Shorts in the Dining Room and Specialty Restaurants

[LMaxwell]

Have worn shorts to each specialty dining I have gone to; no problem.  

[Ourusualbeach]

23 minutes ago, blackshirt said:

If you say so. All I know is every cruise I’ve been on it states every single day in the cruise compass that shorts are not allowed in the dining room. You can call that whatever you want.

 

Heres a cruise compass from Allure a couple weeks ago.  Please point out where it says no shorts allowed.

 

https://issuu.com/hochmania/docs/day1-3-merged-compressed/18

[not-enough-cruising]

On Harmony in July, I wore dress shorts in the MDR every night but one, and that night I wore shorts in Chops

[ShipsNdips]

28 minutes ago, blackshirt said:

If you say so. All I know is every cruise I’ve been on it states every single day in the cruise compass that shorts are not allowed in the dining room. You can call that whatever you want.

Hmmm. My husband has worn nice shorts to dinner several times other than elegant evenings.  I do recall reading somewhere before that said shorts were not allowed in main dining rooms on elegant nights. I think that has changed a lot. 

[TonyFred]

On 11/4/2018 at 6:05 AM, spookwife said:

IIRC  shorts are never allowed in the specialties for dinner..   depending on the exact ship, he  may also be turned away  from the MDR

 

by shorts I hope you mean  pressed/pleated belted shorts and not any sort of  basketball or  gym  gear.  

Wrong. Just got off the Freedom. No problem with nice shorts in any restaurant, specialty or not.

[mek]

Just off Allure - never saw shorts in MDR at dinner, but I saw many people wearing shorts in the speciality restaurants in the evening.

[Showme72]

I wear nice jeans (no holes, no shorts) and a western type shirt that has a collar, a belt, socks and clean New Balance shoes.

 

They are nice to me any place on the ship.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

3 hours ago, blackshirt said:

If you say so. All I know is every cruise I’ve been on it states every single day in the cruise compass that shorts are not allowed in the dining room. You can call that whatever you want.

 

obsolete ?

 

Bill

[Dennis#1]

On 11/4/2018 at 5:35 PM, Merion_Mom said:

 

 

 

I have seen gym shorts and ball cap in the MDR on the Grandeur on formal night.  The kicker is that his wife was wearing a beautiful sparkly dress.  😮

Guess we are old fashioned.  We like to dress up in the MDR, especially on formal nights.

[Ashland]

On 11/4/2018 at 5:40 AM, mafig said:

My husband also wore shorts every night except formal on Allure.

He also wore them in the Diamond Lounge (gasp!).  No one said a word and he was not the only one.  

Recently (September) off the Freedom on a B2B Southern Caribbean.....the first and only time we (D+) have seen the DL Concierge enforce a dress code in the DL...Needless to say she was far from being popular !! 

Edited November 6, 2018 by Ashland

[Brooklyn Bridget]

I wouldn't even care if they were gym shorts.  As long as they aren't stinky.  😆

Edited November 6, 2018 by Brooklyn Bridget

[Dennis#1]

48 minutes ago, Ashland said:

Recently (September) off the Freedom on a B2B Southern Caribbean.....the first and only time we (D+) have seen the DL Concierge enforce a dress code in the DL...Needless to say she was far from being popular !! 

Was the DL Concierge Ying Jin Yu?  Did she try to enforce the rule that drinks can not be taken out of the DL?

[Georgeny]

4 hours ago, Dennis#1 said:

Guess we are old fashioned.  We like to dress up in the MDR, especially on formal nights.

 

Us too but we are becoming the minority I guess. We have Americanized cruising. Ala-carte Johny Rockets, $8 pub burgers etc. Such is life! Judging from my grand children who are now older teens the future of cruise dining is chicken fingers and fries. No dressing required, phone charging port mandatory at tables.

 

No problem. If we can't make it into fast and a mall it isn't for us I guess. We cruise less now when our plan for golden years was to cruise more. But the market rules as in any business. Such is life.

 

George in NY

[Georgeny]

3 hours ago, Dennis#1 said:

Was the DL Concierge Ying Jin Yu?  Did she try to enforce the rule that drinks can not be taken out of the DL?

 

Only had one Concierge that prohibited taking your last drink out of the lounge. I asked around and it was apparently she didn't follow the norm of taking care of various other staffers with a few $$ here and there. So she only received her required number of glasses for the cruise. She could not obtain replacements from whomever was the Lord of Glasses and supplies.

 

George in NY

[momofmab]

The biggest problem is the ambiguity of the dress code.  Using the word "suggested" so as not to offend anyone and therefore leaving the interpretation up to the individual cruiser (and the mood of the crew member manning the restaurant check in).

 

Another problem is selective enforcement of the "suggested" dress code.  Allowing shorts in specialty restaurants on some ships, but turning people away on others.  It would be ideal if they could get very specific on what is permitted in the MDR (shorts, but not cargo, cutoff or athletic - and a collared shirt for men - no tees or "muscle tees".  Same for women, minus the collared tee requirement), and then actually enforcing the rules across all ships.

 

In my view, the mainstream lines (RCI, NCL, CCL, Disney and to some extent, Celebrity) are more casual lines, especially on a Caribbean itinerary.  Part of the reason many people choose these lines is so they don't have to haul long pants, suits, tuxedos and floor length gowns in their luggage.

[bowler15547]

Not to beat a dead horse, but I've been cruising for 18 years now. I have packed a suit and multiple pairs of long dress pants for every cruise. They don't take up much room, if packed right. It is nice to get all fancied up, have a couple pre-dinner drinks and have a nice meal. Yes, I do wear dress clothes to work every day, but this is a fun reason to put them on. It really does not take much to do it.

 

However, the general idea of dressing up has changed. I used to have to wear a tie every day to work, now business casual means jeans and a polo to some. To each their own, but I do agree that you are going to a nice restaurant and being served high class food, that you should probably attempt to dress classy. 

[Dennis#1]

12 minutes ago, bowler15547 said:

Not to beat a dead horse, but I've been cruising for 18 years now. I have packed a suit and multiple pairs of long dress pants for every cruise. They don't take up much room, if packed right. It is nice to get all fancied up, have a couple pre-dinner drinks and have a nice meal. Yes, I do wear dress clothes to work every day, but this is a fun reason to put them on. It really does not take much to do it.

 

However, the general idea of dressing up has changed. I used to have to wear a tie every day to work, now business casual means jeans and a polo to some. To each their own, but I do agree that you are going to a nice restaurant and being served high class food, that you should probably attempt to dress classy. 

Well said.  Agree with your post.

[Wilda]

Op here.  Thank you for all of the insight.  We will take long pants and play it by ear.  

[wytygr8]

On 11/4/2018 at 4:51 PM, sh2738 said:

However, if he wants to wear shorts for dinner, I would like to make a suggestion. Perhaps eat in Windjammer for dinner as casual wear is more appropriate in that dining venue.

 

Can I get a medium rare steak in the Windjammer?

[johnjen]

On 11/4/2018 at 7:05 AM, spookwife said:

by shorts I hope you mean  pressed/pleated belted shorts and not any sort of  basketball or  gym  gear.  

 

Who wears THAT these days? Do they wear nylon socks with suspenders too?😁

[ReneeFLL]

 

On 11/5/2018 at 11:08 AM, Georgeny said:

 

Just speculating here. Come form small rural town, slim pickings in men, best they could do but making best of it. They say women mature faster than men, the guys still 12 year olds at heart. Woman married beneath them selves and are still hoping to change them. Woman grew and realized that they married slobs and are dressing nicely hoping to attract a new man?

 

You do see that all the time, and again judging, often say " what is a good looking well dressed woman doing with such a guy? " " He must have money and she is hoping he dies young?"

 

George in NY

 

Got a good laugh out of that one.

 

 

On 11/5/2018 at 11:32 AM, Georgeny said:

Judging but then I must say these MDR folks did provide a lot of entertainment. The hot white socks really made his attire but since he wore the same outfit every night and day the look faded after a while. I gave him benefit of the doubt, that he owned multiple pairs of identical clothes and actually changed daily. Hummm maybe not.

 

Was certainly out classed by the wife in her elegant fashion piece which proved ideal for her unique dancing moves.

 

Did I say anything, no, did take a picture yes. Friends at home wouldn't want to miss out on this one.

 

 

 

Are you sure she's dancing or is she about to pee? 

[Kimba_83]

Wow, this is always so much fun to read. I don´t know what to say.

I was on Allure two years ago and just got off of Oasis on Sunday. The Cruise compass didn´t mention anything about no shorts or ANY other statement about what is prohibited in the MDR. Not even on formal night. And there was no word about it at the entrance of the MDR, as some always seem to see from this board.

The no shorts was only mentioned in one specialty restaurant.

 

Half of all the people in the MDR wore shorts on regular nights. And a lot of people wore them on formal nights. It is just the theme of the night. We also had a white night on the promenade and guess what? People wore all kinds of colorful shirts.

 

For a formal atmosphere I always imagine a place more quiet than a huge MDR and the noise there. And please don´t say anything about tablecloths and long pants. No idea why this is always mentioned in one context.

 

I don´t care what other people wear for dinner, for breakfast or in the theater. And those who want to dress up can dress up every night. Why wait for a specific night the cruiseline tells you?

 

[katiel53]

We don't eat in the MDR for dinner, but in the specialty restaurants we have seen men in shorts nightly except for formal nights.  In Giovanni's one night there was a table of 10 or so and the men all had on shorts, offensive tee shirts (sayings on the front) and ball caps.  The wives were all in tank tops and shorts and the kids were just out of control. 

Nothing was said to any of them.  The kids ran around the table, yelled, threw silverware and just were out of control.  The parents never seemed to notice as they continued their conversations etc.

 

I don't know if the no shorts policy was ignored because it was a large party or if the staff really doesn't care.  Fortunately when we ate there again later in the week, they weren't in there.

 

I only noticed me in shorts when they were entering the dining room of Chops as I was sitting facing where the people came in.  Once seated, I wouldn't have known they were in shorts.

 

In Samba we could see them at the salad bar, but after that,  we didn't see them in the restaurant.

Edited November 9, 2018 by katiel53

[pokerguy90]

On 11/4/2018 at 7:15 AM, Ourusualbeach said:

 

I’ve worn shorts in the specialty restaurants many times.  No one cares except people on CC.  On our last cruise one of the assistant waiters in Chops was wearing shorts.

The above quote is by FAR is the most truthful post ever in regard to MDR/upsell restaurants.  I have been on many, many cruises going back to 1985.  Back then, dress codes were inforced. Now, with cruise lines being very mainstream. An so many regulations when traveling by air.  People just want to pack as light as possible.  I would have a scentific study done that would tell if food taste better when your dressesd up.

 

the service years ago was was a 5 course meal,  waiter, asst waiter & busboy  left you wanting form nothing,  real white glove service.  I could go on and on, but those days are gone... what are people holding on too?  Cruise ships  no longer exude elegant and classy.  Its main stream stuff.  If it bothers you what someone else is wearing,  then go in a snot nose line like Cunard.  Hip,hip... Cherio...  on that line you can dress up and even were a monicle, and look like Mr. Monopoly for all I care.  

 

But to put peope down, call them ignorant.  Thats really low class.  I wonder,  why do you care what others wear anyway.  I mean wholly crap... mind your own freakin business.  Its alomost 2019.  Your lucky if most people are wearing underwear under thier shorts.  

 

 

[davekathy]

1 hour ago, katiel53 said:

We don't eat in the MDR for dinner, but in the specialty restaurants we have seen men in shorts nightly except for formal nights.  In Giovanni's one night there was a table of 10 or so and the men all had on shorts, offensive tee shirts (sayings on the front) and ball caps.  The wives were all in tank tops and shorts and the kids were just out of control. 

Nothing was said to any of them.  The kids ran around the table, yelled, threw silverware and just were out of control.  The parents never seemed to notice as they continued their conversations etc.

 

I don't know if the no shorts policy was ignored because it was a large party or if the staff really doesn't care.  Fortunately when we ate there again later in the week, they weren't in there.

 

I only noticed me in shorts when they were entering the dining room of Chops as I was sitting facing where the people came in.  Once seated, I wouldn't have known they were in shorts.

 

In Samba we could see them at the salad bar, but after that,  we didn't see them in the restaurant.

We would have asked to speak with a head waiter or above and complained about the brats disrupting our meal.