Formal Night-Men-Sapphire-Alaska

[Mom33]

In trying to keep this thread geared toward answering the op’s question I would like to add that I am on the Sapphire currently doing a b2b and using anytime dining. With this in mind I was not uncomfortable in a dress shirt, tie, and slacks in the mdr sitting at a table for 2 with my wife. I was seated without a problem and enjoyed my meal. I would say that a third of the men I have seen have been dressed in a business suit or tux, while another third have had a simple sport coat. The rest either dressed as I did or just a shirt without a tie. I have yet to spot the tee shirt/jeans guy yet. That being said, I would probably not feel comfortable dressing as I did if I was sitting at a large table in the traditional mdr. I do respect other people dressing up and enjoying their meal in the mdr and thus would not want to deter from this but at a table for 2 in the anytime dining room, I did not feel uncomfortable at all.

 

Thanks for reporting your experience on the Sapphire. It would seem that you see what I see on other cruises. The majority of men wear a jacket.:)

[oratheeexplorer]

I have done 9 Alaskan cruises on Princess and the ones I have been on people have dressed more relaxed. I guess we have been on different cruises. My most recent Alaskan cruises were in May/June of this year.

 

Those in dress shirts and ties were welcomed into the dining room, no questions asked.

 

 

Thank you for your replies.....this is what I was looking for....someone with recent experience on Princess.....

[oratheeexplorer]

In trying to keep this thread geared toward answering the op’s question I would like to add that I am on the Sapphire currently doing a b2b and using anytime dining. With this in mind I was not uncomfortable in a dress shirt, tie, and slacks in the mdr sitting at a table for 2 with my wife. I was seated without a problem and enjoyed my meal. I would say that a third of the men I have seen have been dressed in a business suit or tux, while another third have had a simple sport coat. The rest either dressed as I did or just a shirt without a tie. I have yet to spot the tee shirt/jeans guy yet. That being said, I would probably not feel comfortable dressing as I did if I was sitting at a large table in the traditional mdr. I do respect other people dressing up and enjoying their meal in the mdr and thus would not want to deter from this but at a table for 2 in the anytime dining room, I did not feel uncomfortable at all.

 

Thank you for your replies.....was looking for people with recent experience on Princess...

[Pam in CA]

Thanks for reporting your experience on the Sapphire. It would seem that you see what I see on other cruises. The majority of men wear a jacket.:)

It's very possible for people in different dining rooms at different times on the same ship at the same time to have different experiences and observations. They're both right based on what they saw. I just feel that you can't go wrong following the cruise line's dress guidelines.

[burtie]

Just off a B2B on ths Sapphire and it was all over the board for dress on formal night. It seemed to me that there were alot fewer men wearing tux's than on past trips and on both sides ot the B2B, there were several people in the Vivaldi dining room that apparently did not know, or didn't care, that it was formal night as they wore what I would normally wear at the buffet. Not like old times when the staff would not let you into the dining rooms if you didn't at least have a suit and tie and formal dress on.

Burtie

[1 HappyCruiser]

Yes, a long sleeve shirt without the jacket will suffice on formal nights on any Princess ship. If people wish to dress up it's their choice but not a strict requirement.

[Smokeyham]

In trying to keep this thread geared toward answering the op’s question I would like to add that I am on the Sapphire currently doing a b2b and using anytime dining. With this in mind I was not uncomfortable in a dress shirt, tie, and slacks in the mdr sitting at a table for 2 with my wife. I was seated without a problem and enjoyed my meal. I would say that a third of the men I have seen have been dressed in a business suit or tux, while another third have had a simple sport coat. The rest either dressed as I did or just a shirt without a tie. I have yet to spot the tee shirt/jeans guy yet.

 

That being said, I would probably not feel comfortable dressing as I did if I was sitting at a large table in the traditional mdr. I do respect other people dressing up and enjoying their meal in the mdr and thus would not want to deter from this but at a table for 2 in the anytime dining room, I did not feel uncomfortable at all.

 

 

As others have said, thanks for posting information about what is actually happening on board. We are also going to be doing Any Time dining, and a number of our group were wondering what people were actually wearing.

[kenmii]

In trying to keep this thread geared toward answering the op’s question I would like to add that I am on the Sapphire currently doing a b2b and using anytime dining. With this in mind I was not uncomfortable in a dress shirt, tie, and slacks in the mdr sitting at a table for 2 with my wife. I was seated without a problem and enjoyed my meal. I would say that a third of the men I have seen have been dressed in a business suit or tux, while another third have had a simple sport coat. The rest either dressed as I did or just a shirt without a tie. I have yet to spot the tee shirt/jeans guy yet. That being said, I would probably not feel comfortable dressing as I did if I was sitting at a large table in the traditional mdr. I do respect other people dressing up and enjoying their meal in the mdr and thus would not want to deter from this but at a table for 2 in the anytime dining room, I did not feel uncomfortable at all.

 

Did you see anyone in slacks and a polo shirt? Are they "allowed" in?

 

Thanks

[shepp]

Did you see anyone in slacks and a polo shirt? Are they "allowed" in?

 

Thanks

 

I know you didn't ask me, but I don't recall anyone in a polo shirt during the couple dozen formal nights I've dined in the MDR. That might be because 1) they were not "allowed" in or 2) everyone respected formal night enough to at least wear a long-sleeved dress shirt to dinner.

 

(Or 3) I didn't notice/have forgotten.)

 

Why do you ask?

[rcacace]

Did you see anyone in slacks and a polo shirt? Are they "allowed" in?

 

Thanks

 

Most times I just wear a dress shirt and not a polo but lately they've been accepting them as well.

[lilmsmuffet]

We are going on the Golden in September..We are from deep south Texas..My husband always wears pressed jeans,black roper boots,leather vest and a starched white shirt..he's a small guy with no big belly so I think it looks just as nice as all the suited men..no one has ever said anything..Gooo Texasss..lol..

[Smokeyham]

Question for people who have been to Alaska recently......

 

I get the sense people going to Any Time Dining are a little less formal than people going to Traditional Dining, on formal nights. Am I right in believing that?

[sherryf]

Did you see anyone in slacks and a polo shirt? Are they "allowed" in?

 

Thanks

 

I have seen it, and they are "allowed" in, but they are very much in the minority and stand out as being under-dressed. While I saw very few tuxes on my most recent Princess Alaska cruise, the vast majority were wearing a jacket of some sort and tie.

[Putterdude]

I have seen it, and they are "allowed" in, but they are very much in the minority and stand out as being under-dressed. While I saw very few tuxes on my most recent Princess Alaska cruise, the vast majority were wearing a jacket of some sort and tie.

 

This is very much my experience with Princess in Alaska although I will say that about 20 -25% of the gents wore tuxes. There is no separate dress code for Alaska. If you want to stand out as not being properly dressed then go for it but I have seen people being very embarrassed when they sit down at a table with people who are properly dressed....even at our table and you should see the looks they get from their wives.:eek:

[Mr_Astro]

I wore a very nice silver/grey silk shirt with a Chinese motif, a nice pendant and wore my tux pants. Very dressy, yet casual. I got many compliments.

[caribill]

Judge for yourself.

 

Below is a picture of passengers waiting to enter a dining room on formal night on an Alaska cruise this month. You can see how they are dressed.

 

[cellyml12]

Hmm. This picture speaks volumes. I think if people are going to get on the formalwear bandwagon, they need to look at this pic. Men in suits & women underdressed by formalwear standards. I think I see one woman who looks dressy enough to be classified as formal. I think these threads pick on the wrong gender. I think men have a better concept of what dressy is. JMHO

[Smokeyham]

Judge for yourself.

 

Below is a picture of passengers waiting to enter a dining room on formal night on an Alaska cruise this month. You can see how they are dressed.

 

 

 

Just curious... Was that a Traditional, or Anytime dining seating?

[cellyml12]

I keep seeing this & wondering if it's true. Is there really a difference between Traditional & Anytime? I assumed MDR was MDR regardless.

[poncho1965]

I posted this on the Alaska board, but thought I would see if I get any more replies here.

 

This is for anyone who has been on the Sapphire or other Princess ships in Alaska this season. On formal nights, did you see many men with just a nice dress shirt and tie with nice dress pants, instead of a tux or suit or sport coat? I have read on here many times that Alaska is much more casual. He wore a sport coat on Caribbean cruises, but wondering if he can get by with just a nice shirt and tie. So many other types of clothing to pack, would be nice not to have to take a sport coat.

 

On our July Alaska cruise I wore a dress shirt/pants, and a tie. Plenty of people wore jackets, for once I choose not to. Hope I don't get castigated :D

[sfnew2sail]

We just got off the Sapphire to Alaska last weekend. First formal night my husband wore a dress shirt and tie and was in the VAST majority! Very few tuxes and not many suit coats. And nobody seemed to care.

[Smokeyham]

I keep seeing this & wondering if it's true. Is there really a difference between Traditional & Anytime? I assumed MDR was MDR regardless.

 

I think the perception is that people who choose Traditional dining are looking for more of the "traditional" cruise experience, seated with the same people for each meal, and being served by the same wait staff. Part of the tradition is dressing formally, so perhaps the people participating in traditional dining might be more keen than people in Anytime dining on maintaining that tradition as well.

 

I'd be interested to hear from recent Alaska cruisers to know if that is actually the case? Of course, people will have eaten in one or other, but they may have observed people in other dining rooms, and an can give some perspective?

[Mom33]

I keep seeing this & wondering if it's true. Is there really a difference between Traditional & Anytime? I assumed MDR was MDR regardless.

 

MDR is MDR except for the seating times. People are served the same food in the same ambience in all MDR. They have the same dress codes no matter what ship they're on or where the ship is going.

[karatemom2]

This is very much my experience with Princess in Alaska although I will say that about 20 -25% of the gents wore tuxes. There is no separate dress code for Alaska. If you want to stand out as not being properly dressed then go for it but I have seen people being very embarrassed when they sit down at a table with people who are properly dressed....even at our table and you should see the looks they get from their wives.:eek:

 

I agree! We just returned from a 14 day HAL cruise in Alaska and my husband and son both wore black suits on formal nights (and looked smashing by the way! ;)). However, my sister-in-law traveling with us on the advice of some friends who had sailed with HAL before opted not to pack a suit jacket. I told her that she should bring it, but she insisted that her friends were "in the know" and it really, really wasn't needed. Well guess what? My brother-in-law was unhappy because he was in a very, very small minority of those in the dining room with just dress shirts and ties and of course he was sitting with my well dressed men. He really wished my sister had listened to me and packed the suit jacket - it doesn't weigh that much! Moral of the story is that the friends ultimately were correct that he would be allowed to dine without the suit jacket, but didn't really take into consideration that he might feel out of place or uncomfortable noting that he was underdressed.

[Putterdude]

Judge for yourself.

 

Below is a picture of passengers waiting to enter a dining room on formal night on an Alaska cruise this month. You can see how they are dressed.

 

 

I am looking for all the open necked shirts....you must have missed them....this is hardly representative of how people dress on formal nights in Alaska. (if I were to believe all the posts above):D