MDR Dress code??

[tip]

If a high level of dress is important to you, if you hand people power to ruin your vacation by their dress, if you think 6000 other people should put on a show for you, if you think Royal Caribbean runs formal night for anything but photo sales...This is not the cruise line for you.

 

Some of you should do yourselves a favor and stop fighting the tide, stop talking down to others and stop being miserable and take a cruise line that more closely matches your style. Royal Caribbean is getting more and more casual because that's what new money wants. No sense bashing others; just go to a more formal line and stop moaning.

 

That's just the honest truth. Either dress up for your own enjoyment. Or dress casual for your own enjoyment, but stop pretending you have any control or that others disrespect you. Just stop crying about it and enjoy your cruise or go on a line that is strict. That way you can have the exact dosage of fun prescribed for the exact amount of time you are told to have fun.

 

Very well-said!

 

And for those who concern themselves with such things, I have never worn shorts or a tee shirt to the MDR for dinner. BUT that is my choice not yours.

[ryano]

If a high level of dress is important to you, if you hand people power to ruin your vacation by their dress, if you think 6000 other people should put on a show for you, if you think Royal Caribbean runs formal night for anything but photo sales...This is not the cruise line for you.

 

Some of you should do yourselves a favor and stop fighting the tide, stop talking down to others and stop being miserable and take a cruise line that more closely matches your style. Royal Caribbean is getting more and more casual because that's what new money wants. No sense bashing others; just go to a more formal line and stop moaning.

 

That's just the honest truth. Either dress up for your own enjoyment. Or dress casual for your own enjoyment, but stop pretending you have any control or that others disrespect you. Just stop crying about it and enjoy your cruise or go on a line that is strict. That way you can have the exact dosage of fun prescribed for the exact amount of time you are told to have fun.

 

Best post in this whole thread. It can be closed now. Nothing else really needs to be said.

[RocketMan275]

Nobody said someone else's dress ruined their day or vacation. Its just an observation about showing respect and following the guidelines and having some manners. How long would it take for most to complain if the MDR staff served in jeans and T-shirt? Most would be mortified. The cleanliness and fine appearance of the staff and others around you deserves reciprocation. An hour to do that is not much to ask by them.

 

You're correct in that I know of no specific instance where someone complained that someone else's dress "ruined" their vacation. However, many have complained that how someone else dresses has degraded the ambiance in the main dining room and reduced their cruise enjoyment. In fact, the rest of your post is essentially making that argument.

 

When you say that the 'fine appearance of the staff deserves reciprocation', you are saying that you are there to provide a service, a 'reciprocation', to the staff and others. Isn't that rather backward? Isn't the staff there to serve you?

[RocketMan275]

If a high level of dress is important to you, if you hand people power to ruin your vacation by their dress, if you think 6000 other people should put on a show for you, if you think Royal Caribbean runs formal night for anything but photo sales...This is not the cruise line for you.

 

Some of you should do yourselves a favor and stop fighting the tide, stop talking down to others and stop being miserable and take a cruise line that more closely matches your style. Royal Caribbean is getting more and more casual because that's what new money wants. No sense bashing others; just go to a more formal line and stop moaning.

 

That's just the honest truth. Either dress up for your own enjoyment. Or dress casual for your own enjoyment, but stop pretending you have any control or that others disrespect you. Just stop crying about it and enjoy your cruise or go on a line that is strict. That way you can have the exact dosage of fun prescribed for the exact amount of time you are told to have fun.

 

Absolutely. It has never ceased to amaze me that people will invest thousands of dollars in a cruise and then give others the power to ruin that cruise by how they dress. And, why should anyone believe the other 6000 passengers are there to act as extras in a remake of the dining room scene in Titanic?.

[sojodave]

So you need wear a hat to eat a meal in a restaurant? This is " normal " for you?

 

Yes it is, especially when I'm on vacation and going to go to a pool after breakfast.

[lbylore]

I'm getting prepared for packing for the MD on the Liberty. I have bought some dress clothes for dinner, just now I'm not sure on shoes. What's the deal with the no bare feet thing? On non formal nights can you wear open toe shoes/ sandals? Also, breakfast and lunch shorts is okay? Thanks

[Clarea]

I'm getting prepared for packing for the MD on the Liberty. I have bought some dress clothes for dinner, just now I'm not sure on shoes. What's the deal with the no bare feet thing? On non formal nights can you wear open toe shoes/ sandals? Also, breakfast and lunch shorts is okay? Thanks

Shorts are allowed in the MDR for breakfast and lunch.

[eandj]

Yes sandals are certainly allowed anywhere. The guidelines are for those wanting to come in with NO shoes.

 

Also know that when the guidelines say no flip flops in the dining room, they are referring to the rubber beach kind. You will see many ladies in pretty thong heels, wedges and flats for dinner in the MDR. Even with their cocktail dresses on formal night. I wear no closed shoes in warm weather.

Edited May 26, 2015 by eandj

[lbylore]

Thank you both for your responses!

[davekathy]

I saw another post that said that baseball style hats are not allowed at breakfast and lunch in the MDR. Is that enforced? I live in a hat on vacation and if baseball styles hats aren't allowed, are other type of hats allowed?

 

We always eat breakfast in the MDR. I’ve seen men and women (yes even a few women) wearing baseball style hats in the MDR for breakfast. Wear your hat and see for yourself if it's allowed or not. I’m sure if you were asked to remove it you would comply with the simple request. Enjoy your next Cruise whenever and wherever that may be.

[laura Bra]

no flip flops in the dining room, they are referring to the rubber beach kind. Y

 

I’ve seen men and women (yes even a few women) wearing baseball style hats in the MDR for breakfast..

 

Hi sis on formal nights me like to get dressed up and look nice but for breakfast and lunch we just go casual and yes i wear flip flops and yes i wear my hat do you have problem with that ?

your bud

[Sherri914]

Yep, Google knows where they are.

 

Well, google's not telling. The one's I found for Oasis March 15 Western stated MDR dress as casual. Then said: "short pants are not recommended" in specialty or main dinning rooms.

 

I found a recent Cruise Compass from Oasis as well, and it says...

 

"Tonight's Dinner Dress Suggestion: Casual

Please note that bare feet, short pants, caps & tank tops are not permitted in the Dining Rooms or any of our Specialty Restaurants."

 

The Compass doesn't say anything about it being acceptable for breakfast or lunch but not dinner, but I can't imagine they wouldn't allow shorts for breakfast and lunch on a tropical cruise. My experience on our last cruise was that people did wear very casual attire for breakfast and lunch (including t-shirts and shorts). For dinner, there were still people wearing shorts, but they tended to be more of a golf-style shorts and polo for dinner. Still, according to the guidelines, those weren't permitted. I remember a thread a while back saying that the dress guidelines were being enforced on their cruise which came as a surprise to them. They were posting as a heads up for others who may be planning to pack according to what was generally accepted (overlooked) rather than the actual guidelines for dinner dress. As I recall that was a pretty volatile thread... but then again, most tipping and dress code threads usually are. :)

Edited May 26, 2015 by Sherri914

[Sitzmark]

I found a recent Cruise Compass from Oasis as well, and it says...

 

"Tonight's Dinner Dress Suggestion: Casual

Please note that bare feet, short pants, caps & tank tops are not permitted in the Dining Rooms or any of our Specialty Restaurants."

 

The Compass doesn't say anything about it being acceptable for breakfast or lunch but not dinner, but I can't imagine they wouldn't allow shorts for breakfast and lunch on a tropical cruise. My experience on our last cruise was that people did wear very casual attire for breakfast and lunch (including t-shirts and shorts). For dinner, there were still people wearing shorts, but they tended to be more of a golf-style shorts and polo for dinner. Still, according to the guidelines, those weren't permitted. I remember a thread a while back saying that the dress guidelines were being enforced on their cruise which came as a surprise to them. They were posting as a heads up for others who may be planning to pack according to what was generally accepted (overlooked) rather than the actual guidelines for dinner dress. As I recall that was a pretty volatile thread... but then again, most tipping and dress code threads usually are. :)

 

Nice that they are consistent. I'd worry more about it if I cared about it. I've watched online videos to see the ship and encountered the dining room videos, loads of shirts shorts etc in there. The napkin waving was certainly sophisticated behavior.

[Grandma Dazzles]

Don't believe you.

 

 

Why? Next time I will be sure to take a picture! I am not in the habit of lying. As I said, dress shorts/shirts don't bother me; sweaty gym clothes do.

[RocketMan275]

I found a recent Cruise Compass from Oasis as well, and it says...

 

"Tonight's Dinner Dress Suggestion: Casual

Please note that bare feet, short pants, caps & tank tops are not permitted in the Dining Rooms or any of our Specialty Restaurants."

 

The Compass doesn't say anything about it being acceptable for breakfast or lunch but not dinner, but I can't imagine they wouldn't allow shorts for breakfast and lunch on a tropical cruise. My experience on our last cruise was that people did wear very casual attire for breakfast and lunch (including t-shirts and shorts). For dinner, there were still people wearing shorts, but they tended to be more of a golf-style shorts and polo for dinner. Still, according to the guidelines, those weren't permitted. I remember a thread a while back saying that the dress guidelines were being enforced on their cruise which came as a surprise to them. They were posting as a heads up for others who may be planning to pack according to what was generally accepted (overlooked) rather than the actual guidelines for dinner dress. As I recall that was a pretty volatile thread... but then again, most tipping and dress code threads usually are. :)

 

Yes, I remember the thread about the dress code being enforced as well. I think you're correct that shorts would be allowed at breakfast and lunch.

[legaljen1969]

What's next, Applauding going shirtless in the MDR?

 

This made me laugh, as I saw shirtless folks parading through the Promenade on Freedom a few weeks ago. I was pretty sure some of them were going to start shedding and putting off hairball tumbleweeds. Just put a shirt on for goodness sakes, no matter where you are going on the ship. It can be a tank top, but going shirtless is just gross.

[LoveyHowell]

Why? Next time I will be sure to take a picture! I am not in the habit of lying. As I said, dress shorts/shirts don't bother me; sweaty gym clothes do.

 

Sorry, didn't mean to say you are a liar. I should have just said "Don't believe it" as I was surprised. Just find it hard to believe people would show up straight from playing ball all sweaty and without showering. Nice shorts are A-OK by me, but I agree, I'd have been skeeved out by people in sweaty gym clothes. Whoever allowed them in didn't do their job.

[LoveyHowell]

This made me laugh, as I saw shirtless folks parading through the Promenade on Freedom a few weeks ago. I was pretty sure some of them were going to start shedding and putting off hairball tumbleweeds. Just put a shirt on for goodness sakes, no matter where you are going on the ship. It can be a tank top, but going shirtless is just gross.

That tops sweaty gym clothes!

 

What the heck?!?

[legaljen1969]

Have posted this same comment on previous dress code threads.

 

The problem is that some people don't seem to understand the difference between "dress shorts" and gym shorts.

 

You are so right. The one thing I hear is "They are designer...." I don't care if they have a Nike Swoosh or Adidas emblem. I don't care if they have a Ralph Lauren or Polo emblem. If they are sweatpants, they are sweatpants. Putting an emblem on it and charging a couple of hundred dollars for it does NOT make it dressy. Same thing for nylon gym shorts, tank tops, et cetera. Just because it may be expensive does not mean it is formal. Your $300 denim jeans are still denim jeans. Yes, they are expensive but they are still denim jeans.

 

Usually, I am not that bothered by what people wear to dinner. I wish people would dress up a little more, but I understand that it is their cruise and their vacation. If that's not what they want to do, I respect that. I enjoy dressing up. My husband could not care less about dressing up. I define my expectations for him. I expect him to at least wear a suit and tie. This last time, we did not intend to participate in the formal nights but I did want a nice picture with nicer clothes. I defined for him that I expected him to at least have on a blazer and khakis. Once we were done with pictures, we had dinner and then changed into more casual attire later in the evening.

 

There will be no occasion when he will go into the MDR with shorts. He will wear pants and a collared shirt to the MDR on Smart Casual night. Those are our expectations and standards for ourselves. Not for others. In general, I don't bother worrying about it that much. However, I think if you are celebrating a special occasion and you want to add a little extra splash or class, you may consider dressing up for the occasion.

 

I can think of one occasion where I was bothered by someone's apparel when they were dining with me. We were going out for a special anniversary dinner and invited some friends to come with us. (This was a land based restaurant). I had told them it was a special occasion and we were celebrating, and we would be dressing up. We planned this several months out. The day of the dinner came. One of them called to tell me that they had to go get a nice shirt because the one they planned to wear got messed up. They ended up being late for dinner and then showed up wearing a t-shirt and khaki cargo shorts with sneakers with holes in them. I was quite upset. I commented that I was glad they were able to make it, even though they hadn't gotten the new shirt. It turns out, what she was wearing WAS the new shirt. I was a little embarrassed for saying it, but then they knew what I was expecting. I felt like their apparel was basically a slap in my face after I told them my expectations for the evening.

[eandj]

A gross out I can remember years ago is sitting in the MDR during lunch with a guy wearing a raggedy tank top and surfer trunks. When he reached over his wife to get her water she wasn't drinking, his hairy armpit practically tickled her nose. Even startled her.

 

Nowadays, if I see anyone dressed like that in the buffets, I run the other direction and try to hit a station of food he hasn't been around yet. There should be hair nets for men's arm pits if they are going to serve themselves food with a tank top on! :eek:

[Grandma Dazzles]

Sorry, didn't mean to say you are a liar. I should have just said "Don't believe it" as I was surprised. Just find it hard to believe people would show up straight from playing ball all sweaty and without showering. Nice shorts are A-OK by me, but I agree, I'd have been skeeved out by people in sweaty gym clothes. Whoever allowed them in didn't do their job.

 

 

Thanks! It really was gross! We had actually enjoyed watching them play ......my husband laughed and said "oh to be 20 years younger " but never expected them to show up for dinner a short time later.

 

I am in no way a fashion police person, and what others wear is really none of my business, but some people do not understand that shorts do not mean gym clothes.

[cx7owner]

Enforcement basically means no flip flops, shorts, or tank tops (this only applies to men really as women can do whatever they want). Polo and Khaki pants are well above minimum for every evening.

 

Just off the Legend and I can assure you they were not enforcing "no shorts" in the dining room, as I and many others wore them. I think it remains on the list to give them the flexibility to enforce it against inappropriate short-wearers (workout shorts, I suppose). I did see someone in sweatpants, but I didn't judge and it didn't ruin my time.

[Sherri914]

The napkin waving was certainly sophisticated behavior.

 

Yes it was.... so was the entire 3-story dining room singing along to Sweet Caroline, but it sure was fun. And my husband was dressed in golf shorts and a polo if I recall. Oh the horrors! :eek:

 

The teens at the table beside us wore jeans, sneakers and t-shirts every night. That didn't bother me in the least. What did bother me was that they brought their hand-held video games and phones and played with them for the entire 2-hour meal with the sound on. Our dinner conversation was interrupted by the near constant beep, boink, and blipping sounds coming from their table.

 

I get both sides of the 'dress' argument. The idea of a more formal atmosphere is great. But I also get not wanting to dress up for dinner and also not wanting to do buffet in order not to have to dress up. It's just not that important of an issue for me though to have a firm opinion one way or another. :) If people are neat and not half naked for dinner, and if they conduct themselves with respect for others, I'm happy.

[Sitzmark]

Yes it was.... so was the entire 3-story dining room singing along to Sweet Caroline, but it sure was fun. And my husband was dressed in golf shorts and a polo if I recall. Oh the horrors! :eek:

 

The teens at the table beside us wore jeans, sneakers and t-shirts every night. That didn't bother me in the least. What did bother me was that they brought their hand-held video games and phones and played with them for the entire 2-hour meal with the sound on. Our dinner conversation was interrupted by the near constant beep, boink, and blipping sounds coming from their table.

 

I get both sides of the 'dress' argument. The idea of a more formal atmosphere is great. But I also get not wanting to dress up for dinner and also not wanting to do buffet in order not to have to dress up. It's just not that important of an issue for me though to have a firm opinion one way or another. :) If people are neat and not half naked for dinner, and if they conduct themselves with respect for others, I'm happy.

 

On our Disney cruise we were seated across from a very well dressed man and his kids, he thought it was appropriate to set up his phone and have FaceTime chats with his girlfriend during dinner. I assume it's ok since he was so well dressed, but I wasn't impressed. His kids were nice, they talked to us since their father didn't have time for them. On the plus side none of them crawled around under the table and our shorts were not discovered.

[Sherri914]

on our disney cruise we were seated across from a very well dressed man and his kids, he thought it was appropriate to set up his phone and have facetime chats with his girlfriend during dinner. I assume it's ok since he was so well dressed, but i wasn't impressed. His kids were nice, they talked to us since their father didn't have time for them. On the plus side none of them crawled around under the table and our shorts were not discovered.

 

exactly!!!