Don't bother lugging the dressy clothes on the Summit

[Schplinky]

I think that another piece of the puzzle is that cruise lines have been building ships like mad (although most in the RCI group have been going to RCL and not X) and in order to keep filling them, they are introducing more and more new passengers to cruising. The new pax may be of a lower income range, as has been said, but may not be. The increasingly low cost of cruising is what caught our notice and we are within or above X's target audience. We were/are not a part of the cruise culture and did not know what to expect, aside from the brochure. We brought formal and casual clothes and had a nice time. We kept our nice clothes on the full first formal evening but on the other, because we like to go for strolls on the deck and it was warm, we changed. We did not feel out of place either night.

 

I think that it is unfortunate that this thread has devolved into a name calling and class-values exercise. The people we saw who would not have met the dress suggestions did not appear to be poor and did not seem "classless" to us (it has been my experience in life that those whose vocabularies are limited to calling things "fancy" or "classy" are those who are most unaccustomed to these things). As others have suggested, the pendulum has simply swung a little bit and I think that dressing up is simply not necessarily a value that all the people who have the funds to cruise hold. They may appreciate the good food of the dining room and for them, that may be more central to the experience than looking around at the clothes of others. Celebrity, RCL and Princess simply have too many ships to fill to enforce their dress suggestions. If they did, the ships would not be sailing as full and the prices would climb for the diehards (who are already complaining about recent price increases).

 

We dress for formals because we like to and because we like to see each other looking nice. It is not to impress people I don't know and will never see again. Similarly, if they chose not to dress formally but are neat and clean, I would be happy to dine with them. I've already stated my views on mixed messaging X makes when it sells cruises that include informal nights without describing that definition in the brochure so I won't belabour that here.

[slomotion]

:eek: Several years ago Bill Gates donated big $'s, plus software, and computers to the City of Los Angeles. It actually may have been to the schools, what ever!

 

The news coverage (film at 11:00) showed then Mayor Dick Reardon walking into the conference room, attired in the appropriate dark suit and tie, followed by Billionaire Bill, wearing khakis,open collar blue shirt, and wrinkled sport coat, followed by a dozen or so dignitarys all in suits and ties.

 

Yes, I do dress for dinner, sometimes formal, sometimes dark suit, and anytime Bill Gates wants to sit at the table in his blue shirt & wrinkled jacket, he's welcome!

 

a

[Ma Bell]

Unfortunately those who feel their "values" don't fit in with what is requested will find a way to justify their non-compliance with the dress code. Instead of booking a cruise with a cruiseline that accommodates their way of thinking, they try to find any excuse to change those that don't. It has nothing to do with whether we don't mind if people are dressed properly or whether they are rich, poor, classy or tacky.

 

As I said on another thread. If the people who are serving my dinner can dress appropriately, then so can I. It's really not a big deal to do what's requested. I don't judge people by what they wear and for the most part could care less. I do, however, find it disingenuous that those who know better will try to find a way to bend the words to fit their own needs.

[Schplinky]

I'm glad these boards exist to give folks a forum for these discussions because I don't think things will ever go back to the good old days. I will continue to dress for formal nights but I suspect that fewer will and I could care less.

[CruiseForever]

NINA B........just reminds me of why I dislike texas so much.....no class, cowboy boots, and no sense of fashion, class, codes etc.....glad you weren't on my last cruise.

[MortgageChick]

While jeans and flip flops and in some cases I 've seen ball caps, are not appropriate on formal night, these are probably people who don't "get out" much.

As long as clothes are clean and body parts are covered, I no longer let it bother me. It is as likely to happen just as often on HAL and X as it is on Carnival and NCL. Look at it this way, when you make your entrance in your $2000 sequined gown, it will be all the more "special"

 

One thing I have to say is that the most formally dressed crowd was on our 2002 , 15 night Transatlantic crossing on the Carnival Legend> There were more long gowns and tuxes on that cruise than we saw on the one Celebrity cruise we have been on

 

Next up Summit Sept 16 2005

Then NCL Sun Dec 29 2005

Then Summit March 12 2006

[bostonnerd]

This thread is too funny. The angst and hand wringing being posted here is amazing. My wife and I (in our 50s) will be taking our first cruise this summer and I've ben lurking in the forums trying to get a feel for what cruises are all about.

 

Is someone who doesn't rigidly adhere to the dress code that threatening? Do they really ruin the evening for others? If so, get a grip folks! To head off the "he doesn't get out much " retorts, I have racked up around 1.8 million miles on AA alone. I've had the good fortune of eating in 3 and 4 star resturants around the world over the last 30 years or so and have sat in these resturants with associates in all manner of dress (and yes I own 2 Armani Tuxedos).

 

I would think that one of the reasons to take a cruise is to meet new people of all persuasions and backgrounds. If I choose to wear formal wear it's because I want to. If my table mate decides to wear jeans, so be it. Life is

way to short.

 

I stopped staying at Ritz properties and switched to Four Seasons for business trips many years ago. The Ritz had always required a tie and jacket in the dining room. After 12 hours of meetings, I didn't feel like being limited to eating in my room to be comforatble. At the Four Seasons, the staff is trained from day one that the guest (ANY GUEST) is to be treated with respect, no matter what the dress happens to be. They've had my business for the last 2 decades.

[42trvl]

It amazes me that this thread is still going, and so many people seem to be reading the posts as they want to read them as opposed to what the poster is actually saying. What I found interesting is that on our RCI Mariner cruise just a couple weeks ago, a line that so many people here seem to think is a notch or two below Celebrity, there seemed to be more respect for the dress code. People who wanted to dress up on formal night and go to the main dining room did and those that didn't want to took advantage of the other dining options that were available. Nobody judges anybody who chooses not to dress - the guy in shorts and a t-shirt could have as much or more "class," "sophistication," "money" or whatever other word you want to use as the guy in a tux. But the issue is choice and respect, not whether or not what the next guy is wearing bothers somebody. As bostonnerd mentioned, when you didn't like the dress code at the Ritz, you went to the Four Seasons. People on ships are also offered a choice. If you don't want to dress for the main dining room then you can eat elsewhere - noone is asking you to starve yourself instead. Otherwise, what is the point of even having a dress code - cruise lines might as well just state, "you can dress formal tonight, if you like..."

[defreeze]

Here!! Here!!, bostonnerd. I agree 100%.

 

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE reading theses threads, because people seem to get so completely exorcised over the matter. Life is short. Worry about world hunger, health problems, crime, poverty, etc. etc., but don't let your blood pressure rise over something so trivial. Count yourself fortunate to be even able to take such a wonderful vacation as a crusie. Take a deep breath, all, and enjoy life.

[Lady Hawke]

I agree, defreeze, life is too complicated as it is to worry about what people are wearing....

 

And...the people who serve the dinner are being paid to do so and to wear what they are wearing...I am paying to be there...that is a difference...though I agree that for the most part it really doesn't matter and I will always dress up when I get a chance!

 

Happy Cruising...a