Daytime dress code, Caribbean

Hello everyone,

I've read several threads about the dress code for the evening and those are self explanatory.

My question is this - are (nice) t-shirts and shorts (even cargo shorts) appropriate for men to

wear during the day when going to one of the dining venues or lounges? I've always dressed

this way during the day on other cruises (Holland America, Princess, etc). While we would like to

treat ourselves to a luxury cruise such as Seabourn the idea of having to wear a polo shirt

during the daytime hours doesn't appeal to me. Appreciate comments, I simply want to

have a realistic idea of what is expected.

Hi melakwa1, don't worry nice t-shirts and shorts will be fine during the day. And please don't worry about needing designer labels or any thing like that. Normal clothes for normal people. Though as you rightly suspect, nothing you would garden or do housework in.......none of us want to be reminded of those chores while on holiday :D.

Lovely place Seattle. I have family who live there and we visited Seattle last year.

Julie

Hello everyone,

 

I've read several threads about the dress code for the evening and those are self explanatory.

My question is this - are (nice) t-shirts and shorts (even cargo shorts) appropriate for men to

wear during the day when going to one of the dining venues or lounges? I've always dressed

this way during the day on other cruises (Holland America, Princess, etc). While we would like to

treat ourselves to a luxury cruise such as Seabourn the idea of having to wear a polo shirt

during the daytime hours doesn't appeal to me. Appreciate comments, I simply want to

have a realistic idea of what is expected.

Please don’t take this amiss, as I think you should wear what makes you comfortable, but I must ask why you think that a polo shirt is any different to a t shirt in the dress stakes. Isn’t a polo shirt just another kind of t shirt?

Please don’t take this amiss, as I think you should wear what makes you comfortable, but I must ask why you think that a polo shirt is any different to a t shirt in the dress stakes. Isn’t a polo shirt just another kind of t shirt?

A polo shirt has a collar and buttons at the collar. For the most part, a polo shirt does not have some kind of logo, design or message emblazoned on it, the material is usually of a higher quality and the sleeves are better finished than on a t-shirt.

In other words, it is quite different to a t-shirt.

A polo shirt has a collar and buttons at the collar. For the most part, a polo shirt does not have some kind of logo, design or message emblazoned on it, the material is usually of a higher quality and the sleeves are better finished than on a t-shirt.

 

In other words, it is quite different to a t-shirt.

Thanks for that. I agree that there are physical differences between the two. I was talking about their use rather than their physical appearance.

I would have thought both were short sleeve, cotton, casual day wear, and are interchangeable in that you can wear either for the same purpose. The OP talks about never wearing polos during the day, as if they were some kind of formal item. To me the two are both as casual as each other. Polos have the extra benefit that they can give your neck some protection against the sun on a hot day. They also tend to look a bit more stylish.

A polo shirt has a collar and buttons at the collar. For the most part, a polo shirt does not have some kind of logo, design or message emblazoned on it, the material is usually of a higher quality and the sleeves are better finished than on a t-shirt.

 

In other words, it is quite different to a t-shirt.

So you don't think a polo player or an alligator are logos?

So you don't think a polo player or an alligator are logos?

Which is why I wrote "for the most part".

I don't see a t-shirt with a picture or writing on it as the same thing as a Polo shirt. Everyone is different, but my husband would only wear a polo type t-shirt on a cruise and would leave the collarless t-shirts at home for yard work or lounging around the house. In fact, he mostly wears regular button down the front woven cotton shirts during the day--just because he prefers them. I DID see some men wearing the casual sort of t-shirt on our last Seabourn cruise, but they were in the minority. I'm not trying to be snobby, but just remarking that most men on Seabourn do not wear these very casual t-shirts. I don't see the so-called polo shirt as dressy at all. My husband would only wear them during the day and would definitely wear a dressier shirt in the evening.

It depends on the t-shirt. If it's good quality fabric, fits well and isn't covered in tacky logos then I see no difference to a polo shirt. Unfortunately people sometimes pick their tatty gym tees which never look good. The man who turned up for a pre-dinner cocktail in his lime green replica soccer strip complete with the usual advertising logos, player name and number didn't go down too well.

T shirts are worn during the day on Seabourn. I see them in the gym and around the pool frequently. I also see gym shorts and yoga pants in the gym but not in the restaurants.

Yes, I agree with Covepointcruiser---t-shirts that have no collar and perhaps words/pictures are seen in the gym and around the pool when a man is wearing his swimsuit. I HAVE seen them on excursions at the ports, but as I said, they are in the minority--and not the usual attire for men on Seabourn cruises. I am just reporting, not making a judgment.

Edited to add, there are knit shirts (note I do not use the word t-shirt) out there for men that have no collar but are made from finer fabric (and perhaps have stripes or some such pattern) that are not in the same league with the printed pictorial t-shirts. I would not find them to be exactly like polo shirts (with collars/buttons) but they are a step above the very casual t-shirt.

It depends on the t-shirt. If it's good quality fabric, fits well and isn't covered in tacky logos then I see no difference to a polo shirt. Unfortunately people sometimes pick their tatty gym tees which never look good. The man who turned up for a pre-dinner cocktail in his lime green replica soccer strip complete with the usual advertising logos, player name and number didn't go down too well.

On our recent Sojourn cruise Singapore to Bali there were a number of men wearing washed out, grubby looking T-shirts, (that were way past their use-by date) to breakfast and lunch in the Colonade.

On our recent Sojourn cruise Singapore to Bali there were a number of men wearing washed out, grubby looking T-shirts, (that were way past their use-by date) to breakfast and lunch in the Colonade.

As I said in my original post....best not to wear something that you would use for yard or housework. I have seen the same "used by date" polo shirts during the day as well. So I don't think just because it is a polo shirt it makes any difference IMHO. My husband wears a polo shirt 95% of the time but occasionally in very hot weather he will wear a nice/smart "thin" weight V necked t-shirt. I have seen lots of men wearing striped, plain, or other patterned t-shirts that look fine.

I'm a follow the dress code type, and I think what melakwa1 suggested sounds fine for during the day. Again, just my opinion.

Julie

As I said in my original post....best not to wear something that you would use for yard or housework. I have seen the same "used by date" polo shirts during the day as well. So I don't think just because it is a polo shirt it makes any difference IMHO. My husband wears a polo shirt 95% of the time but occasionally in very hot weather he will wear a nice/smart "thin" weight V necked t-shirt. I have seen lots of men wearing striped, plain, or other patterned t-shirts that look fine.

 

I'm a follow the dress code type, and I think what melakwa1 suggested sounds fine for during the day. Again, just my opinion.

 

Julie

Toryhere, I've wondered about the same thing. Since when is a polo shirt dressy? All I can figure is that the OP dresses very casually for work and a polo shirt is a step up from that. I think many people may judge dressiness based on what they wear everyday--and this may have something to do with work environment or the area where you live. For example, we live most of the time in a large city (Dallas) where most people dress very nicely for their day to day activities. It is not uncommon for me to wear a dress to the grocery store. We live about a third of the time at our rural farm. The customary dress in the rural area and small town close to our farm is much different from the city. People dress much more casually and yes, a polo shirt would be considered dressy there.

Well said. I’m just intrigued by the idea that the OP would never wear a polo during the day, because it’s too dressy.

That's what makes it entertaining

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Toryhere, I've wondered about the same thing. Since when is a polo shirt dressy? All I can figure is that the OP dresses very casually for work and a polo shirt is a step up from that. I think many people may judge dressiness based on what they wear everyday--and this may have something to do with work environment or the area where you live. For example, we live most of the time in a large city (Dallas) where most people dress very nicely for their day to day activities. It is not uncommon for me to wear a dress to the grocery store. We live about a third of the time at our rural farm. The customary dress in the rural area and small town close to our farm is much different from the city. People dress much more casually and yes, a polo shirt would be considered dressy there.

In Sedona, being dressed up involves wearing clean jeans :D

I usually wear a polo during the day when on Seabourn. I have my 'cruise' polos and my 'home' polos; the 'cruise' ones only get worn on Seabourn. When they get a bit old then they get transferred to the 'home' pile.

Sometimes on sea days I will wear a t-shirt. But generally a classy one (if there is such a thing) with only the manufacturer's logo (e.g. Boss) if at all.

I regularly wear Guy Harvey t-shirts (the ones with fish on the back and a pocket in the front for my reading glasses!) during the day to all venues.

My husband always wears a polo shirt and tailored shorts during the day - much like he was off to the golf course! Polo shirts are lightweight, easy to wash and dry.

I was a bit taken aback to be sharing a hosted table in the MDR with a man who had on a polo shirt with a big picture on the front of it, plus the sort of trousers you can zip the bottom off if you are hot. I think he was trying to make a point, just not quite sure what that point was! :D

Thanks for the comments everyone. Frankly the reason I avoid polo shirts is that I don't like the way I look in them, being a bit overweight. While I don't generally dislike the more formal look, I prefer to be comfortable during the day and that means shorts/t-shirts. I understand there are many that go on lux cruises with the idea all around them will be dressed nicely. To me, a vacation should mean I don't have to adhere to others' standards... just enjoy myself. I do appreciate the feedback though. I may well just fly back to Anegada instead and hang out on the beach in my tshirt and shorts. ;)

As a younger male cruiser the black polo (good quality/ discrete logo) is the male version of the little black dress. Can be worn to lunch with dress shorts, great for travel with smart jeans and jacket, and at a push acceptable with chinos and jacket to dinner. Colour wise will work with both browns and black. A few of these and white cotton SS shirts allow me, with suitably matched other items, to go cruising only ever taking hand luggage. My only caveat? The polo should be in good nick, and the collar pressed.

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Good for a funeral also

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Whether you're in or out of the casket

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Good for a funeral also

 

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You are funny!

I agree that black is probably the last colour one would want to wear in the heat of the carribean, but each to his own!

Thanks for the comments everyone. Frankly the reason I avoid polo shirts is that I don't like the way I look in them, being a bit overweight. While I don't generally dislike the more formal look, I prefer to be comfortable during the day and that means shorts/t-shirts. I understand there are many that go on lux cruises with the idea all around them will be dressed nicely. To me, a vacation should mean I don't have to adhere to others' standards... just enjoy myself. I do appreciate the feedback though. I may well just fly back to Anegada instead and hang out on the beach in my tshirt and shorts. ;)

I wear nice T shirts ALL THE TIME during the day on Seabourn. Please do not let any of these posts deter you.