Is this just lip service about dress codes?

[mguernsey77]

So, my young daughter and I like to dress up a bit for dinner on even casual nights. We go all out on formal nights. We have one issue. My 13 year old son. I think he wears basketball shorts morning, noon, and night. I have talked him into wearing Khaki shorts and a simple polo shirt at night in the main dining room on casual nights and black trousers, collared shirt and tie for one formal night. Do you think his attire will be acceptable? We are sailing on the Allure on April 2nd. Thanks for any input.

 

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[sea shepherd]

I just don't get it. Is your enjoyment of your meal directly tied to what strangers at other tables are wearing? Does that make your dinner taste better or worse? I for one don't pay any attention to what others are wearing as it has no affect on me.

 

 

I am with you. Who cares what people have on.

 

 

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[Mellowjourney]

As long as they're clean I don't care what people wear to dinner. I'm sitting down for my own meal and don't feel insulted, etc. How someone else's clothes should affect me I don't know. I don't wear shorts or a t-shirt or a ball cap to dinner, but frankly don't care if someone else does. I won't dress formally, but I might wear jeans on casual night and khakis and a button down on other nights. That's my preference. I don't understand all the ongoing commotion about other people's clothes.

 

Exactly. I am not the dress code police. I wore skirts and blouses, my significant other wore slacks and collared shirts. We did dress for formal nights, though would rather have not had to. We didn't care what others were wearing and didn't feel like it affected our experience in any way. I did smile to myself when I saw people in shorts because I was thinking: "This will be the subject of a future cruise critic post." It's vacation, enjoy yourselves. :)

[micmacmissy]

So, my young daughter and I like to dress up a bit for dinner on even casual nights. We go all out on formal nights. We have one issue. My 13 year old son. I think he wears basketball shorts morning, noon, and night. I have talked him into wearing Khaki shorts and a simple polo shirt at night in the main dining room on casual nights and black trousers, collared shirt and tie for one formal night. Do you think his attire will be acceptable? We are sailing on the Allure on April 2nd. Thanks for any input.

 

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Wait: are you Andrew's mom, too? Ha ha, my son is EXACTLY the same way. What you have described is what we do- in fact, on the formal night, he can get away with khaki pants and a polo; no need to put him in a tie.

 

My son LIVES in basketball shorts and Tshirts- we will be on Allure the week after you and I will pack him two khaki pants, a polo, and a button down shirt (likely without tie). Have a great trip.

[micmacmissy]

I just don't get it. Is your enjoyment of your meal directly tied to what strangers at other tables are wearing? Does that make your dinner taste better or worse? I for one don't pay any attention to what others are wearing as it has no affect on me.

 

I would argue it certainly makes the *ambiance* worse. On a formal night on our last cruise, there was a guy who was wearing gross jeans and one of those t-shirts with a tuxedo printed on the front. I don't know, when you go through the trouble on formal night...it seems almost disrespectful on the part of those who don't even *try*. (Like the attitude is, "this doesn't apply to me and I'll do what a want")

 

Nope, not life and death- but a small detail that shows respect to others, I would say following the dress code is an extension of kindness and adhering to a community standard.

 

There's no rule at Target that you can't charge fast through the aisles and try to beat someone slower to the open checkout, but it doesn't mean you SHOULD...

[rukkian]

I would argue it certainly makes the *ambiance* worse. On a formal night on our last cruise, there was a guy who was wearing gross jeans and one of those t-shirts with a tuxedo printed on the front. I don't know, when you go through the trouble on formal night...it seems almost disrespectful on the part of those who don't even *try*. (Like the attitude is, "this doesn't apply to me and I'll do what a want")

 

Nope, not life and death- but a small detail that shows respect to others, I would say following the dress code is an extension of kindness and adhering to a community standard.

 

There's no rule at Target that you can't charge fast through the aisles and try to beat someone slower to the open checkout, but it doesn't mean you SHOULD...

Jumping in front of somebody does effect everybody they do it to, wearing clothes that others don't like really only effects busy bodies that have nothing better to do than to try and show they are better than others.

 

Lok at any cruise compass, and see the dress suggestion (not rule). This is not a rule, it is a suggestion, if you choose to follow the suggestion, good for you, just don't expect everybody else to follow the suggestion and don't get all upright during your vacation to worry what others wear.

 

 

 

 

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[cruzinlisa]

You seem to forget that it is THEIR SHIP! When it is your ship you can make the rules, I think that as long as they own the ship they should get to make the rules! All of you that only know how to dress like you are going to clean out a cow barn should be ashamed that you never learned to dress properly!

 

 

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I have never actually cleaned out a "cow barn" so I am not sure what one wears to do so. However, I can assure you that nothing in my closet would I wear to clean up any kind of muck. That is what I would use old stained clothes or old sweats for. And those things I don't wear to dinner or pack with me for that matter.

 

Usually DH will wear khaki's and button down shirt (like Hawaiian but not gaudy print) or polo shirt, although the last 2 cruises he did wear his dressier shorts a couple of times. On formal nights he will wear dress shirt with tie and slacks. Not a full suit. I have a couple pairs of capris which I will wear with a dressy blouse or a couple of simple dresses to wear. Formal night is a dress. DD is small and wears a lot of sun dresses. I think we look nice. I don't really pay that much attention to what someone else wears. The only times I have really noticed were in surveying the room to see if men are wearing shorts so that DH can wear them, rather than long slacks every night. Other than that, I don't care. I don't care what you are wearing, although if it is really outlandish, it might distract me from eating a bit.... :halo:

[bmorosco]

I'm with you. How hard is it to put on a decent pair of pants and a polo shirt? On our last cruise a guy showed up in shorts and tee shirt every night. Although credit where credit is due, at least on formal night his t shirt didn't say "Budweiser."

 

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Lmao! I agree and wearing Jeans in MDR is not acceptable! Have som self respect if not for yourself for the others that want a nice experience at dinner! You want to dress in t-shirt then go to the buffet!

[Grandma Dazzles]

As a long-time cruiser, going back to tuxs and evening gowns, I have no problem with a more casual approach. However, my biggest complaint is the lack of enforcement across the board on all ships. Have a true dress code and stick to it!

 

No problem with shorts in MDR, but there is a huge difference between pressed "dress" shorts and gym shorts; same with a collared polo and a t-shirt. Casual doesn't mean gym clothes! This really becomes a problem if you have been on an excursion or beach for the day and don't clean up before dinner.

 

Lots of attractive, inexpensive and appropriate clothes for all ages without being too formal.

 

I really think if RC began enforcing a minimum dress code at the door of the MDR that people would quickly get the idea and dress appropriately.

[luckyinpa]

i've never been on royal but do they have tableclothes at their dinner tables? do they have servers bringing the food to the tables?

 

if the above statements are true then shorts will only be seen for the few seconds it takes someone to walk to their table. then hidden beneath.

 

as far as budweiser shirts at tables, why are you looking at people that arent at your table (this doesnt apply for the assigned seating of course)

 

if if the bud guy does sit next to you for the assigned seating, i've heard that you can change tables.

[TominNC]

As a long-time cruiser, going back to tuxs and evening gowns, I have no problem with a more casual approach. However, my biggest complaint is the lack of enforcement across the board on all ships. Have a true dress code and stick to it!

 

No problem with shorts in MDR, but there is a huge difference between pressed "dress" shorts and gym shorts; same with a collared polo and a t-shirt. Casual doesn't mean gym clothes! This really becomes a problem if you have been on an excursion or beach for the day and don't clean up before dinner.

 

Lots of attractive, inexpensive and appropriate clothes for all ages without being too formal.

 

I really think if RC began enforcing a minimum dress code at the door of the MDR that people would quickly get the idea and dress appropriately.

 

The bold part being my point all along. If you're smelly then it can affect my meal from another table. If you're clean and wearing shorts and a T or even, heaven forbid, a ball cap, it can't affect me at all. My food tastes the same.

[sunseeker551]

Perhaps Royal is changing their dress code to accommodate the changing needs/wishes of their cruisers? We don't like to dress up on cruises so we typically eat in the Windjammer. We don't like having to go to the buffet every night but if we don't want to get dressed up, it's our only choice (we do usually go to a specialty restaurant the first night, where we have been told by staff that casual is acceptable). We used to enjoy the Windjammer. The food choice was great, the food was good (often many of the same items as listed on the MDR menus on the TV) and it was very quiet.

 

Fast forward to the Allure in January where the food was the worst we have ever experienced on a ship and it was packed every night. Some nights we could barely find an empty table. Obviously people don't want to get dressed up. We were so tempted to go to the MDR by night three or four (and our room steward told us we should...that shorts were fine) but we didn't want to to go against the "rules".

 

Maybe Royal should have one level of the MDR for MTD, one for Casual (not talking ball caps but shorts and casual cruising attire) and one for smart casual/dressy? Either way, as many posters have said, I don't understand why it bothers others if someone wears shorts or dresses more casually. Life is short....enjoy the meal and the company you're with.

Edited March 13, 2017 by sspidle
typo

[TC1957]

 

I approach dining on how I would dress (or how I "should" dress) when I'm dining "at home." The MDR gets a bad rep, but I still think of it should be looked at as an higher-end (not necessarily fine-dining) restaurant, where the wait staff cares for your every need. Business casual should be a minimum. If you go to specialty dining or, more importantly, formal night, it should be exactly that...formal.

 

 

 

I guess, for me, you need to define a "higher-end" restaurant. I feel I am at one when my wife and I enjoy an appetizer, entrée and desert (each...without adult beverages) and the check is $100 per person or more. We have dined in those types of restaurants in Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, New Orleans, LA, San Francisco, San Juan, Oklahoma City, Little Rock, Memphis, Nashville, Kansas City, Denver and Vegas. On business trips I can add the cities of Chicago, Philadelphia, San Diego, Salt Lake City, Omaha and Charlotte. At EVERY restaurant there were several men wearing jeans and except for Chicago and Salt Lake City, as least one wearing shorts.

 

So...I see no issue with them on a cruise ship in the middle of the Caribbean.

 

Personally, I wear Dockers/dress slacks and a polo. I MIGHT add a jacket for "formal" night.

[rukkian]

I work in an insurance company, and business casual (5 days per week) includes:

jeans, shorts, tennis shoes, but no T-shirts. The policy does say they have to be clean and neat, with no frayed edges.

 

I am guessing this is not the same business casual that others go by, so just saying business casual means different things to different people.

[Big_G]

I just don't get it. Is your enjoyment of your meal directly tied to what strangers at other tables are wearing? Does that make your dinner taste better or worse? I for one don't pay any attention to what others are wearing as it has no affect on me.

 

 

 

I get it but I don't really care. For some people, it's about the ambiance of the dining room. Nothing says ambiance like baggy jeans, butt crack, and your favorite pro basketball jersey. Just sayin' [emoji47][emoji3][emoji6]

 

 

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[Biker19]

Nothing says ambiance like baggy jeans, butt crack, and your favorite pro basketball jersey.

Come on, you make it sound like Walmart people - ah, never mind.

[Big_G]

Come on, you make it sound like Walmart people - ah, never mind.

 

 

 

LOL! Careful, people are very sensitive about their Walmart shopping attire. [emoji12]

 

 

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[makiramarlena]

It won't be enforced because of the higher odds that cruisers will get mad and make a scene and possibly go raise a fuss at the guest services desk when they are told to go change. That's why they don't enforce. maybe if there were more arguments and complaints from guests about what other guests are wearing.

[breezy270]

I agree! There would be no need for dress codes if people understood how to dress for certain occasions. If I am going to eat pizza I can dress casual. If I am going to the MDR on a cruise ship with white table cloths, more than one fork I will dress up. I enjoy dressing up to go to dinner every night of the cruise. I would do the same if I were going to any nice place on land. I think it is civilized. I think cruisers would complain if the wait staff came out in shorts and a tee shirt to serve them.

 

Think about how the staff see us when we come to a nice dinner in the MDR and wear casual clothes. The ship staff work very hard to make everything nice. I think it is respectful to show appreciation by following the dress code.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have seen people run red lights, does that mean we all should......because it is not always enforced? Or should we follow the rules?

 

 

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[grand isle joe]

LOL! Careful, people are very sensitive about their Walmart shopping attire. [emoji12]

 

 

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......with an eye towards the future Walmart is getting into the E-commerce arena so shopping can be done in all those coffee stained P.J's and fluffy bunny slippers.......:eek:........much like some who wander into the Windjammer some mornings......;p

 

 

 

Big G.....get ready for the BIG SNOW! For us up here it is manna from heaven. Hope all is well.:)

[Appalachian Mountain Mama]

Is my enjoyment of my meal directly tied to what strangers at other tables are wearing? Absolutely. When the kid at the next table stands up and then leans over exposing half his rear end, when the woman at the next table is falling out of her top or her skirt is so short I can tell you what color underwear she has on, when clothing is so tight or see thru that you can tell people aren't even wearing underwear... there goes my appetite.

 

 

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[rukkian]

Is my enjoyment of my meal directly tied to what strangers at other tables are wearing? Absolutely. When the kid at the next table stands up and then leans over exposing half his rear end, when the woman at the next table is falling out of her top or her skirt is so short I can tell you what color underwear she has on, when clothing is so tight or see thru that you can tell people aren't even wearing underwear... there goes my appetite.

 

 

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While I don't care what others wear, because it does not effect me, what you are describing is completely different from most of the conversation. Some think anybody not following the suggestion exactly should be thrown off the ship and shamed to death (exaggeration).

 

There is a huge difference between clean, neat clothing (say khaki shorts and a polo, which is dressy in the carribbean) vs dirty beach wear or see through clothing.

 

While some people have no class, if it bothers you that much, I would suggest you not go to a place (say a cruise ship) that has lots of people, because inevitably, you will loose your appetite all day every day. You should probably stick to only your house where you can dress up every day.

 

In the end, I do not care what others wear, and while some wear clothes I think tacky, I am not the fashion police, nor is anybody else. Live and let live, it will make life (and especially vacations) much more enjoyable.

[luckyinpa]

here are pics of what is OK on crystal.

 

http://www.crystalcruises.com/cruises/cruise-guidebook/shipboard-life/guidelines-policies

[Big_G]

......with an eye towards the future Walmart is getting into the E-commerce arena so shopping can be done in all those coffee stained P.J's and fluffy bunny slippers.......:eek:........much like some who wander into the Windjammer some mornings......;p

 

 

 

Big G.....get ready for the BIG SNOW! For us up here it is manna from heaven. Hope all is well.:)

 

Thanks Joe and hope all is well with you. It's a little to soon after getting off a ship but we'll roll with it. We're all fueled up and ready to go. They've already cancelled everything under the sun.

[Appalachian Mountain Mama]

As I expected I got a snarky response. Why is the idea that people with no class should at least be confronted with that fact and urged to improve themselves, even temporally, seen as a "bad" thing? Why is it becoming accepted that people with no class should be allowed to go on about their business making things lower and lower class while those who were raised with some manners, courtesy and respect for others should sequester themselves in their homes?

 

 

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