Should dress codes disappear?

[sail7seas]

I saw a news report that women at Cannes Film Festival this week, dressed in their incredible gowns, were turned away from a venue because they were not wearing high heels. One woman has a back problem and cannot wear heels. Turned away. So even the hoity toities have their dress code rules.

[clickchick]

No/40s. It's about the only time I get to dress up!

[Paulette3028]

No/40s. It's about the only time I get to dress up!

 

You can do it anytime you want at home as well...no need to wait for a cruise!

[Tillylovesseabourn]

No 30's.

 

Absolutely love the dressing up part of a cruise, and hate,hate,hate that the dress codes are gradually being eroded on all lines. Now most of the small lux lines are turning to elegant casual etc, i find this very disappointing.

 

I believe there is a place for a small luxury line that has dress codes and strictly enforces them. There are plenty of casual lines, why not a formal one?

Edited May 23, 2015 by Tillylovesseabourn

[Keksie]

No 30's.

 

Absolutely love the dressing up part of a cruise, and hate,hate,hate that the dress codes are gradually being eroded on all lines. Now most of the small lux lines are turning to elegant casual etc, i find this very disappointing.

 

I believe there is a place for a small luxury line that has dress codes and strictly enforces them. There are plenty of casual lines, why not a formal one?

 

If there was enough demand for one it would happen. You can always dress up no matter what the dress code is.

[frantic36]

You can do it anytime you want at home as well...no need to wait for a cruise!

 

Unfortunately these days with more places/restaurants becoming casual it has become harder to dress up and not look over dressed.

[calypso73]

No. 40s. A relaxation of the dress codes so that dress shorts are ok on most nights (especially in places like the Caribbean) and formal night perhaps relaxed to cocktail dress standard (which it seems most people do already) but to do away with a dress code altogether could end up with some VERY unappetizing ensembles in the dining room. Whilst I respect your right to be comfortable, please also respect my right not to have to dine across from your hairy armpits and unmentionables peeking out from the too short shorts.

Edited May 24, 2015 by calypso73

[Gathina]

NO-40's -people don't have a sense of decorum anymore.

 

People seem to have no sense or pride anymore in how they carry themselves. Many people even look like they don't take a shower or even bother to comb their hair.

[Shorex]

I confess. I have not read all the previous posts. However, a dress code

provides a FLOOR, not a ceiling, for the standard of attire. Without a dress code, some people would be slobs. No other word for it. People who WANT to be slobs are somewhat reined in by a dress code.

 

Our dinner code on Windstar is casually elegant, or elegantly causal. Some such. But there are still people pushing the boundary to the LOWER end, wearing trainers and jeans in the Amphora. Without a dress code they would be wearing swimming suits and flip flops.

 

Cudos to the Crystal and Silversea maitre d's we've encountered who still have the balls to send people away who are improperly dressed.

[Floridiana]

No 30's.

 

I believe there is a place for a small luxury line that has dress codes and strictly enforces them. There are plenty of casual lines, why not a formal one?

 

Brush up your German, one of Hapag Lloyd's small ships recommends tuxes/dark suits and ball gowns/cocktail dresses. I might consider their other ships with a relaxed dress code.

[CrossBluePerchance]

DH & I eat almost exclusively in the buffet(s), primarily because we prefer to eat what we want, when we want, and we'd rather go and get it ourselves than be served by quasi-ingratiating wait staff.

 

That said, we'd rather not be surrounded by people who appear to have been sleeping rough for a week - on the other hand, women wearing dresses/outfits that make them look like sparkly Times Sq. Christmas trees, (and who are accompanied by spouses with such things as a white shoes/belt combo), doesn't strike us as sartorial splendor either.

 

Neat and clean, (without a surfeit of excess flesh), are the keywords........besides, DH left all his suits hanging in a closet in Riyadh upon his final departure.;)

Edited May 25, 2015 by CrossBluePerchance

[FlyerTalker]

No 30's.

 

Absolutely love the dressing up part of a cruise, and hate,hate,hate that the dress codes are gradually being eroded on all lines. Now most of the small lux lines are turning to elegant casual etc, i find this very disappointing.

 

I believe there is a place for a small luxury line that has dress codes and strictly enforces them. There are plenty of casual lines, why not a formal one?

As Shorex mentioned you can still get lines that enforce a code.

 

Seabourn is getting more casual as is Crystal. However Silversea still has formal informal and casual with the preponderance to the two more dressy. Give them a look...we've been happy with their product and itineraries.

[nanof5]

Please do not let standards drop any further. These are a much looked forward to part of our cruise and are usually held after a day at sea so no rush to get ready.

People know about formal nights before they book, if they don't want to dress properly, go with a different cruise line - or go to Benidorm!!

[amiller2850]

Isn't that part of the fun anyway? Dress up for a "fancy" dinner? You can go to the buffet at home and see slobs at home any ole day. How often do we all go out for that fancy dinner? The buffet is available for those who don't want to dress up. That's why there are more than one option for dining on cruise lines. I am in my 30's and my kids even enjoy dressing for dinner. It's part of the total experience.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[jacksmom09]

No 40s we enjoy dressing up for dinner and do each night! I so enjoy planning our outfits, getting pics made, and eating in a nice atmosphere! It is special because we certainly don't do this everyday! It is a big part of our cruise and we look forward to it!

[Nelie]

No. 30’s

However I think the fast down hill slide of appropriate dinner attire is not just something happening on cruise lines but everywhere.

 

I grew up in a European household in Australia. We were taught if you go somewhere special you dress up. It’s a sign of respect. wHen I was a kid we couldn’t afford to go out much to the movies or dinner. So when we did It was special and hence the nice clothes.

 

People are going to weddings in t shirts and ugg boots to restaurants. It’s disgusting. And it’s not just the young its all ages.

 

Saw a guy on a south pacific cruise around the pool in a shirt with holes in it. Ok I get that it was the pool but seriously. Drink one less beer and then go to k mart and buy a $5 singlet.

 

Looking nice doesn’t have to cost the earth. There are many cruise lines that offer more casual experience. And so many different cruiselines go to the same places. So if you want to go casual pick one of them. Or eat in the buffet.

 

I do think perhaps the guidelines could be updated. Where it is my age or aussie culture but in my experience based on my friends and family fashion, no one wears slacks out to dinner unless your older. Now I don’t mean that as a disrespectful thing just stating a fact. I do wear slacks but to work. Going out to dinner in colder weather usually involves skinny leg Jeans. Not lighter blue or white, that’s a bit too casual but the darker colours, dark blue or black, wet look or with a shimmer. Or leggings with a tunic or long top that covers the butt. So I think the no jeans in the dining room rule I think could be updated to nice pants with no rips.

[Wayfairers]

Isn't that part of the fun anyway? Dress up for a "fancy" dinner? You can go to the buffet at home and see slobs at home any ole day. How often do we all go out for that fancy dinner?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

 

My issue with dressing up is I don't consider the MDR a fancy dinner. I've eaten in much finer restaurants wearing non-formal clothes where the accepted attire was more like business casual or even less dressy. I just don't see the need in dressing up for a cruise ship meal.

[ducklite]

My issue with dressing up is I don't consider the MDR a fancy dinner. I've eaten in much finer restaurants wearing non-formal clothes where the accepted attire was more like business casual or even less dressy. I just don't see the need in dressing up for a cruise ship meal.

 

 

This will vary between cruise lines. On the mass market lines I tend to agree. On the luxury lines, not so much. That said, the luxury lines would never tolerate some of the outfits people seem to think are more than acceptable in the mass market lines. Jeans, shorts, tank tops, etc. would be turned away. Period.

[slidergirl]

My issue with dressing up is I don't consider the MDR a fancy dinner. I've eaten in much finer restaurants wearing non-formal clothes where the accepted attire was more like business casual or even less dressy. I just don't see the need in dressing up for a cruise ship meal.

 

I believe it is, for some people, part of the "charade" of going back in time where you did dress for every evening. Or some don't get the chance to "dress up" at home for a dinner at the local diner. Many still consider the MDR to be a fine dining establishment, with the white tablecloths, jacketed servers, chandeliers and the night or two where you put on your formal attire for maybe 2-2.5 hours before changing back to "reality" and do the rest of your evening activities. Yes, the MDR food is, IMHO, merely mass banquet-quality food and not fine dining, people still like to pretend it is a classy establishment. If you do mainline cruises, you either play along or you dine in specialty venues and/or do the buffet every night. Some feel the People of Walmart will populate their cruise and show up in their "Walmart" apparel if rules aren't in place - witness the comments about people will show up in ripped jeans, basketball shorts, white Tank Tops, pajamas, robes...

[Wayfairers]

This will vary between cruise lines. On the mass market lines I tend to agree. On the luxury lines, not so much. That said, the luxury lines would never tolerate some of the outfits people seem to think are more than acceptable in the mass market lines. Jeans, shorts, tank tops, etc. would be turned away. Period.

 

 

What are you calling luxury lines? I've heard Cunard tries to stick to strict dress code (reason why I will not cruise with them when crossing the Atlantic to and from Europe this fall) but I've heard the lines I consider luxury (Oceania, etc) don't have formal nights.

[Wayfairers]

I believe it is, for some people, part of the "charade" of going back in time where you did dress for every evening. Or some don't get the chance to "dress up" at home for a dinner at the local diner. Many still consider the MDR to be a fine dining establishment, with the white tablecloths, jacketed servers, chandeliers and the night or two where you put on your formal attire for maybe 2-2.5 hours before changing back to "reality" and do the rest of your evening activities. Yes, the MDR food is, IMHO, merely mass banquet-quality food and not fine dining, people still like to pretend it is a classy establishment. If you do mainline cruises, you either play along or you dine in specialty venues and/or do the buffet every night. Some feel the People of Walmart will populate their cruise and show up in their "Walmart" apparel if rules aren't in place - witness the comments about people will show up in ripped jeans, basketball shorts, white Tank Tops, pajamas, robes...

 

 

I will probably upset a few people with this post and I apologize upfront to anyone I offend. I agree with your charade suggestion. But, I have wondered if the charade is not a time period thing (that time period is long past) but, a money thing. Perhaps they think people with money dress for dinner and they think that is the thing to do. I've met several multi-millionaires (some while avoiding the formal nights on cruise ships by going to the buffet) and I know they rarely, if ever, dress up for dinner. But, TV says that rich people dress for dinner so that is what many people seem to believe.

[woodyren]

We just finished 31nights on the Quantum and apart from the Grande restaurant where you need a jacket the dress code is very relaxed. In the evening people were walking around in almost all the variations of dress codes described here.

 

All the people I met where not bothered in the slightest by what people were wearing and everyone seemed to be having a great time......all though I am sure there were a few people tut tut tutting in the background.

 

I think that the each to there own approach is great.

[orchestrapal]

I will probably upset a few people with this post and I apologize upfront to anyone I offend. I agree with your charade suggestion. But, I have wondered if the charade is not a time period thing (that time period is long past) but, a money thing. Perhaps they think people with money dress for dinner and they think that is the thing to do. I've met several multi-millionaires (some while avoiding the formal nights on cruise ships by going to the buffet) and I know they rarely, if ever, dress up for dinner. But, TV says that rich people dress for dinner so that is what many people seem to believe.

 

Absurd! It's the luxury and premium lines on which the millionaires travel that have given up formal nights or made them totally optional.

Those who can afford these lines seem to be very happy not putting on gowns and penguin suits when they relax on vacation.

[ducklite]

What are you calling luxury lines? I've heard Cunard tries to stick to strict dress code (reason why I will not cruise with them when crossing the Atlantic to and from Europe this fall) but I've heard the lines I consider luxury (Oceania, etc) don't have formal nights.

 

 

I never mentioned formal nights. All of the luxury and luxury-lite lines have dress codes and enforce them. The minimum with all of the is no shorts, t-shirts, jeans, flip flops, etc. In the dining rooms for dinner. Some have formal nights while others are country club casual every night. None go below that, with the exception of on certain expedition type voyages (Antartica, etc.)

[ducklite]

Absurd! It's the luxury and premium lines on which the millionaires travel that have given up formal nights or made them totally optional.

 

Those who can afford these lines seem to be very happy not putting on gowns and penguin suits when they relax on vacation.

 

 

Yep, however they also have the good manners to put in a collared shirt and slacks and leave the flip flops, trucker caps, shorts, jeans t-shirts, bathing suit cover ups, etc. At home or in their cabin.