Personal Choice Dining & Formal Night

[Sailfish]

I will be on a the Diamond Princess next February (Mexican Riviera itinerary) and was wondering about formal nights and personal choice dining.

 

I know there isn't an emphasis on dressing up on the other nights, so no problems there. But how do most people who have Personal Choice dining dress on formal nights? Will people dress up in suits and coctail dresses or wear semi-formal attire or nice clothes, nothing fancy. I ask as we are opting for PC dining and want to dress accordingly.

 

I understand nice jeans are fine most evenings; I won't be wearing them while in Mexico, but I'm sure my husband will, along with dockers and polo shirts. I understand people who have opted for reserved dining tend to be more formal - what's your take on this?

 

Thanks!

[spongerob]

The same dress (code, suggestion, request, insert your own hot-button word here :) ) applies regardless of your dining choice. I'm not sure that one is necessarily more or less formal than the other. HTH.

[senior lady]

Personal choice dining is the same as ''regular" dining. The only difference is that you pick when you want to eat.

I'm not sure that "nice" jeans are allowed in any dining room???

We always take personal choice and dress according the daily "princess patter"

[LuvTheGoodLife]

Princess Cruise #4 coming up for us and we have dined "Anytime Dining/Personal Choice" each time and have always seen the evening dress code (formal or smart casual) followed in the Anytime Dining/Personal Choice dining rooms. I have seen the fashion spectrum on formal nights from 'nice church clothes to cocktail dresses/suits to long gowns and tuxes. I usually opt for a long black dress on formal night #1 and a cocktail length dress on formal night #2 - but I like getting dressed up since I rarely get the occasion at home. Also by formal night #2, my long dress is feeling a little snug! :o Formal night #2 does seem to be slightly less formal.

 

Those opting for casual dress seemed to limit themselves to the Horizon Court buffet area.

 

Some people did choose the alternative 'pay' restaurants on formal nights and dressed formally and others were slightly less formal in those alternative restaurants.

 

As for jeans, they are not mine or my husband's choice to wear at dinner on a cruise but I have seen others wearing them on smart casual nights...

 

Enjoy your cruise!

 

Hope this helps

[RetireeWannabee]

I do not believe there are attire distinctions that are dependent on the specific dining room. I've only ever seen formal vs smart casual to refer to "the dining rooms" so expect all are either formal or smart casual.

[judynorth]

The Princess dress code says no jeans or shorts in the dining rooms at dinner. All dining rooms follow the stated dress code for the evening. The Horizon Court is casual at all times.

[SingerEsq]

No difference from the Traditional Dining Room and the Anytime Dining Room, except the time. I think on all the Grand Class ships, one is just above the other and both entries face the atrium, IMO you see just as many formal wearing folks waiting for both.

[Esprit]

I wore my white DJ on both formal nights but sadly I was in the minority. I was however pleasantly surprised that most guys at least put a suit on and stayed suitably dressed (as suggested!) for the entire evening.

 

Those not wanting to dress up hung around the Horizon Court so didn't spoil the ambience of the evening.

 

On the deck party night I wore jeans (with a smart shirt and decent shoes of course) and didn't get ejected from the Michael Angelo restaurant.

 

I think so long as the jeans aren't the torn type and you dont wear them with a T shirt and trainers then that's my idea of smart casual. IMHO

 

Peter

[Sailfish]

Thanks, everyone, for your prompt replies. I just figured that Personal Choice dining on formal nights was slightly less formal - now I know better.

 

I know about the other nights, I just wasn't sure how dressy people were in the PC dining room on the two formal nights on the itinerary.

 

On our last cruise with Celebrity, people really dressed up on Formal night - far more than Carnival or Royal Caribbean. I wasn't sure where Pricess fit into all this. Would you say Princess is more formal than Royal Caribbean? Where would Princess fit?

 

Thanks!