Nice shorts ok for boys in MDR?

[CVU]

Most people here are way too uptight. Let the boys wear the nice shorts. This is vacation right? This is not the Ritz Carlton is it? Packing shorts takes up less room than pants do and these days every pound counts if you're flying. Don't be concerned with what other people think. If they are concerned about your boys wearing a nice pair of shorts than they have other issues that need to be addressed (or they need to be on a Seabourne or Crystal cruise rather than an RCI or Carnival).

Ditto!!!!

[Debde]

Is it ok for my sons (7 & 10) to wear nice (khaki or plaid) shorts with a polo to dinner on casual nights?

Thanks!

 

The odds are strongly in your favor for a big fat YES!!!!:D

 

No one here can give you a simple yes or no answer. Royal does not follow what is in print and it seems times are changing to a much more casual atmosphere in the MDR. As others have stated, other then formal night I have seen nice shorts in the MDR a plenty!

[huckster]

My feelings on the main dining room is that even though it is free, it is still "fine" dining. Since most,if not all, of my meals on land come from a fast-food chain, delivery, or served at home on paper plates and plasticware, a cruise offers me my opportunity at "fine" dining. Thus I feel it should be treated as such. Would anyone go to a "fine" dining location on land without adhering to attire? Maybe so, but I wouldn't.

 

But, without hoping not to sound too two-faced, I feel that way only about the main dining room (and special spots like Chops), but not the rest of the cruise (casino, karoke, windjammer (buffet), etc). I figure on land I would wear shorts/hats/sweatpants to these places, then I should be able to do so on a cruise vacation.

 

I say let's try to keep the main dining room "fine", and free.

[PCalabrese]

I hate to disagree but the dining room on a RCI or Carnival cruise is not what would be considered "fine-dining". It is a bit more upscale than your local Chili's or Applebee's but quite a bit downscale from say a Flemings Steakhouse or Ocean Club type location. The specialty dining such as as Chops or Portofino could be considered along the lines of fine-dining as well but not the main dining room. That being said, T-shirts, flip-flops and bathing attire should not be worn to dinner in the main dining room.

[bradpole]

I hate to disagree but the dining room on a RCI or Carnival cruise is not what would be considered "fine-dining". It is a bit more upscale than your local Chili's or Applebee's but quite a bit downscale from say a Flemings Steakhouse or Ocean Club type location. The specialty dining such as as Chops or Portofino could be considered along the lines of fine-dining as well but not the main dining room. That being said, T-shirts, flip-flops and bathing attire should not be worn to dinner in the main dining room.

 

Couldn't agree more! There is nothing wrong with the food or service on Carnival, RCL, X, HAL, or any other non luxury cruise, in fact it can be often be very good. It almost becomes excellent because I don't have to cook it, but fine dining?... absolutely not!

[SConnolly]

On our last Explorer Cruise, the Compass didn't say that.

 

You have to look on the RCCL website or cruise contract and see what it says there. If it says no shorts, then I stand corrected, then no shorts.

 

If it doesn't say no shorts, then there is a conflict between the Compass and the website/contract, and the website/contract would prevail since people have no way of reading the Compass pre-cruise.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

 

http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/...4/IMG_0255.jpg

 

Zoom in, this is from our Host Faith's recent cruise and pretty much of every cruise compass I have.

 

To the OP, my earlier comments apply.

 

Enjoy the cruise.

[SConnolly]

http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa409/virtue374/IMG_0255.jpg

[roe2ship]

Is it ok for my sons (7 & 10) to wear nice (khaki or plaid) shorts with a polo to dinner on casual nights?

 

They have worn this on Princess and Carnival (I won't even comment on the things I saw Adults wearing on Carnival to dinner!) But we haven't been on RCL in years and not with kids.

 

We are flying in to port so I am trying to avoid packing a lot of extra clothes.

 

Thanks!

Shorts are not permitted in the dining room for dinner regardless of age. I always pack a couple of khaki long pants and change polo shirts each evening for my son who is the same age as yours (10) They really don't take that much more room.

[postmeome]

Is it ok for my sons (7 & 10) to wear nice (khaki or plaid) shorts with a polo to dinner on casual nights?

 

They have worn this on Princess and Carnival (I won't even comment on the things I saw Adults wearing on Carnival to dinner!) But we haven't been on RCL in years and not with kids.

 

We are flying in to port so I am trying to avoid packing a lot of extra clothes.

 

Thanks!

yes kids look smart in short pants,

we will be sailing on indy in june this year with our grandson who is 8,he will be wearing smart shorts for formal and casual nights take no notice of the fashion police never seen a kid turned away from mdr for looking smart:)

[cruise pup]

Couldn't agree more! There is nothing wrong with the food or service on Carnival, RCL, X, HAL, or any other non luxury cruise, in fact it can be often be very good. It almost becomes excellent because I don't have to cook it, but fine dining?... absolutely not!

 

How can that be considered fine dining when they don't even put toothpicks out on the tables?

[roe2ship]

yes kids look smart in short pants,

we will be sailing on indy in june this year with our grandson who is 8,he will be wearing smart shorts for formal and casual nights take no notice of the fashion police never seen a kid turned away from mdr for looking smart:)

Hmm...I think kids look "smarter" in long pants. Its an indication that the parents read what the cruise line ask to begin with and not blatantly ignored it.:rolleyes:

[Debde]

Hmm...I think kids look "smarter" in long pants. Its an indication that the parents read what the cruise line ask to begin with and not blatantly ignored it.:rolleyes:

 

I don't think anyone is blatantly ignoring what the cruise line asks. They are just doing what seems to be allowed. No different then bringing on your own soda and water. It states you can not but yet many do. ;)

[Phillies14]

On our last Explorer Cruise, the Compass didn't say that.

 

You have to look on the RCCL website or cruise contract and see what it says there. If it says no shorts, then I stand corrected, then no shorts.

 

If it doesn't say no shorts, then there is a conflict between the Compass and the website/contract, and the website/contract would prevail since people have no way of reading the Compass pre-cruise.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

Your wrong, each and every cruise compass fleetwide says no "SHORTS" or tank tops in the main dining room

[Phillies14]

The odds are strongly in your favor for a big fat YES!!!!:D

 

No one here can give you a simple yes or no answer. Royal does not follow what is in print and it seems times are changing to a much more casual atmosphere in the MDR. As others have stated, other then formal night I have seen nice shorts in the MDR a plenty!

But no shorts and tank tops are posted everyday in your cruise compass and just returned from a B2B on Allure and have never seen more people very dressed for formal night and every other night in the MDR. Saw one person in two weeks wearing jeans in the MDR. So IMHO your observation doesn't hold water regarding the MDR getting more casual.And never once in two weeks did I see anyone male or female wear shorts to the MDR....K.O near Philly:)

[Debde]

But no shorts and tank tops are posted everyday in your cruise compass and just returned from a B2B on Allure and have never seen more people very dressed for formal night and every other night in the MDR. Saw one person in two weeks wearing jeans in the MDR. So IMHO your observation doesn't hold water regarding the MDR getting more casual.And never once in two weeks did I see anyone male or female wear shorts to the MDR....K.O near Philly:)

 

And you make the point that CC is a place to post 'your' experience and we all know each cruise can vary.

One of the most common things in the MDR on my last cruise was men in jeans and button down shirts. Granted-I do not attend formal nights but even my wait staff told me to come and not to worry I had no formal clothes.

For some-CC is a place to post what they see fit and how others should act to what they want. Not what the rules state or not what seems to be occuring. If that be the case all would follow ALL the rules posted on the website and no more threads on bringing soda on, can my non-diamond friend join me in the lounge, no one would teach how to smuggle on alcohol, no one would say, just keep calling until you get the answer you want to hear and so on............

Many stray from the rules posted on the website and Royal allows you to. They are the problem because nothing is followed to the T fleetwide.

 

My argument may not have held any water on your cruise but it sure did on mine. ;)

[midwife1021]

Hmm...I think kids look "smarter" in long pants. Its an indication that the parents read what the cruise line ask to begin with and not blatantly ignored it.:rolleyes:

 

And I think parents look "smarter" not trying to be the fashion police for all the other parents onboard. Apparently you haven't read the cruise line statements on this because it is listed as a guideline and not a "dress code" or a rule. :rolleyes: http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqSubjectName=Vida+a+bordo&faqId=255&faqSubjectId=334&faqType=faq

[galavant3]

I don't know where people are getting the "no" answers from.

 

In the 21st century, if you read the RCCL dress codes, they clearly state that they are "suggestions". They only prohibit certain specific items, such as baseball caps, tank tops, bare feet, etc. Last time I looked, I don't remember shorts being listed on the "no" list.

 

 

This must vary by ship because in January, on the Oasis, shorts were not permitted in the dining room. Whether or not people were actually turned away or were allowed in with shorts on I cannot say.

 

I don't care or even notice what others wear but I do insist that my own sons wear long pants to dinner. I guess I just don't think it is asking too much. To each his own.

[nydoll1]

I cruised Oasis with my son when he was ten. Other than formal nights when he wore khakis and a short sleeve madras button down shirt, he wore nice shorts, same as you describe and a polo shirt in the MDR every night. Not only didnt anyone blink, he was in the majority, most little boys were wearing EXACTLY THE SAME THING! He looked very stylish, way better than a lot of the grown up men who were also WEARING SHORTS with a variety of tops. We are on Allure in two weeks and he is now 12 but certainly for casual nights he will be wearing nice shorts (plaid) with a solid polo shirt. On formal night he will have khakis, with a button down shirt and a sport coat. No tie, he hates them. I expect the other boys under 13 will be doing the same. We had a lot, and I mean a lot of shorts in the MDR on Oasis....

[roe2ship]

I don't think anyone is blatantly ignoring what the cruise line asks. They are just doing what seems to be allowed. No different then bringing on your own soda and water. It states you can not but yet many do. ;)

I don't see how that is not ignoring it. So far, my experiences have been that the majority of pax do dress to the specific evening code and those who are wearing shorts are in the minority.

[roe2ship]

And I think parents look "smarter" not trying to be the fashion police for all the other parents onboard. Apparently you haven't read the cruise line statements on this because it is listed as a guideline and not a "dress code" or a rule. :rolleyes: http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqSubjectName=Vida+a+bordo&faqId=255&faqSubjectId=334&faqType=faq

 

Fashion police?? Why....simply because I replied that Royal indicates that "no shorts are alllowed in the dining room"?? And yes I have read the guidelines and I don't see anything that suggest wearing shorts for a guideline.:rolleyes:

[midwife1021]

Fashion police?? Why....simply because I replied that Royal indicates that "no shorts are alllowed in the dining room"?? And yes I have read the guidelines and I don't see anything that suggest wearing shorts for a guideline.:rolleyes:

 

No, they don't suggest wearing shorts in the (say it with me, now) suggested guidelines. ;)

[CruisingMachine]

And I think parents look "smarter" not trying to be the fashion police for all the other parents onboard. Apparently you haven't read the cruise line statements on this because it is listed as a guideline and not a "dress code" or a rule. :rolleyes: http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqSubjectName=Vida+a+bordo&faqId=255&faqSubjectId=334&faqType=faq

 

Not quite. Formal attire is indeed the suggested guideline, but does that mean if you don't feel like formal, "anything else" goes? Of course not. Does it mean flip-flops and a bikini would be appropriate? Of course not. While there are "suggested guidelines" for what TO wear, there are also requirements for what NOT TO wear, and yes, it's also right on the RCCL website:

 

"Remember, shorts, T-shirts, and bathing suits are not considered appropriate attire in the dining rooms at dinner."

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/beforeyouboard/whatToKnow/whatToPack.do

 

Do some people ignore the rules on the website and posted in the Daily Compass every day? Sure. Some people just don't like to play by the rules. If you don't want to abide by the very basic requirements of the MDR, you have other options such as the WindJammer. Shorts ARE permitted there.

[johneeo]

..... the dining room staff does not enforce the dress code,

 

Therefore it would be fine for me to go naked.:rolleyes:

[johneeo]

Do some people ignore the rules on the website and posted in the Daily Compass every day? Sure. Some people just don't like to play by the rules. If you don't want to abide by the very basic requirements of the MDR, you have other options such as the WindJammer. Shorts ARE permitted there.

 

Some people are special and rules do not appy to them.:rolleyes:

[Debde]

And we're off.....................:p

Gotta love this topic!!!

Go to dinner, dress nice, don't bother anyone-you'll be fine!!!:D