Kids dining and dress on Princess formal nights

[dandtgeddes]

Gidday.

 

We are booked on our first Princess cruise over Christmas and New Year and I was wondering what happens with the under 18's on formal nights.

 

I understand, from the cc boards, that on one of the two formal nights on our cruise the kids club will be arranging a group dinner for those enrolled in the kids club and there will be a group photo taken and so on.

 

My query is which formal night will this be and is the standard of dress strictly formal for this group.

 

The groups I am interested in are the Shockwaves and Remix groups.

 

Thank you for your help.

 

God bless you all:)

 

Tracey

[karatemom2]

If the kids skip the dining room on formal evenings in favor of dining with their club in the buffet there is no requirement that they wear formal dress. In fact, the buffet is always casual. If they join you for dinner in the dining room, they would need to comply with the formal dress requirements.

 

When you board each of the kids will be provided with a schedule for the entire cruise for their club. It will indicate on which formal evening the group dinner will occur.

[lilacbirman]

My two cents...IF they dine with you, a shirt and tie is okay for kids. My 13 year old wore that as did other boys during our cruise. That was at the suggestion of many here when I asked several months ago. Silly to spend $$ for a jacket/suite a kid will only wear twice. :) If they eat in the club both nights, even better for them.

[Cruisin' Chick]

And if your kids don't want to go to a formal dinner (and you have anytime or late traditional dining), and you're okay with this, an option is to let them have an earlier dinner (in the Horizon buffet or at the grill or pizzeria by the pool if your ship has them -- those are generally open until 6pm or at least til 5:45) and then take them to the kids' rooms at 7:00 when they open. This is what my girl wanted to do (she did don one of her skirts on these nights).

[Colo Cruiser]

Gidday.

 

We are booked on our first Princess cruise over Christmas and New Year and I was wondering what happens with the under 18's on formal nights.

 

I understand, from the cc boards, that on one of the two formal nights on our cruise the kids club will be arranging a group dinner for those enrolled in the kids club and there will be a group photo taken and so on.

 

My query is which formal night will this be and is the standard of dress strictly formal for this group.

 

The groups I am interested in are the Shockwaves and Remix groups.

 

Thank you for your help.

 

God bless you all:)

 

Tracey

 

I would imagine some of them may "want" to dress up on that formal group dinner night.

[rdsqrl]

My two cents...IF they dine with you, a shirt and tie is okay for kids. My 13 year old wore that as did other boys during our cruise. That was at the suggestion of many here when I asked several months ago. Silly to spend $$ for a jacket/suite a kid will only wear twice. :) If they eat in the club both nights, even better for them.

Curious: don't kids go to weddings, funerals, the theatre, church, synagogue, bar mitzvahs, semi-formals, etc., anymore? I'm assuming they don't go out to eat in nice restaurants as otherwise there wouldn't be questions about what they should wear on formal nights, but what about the rest of it? My brother always had a suit and ties growing up and it's not like he was royalty or anything (my mother's opinion to the contrary notwithstanding. . . . ).

[notentirelynormal]

My kids always dressed up and treated it for what it was. A formal dinner setting. They wouldn't even question it and they quite enjoyed it. Seeing everyone looking spoofy in their shiny duds is part of the fun. Even the little ones dress. I was able to get an entire tuxedo set for my then 4 YO grandson - total cost $25. Even if he never wears it again it was worth it for the beautiful pictures I now have. He was excited to wear his "wedding suit". He was a little testy the second time though - he said he had already got married once that cruise and didn't want to do it again. :rolleyes: The girls love to dress up and the guys like seeing them and being seen. I know I enjoy seeing kids dressed up.

[Alli Cruiser]

My kids have dressed in tuxes. They both did musical performances so had reason for formal dress. Wearing formal dress and knowing they were going to eat in the dining room was a great teaching opportunity beforehand: reminder what side is their bread plate on, which fork etc.... (shouldn't be limited to formal nights :eek:).

 

It is also a wonderful time to get some family photos with everyone dressed up. We got a black and white with everyone in formal wear and had it enlarged and shipped to us. It now sits over our fireplace and reminds us a a wonderful family holiday.

[katisdale]

My grandchildren dress for dinner on the formal nights and eat in the main dining room. We are anytime diners when we cruise with them and tend to eat around 6PM most evenings as they like to get to the kids club ASAP. Our granddaughter loves to wear pretty dresses and put curls in her hair. Our grandson does not complain but is not as effusive about loving it.

[dandtgeddes]

Thank you so much for the information, will keep reading in case more respond later.

 

My kids like to dress for the occaision also, my daughter 10, has already got 3 formal outfits and is trying to get me to buy her another two. ;)

 

They are both looking forward to the formals and I really wanted to check when the kids club group would have their event and if the kids should go all out for that one, I reckon my 14 year old son in a bow tie would be a dashing distraction for his fellow female teen cruisers.:cool:

 

Yes, I am completely biased.:D

 

Thanks again.

 

God bless you all:)

 

Tracey

[cruisedad521]

I don't know if it varies by ship and itinerary, but on our 12 day med cruise on the Ruby the kids group had a dinner on both formal nights. My daughter was in shockwaves and although she attended both formal dinners with us there was an option for her to have dinner with the group on both nights.

 

Since it sounds lke you are asking to choose which one to have the kids with you and which to have them enjoy their event, I'd say that it didn't seem to matter on our cruise as each formal night was 'equal' as were the kids club dinners.

The only big difference seemed to be the first formal night was the 'champagne toast' night and had a bit more people wandering around the ship in formal clothes before and after dinner.

[lilacbirman]

Curious: don't kids go to weddings, funerals, the theatre, church, synagogue, bar mitzvahs, semi-formals, etc., anymore? I'm assuming they don't go out to eat in nice restaurants as otherwise there wouldn't be questions about what they should wear on formal nights, but what about the rest of it? My brother always had a suit and ties growing up and it's not like he was royalty or anything (my mother's opinion to the contrary notwithstanding. . . . ).

 

VERY few people even wear suits in Hawaii especially kids. Pretty much only lawyers going to court wear suits here. But at least for me personally, I wouldn't buy a suit just for my son to wear twice when there are many other children also wearing a dress shirt and tie at formal dinner. Now as for the men, that would be different. :)

[cruisedad521]

Thank you so much for the information, will keep reading in case more respond later.

 

My kids like to dress for the occaision also, my daughter 10, has already got 3 formal outfits and is trying to get me to buy her another two. ;)

 

They are both looking forward to the formals and I really wanted to check when the kids club group would have their event and if the kids should go all out for that one, I reckon my 14 year old son in a bow tie would be a dashing distraction for his fellow female teen cruisers.:cool:

 

Yes, I am completely biased.:D

 

Thanks again.

 

God bless you all:)

 

Tracey

Ah, I didn't see this before I posted. I don't know if any of the kids dressed formally for their dinner as my daughter did not attend. I would think some may have but I think one of the points was to allow the kids to dress casually and have dinner in the buffet. I remember one of the nights being described as "guitar hero on the big screen night" after a group dinner.

 

There was a night they went to the disco for a big party, but that was not a formal night. My daughter loved that one as the disco was adults only at all other times and she (at 8) loves a good dance party.

 

Since it sounds like they want the formal night experience they may be dissapointed if they are just eating tacos at the buffet and no one else is dressed up. Deepneding on when you eat there's no reason they can't have both though, dress for dinner and then hit the kids event for the fun part after dinner.

[pg.]

Curious: don't kids go to weddings, funerals, the theatre, church, synagogue, bar mitzvahs, semi-formals, etc., anymore? I'm assuming they don't go out to eat in nice restaurants as otherwise there wouldn't be questions about what they should wear on formal nights, but what about the rest of it? My brother always had a suit and ties growing up and it's not like he was royalty or anything (my mother's opinion to the contrary notwithstanding. . . . ).

 

Kids were I live get their first suits usually for graduating, none of the other things you mentioned require suits. Church is casual here,, Catholic to Protestant.. wedding, well most kids aren't invited,, but if they are, a shirt and tie and dress slacks would be considered pretty dressed up,, even at nice places here. I think this has a lot to do with regional customs. I think things are dressier in places like New York,, ..

[pg.]

Thank you so much for the information, will keep reading in case more respond later.

 

My kids like to dress for the occaision also, my daughter 10, has already got 3 formal outfits and is trying to get me to buy her another two. ;)

 

They are both looking forward to the formals and I really wanted to check when the kids club group would have their event and if the kids should go all out for that one, I reckon my 14 year old son in a bow tie would be a dashing distraction for his fellow female teen cruisers.:cool:

 

Yes, I am completely biased.:D

 

Thanks again.

 

God bless you all:)

 

Tracey

 

A 14 yr old in a bow tie,, say it isn't so,, thats not in style mom,,,not here anyways,, that spells " beat me up mom made me wear this" LOL Put him in a suit and tie,, but really a bow tie,, no ...

[bjcanady]

A 14 yr old in a bow tie,, say it isn't so,, thats not in style mom,,,not here anyways,, that spells " beat me up mom made me wear this" LOL Put him in a suit and tie,, but really a bow tie,, no ...

 

Your children will look and feel fantastic........whether bow tie or tie, i love to see the young kids in full dress and we tell them how great they look..........i think it is wonderful to start them out the way cruising was intended.........whether you have formal wear or not i think the idea is to dress in the best you have, i hate when the waiters are dressed much better than the guests.

[Colo Cruiser]

Thank you so much for the information, will keep reading in case more respond later.

 

My kids like to dress for the occaision also, my daughter 10, has already got 3 formal outfits and is trying to get me to buy her another two. ;)

 

They are both looking forward to the formals and I really wanted to check when the kids club group would have their event and if the kids should go all out for that one, I reckon my 14 year old son in a bow tie would be a dashing distraction for his fellow female teen cruisers.:cool:

 

Yes, I am completely biased.:D

 

Thanks again.

 

God bless you all:)

 

Tracey

 

 

They willl look great!

[onthelake]

I always advise resale shops and thrift stores for formal wear for young people - especially boys. My son, almost 17, just got a great dark blue suit at a thrift store. It fit properly, met his sense of style and he hopes to wear it on a cruise this winter and to prom in the spring. Cost - under $10!

 

And, many teens do dress up. It is a really nice family occassion.

[chipmaster]

Others will cite the dress code and tell you to take them to the buffet if they are not "appropriatly" dressed. For such a special cruise and holiday event hopefully you'll be able to enjoy those more elegant evenings as a family and ignore the fashion police posts ;)

 

My experience has been you see them as dressed up and down as you do adults. More so then not the girls seem to be more formal then the boys. Most boys I've seen are in dockers/khakis or similar and a nice looking shirt, fewer with tie and even fewer in a suite, probably the reverse of their fathers who will for the majority be in tie/jacket.

 

Have a nice holiday cruise!

 

Gidday.

 

We are booked on our first Princess cruise over Christmas and New Year and I was wondering what happens with the under 18's on formal nights.

 

I understand, from the cc boards, that on one of the two formal nights on our cruise the kids club will be arranging a group dinner for those enrolled in the kids club and there will be a group photo taken and so on.

 

My query is which formal night will this be and is the standard of dress strictly formal for this group.

 

The groups I am interested in are the Shockwaves and Remix groups.

 

Thank you for your help.

 

God bless you all:)

 

Tracey

[Putterdude]

The idea of picking up a suit or jacket at a thrift store is a great one. That said, as much as I am a tux guy on formal nights, I have never seen a child turned away on formal night who has a pair of slacks, and a shirt and tie...even a clip on tie.

[allstarzz]

My two cents...IF they dine with you, a shirt and tie is okay for kids. My 13 year old wore that as did other boys during our cruise. That was at the suggestion of many here when I asked several months ago. Silly to spend $$ for a jacket/suite a kid will only wear twice. :) If they eat in the club both nights, even better for them.

 

I would never purchase a jacket or suit for such an occasion. A nice shirt, tie, and slacks from Wally-mart do the trick. We purchased the Vans fully black skate shoes, with black soles. I would die if DH wore anything more than a nice suit.

[sultan_sfo]

Does your DH know that?

 

...

I would die if DH wore anything more than a nice suit.

[1 HappyCruiser]

Does your DH know that?

 

Of course, he's well trained. :rolleyes:

[dandtgeddes]

Thank you all again for your comments.

 

My son wants to get a tux, he already has worn suits to formals so we are most likely get his tux from a thrift store.

 

As for the bow tie comment, it is his idea, he wants cuff links too. Anyway, 1. he is very well built for his age so wont look geeky and 2. he looks 18 already, approaching 6 foot tall and all muscle.:cool:

 

The kids are really looking forward to the formals, but we all want to have at least one together as a family, the dinner at least. Hoping since the cruise embarks on 22 December that the first formal will be on Christmas Day.

 

Many thanks again.

 

God bless you all:)

 

Tracey

[Cruisin' Chick]

When my daughter was ten, it was hard to get her into a dress. But around here, that seems to be the norm. But it's changing now. This summer, just before her 13th birthday, she used her allowance to shop online for a wardrobe that includes lacy skirts and a couple of dresses. So if anyone gets resistance from their kids, they often do grow out of it.