Truth about dress code enforcement please, - not policy.

[budmeister]

 

Hi,

 

If we wear clean, non-ripped pants and t-shirts, will we be turned away from specialty restaurants for dinner? No matter what night it is? We are a quiet couple, keep to ourselves, and really hate to pack for and dress up for dinner. We have never had a problem on our other cruise line, but I would hate to be unpleasantly surprised at being denied dinner at the restaurants of our choice on our cruise. 

 

Thank for for your experienced answers, even if you do not approve! 🙂

[beasley11]

Not sure about a t-shirt in the dining room but on all the cruises I have done, a collared golf shirt was fine with a pair of Docker pants even on a dress up nite. I think as long as you look "nice" you will be ok except on those cruises that have mandatory dress up nites.

 

[dkjretired]

30 minutes ago, budmeister said:

 

Hi,

 

If we wear clean, non-ripped pants and t-shirts, will we be turned away from specialty restaurants for dinner? No matter what night it is? We are a quiet couple, keep to ourselves, and really hate to pack for and dress up for dinner. We have never had a problem on our other cruise line, but I would hate to be unpleasantly surprised at being denied dinner at the restaurants of our choice on our cruise. 

 

Thank for for your experienced answers, even if you do not approve! 🙂

Depends on the t shirt, usually they want a collored shirt. Realistically, it will depend on who is at the door. Pants are okay, dress code in Specially restaurants is smart casual every night ,  they do not do Evening Chic.

 

 

[keesar]

Collared shirts are recommended.  I have seen some denied entry wearing t-style shirts.  It depends on the maitre d' of the restaurant.  As mentioned, a collared golf shirt is acceptable.  

[kwokpot]

If you wear a nice, FITTED Tshirt and pair it with a cardigan sweater you would be fine. Or just pair a pair of nice FITTED jeans with a lightweight pullover sweater and you'll be fine. Here's an example of exactly what I'm talking about.

Edited April 5, 2022 by kwokpot

[Arizona Wildcat]

Just use common sense.  Would you wear a t-shirt to an upscale restaurant at home?  I wear Birkenstocks (with socks) , kakhis and a polo shirt.  Looks nice.  Comfortable and easy.

[Denny01]

I’m not ‘judging’ just asking, is packing a collared sports shirt/polo-shirt that is so close to a t-shirt really ‘dressing up for dinner’ or packing just for dinner? Hopefully you aren’t as sloppy as I am and can take only a few collared shirts which are really just t-shirts with a collar and then you don’t have to worry about it.

 

That’s my recommendation. The specialty dining places are not to miss and your collared ‘t-shirt’ then covers you for every dining place and night, including the Evening Chic. All works out.

 

And as to pants? Heck, I’ve seen pretty much every type and the only ones that has an issue were shorts and very faded blue jeans with a big ‘Levi’ patch on it. Got stopped. 

 

If you are cruising on the Edge or Apex, you don’t want to miss the 4 MDRs also. They are fantastic. 

 

Do enjoy and don’t see it as some ‘regulation’, just the way to enjoy dining in a great atmosphere that you add to.  You do know that a Collared Shirt just makes any venue that much more classy!!! hehe.

 

By the way, if I had Kwokpot’s body, I’d be wearing shirts that were so tight, gangrene would set in!! Great Photo!!

 

Den 

Edited April 5, 2022 by Denny01

[lv2cruisgrl]

We are on Apex and have seen everything this week. In Lumenae at lunch Short shorts, tshirts, bathing suit under a see thru cover up. Dinner in specialty restaurants a little of everything. Some dress nicely, some do not. We really feel since covid the way people dress on cruises has declined. 

[kearney]

I don't know how much they actually enforce the code... but I have seen people asked to come back wearing something other than flip flops and shorts (not dressier type but sloppy looking type).. but this was before Covid.. so not sure about now.

[LGW59]

13 hours ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

Just use common sense.  Would you wear a t-shirt to an upscale restaurant at home?  I wear Birkenstocks (with socks) , kakhis and a polo shirt.  Looks nice.  Comfortable and easy.

Hmmmm, common sense, would you wear Birkenstocks to an upscale restaurant at home, not a problem to me, I don't ever police how people dress because I could care less.  I'd def give the t-shirt a try though, and if they give you grief, be prepared and have a light weight golf shirt or two just in case. 

[39august]

Clean, non-ripped jeans are OK too. 

[mac66]

Seriously....how hard is it to pack/wear a collared shirt?

[dkjretired]

18 hours ago, lovrccl said:

We are on Apex and have seen everything this week. In Lumenae at lunch Short shorts, tshirts, bathing suit under a see thru cover up. Dinner in specialty restaurants a little of everything. Some dress nicely, some do not. We really feel since covid the way people dress on cruises has declined. 

Shorts and tshirts are okay for lunch and breakfast.  You will see everything thing in Specialty restaurants because they are smart casual every now get.

[sweetp0618]

I wear Birkinstocks everywhere. I have a severe pain condition and can't wear anything but sandals without a backstrap or clogs no matter where I dine.

 

If I were you, I'd pack one collared polo and your t-shirts just in case. Otherwise, wear what you want and is comfortable for you. 

 

Happy sailing!

 

[AmberCascades]

Not a specialty restaurant, but at the MDR I saw someone turned away for wearing shorts at dinner and someone else was asked to remove his baseball hat.  He resisted and the hostess wouldn't let him in until he took it off.  It was just a regular evening, not Evening Chic.

 

[TMaine]

These are just general observations over the years but it seems people dress up more on Caribbean cruises.   Maybe slightly less so on European cruises but very much less on the Alaska cruise that we were on in September.  

[miched]

On 4/4/2022 at 11:36 PM, lovrccl said:

We are on Apex and have seen everything this week. In Lumenae at lunch Short shorts, tshirts, bathing suit under a see thru cover up. Dinner in specialty restaurants a little of everything. Some dress nicely, some do not. We really feel since covid the way people dress on cruises has declined. 

we experienced the same 
 

We sailed on the  Apex a few weeks ago for a B2B.  One in AQ and the other in a SS.  

 

Many men wore  ball caps all the time in the dining rooms.  I guess if it has Harley or John Deere on it it isn’t a ball cap. 

 

One night in Blu there were 2 couples that were together and the men were wearing shorts,  ball caps and white undershirts.   Almost seems as if they were doing it on purpose to push the limits.
 

Many nights in Luminae men wore shorts. 
 

There may be policies but they if they aren’t enforced why have them?   

Just reporting my observations and answering the question 

 

Didn’t dine in any specialty restaurants so I can’t comment on the enforcement there.    
 

I remember years ago when some restaurants required a shirt and tie and if you didn’t have one they would loan them to you.  
 

I attended a parochial school.  The girls had to wear uniforms and the boys had to wear white shirts and a dark tie.      If you forgot your tie you were sent to the office to rent one for the day.    It was 50 cents and a clown style.     They were  about 8 inches wide and about 5 ft long.   No matter how you tied it it would hang down past your crotch and had the most outrageous designs on them and really loud.  I think the nuns made them.    I never forgot to wear a tie because  I always left a spare black tie in my locker

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

Edited April 6, 2022 by miched

[leaveitallbehind]

Relative to enforcement of recommended dress codes, as they are recommended, or suggested, and not a mandatory policy, the enforcement is generally pretty loose.  I have, however, seen people wearing bathing suits, athletic tee shirts, and baseball caps asked not to enter dining venues dressed in that manner.  But dress shorts, dress jeans, polo shirts, etc., are seen frequently.  There are also some nice non-collared shirts that are not tee-shirts that IMO would be perfectly fine.  

[canderson]

56 minutes ago, TMaine said:

These are just general observations over the years but it seems people dress up more on Caribbean cruises.   Maybe slightly less so on European cruises ...

Odd.  We have always found it just the opposite.

[mikewomb]

Frankly we find people look worse than ever. Pajamas  on a plane, baseball caps in a restaurant.. many people have turned into slobs, and don’t care. I do not understand, why people want to look like they are mowing the yard?~

[davy jones]

If you are not willing to follow a rather reasonable policy, it's probably best if you stay on your other cruise line.  Why risk unpleasant surprises?

[dgoz]

2 hours ago, TMaine said:

These are just general observations over the years but it seems people dress up more on Caribbean cruises.   Maybe slightly less so on European cruises but very much less on the Alaska cruise that we were on in September.  

Someone on another thread just said they did not feel that cruises to Alaska were more casual. Who to believe!!! 😄

[leaveitallbehind]

12 minutes ago, mikewomb said:

Frankly we find people look worse than ever. Pajamas  on a plane, baseball caps in a restaurant.. many people have turned into slobs, and don’t care. I do not understand, why people want to look like they are mowing the yard?~

While I rarely would wear a tux, I never wore pajamas when cutting my yard.....😁

[Woody14]

2 hours ago, TMaine said:

These are just general observations over the years but it seems people dress up more on Caribbean cruises.   Maybe slightly less so on European cruises but very much less on the Alaska cruise that we were on in September.  

I always found people seemed better dressed on European cruises (maybe it was just the Euro's who are generally better dressed).

[laslomas]

9 minutes ago, Woody14 said:

I always found people seemed better dressed on European cruises (maybe it was just the Euro's who are generally better dressed).

 

I have found the same. I have cruised Caribbean and also Europe / Mediterranean and it seemed to me that so many more dressed up on the latter, including tuxes.

I have never quite understood the baseball cap thing though.

I have also seen a few turned away from the MDR for wearing shorts for dinner. The rules have relaxed a lot over the years and think it surely cannot be that difficult to fit in with them now.

Edited April 6, 2022 by laslomas