should RCCL offer a seperate formal dining room?

[Pringles]

I am personally not that fussed about dressing up but my wife always looks lovely and the photos of the family look good.

 

Packing black shoes and a dinner jacket etc for a couple of nights is a nuisance for me as my shoes are size 13 and my clothes extra tall.

 

If we catch a ship out of Southampton it is not so much of an issue but a fly cruise with an airline luggage allowance of 20kg it always seems a bad idea. I might well ditch the dressing up this summer due to this.

[nelblu]

I think a lot of current cruisers have cruised for less than 5 years and don't remember or never experienced the truly lavish food and service on cruises, not just Royal Caribbean, but pretty much all the cruises. The food and service were worth dressing up for. Now that the food is average, the service/presentation nothing special, and the dining rooms larger and more chaotic and noisy than ever before it just doesn't feel special enough to dress up. The varnish has worn off on formal night and I now recognize it for what it is; a photo opportunity.

 

I remember when Lobster night for formal night was NOT just a small tail. I remember flaming desserts. I remember sorbet between courses. I remember silver platters with side dishes served by the waitstaff. Some of the Gala Captains dinners you would be presented with a keepsake menu.

 

Believe me, I totally understood the intent and purpose of what you said; I can see how others would take it out of context but it came across clearly to me.

 

It will be interesting to see how The Grande on Quantum works out. I'd be willing to dress for the occasion to experience it...once.

 

I think the issue is not only dressing up, but you have to take into consideration the entire cruising experience. My first cruise was on a ship that was the original designed cruise ship(s) by the Home Lines. They were the Homeric and the Oceanic. The Oceanic was a grand ship with the first open/closed roof over the pool area. It departed on the west side piers in Manhattan. The cruise staff was comprised of mostly Italian. The menus would put some of the 5 star restaurants to shame. We enjoyed having the Maitre D cook some of the specialty dishes by your dining room table. The midnight buffets were out of this world.

 

However, with the good comes with the bad.

 

Entertainment, compared to today's standards, was mediocre at best. It was provided by the Cruise Director and his staff. There was room that had a band that you could dance to. There was a nightly movie in the Cinema--no TV's/internet in cabins. Gambling was comprised of bingo and horse racing by the pool with wooden horses. The horses names were nicknames based on ethnicity. You needed to reserve a pool chair and paid for it by the week. The Caribbean night was highlighted by a flambé carried on their heads by the waiters--Alas--because of insurance concerns this enjoyable tradition has gone by the way of the Dodo Dodo bird.

 

Compared to today's elegant cruise ships, these were like life boats. You did not have to walk far to reach the other end of the ship. A proper comparison is like today's Las Vegas resorts to resorts of 15 -20 years ago.

 

Reminiscing is a wonderful thing. Enjoy it while you can, because in the next 20-25 years we will be complaining how good things were 20 years ago.LOL

[Cruisegirl6]

Hello LMaxwell...I have to agree with everything you had mentioned.

 

JBond if you notice, I have taken off that particular comment in my original post you didn't notice that? Please re-read so you can get your statements straight. I also don't speak in riddles as you do, therefore, I am not going to figure out what you were trying to say its not worth my time.

 

Pringles I understand what your saying and your certainly not the only one who wants to limit what they pack not only to pay the extra airline fees for excess baggage weight, but its a hassle to lug around the luggage from place to place. Don't worry most do not dress formal any longer, wear what you want to wear its your vacation.

 

Nelblu oh my gosh Homeric Cruise Line was my very first ships I cruised on which was sooooo many years ago hehe. I was on the Atlantic, Homeric and the Doric I remember it so well out of NYC too. What wonderful memories:

 

1- 5 star dining in the MDR

2- Crepes Suzette offered for dessert plus whole lobster tails and porterhouse steaks

3- The finest service overall

4- When we board the ship they had immediate entertainment/live bands in the main lounge

5- Midnight buffets were definitely a "wow factor"

6- Real movie theaters

Great memories.....

 

I have to agree with you on the entertainment, back then we had more comedy shows and more live bands/music/orchestra's and more variety of both.

 

Yes the ships were so much smaller back then, but during its time they were large and modern.

 

I feel in the next few years, cruising will be totally different, perhaps no complimentary dining venue's but all extra cost ones, perhaps we will be paying for our shows and all entertainment, etc., your correct cruising in these days may be better than what it may be like in years to come. :rolleyes:

[nelblu]

Hello LMaxwell...I have to agree with everything you had mentioned.

 

JBond if you notice, I have taken off that particular comment in my original post you didn't notice that? Please re-read so you can get your statements straight. I also don't speak in riddles as you do, therefore, I am not going to figure out what you were trying to say its not worth my time.

 

Pringles I understand what your saying and your certainly not the only one who wants to limit what they pack not only to pay the extra airline fees for excess baggage weight, but its a hassle to lug around the luggage from place to place. Don't worry most do not dress formal any longer, wear what you want to wear its your vacation.

 

Nelblu oh my gosh Homeric Cruise Line was my very first ships I cruised on which was sooooo many years ago hehe. I was on the Atlantic, Homeric and the Doric I remember it so well out of NYC too. What wonderful memories:

 

1- 5 star dining in the MDR

2- Crepes Suzette offered for dessert plus whole lobster tails and porterhouse steaks

3- The finest service overall

4- When we board the ship they had immediate entertainment/live bands in the main lounge

5- Midnight buffets were definitely a "wow factor"

6- Real movie theaters

Great memories.....

 

I have to agree with you on the entertainment, back then we had more comedy shows and more live bands/music/orchestra's and more variety of both.

 

Yes the ships were so much smaller back then, but during its time they were large and modern.

 

I feel in the next few years, cruising will be totally different, perhaps no complimentary dining venue's but all extra cost ones, perhaps we will be paying for our shows and all entertainment, etc., your correct cruising in these days may be better than what it may be like in years to come. :rolleyes:

 

I cruised her (Oceanic) when she was Disney's big red boat. Help me out if you can on one of the comedic skit. It usually was planned for the last evening and it comprised of the CD and staff and there was some impersonation of certain jobs in which some of the staff movements were a bit risqué for that time. However it was hilarious.

 

Ps. Some 10 years ago we were on a Medit. cruise and noticed this ship in Villefrance harbor and I commented to my wife that I thought the silhouette of that ship was the "Oceanic". Sure enough as the tender got closer, it was her. Memories. I was saddened that she was scrapped a few years ago after plying under the Pelmutter brand.

Edited April 26, 2014 by nelblu
add'l data

[geocruiser]

I think the issue is not only dressing up, but you have to take into consideration the entire cruising experience. My first cruise was on a ship that was the original designed cruise ship(s) by the Home Lines. They were the Homeric and the Oceanic. The Oceanic was a grand ship with the first open/closed roof over the pool area. It departed on the west side piers in Manhattan. The cruise staff was comprised of mostly Italian. The menus would put some of the 5 star restaurants to shame. We enjoyed having the Maitre D cook some of the specialty dishes by your dining room table. The midnight buffets were out of this world.

 

However, with the good comes with the bad.

 

Entertainment, compared to today's standards, was mediocre at best. It was provided by the Cruise Director and his staff. There was room that had a band that you could dance to. There was a nightly movie in the Cinema--no TV's/internet in cabins. Gambling was comprised of bingo and horse racing by the pool with wooden horses. The horses names were nicknames based on ethnicity. You needed to reserve a pool chair and paid for it by the week. The Caribbean night was highlighted by a flambé carried on their heads by the waiters--Alas--because of insurance concerns this enjoyable tradition has gone by the way of the Dodo Dodo bird.

 

Compared to today's elegant cruise ships, these were like life boats. You did not have to walk far to reach the other end of the ship. A proper comparison is like today's Las Vegas resorts to resorts of 15 -20 years ago.

 

Reminiscing is a wonderful thing. Enjoy it while you can, because in the next 20-25 years we will be complaining how good things were 20 years ago.LOL

 

I love Home line's Oceanic. Do you remember the "mat" they gave you to lay on by the pool? The food was the best!

 

Edited April 26, 2014 by geocruiser

[Cruisegirl6]

What good memories, now I recall about the Oceanic being the Big Red Boat I forgot about that one.

 

Do you remember us throwing the streamers and confetti when the ship started to move? :D

[nelblu]

What good memories, now I recall about the Oceanic being the Big Red Boat I forgot about that one.

 

Do you remember us throwing the streamers and confetti when the ship started to move? :D

 

Yes indeed and you knew it was the beginning of your cruise. As you left the West Side piers, you traversed down the Hudson and the NYC skyline and the Twin Towers were breathtaking. On the way we passed the Verrazano Bridge and when you approached the Ambrose Lighthouse and the Pilot master got off, then you knew you were on your way.

 

Our first Oceanic cruise was on our first anniversary and it cost us $225 per for an inside cabin and it was quite large as compared to cabins on the Italian Line Leonardo Da Vinci which was a 4x4. It was on this cruise that we had to leave Nassau due to a storm approaching and the captain did not want to get stuck in Nassau. We left some 100+ passengers on Nassau because they did not heed the Captain' warning to stay in touch due to the storm. We arrived in NYC at about 9-10pm the night before and we were dancing under the Verrazano Bridge. It is something you don't forget. Could not believe the strong currents by the bridge as the ship kept rotating.

[Cruisegirl6]

So true....I remember.

 

I was also on the Leonardo De Vinci! :)

 

I don't recall the prices because at that time mom and dad paid for the cruises :D

[Life is Good Cruising]

A blast from the past, Oceanic was our first cruise, I do remember throwing the streamers and confetti when the ship started to move. And I very clearly remember getting so seasick on the way back from Bermuda.

 

Thanks for the memories.

[geocruiser]

What good memories, now I recall about the Oceanic being the Big Red Boat I forgot about that one.

 

Do you remember us throwing the streamers and confetti when the ship started to move? :D

 

I do remember throwing streamers and confetti. It was such a great cruise line.

[PLEIKU68]

I do remember throwing streamers and confetti. It was such a great cruise line.

 

Here is one for ya ..I remember sailing into Jamaica on the Sun Viking an the kids swimming out to the ship and the passengers would throw coins to them and the would go under and retrieve the coins. This worked well until they shouted throw paper money it floats. Remember hitting golf balls and shooting clay pigeons off he back of the ship. The good old day's. :):)

[Gopher1934]

I still like having the formal nights although they seem much less formal than our first cruise 22 years ago. One thing for sure the cruise lines like formal nights so they can take and sell lots of their photo's. which we no longer ever buy. I also like to see the transformation of the passengers around the ship from dress down during the day to a more upscale look in the evening. So if only a small few dress up it won't be the same. but I would still enjoy the cruise experience it would just be different.

[nelblu]

So true....I remember.

 

I was also on the Leonardo De Vinci! :)

 

I don't recall the prices because at that time mom and dad paid for the cruises :D

 

On the Leonardo, the cabin were so small that we had bunk beds. LOL

[Cruisegirl6]

Yes, and I believe a tiny little sink too.

Edited April 27, 2014 by lyndamr

[babyher]

I am stunned that this thread has continued and devolved into name-calling and hurt feelings all around.

 

PEOPLE, IT WAS INTENDED TO BE TONGUE-IN-CHEEK!!! The OP was obviously making an ill-spelled attempt to tweak noses by writing like a stereotypical high-class snob (British, from his phrasing).

 

Right now, he's sitting back somewhere, ROFL at people's utter failure to "get the joke."

 

This is a non-issue. Bottom line is that less than .000001% of anybody CARES what you wear to eat. If you feel defensive and hostile because you wear very casual clothes to dinner and think everyone is looking down at you, I suggest you either dress up a notch or go see a shrink because you've got self-esteem issues.

 

(OK, don't kill me. I'm joking! Another example of tweaking your nose. If I just got you all hot and bothered instead of smiling at my absurdity, you didn't get it. :D)

 

Take a deep breath and lighten up. Your blood pressure will thank you. :)

 

 

 

Maybe ...maybe not

 

There are alot of people (my former mother in law one of them and a few I have seen on these boards) who know exactly what they mean when they say something cruel or mean spirited and if it stings as planned they are happy.

 

But when people stand up and call them on it or back them against the wall and say ***? They play the big martyr and get all defensive. "Oh it was only a joke"...."I didn't mean it that way" and then they give along list of their attributes to prove they could never be that mean. Like the old "Some of my vest friends are...." defense years ago.

[Barb Nahoumi]

Perhaps you all should chill out a bit...although I will be taking my 30th cruise in Oct. on the 5 night Oasis Halloween cruise, we are done with formal attire...however, I think James's idea merits some attention...I don't do the formal nights because I wear a suit & tie everyday in a hot & humid climate, so wearing a suit on my vacation cruise would be to me, like a postman on his day off, he takes a walk...pretty dumb...I NEVER wear shorts nor jeans to the dining room- in fact, I wear Tommy Bahama shirts ( $$), and nice dockers to the dining room. This is my vacation, and I don't want even a hint of dressing for business, sweating like a dog through 3 layers of clothing is not my idea of a vacation...that being said, I think a small dining room for those who prefer to dress formal is a good idea..you probably won't need a big room, since most people prefer to dress casual, and there should be NO charge.. I wish I could wear a nice gown or dress like women can- eating in a suit or Tux is not fun ladies, you should try it...most formal nights we eat in one of the specialty venues anyway, much better food, ambiance, and romantic...just MHO...

 

Big Al

 

Al, I doubt you'd enjoy walking around with your feet pinched into high heeled shoes, like women do. OWWWCCHHH!!!!!!

 

It's a trade-off.

[Cruisegirl6]

LOL So true lol

[Cruisin' Again 86]

Wait until November, Quantum WILL have a separate dining room dedicated to those who wish to dress up for their dining.

[Captain Jake]

Why are folks so upset about people not dressing formal? Com'n folks you are talking Royal Caribbean . Its kinda like being upset that more high class folks aren't staying at the Motel 6

:cj

[LuvBNatC]

Maybe ...maybe not

 

There are alot of people (my former mother in law one of them and a few I have seen on these boards) who know exactly what they mean when they say something cruel or mean spirited and if it stings as planned they are happy.

 

But when people stand up and call them on it or back them against the wall and say ***? They play the big martyr and get all defensive. "Oh it was only a joke"...."I didn't mean it that way" and then they give along list of their attributes to prove they could never be that mean. Like the old "Some of my vest friends are...." defense years ago.

 

When someone says something that seems deliberately intended to provoke, I tend to assume they are trying to be funny (albeit clumsily) rather than malicious.

 

If you go around looking for snakes under every rock, I'm sure you'll find them sometimes.

 

Since we don't have the benefit of facial expression and body language here to help us determine motive, I give the benefit of the doubt. Maybe that's naive, but it sure helps me from feeling annoyed most of the time. :D

[Sitzmark]

When someone says something that seems deliberately intended to provoke, I tend to assume they are trying to be funny (albeit clumsily) rather than malicious.

 

If you go around looking for snakes under every rock, I'm sure you'll find them sometimes.

 

Since we don't have the benefit of facial expression and body language here to help us determine motive, I give the benefit of the doubt. Maybe that's naive, but it sure helps me from feeling annoyed most of the time. :D

 

Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.

[Lady Hudson]

I am wondering what the staff in the dining room thinks about all this? We found it interesting that on a recent formal night (in April) the four of us at the table all dressed for the night. One head waiter came up to our table and thanked us for dressing up.

[geocruiser]

Here is one for ya ..I remember sailing into Jamaica on the Sun Viking an the kids swimming out to the ship and the passengers would throw coins to them and the would go under and retrieve the coins. This worked well until they shouted throw paper money it floats. Remember hitting golf balls and shooting clay pigeons off he back of the ship. The good old day's. :):)

 

Yes I do remember hitting golf balls and shooting clay pigeons off he back of the ship. Can't picture doing that now!!

[A2Mich]

You know, I blame Royal and other mass market lines for a lot of this issue. They insist on having this atmosphere of elegance in what they try to portray in the MDR food and facility but have to fill these larger ships with the average joe to stay profitable. There will also always be a certian number of snobs that feel they are entitled to be treated like royalty who don't want to mix with the average person who do not have their "blue blood". Personally, give me a decent steak or some good seafood without all the foreign sounding names and I'm happy. I'm also well educated and was very successful in my career, now retired, but I'm sure I would be considered riff raff by Thurston and others because I like to dine in dockers and a polo shirt if I dress up at all on a vacation. If the wife wants to get more formal one night, I'll wear a suit but that doesn't change who I am. I do think Lori's idea of a separation in the MDR area is probably a good idea for those who think they are too good to dine with us commoners as long as the cruise lines are going to try and maintain this atmosphere. The only thing I would suggest is that for those "upper class folks" there be criteria by linage or other means as to who qualifies to be there. Hmmm..Thurston, you might not make it so be careful what you wish for.:rolleyes::D

 

With an attitude like yours............come sit at my table anytime! We'll all be comfy in Dockers and polo shirts!:D

[babyher]

You know, I blame Royal and other mass market lines for a lot of this issue. They insist on having this atmosphere of elegance in what they try to portray in the MDR food and facility but have to fill these larger ships with the average joe to stay profitable. There will also always be a certian number of snobs that feel they are entitled to be treated like royalty who don't want to mix with the average person who do not have their "blue blood". Personally, give me a decent steak or some good seafood without all the foreign sounding names and I'm happy. I'm also well educated and was very successful in my career, now retired, but I'm sure I would be considered riff raff by Thurston and others because I like to dine in dockers and a polo shirt if I dress up at all on a vacation. If the wife wants to get more formal one night, I'll wear a suit but that doesn't change who I am. I do think Lori's idea of a separation in the MDR area is probably a good idea for those who think they are too good to dine with us commoners as long as the cruise lines are going to try and maintain this atmosphere. The only thing I would suggest is that for those "upper class folks" there be criteria by linage or other means as to who qualifies to be there. Hmmm..Thurston, you might not make it so be careful what you wish for.:rolleyes::D

 

 

LIKE LIKE LIKE :)

 

Would also love to cruise with you

 

Another thing is all these status levels Diamond , Diamond Plus , Elite, Platinum, Zinc, Titanium ETC *LOL*

 

You give some people a different colored card to wave around, a little higher level, and a special room to have drinks in , and you might as well just play "Hail To The Chief" when they walk around the ship.