My 2 cents on cruise attire

My family and I just got off the Adventure of The Seas July 13th sailing to the Bahamas. I wanted to add what I witnessed as far as attire in the MDR.

I'll start with the 2 formal nights. I saw very few men dressed in tuxedos. Most men wore suits but there were also plenty of men wearing dress slacks and button down shirts with and without ties. The majority of women I saw wore cocktail dresses. I think I may have seen one woman wearing a beautiful gown.

The other nights varied. I saw a lot of men wearing khaki or dress shorts and button down shirts and boat shoes including my husband. He was always allowed in the MDR. He wore suits on the formal night, slacks one night and dress shorts the other nights. Ladies wore capris, sundresses, jeans, etc.. The majority of people I witnessed were dressed like this. I only saw one teenager wear cutoff shorts in the MDR and she was not turned away.

There are also plenty of dining tables for 2 or 4 if someone is not comfortable with their table mates attire.

My take on attire is that it has become more casual and comfortable. I think the subject of attire is mostly criticized on these boards and as far as Royal is concerned almost anything goes. It could also depend on the destination of your cruise.

So feel free to dress however you feel comfortable, enjoy your cruise and ignore the posts saying you must wear certain attire.

Nicely articulated.

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Agreed! I go on vacation to relax, not meet other people's desires for what I should wear. We are always clean, neat and modestly covered- just not dressy!

I can say it even simpler.. If you are concerned about what others are wearing, you need more interesting company.

I go on RCI a lot, but I just got off the Carnival Vista. A lot of folks dressed up a lot but not tuxs. Did see many gowns tho.

Folks from Latino culture as well as the southern states do really like to dress up.

It was a fun cruise and lots of women with heels and fancy nails.

Then again on NCL it is expected to not dress up much. I think RCI cruisers are becoming more like NCL these days. And really most men hate tuxs and like being comfy in their clothes.

Also luggage fees makes one rethink how to pack as well.

It’s the luggage factor that gets me. My husband owns a tux and I have multiple formal gowns in my closet from attending charity events. I would love to wear them more but we travel with our two kids. Adding the extra room for a formal gown in a suitcase doesn’t appeal to me when I have to already pack so much for the kids.

I go on RCI a lot, but I just got off the Carnival Vista. A lot of folks dressed up a lot but not tuxs. Did see many gowns tho.

 

Folks from Latino culture as well as the southern states do really like to dress up.

 

It was a fun cruise and lots of women with heels and fancy nails.

 

Then again on NCL it is expected to not dress up much. I think RCI cruisers are becoming more like NCL these days. And really most men hate tuxs and like being comfy in their clothes.

 

Also luggage fees makes one rethink how to pack as well.

Luggage fees do play a role. If suits and tuxes are being brought they need to be packed in garment bags.

I was walking into the MDR one night with my family. My husband as well as a few other gentlemen were wearing dress shorts. One gentlemen turns to his wife and says "hey I thought you told me shorts were not allowed". He was rather annoyed. Everyone wants to be comfy but look good as well. This can put a damper on your vacation if you stress over your attire.

In the past cruising with RCCL, the dress code was enforced. Not anymore!

Luggage fees do play a role. If suits and tuxes are being brought they need to be packed in garment bags.

 

I was walking into the MDR one night with my family. My husband as well as a few other gentlemen were wearing dress shorts. One gentlemen turns to his wife and says "hey I thought you told me shorts were not allowed". He was rather annoyed. Everyone wants to be comfy but look good as well. This can put a damper on your vacation if you stress over your attire.

 

In the past cruising with RCCL, the dress code was enforced. Not anymore!

Last 3 years on Royal have still witnessed people turned away at Main Dining for wearing shorts and tank tops but only on Formal nites. Other nites not so...

as far as Royal is concerned almost anything goes. It could also depend on the destination of your cruise..

Yes and no,

Literally anything seemed acceptable in the MDR on our Oasis cruise and neither the staff or passengers seemed to care.

European cruises and particularly the UK are vert different and our Dubai one on a different level altogether with most evenings nearly completely formal.

It can’t be a heat and comfort issue completely as Dubai was considerably hotter than our Caribbean cruise on Oasis.

I just think people are different, Americans perhaps are more casual and nothing wrong with that at all.

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No easy answer to this one as we are all different,we have been on P&O's Britannia twice & you are pretty much expected to 'dress up' for the formal/black tie nights,people on their forums can get quite 'up tight' about people who don't(even down to wearing a tie anything other than black!),suits my Wife who loves that sort of thing,I hate it,we have a photo taken on our first cruise with me all dressed up,bowtie included,which my late Mother loved,'her baby looking so smart',for me I look at the picture & see one thing..UNCOMFORTABLE!

Like many I just want to be comfy,especially on holiday!

We used to bring gowns and kilts for the men but...travelling from the UK, the baggage allowance has dropped a lot, and the fees are sky high so now we just use the Windjammer or somewhere else.

But...I must add, what someone wears does not impact the enjoyment of my meal, it will still taste the same and look the same regardless of what people are wearing, for those that enjoy dressing up, that's great, but it's also great for those that don't want to....it's all about harmony and getting along with each other

Last 3 years on Royal have still witnessed people turned away at Main Dining for wearing shorts and tank tops but only on Formal nites. Other nites not so...

Hmm interesting because as most people were dressed on formal nights there were very few that weren’t and were still seated in the MDR. They were not in shorts but in jeans and shoes. I guess it depends on the crew.

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So feel free to dress however you feel comfortable

Why won’t RCI just say this? All of the guest angst over attire is because RCI’s policies are unclear and then inconsistently enforced (if at all).

The title says my 2 cents, so I will just add mine.

1. I want to be comfortable. Why aren't you comfortable wearing jeans and sneakers, with a polo shirt? Unless you buy jeans that are not the right size, you should be comfortable at dinner. Jeans, Khaki's are all comfortable if bought at the right size. Shorts are no more comfortable than good fitting clothes.

2. It's too hot. Well, that is also just an excuse because inside on the ship, in the air condition, it's not too hot. Many people already wear long pants all day in the southern heat. Wearing long pants never make me sweat, considering I'm wearing a light weight shirt where my body mass is.

3. Why should you care what others are wearing. First, it's not what they are wearing but mostly the lack of respect. If dinner is formal, at least wear something relatively nice. Shorts and jeans, are not considered dressy. Just put a little effort into it and make the evening special.

What we do, is give reasons, or make excuses. I can go on a two week vacation, and still manage to bring a shirt and tie, with shoes and make the luggage requirement. Air conditioned restaurants are not hot. The word that I want to be comfortable is just a code word for I'm not really wanted to change my clothes for dinner. That's why the discussion on what to wear, is just silly.

So yes, I would like to see "formal night" removed because the word formal is not followed. However, I would like to see a dress up night, and I would like to see that a certain dress code is followed, that is relaxed, but not strict. No shorts, t-shirts etc on dress up night, but khaki, and polo's are fine, or a shirt with a tie. No jacket expected. So a change is needed, but let's stop making up excuses.

When the MDR has three levels to it, why can't RCL designate one or two floors as either formal or casual on Formal nights? When you make your reservation for the cruise, they could ask your dining attire preference and seat you accordingly. I am one of those people who do not want to play dress-up. I do wear slacks and a button down shirt. At the same time, I do not want to be relegated to the Windjammer because some other folks want to dress up. There could be a compromise!

Why won’t RCI just say this? All of the guest angst over attire is because RCI’s policies are unclear and then inconsistently enforced (if at all).

And there's the problem - the "policy" is too vague and open to interpretation. Dress codes at restaurants or functions are normally unambiguous: black tie, white tie, lounge suits etc etc. Either have a clear dress code and stick to it, or don't have one at all.

The luggage fees are a concern, as is the fact that every time I check a bag the airlines destroy them. That means we try to travel with a carryon only. Meaning no room for lots of extra stuff.

Coming from the north, we start wearing shorts prior to 60 degrees. There is no way my family is gonna wear long pants in the Caribbean any time of day. Besides, for us dressing formal feels just plain silly and phony. Thats not who we are. As long as we are all clean and appropriately covered we feel free to enjoy our vacation.

Thanks OP for the detailed assessment.

We have dressed in a more relaxed fashion of the years. I am old school and liked dressing up but accept that times have changed. We went from tuxedo, to suit to a sport jacket in relatively few years.

We see a bit of everything, and that is OK, but I do wish that if RCCL wants certain standards such as no sport cap, no shorts at dinner, they should not only post it but enforce it. If shorts at dinner are OK, then why put a statement in the compass that they are not. I don't care either way - I just want some reliable and consistent info. I know RCCL is not known for consistency but it might be nice to take the dress rules (suggestions) from one ship and transfer them to another.

I really don't buy the luggage fees as a reason not to dress up. If I am on a 7 night or longer cruise I have to check one bag anyway. Packing a cocktail dress takes up no more space or weight than a pair of slacks and a shirt. Anyone who has a standard large bag has to check it anyway and surely has the space for a cocktail dress or a pair of men's dress slacks. One shouldn't need a second bag for clothing for just a week. I am not suggesting one needs to bring a full tuxedo/shoes etc., but a nice pair of slacks and even a sport jacket should fit in the suitcase. I get it that those who just use a carry on are limited.

Dress threads seem to pop up every week. I don't worry as I've never been turned away for dressing up too much! :)

M

And there's the problem - the "policy" is too vague and open to interpretation. Dress codes at restaurants or functions are normally unambiguous: black tie, white tie, lounge suits etc etc. Either have a clear dress code and stick to it, or don't have one at all.

Well said.

Wish I had seen this prior to my post.

M

When the MDR has three levels to it, why can't RCL designate one or two floors as either formal or casual on Formal nights? When you make your reservation for the cruise, they could ask your dining attire preference and seat you accordingly. I am one of those people who do not want to play dress-up. I do wear slacks and a button down shirt. At the same time, I do not want to be relegated to the Windjammer because some other folks want to dress up. There could be a compromise!

Won't work, there will be someone in the party that just cannot wear <whatever>.

The title says my 2 cents, so I will just add mine.

 

1. I want to be comfortable. Why aren't you comfortable wearing jeans and sneakers, with a polo shirt? Unless you buy jeans that are not the right size, you should be comfortable at dinner. Jeans, Khaki's are all comfortable if bought at the right size. Shorts are no more comfortable than good fitting clothes.

 

2. It's too hot. Well, that is also just an excuse because inside on the ship, in the air condition, it's not too hot. Many people already wear long pants all day in the southern heat. Wearing long pants never make me sweat, considering I'm wearing a light weight shirt where my body mass is.

 

3. Why should you care what others are wearing. First, it's not what they are wearing but mostly the lack of respect. If dinner is formal, at least wear something relatively nice. Shorts and jeans, are not considered dressy. Just put a little effort into it and make the evening special.

 

What we do, is give reasons, or make excuses. I can go on a two week vacation, and still manage to bring a shirt and tie, with shoes and make the luggage requirement. Air conditioned restaurants are not hot. The word that I want to be comfortable is just a code word for I'm not really wanted to change my clothes for dinner. That's why the discussion on what to wear, is just silly.

 

So yes, I would like to see "formal night" removed because the word formal is not followed. However, I would like to see a dress up night, and I would like to see that a certain dress code is followed, that is relaxed, but not strict. No shorts, t-shirts etc on dress up night, but khaki, and polo's are fine, or a shirt with a tie. No jacket expected. So a change is needed, but let's stop making up excuses.

1. No difference to you - some people are much more comfortable in shorts. I live in Iowa and work in an office (business casual) and have only wore long pants 4 times in the last year. The office is air conditioned in the summer, but I am still much more comfortable in shorts. You may not be, everybody is different.

2. Again - your opinion. What I think is hot and what you think is hot are 2 completely different things. People are different.

3. You seem to think that shorts equal gym shorts, or swim wear, when that is not necessarily true. At work, all week (and year) long, I wear khaki shorts and a polo shirt (no tshirts allowed). I wore this on our cruise, except for formal nights and did not feel out of place.

I, personally would not wear gym shorts or cut off shorts to dinner, but that is my choice. I do not care what others wear, it is none of my business. I do have a problem with people with bad hygiene (mainly smell) as that can cause issues with my dinner, but that can also go for those that wear too much fragrance as well, even if they are in formal wear.

I just don't get the whole attitude of people like you, worried about what everybody else around them is doing, and whether they adhere to your opinion of how they should dress. If the cruise line makes the distinction that you get to stand in judgement of others and kick them out if they do not meet your standards, then so be it, but in today's culture, that would probably mean a much smaller crowd going. As many do not want to dress up just to meet some old school rules about dressing up.

I do wish that RCI could make one of the 3 dining rooms (on ships with 3) that strictly adheres to the dress code for those that want that type of thing.

What I usually hate about the “fashion” posts is that they give the impression that everyone dresses down and I actually once brought less dressy items because of them! It had been a while between cruises and I felt a little underdressed. IMO, those shorts in the MDR posts often do more bad than good. I therefore appreciate the OP’s more realistic assessment because, to my eye, that is how the majority of people dress. Even on the Empress, people dressed well for Chops and Chef’s Table - and that’s a fully non-formal ship.

There will be someone who says the first pair are "dress shorts". Sorry, there is no such thing as dressy shorts, except in someone's mind.

As for the poster who said he wears shorts to his office job, well that is far from the norm. I'm a Federal employee who doesn't even work with the public at all and shorts are a no-no for us (I'm a woman but it applies to men too). Also, no faded, torn or baggy jeans. And jeans, usually only on a Friday if you have no meetings or the day before a holiday since those tend to be early dismissal days.

As you can tell, each poster who comes on with their "idea" of what should be worn is only giving their own personal opinion. Guidelines/rules have gone out the window in a lot of situations because so many people feel they are "special".

As others have mentioned, For my family it became the luggage issue.

We finally decided it wasn't worth the extra luggage or garment bag to bring suits & formal dresses & shoes.

We still will not wear jeans or shorts in main DR, but we have not dressed in full formal wear the past few cruises.