CruiseTobey

The DL dress code is line the MDR dress code. Shorts are fine during daytime...at night...put on your big boy pants!

Untrue. Ask the Concierge on the first day. He (or she) will tell you that shorts are fine even in the evening for Caribbean routes. That being said, I choose either not to use the CL on formal nights or wear a pair of jeans so as not to offend those in their "big boy pants". :rolleyes:

Is Ryano the Diamond Lounge concierge? Thanks.

Since we may have a different server from night to night, we (my wife and I) hand $5.00 - $10.00 a night to whoever provided the service. Funny, after the first couple of nights we seem to get the same server... ;)

The important thing is to give these folks something. After all, the drinks would have cost $8.00 to $10.00 each if you got them at a bar.

Then eat somewhere else. For years people who did not want to dress formally complained that there should be a dining room set aside for those who did want the formal experience. Now they have one and people still want to dumb down the experience for everyone else.

Wow. Harsh much? ;)

It is clear that you have a very strong opinion regarding who shall and who shall not dine in The Grande. Ultimately, it is up to RCI to make such a determination. Unfortunately, it is inevitable that the formal requirement in The Grande will gradually phase out, just as it has done in the MDR. When the concept of The Grande was announced, I postulated that unless the same food items were available at other locations, "non-formal" passengers would complain. All non-suite and/or high level C&A passengers should have equal access to food that is included in the fare, regardless of where it is served.

My personal opinion is that if you want what is served in The Grande then play by the rules. For me, comfort, convenience, and relaxation trumps formal wear, so I avoid "formal" locations - but that is my choice.

Short version: RCI will get enough grumbling that someday The Grande will be business casual - it's inevitable.

Money is the great equalizer. There is no "class" system on cruise ships, only perks available to those who spend more money. Anyone can get these perks - you just have to be willing to pay for a suite. To me, paying an extra $2K isn't worth the so-called "free" drinks and appetizers I am privy to in a Suite Lounge. But to each his own...

Hello again Annie.

Thanks for posting the reply about Stateroom 9288 - puts my mind at ease.

Can you recall how much you paid pp for the Calabaza lunch excursion in Barbados?

Thanks!

Annie,

It's a small world. My wife and I are booked for a B2B in 9288 in six weeks. Could you tell me if the odor from the bathroom was a big deal? How was the plumbing working for the rest of your vacation?

Thanks!

"Our favorite spot on the ship was the Blue Moon Bar on deck 14, with a view of the pool on Deck 11. It is also a good place to see the sunset on most evenings. The wait staff was courteous. It has live Latin band on most nights and we enjoy doing salsas and other Latin dances there. I think about half the passengers on our cruise are from Puerto Rico. This bar gets filled up when the Latin Band plays and there are plenty of good dancers on our cruise. This is the place where you find people enjoying themselves and having a great time."

Agree 100%. My wife and I enjoy going into Blue Moon after 10:00 PM to watch people dance to the Latin music. They really know how to have a good time... and it's infectious! :D

People who wear jeans, polo's etc are not the norm and so easily stand out.

I asked the Concierge if what I was currently wearing during cocktail hour in the CL (Dockers and a polo shirt) was acceptable garb for formal night. She said, and I quote, "Honey, you look fabulous." I guess she's not the "norm" either. :rolleyes:

Get over it. Most seasoned cruisers don't bother to pack tuxes and ball gowns for a mass-market cruise - been there, done that. So-called "smart-casual" is more than sufficient for RCI's MDR. That being said, dress as fancy as you like - that's the beauty of choice! Besides, RCI would appreciate the opportunity to sell some photos...

No matter what C&A level one is at, just enjoy whatever it is RCI decides to give. Everyone enjoys a free drink now and then, but is that really the reason we cruise? Enjoy the ship, food, and entertainment that is provided; everything else is just gravy.

I personally know of two occasions where a "non-diamond" individual was allowed in the Diamond Lounge. In both instances the person was staying in the same cabin as a D+. Not a rule, but it does happen. And guess what? The ship didn't sink.

I'm not advocating this issue either way. My feeling is who is or who is not "allowed" in the DL is at the sole discretion of the responsible Concierge.

I'm sure you would not have such a problem as I suspect your waiter would get the vibe real quick that you weren't interested in magic tricks. Funny thing is the youngest person seated at our table was 58, not a single Chuckie Cheese type person in the crowd, yet we all loved it.

I'm glad. I was merely pointing out the very existence of "magic tricks" as another example of the decline of the MDR. Why bother dressing up anymore for a carnival atmosphere (no pun intended)?

I'm a bit surprised at the number of folks who avoid the MDR. Our waiter on a just completed New England cruise was doing magic tricks for us...

Yet another reason to get dressed up to experience the "luxury and refinement" of RCI formal night. :rolleyes:

Just stash the mini bottles in the pockets of the cargo shorts you'll be wearing into the MDR. :eek:

Chances are the "new" deck area will be reserved for suite guests.

Rules change and and more lax on some ships! We were on a Transatlantic on the Oasis and shorts were not permitted in the Diamond Lounges! Men had to wear trousers and ladies crops, pants, or skirts! On the Liberty last month, shorts were allowed and we even saw pool cover-ups being worn at cocktail hour! It may depend on the cruise itinerary as well and they are more lax with Bermuda, Bahamas, and Caribbean cruises!

I always make it a point to ask the DL Concierge on the first night of the cruise if shorts are or are not acceptable during cocktail hour. On the Adventure last April the Concierge said that they are acceptable on Caribbean cruises. That being said, I still made sure to wear long pants if I visited the DL on formal nights.

if you are old enough to dress yourself, you are old enough to abide by the dress code suggestion. Pants can be had for under a buck at any Thrift store.

Apparently, that is also the age that one can commence passing judgment on others. :rolleyes:

I'll be glad when the pro-shorts crowd gets that silly rule changed about no men in shorts for dinner in the MDR.

 

After they get that changed, I'm going to start my campaign to get those other silly MDR rules changed so I can wear my tank top and baseball cap to dinner and be really comfortable while I kick back and have my after dinner cigar right there at the table.

BIG difference between wearing shorts in the MDR and lighting up a cigar, don't you think? Leave the superlatives at the door please.

Recently aboard Navigator I was told be a Head Waiter that RCI had recently issued instructions that shorts were OK at dinner in Main Dining Room except on Formal Nights.

This seems like a reasonable compromise. Preserve the formal ("fancy?") atmosphere for those who want to participate in formal night but allow others to use the MDR the other 5 nights.

Once this officially comes to pass, it is only a matter of time until shorts are allowed every evening.

MDR dress code is dead. Went to MDR on first formal night and looked at the tables around me and saw two tables with people wearing T-shirts, two tables with people wearing no jackets with polo shirts and a few gents with shorts. My first thought was to join in and dress comfortably the rest of my nine day cruise. Wore nice shorts and collared shirts rest of the nights, and on second formal night slacks and collared shirt. It was nice to be comfortable at dinner. Packing will be much different on next cruise. I love the change.

It was really only a matter of time before RCL started to accept the preference of their clientele. Corporations only stay in business (and make money) when they adapt to the requests of their customers.

Khaki shorts and polo shirts have been allowed at "fine dining" Walt Disney World restaurants for years - it's laughable how long it took RCL to fall in line with the rest of the world.

As a general rule of thumb, if you are sitting with others, at a table, that has table cloths and multiple place settings, and you have a team of servers, the rule would be to dress like an adult.

Maybe some feel that wearing shorts and a t-shirt makes it easier to clap and twirl your napkin over your head when prompted to do so... :D

I was just on the NOS, and yes prices were high (but I still dont think any higher than a bar or nice restaurant around here), did it curb some of my drinking? Absolutely, did I have a great vacation anyway? Absolutely!

A most reasonable view. I do exactly the same. But I don't cruise everyday, so if I want a drink I'll get it. What's 10 bucks when you've spend thousands for the cruise? Let's use a little common sense here people.

The funny thing about it is a lot of us who can afford $14 drinks choose not to because it's just outrageous. Speaking personally and professionally, I can tell you that generally people with money don't acquire wealth by blowing it.

 

Like I said, I can understand people from places with a very high cost of living be content with paying (IMO) outrageous prices for drinks, but I can't understand people defending a massive corporation tooth and nail for jacking up prices 40% overnight. It's really comical. Last time I went to a bar I didn't think to myself "I'd really rather them be charging $15 for this $10 gin and tonic!"

Based on the long list of past cruises posted in your signature, I would think you are at least at Diamond status by now. You get three free drinks per day during happy hour - why should you care how "outrageous" (your word, not mine) the drink prices are? :confused:

I think $5.50 for a beer is outrageous! I mean, that's the price of a 6-pack. I know about mark-ups, but this is way overpriced. I think $5.50 for a mixed drink is high, but better than $7.00!

 

You all must live in expensive cities, if you think those are fair prices!

I take it you have never been to a professional sporting event? Beers are normally in the $8 - $12 range. RCL is downright reasonable!

With regards to formal nights... It seemed to be a split of folks wearing sports coats/trousers/tie (including myself) and those wearing trousers and a polo/collared shirt. From my unofficial and unscientific calculations, about 10% were in full formal wear (tux etc).

That ratio seems about right. And yet the ship didn't sink... :rolleyes: