Newbie - Dress Code?

[wpgcycler]

Ma Bell and I usually disagree in these dress code threads (always politely) as I would prefer if the dress code explicitly permitted sport coats and blazers and she would prefer a return to more elegant and formal times. Her statement, however, that the vast majority of passengers on Celebrity comply with the dress code (at least by wearing at least a jacket) is still true in my experience.

 

Celebrity does routinely (but not always) hand out jackets to people who aren't wearing one on formal nights. They don't make you put it on, but they give it to you. In my experience, compliance with the dress code is still high, but dropping.

 

I have no experience whatsoever. I see far too many comments such as this one posted in the last week however to take seemingly authoritative statements such as the one by Ma Bell too literally:

 

" 1) On this ship they no longer enforce the dress code especially on Formal night. Very disappointed to men only wearing an opened collared shirt with pants and sandals on Formal nights."

 

I'm having trouble believing people would make these posts if they were isolated occurrences - but who knows?

[Charles4515]

I love dressing up. Love formal nights.

 

Well, until I started having to pay $25-35 per suitcase each way. It's a lot of space for two outfits and two pairs of shoes that will get worn once in a week. But I hate the buffet, so I make it happen.

 

Thankfully Southwest now flies out of my city and I can check my bags for free.

 

Rumor is not for long on Southwest. When AirTran merger totally complete the combination might have AirTran baggage policy and Southwest no assigned seats. Just a rumor though!

[dalgirl]

No shorts allowed in the main dining room on NCL, only in the other included dining room. They do allow resort casual of course. We prefer to dress nice, not up but will follow the traditional rules on X.

 

Sent from my GT-P3113 using Forums mobile app

[teecee60]

 

My experience with people that dress up for dinner and expect others to do the same is that they are trying to be something they are not. I don't need to dress up to impress anyone or be something I am not. I sold my factory and retired 10 years ago at the age of 30. Been enjoying life ever since. No need to impress anyone.

 

Well! THERE is your problem! :eek: :D ;)

 

You obviously need to spend more time and money reading, listening, and watching inane pop culture programming, and then PURCHASING the endorsed and properly sanctioned GOODS and PRODUCTS, so YOU, too, can be stylish, cultured, sophisticated, cool, hip, groovy, gnarly, radical, bitchin', fly or whatever else the omnipotent gods of pop culture DEMAND that you be! :cool:

 

Sorry, but I gottta get back to Entertainment Tonight and GQ to see what new clothes, piercings, and tatts I have to get THIS week so *I* can be "in with the in crowd"... ;)

Edited January 14, 2014 by teecee60

[Ma Bell]

I have no experience whatsoever. I see far too many comments such as this one posted in the last week however to take seemingly authoritative statements such as the one by Ma Bell too literally:

 

" 1) On this ship they no longer enforce the dress code especially on Formal night. Very disappointed to men only wearing an opened collared shirt with pants and sandals on Formal nights."

 

I'm having trouble believing people would make these posts if they were isolated occurrences - but who knows?

 

You may believe whatever you like but the reasonable thing would be to see for yourself as I do 3 or 4 times a year on Celebrity ships. There are people who dress casually on formal nights, it's just that most of them don't dine in the main dining room.

 

You can see just about anything occasionally, but as I said, the vast majority comply with the dress code. Personally, I don't care what you do once on board the ship but I think you should have the correct information before you get on the cruise and then you can decide how out of the norm you want to try to be. It's truly not going to affect anyone but you. People come here and tell you about the person they saw wearing something stupid but they don't bother to tell you that the reason they noticed is because they looked completely out of place.

[petersonwith3]

Me, my wife and our 4 teenage sons have cruised on.... Carnival, NCL, RCCL, HAL and Princess. Majority on Carnival. We are all platinum on Carnival. All together over 35 cruises.

 

Like I stated originally.... I try to to obey the rules. If I cruise on Celebrity I will adhere to the dress code in the MDR. But it will be at the very minimal of the dress code. Sorry if it ruins your time. My experience with people that dress up for dinner and expect others to do the same is that they are trying to be something they are not. I don't need to dress up to impress anyone or be something I am not. I sold my factory and retired 10 years ago at the age of 30. Been enjoying life ever since. No need to impress anyone.

 

Excellent response. I hope that you enjoy your celebrity cruise. I will be on my first one in March after a vast experience with other lines. We will be respectful and hope that others are as well. I can't wait to see if all of these formal wear bullies that exist on this site actually exist in real life on the boat!

[petersonwith3]

We cruise celebrity often my husband does not like to dress up. He wears casual pants and short sleeve button shirts most nights and formal night black slacks and long sleeve dress shirt, sometimes with a tie sometimes not. It's never been a problem. He blends in just fine. Skip the shorts and you will be fine there will be everything from tux to tshirts.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

Thank you so much for this post!!!

[petersonwith3]

Ma Bell and I usually disagree in these dress code threads (always politely) as I would prefer if the dress code explicitly permitted sport coats and blazers and she would prefer a return to more elegant and formal times. Her statement, however, that the vast majority of passengers on Celebrity comply with the dress code (at least by wearing at least a jacket) is still true in my experience.

 

Celebrity does routinely (but not always) hand out jackets to people who aren't wearing one on formal nights. They don't make you put it on, but they give it to you. In my experience, compliance with the dress code is still high, but dropping.

 

When celebrity hands out jackets to the poor men in violation of the rules, do they hand out a white dinner jacket or do they hand out a sport coat??

 

Just curious as that to me would define what Celebrity expects. I have heard that they hand out old sport coats but I would gladly like to hear from the celebrity experts.

[islandgirlejfan]

That is good advice. But to be honest my wife hates dressing up too. We are a perfect couple. Lol. But you are correct. If she wanted me to dress up I would. Like I said if we book Celebrity we will adhere to the rules. We really like to eat in the MDR.

 

Maybe I can get a camo tux like Duck Dynatsy. Lol.

 

rhinomike, hubby and I are much like you and your wife. I dress for work all week...we patronize small businesses around us that are casual when we do go out. We work hard for our money and like to relax on our cruises/vacations. Besides dressing for formal nights a few weeks ago, the last time we really dressed for dinner was a trip to Flemings Steakhouse two years ago and what a ridiculous experience that was....I was expecting this quiet dinner in this *classy* (given the prices!) for the two of us and what I found was a noisy restaurant with people who were throwing $500 around like they were $5's!! We had been to quieter stadium events! LOL, never again....we will head to our favorite Japanese, Mexican or Italian local places and not have to dress, savoring the peace.

 

We are now Celebrity fanatics that are past Norwegian cruisers. Really love the non smoking policies among other things. Take a suit and tie, your beloved wife can get away with a pair of palazzos and a shimmery blouse and you will be fine.:D We have seen a handful of tuxes on past three cruises on Celebrity for the Caribbean itinerary. I was so spun up about these threads before I went and what I found is not what is written here. Shorts aren't allowed in the dining room of course, but then I have to admit that I never saw them on Norwegian in the evening, but then I don't pay attention to what others are wearing too much. On a seven day cruise with Celebrity, there are two formal evenings. Speaking for our group, we change after dinner and head up to the Sunset Bar....wonderful end to a fantastic day! You will never know how you really feel until you give them a try. Happy Cruising!

[KaththeTaff]

You may believe whatever you like but the reasonable thing would be to see for yourself as I do 3 or 4 times a year on Celebrity ships. There are people who dress casually on formal nights, it's just that most of them don't dine in the main dining room.

 

Absolutley right. We sometimes don't want to dress up, so we have room service and visit the buffet, so we are probably amongst the not insignifcant numbe rof guests that you will see about the ship but not in the MDR!

 

You can see just about anything occasionally, but as I said, the vast majority comply with the dress code. Personally, I don't care what you do once on board the ship but I think you should have the correct information before you get on the cruise and then you can decide how out of the norm you want to try to be. It's truly not going to affect anyone but you. People come here and tell you about the person they saw wearing something stupid but they don't bother to tell you that the reason they noticed is because they looked completely out of place.

 

Yes, we would feel out of place in the MDR wearing a t-shirt, so we don't do it. Similarly we would feel out of place in a tux and cocktail dress in a fast food joint!

 

When at home we would not feel comfortable going out for dinner in a t-shirt and jeans, or shorts (but then we don't have the climate for shorts often anyway), so njo doubt where you are from and what is usually done there is going to have an impact on how you feel.

[KaththeTaff]

Excellent response. I hope that you enjoy your celebrity cruise. I will be on my first one in March after a vast experience with other lines. We will be respectful and hope that others are as well. I can't wait to see if all of these formal wear bullies that exist on this site actually exist in real life on the boat!

 

We've never encountered any formal wear bullies, but I suspect we may have met with some resistance if we didn't try and follow the dress code!

 

I think respectful is the point in these debates. We respect the MDR by not going in shorts, ripped jeans etc, and we expect to be respected too if we do fololow the code, but sometimes only to the minimum as rhinomike indicated. DH decides if he is going to take his dinner suit, sports coat or business suit in advance, as he doesn't want to take everything (too heavy). He bases his decision on how he feels, as well as how 'dress up' he feels the itinerary and other passengers might be.

 

But the arguments and discussions on here are not reflected on the ships in our experience.

[BKFlowerMound]

When celebrity hands out jackets to the poor men in violation of the rules, do they hand out a white dinner jacket or do they hand out a sport coat??

 

Just curious as that to me would define what Celebrity expects. I have heard that they hand out old sport coats but I would gladly like to hear from the celebrity experts.

 

My limited observation is that they are black dinner jackets.

[wallie5446]

I will be on my first one . I can't wait to see if all of these formal wear bullies that exist on this site actually exist in real life on the boat!

 

They don't :rolleyes: You will find the evening hours on Celebrity as you do on RCCL.

[Natalia&Nick]

Will I be ok wearing nice jeans along with a jacket, shirt and shoes on non-formal nights in the MDR?

 

I really just interested if the staff will allow me in, not so much about cruisers' personal opinions about if jeans are good or bad.

 

It's a rather British thing, you see ;)

 

Thank you.

 

Nick

[surebeatssailing]

We have been on several Celebrity cruises in Europe & Carribean. I can honestly say that there is a variety of "evening" wear . My husband wears a tux only because it is a convenience not to have to pack a sports coat or suit. He is a 52 long & believe me that takes a lot of packing space. We just rent the tux from a company & it is delivered to our cabin. I usually wear black "dressy" pants with a dressy top. And for a cruise with 3 formal nights I will wear the same outfit all 3 nights !

We have also "opted out" of formal nights & dined in the Oceanview Café & had a delightful time there as well.

We are on a cruise so all is GOOD!

[Ma Bell]

Will I be ok wearing nice jeans along with a jacket, shirt and shoes on non-formal nights in the MDR?

 

I really just interested if the staff will allow me in, not so much about cruisers' personal opinions about if jeans are good or bad.

 

It's a rather British thing, you see ;)

 

Thank you.

 

Nick

 

Yes, it's fine. It is within the dress code.

[gsb]

I can't wait to see if all of these formal wear bullies that exist on this site actually exist in real life on the boat!

 

I wouldn't say they are "bullies", more like formal wear "snobs". Some do dress to the nines on formal night, and some tend to turn their noses up to those who don't.

[Ma Bell]

Have you really seen any formal wear "bullies" and "snobs"? In all my years I have never seen one. The passengers don't write or enforce the dress code and the only reason anyone would ever use those words would be if they were feeling a little insecure with their choices. When someone knows they are doing something they have been asked not to they need to find someone else to blame to make themselves look better. They start imagining that people are looking at them. You know, kids do it all the time.;)

[rhinomike]

Will I be ok wearing nice jeans along with a jacket, shirt and shoes on non-formal nights in the MDR?

 

I really just interested if the staff will allow me in, not so much about cruisers' personal opinions about if jeans are good or bad.

 

 

This is probably words I should of used.... Well said. I just want to know what I have to wear to be allowed in. I am not worried about others personal opinions about my clothes.

[gsb]

Have you really seen any formal wear "bullies" and "snobs"? In all my years I have never seen one. The passengers don't write or enforce the dress code and the only reason anyone would ever use those words would be if they were feeling a little insecure with their choices. When someone knows they are doing something they have been asked not to they need to find someone else to blame to make themselves look better. They start imagining that people are looking at them. You know, kids do it all the time.;)

 

No, you don't have to be feeling insecure to notice a snob. And yes, I have seen many. And no, I am not insecure.

[K.T.B.]

Please put on a dress shirt and necktie for a few hours before making such statements. For those who aren't used to it, it's pretty awful; for those who do it every day, it's probably worse. Wearing a shirt and tie really stinks. If I want to eat in the MDR on formal night, I'll probably do it, but don't think it's no biggie just because it's not you doing it.

 

Jim

 

If the shirt fits you properly, you won't even notice it. Most men dislike it because their shirts are too tight around the neck!

 

The problem I have with ties as they tend to find their ways on to plate or into my bowl of soup... :o

[KKB]

(most lines being like Celebrity, Princess, Carnival, etc.)

 

Shorts are a rare occurance in the MDR on most lines; some they are not allowed.

 

Dress slacks & a polo will suffice for casual & formal nights on most lines; tho Celebrity MIGHT offer you a jacket on the way in on formal night (seems silly--DH always takes his jacket off to dine anyway) ...and possibly MIGHT even send you back to your room for a jacket or tie. (personally I think a dress shirt & tie is dressier than a polo with a sportscoat....but a tie is not listed as required formal attire on Celebrities site)

 

Few if anyone will comment on your chosen dining attire in person; tho many are often very comfortable making comments here. A lot of fuss over a jacket that will be worn into the dining room, taken off to eat, and possibly carried out....

 

Dress codes seem to be guidelines more than hard & fast rules most of the time....

 

I get it to some extent...I have a father that can get VERY passionate about things...will write letters to the editor & on blogs about this that & the other...things that seem frivolous to me...but important to him...

Edited January 14, 2014 by KKB

[2OldTravelers]

Not saying that they don't exist, but can anyone name a restaurant in the US (or world for that matter) that requires a tuxedo as their dress code? I don't even remember the last time I saw even a tie being a requirement. The most I have seen is a required is a jacket.

Edited January 14, 2014 by 2OldTravelers

[excitedofharpenden]

And yes, I have seen many.

Really? Considering the number of Celebrity cruises you've done I'd say you are very unlucky. I can't recall seeing any so called dress code "snobs" onboard a Celebrity ship. Then again perhaps I'm having too good a time in my tux to notice them;)

 

Phil

[gsb]

Really? Considering the number of Celebrity cruises you've done I'd say you are very unlucky. I can't recall seeing any so called dress code "snobs" onboard a Celebrity ship. Then again perhaps I'm having too good a time in my tux to notice them;)

 

Phil

 

The pot calling the kettle black!