Formal Nights

[Hoon]

I posted this on the "First Time Cruisers" thread, forgive me if you have read it. Since I am going on a Princess ship wanted to see the responce here.

 

Ok I'm a first time cruiser. I am going to Alaska on the Princess Golden in May 2010. I don't want to upset anyone on the formal nights so I hope there are other places for me to eat, are there? I understand that I can order room service. I will be in a suite (VS), is the room service menu for full meals (can I get a steak) or just snacks? The two-specialty restaurant - Sabatini's and Crown Grill, are they formal on formal nights or can I eat there "dress casual"?

[blindrid]

My take is that all of the restaurants including the upcharge ones are formal on formal night. Your choices would include the buffet, etc. Check out Princess' website as you can download their room service menu. See this link for this option down toward the bottom of the page:

http://www.princess.com/learn/answer/during_cruise/board.jsp

 

You might peruse Princess' website as it is most helpful with FAQ's etc.

 

This as also from their website:

 

Casual Dining

 

All throughout each cruise ship, we have a wide variety of casual dining options:

• 24-hour buffet• Burger & hot dog grill• Late-night bistro• Ice cream bar• Patisserie• 24-hour room service• Wine bar• Pizzeria

[rjack22]

If you are in a full suite, then you can order a full dinner off the dining room menu.

[Rollexx]

The upcharge dining venues are smart casual every night. The dress code only applies to the MDR's.

[rcacace]

I posted this on the "First Time Cruisers" thread, forgive me if you have read it. Since I am going on a Princess ship wanted to see the responce here.

 

Ok I'm a first time cruiser. I am going to Alaska on the Princess Golden in May 2010. I don't want to upset anyone on the formal nights so I hope there are other places for me to eat, are there? I understand that I can order room service. I will be in a suite (VS), is the room service menu for full meals (can I get a steak) or just snacks? The two-specialty restaurant - Sabatini's and Crown Grill, are they formal on formal nights or can I eat there "dress casual"?

 

The specialty restaurants are always casual. On formal nights you may see people dressed in tux's & gowns right along someone with jeans & sneakers. The choice is yours.

[Rollexx]

I should have mentioned earlier...for those who still think that the dress code includes the specialty dining rooms, go to "Woodmnky" review titled

"Alaska's inside passage onboard the Star Princess.review and pictures"

They happened to take a picture of the Menu outside of Sabatini's..scroll down to the last group of pictures around number 600.. ..there ya go...:D

[Pam in CA]

The upcharge dining venues are smart casual every night. The dress code only applies to the MDR's.

Correct. The specialty restaurants are "smart" casual, even on formal nights, but are not "casual." (There is a difference.) Most people dress up quite a bit even for the specialty restaurants.

[Poulsbo Cruisers]

There is also Ultimate Balcony Dining if you do not want to go the formal route. My DW and I are not doing formal on our upcoming cruise and plan on doing the Ultimate Balcony Dining on one of the formal nights.

[xene97]

We just returned from the 5/24 sailing of the Coral Princess in Alaska. We were told by the head waiter/host at Sabatini's that they follow the ship's dress code - if it's formal night in the DR then it's formal at Sabatini's. I don't know how much credence I would give him since he seemed to be in a snooty mood that evening.

[jean s]

On our last cruise on Crown we ate in the specialty restaurants on both formal nights. I asked and was told that the dress code was smart casual.

[shepp]

Without contributing to yet another interminable dress code debate...

 

It's my understanding that on formal nights, formalwear is suggested for all the public areas of the ship.(Well, not the gym or the pool,but you know what I mean...)

 

No?

[rcacace]

Without contributing to yet another interminable dress code debate...

 

It's my understanding that on formal nights, formalwear is suggested for all the public areas of the ship.(Well, not the gym or the pool,but you know what I mean...)

 

No?

 

Maybe 20 years ago it was the thing but now things have changed considerably since there are different dining options available & they've all but given up on the idea. Of course their are the die hard formalists who sit through the shows dressed in tux's & formal gowns & if that's what they choose to do, it's great. Many others who even dress for the DR will change immediately after dinner as soon as they see many others doing so.

[rimau]

We always eat in the buffet on formal night. No lobster but the food has been quite good. DH will not dress up that much and I am not too keen on it either.

[partsman_ba]

This formal night debate is so funny! We took our first cruise 5/11-18 to Alaska, and I wore a light blue shirt with tie (which I owned already), Lands End dark blue pants (ditto), a dark blue suit coat (which I purchased at Goodwill for like $4 and spent like $8 getting it dry cleaned) and loafers (already owned) on formal nights. Was nice to get dressed up for dinner for a change. Felt like it was the least I could due considering the value I was getting for our vacation. :)

[Pam in CA]

It's my understanding that on formal nights, formalwear is suggested for all the public areas of the ship.(Well, not the gym or the pool,but you know what I mean...)

Technically, yes, as the Princess Patter will have "Formal Night" in the headline but that standard went by the wayside a while ago.

[kooljamming]

Technically, yes, as the Princess Patter will have "Formal Night" in the headline but that standard went by the wayside a while ago.

 

Some of us are holding on for dear life;)

[MaryPoppinz]

It's my understanding that on formal nights, formalwear is suggested for all the public areas of the ship.(Well, not the gym or the pool,but you know what I mean...)

 

No?

 

In spite of designating this "formal evening," the dress code does not require formalwear. Men could wear a dark suit instead of a tuxedo and women a cocktail dress or pant suit rather than a gown.

 

Formal Evenings:

Evening gown, cocktail dress, or elegant pant suit for women

Tuxedo, dark suit or dinner jacket and slacks for men

 

But, yes, it is for the public areas...but with passengers going to the gym or the pool and eating in the buffet or alternate restaurants, you are going to see people passing around the ship in...just about everything.

[rdsqrl]

Some of us are holding on for dear life;)

Ditto!

To answer the OP's specific questions, which nobody has really done, if you're in a suite, which you are, then yes, you can order off the dining room menu as well as from the regular, more limited room service menu. I believe your steward leaves the dining room menus in your suite daily. Also the specialty restaurants are now smart casual, although I would presume a slightly higher standard of casual than just shorts and a t-shirt. And of course, your other option would be the burger grill/pizzeria if you eat early enough before they close (6-7ish, I think) and the buffet (Horizon Court). Both of those venues are come-as-you-are, totally casual. Hope this helps, and forgive those that wandered afield from your original question: this topic tends to get everyone up on their soapboxes, pushing their own agendas (see my one-word paragraph above!).

[Sandytoes]

I should have mentioned earlier...for those who still think that the dress code includes the specialty dining rooms, go to "Woodmnky" review titled

"Alaska's inside passage onboard the Star Princess.review and pictures"

They happened to take a picture of the Menu outside of Sabatini's..scroll down to the last group of pictures around number 600.. ..there ya go...:D

Well, I just went through his entire photo page.

Don't know what you're speaking of. :rolleyes:

 

He did have great shots of Alaska!!! :)

 

http://alaskainsidepassagemay2009.shutterfly.com/25?startIndex=0&size=All

[Caribensun]

This may be a dumb question, but I thought all suites were full suites, not true? How do you order dinner, does your cabin steward give you a menu or do you go to the restaurant and look at the menu posted outside of the restaurant. Sorry if this is dumb, this is the first suite we have been able to get, every time we have booked a cruise even way out they are taken.

We are booked for early 2010. I appreciate your understand.

[MaryPoppinz]

Well, I just went through his entire photo page.

Don't know what you're speaking of. :rolleyes:

 

http://alaskainsidepassagemay2009.shutterfly.com/647#633

[captainron]

This may be a dumb question, but I thought all suites were full suites, not true? How do you order dinner, does your cabin steward give you a menu or do you go to the restaurant and look at the menu posted outside of the restaurant. Sorry if this is dumb, this is the first suite we have been able to get, every time we have booked a cruise even way out they are taken.

We are booked for early 2010. I appreciate your understand.

 

If you are in a "Full" suite you can order dinner to be consumed in your suite. If you are in a "Full" suite then your stateroom steward will provide the menus for each of the DR meals for the forthcoming day.

 

As previous posters have indicated however this is not the case for mini suites in which you can only order off the stateroom delivery options available (not to be confused with the DR menus).

 

I'm sorry but I can't recall what accn you specified you had for your 2010 voyage. Regardless, hope this clears up the question you posed.

 

Ciao for now!!!

[TracieABD]

This formal night debate is so funny! We took our first cruise 5/11-18 to Alaska, and I wore a light blue shirt with tie (which I owned already), Lands End dark blue pants (ditto), a dark blue suit coat (which I purchased at Goodwill for like $4 and spent like $8 getting it dry cleaned) and loafers (already owned) on formal nights. Was nice to get dressed up for dinner for a change. Felt like it was the least I could due considering the value I was getting for our vacation. :)

 

I love that you bought your jacket from Goodwill. I just bought my son a beautiful ( and nearly perfect) Brooks Brothers blazer for at the Goodwill for $5. That just leaves more money for fun on the boat!

[Rollexx]

http://alaskainsidepassagemay2009.shutterfly.com/647#633

 

 

Ah yes, a picture is worth a thousand words....game..set...match..:D

[Pam in CA]

This may be a dumb question, but I thought all suites were full suites, not true?

There are full suites and mini-suites. Some people are under the impression that mini-suites have the same amenities and perks as full suites, but they don't. If your cabin category is AA, AB, AC, AD or AE, you are in a mini-suite, not a full suite and thus cannot order from the full dining room menu. There is a room service menu but it's pretty limited although I think the food on it is excellent and have ordered from it several times.