Formal Attire

[lion1956]

We have not been on a cruise for many years but we take one in May out of Los Angeles, my question is this, is it absolutely expected or neccessary to wear a suit or sportcoat on the formal nights?  I only ask because it is such a pain to pack and fly with a suit.  What percentage of people do not wear a suit in your estimate?

[PMT51]

Which cruise line?

[CHIARA62]

25 minutes ago, lion1956 said:

We have not been on a cruise for many years but we take one in May out of Los Angeles, my question is this, is it absolutely expected or neccessary to wear a suit or sportcoat on the formal nights?  I only ask because it is such a pain to pack and fly with a suit.  What percentage of people do not wear a suit in your estimate?

It's really going to depend on the line that you're cruising with.

[lion1956]

We are on Emerald Princess

 

[Fouremco]

I'd suggest posing your question on the Princess forum. If you do a search first, you'll probably find multiple threads addressing the issue.

Edited April 10, 2023 by Fouremco

[lx200gps]

Long time Princess sail-er here, and yes, the Princess forum is the place to go for the answers. Be advise that there are a LOT of threads on this, so I would suggest that you do a lot of reading of the many threads on this subject first. Sadly, some if the regulars on that forum can get pretty snarky when a new dress code thread is started, since they seem to pop up on almost a daily basis..

 

TL:DR the dress code on Princess has relaxed quite a bit in recent years. Many folks do dress formally but it's absolutely not necessary to do so. The formal nights are only for the main dining rooms anyway and even then, many people still use the MDRs dressed casually, albeit tastefully (so no jeans, thongs, baseball hats, muscle shirts, camouflage, etc ;o) The dress code for the Specialty restaurants is always Smart Casual. Thanks to Air Canada's strict enforcement of weight limitations on baggage, I haven't brought a suit (or even a tie) on a cruise in years.

[Ex-Airbalancer]

2 hours ago, lx200gps said:

Long time Princess sail-er here, and yes, the Princess forum is the place to go for the answers. Be advise that there are a LOT of threads on this, so I would suggest that you do a lot of reading of the many threads on this subject first. Sadly, some if the regulars on that forum can get pretty snarky when a new dress code thread is started, since they seem to pop up on almost a daily basis..

 

TL:DR the dress code on Princess has relaxed quite a bit in recent years. Many folks do dress formally but it's absolutely not necessary to do so. The formal nights are only for the main dining rooms anyway and even then, many people still use the MDRs dressed casually, albeit tastefully (so no jeans, thongs, baseball hats, muscle shirts, camouflage, etc ;o) The dress code for the Specialty restaurants is always Smart Casual. Thanks to Air Canada's strict enforcement of weight limitations on baggage, I haven't brought a suit (or even a tie) on a cruise in years.

Which airline doesn’t have strict weight limitations 🤔

[david,Mississauga]

I am always amused by discussions on why many people will not travel with formal wear or anything even close to that.  A common reason given is airline restrictions on luggage.  As an avid collector of Aeroplan points - and one who despises flying economy except on very short flights - my wife and I usually fly Business Class for free. We are allowed two large suitcases each, but always travel with just one medium-sized case each and a small carry-on. Occasionally we pay for Business Class if the required points are too high. Even when we fly in economy (usually on Porter) we pay only about $40 or $50 a case.

 

Many people who willingly spend thousands of $ or £ on a cruise will squawk about spending a relative pittance to check luggage.  We have crossed the Atlantic by sea many times, occasionally in both directions, and even with a week or fortnight overseas have never taken more than one medium case each. There are laundry facilities on the ships. On our favourite line, Cunard, the laundrettes are free, even the soap. 

 

My wife does not dress like Cinderella going to the ball. She takes two fairly simple long dresses and one cocktail dress in addition to casual wear. I take a tuxedo which takes up no more room than a suit. (I doubt I would bother a tuxedo any more on most lines except Cunard and P&O.)  I wear a sport coat/blazer on the plane - not for appearances -  but it is one less thing to pack.  All those pockets come in handy.

 

I know the trend today is to not dress formally, but the excuse of airline luggage restrictions always makes me smile.

Edited April 22, 2023 by david,Mississauga
clarification

[shorne]

7 hours ago, david,Mississauga said:

I am always amused by discussions on why many people will not travel with formal wear or anything even close to that.  A common reason given is airline restrictions on luggage. 

 

I suspect that the people who trot out that flimsy excuse are the ones who show up at weddings, funerals, operas, and other dignified occasions wearing a T-shirt, jeans, shorts, or other attire that is far from appropriate.

 

7 hours ago, david,Mississauga said:

I take a tuxedo which takes up no more room than a suit. (I doubt I would bother a tuxedo any more on most lines except Cunard and P&O.)  I wear a sport coat/blazer on the plane - not for appearances -  but it is one less thing to pack.  All those pockets come in handy.

 

Black tie is a suit, and indeed it doesn't take up much space. The main inconvenience is the need for special shoes.

 

It wasn't so very long ago that people dressed up for air travel. Now people grumble about bringing one decent jacket on a trip.

[dawnvip]

Exactly! Its the SHOES that take up all the space and cause all the packing conundrums...

 

[Magicat]

Do they still offer tux rentals on Royal?  This would solve some of the issues with luggage space.

[shorne]

5 hours ago, dawnvip said:

Exactly! Its the SHOES that take up all the space and cause all the packing conundrums...

 

 

I've gone travelling for six weeks at a stretch with no shoes other than the pair that I was wearing. For an upcoming trip, however, I'm going to bring hiking boots, shoes for wet environments (beaches and pools), dressy shoes (compromising a bit by not bringing opera pumps for black tie), and fur-lined slippers. The slippers are an indulgence, but I think that the others are all necessary. They will take up a lot of space in luggage, especially because I wear quite a large size.

 

Tip: Stuff shoes with anything that will fit into them. Pack things around them, too. This helps to save space while also preserving the shape of the shoes.

[dawnvip]

26 minutes ago, shorne said:

 

I've gone travelling for six weeks at a stretch with no shoes other than the pair that I was wearing. For an upcoming trip, however, I'm going to bring hiking boots, shoes for wet environments (beaches and pools), dressy shoes (compromising a bit by not bringing opera pumps for black tie), and fur-lined slippers. The slippers are an indulgence, but I think that the others are all necessary. They will take up a lot of space in luggage, especially because I wear quite a large size.

 

Tip: Stuff shoes with anything that will fit into them. Pack things around them, too. This helps to save space while also preserving the shape of the shoes.

Yep, our upcoming cruise will need similar: flip flops for beach/pool, hiking boots (which are largest so I'm wearing them onto the plane even though its a PITA at security), dressy pair of heels, and most likely a pair of light walking/sneaker type if they will fit.

 

I definitely stuff shoes with socks and anything else that will fit!