First time Princess and slightly confused...

[tonimari99]

Ok, so here goes. I have sailed in the past,,but just with Carnival. On the cruises that I was on My husband and I followed the dress code to the T and took every occasion quite literally. During the cruise, I realized that we were just about the only ones that did. Which was OK. I don't really care what other people wear on their vacations, but we spent alot of extra money on clothes for our cruise to follow the guidelines that Carnival set. NOW..I'm cruising July 14th on the Crown Princess ( so excited! ) and I have done the same thing, only this time I decided it would be easier to wear all dresses since it's summer and hot outside. Also packing seems more simple this way.

Here is my question..I fully understand "formal nights". What I don't understand is what ladies wear typically on the other 7 nights. I know, everyone has made it clear no jeans. But that's all I have heard the argument being. I am asking because my best friend is traveling with me and it's her first time on any cruise. She does not want to wear all dresses, and we are trying to figure out what is appropriate to pack. We live in Las Vegas, and work in fine dining. Women wear designer jeans all of the time with beautiful blouses and it is quite appropriate. I guess on the cruise lines things are not the same and is a little more conservative. It's fine by me because I'm excited to wear dresses that I otherwise never get the chance to wear. We just need a little guidance for my friend.

This is such a hot topic on this board. I have read a few posts but other than formal nights I have not seen anything. My friend is in her mid to late 20's so she wants to keep it fun. From what we have read she said it sounds like we are sailing with the President, but I will save that conversation for a later date, lol. Thanks to everyone in advance for your help.

And to the men.., I know, blah, blah, blah, more packing advice. Sorry, but COME ON, we're girls. :D

[Guest scfjjb]

Casual dresses, skirts and pants will be fine. Sandals (not flip flops). No shorts in dining room.

[seadrifter]

tonimari99 - I think you and your friend will love cruising with Princess. In my experience with Princess (and other lines too for that matter), on other than formal nights (i.e. "smart casual") women wear quite a variety ranging from nicer slacks and skirts with tops, capris and cropped pants and more casual dresses. I have a pair of slinky black knit pants that I pair with several different tops and blouses and I feel that I fit right in. Hope this helps. Have a great time on your cruise.

 

Virginia

[Spikesgirl]

I haven't sailed on the Crown,but have been on other Princess cruises. Usually, the dress on other nights is referred to as Resort casual, which usually means nice slacks and blouses or a dress, something that you would wear for dining at a nice resort.

 

Being attached to the culinary industry myself, I undertand about the jeans issue. If your friend sticks to slacks and blouses (polo shirts, that type of thing), pretty much anything except shorts, tee shirts or jeans, she'll be fine. You don't have to go pish posh on the causal nights.

 

Charlie

[teripp]

Sun dresses, capris, pantsand a sweater (I freeze just put and a sweater to any clothing I listed) :)

[Sailfish]

I too regularly cruise other lines - I am not particularly loyal to one or the other, so here are my observations when it comes to Princess.

 

When it comes to Princess, a lot depends on your itinerary, the time of year you will be cruising, and the length of your voyage. During the summer months and over holiday periods in the Caribbean on 7 night cruises, you'll see more families with kids, who tend to be a tad more casual. Meaning, you'll see women wearing nice capris and sun dresses to dinner on non-formal nights. You won't find many women in nice jeans and as a rule, you may see more sun dresses on women than say pants. Formal nights are formal nights - cocktail dresses mostly, but you see long gowns also.

 

But on some voyages where you see a more older crowd - longer cruises during non-peak periods - I've experienced a more conservative and more formal dress even on non-formal nights. You'll see men wearing jackets and ties to dinner as opposed to dockers and polo shirts on non-formal nights. You'll also notice that ladies tend to get more dressed up. You won't find many family groups therefore very few children. These are voyages that have a lot of days at sea usually.

 

From what I can tell, Carnival is a little more laid back. Princess and Royal Caribbean tend to be very similar. On Caribbean cruises, you'll see most women wearing nice sun dresses and capri pant outfits (as you do on Carnival) but maybe dressing just a little nicer. The guys still wear dockers and polo shirts.

 

I personally wouldn't invest in clothes you will never wear again - I live in sun dresses in the summer, so that what I usually wear. Like someone said, it does get cool in air conditioned rooms, so you may want to pack a little wrap - they go well with sun dresses.

 

Good luck!

[Chivalrygirl]

Casual dresses, skirts and pants will be fine. Sandals (not flip flops). No shorts in dining room.

 

What do you mean no flip flops? I wore smart flip flops on board a HAL ship recently and no one said a thing. You can get very smart flip flops that are really sparkly etc.

[Clutterlady]

Hopefully they mean those rubber flip-flops!

 

If not, then I have some leather ones that area a no...no:D

[Chivalrygirl]

Hopefully they mean those rubber flip-flops!

 

If not, then I have some leather ones that area a no...no:D

 

Not to worry I operate on the premise that "Rules are made to be Broken" :D

[Colo Cruiser]

 

Here we go again.:rolleyes: Let me pull up a chair. :D

[Sailfish]

It appears this thread is going along just fine, but I have noticed that there are people on these message boards who have a tendency to recommend their way of dressing. Nothing wrong with that, but just take what people say with a grain of salt. People's idea of what is okay and what is not is a regional thing - and a lot depends on their age. There are people who will tell you to dress up because that's what they like to do. They interpret the cruise lines guidelines the way they deem appropriate. You already know about the no shorts policy, but depending on where you reside and how old you happen to be, certain clothing like jeans can be taboo to some, while not to others.

 

I am from Northern California, where people tend to dress down, instead of up. Like in Vegas, you will see many well dressed people in expensive jeans in pricey restaurants. Our definition of resort casual may be different from people who reside elsewhere.

 

I find Cruise Critic to be among the best websites to do research and get advice about cruising. I come here regularly myself, as I am by no means an expert. Enjoy your cruise!

 

Suzi

[Katie333]

Resort casual seems to be the order of the day. On most Princess cruises I have been on, they even have an island night in which the men wear bright hawaiian shirts and the ladies wear vivid very casual dresses.

 

This is just for myself and my husband, but when we hit the dining room on non formal nights he usually wears a short sleeved collared shirt with cotton or dress pants, and nice shoes, while I wear sandals (non-beachy) and a casual skirt & blouse. Women often have more liberty in these things because we have more options. For example, a cotton top with a v-neck and some nice jewelry often looks as appropriate as a blouse. It's also generational as others have mentionned. And finally, I hate to mention the j-word but while I have not worn jeans for dinner in the dining room ever, I have seen people let in with them without a problem.

 

Also, if your friend is fearful of dressing up to any degree there are also the always casual options of the buffet and outdoor grill.

[nittany89]

I just came home from our 7 night northbound on the Island Princess. Here is what we found about the dress code. My husband and I decided to leave the formal wear at home and skip those nights. We were to be gone 2 weeks, and had limited space. On the non-formal nights, I saw very little jeans (mostly the first night). Most men wore polo shirts and khakis. Women wore either capris or pants. Nothing too fancy. On the first formal night, we opted for balcony dining, and dressed nice but definetely not formal, since we were eating in our room (fabulous!) After dinner we walked through the main areas and saw a variety of dress. There were some in definete formal wear (tuxes, gowns), but the majority of the women had the same type attire they wore the non-formal nights or maybe a casual dress and the men put on a jacket. Some men did not have jackets either. The 2nd formal night, we made a last minute decision to go to the dining room. After seeing how everyone was dressed the 1st formal night, we saw nothing wrong with dressing casual. I was a little uncomfortable at first, but once seated saw a lot of other people dressed as we were. I also saw a woman wearing the same non-formal dress I had on! After the first bite of lobster, I forgot about what clothes we were wearing!

Bottom line - yes, there is a suggested dress code. But, you will see people in very casual to very dressy, so whatever you are comfortable is fine.

[tonimari99]

Thank you so much to everyone for all of your helpful advice. We have decided to pack what we wear when we go out for nice evenings. Neither one of us are ultra casual when we go out. I still will be using my dresses, and my friend can borrow some if need be. She has purchased her dresses for the formal nights, and a few sundresses also. Thanks again!!

Toni:)

[guardia]

You're confused about wardrobe? Wait until you hit the stairs that go nowhere :D

[VioletNYC]

Hey Toni,

I just got back from the Crown princess and I am from NYC and around your friends age, so I totally understand the designer jean deal and designer clothes for that matter!! Definitely wear dresses to dinner. But, if you go out at night ex: Skywalkers, u can def wear jeans or cropped pants, short skirt, sexy top..etc..whatever...it's def a club dress code and I'm sure you being from Vegas totally know that dress code! lol

Thank God I had some xtra clothes with me or I would have been the girl I make fun of at a club for wearing a dress!! lolol.

Have fun!!! You will have a blast!

[we2cruze]

I too regularly cruise other lines - I am not particularly loyal to one or the other, so here are my observations when it comes to Princess.

 

When it comes to Princess, a lot depends on your itinerary, the time of year you will be cruising, and the length of your voyage. During the summer months and over holiday periods in the Caribbean on 7 night cruises, you'll see more families with kids, who tend to be a tad more casual. Meaning, you'll see women wearing nice capris and sun dresses to dinner on non-formal nights. You won't find many women in nice jeans and as a rule, you may see more sun dresses on women than say pants. Formal nights are formal nights - cocktail dresses mostly, but you see long gowns also.

 

But on some voyages where you see a more older crowd - longer cruises during non-peak periods - I've experienced a more conservative and more formal dress even on non-formal nights. You'll see men wearing jackets and ties to dinner as opposed to dockers and polo shirts on non-formal nights. You'll also notice that ladies tend to get more dressed up. You won't find many family groups therefore very few children. These are voyages that have a lot of days at sea usually.

 

From what I can tell, Carnival is a little more laid back. Princess and Royal Caribbean tend to be very similar. On Caribbean cruises, you'll see most women wearing nice sun dresses and capri pant outfits (as you do on Carnival) but maybe dressing just a little nicer. The guys still wear dockers and polo shirts.

 

I personally wouldn't invest in clothes you will never wear again - I live in sun dresses in the summer, so that what I usually wear. Like someone said, it does get cool in air conditioned rooms, so you may want to pack a little wrap - they go well with sun dresses.

 

Good luck!

This is well said and true. While I have felt like the most dressed up person in the crowd on Carnival and RCL, the crowd tends to be a bit more dressed on Princess. There is always the exception, but generally speaking the Princess crowd is slightly more dressed on Formal and non-formal nights. I have worn sleeveless dresses on some Princess cruises and slacks and sweaters on others. They all fit in and were comfortable. Also, while it is true that the public rooms on cruises tend to be chilly, the Crown was usually quite comfortable. It is always a good idea to bring a wrap or sweater though. Sorry about the change in print, I hit a button accidentally and don't know how to undo it. I mean nothing by it.)

[stlwaterbaby]

I just got off the CB this weekend, and on nights not designated formal nights, I wore sun dresses and less formal dresses. I did wear dressy shoes with my dresses. There were few that wore flip flops, even the kind with the sequins.

 

I was really pleased that most everyone dressed for formal night. It is more fun when people partake in the fun. Otherwise, you can go up to the buffet, which is a good choice too. That is what most families and singles did when they were not in the mood to dress for dinner.

 

My husband went in a button down shirt sometimes with and sometimes without a sport coat on nights that were not formal. Some nights, usually after a long day at port, he wore a nice golf shirt and nice slacks.

[bdjam]

Bottom line - yes, there is a suggested dress code. But, you will see people in very casual to very dressy, so whatever you are comfortable is fine.

I think people should be careful about posting comments like this. There have been reports coming back of people being turned away from the dining room when not dressed appropriately and Princess has emphasized that appropriate dress is expected in the dining rooms. So it's not a matter of whatever one is comfortable in is fine...there is an expectation.

It's interesting to know that a bite of lobster will cure thoughts about inappropriate dress, however... :rolleyes:

[guardia]

I think people should be careful about posting comments like this. There have been reports coming back of people being turned away from the dining room when not dressed appropriately and Princess has emphasized that appropriate dress is expected in the dining rooms. So it's not a matter of whatever one is comfortable in is fine...there is an expectation.

 

It's interesting to know that a bite of lobster will cure thoughts about inappropriate dress, however... :rolleyes:

 

What Bdjam says is true. I have personally witnessed people being turned away from dining rooms on Princess. On Carnival and RCL the dress code did not seem to be enforced that much (more relaxed). I do think the ships take on an added beauty and elegance on formal nights - it's wonderful! Enjoy!

[Pam in CA]

I agree with most of the above posters: casual dress (such as a T-shirt dress), sun dress, slacks with a nice top, etc. will be fine on non-formal nights. White or black pants with nice bright tops or silky shirts go a long way and are easy to pack and mix and match. :)

[Sailfish]

Here is my question..I fully understand "formal nights". What I don't understand is what ladies wear typically on the other 7 nights.

 

The original poster's question (see above) had to do with non-formal nights, and there is no questions in my mind, that when it comes to non formal night evenings, Princess passengers tend to dress casual, but with a touch of class. In the Caribbean, you will see ladies wearing stylish linen capris paired with nice silk tops and sandals or sun dresses - the kinds of clothes where I live we refer to as country club casual. Guys wear Tommy Bahama style shirts or golf shirts with dockers/khakis. But keep in mind this is for my age group - the mid 30-late 40 married with children crowd (the majority these days on most voyages in the summer and during holiday periods) ! Younger singles in my area tend to wear more trendy clothes, especially to clubs, and when it comes to dining out locally, they are a tad more casual.

 

The best advice I can give you is to remember to dress a little more on the conservative side at dinner, and then change into your clubbing clothes afterwards. There will be a more trendy crown in the nightclubs late at night!

 

Good luck and enjoy your cruise!

 

Suzi

[peterv]

You will find the same manner of dress on Princess as you find on any of the other mass market cruise lines. There will be people wearing tuxes, suits, shirt & tie, shirt only, jeans, shorts, t-shirts etc. While they do state that shorts are not permitted in the dining room, they seem to be the only item not regularly seen there, but are still there.

 

Whilst there may be "reports" of people being turned away from the dining rooms, these tend to be from people who always push the dress up attire anyway, so take these with a grain of salt. On my last 7 Princess cruises in the last 2 years I have seen no one turned away from a dining room wearing whatever they had on, formal night included. This included a 17 day Panama Canal cruise.

 

Most people on the ship could not care less about what other people wear, it seems to be an affectation one experiences only on these forums.

 

Having recently returned from the Caribbean Princess, we saw all manner of dress on people in the dining rooms on ALL nights, and after dinner, well, anything goes.

 

My best advice is to dress in whatever manner you are comfortable in, be it rebel or conformist, modernist or traditional.

 

Cheers,

Peter

[guardia]

I have to disagree with you PeterV. I have personally seen people turned away from the dining rooms if not appropriately dressed (on the Star, Diamond and Grand). I guess we have to define what 'appropriate' is. It doesn't mean that you must have a tux or gown, but it does mean is you may not be accepted in the dining room on formal nights if you are wearing what you wore to the beach that day. Same thing in the Horizon Court - I have seen waiters tell people who enter the area in their bikini's to cover up. I do agree with you about people wanting to push the 'dress up' part of the cruise. On the Sun Princess on one of the formal nights, I heard a passenger in the Princess Theatre very loudly say, I did not pay all this money to sit beside somebody in flip flop and shorts..can we say stuck up? You bet. I think with Princess the underlying 'dress code' is elegant casual resort wear. :D

I have friends who refuse to dress up but love to cruise. They will only cruise NCL because of their relaxed dress code or, if on other cruises, they only use the buffet when the dress code is formal. To each their own.

Cheers.

[tonimari99]

I guess my main question was if a lady was to wear say a beautiful blouse and designer jeans with heels and accessories on one of the non formal nights would it be at all ok. Like many people have stated, it is a generational thing. Older people will dress differently than younger. I just wanted to know on Princess, how taboo it is. Obviously it does happen. I can see why some would frown at flip flops t-shirt and jeans, but I am not talking about jeans in that context. I understand how people feel about dress codes. I also understand that when you are on vacation, you are on vacation. Most people are trying to let work be at work and leave the dress codes behind. I don't personally think that anyone is trying to be rude by what they choose to wear. I know about the buffet options, but I was wondering about the dining room specifically, on the non formal nights. Thanks!!