Final word from RCCL on Jeans-in-Dining-Room policy

[sherry7]

I can't believe I just read this entire thread. :rolleyes:

 

Personally, me and my family have never worn jeans to the dining room. But, if other people want to do so, that's their business, as long as RCCL says it's okay.

 

Some observances though....I was just on the Serenade a couple of weeks ago, and noticed VERY FEW people wearing jeans in the dining room (other than the first night...when it was 'anything goes'). What I did notice was quite a few people wearing shorts and t-shirts to the dining room. What's up with that? :confused:

 

I just took a glance at one of my Cruise Compasses from a 'Casual' night dinner, and all it basically stated was 'no bare feet, no tank tops'. This same 'dress code' applied to both the Windjammer and the dining room. On the other hand, the RCCL website (which most cruisers will never read) gives an entirely different definition of 'casual'.

[Aubiecruiser]

Your talking about tradition, in the "old days" you would have *gasp* never had a fast food restaurant on a ship. My idea of being on a cruise ship is being on a vacation. Enjoying myself.

 

Sure you may suggest Carnival but I don't need to accept your suggestions. RCI is not the traditional cruise line it once was . They are a more casual ship, are they as casual as Carnival? No, Do they have a no jeans policy? No, Do i wear jeans? No, Would it be ok for me to wear jeans? YES

 

There is nothing wrong with getting a little dressed up for dinner but there is something wrong with you telling me how to dress. As long as a person dresses in accordance with the line, who are you to argue? Your opinion is irrelevant. As i said before, there are cruise lines out there (I think) that still give you the old time, traditional cruise experience. My suggestion is to cruise them. ;)

 

First of all, if you took the time to read, you should have noticed that I never "told" anyone how to dress for dinner. Frankly I don't care if someone walks in with their size 58 jeans hanging around their knees, and their boxers hiked up to their armpits, its ok by me. I always like a good laugh.

Remember, clothing makes the man.

Aubie

[dougp26364]

First of all, if you took the time to read, you should have noticed that I never "told" anyone how to dress for dinner. Frankly I don't care if someone walks in with their size 58 jeans hanging around their knees, and their boxers hiked up to their armpits, its ok by me. I always like a good laugh.

Remember, clothing makes the man.

Aubie

 

Up until that last line you had a little credablity. It'd have been better to drop that last snide remark from your post if you wanted your words to have value.

[Weez]

Up until that last line you had a little credablity. It'd have been better to drop that last snide remark from your post if you wanted your words to have value.

 

Thanks for saying what i was thinking. :)

[jbond]

caviargirl, where are you? Did the Beluga just turn into salmon roe?

Hey Doug, Aubiecruiser lost it for me some time ago, but now we find out that he also finds oversize people something to laugh at. Pretty sad. On Brilliance we had a great M&M, fortunately there were no people like Aubie or caviargirl on our M&M board.

[sblahars]

Up until that last line you had a little credablity. It'd have been better to drop that last snide remark from your post if you wanted your words to have value.

 

I've been trying to stay out of this one, but I'm not sure I understand what the snide remark was.

[zotzer]

Am I the only one who finds it totally hysterical that a thread titled, "the final word....." now has 105 (wait, make that 106) additional postings? :)

 

Tracy

[BallFour4]

Amazing, amazing, amazing...

 

I am truly amazed about the debate that rages on about blue jeans, dress determining class, and food tasting bad based on what people wear.

 

Every one of us loves cruising, and a significant number of us are drawn to share the stories and suggestions on these and other boards. How it has evolved to a "I'm better than you because I packed ____ and wore it on ____ night is a mystery."

 

I can share what I've observed as a cruiser since my high school graduation trip on the Carnival Mardi Gras to our trip in November aboard the Rhapsody and the 9 cruises in between.

 

Cruising has morphed into what Las Vegas did about 15 years ago, and that is a relatively cheap ticket to step aboard. Look at the Sunday paper in any major city and cruise prices are posted from $299 and up. With these prices a larger number of passengers can afford cruises. It happened to air travel in the early 80's and cruises soon followed.

 

I don't equate class with cash flow; one look at Paris Hilton can confirm that.

 

I do trust that people with a more casual culture are now cruising more than ever, and the industry is heavy after their dollar.

 

One clear place for formal dress is the premium choice dining to attract those that want a step up from dining room food.

 

A second is the new ships from NCL that offer Freestyle dining and are much more casual in dress.

 

Look around the mall, church, movies and other public places you go and you will see the movement to a more casual dress. Generation X has spendable cash and time to go on cruises as well. People with a more casual approach to dress and lifestyle are not going to change their fashion habits in a 3-7 day cruise based on just how angry you are on these boards. You are urinating the prevalent breeze if you think that will happen...

 

What does this mean for cruising? You can count on the cruise lines not enforcing the dress codes in place, and perhaps changing them to allow a more resort casual dress in many, if not all public areas.

 

Far too many ships compete for the travel dollar; passenger demand for change will dictate the future.

 

I might not agree with the change, but I have had many dining room meals, and almost all have been outstanding. The bad ones were that way due to poor food quality, not by what my fellow passengers were wearing.

 

Join us on the Splendour in a few weeks, I don't care if you come to dinner in feathers and a blue jean item you got at a resale shop. Just enjoy the trip and a vacation with your family. Life's too short to do anything else.

[SPGryphon]

I hadn't even thought about feathers! :eek:

[Shirley and Les]

After reading most of the posts in this thread, I have a few observations.

 

About jeans in the dining room...

Many years ago, a columnist in the local paper had a question to the effect of "Why do women wearing jeans and high-heeled shoes always look like they need a good scrubbing?":confused:

 

About worrrying about this at all...

A subset of Murphy's Law is "The time spent deciding something is inversely proportional to the importance of the decision.:o

 

About having five pages of responses about this subject (including mine)...

Just when you get something idiot-proofed, they come up with a better idiot!:eek:

[BallFour4]

I hadn't even thought about feathers! :eek:

 

OK, so feathers slipped your mind, just join us anyway. One wife, one teenage daughter and several cruise stories. We'd like to hear you and your partners travel adventures.

 

Shoud I change my signature to dance with your partner? We don't label, and you'd be welcome at the table.

 

Now, if you'd just help us in the debate over lobster versus the steak for dinner, and tell my teenager that 15 pairs of flip-flops represent excess...

 

Enjoy The Cruise,

 

Lee in Houston

[dougp26364]

I've been trying to stay out of this one, but I'm not sure I understand what the snide remark was.

 

Remember, clothes make the man. Sorry but there is so much more than nice clothing to "make the man." You can put a monkey in a tux and it's still just a monkey in a tux. Clothing has nothing to do with making the person.

 

I used to wear a suit and tie to work every day. Now I wear hospital scrubs. Am I any less of a person since I no longer wear $200 to $500 suits to work every day? Am I less of a person if I choose to wear blue jeans to the main dining room on casual night? If anyone thinks so then I'm not sure it's worth my time to associate with that person.

 

Jbond,

 

They probably would have lost me long ago if I'd have taken enough time to read everything they wrote. I really think Caviar girl probably has champagne tastes on a beer budget. Otherwise they might choose a cruise line a little classier than RCI.

 

We really did have a great group of people in our M&M. It be nice if we could cruise along with everyone on every cruise we take.

[FitzLA]

Amazing, amazing, amazing...

 

I am truly amazed about the debate that rages on about blue jeans, dress determining class, and food tasting bad based on what people wear.

 

Every one of us loves cruising, and a significant number of us are drawn to share the stories and suggestions on these and other boards. How it has evolved to a "I'm better than you because I packed ____ and wore it on ____ night is a mystery."

 

I can share what I've observed as a cruiser since my high school graduation trip on the Carnival Mardi Gras to our trip in November aboard the Rhapsody and the 9 cruises in between.

 

Cruising has morphed into what Las Vegas did about 15 years ago, and that is a relatively cheap ticket to step aboard. Look at the Sunday paper in any major city and cruise prices are posted from $299 and up. With these prices a larger number of passengers can afford cruises. It happened to air travel in the early 80's and cruises soon followed.

 

I don't equate class with cash flow; one look at Paris Hilton can confirm that.

 

I do trust that people with a more casual culture are now cruising more than ever, and the industry is heavy after their dollar.

 

One clear place for formal dress is the premium choice dining to attract those that want a step up from dining room food.

 

A second is the new ships from NCL that offer Freestyle dining and are much more casual in dress.

 

Look around the mall, church, movies and other public places you go and you will see the movement to a more casual dress. Generation X has spendable cash and time to go on cruises as well. People with a more casual approach to dress and lifestyle are not going to change their fashion habits in a 3-7 day cruise based on just how angry you are on these boards. You are urinating the prevalent breeze if you think that will happen...

 

What does this mean for cruising? You can count on the cruise lines not enforcing the dress codes in place, and perhaps changing them to allow a more resort casual dress in many, if not all public areas.

 

Far too many ships compete for the travel dollar; passenger demand for change will dictate the future.

 

I might not agree with the change, but I have had many dining room meals, and almost all have been outstanding. The bad ones were that way due to poor food quality, not by what my fellow passengers were wearing.

 

Join us on the Splendour in a few weeks, I don't care if you come to dinner in feathers and a blue jean item you got at a resale shop. Just enjoy the trip and a vacation with your family. Life's too short to do anything else.

 

Very well said. Thank you!!! Oh, and tell you teenager that 15 pairs of flops is not too much at all. I usually bring about 10, and I am a guy!:D

[dougp26364]

I don't care if you come to dinner in feathers and a blue jean item you got at a resale shop. Just enjoy the trip and a vacation with your family. Life's too short to do anything else.

 

The funny thing is, my wife has gone to dinner a couple of times in feathers. She purchased a nice died turkey feather boa (sp?) at Miss Kitty's Button Hole in Skagway Alaska. She's since purchased another one, although not as nice as the one from Miss Kitty's, for a different dress she wears on formal nights.

[jennew]

funny thing to me...I have been on three cruises and I can't remember what a single other person wore to the diningroom. If there was jeans there it did not make a mark on my evening.

 

My DH and I dress well, however he did forget his suit and attended formal night with a tie and dress shirt- no jacket. I hope he did not ruin the evening for anyone else. :rolleyes:

[Cuizer2]

Wow, I sure am glad the jeans issue is settled.

 

Now, can someone e-mail RCI and find out how much to tip for children under the age of 12?

[caviargal]

caviargirl, where are you? Did the Beluga just turn into salmon roe?

QUOTE]

 

Over on the HAL and Celebrity boards where jeans are not a fashion statement.

 

And it's "gal" to you.

[Cosmic Rays]

I haven't read this thread yet, but we have just returned from an Empress 11 day Cruise. On formal night, one 'Guy' dined wearing a Bank's Brewery TShirt and shorts in amongst others wearing Tux's etc!!!!!! The Maitre d' did nothing about him!

What sort of message does that portray from RCI I wonder?

 

Colin

[sblahars]

Not my words but I agree. This is from a similar thread on the Celebrity forum.

 

All very complicated. But what the heck...here's my stab at it (Sorry Phil, I know I promised to give these threads up for New Year's but I can't always help myself!) :

 

The non-dressers claim that it's their vacation and they paid for it. (Ugh! how crass.) But anyone who so deliberately ignores the suggested dress is begging for attention, even if just to say "look at me, I'm above the rules (O.k., suggestions, if you must) that apply to you!" And then we are treated to the "why do you care what others do" argument. (Best defense is an offense- make it the problem of those who comply with the suggested dress, not the problem of those who don't) So then we who dress all decide that, hmmm, maybe we won't let it ruin our cruise, but will simply focus on the folks who, like us, have no issue with the dress codes. Ah, but then the accusation of being shallow, and judging people only on appearance are levied when we don't associate with the non-dressers automatically (notice that offense/defense thing again!) So we decide not to listen to that criticism, and again focus on our cruise and the like-minded fellow cruisers. We then return form the cruise to two criticisms: Either all Celebrity passengers are snobs for wanting to dress up (because we ignored those who didn't) or that somehow, by following the recommended dress, we're trying to live a fantasy life of royalty/James Bond/ whatever. (Attack, always attack!)

 

So I, in the end, shrug my shoulders. I will continue to dress appropriately, following the guidelines of the line. As this isn't significantly different from my way of dressing at home/at work/ during my social life (c'mon, no ones really talking tails top hats and tiaras here), and I now how to find a bargain if need be (remember that old "economic necessity" argument!), it doesn't cause me much effort or concern to dress well. If I ignore you on the ship, you are welcome to think me a snob, or a poseur, if you like, as I'm comfortable with my reasons for not associating with you. (Hint: nothing to do with a t-shirt, more an attitude projected by not following the suggested dress- I don't find rule-breakers usually to be charming people-, or maybe the sneer as you challenge anyone to confront you, or the uncomfortable nervous giggles from your fellow cruisers when the only thing you can associate black tie evening wear with is a high school prom, and say so out loud. ) OOHHH, I almost forgot the "comfort" argument! People who are comfortable in all social situations rarely find the appropriate clothing uncomfortable. Sorry, but if you're uncomfortable in the clothing, you have one of two problems: a bad clothes salesman, or an inferiority complex.

 

I guarantee you I will have a good time on the cruise- I've yet to have a bad vacation on a cruise ship. I'll still probably smile at you, perhaps even make pleasant conversation while we share an elevator. But I won't linger with you over a drink, nor will I make an effort to seek you out for other activities when the dress code is more casual. I like to spend time with nice, fun people who know how to behave in social situations. I know, I know, now you're on the defensive (and with all your arguments above, it's not a place you like to be!) So you then declare that not hanging out with me on a ship is fine with you! Guess what? A win-win situation.

 

Happy cruising.

[alphakitty]

DH and I are just home from Sovereign OTS. Horror of horrors, our dinner companions wore jeans to dinner everynight except formal night. :eek: Only problem is, we didn't notice until after we had a wonderfully entertaining dinner and they got up to leave! ;) I thouroughly enjoyed their company. They are not CC board members and were not aware of any controversy of the wearing of the jeans.

[sblahars]

People on here are trying to make everyone believe that everyone who doesn't dress properly is just the best people in the world to be around and are the nicest people in the world, and that those who DO dress properly are stuck up snobs and impossible to socialize with due to their nose being stuck up as high as can go.

 

Talk about being judgemental.

[logan1_2000]

Gotta love when a "final" word has over 100 replies.

 

While I wish folks would have enough respect for suggested dress codes and for the overall ambience of a formal night being something that many guests look forward to when selecting cruises that include formal night, we can't stop those who don't feel the need to comply. It is in fact a source of some amusement, as we survey the other guests, appreciate those who took the time to dress up, then have a laugh at those who don't care.

 

No, clothes don't mean class, or vice versa. And perhaps someone was the victim of lost luggage--it happens, happened to a guy I know last weekend. But it isn't that hard to find something appropriate, tux or otherwise. Some just dont bother and some do.

 

My biggest issue has always been that it isn't like people didn't know there was going to be a formal night. It is part of the advertising materials, it is described in the brochure. Not like wandering into a restaurant and having no forewarning of how dressy it might have been.So to me, it is a very intentional action of flouting what is presented politely as "suggested", but is nevertheless very much a part of the theme of the cruise programming. Nobody sprang it on you--it was part of what you bought, and there are many other wonderful vacations and yes, cruises, that dont have formal nights, or there are alternative dining options.

 

Dress code isn't the only symptom of the disregard for others. Like the woman sitting right in front of the no smoking sign at the pool bar (or maybe it was the sky bar, I forget) on the radiance last month, puffing away. what, does the sign not apply to that woman?

 

On two occasions I have gone on 4 night Disney cruises where there was no formal night, and I enjoyed being able to pack a little more lightly. And Most often, I have brought my tux when there was a formal night--and I have even rented from cruise formals when I didnt want the hassle of packing heavy but still wanted to enjoy the dress up factor of formal night.

 

Don't try to flame me with snob comments. I can wear t-shirts and not shave all weekend and hang with the rednecks at panama city beach, FL with the best of 'em, though I will avoid the smoke whenever possible. i like diners and chinese takeout and waffle house along with high end restaurants. situationally appropriate, that's all. some of our ivy league alumni functions are held at clubs where the gentlemen are required to wear a coat at all times and a coat and tie after 6, and sometimes we're watching our school's teams play college athletics as true student athletes and we wear sweatshirts with school colors.:cool:

[threeofus]

The original thread started with a question about teens wearing jeans on casual nights NOT FORMAL nights.

 

The attire for formal night is clear.....the attire for casual nights isn't as clear and therefore up to interpretation -- so we all thought --

 

Someone posted that RCI cleared that up with a statement about it being appropriate to wear jeans on casual nights.

 

So really the debate is over.

It's a win for me because my teen will wear jeans....and I might even jump into a pair one night. Now I don't have to buy my DD a bunch of outfits she will not enjoy wearing. Trust me...She will look fabulous in her designer jeans - no belly showing... And contrary to all those who said she was a spoiled child for wanting to wear jeasn.....she is a darling honor student who likes to wear jeans and looks pretty darn good in them.

[sblahars]

Dress code isn't the only symptom of the disregard for others. Like the woman sitting right in front of the no smoking sign at the pool bar (or maybe it was the sky bar, I forget) on the radiance last month, puffing away. what, does the sign not apply to that woman?

 

For some reason, people just find it so hard to understand that. I really do think people don't think the rules don't apply to them and that their actions have no effect on anyone else.

[sblahars]

 

So really the debate is over.

It's a win for me because my teen will wear jeans....and I might even jump into a pair one night. Now I don't have to buy my DD a bunch of outfits she will not enjoy wearing. Trust me...She will look fabulous in her designer jeans - no belly showing... And contrary to all those who said she was a spoiled child for wanting to wear jeasn.....she is a darling honor student who likes to wear jeans and looks pretty darn good in them.

 

What do you mean it is a win? What did you win? See, this shows that those who don't feel they need to dress properly really think this is a battle that they need to fight for reasons beyond me. Why do you think this is a battle you need to win? Why can't she look fabulous in something other than jeans? Why does it have to be jeans? My wife never wears jeans to dinner and she looks fabulous all the time. You don't NEED to wear jeans.

 

I also would like to meet a parent who has a kid who isn't a darling honor student.