Do we have to dress up all the time?

[minniemom]

OH, I want to find one on ebay, I have never looked. Good idea.

Sooo excited... I do wear makeup though, not a lot, but I do wear some.

When is your cruise? We leave in 10 days, can't wait. But I will check Ebay

[soooo excited!]

minniemom: our cruise (Alaska, Infinity) isn't until July 29. 07 (sigh !) but I couldn't leave the stress of all the shopping until the last minute - as it is, I've managed to find most of what I need - and it's a great motivator to keep exercising and not put on any weight - I can't afford to ! (although my clothes are roomy enough for a pound or 2 , or 3 during the cruise ! )

HAVE A GREAT CRUISE AND REPORT BACK ! I'm soooo envious of everyone going this summer !

[SusieV]

My mother just emailed me from the Summit B2B. She says there are actually people in the dining room on formal night wearing jeans.

 

That just disgusts me. Too bad if that offends anyone.

[bonbon663]

NO WAY!!! That's disappointing!! As a first time cruiser, part of the allure for me is doing the formal thing. I'm so worried now that I'm going to look like a dork walking around in my fancy duds. :eek:

 

 

So, the question .....and I going to look like the dork? Or jeans guy?

[beauxdammit]

So much for Celebrity's touted "standards". I guess they just don't want to hurt anyones feelings.

[caviargal]

So much for Celebrity's touted "standards". I guess they just don't want to hurt anyones feelings.

 

Well, they are hurting mine by not enforcing the dress code :(.

 

What a shame!

[bonbon663]

Well, they are hurting mine by not enforcing the dress code :(.

 

What a shame!

 

 

I don't get it. I have been to restaurants where they require jackets for dinner, and if men didn't have them, they would supply them with one. (same with ties) I have been to night clubs where people weren't allowed in for wearing running shoes. I have seen people at my work get sent home and told to change for wearing jeans. Granted, all these events were not recent, but I don't understand the hesitation on Celebritys' part to do the same. I'm going cruising for a first time, and maybe I don't understand how things work.

[Lois R]

NO WAY!!! That's disappointing!! As a first time cruiser, part of the allure for me is doing the formal thing. I'm so worried now that I'm going to look like a dork walking around in my fancy duds. :eek:

 

 

So, the question .....and I going to look like the dork? Or jeans guy?

 

Please wear your formal clothes...you will be the looking totally

handsome;) and will be just fine....I certainly will continue to wear

my dressy dresses and feel very much in place.

 

The underdressed guy in jeans? Well.....he is the one who will look

out of place.

[bonbon663]

Please wear your formal clothes...you will be the looking totally

handsome;) and will be just fine....I certainly will continue to wear

my dressy dresses and feel very much in place.

 

The underdressed guy in jeans? Well.....he is the one who will look

out of place.

 

Thank you Lois....I'm just looking for reassurance. Being my first cruise, I'm just don't want to look out of place. I don't want people thinking I'm trying to be pretentious or snotty or anything like that.:(

[Lois R]

You won't....I love dressing up:) It is the only time I have a chance...

as my home life has no occassions for long dresses.

 

Go..wear your suit or tux and have a wonderful time.:)

 

Snooty? I don't think so;) you are concerned enough to want

to be prepared, classy maybe:) but not snooty!

[spearmint]

Maybe I'm the odd ball, but I love wearing a tux on formal night-it makes the occasion that much more special for my wife.

 

--- I don't think that we are oddballs; I, too, like getting dressed up.:cool:

 

As far as the dress codes, although some variation seems to be tolerated, you will never go wrong or feel out of place if you wear a tux on formal nights, coat and tie on informal nights, and collared shirt and good pants on casuals. ;)

 

--- Good advice, wvufan, and very easy and simple! I do the same with one exception: not having a tux, I wear a dark suit. No problem. :)

[bububr]

Sometimes we switch to our black tuxes.

 

The only ones that truly look out of place are the few that DON"T dress correctly. And most of them don't have enough cooth to care about it.

 

Please wear your good stuff. I guarantee you will not be out of place;)

 

Dave

 

BTW: This pic was taken after being thrown off a horse, and not knowing that I had fractured my pelvis in three places, cracked my sacrum, or compressed a vertebrea. Heck I thought I just had some bad bruises and pulled muscles...It was painful....But I was DETERMINED to dress for formal night even if I could barely walk. If I look a little puffy its from all the advil liquid gels. And there is a smile in there somewhere behind the "Hurry up and take the darn picture, I'm about to fall over" look:D

 

(I'm the follically challenged one. My partner John is the other guy.)

 

Dave:eek:

 

[DaddyPlaid]

People go on cruises to relax & have fun.:)

And doing so without or even with formalwear is their choice.

I paid more $$$ on this than I have for my last 3 vacations combined.

 

I'm not gonna buy a tux or what not ebay style that I'll only wear once.

If there is a dress code, and enforced, I'd expect the freebie jacket at the door.

 

I've paid for that dinner, and if either by just luck or throwing a tip at the gatekeeper, then so be it. If my jeans offend your high class society evening that replaces the long lost dream of having not gone to your prom with the football jock because your acne & headgear prevented it,

then my advice is.....get over it.:p

 

Now, surprisingly enough, there are levels of tackiness.

 

Clean jeans & a nice button up shirt is my "formal wear".:cool:

 

Showing up like uncle Eddie from Family Vacation in his cutoff shorts and beer stained wifebeater shirt is another story.:eek:

 

But, it wouldn't offend me.

I'd be thinking perhaps he too perhaps drained his 401k to take his kids on vacation and that's all he can afford.

I'd also be thinking how much more he tipped the gatekeeper.

And that chances are he'd be an awesome guy to hang with.:)

[bububr]

for a 33year old......without a girlfriend...who has never cruised before....and has an addiction to Mountain Dew.

 

Seeing your first experience is going to be on Carnival.....Its a good start. Just wondering why you are stirring up dust over hear at X:confused:

 

As for demanding to get into the main diningroom in less than appropiate dress, thats why an alternative casual venue is offered with 99% of the same food....sorry but "you aint right....."

 

Dave:eek:

[Nana G]

DaddyPlaid-you sound like my husband!!! After weeks of reading this board and 12 cruises on Princess, our first X cruise is coming up and we have been fighting for a week! All this informal night business is unnerving. Never have been out of place on casual nights but formal AND informal is breaking my marriage.... I just want to get on the ship Saturday and enjoy my well deserved vacation. The Zenith has limited casual dining as I have heard and I will be the first in line to make reservations. Just try to enjoy, this thread has gone on tooooooooo long!!!

[caviargal]

People go on cruises to relax & have fun.:)

 

I'm not gonna buy a tux or what not ebay style that I'll only wear once.

If there is a dress code, and enforced, I'd expect the freebie jacket at the door.

 

I've paid for that dinner, and if either by just luck or throwing a tip at the gatekeeper, then so be it. If my jeans offend your high class society evening that replaces the long lost dream of having not gone to your prom with the football jock because your acne & headgear prevented it,

then my advice is.....get over it.:p

 

Now, surprisingly enough, there are levels of tackiness.

 

Clean jeans & a nice button up shirt is my "formal wear".:cool:

 

And that chances are he'd be an awesome guy to hang with.:)

 

People go on cruises for different reasons, actually, and "fun" to one is not "fun" to everyone.

 

I cruise for the traditional aspect of the trip, including formal nights, and because I love being at sea.

 

I have never seen a ship where jackets are kept at the door for those not properly dressed. But, I have seen folks turned away because they are underdressed and I applaud it when standards are being kept. Those folks need to "get over" themselves and get with the program or dine elsewhere.

 

I would not assume that because someone flaunts casual attire on a formal night that makes them "awesome to hang with".:rolleyes:

 

On Carnival, they just do not care so you will fit right in. Another great reason in my book to stay far, far away.

[Drew B]

If you go into a situation fully cognizant of the rules and expectations, but nevertheless choose to violate them, that is simply rude. I guess that if one is aware of one's rudeness and not bothered by it, then the rest of us shouldn't let it bother us.

 

If dressing appropriately in the main dining room is too much of a hardship to make, then one simply should not choose to cruise on a line that has a dress code. This is the case whether or not the dress code is "enforced". It is every bit as rude to dress inappropriately on Carnival as on X...

[usha]

I have never seen a ship where jackets are kept at the door for those not properly dressed. But, I have seen folks turned away because they are underdressed and I applaud it when standards are being kept. Those folks need to "get over" themselves and get with the program or dine elsewhere.

 

I would not assume that because someone flaunts casual attire on a formal night that makes them "awesome to hang with".:rolleyes:

AMEN! :)

[Karynanne]

I been reading all the posts, and I have a different slant on this issue.

 

I do enjoy dressing for dinner. BUT, I've come to the conclusion, that dressing for the food is far from where I want my attention to be centered on. I dress for the experience. Now the experience can be two poached eggs...but if it is served in a lovely setting, and I'm surrounded by friends that I value, and look forward to being with each evening...then the experience is worthy of dressing for the occasion.

 

It's the occasion that we dress for. It's the respect of the cruiseline that we dress for. It's the attitude that we bring to our vacation that we dress for.

 

Karyn

[SusieV]

I can't believe how rude people can be. And some of you wonder why dress code threads get heated. Here's an excerpt of an email I just received from Summit:

 

About formal night; we spoke to the Maitre de' and we were told there is nothing they can do. The guest threatened to have them fired as he said he paid for the dinner and he intended to wear whatever he wanted. We said that it was disrespectful and rude.

 

I cannot believe that someone would threaten an employee who was attempting to enforce the rules. Ridiculous.

[caviargal]

I can't believe how rude people can be. And some of you wonder why dress code threads get heated. Here's an excerpt of an email I just received from Summit:

 

About formal night; we spoke to the Maitre de' and we were told there is nothing they can do. The guest threatened to have them fired as he said he paid for the dinner and he intended to wear whatever he wanted. We said that it was disrespectful and rude.

 

I cannot believe that someone would threaten an employee who was attempting to enforce the rules. Ridiculous.

 

Actually, it is not surprising to me that the "it's my vacation and I'll wear what I want to" folks would be this rude. Dressing against code is just one indicator of their behavior.:rolleyes: It all goes together, IMO.

[soooo excited!]

Here's my take, just like others: we chose Celebrity - we know the rules going in - if we don't like it - there's other cruise lines - or the buffet.

 

Doesn't the cruise line have the right to enforce their policies ? What about 'no smoking area' rules, no children in the T-pool , these are all policies of the cruise line - do passengers actually think just because they paid for a cruise that it gives them the right to completely disregard the rules ? Sorry, but I don't agree with that line of thinking - esp. when you know the rules going in.

(I'm not sure exactly what X's rules are about smoking areas - just using that as an example - other cruise lines are getting very strict about smoking areas)

[bububr]

would fare.

 

Simply stating to X why can't they enforce thier own policies?

 

As for the smoking policy, X designates certain areas such as lounges, the casino, michaels club, and even the cova cafe areas AS LONG AS YU ARE ON THE DESIGNATED SIDE of the ship. In short, one side is smoking , the other is non. As far as I have seen people stay in those areas because that is were the ashtrays are placed.

 

Enough about that.

 

Dress codes....are not being enforced, simply to avoid confrontation. I say why should one bad apple ruin the whole bushel. I know people don't like confrontation, and others think its rude, but If we make it know that WE paid for our vacation and are following the rules..so should everyone else. Document the incident, take a picture if necessary....In essence become what we all do not want to become. The fashion police.

 

In my experience I find out why the person isn't dressed, If the luggage was lost in transit, and they have nothing else its pretty obvious and X will usually loan formal wear tothe passengers so that they may enjoy formal nights, If they are just being defiant, make them uncomfortable. walk by and take a picture letting them know what jerks they are, repeatedly ask to be move to a different table, or have them moved.....

 

People, this problem is happening because we let it. It may be X's policy....but if we don't push our dissastisfaction of their laxability to thier own policies....They aren't going to do anything about it.

 

Start with the letters and E-mails....follow up with documenting and comfornting the Maitre'd and passengers...

 

Dave:eek:

[soooo excited!]

would fare.

 

 

People, this problem is happening because we let it. It may be X's policy....but if we don't push our dissastisfaction of their laxability to thier own policies....They aren't going to do anything about it.

 

Start with the letters and E-mails....follow up with documenting and comfornting the Maitre'd and passengers...

 

Dave:eek:

 

Funny you should mention that - and some may think it won't help - but I have drafted a letter to the President of X- just waited for my DH to review it last night to give his OK to it - a very nice, very supportive letter - of the dress code that is , just pointing out to them what I've heard - and given that we (mostly me) have bought the clothes that we need for our first cruise - and we will fully comply with the dress code - that we are not pleased with the reports of all the violations. I am mailing it today - if I get any kind of response I'll let everyone know. I'm not expecting much back from them - I just thought I shouldn't complain without complaing to the right people. I think it's a nice letter - I can only hope that it helps.

[shofer]

I think people get too hung up over the specifics of "informal" and "formal". I think if the effort is made to be in the spirit of the evening that should be sufficient. By that I mean if a man has never owned a suit, does not have the means to purchase a suit or formal wear and has stretched his last dollar to take his family on a cruise he can wear dress slacks, a white shirt and tie and still look "presentable".

 

One of our favorite things to do on formal night is sit in the Rendevouz Lounge and watch people get their pics taken. I have seen everything for women from formal "mother of the bride" gowns to Sunday-go-to-meeting dresses. And men in everything from tuxes to the aforementioned white shirt and tie.

 

It looks to me and I'm sure everyone else, that the more plainly dressed people are well-groomed and are putting their best foot forward and are in the "spirit" of the evening. You don't have to be restricted to Carnival or NCL for a totally casual atmosphere. I would hate for Celebrity to be perceived as the "snobby" cruise line where people would be afraid to go because they wouldn't fit in.