How formal is formal night?

[Laurab23]

What is Princess like in regards to formal night? Not just the guidelines,but what do people actually show up in? We've been on Carnival and have seen all sorts of dress on formal night?Can I expect pretty much the same on Princess or is everyone always dressed to the nines? We are not big dressers and don't want to feel underdressed if we go on formal night. If we don't go to dinner,what are our other options?

 

Laura

[BobbyG]

Laura,

 

It is all over the board but I haven't been on Carnival so I don't have anything to compare it to. My wife and I enjoy dressing up (tux, long gown, etc.) so we do but everyone doesn't. We have been on 2 Princess cruises in the past 2 years and we're going on one in a couple weeks (Alaska). We have not done traditional dining - only personal choice - so it may be more formal in the traditional dining room. In personal choice, you see everything from slacks & shirts on guys to sportcoats to suits to tuxedos since you aren't in the same dining room at the same table at the same time every night. Have a great cruise!

 

BobbyG

[bethcollins]

I've sailed both lines twice, and found Princess to be just slightly more formal in dress. I do notice a huge difference on all cruiselines between winter and summer cruises. The dress on winter cruises has been across the board more formal than in the summer(and I've done 16 cruises so far).

[jimneycrkit]

Dress codes are for the entire ship after 6pm no matter where you are on the ship. If you wish not to dress then room service is an option. Although I have seen people in the buffet dressed in all sorts of things on formal night. People will stare at you though . There is a wide range of dress on formal nights and glitter is not necessary but fun all the same.

[cruise fairy]

I've seen everything in the personal choice dining rooms....usually dresses or skirts to gowns for women. Men is suits, tux, or even just Dockers and shirt. The traditional dining tends to be more formal than personal choice dining. Horizon court is usually pretty casual. I"ve never noticed anyone staring at someone dressed casually in Horizon Court. Now if you were to walk in for dinner in your wet swimming suit....could get some nasty glances:p.

It is fun to dress up at least once, but I didn't notice any unusual glances to someone that isn't as "dressed" as another. At least if they made some kind of attempt at looking nice.

Just my opinion based on my experiences;)

[geoherb]

My understanding is that the buffet is always casual. You would probably want to dress up a little bit on formal nights if you're going to attend a show or go to the casino after you've eaten in the buffet--but I've seen people who did not or else had changed clothes after dinner.

[bdjam]

In the dining rooms, the majority of the passengers dress within the guidelines. I have seen passengers not dressed for formal nights turned away from the dining room, but it seems the particular ship and Head Waiter make a difference in this decision.

[Druke I]

Tux wearer here, and wife normally wears "cocktail dress", as opposed to "Eastern Star" formals.

[Opinions]

Dress codes are for the entire ship after 6pm no matter where you are on the ship.

 

I can't seem to find this on the Princess web site or in their brochures...Most posters here seem to agree that the evening buffet is casual...Where does Princess say it is not?

[FredS]

The convention is that you wear your "formal" dressing for the evening; in other words you do not go to your cabin and change into jeans after dinner. I don't think Horizon Court ever goes to formal or "country club casual" mandate. It seems to me that the longer the cruise the more formal people dress. Although, on our 21 day cruise last month I checked during the first show on formal night and the ratio of suits to tuxes was about 45%-55%. We played cards after the first show and the 2nd seating coming through the card room after dinner going to the show, looked to be many more tuxes than suits. Very few sport coats at either seating. This was on the Royal Princess and it only had two seatings and no PC dinning.

[britsbest]

It looks to me that ALL restaurants have the dress code suits/tux ties etc and that buffets are casual all the time. We go for formal at meal time but must admit to changing pretty much after dinner except for the champagne fountain which followed a formal night for a photo oportunity! And on smart casual we change to casual asap, I really must get draw string suit trousers !;)