Shorts in MDR??

[mythreesons5]

We are cruising to Bermuda on the NCL Star in August. I have read that pants are required for men in the MDR for dinner but then I saw that shorts are OK in the Aqua Dining room. Has anyone been on the Star recently and can confirm this? My sons would be very happy if they could wear nice shorts and shirts to dinner instead of pants in the MDR.

[sdmike]

Typically shorts are allowed at one of the MDR's during the evening, but not the other. It's usually the aft-most dining room that requires pants, but this can change. Make sure to check your dailies

[S.S.Oceanlover]

We are cruising to Bermuda on the NCL Star in August. I have read that pants are required for men in the MDR for dinner but then I saw that shorts are OK in the Aqua Dining room. Has anyone been on the Star recently and can confirm this? My sons would be very happy if they could wear nice shorts and shirts to dinner instead of pants in the MDR.

 

I asked the same question before and was told shorts are okay except in the one mdr and the French restaurant.

 

Bill

[david_sobe]

NCL changes their dress policy frequently. When I was on the Epic, we were told the new changes allows shorts to be worn in all restaurants including specialty restaurants line Cagneys and even Epic Club.

The only exception is Le Bistro on all ships and Manhattan Room on Epic. Manhattan Room is a MDR.

But I think you are safe everywhere else. NCL is more freestyle than ever. I think they realized people are on vacation and live in shorts esp on cruises in the carribean.

[che5904]

OK here is the official policy as of today.

 

"When it comes to what to wear, you can go resort casual or get decked-out and look your best - it’s your call. That’s the freedom of Freestyle Cruising. We even have special “Dress-Up or Not Night.” It’s the perfect opportunity to get your portrait taken with your family, that special someone or even with the ship’s Captain.

Dress cruise casual anytime during the day, in the buffet and in most specialty restaurants. For women, it includes summer and casual dresses, skirts, regular or capri pants, shorts, jeans and tops. Khakis, jeans, shorts and casual shirts are fine for men. Swimwear is acceptable at the buffet and outdoor restaurant, but a shirt or a cover-up and footwear are required. Cruise casual is also allowed day and night on embarkation day.

Wear smart casual if you are eating dinner in the aft main dining room (our more formal dining room) and in Le Bistro on cruises over longer than five days. For women, it includes slacks or jeans, dresses, skirts and tops. For men, it’s jeans or slacks with a collared shirt and closed-toed shoes. Traditional Bermuda shorts along with long socks, loafers and a blazer are all acceptable on a Bermuda cruise.

We want you to be comfortable, but tank tops for men, flip flops, baseball caps, visors and jeans that are overly faded, with holes or tears and worn below the hips are not permitted in main dining rooms or specialty restaurants. Kids 12 and under are welcome to wear nice shorts in all our restaurants"

[luddite]

By August, the crew will simply have given up and will not worry about nor try to enforce any code of conduct. Don't fret about about it.

[JMHAM1]

Hubby wore shorts when we went to Aqua for dinner. We did not try the other MDR as it has the exact same menu.

 

He did wear pants in LeBistro and Cagney's for dinner but he wore these leather sandals with everything and no one said anything about that.

[cmecompute]

Just returned from the GEM on Saturday, we ate in the most Aft "Grand Pacific" dining room every night. Pants were required for men for all nights except the first night. There is another Dining room with a slightly more casual dress code which allowed nice shorts. I did see and overhear people being refused service for non-compliance. Things were enforced on the GEM.

[khaide612]

On the Jewel we have had men in shorts & went to the appropriate MDR but there was a long wait and to alleviate it we were directed to the non-shorts MDR. We mentioned the shorts since it is on the other side of the ship & if we were turned away my father was not going to be happy but they let us right in. I think it was an excursion day & the non-shorts MDR was empty while the more casual dining venues were packed.

[raylene5]

They make it all so unnecessarily confusing! :) Carnival has pretty similar dress policies. On one of the port days on our Mexican Riviera cruise, my friend and I were way too exhausted to shower and dress up. We decided to do the buffet instead. We stopped by the MDR to talk to the Maitre'D about another issue, on our way to the buffet, and the Maitre'D told us not to worry about being in shorts, tank tops and flip-flops...that it was completely fine for us to come in. We never even asked her, she just offered!

 

I really don't think the wait staff or hostesses care about what people wear. I think the other diners often times get their panties in a bunch over the issue more than any of the crew members ever do. It sounds like the basic NCL policy is "wear what you want except at one of the MDRs and Le Bistro" :)

[sdmike]

Well, now the OP knows the policy at least. How it's enforced will be a crap shoot. :)

 

Either way, your teens will not go hungry. There just might be 1-2 places they can't eat in the evenings in shorts, and that's a big maybe. When we didn't feel like putting on pants, we generally also didn't feel like a sit down dinner and grazed at the buffet instead

[purrfect007]

I would think that on a cruise in the southern heat that men could wear dress shorts and be fine anywhere except for a specified dress up night. Formal night. Long pants on a cruise just seems UNcomfortable to me. What about light linen pants, the drawstring type, loose but they are long pants?

It would be AWFUL to be turned away for wearing inappropriate clothing. The no tank top flip flop ripped pants/shorts or bathing suits etc makes obvious sense. At least to me.

Oh well. I guess you have to ride with the flavor of the day

[fergusonvt]

We are cruising to Bermuda on the NCL Star in August. I have read that pants are required for men in the MDR for dinner but then I saw that shorts are OK in the Aqua Dining room. Has anyone been on the Star recently and can confirm this? My sons would be very happy if they could wear nice shorts and shirts to dinner instead of pants in the MDR.

 

On our cruise on 1/29 we ate in Aqua most nights and DH always wore shorts.

[fergusonvt]

I asked the same question before and was told shorts are okay except in the one mdr and the French restaurant.

 

Bill

 

That is exactly it. The larger of the MDR's and Le Bistro do not allow shorts. All other specialty restaurants and the smaller MDR (Aqua) do.

[luvcruzing]

I know that the OP was specifically asking about the Star, but I was on the Sky last week and on the back page of the Freestyle Daily under Freestyle Dining was this:

 

"Dress Code: Resort casual and shorts are allowed in all dining venues. Shoes and shirt must be worn."

 

If anyone recently returned from the Star and has a Freestyle Daily, maybe they could check and confirm that this same note appears there.

[che5904]

I know that the OP was specifically asking about the Star, but I was on the Sky last week and on the back page of the Freestyle Daily under Freestyle Dining was this:

 

"Dress Code: Resort casual and shorts are allowed in all dining venues. Shoes and shirt must be worn."

 

If anyone recently returned from the Star and has a Freestyle Daily, maybe they could check and confirm that this same note appears there.

 

Some sailings do seem to state that and it seems to change from week to week. So having even last weeks daily would do no good at this point. For packing purposes (which is when the OP and others are asking this) it is best to know the overall policy. The MDR in my opinion should never be an issue, they both serve the same food so if you wish to wear shorts, even if that sailing sticks to policy, just go to the other. But if you wish to go to Le Bistro on your cruise, best to pack the policy required clothing and then if the sailing you are on is completely casual or not enforced, you can choose then what to wear that night.

[mitsugirly]

On our Pearl cruise 2 months ago and also our Spirit cruise 8 months ago, we not only seen guys in shorts and sandals, but we also witnessed guys with tee-shirts on in the main dining room. It really doesn't seem like they enforce it too much, but then again, you read on here that some have been told to leave and change on certain cruises.

[jlat]

I was on the Sun in April and wore shorts in both MDRs. Nice camp shirt and nice cargo shorts. Neither MDR was close to full, nobody ever said a word. I actually forgot that pants were recommended in the MDR.

[mythreesons5]

Thanks so much to all who responded to my post. It sounds like my sons should be ok with nice cargo shorts and collared shirt in the less formal main dining room which was what I was hoping for. I enjoy putting on a nice sundress for dinner but they will be much happier in shorts instead of pants (although I will make sure they all have a pair of pants packed incase we decide to go to one of the premium dining rooms).

I know we could always go to the buffet for dinner but we all really look forward to sitting and relaxing in the MDR over a meal. Life is so hectic and reconnecting with each other over a meal is one of the highlights of the trip!