Just one more time, please?

[Mack704]

The topic of proper dress for dinner has been rolled around the boards countless times. Please allow me this one more indulgence.

 

On our recent cruise on the Holland America Maasdam, the dress code had been "relaxed" a bit. For formal nights, a sports jacket and tie was sufficient. Informal nights required a jacket, but no tie, and casual nights even allowed jeans.

 

From what I've been reading, Celebrity dress guidelines are the same as they've always been; dark suit or tux on formal nights, coat and tie on informal nights, and no jeans in the dining room for dinner, ever.

 

Some CCers on the Celebrity boards have indicated a little more relaxed atmosphere is acceptable.

 

What are your opinions NOW?

 

Thanks,

 

Harvey

[chessbriar]

Casual Nights

Men - Sport Shirt and Slacks

Women - Pantsuit, Skirt and Blouse or Casual Dress

 

Smart-Casual Nights

Men - Jacket, Shirt and Tie

Women - Suit or Dress

 

Formal Nights

Men - Tuxedos or Suit and Tie

Women - Evening Gown or Cocktail Dress

[GORDONCHICK]

Just because others have relaxed what they have chosen to wear, that has not changed the written dress code of Celebrity. Chessbriar has it exactly right.

[bububr]

We choose X because it tends to be MORE traditional and LESS relaxed.

 

Our formal wear is formal to X's standards being both traditional Tux's and dinner jackets, including self tie bow ties ( somewhat of a challenge, still ) .

 

Our informal wear includes not only dress slacks, but shirts with French cuffs, jackets or blazers and nice silk ties.

 

And casual includes hawaiian shirts, polos, sports shirts and sweaters; along with linen slacks, cords, or khakis.

 

Every trip is a bit different based on climate, but the premise is the same.

 

The safest bet is following Chessbriars and GORDONCHICKS advice.

 

Have a GREAT! cruise....

 

Dave:eek:

[espmass]

My feeling is that if you don't like the dress code, go on a different cruise line. While I tend to dress more towards the casual side, I do adhere to the dress code.

[caviargal]

IMO, it is not that X has relaxed what is acceptable but that those who choose to dress down have determined their decision to do so is justified.

 

I also choose X because it is more traditional and elegant and I find HAL to be the same.

 

To answer the OP's question, my opinion now is that the standards are the same and should be respected.

[Zaphod]

We choose X because it tends to be MORE traditional and LESS relaxed.

 

Our formal wear is formal to X's standards being both traditional Tux's and dinner jackets, including self tie bow ties ( somewhat of a challenge, still ) .

 

 

Yikes! I guess that puts me in the ranks of the riff-raff. And here I was feeling good just because I could still fit the dern thing around my neck!

[bububr]

:D

 

( I still bring an adjustable for emergencies ).

 

Dave:eek:

[Tinwoman]

From Celebrity's site:

 

 

A gentleman's choice for casual nights includes a sport shirt and slacks, while women will be comfortable in a pants suit, skirt and blouse, or casual dress.

 

On informal nights, men are requested to wear a jacket, shirt and tie, while women may want to wear a suit or dress.

 

For the formal nights, including the Captain's Welcome Aboard Cocktail Party, dinner on the second night, and the Captain's Farewell Dinner held the next-to-last night of the cruise; both men and women may prefer more dressy attire, such as an evening gown for women and a tuxedo or dress suit for men.

 

Celebrity Cruises has implemented a casual dining service on its five ships. Casual dining is offered most nights on every cruise, depending upon the itinerary, and is served in the Palm Springs Grill and pool area on the Mercury and at the Oasis Grill and pool area on the Galaxy. On the Zenith casual dining is offered in the Windsurf Cafe. On the Century casual dining is available in the Sky Bar. On our newest ships, casual dining is offered at the Seaside Grill and pool on the Constellation, the Oceanview Grill and pool area on the Infinity, the Ocean Grill on the Millennium and the Waterfall Grill on the Summit.

[Jarronwood]

Sorry to be ignorant, but what do you class as a pants suit for women. I am British and am not sure what pants suits are.

 

Are they a suit, i.e. trousers and jacket as I would wear to the office in a law firm.

 

Pls advise

[caviargal]

Sorry to be ignorant, but what do you class as a pants suit for women. I am British and am not sure what pants suits are.

 

Are they a suit, i.e. trousers and jacket as I would wear to the office in a law firm.

 

Pls advise

 

I have business pantsuits which are basically a fitted jacket and trousers that I wear with a conservative blouse or sweater for work. These are not outfits I would bring on a cruise.

 

An evening pant suit would be one in a dressier fabric, embellished with beading perhaps or cut in a way so as to be more sexy or festive than anything I would consider wearing to work. I will sometimes opt for a well cut pair of trousers in a silk, jersey or tropical weight wool fabric that is styled differently than my traditional work attire; for example, a low rise cut in a richer fabric with lots of drape. I pair these with an embellished fine gauge sweater, halter top, etc., which may or may not be a "matched" outfit.

 

That being said, some women do wear a business type of pantsuit to dinner, perhaps accessorized more festively, ie, sparky top and dressy high heeled sandals and evening bag.

 

Hope this helped a bit:)

[Tinwoman]

Sorry to be ignorant, but what do you class as a pants suit for women. I am British and am not sure what pants suits are.

 

Are they a suit, i.e. trousers and jacket as I would wear to the office in a law firm.

 

Pls advise

 

It does seem open to interpretation doesn't it? In all reality most people would call it a cutisey feminine outfit with some sort of pants and feminine top, that match. But a jacket and trousers would be fine if you are more comfortable in that.

[bububr]

We should look for re-runs of the Love Boat to give us ideas.

 

With the exception of the ruffled shirts, and leisure suits...I think updated versions of the outfits would be suggestions to follow.

 

Personally I thought the pantsuits were simply a dressed up version of the industrial jumpsuits or flight suits, but more tailored and nicer fabric........Think Charlies Angels, or Captain and Tenille :D

 

Dave:eek:

[Tinwoman]

To me it seems like a lot of us reliving their prom night over for the formal nights.

[chessbriar]

To me it seems like a lot of us reliving their prom night over for the formal nights.

 

No Shirley, we appreciate the atmosphere X is trying to create by having a dress code. The class and sophistication of formal dining is appreciated by many.

 

If people choose to sail X, they should follow the dress code. If they don't want X's dress code, there are many cruise lines out there who have removed the dress code. They should look to sail on those lines instead of cruising X.

 

If they still want to sail X, be repectful of the other guests and dine in the casual dining restaurants. If you are going to go the the traditional restaurant, please adhere to the dress code.

 

At home many of us don't have the opportunity to dress up, but enjoy doing just that. Formal and informal nights give us that opportunity and we pay for the privilege.

[Tinwoman]

Don't understand why you are taking the defensive.

I too dress for formal nights.

If I choose to relive my prom night who is to critize?

But celebrity cruise lines realize that the trend points to the fact that people are taking cruises for the itinerary not the style of dress code.

Hence the optional dining.

If people enjoying dressing formal for the evening they will enjoy that option. But they cannot expect everyone to be formal in the dining room.

As Celebritys site says" May wish to dress"

[Tinwoman]

No Shirley, we appreciate the atmosphere X is trying to create by having a dress code. The class and sophistication of formal dining is appreciated by many.

 

If people choose to sail X, they should follow the dress code. If they don't want X's dress code, there are many cruise lines out there who have removed the dress code. They should look to sail on those lines instead of cruising X.

 

If they still want to sail X, be repectful of the other guests and dine in the casual dining restaurants. If you are going to go the the traditional restaurant, please adhere to the dress code.

 

At home many of us don't have the opportunity to dress up, but enjoy doing just that. Formal and informal nights give us that opportunity and we pay for the privilege.

 

I pay the same price and may choose to dress any way I wish.

[bububr]

:(

 

Dave:eek:

[Mack704]

Mrs. Mack704 here. Chessbriar, we do appreciate your feelings, and we respect the dress code. DH and I are in our mid 50's. We recently cruised on HAL. We have previously taken 2 cruises on X. I assure you, no one has ever been driven to leave the dining room due to our attire!

 

On the cruises we have taken where we attended formal dinners slightly dressed down (lovely silk jacket, silk tie, dress shirt - no french cuffs - slacks for DH and dressy slacks and beaded silk top for me), no one has screamed, fainted, or been carted away on a stretcher!

 

I'm kidding here - slightly! On formal nights, when you enter the dining room, how much time do you spend looking at what everyone is wearing? Does it actually affect your dining experience? I admit, I do enjoy looking at the attire of others on cruises - but it in no way affects my enjoyment of the meal or the experience! I'm a people watcher - so is DH - that's one of the reasons we enjoy cruising! But we're on vacation! We don't let what others do, wear, say, etc., affect our good time! Oh...and we also pay for the priviledge...same as you!

 

Relax and enjoy! Don't judge others by their appearance - appearances CAN be deceiving!

 

Mrs. Harvey ;)

[reklawr]

No Shirley, we appreciate the atmosphere X is trying to create by having a dress code. The class and sophistication of formal dining is appreciated by many.

 

If people choose to sail X, they should follow the dress code. If they don't want X's dress code, there are many cruise lines out there who have removed the dress code. They should look to sail on those lines instead of cruising X.

 

If they still want to sail X, be repectful of the other guests and dine in the casual dining restaurants. If you are going to go the the traditional restaurant, please adhere to the dress code.

 

At home many of us don't have the opportunity to dress up, but enjoy doing just that. Formal and informal nights give us that opportunity and we pay for the privilege.

 

Rick - I agree with your position 100%

[bububr]

FYI....

 

The words/phrases:

 

The suggested...

 

May wish to choose...

 

requested....

 

 

Are simply POLITE ways of saying required. Unfortunately in todays society most have forgotten the rules of respect and ettiquette.

 

As you said yourself...the lines offer a casual dining venue, so YES I would expect people in the diningroom to be dressed correctly, and respect the rules of the sea.

 

Dave:eek:

[Tinwoman]

FYI....

 

The words/phrases:

 

The suggested...

 

May wish to choose...

 

requested....

 

 

Are simply POLITE ways of saying required. Unfortunately in todays society most have forgotten the rules of respect and ettiquette.

 

As you said yourself...the lines offer a casual dining venue, so YES I would expect people in the diningroom to be dressed correctly, and respect the rules of the sea.

 

Dave:eek:

 

So they are going to throw all others out?

 

See you there.

[Mack704]

We choose to cruise Celebrity for many reasons - lovely ships, the itinerary, the food, the service, etc.. The dress code is NOT on the list of criteria that helps us decide which cruise to take. I don't recall ever seeing or hearing (except on these boards) that we should choose another cruiseline based on the dress code and what we think of it.

 

This is a cruiseline - not a police state! Dress codes are suggestions and guidelines, not the Ten Commandments!

 

Rick and Roy, maybe you should lower your noses a little bit!

 

Dave - those phrases are NOT a polite way of saying required - that's just YOUR interpretation! I assure you, we are quite well educated in the areas of respect and etiquette, thank you.

 

Live and let live.

 

Mrs. Harvey ;)

[bububr]

...spelled etiquette wrong. Sorry.

 

Mrs. Harvey.

 

Part of the atmosphere is the mode of dress for the evening. It sets the tone. The atmosphere is part of the overall cruise. Thus Celebrity tends to be a bit more formal than say a line with freestyle dining.

 

So this becomes a consumer issue. If you don't like the rules, then don't play the game. Its as simple as that. Its not up to the individual passenger to decided what the dress code should or shouldn't be. Its up to the cruiseline. The simple suggestion that someone made about alternate lines was not meant as an attack or insult, but a suggestion to choose a product that better suits you OVERALL, nothing more. If one chooses not to dress appropriately for the evening, alternate venues are offered by the line. In Chicago there are still venues for dining where a jacket is required, and jeans are not allowed no matter who you are. Its unfortunate that some try to take advantage if the cruiseline doesn't always enforce its own rules, that what seperates the children from the adults in my opinion.

 

"This is a cruiseline - not a police state! Dress codes are suggestions and guidelines, not the Ten Commandments!"

 

I think your religious reference is inappropriate for this conversation, not to mention irrelevent.

 

As for "Dave - those phrases are NOT a polite way of saying required - that's just YOUR interpretation! I assure you, we are quite well educated in the areas of respect and etiquette, thank you."

 

If this were true, the dress code would be followed...no questions asked.

 

 

Tinwoman: I have seen the Maitre'd deny entrance to someone inappropriately dressed before. I have seen someone asked to leave the diningroom who was not dressed. And I have complained to the Maitre'd and had some one removed from my table. So the answer to your question : "So they are going to throw all others out?" just might be YES.

 

This discussion has been on these boards since they started and the outcome is always the same. So why do some even bother to start these threads? Only to cause trouble perhaps?

 

Dave:eek:

[Drew B]

I wouldn't DREAM of eating in the dining room dressed inappropriately, but it doesn't bother me if others bend the standards a bit (within the boundaries of good taste). I dined with an immigrant couple on my last cruise who clearly had language and cultural differences from the rest of us. They did NOT dress according to X's "suggestions" on informal nights or formal nights. However, I preferred to have them there with us than have them skip the dinner and go to the casual dining venue instead. I find a somewhat-too-casually dressed human being to offer FAR better dinner companionship than an empty chair!

 

Honestly, I am far more upset by what people wear elsewhere and at other times on the ship where the dress code isn't in effect. Ill-fitting stretch-fabrics and the like are NEVER appropriate in public, regardless of the venue, and yet we are regularly subjected to such things at the buffet at breakfast and lunchtimes. Most unappetizing!