Suggestion to End Formal Night Bickering

[phillipahain]

sjbdtz

 

With the greatest of respect I believe that with your attitude to dress you would be much happier if you stuck with NCL

 

There are many many people who not only know how to dress correctly and follow polite requests but who also love to wear nice clothes .

 

A cruise on Princess or Celebrity or HAL or any of the upscale lines does call for dressy nights and outfits just as upscale restuarants do

 

The old adage

 

"when in Rome do as the Romans do " applies very easily in this situation

[TinaLee]

To the poster about socioeconomic concerns, I bought my last tux for $130.00 at a suit outlet. The one before that for even less. The number of times I have worn them has far outweighted the cost. You can still dress nicely at bargain prices. It just takes some effort.

 

I understand your point. But the fact of the matter is, some folks just don't give a flip for fashion, nor do they understand it. My husband does wear a tux, and my daughter and I do dress up. But we have also sailed with extremely nice people who have had anxiety attacks over whether they would be 'judged' by how 'formal' their formal wear was. Not everyone lives where they have access to a suit outlet (yes, we have them here in Orlando). No amount of encouragement from me that others will NOT judge them helps when they come to these boards and see everyone in an uproar about those who are less formal than they would like. And how sad I find that! Because trust me, if you judge people by their clothing, you're missing out on meeting some very fine people... that's my point.

[mrdawson]

sjbdtz

 

With the greatest of respect I believe that with your attitude to dress you would be much happier if you stuck with NCL

 

There are many many people who not only know how to dress correctly and follow polite requests but who also love to wear nice clothes .

 

A cruise on Princess or Celebrity or HAL or any of the upscale lines does call for dressy nights and outfits just as upscale restuarants do

 

The old adage

 

"when in Rome do as the Romans do " applies very easily in this situation

 

When did Princess become "upscale"?

[mrdawson]

I'm sorry....I thought I said excuse me after I belched! LOL :D And that was a high class can of beer by the way! Imported from Mexico!! LOL ;)

[Nliedel]

I have to say my Princess cruise was VERY similar to my RCI cruises. I think Princess is great, but not upscale. Not like Seabourn or even Oceania.

[rob.potter]

I'm sorry....I thought I said excuse me after I belched! LOL :D And that was a high class can of beer by the way! Imported from Mexico!! LOL ;)

 

 

LOL:D

[sjbdtz]

I think the other interesting thing on this thread is the premise that NCL is somehow lower class than Princess. I mean...NCL isn't Carnival!

 

Many people who have cruised both lines consider them essentially equal...mainstream cruise lines.

 

 

I wear Canali & Valentino suits to work, with Zegna shirts....I'm well acquainted with nice clothes.

 

The point is that I want to wear nice, casual, comfortable clothes, when I'm NOT at work...to unwind.

 

Maybe if I was retired, I'd get a kick out of this....or if I had a blue collar job....but I don't. I look forward to NOT dressing up.

 

If NCL had the 22 day cruise I'm taking, I would be on NCL, because they understand what younger people are looking for.

[DrivesLikeMario]

Sorry, but I don't like the proposal either. I don't like the way people dress so informally in the dining room on formal nights.

 

Now, here's an odd suggestion, call me crazy, but how about we just have a cruise line that will enforce the dress code on a consistent basis?

[phillipahain]

NCL is freestyle

 

Princess

Celebrity

HAL

 

are not especially when it comes to what is and is not considered suitable dress for the Dining Rooms

 

Sounds like we are back to the same old argument ......I wear nice clothes to work so why should i wear them on holiday and then insinuating that anyone who wants to wear nice clothes on a cruise must be retired !

 

Plenty of jobs require clothing that people are only too happy to change out of into something nice

 

Lets face it ......during the day on a cruise ship you can dress as casually as you like if its too much effort to dress for dinner then there is always the buffet

[jcrandle]

Tom, when you get the dress code issue all resolved, why don't you take on "bringing booze on board", "swim diapers in the pool", and "chair hogging around the pool". I love a man that will take on a challenge!

[mississauga]

[sjbdtz]I think the other interesting thing on this thread is the premise that NCL is somehow lower class than Princess. I mean...NCL isn't Carnival!

 

I wish everyone would stop knocking Carnival. People on Carnival dress just as well as on the other lines. I have not seen more " not dressed for formal nights people" on Carnival than on Princess or Royal Caribbean. NCL, I can't speak for as I have never been on NCL. There are always those who will not follow the guidelines and that's on all cruiselines.

 

Personally, I have always felt that dressing up was part of the cruise experience. Yes, you are on vacation but one where you dress up for. I had always thought that when people plan a cruise vacation, the first thing they do is to run out to buy new clothes for their cruise and that usually includes clothes for formal nights. Formal nights also give you a chance to wear those special clothes you bought for a wedding and had no where else to wear them to.

[tapper]

My husband and I are not the greatest fans of formal night, but understand that others love it. On formal nights, we eat in the dining room as early as possible. He wears a dark suit and I generally wear a more dressy blouse and slacks and put on some fancier jewelry. No one has thrown us out of the dining rooms and I feel comfortable.

[mississauga]

My husband and I are not the greatest fans of formal night, but understand that others love it. On formal nights, we eat in the dining room as early as possible. He wears a dark suit and I generally wear a more dressy blouse and slacks and put on some fancier jewelry. No one has thrown us out of the dining rooms and I feel comfortable.

 

You probably fit in on formal night. I think what most people object to are those who don't wear suits and don't try to dress up a bit more.

[OuiOnboard]

.... I had always thought that when people plan a cruise vacation, the first thing they do is to run out to buy new clothes for their cruise....

After a cruise, my clothes (except my dress up gear) go to laundry and straight back into a suitcase...always packed and ready to go. :D

[mississauga]

After a cruise, my clothes (except my dress up gear) go to laundry and straight back into a suitcase...always packed and ready to go. :D

 

Yes, but you have your dress up gear too!

[OuiOnboard]

Yes, but you have your dress up gear too!

Yeah....dressing up is not that big a chore...sometimes it's downright fun....my dress up gear is selected for comfort first and cutting edge fashion second, which negates the urge to change into something comfortable after dinner.

[sjbdtz]

I wish everyone would stop knocking Carnival. People on Carnival dress just as well as on the other lines. I have not seen more " not dressed for formal nights people" on Carnival than on Princess or Royal Caribbean. NCL, I can't speak for as I have never been on NCL. There are always those who will not follow the guidelines and that's on all cruiselines.

 

Personally, I have always felt that dressing up was part of the cruise experience. Yes, you are on vacation but one where you dress up for. I had always thought that when people plan a cruise vacation, the first thing they do is to run out to buy new clothes for their cruise and that usually includes clothes for formal nights. Formal nights also give you a chance to wear those special clothes you bought for a wedding and had no where else to wear them to.

 

 

1. I was kidding about Carnival. never sailed with them, but they do have a reputation. ;)

 

2. I'm not sure what you mean. I already OWN the clothes required for formal night....I just don't want to have to dress up to eat well.

 

Resort casual is a minimum standard of dress for me whenever I'm on a cruise (I don't even OWN jean shorts or a tank top), and I can even appreciate a Smart Casual standard.

 

The problem is this: We're travelling from Vancouver (temperate) to Anchorage (cold) to Siberia (very cold), to South Korea (temperate to warm), to Beijing (Temperate).... we have to have enough clothes to deal with all of these temperature variations....and now we have to bring suits as well....

 

BUT...

 

Not just suits....there's also shirts, cufflinks, ties, shoes, dress socks, etc.

 

All of this within the airlines' 50 lb per person maximum.

 

 

 

So as you see, the main issue besides just not wanting to feel like I'm going to work, is travel considerations.

 

All that said....I turn 40 next week....maybe that'll finally make me want to act like a grown-up .:rolleyes: :p ;)

[Basfreeman]

I wish everyone would stop knocking Carnival. People on Carnival dress just as well as on the other lines. I have not seen more " not dressed for formal nights people" on Carnival than on Princess or Royal Caribbean. NCL, .....

 

I agree-on my one Carnival cruise, it seemed as if a greater number of people were in "black tie" formal attire than other cruises.

 

One other point to consider--Since I always dine at the late seating, it may be that pax dress up more for that time.

[caviargal]

Sorry, but I don't like the proposal either. I don't like the way people dress so informally in the dining room on formal nights.

 

Now, here's an odd suggestion, call me crazy, but how about we just have a cruise line that will enforce the dress code on a consistent basis?

 

And therein lies the real issue, IMO.

 

Cruise lines need to enforce their dress codes and other policies on board. The endless debates on the subject would then just fade away....

[mississauga]

All of this within the airlines' 50 lb per person maximum

 

You're right. The airlines are not making it easy for people to cruise. That's why some many people prefer not to fly to their cruise port. Unfortunately, like you, we live in the part of the continent where that's not possible.

BTW, It's 50 lbs. per suitcase and you are allowed 2 pieces of luggage plus a carry-on.

[RetireeWannabee]

I would respectfully disagree. If you don't want to dress formally as defined by Princess (EVENING GOWNS FOR WOMEN, TUXEDO OR DARK SUIT FOR MEN), then consider other options. NCL has cruises with NO formal nights. You know these recommendations prior to boarding the ship, why should there be any questions about what to wear on FORMAL EVENING other than the color of the GOWN.Rob

 

I believe this is incorrect. Evening gowns AND cocktail dresses. Good thing, as there is nothing in my wardrobe that could be considered "a gown" (same deal for non-tux-owning men - dark suit is acceptable!) and I plan to dress up for Formal Night in a way that suits me - a little black dress aka Cocktail Dress. No sequins, and I don't wear high heels but I've managed to find a way around that which is still acceptable and won't cripple me. I'll fit in. I saw plenty on my last cruise that I would consider way less formal than Mom and I will be!

 

I disagree with another poster that "most people" will try the specialty restaurants at least once on their cruise. There are plenty of people like me that have to scrimp and save to even get to take a cruise - no way I'm paying for a dinner when I can have sumptious cruise food in another dining room "free." I don't have a problem with making those formal all the time, but I think it's somewhat unfair to many cruisers who would like to go but just can't do formal for whatever reason.

 

Fun debate. I haven't read thru the whole thread yet, but congrats on civilized discourse!

[twinky53]

My husband and I avoided crusing for 25 years until we discovered NCL. It was a joy to feel completely relaxed on our vacation. We never wore jeans or shorts to dinner and on formal night he dressed in a sports coat and nice pants (he usually dressed smart casual - nice dress pants and collared shirts) while I dressed in a fancy pants suit. It was nice to see a mix of dress in the dining rooms - some very formal, some just like us - and no shorts or jeans or anything like that. In fact, I rarely if ever saw that on any of the nights we dined in the dining rooms. We had a wonderful time, and managed to convince several of our friends to cruise with NCL - because they, too, had been avoiding cruising because of the, what one friend termed - the snob factor.

 

We also would NEVER hog a chaise lounge, get obnoxiously drunk, or make a spectacle of ourselves. We are extraordinarily polite people who appreciate a kind gesture and a friendly face. We are the type of people who color inside the lines, not outside, lol.

 

 

I have really enjoyed reading the threads about the cruise experience here, have booked a cruise with the Crown Princess in September and will judge for ourselves what the ship is like. However, after reading some of the opinions on this thread, as well as reading other threads with people behaving very rudely towards other posters, I am definitely wondering if we made a big mistake picking Princess.

 

 

I would rather meet a friendly group of people in shorts than a snob in a tux anyday. I am just thankful there is a line like NCL, where the customer is always right! I loved some of the posters here (looking at Nancy and Carol and some other lovely people who have been sharing their fun and their thoughts) and I hope that we meet people like that on our cruise. I also was very pleased with the help afforded us when we were trying to choose a cabin (went for a mini on the Dolphin deck and Princess upgraded us from guarantee to AA!) Bringing plenty of suntan lotion with us, though, for the lack of a roof.

 

 

I have no problem with someone who wants to dress to the nines, but I also have no problem with that being restricted to the Traditional and one of the Personal Choice restaurants. However, I too want to eat the good food served on those nights, so my husband will be wearing his dark suit that he wears to funerals, and I will be wearing a dress this time, even though I look horrible in dresses, but I do like the feeling of air on my legs, lol. I have a feeling we will be going back to NCL if what I am reading on-line is representative of an elite mentality, so I don't want to spend too much on formal clothes we probably won't wear again. I just know that now I feel really uncomfortable and apprehensive about this cruise, which is why we avoided cruising in the first place. I sure hope I turn out to be wrong!!

[MCManders99]

Since I also only have 1 cruise under my belt (Sun Princess- Alaska May 05) I guess I can express my opinion. I am 29 newly married and work in a professional environment. I have to wear suits everday. When I went to Alaska I was soo excited to buy 2 floor length gowns and really dress up. Don't get me wrong..I wear jeans any other time.. but I like formal night. I saw people not as "formal" and people more formal. DH wore a dark suit. Whatever others wore was their poragative and it didn't ruin my cruise.

 

No shoot me one night.. I did change after dinner into non formal attire. But rough seas made me change. There was no way I was gonna puke on my dress. BUt Keep formal nights.

[NHCruisr]

Okay, I'll jump in. Thanks for those who have given thoughtful responses to a sincere initial posting about a possible solution to formal night controversy. I've posted before on this topic and I want to say once again that we appreciate and enjoy formal night. We love the formal night dining experience and love walking about after dinner seeing people looking nice. It feels romantic and elegant.

 

It strikes me that formal night is really a state of mind and attitude. There are many ways to be dressed up for formal night. It's not all about a tux and a ballgown. My husband usually brings a dark suit or rents a tux. I bring a stretchy knit long dress (bought on sale for less than $25) or a silk dress (either of these pack small and are light). Sometimes I wear the same outfit for two formal nights. I think that most adults dress the same way. I love to see little children with either nice slacks and a usually lopsided bowtie or a pretty party dress. I love to see teenagers in a little strappy black dress and dangle earrings. And I love to see some older ladies in their going to church best. As for shoes, I've got problem feet so I understand what people mean about orthodics and such. I have found a pair of sandals that go with just about everything that are comfortable and I'm fine in. If other's have to wear foot wear that meets their physical needs, then so be it. It really is about state of mind. We feel respectful of our own experience and the experience of others. People who feel good about how they present themselves to the world truly look good, in my opinion.

 

I think some people who flaunt the conventions of formal night are just rude and feel the need to be in your face. On a recent cruise a couple walked into the show on formal night in ripped, dirty shorts that exposed some not so pretty parts of themselves, tank tops, ball caps and flip flops. I honestly believe that they understood they were out of line and did it just to be contrary. In June, on the first night of a cruise (a smart casual night), the group in front of us going in to the dining room had on ripped dirty jeans, shorts and tacky tee shirts. One of them said, "We'll just tell them that our luggage hasn't arrived and we couldn't change." They all thought this falsehood was hilarious. These are people whose state of mind and attitude baffles me. My cruise is not ruined because of this, but it does impact my experience in a negative way.

 

I believe the best solution to this problem is continuing to pressure the cruise lines to inforce their own policies. As it now stands, they seem less and less willing to do this. Until then, cruisers will be getting a mixed message.

[OuiOnboard]

....I have really enjoyed reading the threads about the cruise experience here, have booked a cruise with the Crown Princess in September and will judge for ourselves what the ship is like. However, after reading some of the opinions on this thread, as well as reading other threads with people behaving very rudely towards other posters, I am definitely wondering if we made a big mistake picking Princess....

Those are only opinions sometimes expressed a bit too forcefully....it's a large ship and thus you'll have to look for the rude posters just as you would on NCL. Go and enjoy your cruise...we haven't done Crown yet, but we're sure you'll have a fabulous time.