dining room questions?

[hlb76]

I feel like I'm taking over this board with all my ?'s but you guys know so much its great! Here's my question. This is our first cruise so I'm clueless. I see that the dining room has a dress code how strict is this. I'm guessing resort casual is like business causal. But the problem is we are jeans and t-shirts kind of people we even wear uniforms to work so do not have much nice clothes. We each have an outfit to get away with on formal night. I'm worried about packing too. I hatew to have to pack 2 outfits for everyday you know beach clothes for the day and something nice for dinner. Plus do not want to go broke buying more clothes we will not wear. We are also bring our 5 & 10 year old what are the rulkes for them? And can they go to the formal? What should they wear? Thanks agian in advance for all your help!!!!!!!

[Rowan555]

The dress code is the same for children as for adults. All you really need is some pullover polo style shirts and Dockers or similar type pants for the men in the family, and pants and a non-tshirt top for the women in the family for casual nights, and you're all set. Frankly, you can also get away with jeans if you must, but please don't wear t shirts to dinner! Your other option is to skip the main dining room and have dinner on the Lido Deck if you truly don't want to change out of shorts and t shirts.

 

I just packed for our upcoming 7 day cruise - there are 4 of us and I fit everything in one large rolling suitcase and a moderately small one. That includes swimwear, t shirts and shorts for daytime, and pants/decent shirts for dinner, along with "dressy" clothes for both formal nights. AND our 2 12 packs of Diet Coke with Splenda lol! It really shouldn't be a problem. I empathize with you on not HAVING enough clothes to wear - I recently lost a little more weight and discovered that NONE of my pants fit me any more, and I didn't know this until this week because I normally wear jeans at home pretty much 7 days a week. I work from home, so I don't have any "business casual" type clothing. But I found 4 workable outfits for dinner, even though they're a little baggy! It's REALLY worth it to make the small effort to dress appropriately. I'm one of the most casual people around, but we've never had a problem with being dressed properly for dinner on Carnival cruises. I might balk at the rules on some of the more formal lines - but that's why we choose Carnival!

[big_duck]

Is there a dress code for the dining room? Depending on the length of the cruise, either formal dress or casual resort wear is required in the Dining Room. The dress requirement for children is the same. For those not wanting to dress up, the Lido restaurants are open nightly (with the exception of the last evening of the cruise), and have a casual dress code. Formal Wear: tuxedo (optional); suit and tie; sport coat, tie and slacks; evening gown; cocktail dress; pantsuit Casual Resort Wear: sport shirts and slacks; dresses; skirts; pantsuit NOTE: Shorts, t-shirts and bathing attire are not permitted in the Dining Room during dinner.

 

The dress code is relaxed for the first night of the cruise.

[cantwaittocruise1124]

Our TA told us jeans are OK, as long as they are nice jeans, not old faded with holes in them, my husband has never worn anything but jeans, he has never owned a pair of slacks and will not wear them, so he is bringing jeans with some casual button front shirts and we were told that is OK, and we will not be doing formal night.

I will be wearing casual also, khaki pants and nice shirts, again we were told that is not a problem on carnival.

I hope we have the correct information from our TA.

[Rene in TN]

Once I quit working and became a stay at home mom, my wardrobe also became very casual. I do have 2 cocktail dresses that I continually recycle for formal nights, so all I have to worry about is the other 5 nights. I usually pack 3 pairs of slacks or capris and wear them to dinner more than one night but bring enough shirts to have different "outfits" everynight. Cheaper and less clothing to pack. For my kids, I plan on them wearing their dinner clothes only to dinner and if they don't spill, then I am recycling for a 2nd night. Most ships also have a self laundry so you don't have to pack so many clothes. Hope this helps!

[JJCalder19]

Our TA told us jeans are OK, as long as they are nice jeans, not old faded with holes in them, my husband has never worn anything but jeans, he has never owned a pair of slacks and will not wear them, so he is bringing jeans with some casual button front shirts and we were told that is OK, and we will not be doing formal night.

I will be wearing casual also, khaki pants and nice shirts, again we were told that is not a problem on carnival.

I hope we have the correct information from our TA.

 

If he is going to do that, then no sneakers. Seriously, he won't even wear a pair of Dockers??

[Rowan555]

If he is going to do that, then no sneakers. Seriously, he won't even wear a pair of Dockers??

 

Dh and I are both "jeans people" - my suitcase for our family trip is packed full of jeans for all 4 of us. But we're leaving them in the car when we board Conquest. Jeans take up too much room in the suitcase, and even my jeans-loving dh has no problem wearing some Dockers at dinner (and often he says he'll change into shorts afterwards, but doesn't feel the need to). It's just NOT that big a deal! And if it's a money and/or luggage space concern, just bring 3 pairs of pants and wear them more than once - unless you spill something on them, you're fine with bringing just 3 or 4 pair of pants. The last dress pants I bought my husand were on clearance at Target for $10.98 a pair - you can't get jeans for that price!

[tef43]

The major downside to jeans on a Caribbean cruise, aside from the fact that they are aesthetically inappropriate in a "fine dining" atmosphere, is that they are simply going to be too flippin' hot and uncomfortable.

[BlueHerons]

I can understand and empathize with your situation but the bottom line is if you are unable to follow the dress code, skip the formal dining room.

 

There are other places to have dinner on board.

 

If it is a money issue, check ebay and local consignment shops. Heck, you can get a pair of khakis at Old Navy for under $20.

[tef43]

khakis @ Wal-Mart - $9.99

[nanfromatlanta]

Please try to follow the dress code. Dressing inappropriately, may make you and others uncomfortable. The dining room is just that. It is not a cafeteria or a take out place. It is easy to buy a nice pair of dockers and a few nice polo's and be within the dress code.

 

If you will be traveling during the holidays, people really dressup more than on other cruise.

[Tluvs2talk]

I have been on 12 cruises and have alway's dresses nice for Dinner, but I honestly could CARE LESS what others around me are wearing. I don't know why this topic upsets people so much. A person wearing jeans and a t-shirt will not make me enjoy my food any less. I am far to busy enjoying my cruise to give it any concern. If they are allowed into the dining room I guess thet have been deemed acceptable by the Carnival Dining Staff.

 

 

Teri

[LuViNiTCuZiCaN]

So many people will say dont wear jeans in the dining room,it is so inapproprate.

 

Wear what you are comfortable in. Like the last poster said, while I am eating dinner it does not matter to me what you are wearing.

 

Ooh ya, dont forget not to say "jeans in the dinning room" on this board!:rolleyes:

 

Have a wonderful cruise!;)

[MrPete]

Just read Big Ducks post stating the Carnival dress requirements, and skip the opinions.

 

You'll get the idea.

[hstrybuf]

The dress guidelines are posted. Read them then go shopping. Dressing appropriately for the dining room is another cost of taking a cruise vacation.

[hlb76]

I did not know this was such a can of worms. I am not saying I'm cheap or can't afford to buy nice clothes. I am just saying I think what a waste to buy something that is going to sit in you closet until the next garage sale. I was just wondering what the rule of thumb is. I agree with the post saying that I will enjoy my dinner even if the other at my table are in cut offs and a tank top and I'm in a cocktail dress. I am not out to impress any one on this trip I'm there to relax.I also want to have the least amount of luage to haul through the air port fit in the cab etc. And packing two outfits for every day seemed a little much. So Thanks for the help to thoose who helped. I will pack some khakis and jeans and see how I feel that night. Who knows maybe I will order room service and eat naked.;)

[MSSQRL]

Dear Heather,

 

We went on our first cruise in 2004 and our 2nd in 2005. For our first cruise, I was so nervous about having the right attire that I spent way too much money buying clothing for DH and I so we would be dressed appropriately. We were dumbfounded when we got there and literally saw everything, even in the dining room and even on formal night. I agree with you, it's crazy to spend all that money to buy clothes that you won't wear any other time. Someone told me prior to our cruise, "You won't need as many clothes as you think you will" and boy was she ever right. I downscaled on our 2005 cruise and still had too many clothes. One thing you really do want to keep in mind is that most of the common areas are extremely cold. During both formal nights on the Miracle, DH had to give me his suitcoat because it was so cold. The show lounge was the same way. As was the casino.

 

I don't know the length of your cruise, but here are some things to consider and I'll just use 7 days. The first and last nights you can wear what you want to the dining room, even shorts and tee shirts because Carnival understands luggage probably hasn't been delivered in time for dinner the first night and has been made ready for pick up the last night. On a 7 day cruise you'll have 2 formal nights for which you can wear the same outfit if you want and even that can be as dressy as you want or as casual as you want. So, that really only leaves 3 nights that you have to worry about and depending on the times you are in Port, you might even decide to eat dinner at a port restaurant rather than on the ship. Personally, I think a nice pair of jeans and a nice blouse or shirt would be fine for the nights you do eat in the dining room.

 

Have fun!!!!

 

 

 

[Kittybork]

HLB and cantwaittocruise,

 

My opinion:

 

You paid the money to Carnival. If they don't care, why would you care what others think. They did not pay for your cruise.

 

If someone's dinner (on any night other than formal night) is going to be ruined by a person in a nice pair of jeans and a button down shirt or polo shirt, something is wrong. I work in a business casual environment with a fairly well-spelled out dresscode. I have seen people who come to work in clothes that followed the dresscode to the T, yet they looked horrible and dressed inappropriately. IMO, it's not just WHAT you wear, it's how you wear it.

 

Relax. It's vacation. On formal night, that is a different matter. Go for the room service. You might have more fun anyway :rolleyes:

[Patfan]

The dress code is exactly what I am wearing at the time. I certailny try to comply with the rules, however I wear what I am comfortable with. I figure that my money is just as good as anyones, and if that is not what they like, then sc:eek:@#w em!

[cheshyrkat]

...Who knows maybe I will order room service and eat naked.;)

 

You may want to wear a robe when the food is delivered. LOL :D

[glrounds]

The major downside to jeans on a Caribbean cruise, aside from the fact that they are aesthetically inappropriate in a "fine dining" atmosphere, is that they are simply going to be too flippin' hot and uncomfortable.

 

Exactomundo ! !

Your TA obviously didn't read the guide lines or doesn't give a dam about Carnival or you seriously misunderstood her.

Jeans in the hot caribbean humidity are almost a joke.

The good news is Carnival almost always has a great buffet on the Lido deck (my last cruise I ate there 5 out of 7 days) and you can always order FREE room service.

[MrPete]

HLB and cantwaittocruise,

 

My opinion:

 

You paid the money to Carnival. If they don't care, why would you care what others think. They did not pay for your cruise.

 

If someone's dinner (on any night other than formal night) is going to be ruined by a person in a nice pair of jeans and a button down shirt or polo shirt, something is wrong. I work in a business casual environment with a fairly well-spelled out dresscode. I have seen people who come to work in clothes that followed the dresscode to the T, yet they looked horrible and dressed inappropriately. IMO, it's not just WHAT you wear, it's how you wear it.

 

Relax. It's vacation. On formal night, that is a different matter. Go for the room service. You might have more fun anyway

 

 

Originally Posted by Blazerboy

(Caveat: Rant coming on. A stream-of-consciousness diatribe spurred on by the never-ending clothing wars. If it matters to anyone, I don't think it'll change any minds, but it made me feel better to get it off my chest- Happy cruising everyone, and remember what is so often posted on these boards: the debates that rage on here are hopefully a small part, or no part at all, of your cruise experience! :) )

 

Ahh, this great democracy that we live in, where supposedly everyone is equal, but nobody truly believes it- it's not true, mostly because everyone's insecure about where they fit in to the picture, and is clawing to feel better than others. This country, where manners are seen as something only for the upper class, but then the upper class is defined solely by educational level and income level, and those two things are no guarantee of manners. Some of the "classiest" (I HATE that word) people I know have what are considered humble lives by most.

 

"Me, me, me" is the shout, but I read that not as a true belief on the part of the declarer, but as a cry that "I'm just as good as you are!", based on some insecurity about their social standing. Well, no one said you weren't, especially if you respect the requests of others, including your hosts or the people with whom you choose to do business.

 

"It's my vacation, so I'll do whatever I want" are nine of the most immature words strung together in the history of the language. If you were six, you'd be called a spoiled brat. Why is it any different when you become an adult. In kindergarten, you're expected to have better behavior than that. Why not now? We are becoming a culture that is solely about acquisition of status symbols, be they homes, cars, children, or vacations. We have also become a country of impatient, scared, small minded, classless boors, who think "instant gratification" takes too long. In our demand to be treated the same, we seem to all feel that we should be the exception to rules. Our arrogance about our own self importance (and the underlying insecurity that feeds it) knows no bounds. We drive enormous wasteful SUV's to feel protected, and shut ourselves off from the world in huge McMansions so we don't have to interact with other people. And our lives' list of accomplishments would say very little about our value as a person, and would say not-so-nice things about our values as humans.

 

A cruise is not simply a vacation to brag about around the office water cooler, it's a social interaction, just like going to a party, or conducting business in a professional manner when at work. It comes with privileges AND responsibilities. Guests, whether paying or not, have rights, but they also have obligations. It's about interacting civilly, about accepting that there are rules and requests that apply to us, and that we need to start valuing some of the culture that we claim is 'old fashioned' before it's acceptable to stop interacting with people altogether.

 

My word. What a sad state of affairs.

 

Andrew

[BlueHerons]

Originally Posted by Blazerboy

(. Some of the "classiest" (I HATE that word)

Andrew

 

Nice post Andrew. BTW, I'm right there with you on the use of the word class.

[Family Girl]

This is actually the other(better) half of Familygirl.

I see the posts that say no shorts and t-shirts in the dining room, which is fine with me. But I was planning on wearing docker style shorts and collared shirts to dinner. Wouldn't this be considered as "casual resort wear" ?

And by the way, I don't care what someone else wears to dinner. It takes alot more than a pair of jeans and a t-shirt in the dining room to ruin my appetite. However, If there is a standard that is common courtesy then I feel it is appropriate to dress to that standard.

[Kittybork]

Originally Posted by Blazerboy

(Caveat: Rant coming on. A stream-of-consciousness diatribe spurred on by the never-ending clothing wars. If it matters to anyone, I don't think it'll change any minds, but it made me feel better to get it off my chest- Happy cruising everyone, and remember what is so often posted on these boards: the debates that rage on here are hopefully a small part, or no part at all, of your cruise experience! :) )

 

Ahh, this great democracy that we live in, where supposedly everyone is equal, but nobody truly believes it- it's not true, mostly because everyone's insecure about where they fit in to the picture, and is clawing to feel better than others. This country, where manners are seen as something only for the upper class, but then the upper class is defined solely by educational level and income level, and those two things are no guarantee of manners. Some of the "classiest" (I HATE that word) people I know have what are considered humble lives by most.

 

"Me, me, me" is the shout, but I read that not as a true belief on the part of the declarer, but as a cry that "I'm just as good as you are!", based on some insecurity about their social standing. Well, no one said you weren't, especially if you respect the requests of others, including your hosts or the people with whom you choose to do business.

 

"It's my vacation, so I'll do whatever I want" are nine of the most immature words strung together in the history of the language. If you were six, you'd be called a spoiled brat. Why is it any different when you become an adult. In kindergarten, you're expected to have better behavior than that. Why not now? We are becoming a culture that is solely about acquisition of status symbols, be they homes, cars, children, or vacations. We have also become a country of impatient, scared, small minded, classless boors, who think "instant gratification" takes too long. In our demand to be treated the same, we seem to all feel that we should be the exception to rules. Our arrogance about our own self importance (and the underlying insecurity that feeds it) knows no bounds. We drive enormous wasteful SUV's to feel protected, and shut ourselves off from the world in huge McMansions so we don't have to interact with other people. And our lives' list of accomplishments would say very little about our value as a person, and would say not-so-nice things about our values as humans.

 

A cruise is not simply a vacation to brag about around the office water cooler, it's a social interaction, just like going to a party, or conducting business in a professional manner when at work. It comes with privileges AND responsibilities. Guests, whether paying or not, have rights, but they also have obligations. It's about interacting civilly, about accepting that there are rules and requests that apply to us, and that we need to start valuing some of the culture that we claim is 'old fashioned' before it's acceptable to stop interacting with people altogether.

 

My word. What a sad state of affairs.

 

Andrew

 

If that's how you feel, ask to be moved if you are at the table with someone who offends your delicate sensibilities. It's preposterous.

 

Up until recently, I had not intended to pack jeans at all. With all of the holier-than-thous acting as if a pair of pants will ruin their dinner and thinking that somehow, they have the right to dictate to another person on how to dress, I may bring jeans for every night in the dining room. I have read so many posts telling people that if they don't like the idea of not wearing jeans, they are welcome to go to the buffet. Where do you get the nerve? If you don't like how someone is dressed, why don't you go to the buffet?

 

All nice restaraunts handle the dress code at the door. They don't expect their patrons to do it for them. In this case, it is Carnival's job, not yours. I think you should all leave your condescention at the door as well. Give your opinion if you're asked, but don't belittle someone because his beliefs do not agree with yours.

 

If denim is really so appalling as to have an adverse effect on your dinner, why don't you go on a more formal cruise. They may hire denim police.

 

If that makes me a spoled little girl, so be it.