often wait to change until after the show simply because there wasn't time between end of dinner and the time to get a good seat!  This was perhaps an initial loosening of things as I think X used to ask it for the entire evening and I am sure Cunard did (does still??... wouldn't know as I wouldn't be there ..lol).  

Yes, Cunard still does...at least before covid.  You must maintain the formal attire in all public areas during the evening.
Only went on X once and I forget what they call their more formal nights , casual chic or something like that. but I don't recall having to be dressed up all evening.  Even Princess sometimes calls it "Dress to Impress" sometimes.  It's whatever.

[rbtan]

On 7/28/2022 at 12:23 AM, Thrak said:

 

There actually are nudist cruises. I pity the crew.

Yes, I've heard some Celebrity ships charter for those. We asked about that one & the staff person just says they usually get more tips.

[Cruise till you drop]

4 minutes ago, rbtan said:

Yes, I've heard some Celebrity ships charter for those. We asked about that one & the staff person just says they usually get more tips.

Where exactly do nudists carry tips ?

 

Actually maybe I don’t want to know

Edited July 29, 2022 by Cruise till you drop

[CruizinSusan70]

3 hours ago, rbtan said:

Yes, I've heard some Celebrity ships charter for those. We asked about that one & the staff person just says they usually get more tips.

And some RCI ships as well.  The Oasis OTS is fully chartered for a November 2023 private charter.

[suzyed]

4 hours ago, Cruise till you drop said:

Where exactly do nudists carry tips ?

 

Actually maybe I don’t want to know

They probably prepay their tips to avoid  the problem.

[pupntaco]

On 7/26/2022 at 5:23 PM, pupntaco said:

Last night on the Discovery, I’d guess that fewer than 10% were dressed any differently than they were on other nights. At my 7 PM seating, I did not see anybody else in so much as a sports jacket in my immediate proximity. I saw a few dressed folks here and there  I saw plenty of shabby jeans and even one guy in shorts and flip flops. Things have certainly changed. 

FYI, there was far greater participation during the second formal night. Perhaps the first one was too early in the cruise?

[rbtan]

On 7/29/2022 at 7:43 PM, Cruise till you drop said:

Where exactly do nudists carry tips ?

 

Actually maybe I don’t want to know

I recall this movie with Steve McQueen called Papillion....

[CruizinSusan70]

2 hours ago, pupntaco said:

FYI, there was far greater participation during the second formal night. Perhaps the first one was too early in the cruise?

Spent 14 days on the Discovery in April.  On both weeks the formal nights were 2 & 6.  

[MissP22]

9 hours ago, pupntaco said:

FYI, there was far greater participation during the second formal night. Perhaps the first one was too early in the cruise?

In past years, I've typically see a decrease in participating in dressing up on the 2nd formal night.

I always attributed it to people watching others not being in formal clothing & following their leads. 

This was before the Covid shutdown. 

Since the return, many choose a more relaxed dress code on all formal nights.