mady Posted September 19, 2006 #1 Share Posted September 19, 2006 Hi, A couple of years ago we took the NCl to Alaska and really enjoyed the freestyle type of cruise. My husband and I do not dress up much and do not want to go out and buy a whole new wardrobe for a cruise. Is there any other ships that have a freestyle or that you do not have to dress up for dinner? Thanks!! Mary Ann Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caviargal Posted September 19, 2006 #2 Share Posted September 19, 2006 Almost all ships have a casual dining option these days so you could always opt for going to that venue instead of the main dining room on formal nights. NCL is the only mainstream line that offers casual attire each evening. Oceania and Regent are country club casual but $$$ and you did not mention your budget. These are both far more upscale than NCL so, even on casual nights, passengers are very well dressed. If you want to wear jeans and capris, these will not be a good choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newlywedcruisers Posted September 19, 2006 #3 Share Posted September 19, 2006 Please note that jeans are a no-no on NCL. However, freestyle dining (of sorts) is available on Princess cruise lines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnql Posted September 19, 2006 #4 Share Posted September 19, 2006 Please note that jeans are a no-no on NCL. However, freestyle dining (of sorts) is available on Princess cruise lines. Yes, but Princess's dress guidelines for each evening apply to ALL passengers, even those opting for the Anytime Dining. If the OP doesn't want to dress up, they would have to eat at the buffet or dine via room service on the formal nights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caviargal Posted September 19, 2006 #5 Share Posted September 19, 2006 Yes, but Princess's dress guidelines for each evening apply to ALL passengers, even those opting for the Anytime Dining. If the OP doesn't want to dress up, they would have to eat at the buffet or dine via room service on the formal nights. While I have not personally cruised on Princess since 1991, the recent threads on the Princess board indicate that Princess is going through the same dress code "modifications" as the other mass market lines. Those that prefer to see standards enforced - count me in that group - are complaining because it there is no longer any enforcement in the dining room or elsewhere. A sad state of affairs, IMO, but cruise lines are bowing to competitive pressures and this is the unfortunate result. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
POOHISME2 Posted September 19, 2006 #6 Share Posted September 19, 2006 Hi, A couple of years ago we took the NCl to Alaska and really enjoyed the freestyle type of cruise. My husband and I do not dress up much and do not want to go out and buy a whole new wardrobe for a cruise. Is there any other ships that have a freestyle or that you do not have to dress up for dinner? Thanks!! Mary Ann Depend on what you consider "dress-up" On our last Princess and Carnival cruise as well as NCL most people got away with wearing knit capri's/pants and knit t's and the men wore regular pants (not Jeans) and a polo style shirt. Only on Formal night did I see a showing of "Dress-up" clothes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Gallup Posted September 21, 2006 #7 Share Posted September 21, 2006 caviargirl, I agree wholeheartedly with your assessment of the current state of affairs. Middle America just refuses to dress up anymore. The Mass Market lines are suffering the most - by making cruising affordable to the very group of people who refuse to dress up. Onboard the evessels, it is not even competitive pressures that force the management to allow the slobs into the restaurants. It is an operational issue. I just finished an alaska Cruise where 97% to 98% of the passengers wore denims for the entire cruise. When we tried to discuss it with some of them, their response was, "This is an Alaska Cruise. We don't dress up in Alaska." They had no other clothes to wear. We tried to loan jackets on Formal Night, but the ship doesn't have 1200 extra jackets onboard. We tried turning badly dressed Guests away from the dining room. So where do they do to eat? The Lido. But there are so many of them that the Lido is overwhelmed and everyone complains. So they all go to their cabins and order room service. Room Service is overwhelmed and everyone complains about that. The badly dressed passengers who are not allowed into the dining room refuse to tip the waiters, so the staff is all upset. The few well dressed passengers complain that we allowed the slobs into the dining room and give us low ratings. The slobs we kicked out give us many complaints and low ratings. Everyone complains about the overcrowded Lido and gives it low ratings. Everyone complains about the overwhelmed room service and gives it low ratings. Then the Head Office receives all the complaints and low ratings and blames the ship management for all the problems. We will never win this war - until we are once again able to "price out" the lower classes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newmexicoNita Posted September 21, 2006 #8 Share Posted September 21, 2006 Please note that jeans are a no-no on NCL. However, freestyle dining (of sorts) is available on Princess cruise lines. Sailing out of Houston, jeans are permitted on NCL, but that is the only port of entry where they are allowed: Princess does offer personal choice but they still have the OLD DRESS CODE so you only advantage is choice in time you dine. As someone mentioned: some of the upscale lines do offer resort casual dress for the entire cruise: if you want to spend the bucks, they are really good lines. As for optional where you do not have to dress, these meals are usually served in the buffet area or near by and just are not the same as the dining room even if they offer the same or similar menu. NMnita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAYEF Posted September 22, 2006 #9 Share Posted September 22, 2006 We cruise to Alaska very often but last year on NCL we were shocked at the dress "code"................even on formal nights people were IN the dining room in jeans. The code was not enforced, period. You must remember, Alaska cruises are much less formal.............more easygoing, you might say. This year on HAL, we saw jeans everywhere.............people just said it's because it's an Alaska cruise. Formal nights................no jeans in the DR...........some in the Lido.......... On the 15 day roundtrip Hawaii cruise (Princess is the one we booked) things were pretty UNformal as well but on formal nights, people were dressed up. Princess has Personal Choice dining, much like freestyle but you can 'phone and make reservations. We really liked that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmacht Posted September 22, 2006 #10 Share Posted September 22, 2006 What a stuck up person you are. Did you ever think that if 97-98% of the people on your cruise were wearing jeans that maybe you have a problem and not everybody else. Get over yourself. Keith caviargirl,We will never win this war - until we are once again able to "price out" the lower classes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newmexicoNita Posted September 22, 2006 #11 Share Posted September 22, 2006 What a stuck up person you are. Did you ever think that if 97-98% of the people on your cruise were wearing jeans that maybe you have a problem and not everybody else. Get over yourself. Keith thanks Keith, although I do believe everyone should follow the dress code and I don't believe in breaking rules or policies no matter what, I also don't like snobs and I think we have to accept what is happening in our country and throughout the world I may add. The days of formal dress is passing us by, we need to live in today's world. For all those who get upset with this, gals particularly, whould you like to go back to the girdle or maybe the coret days? NMnita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruzman Posted September 23, 2006 #12 Share Posted September 23, 2006 Let's just show up in our underwear. I mean, they were just kidding about that "dress code", right? Oh yeah, about that smoking policy; they don't really mean that either, right? Rules & dress codes only apply to snobs, right? Certainly wouldn't want to be accused of being one of "those"! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EGG Posted September 28, 2006 #13 Share Posted September 28, 2006 I was on the Sapphire Princess last September to Alaska. My husband wore a tux and I wore my long black skirt with fancy top. I do not remember feeling out of place and I do not remember anyone wearing jeans to dinner. Maybe there is a difference between the summer cruisers and the cruises once the kids are back in school. I love jeans and I am sure I wore them to the buffet and possibly lunch. I think one of the times the formal night breaks down is when it is done on a night of an intensive port. It is hard for people with main seating to get in the mood after an 8 hour tour. On the other hand, the formal night on a sea day with a pre dinner cocktail party is usually more condusive to dressing up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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