Dining in MDR on Formal Nights - A soultion?

[seamist]

I truly do not intend to tick anyone off, but to me, it seems that there are definitely two schools of thought when it comes to formal night and its attire. There are those who love to dress up, finding that it makes the cruise complete, and allows a couple to dress up a couple of times for an elegant evening out. There are also those folks, often times younger, who really do no find "dressing up" advantageous.

 

How would you feel about either having one dinner time (early for example) be for those who want to dress elegantly, and the late time dining to be for those who do not care to dress up? Or, what if guests who dressed up were seated on the main level of the dining room, and those who wanted to wear less fancy clothing were seated upstairs.

 

What kind of constructive comments do you have?

 

Man I agree with you 100% - have even said so in comment forms. Today's cruise ships have 3 or more main dining rooms for pete's sake. Surely they could designate at least ONE of the three as informal for those of us neanderthals who just refuse to spend anymore $$$$ on formal wear that only gets worn once.

[seamist]

I have no idea how it would work. It would create so much confusion trying to sort out 1500 plus pax twice that evening to the separate dining rooms. What about people who think they are dressed formally, but others might deem them casual? You may end up with 1300 ppl dressed formal and only 200 in casual clothing.

 

A better idea is to eat in another venue that evening if you don't care to dress up. The buffet, specialty restaurant or room service works fine.

 

Don't mean to be a fly in the ointment, but as another post suggested, all of this 'confusion' can easily be sorted out when you book your cruise by designating 'formal' along with 'traditional' or 'anytime'. How do you think they sorted out the confusion with the current dining choices?

 

Plus my 2 cents worth is that very few people on formal night truly dress formally....tuxedo and long gown. Anything other than a tux is not formal, its smart or business casual, and anything other than a long gown is semi-formal not formal. Now I've only been on four cruises, but still, of those 4 I would honestly estimate that only about 10% of the ship actually wears TRUE formal wear.......the other 90% is split between semi-formal, or just looking like they're going to church in the morning or a business meeting. The 4 times I truly wore formal ware (long beaded gowns and my DH a tux) we felt like fish out of water - ALL FOUR TIMES - completely overdressed and stared at. The cruise lines do not say its SEMI-FORMAL night or BUSINESS night they say FORMAL. So why don't the majority comply with it? Because they don't want to or can't afford to is my observation.

 

So.....this tells me that the vast majority of the pax on cruise ships would actually be happier if there wasn't a formal night. They slip by doing the bare minimum just so they can get into the dining room for that lobster is what's happening. With this fact in hand, perhaps its the 10% who really care about formal night who should be eating in another venue and leave the MDR's to the other 90% of the ship.

[cb at sea]

We like to dress up..AND eat late!

[STARFISH*4]

Or you could just cruise with NCL where resort casual is welcome every night in every dining establishment.:D

 

and i do!!! and LOVE that it is my choice...i do wear a dress pretty much every night...i have too many pretty 'cruise clothes' to leave at home, do participate in the "Dress Up or Not Nights" that they have but if i dont feel like it that night, i LOVE that i have the choice of not and eating in other dining venues besides the buffet.

[Cuizer2]

I truly do not intend to tick anyone off, but to me, it seems that there are definitely two schools of thought when it comes to formal night and its attire. There are those who love to dress up, finding that it makes the cruise complete, and allows a couple to dress up a couple of times for an elegant evening out. There are also those folks, often times younger, who really do no find "dressing up" advantageous.

 

How would you feel about either having one dinner time (early for example) be for those who want to dress elegantly, and the late time dining to be for those who do not care to dress up? Or, what if guests who dressed up were seated on the main level of the dining room, and those who wanted to wear less fancy clothing were seated upstairs.

 

What kind of constructive comments do you have?

 

You want to come up with a solution to the constant dress code issues? First start off with something a little easier (world peace comes to mind) and work your way up to dress codes on cruise ships.

[Happy ks]

I still think, even trying to designate booking in advance it would be a nightmare for the cruise lines logistically. Can you imagine how the numbers could change week to week?

 

Say they have 3 levels of dining, 500 people on each level. One week they have 700 people who want formal and 1200 casual? How do they split up those numbers? I think the idea would create chaos, especially if they decide to put casual on the lower floors, then people will be complaining about class division.

 

I think it would be a better idea to eliminate formal altogether and replace every night with what is oddly called country club casual. Which tome means clean yourself up, wear decent clothes and look presentable. The more casual options are already available.

 

NCL has the "Freestyle Cruising" but then you have to cruise NCL. We've done that twice and they are one of the 2 lines we don't care to cruise with again.

 

I realize many of you like the idea, it just seems so impractical to me. Just like trying to have smoking and non smoking cabins...just couldn't work in the real world.

[Sonicked]

I am yet to work out why people seem so determined to busy themselves with other people's dress on a cruise. Yes, formal nights are becoming increasingly less formal from certain parties. Is it ruining your night? Does it mean you can't have any less fun dressing up and looking your best? No.

 

I adored the formal nights on our cruises, but not once did I ever bat an eyelid about what anyone else was doing.

 

In short: don't let anyone else rain on your parade. It seems pointless to dwell on something that is ultimately out if your control.

[Happy ks]

I am yet to work out why people seem so determined to busy themselves with other people's dress on a cruise. Yes, formal nights are becoming increasingly less formal from certain parties. Is it ruining your night? Does it mean you can't have any less fun dressing up and looking your best? No.

 

I adored the formal nights on our cruises, but not once did I ever bat an eyelid about what anyone else was doing.

 

In short: don't let anyone else rain on your parade. It seems pointless to dwell on something that is ultimately out if your control.

 

I agree completely. While I see eye catching apparel (good and bad, male and female) other than a moments admiration or "what were they thinking" I don't really care what people are wearing. Even then, I would never snicker, talk about or look down my nose at anyone else, it's ultimately none of my business. I'm only seeeing a sampling of people onboard as well, only the ones who are entering the dining room the same time we are, or the ones passing by our table. If the table next to us is already seated, chances are I won't ever know what any of them are wearing, I pay attention to the people in our party.

 

After more than 20 cruises on 8 different lines, I think people just don't dress formal any longer. Even many of them who think they are formal just aren't. It's not a big concern and I don't think people need to be relegated to one room or another because of what they are wearing.

 

The only line I've ever been on that I've considered formal on formal night in the past 6 years or so was Cunard, QM2. Now on that line it was tuxedos for the men, evening gowns for the women.

[seamist]

I think the idea would create chaos, especially if they decide to put casual on the lower floors, then people will be complaining about class division.

 

True, but when casual is already being banned topside to the buffet on 'formal' night, class division has already been implemented. Part of the enjoyment of a cruise (which casual cruisers pay for as well as formal cruisers) is eating your meals in the MDR. Not everyone enjoys the buffet. There has to be a compromise. I don't know what it is, but there has to be one.

 

I think it would be a better idea to eliminate formal altogether and replace every night with what is oddly called country club casual. Which tome means clean yourself up, wear decent clothes and look presentable. The more casual options are already available.

 

Agree 100%.

[twinklen01]

simple solution....if you want to dress up then dress up, if not then dont. I for one don't like dressing up in fancy clothes. I wore nice blk pants and a nice top.

 

or

 

one dining room for elegant and the other for causal dress. Make your choice when you book for early or late seating.