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It's Not Freestyle Cruising If You Cannot Wear Shorts In The MDR

sonicbuffalo

By sonicbuffalo,
in Norwegian Cruise Line

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punkincc

punkincc

Posted
Posted
There IS a casual family-friendly MDR. And there IS a slightly less casual MDR as well. Both with identical menus (most of the time). This way there is a place for everyone's tastes. What's wrong with that?

 

Robin

 

Nothing wrong with that. I am happy with NCL's dress code just as it is, but honestly, if you are going to ban shorts anywhere at dinner, doesn't it make more sense to ban them in the for fee, presumably more upscale restaurants rather than the MDRs as Disney is now doing? Just seems totally backward to me to ban them in MDR, but allow them in Cagneys.

 

Wonder how the folks over on Disney are reacting to this change for their MDRs?:)

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Warm-Water Diver

Warm-Water Diver

Posted
Posted

I don't know what all the fuss is about either.

 

FACT, I am loyal to NCL and Love freestyle cruising for the laid back dress code and general laid back attitude toward reservations etc. (let's please not open up that "pre reservation" argument).

 

That said I've been on 9 NCL cruises and have worn nice shorts (not cargo or baggy shorts) and either a nice short sleeve shirt (no label) or polo type top with slip-on leather loafers in all dining rooms INCLUDING all MDRs, pay restaurants etc. and including LeBistro.

 

Not once was I asked questions or given any type of issue (or rolling eyes etc) by the hostess or restaurant staff. I guess it's all in how you present yourself. If you show up with tattered clothes, baseball hats, tank tops etc. you more or less are opening yourself up to criticism by the wait staff or fellow cruisers (quite possible).

 

My humble opinion based on 9 cruises (Dawn, Sun, Pearl, Epic, Star, Jewel, Spirit): If you're bent on wearing shorts which is completely acceptable and my personal dinner outfit, go buy yourself a nice new pair (with our without pleats) and don an equally nice top, whether it be a smart casual short sleeve (does not have to have collar) or a plain old T-Shirt (just make sure no writing on the shirt) and enjoy your cruise. No matter what the policy states, I can almost guarantee you won't get any grief on the NCL ships.

 

Oh and footwear footnote: As mentioned earlier slip-on loafers (leather or synthetic) and nice clean tennis shoes are also perfectly acceptable but no flip flops or open toed sandals.

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nyjustus2

nyjustus2

Posted
Posted

I've been on cruises where individuals dressed in clean, nice shorts look better than some dress in crumpled shirts and raggy pants. I personally like to look nice at dinner. What others do is their business. If you start nitpicking before you get on the ship, you should have done your research prior to booking. All ships have different "rules" about their dress codes. On our last CCL cruise some people were wearing slouchy pj pants to dinner. I was turned off, but it's wasn't my problem.

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uncleboo

uncleboo

Posted
Posted

hi

would you like to come to the dining room in the birthday suit?

 

come on it is vacation but there are rules.

 

would you prefer to sleep on the deck or in a lifeboat?

 

do you go the lifeboat drill

 

rent your own ship and do whatever floats your boat:rolleyes:

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Barb Nahoumi

Barb Nahoumi

Posted
Posted
If what others choose to wear to dinner on their vacation bothers you so much, you could always choose to sail on a cruise line with a stricter dress code and leave NCL to those who choose to follow NCL's dress code wearing shorts or jeans and enjoying their casual vacation without judging everyone else around them...whether they choose to dress up or not:rolleyes:.

 

RCI still "suggests," sports jackets and slacks for men on smart casual nights, with sundresses, skirts or dressy slacks and tops for women.

 

I always wondered what the difference is between resort casual and smart casual. Feel lucky that NCL doesn't have the suggested or required costumes of the evening which other lines still do.

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terrydtx Great Review Rare

terrydtx

Posted
Posted

:eek:

RCI still "suggests," sports jackets and slacks for men on smart casual nights, with sundresses, skirts or dressy slacks and tops for women.

 

I always wondered what the difference is between resort casual and smart casual. Feel lucky that NCL doesn't have the suggested or required costumes of the evening which other lines still do.

 

I think smart casual means you must have an IQ above 130 to eat that night in the MDR:eek:

 

I have been on 8 consecutive HAL cruises lugging an extra suit case of formal and semi formal clothes across oceans and to the Caribbean. Formal nights on vacations should be like wearing suits in the workplace, a dinosaur that has seen their time and gone away. On our last few HAL cruises I would go back to my cabin immediately after dinner and remove my coat and tie for something more comfortable like shorts for the rest of the evening. This is the major reason we are trying out our first freestyle NCL cruise this year. I may take one pair of Kaki pants for Cagney's or Le Bistro but it will be shorts (Nice Ones) at all other dinning rooms including both MDR's for me.:D

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kcwingwalker

kcwingwalker

Posted
Posted
It isn't FREESTYLE unless one is permitted to enter any venue while wearing your underpants on your head with a pencil up each nostril while singing the unexpurgated version of "The engineer's daughter".

 

I'll get my coat!

 

You are right! That's called Anytime Dining and you are encouraged to join in with the dancing waiters!

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SteveH2508

SteveH2508

Posted
Posted
It isn't FREESTYLE unless one is permitted to enter any venue while wearing your underpants on your head with a pencil up each nostril while singing the unexpurgated version of "The engineer's daughter".

 

I'll get my coat!

 

Beware of people carrying sharpened pieces of fruit.

 

BTW the secret password is 'Wibble'. (UK centric jokes) :D

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skiwee

skiwee

Posted
Posted

NCL is a little shaky with their rules too. Last cruise we went to the nice dining room the first night on the Epic. Usually they make an exception for dress on first night because some might not have gotten their luggage. Our room steward even told us it was the case that evening. As we proceeded to the nicer dining room the hostess took one look at me and said I wasn't dressed appropriately. I asked her the rule for first night and she said no. I was wearing dressy silk black capris, a cute sparkly blouse and low sandle/heals. My husband was in a nice polo and beige dress shorts and docker style shoes. I was turned away.

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uncleboo

uncleboo

Posted
Posted

hi i always thought and was told no dress code in effect as it is first nite and not everyone got the luggage

 

not getting luggage timely is beyond your control

 

on 1 dress up formal nite people were in mdr room in jeans.

 

i said that was not appropriate dress and they told me they would seat me where people were dressed formal.

 

they did not want to upset the inappropriately addressed passengers and tell them to go eat at another venue

 

cruise personal do not want to upset the inappropriate dressed people

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DMH15

DMH15

Posted
Posted
NCL is a little shaky with their rules too. Last cruise we went to the nice dining room the first night on the Epic. Usually they make an exception for dress on first night because some might not have gotten their luggage. Our room steward even told us it was the case that evening. As we proceeded to the nicer dining room the hostess took one look at me and said I wasn't dressed appropriately. I asked her the rule for first night and she said no. I was wearing dressy silk black capris, a cute sparkly blouse and low sandle/heals. My husband was in a nice polo and beige dress shorts and docker style shoes. I was turned away.

 

Did you get your luggage?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

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janvino

janvino

Posted
Posted
No way is it freestyle cruising if men can't wear a nice pair of shorts in the MDR. After our upcoming cruise we won't be sailing NCL again until they change/relax their policy. Do you have to wear a dress shirt too, or will a collared shirt do?

 

Oh, give me a break:rolleyes:. For real.:rolleyes:

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wvfrogg

wvfrogg

Posted
Posted

As my Momma always said: "There is a point beyond which comfort should not go." All one has to do is check out our discount stores to see a lot of people taking comfort way, way too far. (Or for that matter, check out our high schools - another topic).

 

That's what I try to remember when I am on NCL -- if I want to dress "down", then I go where dressing comfortably is just that - comfortable. If I am going to the more formal MDR, then I will choose to not wear shorts and flip flops. The last 2 cruises on NCL I never bothered to eat in the formal one, even though I usually wore slacks or a skirt anyway. There are lots of choices one can make!:D

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newmexicoNita

newmexicoNita

Posted
Posted
No way is it freestyle cruising if men can't wear a nice pair of shorts in the MDR. After our upcoming cruise we won't be sailing NCL again until they change/relax their policy. Do you have to wear a dress shirt too, or will a collared shirt do?

 

What lines have you sailed where you can wear shorts in the MDRS? I haven't been on any, even though I have seen men wearing them, it is not the policy. It isn't going to hurt anyone to bring one pair of docker type pants just to wear for an hour or so each night? No, you don't have to wear a dress shirt: I am sure you know that...Yes a collared or even nice t shirt will work. Most men wear either sport shirts or polo type. I find it a little strange anyone would base their opinion of a cruise, they haven't even taken or whether or not they can wear shorts in the dining room for dinner. You do know, don't you, they are acceptable for lunch and breakfast, it is just dinner were the line is drawn.

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newmexicoNita

newmexicoNita

Posted
Posted
Wrong! Carnival allows nice shorts in the MDR except the two semi formal nights. Every other night I and many others wore shorts. Been on 4 cruises

with Carnival so I know.

 

so, you are basing your sole experience about cruising on the policy of one line and you are overlooking what is being said to you here: You can wear shorts to dinner, just not in every restaurant. I will add, on NCL you don't have to worry about semi formal nights. you can wear your shorts every night. Does that make a difference?

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punkincc

punkincc

Posted
Posted
NCL is a little shaky with their rules too. Last cruise we went to the nice dining room the first night on the Epic. Usually they make an exception for dress on first night because some might not have gotten their luggage. Our room steward even told us it was the case that evening. As we proceeded to the nicer dining room the hostess took one look at me and said I wasn't dressed appropriately. I asked her the rule for first night and she said no. I was wearing dressy silk black capris, a cute sparkly blouse and low sandle/heals. My husband was in a nice polo and beige dress shorts and docker style shoes. I was turned away.

 

I'll bet you were more dressed up than many for the first night! I think it's most likely you were incorrectly turned away due to the shorts your DH had on, although they are allowed in the MDR on the first night by NCLs own policy. Guess I will start carrying a print out with me that I can whip out if the hostess is misinformed.

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punkincc

punkincc

Posted
Posted
hi i always thought and was told no dress code in effect as it is first nite and not everyone got the luggage

 

not getting luggage timely is beyond your control

 

on 1 dress up formal nite people were in mdr room in jeans.

 

i said that was not appropriate dress and they told me they would seat me where people were dressed formal.

 

they did not want to upset the inappropriately addressed passengers and tell them to go eat at another venue

 

cruise personal do not want to upset the inappropriate dressed people

 

Uncleboo, that is why they call it Dress Up or NOT Night. Nice jeans are allowed in every venue, including the MDR, even on dress up or not nights.

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