Question in regards to formal night

[jnmrlk]

On formal nights once dinner is done can you "dress down" to resort casual for the shows or further entertainment or is it formal attire for the entire evening - also can you wear shorts for the shows (and I mean a dressier style of shorts).

 

Thanks for any help

[cruisingalaska]

Formal Night on Princess is for the dining rooms, except the buffet

where you can enjoy dinner in casual clothes. There isn't any guard

in the lounges nor the theaters nor in the hallways nor in the atrium checking what

you wear on formal nights therefore you may dress as country club casual

in those areas.

[jnmrlk]

Thanks - we are seriously considering Princess for our family cruise next year and there will be a mixture of ages, styles and preferences - I had seen a list of the daytime activities that Princess has, along with some really nice pictures of the Carribbean Princess - the ship looks wonderful and I loved that there seemed plenty to do.

[regnig]

Unless there has been a recent change the Princess Patter will request that on Formal Nights that people remain in formally dress while in the public areas. Do people do so, not really, maybe only 50% or so. Will anyone stop you from wandering around in the public areas in less than formal attire - of course not and never are there "dress guards" at the doors to the theater or show lounge. Bottom line is you can and probably will do whatever you are comfortable with regardless of what the guidelines request.

[cruisingalaska]

Well there are some in the public areas who do not dress in formal clothes,

because they are on their way to the buffet for casual dining. I don't think Princess would ask someone wear formal wear on the way to the buffet in respect of the other passengers, nor would they ask you to stay in your room during formal nights,

unless you had the noro virus.

[cmarshall9]

Since DH and I usually dine late, I have passed people dressed formally in the halls as I'm returning from either the gym or the swimming pool. No problem.

[Times Prince]

Unless there has been a recent change the Princess Patter will request that on Formal Nights that people remain in formally dress while in the public areas. Do people do so, not really, maybe only 50% or so. Will anyone stop you from wandering around in the public areas in less than formal attire - of course not and never are there "dress guards" at the doors to the theater or show lounge. Bottom line is you can and probably will do whatever you are comfortable with regardless of what the guidelines request.

Agreed - the formal night is a ship wide guideline.

 

You may go to the shows in whatever attire you want, but be aware you may get some odd looks from those who believe the code is ship wide. The tendency over the years has been for people to relax more after dining - especially going to some of the dance clubs. On deck, casual is the norm. In the casino - well there all they want is your money...

[FredS]

On our cruise from SA to Seattle this past April on formal night in the Princess Theater I was sitting in my tux and the couple in front of me were in shorts and t-shirts.

[jean s]

We do the buffet on formal nights and dress county club casual. We are not the only ones. Many people are around the ship in casual clothing.

[woodofpine]

On formal nights once dinner is done can you "dress down" to resort casual for the shows or further entertainment or is it formal attire for the entire evening - also can you wear shorts for the shows (and I mean a dressier style of shorts).

 

Thanks for any help

 

Dress standards on formal night are debated regularly and vigorously. Long term cruisers that enjoy traditional formal nights chaf at erosion of the tradition to accommodate a larger, broader, cruise passenger demographic. The cruiseline does not maintain a Dress Code Gestapo to enforce the 'rules' 'suggestions' or recommended dress for the evening (as much as many traditionalists wish they would ;)). But Princess does adhere to the tradition of formal night and publishes a standard that the line's long term clientele tend to adhere to and hope newcomers would adhere to. Shorts in the theater on formal night - according to the standards published by the line and adhered to by most - would be an example of seriously underdressing - some would use the term 'inappropriate'. At the Horizon Court eatery on the pool deck - fine, in transit - fine, but the dining rooms, the theater, the atrium lounges, etc. - its underdressed.

 

CAN you dress that way? Sure. Should you? It's an individual call - after all, it's your vacation. But there is a large area of the ship already set aside for casual, and the rooms where formal is expected is pretty easy to figure out. In asking the question, you suspected that the theaters were in that part of the ship (the formal area) and you were right.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[cruisingalaska]

In the 2008 Princess Cruise Answer Book on page 7

under On Board Etiquette guidelines right before smoking:

 

"When formal nights are held, please observe the dress code in

the Traditional Dining and Anytime Dining venues for the

enjoyment of all our guests."

 

It does not say ship wide: lounges, theaters, atrium, or other public areas.

There are those who prefer that you dress formally in

the lounges, theaters, and atrium on formal nights.

 

I don't have any of my Patters from previous formal nights,

but that's what's on-line at http://www.princess.com.

[Host Caroline]

There are numerous threads on this topic so I am closing this one before it degenerates into the great formal debate:eek: