No dress up

[pkflamingo]

We are definitely not dress up people. I hate dresses...don't wear heals...an my husband boycotted ties years ago. We are not foodies but enjoy decent food. Can we still get decent food on the ship?

[spookwife]

as long as you are willing to put on decent clothes( slacks and a collared shirt..) yes. for formal nights you can choose to dine in a specialty restaurant or opt for Room service or the buffet

[mspink98]

We took shorts and t-shirts only one time, opted out of main dining completely, and hit the Windjammer. It's like a different place at night, and we were perfectly well-fed.

[xxoocruiser]

We are definitely not dress up people. I hate dresses...don't wear heals...an my husband boycotted ties years ago. We are not foodies but enjoy decent food. Can we still get decent food on the ship?

 

RCCL does not have a mandatory dress code rather it's only "Suggested Guidelines" and states so on its website. http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqType=faq&faqSubjectId=334&faqSubjectName=Life+Onboard&faqId=255

 

You can still dine in the MDR even on formal nights regardless of what the CC fashion police will post. I no longer bring dresses or heals rather just a pair flats, black slacks & top .There will be men in tuxes and suits just as there will be men that will have on Dockers and collared polo shirt. Your waiters will tell you to come regardless of the fact that you do not dress up.

 

Go and enjoy!

[LMaxwell]

as long as you are willing to put on decent clothes( slacks and a collared shirt..) yes. for formal nights you can choose to dine in a specialty restaurant or opt for Room service or the buffet

 

I am absolutely sick of this Main Dining Room shaming on this website.

 

OP: As long as you meet the minimum requirements for the dining room (no shorts, no bathing attire, no flip flops for men) you will be granted entrance every evening. You paid for MDR food every night and you are entitled to go in to the main dining room. Don't listen to anyone tell you otherwise.

[CruiseDude_83]

I always say wear what you are comfortable in as it is your vacation. I have only seen people turned away form the main dining room if they were wearing shorts and/or flip flops. Other than that no one bats and eye...well other than the fashion police that will say it will ruin their lives if you don't wear a Prada dress and an Armani tux on formal nights!:eek:

 

Have fun its your vacation and you obviously you know what you like to wear. :D

[Tommyg74]

We are definitely not dress up people. I hate dresses...don't wear heals...an my husband boycotted ties years ago. We are not foodies but enjoy decent food. Can we still get decent food on the ship?

 

You can eat anywhere you want, you can even go into the MDR without a suit and fancy dress. Although people on this board will tell you that you are not welcome and that you will ruin their night, even though they can't give any real reason or justification. They like to play make believe they are still in the golden age of cruise ships. They will tell you that you are not welcome in the MDR on formal night just because you don't want to get dressed up. As you see they already stated that you can go to the windjammer or specialty restaurants. But you will see a good percentage of people not all dressed up going into the MDR on formal night.

[phoenix1181]

We don't do formal clothes anymore nut still dine in the MDR. DH wears a 3 button collared shirt & I wear black slacks & a nice top. We've never been refused entry.

[Cruzin-K]

You can eat anywhere you want, you can even go into the MDR without a suit and fancy dress. Although people on this board will tell you that you are not welcome and that you will ruin their night, even though they can't give any real reason or justification. They like to play make believe they are still in the golden age of cruise ships. They will tell you that you are not welcome in the MDR on formal night just because you don't want to get dressed up. As you see they already stated that you can go to the windjammer or specialty restaurants. But you will see a good percentage of people not all dressed up going into the MDR on formal night.

 

On my last few cruises, that percentage was about 2%. I'd say at least 60-70% were dressed formal, and most of the rest were at least dressed what I would call semi-formal. I saw only one or two who looked completely casual, with jeans/ball caps. Yes, there was one guy in jeans and a camo ball cap in the MDR on formal night. Personally, I thought he looked ridiculous even for a casual night, but I guess I was raised that ball caps were not appropriate attire for a nice restaurant.

 

I don't care if people don't want to be totally formal, but I do appreciate it if people try to not look like something the cat dragged in on formal night. A nice pair of slacks and collared shirt for a guy, and nice pants/sparkly top for a woman really shouldn't be THAT hard to pack :rolleyes:

[Lachase]

I don't love dressing up either, but on our recent cruise I found that most people dressed like they were going out to a nice restaurant in the dining room on all nights, whatever the theme of the evening was. I'm sure you wouldn't be turned away, but in tees and casual duds you may feel out of place. I think the food is better in the dining room than the Windjammer, so I'd pack a couple of dress up outfits and go enjoy being served the nice dinner. It's worth the extra effort even if it isn't our preferred casual style to do so.

[OCruisers]

Just get him to wear decent slacks and a long sleeve collared shirt and he'll be fine in the MDR or anyplace else of Formal Nights. :)

LuLu

~~~

[Roce48]

I am absolutely sick of this Main Dining Room shaming on this website.

 

OP: As long as you meet the minimum requirements for the dining room (no shorts, no bathing attire, no flip flops for men) you will be granted entrance every evening. You paid for MDR food every night and you are entitled to go in to the main dining room. Don't listen to anyone tell you otherwise.

 

Well said!

Bon Appetit!

Edited March 3, 2014 by Roce48

[cndljen]

I am absolutely sick of this Main Dining Room shaming on this website.

 

OP: As long as you meet the minimum requirements for the dining room (no shorts, no bathing attire, no flip flops for men) you will be granted entrance every evening. You paid for MDR food every night and you are entitled to go in to the main dining room. Don't listen to anyone tell you otherwise.

 

This makes me happy to read. I am my own person and prefer to dress in that manner! I don't mind wearing dress slacks and a dress shirt or maybe a nice dress but doubtful on the dress. I was not thrilled to think that I would have to get a formal gown. It's a vacation I want to relax and enjoy it and the food and atmosphere. And too bad if someone in the MDR doesn't like it. We were going to eat somewhere else on the formal nights. Not now I'll take slacks. Thanks for posting!! :)

[beerman2]

I only pack a couple of pairs of kahki's and maybe(3) buttoned down short sleeved shirts.

 

Casual and comfortable and have never felt out of place.

 

The only thing that gets me is men wearing ball caps in any restaurant. Old school I know.

[LMaxwell]

This makes me happy to read. I am my own person and prefer to dress in that manner! I don't mind wearing dress slacks and a dress shirt or maybe a nice dress but doubtful on the dress. I was not thrilled to think that I would have to get a formal gown. It's a vacation I want to relax and enjoy it and the food and atmosphere. And too bad if someone in the MDR doesn't like it. We were going to eat somewhere else on the formal nights. Not now I'll take slacks. Thanks for posting!! :)

 

I don't own a tuxedo, my wife doesn't own a gown. I'll bring my suit and decide on board if I am wearing it or not. I bring slacks, dress shirts, ties with me. I enjoy "looking smart" in a pair of dockers and a collared shirt and tie, but I only do it because that's MY personal comfort level. We enjoy the photo opportunity when dressed nicely but it doesn't make the meal taste any better and I'm not comfortable running around the ship after dinner for shows and entertainment in a suit. Some are. Some aren't. So find what your comfort level is and go with it.

 

A lot of people here will make you feel like if you aren't dressed to the 9's that you must be going for the total slob look on purpose to ruin their evening and it just isn't true. When I am invited to black tie formal events I rent a tux. A Caribbean vacation, no matter how you want to slice and dice it, is not a real black tie affair in my opinion; it's not in commemoration or celebration of anything, it is a theme night that you may or may not wish to participate in to the maximum.

 

Ya know, there was a day when a tuxedo without a top hat was unthinkable. Where are all the top hat wearers? Never saw one on a cruise vacation:D Go forth and enjoy. A little common sense will take you a long way.

[Sherlock43031]

enjoy your cruise.. you can wear just about anything into the MDR any night. shorts. wife beater, flip flops might get you refused. all these folks who b!tch about 'formal' aren't really formal in their black stretch pants, sparkle tops and conformable shoes.

[BecciBoo]

For once I agree with Maxwell totally:D

 

I've never understood all the angst for people's personal preferences in dress.

 

Even if someone came in a bathing suit, it wouldn't bother me in the slightest...I might think it amusing, but they will have to suffer the embarrassment of that, not me. I'm too busy having a good time and eating great food.:cool:

Edited March 3, 2014 by BecciBoo

[galavant3]

For once I agree with Maxwell totally:D

 

I've never understood all the angst for people's personal preferences in dress.

 

Even if someone came in a bathing suit, it wouldn't bother me in the slightest...I might think it amusing, but they will have to suffer the embarrassment of that, not me. I'm too busy having a good time and eating great food.:cool:

 

Exactly. All about personal preferences. I would feel extremely uncomfortable if someone was seated with us wearing a bathing suit. I guess you could say I would be embarrassed for them.

[Dolby1000]

And the weight restrictions are so fiercely enforced, we no longer haul dresses, shoes, suit coats and the like when cruising, it just isn't worth it. They add to much weight, especially the suit coat.

 

As others have said, just be neat and clean and you will have access to the MDR.

 

Last cruise, my DW didn't wear a dress and all I wore was a collard shirt and slacks and my normal shoes and we had no problem.

 

Like another said, the dress code is "suggested". Some like to dress up, some don't, and, like others said, whether they dress up or not has 0% impact on enjoying our cruise!

 

Dolby1000

[ryano]

I am absolutely sick of this Main Dining Room shaming on this website.

 

OP: As long as you meet the minimum requirements for the dining room (no shorts, no bathing attire, no flip flops for men) you will be granted entrance every evening. You paid for MDR food every night and you are entitled to go in to the main dining room. Don't listen to anyone tell you otherwise.

 

This ^^^^^^ X 1000

[ryano]

I don't own a tuxedo, my wife doesn't own a gown. I'll bring my suit and decide on board if I am wearing it or not. I bring slacks, dress shirts, ties with me. I enjoy "looking smart" in a pair of dockers and a collared shirt and tie, but I only do it because that's MY personal comfort level. We enjoy the photo opportunity when dressed nicely but it doesn't make the meal taste any better and I'm not comfortable running around the ship after dinner for shows and entertainment in a suit. Some are. Some aren't. So find what your comfort level is and go with it.

 

A lot of people here will make you feel like if you aren't dressed to the 9's that you must be going for the total slob look on purpose to ruin their evening and it just isn't true. When I am invited to black tie formal events I rent a tux. A Caribbean vacation, no matter how you want to slice and dice it, is not a real black tie affair in my opinion; it's not in commemoration or celebration of anything, it is a theme night that you may or may not wish to participate in to the maximum.

 

Ya know, there was a day when a tuxedo without a top hat was unthinkable. Where are all the top hat wearers? Never saw one on a cruise vacation:D Go forth and enjoy. A little common sense will take you a long way.

 

Agreed

[WetToes]

We are definitely not dress up people. I hate dresses...don't wear heals...an my husband boycotted ties years ago. We are not foodies but enjoy decent food. Can we still get decent food on the ship?

 

Yes you can. Enjoy your cruise.

[debbs0723]

I'll echo most of these sentiments as well. My 2nd cruise was my honeymoon with my husband and I was only 25. We didn't have tons of money either. I was so incredibly stressed out about this formal wear stuff and what to wear. Do not do that to yourselves.

 

I do love dresses but I'm talking cute sundresses that can be dressed up or down.

 

You need to follow the rules but not all the suggestions. Remember the dining room has a crazy amount of people in it. Unless you are a guy wearing a sleeveless shirt, you will actually find that nobody really notices you. There are just too many people. You should not feel like you cannot enjoy the MDR just because you don't want to dress up. They will not turn you away and it is not your job to dress uncomfortably to please others, regardless of your reason. My husband typically wears nicer jeans and polos on most nights. One formal night last year we wore cocktail attire and he did have a suit on. I had a cocktail dress on. I find the fully formal thing silly. I mean it looks like prom, but again just my opinion. On the second night I had hurt my foot that I previously had surgery on and he had gotten a spot on his suit the previous night. I did my best to dress up a nice black sundress and I wore sparkly flip flops. He wore khakis and a long sleeve button down shirt.

 

You walk into the dining room, you sit down and you eat then you leave. I never felt bad about it. I will say this and many other reasons is why I book a table for just myself and my family. I can't imagine being judged by others at dinner.

 

And these comments about the cruise lines not enforcing rules. I think the cruise line is very aware of what they are doing. It is a suggestion.

 

Debbie

[TC1957]

I don't love dressing up either, but on our recent cruise I found that most people dressed like they were going out to a nice restaurant in the dining room on all nights, whatever the theme of the evening was. I'm sure you wouldn't be turned away, but in tees and casual duds you may feel out of place. I think the food is better in the dining room than the Windjammer, so I'd pack a couple of dress up outfits and go enjoy being served the nice dinner. It's worth the extra effort even if it isn't our preferred casual style to do so.

 

This can be a VERY subjective guideline, depending on the area of the country a person lives. In Texas you can go into virtually any of the top restaurants in the state on any given night and 99% of the time you will see men in jeans and a starched shirt. You will also probably see sneakers on some people. On CC...if you say you are going to wear denim and sneakers to the MDR of "Formal Night" some of the hoity-toity posters will have a heart attack. :p

[TBone2K]

I don't understand why so many people are upset by other's opinions.

 

My advice has always been this... Yes, there will be many people dressed up. Some even in formal wear. If you are the kind of person who feels uncomfortable around people who are dressed up when you are not, there are other dining options.

 

On the other hand if you aren't concerned about what those around you are wearing, by all means enjoy your dinner in the MDR.