The virtues of formal nights & why we like them

[keithm]

Then explain why I saw men get turned away on the royal in March 2017 for not dressing appropriately???? Maybe you should call Princess and tell them they do not have a dress code

What were these pax wearing that got them refused entry? Shorts in the MDR at night are a big one. This IS where I drew the line! Shorts & t shirts are NOT Smart Casual! It is simply slovenly dress, period! During the day, fine but at night, no. You come like that to my rest. you will NOT get admitted. Slacks & collared shirt are fine.

[elfinmagic]

What were these pax wearing that got them refused entry? Shorts in the MDR at night are a big one. This IS where I drew the line! Shorts & t shirts are NOT Smart Casual! It is simply slovenly dress, period! During the day, fine but at night, no. You come like that to my rest. you will NOT get admitted. Slacks & collared shirt are fine.

 

Slacks and collared shirt are marginal and (my opinion) are not what I consider formal, according to Princess guidelines

[elfinmagic]

This is certainly true. lot of pax, however will change after dining in the MDR. When I say MDR I really mean the "traditional ding room" The others seem to allow more casual dress. I'm basing this on our experiences on the Regal, which has 3 dining rooms(not specialty rest.)The other 2 dining rooms have "anytime dining ". If there is a lot of pax who want traditional seating, they then accommodate them in one of the other rooms as well. We still saw a lot of pax who chose to stay pretty well dressed after dinner. As many have said, the line doesn't enforce much of a dress code after dinner. In 2016 we were on a 14 day B2B on the Regal. The first week was Super bowl week. The Carolina Panther fans even by Casual" standards were pretty disgusting. Bathing suits at night were rampant. Wife beater T shirts or those tacky sports teams(insert your team "name" here)shirts were everywhere! Felt like I was at a flea market! By the second week they were gone & the ship was much more what I expected Princess to offer. In all our years of cruising I've NEVER seen pax drink & party like that. No barfing,well I'm sure it occurred, but I never saw it! If that continued, We'd never consider Princess again. The second week was MUCH. They had lots of kids(all VERY well behaved)on the second part of the trip. With Celebrity Eclipse been repositioned in South America, the 14 day trips will be less. That & amazing food quality declines this year have us looking at the Regal/Caribbean Princess for potential trips. Also looking at Oceania as well. YES! I know about the "Country Club" dress code(shorts are NOT allowed at dinner, however), but we're also "foodies". The decline in food quality is a real issue for us as well.

 

I still think the food on Princess is excellent. We take a minimum of 10 days (20 b2b) and find more people middle age and old like us - very little mad partying and kids. The seven day cruises attract more kids

[RocketMan275]

This is certainly true. lot of pax, however will change after dining in the MDR. When I say MDR I really mean the "traditional ding room" The others seem to allow more casual dress. I'm basing this on our experiences on the Regal, which has 3 dining rooms(not specialty rest.)The other 2 dining rooms have "anytime dining ". If there is a lot of pax who want traditional seating, they then accommodate them in one of the other rooms as well.

 

Are you saying the dress in the anytime venues is less formal than in the traditional venues? I would appreciate your opinion. Would you have an issue if the anytime venues were smart casual all the time and the traditional venues were a strictly enforced formal dress code?

[Cairn Mom]

Some people just see, read, and hear what they want to hear - A lot of CC followers believe what they read hear, however, there is a lot of misinformation posted.

 

 

 

I notice when when people underdress on formal night. They stand-out in an unflattering way. Sorry to say, it is mostly men who eschew the rules. Go to the buffet if you choose not to dress appropriately. You look out of place in the MDR, people notice and are commenting. It is akin to wearing a speedo-lol

 

 

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[Lanz]

We have been cruising for a lon........g time. I can remember shopping for a formal dress and shoes or dieting to get back in one I had worn previously😱😩. All part of the exciting and excellent cruise dining experience , great food with excellent service. Times have changed, as one poster stated (paraphrasing) aftera long day dressing for dinner to stand in line for a mediocre menu and poor quality food is not a good experience. Our experience on a recent cruise on the Caribbean Princess was one of the worst "food" experiences we ever had, we didn't eat in the MDR one night because the menu was poor (our taste) and there were no tables for two until after eight. We chose to dine in the Specialty Restaurants for formal night Sabatini great, Crown Grill very poor. The buffet food was very hit and miss, off temperature and again not to our taste. To get back to topic......we love to "dress up" my husband enjoys wearing a suit and tie or a dark jacket, for me formal night is easy long knit black dress "Chico's" with a scarf or dramatic jewelry. We always wear "smart casual" at night when out and about the ship. Love to have a drink in "Skywalkers", great venue (when available), wearing something spiffy . I think the formal night dress should always be an option and so should smart casual. If you're sharing a table in the MDR you should be respectful of the other table mates and not look like you just returned from a hike😝. The above,of course, is IMHO.

[Charles4515]

I notice when when people underdress on formal night. They stand-out in an unflattering way. Sorry to say, it is mostly men who eschew the rules. Go to the buffet if you choose not to dress appropriately. You look out of place in the MDR, people notice and are commenting. It is akin to wearing a speedo-lol

 

 

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I am not going to the buffet on formal nights. You don't get to decide.

 

Only a few with misplaced priorities are noticing or caring as long as people are wearing classic clothing like a dress shirt and pressed pants.

 

If men are anxious about how others perceive their dress then certainly they should wear a tux. It is a standard uniform that makes everyone look the same. I notice though that even the folks who profess loving formal nights are not dressing in formal wear. They are wearing suits instead of tuxes. They are dressing down.

[keithm]

Slacks and collared shirt are marginal and (my opinion) are not what I consider formal, according to Princess guidelines

I do agree with you, but, I think if it's a decent pair of slacks & decent collared shirt, Princess will let them in. Not always, but frequently. They seem to be more lax for those who choose the anytime dining option.

Edited June 25, 2017 by keithm
grammar

[umuva]

I am not going to the buffet on formal nights. You don't get to decide.

 

Only a few with misplaced priorities are noticing or caring as long as people are wearing classic clothing like a dress shirt and pressed pants.

 

If men are anxious about how others perceive their dress then certainly they should wear a tux. It is a standard uniform that makes everyone look the same. I notice though that even the folks who profess loving formal nights are not dressing in formal wear. They are wearing suits instead of tuxes. They are dressing down.

 

 

 

When I wear my tux, I may wear a long red, pink or black tie or a polka dot bow tie. I wear colorful handkerchiefs to match and colorful socks. One can be formal without looking the same. And many ladies have come up to me and complimented me on the fashion. (All this by the way, thanks to my wife). She wants me to look as dashing as I can be (which is difficult) and I love to see her all dressed up. (The tall thin blonde taller than short me gets lots of interesting looks)(lol).

 

 

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[keithm]

I am not going to the buffet on formal nights. You don't get to decide.

 

Only a few with misplaced priorities are noticing or caring as long as people are wearing classic clothing like a dress shirt and pressed pants.

 

If men are anxious about how others perceive their dress then certainly they should wear a tux. It is a standard uniform that makes everyone look the same. I notice though that even the folks who profess loving formal nights are not dressing in formal wear. They are wearing suits instead of tuxes. They are dressing down.

if you READ the guidelines dark suits are FINE by the rules.

[keithm]

What we have here is a profound sense of entitlement that has become the norm. We are becoming a nation of little kids. In the past was the urge to grow up and into long pants. To be old enough to dance at the ball and assume one's responsibilities. Now parents want to be and dress like their kids and behave like them. Adults, to judge from the highly successful reality shows, feel they are entitled to be overbearing, domineering and act in ways to disrupt norms. Manners, behaviors, expectations, virtues of adulthood are no longer modeled or valued .

A classics professor I had in college succinctly gave his reason for the Fall of Rome: they went from formal white togas to colored ones and then they took them off.

 

 

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I do agree. I will say if the parents dressed & behaved like their kids during the 2'nd part of our B2B on the Regal, that would be fine.

[floridalover5623]

Are you saying the dress in the anytime venues is less formal than in the traditional venues? I would appreciate your opinion. Would you have an issue if the anytime venues were smart casual all the time and the traditional venues were a strictly enforced formal dress code?

 

I do agree with you idea BUT the only problem with that scenario is there are usually a few people who can't get TD because they booked to late. They show up & beg the Mairte D for a traditional seating so since it's not available they assign them the same table in the AT dining room for the whole cruise.

The people would then arrive to find everyone in casual clothing. Oh the horror! :eek: Princess wouldn't hear the end of it.

 

I am not going to the buffet on formal nights. You don't get to decide.

 

Only a few with misplaced priorities are noticing or caring as long as people are wearing classic clothing like a dress shirt and pressed pants.

 

If men are anxious about how others perceive their dress then certainly they should wear a tux. It is a standard uniform that makes everyone look the same. I notice though that even the folks who profess loving formal nights are not dressing in formal wear. They are wearing suits instead of tuxes. They are dressing down.

I'm with you. I'll never consider the buffet as long as they refuse to serve the same food as the DR. If it were the same, I would switch in an instant but as long as Princess allows dress down on formal nights no one on this board will even convince me not to go.

[RocketMan275]

I do agree with you idea BUT the only problem with that scenario is there are usually a few people who can't get TD because they booked to late. They show up & beg the Mairte D for a traditional seating so since it's not available they assign them the same table in the AT dining room for the whole cruise.

The people would then arrive to find everyone in casual clothing. Oh the horror! :eek: Princess wouldn't hear the end of it.

 

It's impossible to please every one all the time. But I doubt that would be as big a problem as you suggest. There was a poll on celebrity new chic dress code. Less than 30% thought the more casual dress code was a bad idea.

 

I'm with you. I'll never consider the buffet as long as they refuse to serve the same food as the DR. If it were the same, I would switch in an instant but as long as Princess allows dress down on formal nights no one on this board will even convince me not to go.

 

Holland had the same lobster and steak on their buffet.

[Charles4515]

if you READ the guidelines dark suits are FINE by the rules.

 

 

They are fine by the Princess guidelines but they are not formal. Since they are guidelines and not rules, (if they were rules they would say you must wear......) we can interpret them to our own definition of formal since Princess's guidelines allow dress that is not the traditional definition of formal dress.

[elfinmagic]

They are fine by the Princess guidelines but they are not formal. Since they are guidelines and not rules, (if they were rules they would say you must wear......) we can interpret them to our own definition of formal since Princess's guidelines allow dress that is not the traditional definition of formal dress.

 

You go for it Charles

[Charles4515]

When I wear my tux, I may wear a long red, pink or black tie or a polka dot bow tie. I wear colorful handkerchiefs to match and colorful socks. One can be formal without looking the same. And many ladies have come up to me and complimented me on the fashion. (All this by the way, thanks to my wife). She wants me to look as dashing as I can be (which is difficult) and I love to see her all dressed up. (The tall thin blonde taller than short me gets lots of interesting looks)(lol).

 

 

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That is fine but if you are wearing red or pink long ties and polka dot bow ties you are not being formal. We all can have different opinions and tastes but I don't think that is dashing. Some would see that as rather odd. But that is your choice.

[dtb55]

What were these pax wearing that got them refused entry? Shorts in the MDR at night are a big one. This IS where I drew the line! Shorts & t shirts are NOT Smart Casual! It is simply slovenly dress, period! During the day, fine but at night, no. You come like that to my rest. you will NOT get admitted. Slacks & collared shirt are fine.

 

 

 

I've also seen people in shorts turned away from the MDR. I should say men, I've seen women in shorts allowed in.

[floridalover5623]

The people would then arrive to find everyone in casual clothing. Oh the horror! :eek: Princess wouldn't hear the end of it.

Wrong again Florida - have you ever taken a Princess cruise?

 

I'm considering it very soon. Have any suggestions for a casual Princess ship?

Maybe the Royal next March? ;)

 

It's impossible to please every one all the time. But I doubt that would be as big a problem as you suggest. There was a poll on celebrity new chic dress code. Less than 30% thought the more casual dress code was a bad idea.

 

 

 

Holland had the same lobster and steak on their buffet.

First time I've heard about that. :cool:

Unfortunately Princess doesn't even try to serve the same thing on formal nights.

Didn't HAL give up on formal nights last year?

[umuva]

That is fine but if you are wearing red or pink long ties and polka dot bow ties you are not being formal. We all can have different opinions and tastes but I don't think that is dashing. Some would see that as rather odd. But that is your choice.

 

 

 

Since they were bought from Pierre Cardin and Calvin Klein formal ware, I'll take their word for it.

 

 

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[deliver42]

On formal nights, which we love, I wear a dark suit, and my DW wears a gown. This is on any ship, with the exception of NCL. There I wore smart casual, because I felt out of place dressing up.

[UpcountryTravelers]

We thoroughly enjoy "formal nights", although it is extremely rare to see anyone really formal. Love seeing my always beautiful lady even more stunning in a gown or cocktail dress, or slacks and sparkly top!

 

The most you usually see is black tie (which is actually semi-formal, or "evening wear" - you British will understand). As for me, I have been known to do white tie with my kilt and regulation doublet, sometimes black tie, but also might do a white dinner jacket (which is very light to pack) and tux slacks for the Caribbean, where it is correct.

 

As for the men "getting comfortable" after dinner, there is nothing more comfortable than the kilt.....if you wear it correctly. :D

[Cairn Mom]

if you READ the guidelines dark suits are FINE by the rules.

 

 

 

My husband wears a sports jacket and tie. I usually wear a dress or slacks and a dressy top. For me, this isn't about the tux and gown,although, if people choose to wear that it's fine. There is a dress code of which you are aware before you book the cruise. Why would you not follow it? Generally, formal nights are on sea days, so the whole day of touring thing does not fly. People who wear their jeans and polo shirt- others notice,and you stick out in an unflattering way.

This is my feelings on the topic.

 

 

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[swedish weave]

I'm considering it very soon. Have any suggestions for a casual Princess ship?

Maybe the Royal next March? ;)

 

 

First time I've heard about that. :cool:

Unfortunately Princess doesn't even try to serve the same thing on formal nights.

Didn't HAL give up on formal nights last year?

 

The three HAL ships I sailed in the past two years did not have formal nights. The Princess ships I sailed in this same time period also did not have formal nights. Going back a few months, the Carnival ships have also eliminated their formal nights, and, of course NCL has not had formal nights in several years. NCL led the way in allowing resort casual and the others have followed suit in order to retain market share.

 

It is interesting that those who are attempting to hang onto the formal dress are not satisfied to dress as they wish, and need to misinterpret my posts to try to misinformn others

about what the Princess employees deem acceptable.

 

If everyone would just be truthful, this subject would resolve itself.

[Charles4515]

My husband wears a sports jacket and tie. I usually wear a dress or slacks and a dressy top. For me, this isn't about the tux and gown,although, if people choose to wear that it's fine. There is a dress code of which you are aware before you book the cruise. Why would you not follow it? Generally, formal nights are on sea days, so the whole day of touring thing does not fly. People who wear their jeans and polo shirt- others notice,and you stick out in an unflattering way.

This is my feelings on the topic.

 

 

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I would not wear a polo shirt and jeans on formal night but why would those who do care about others noticing? Likely they will never see us again and we won't see them again after the cruise. And even if we did we would not remember what they were wearing.

 

By the way wearing a sports jacket and tie like your husband, that is not formal wear, and is not following the dress code, probably some on this thread would notice and think he sticks out. It is all relative.

[elfinmagic]

The Princess ships I sailed in this same time period also did not have formal nights.

 

I have sailed with Princess since 1996 on all of the ships they have and had except the Saphire - they have all had formal nights. What time period are you talking about?