dinner in the dining room...what do you have to wear?

[8mpg]

Ok, I know there are 2 formal nights on a 7 night cruise and to attend the formal dining room you must dress in a tux/suit for men and a dress or pantsuit for women... what about the other 5 nights? Im going to Alaska on the Golden in May and while its mainly older people, I dont want to give the young crowd a bad name showing up in jeans and a t-shirt...

 

I like to wear jeans and a button up shirt (un-tucked) but they are not long shirts with pockets made for wearing ties...the style is made to be untucked, open collar. Is this going to be ok? And for my girlfriend...whats the attire for the 5-nonformal nights? Id assume what she wears to work will be fine... a decent top (no spaghetti strap or tshirt) and some black pants... Is that ok?

[sept10dsm]

Jeans are really not permitted for dinner in the dining room. Your girlfriend sounds fine for casual. She can wear the spaghetti straps, too. That's not a problem. Mainly no jeans or shorts at dinner in the dining room.

[karena1]

Just to give you an idea - my husband is 63 and usually wears Dockers with sandals and silk tops (Tommy Bahama type) untucked.

 

I am 50 (uck!!) and usually wear short skirts with spagetti tops or halters. I also wear tropical sarongs that I have bought in the islands.

 

We have been cruising for over 10 years and this type of attire has always been acceptable on RCCL and Princess. I definitely do not wear work attire. I like to relax and dress much more tropical/summery when I am on vacation.

 

Have fun:cool:

[shepp]

Jeans are theoretically not permitted in the dining room, but as anyone who's hung out at CC knows, it's not uniformly enforced. On the Dawn Princess last month, the (middle-aged) man at the next table, seated within view of the maitre d's station, got away with wearing blue Levis and a white T-shirt to dinner. Who knows, maybe he was a big tipper.

 

For some boring reason, Dockers, the least sexy, stylish, interesting trousers known to man, have become the gold standard in casual cruisewear. Rule of thumb: dress like you're a middle-aged man with zero fashion sense who just got back from the golf course and you can't go wrong. Look like you just dropped $500 bucks on designer jeans on Rodeo Drive and you risk being 86ed.

[cruzinchris]

...For some boring reason, Dockers, the least sexy, stylish, interesting trousers known to man, have become the gold standard in casual cruisewear. Rule of thumb: dress like you're a middle-aged man with zero fashion sense who just got back from the golf course and you can't go wrong. Look like you just dropped $500 bucks on designer jeans on Rodeo Drive and you risk being 86ed.

 

:D :D :D

[Mezzaluna]

Whew! I just bought a couple of washable, sanded silk shirts for my husband to wear for our Panama Canal cruise March 19-29. They're open-necked and can be worn tucked or untucked. I got one in black and one in a deep blue. He can wear them with his microfiber pants (a notch above khaki-they look very nice). I chose shirts without prints so he can wear them at home, where the only palm trees we have are plastic. :D

[Colo Cruiser]

Whew! I just bought a couple of washable, sanded silk shirts :D

 

How does one "Sand" a shirt??? :D

[the_dylaness]

I usually make DH wear something to match what I am wearing (not color-wise, but formality-level.)

 

If I am wearing a nice sundress, he's in khakis, button down tucked but with no tie, and brown oxfords.

 

If I am more casual with skirt and top, he's in khakis, polo shirt, and nice sandals.

 

Agree with above sentiment that jeans are "frowned upon"... yes you can get away with it but it's just as easy to wear lightweight khakis and not worry about if you'll get in.

[Julia’s Journey’s]

For some boring reason, Dockers, the least sexy, stylish, interesting trousers known to man, have become the gold standard in casual cruisewear. Rule of thumb: dress like you're a middle-aged man with zero fashion sense who just got back from the golf course and you can't go wrong. Look like you just dropped $500 bucks on designer jeans on Rodeo Drive and you risk being 86ed.

 

:D :D Too funny but sadly true:mad: :mad:

[Pam in CA]

I like to wear jeans and a button up shirt (un-tucked) but they are not long shirts with pockets made for wearing ties...the style is made to be untucked, open collar. Is this going to be ok?

The dress code is "smart casual" -- an open-color shirt and slacks would be fine. Jeans are technically not allowed and although you will see some in the dining room, that doesn't make it appropriate.

[willysgrandma]

Ok, I know there are 2 formal nights on a 7 night cruise and to attend the formal dining room you must dress in a tux/suit for men and a dress or pantsuit for women... what about the other 5 nights? Im going to Alaska on the Golden in May and while its mainly older people, I dont want to give the young crowd a bad name showing up in jeans and a t-shirt...

 

I like to wear jeans and a button up shirt (un-tucked) but they are not long shirts with pockets made for wearing ties...the style is made to be untucked, open collar. Is this going to be ok? And for my girlfriend...whats the attire for the 5-nonformal nights? Id assume what she wears to work will be fine... a decent top (no spaghetti strap or tshirt) and some black pants... Is that ok?

 

The cruis eline says jeans are not permitted at night - others here will tell you you can, but do yourself a favor and don't take a chance being turned away - sometimes the rules are enforced, sometimes they are not. A pair of Dockers would be better with an open collar shirt - a golf type shirt is fine. Your girllfriend would be fine with black pants and a top.

 

You can always change after dinner back into jeans for the rest of the night.

[S&D]

Hi there 8mpg,

 

you may like to pop over to the Cruise Fashion pages on these boards..link here::)

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=182

 

there are many threads about cruise clothes and what to wear, pack, etc...a lot of fun too.

 

S&D

[GATOR MOM]

Khakki's...Silk Shirts...Sundresses....the poster is going to Alaska...would that be comfy & warm? One Post said the ships to Alaska are warm & folks dress as they do in the Carrib...true or false?

[Cruisin' Chick]

The interior of the ship is the same temperature. I find that I often need a sweater for dinner. But out on deck, an Alaskan cruise will tend to be cooler than in the Caribbean.

[MomGo]

Khakki's...Silk Shirts...Sundresses....the poster is going to Alaska...would that be comfy & warm? One Post said the ships to Alaska are warm & folks dress as they do in the Carrib...true or false?

 

Very, very true. I worried about the same thing on our Alaska cruise in July of 2005, but after reading many Posts, I wore capris and short sleeve shirts or sleeveless dresses, and DH wore khaki's and buttoned up silk tropical shirts. It was fine and we were never cold. The decks were sometimes just fine without a jacket during the day, but almost always needed a light jacket at night. They keep the inside pretty warm.

 

To 8mpg, jeans are really inappropriate in the dining rooms at dinner time, even if they are extremely expensive, but some do like to rebel and break the rules. Look around and you'll be able to find attractive khakis to wear instead.

[spongerob]

dress like you're a middle-aged man with zero fashion sense who just got back from the golf course

Did you find my photo somewhere, or what? :)

[GATOR MOM]

I don't like the idea of keeping the ship "pretty warm"...maybe I should bring shorts:eek: but thx for the advice & I can wear carrib clothes...

[peterv]

Ok, I know there are 2 formal nights on a 7 night cruise and to attend the formal dining room you must dress in a tux/suit for men and a dress or pantsuit for women... what about the other 5 nights? Im going to Alaska on the Golden in May and while its mainly older people, I dont want to give the young crowd a bad name showing up in jeans and a t-shirt...

 

I like to wear jeans and a button up shirt (un-tucked) but they are not long shirts with pockets made for wearing ties...the style is made to be untucked, open collar. Is this going to be ok? And for my girlfriend...whats the attire for the 5-nonformal nights? Id assume what she wears to work will be fine... a decent top (no spaghetti strap or tshirt) and some black pants... Is that ok?

 

Wear your jeans, you will be fine, and not to worry you will not be alone.

 

Cheers,

Peter

[SaylorGirl]

I personally would much rather see a guy in jeans rather than those horrid, horrid khakis. My DH wears jeans with a nice shirt (no tee shirts) on casuals nights and has never had a problem.

[Mezzaluna]

How does one "Sand" a shirt??? :D

 

LOL! They call it that but I'd say "brushed" is a better word. I saw some similar ones at Sam's Club today for about $15 but they had tropical prints- my electrical engineer husband won't wear stuff like that. He has exactly one tropical shirt, a blue and pink thing we bought at Key West six years ago. It gets trotted once about every other summer. :p

[happyscot]

How does one "Sand" a shirt??? :D

 

Buy an electric sander. Otherwise they take ages. Don't forget to get one of the wee special attachments that does round the buttons.For cuffs, use a steam iron first, otherwise they fray.Remember, never, never sand your jeans whilst wearing them. Involuntary circumcision is, apparently, quite painful.xxxxxxxxxxx

[NthernLgts]

You pretty much get the flavor here on dress code. One comment on jeans.....if you choose to wear them in the dining room, wear a nice pair. It's just respectful. Gentlemen should wear a nice dress shirt. T-Shirts, IMHO, should not be worn in the main dining rooms at all. Actually they arent allowed, and most people done wear them, but enforcement is spotty at best. In other words, dress as if you were going out to a nice dinner with your spouse, and not to Applebees or TGIF's.

[Colo Cruiser]

Buy an electric sander. Otherwise they take ages. Don't forget to get one of the wee special attachments that does round the buttons.For cuffs, use a steam iron first, otherwise they fray.Remember, never, never sand your jeans whilst wearing them. Involuntary circumcision is, apparently, quite painful.xxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

 

Here we go again!!! :D :eek: :D

[spongerob]

Involuntary circumcision is, apparently, quite painful.xxxxxxxxxxx

Part of my wants to know how you know that, but in the interest of good taste and all concerned, please don't tell me. :)

[Sailfish]

I am not sure who here has been on an Alaska cruise and who has not, but many itineraries have you in port well into the evening - remember, it's still light outside at 10pm! And shore excursions are also scheduled late into the day - meaning, a lot of people do return from port around dinner time - many do not change but head directly to the formal dining room they way they returned to the ship - in jeans!

 

While I agree that many people do not wear jeans to dinner, you do see a lot jeans at dinner on cruises to Alaska - especially on days when you remain in port until 9pm! Check your itinerary! We cruised aboard the Star Princess and a lot of people wore jeans both day and night.

 

I am not saying you should do so, but in all fairness, cruises to Alaska are a bit more casual than those to the Caribbean and many, many people wear jeans all day, every day. Now it's true you probably won't see anyone in jeans on formal night. But I guarantee you'll see people in blue jeans - I did in 2004! And probably will again when we cruise to Alaska aboard the Dawn in July!