Please tell me this is not true....

[joanne59]

...I saw this on the RCCL board comparing them to celebrity...

 

"The major differences for me is there is NO dinner buffets on Celebrity. They have pizza, pasta, and sushi(sp), also a sit down casual dinner.

Also the ship isn't as casual at night as RCI. It does state in their daily activities paper, that the attire for the ship after 6pm should follow the dining room requested attire. Yes, I have seen people turned away from the shows for not dressing on formal night."

 

Hubby and I like to do a few casual nights at the buffet and we sometimes change into something a bit warmer (most female evening clothes makes me chilly) for the shows.

 

Any info is appreciated...thanks

[dadsbdaycruiser]

It's not true... it is a little more formal (we went on a European cruise, and I think this is the case regardless), but there was a buffet at night and other opportunities later. Each ship varies, but if you don't feel like eating in the main dining room you will still be happy.

 

I have been on Royal Caribbean a few times, and I do think it is a step up- but comfortable clothing (if tasteful) is absolutely fine.

[CatServants]

...I saw this on the RCCL board comparing them to celebrity...

 

"The major differences for me is there is NO dinner buffets on Celebrity. They have pizza, pasta, and sushi(sp), also a sit down casual dinner.

Also the ship isn't as casual at night as RCI. It does state in their daily activities paper, that the attire for the ship after 6pm should follow the dining room requested attire. Yes, I have seen people turned away from the shows for not dressing on formal night."

 

Hubby and I like to do a few casual nights at the buffet and we sometimes change into something a bit warmer (most female evening clothes makes me chilly) for the shows.

 

Any info is appreciated...thanks

 

I've never sailed RCCL so I can't compare the 2 lines, but the "NO dinner buffets", and the "attire" assessment are accurate. I don't recall ever personally seeing anyone turned away from the shows due to inappropriate attire, but I'm sure it occasionally happens.

 

Happy cruising!

 

Denise

[CatServants]

It's not true... it is a little more formal (we went on a European cruise, and I think this is the case regardless), but there was a buffet at night and other opportunities later. Each ship varies, but if you don't feel like eating in the main dining room you will still be happy.

 

I have been on Royal Caribbean a few times, and I do think it is a step up- but comfortable clothing (if tasteful) is absolutely fine.

 

Ummm. The dailys DO state that the dining room attire is for the entire ship after 6PM...BUT...you're also correct. I now realize I should have given more info in my previous post. So...

 

To the OP - You'll see many people who have changed into less 'formal' wear after dinner. And, again, I've never personally seen anyone refused entry to anything.

 

Also, there are several dining options, but there is NO typical cruise dinner buffet.

 

Better?;):o:)

 

Happy cruising!

 

Denise

[Peteymil]

Instead of full buffet, there is a sushi buffet, pasta bar, pizza bar, stir fry,

 

and then their is also a casual sit down area, where you can order from a waiter.

[flashdog_1]

Let's clarify this.

 

There is no BUFFET as at breakfast and lunch, but in part of the space that was the buffet at breakfast and lunch there is a reservations, casual dress, dinner option available, with tablecloths, candles, and cloth napkins. The menu will contain SOME of the main dining room offerings, but not all. In other words, don't expect lobster there on lobster night. A $2 gratuity is asked. I have also heard that people were able to just walk up and get a table if they were not fully booked. The polite thing to do is to have the maitre D' tell your tablemates that you are not snubbing them, but just eating in the casual dining option.

 

On the M class ships, the Aqua Spa cafe is open until 8, so if you are an early diner, you can eat there, as well, and that is a buffet, just not as extensive as the larger buffet dining room would be at lunch, say. There is also the sushi (free) bar during early evening hours. Pasta and pizza are available in the buffet area even late at night. I'm not sure if that would be part of the casual dining alternative, too.

 

And Celebrity, for all cabin categories, offers room service dinner off the dining room menu during normal assigned dinner hours. Your room steward will help you. He/she will have the menus and write down your order. I read that RCCL has made this a privilege only of higher categories, but can not personally substatiate that statement.

 

Speaking of room service, I think Celebrity's menu is better than any line I've experienced or read about on cruise critic.

 

Casual dress is always acceptable in the casual areas of the ship such as the pool, alternative casual dining in the buffet, the Aqua Spa and pool decks, even on formal nights. I have also seen people dress "down" to go to the casino on formal nights.

 

There is bound to be some mixing of casual and formal clothing because of the two dinner times. For instance, someone with late seating might be entering an elevator (after having been at the pool or T pool or getting a spa treatment) and is wearing flip flops and has her hair wrapped in a towel while the people in the elevator are in formal attire heading to dinner, or even returning from dinner.

 

Each cruise line has its pros and cons. You just have to weigh the things that are important to you and book or not book!

[Lois R]

Celebrity does not offer a "regular buffet" for dinner on any

of their ships. When I say regular, I mean a set up like

breakfast and lunch where you get on line and pick and choose.

 

They do offer other alternatives though. Yes, Pizza and Pasta

as well as sushi.

They also offer "alternative dining" which is set up near

the buffet area up on the lido deck but you are served on

linen and order off a menu. It is a casual atmosphere.

 

Oh, Phyllis pretty much explained it all.

Thanks Phyllis:)

I forgot about the M class and the Aqua Spa cafe being opened till 8!

[joanne59]

We have not sailed Celebrity in quite a few years and I guess I had forgotten these about these two issues. We will be fine with all the options, just didn't realize a full buffet was out of the question. No big deal, I'm happy to know this in advance to plan accordingly.

 

FYI--you can get almost all the dinner menu options in your cabin on RCCL except lobster if I am not mistaken.

 

We are especially looking forward to the Aqua Spa healthy choices, that part of the food service I do remember from way back when. We've booked an Aqua class cabin on Equinox, so from what I have read, our dining room option is limited to Blu. Guess we will be mixing it up over the course of the 14 nights, a little bit of everything...some sushi, a slice of pizza and a couple specialty restaurants to get a feel for the whole ship. Gotta love all those choices...so much to eat...so little time :)

[embellish]

Given the poster's own cruise history indicates the last Celebrity cruise taken was in 2002, I wouldn't give this comparison much credibility. Things change; memories fade.

[flashdog_1]

FYI--you can get almost all the dinner menu options in your cabin on RCCL except lobster if I am not mistaken.

 

Thanks for the clarification!

 

We are especially looking forward to the Aqua Spa healthy choices, that part of the food service I do remember from way back when. We've booked an Aqua class cabin on Equinox, so from what I have read, our dining room option is limited to Blu.

 

Oh, you lucky ducks!

 

Guess we will be mixing it up over the course of the 14 nights, a little bit of everything...some sushi, a slice of pizza and a couple specialty restaurants to get a feel for the whole ship. Gotta love all those choices...so much to eat...so little time :)

 

Gotta love it!

[joanne59]

Given the poster's own cruise history indicates the last Celebrity cruise taken was in 2002, I wouldn't give this comparison much credibility. Things change; memories fade.

 

Perhaps I misunderstood your post but what part of my post was inaccurate...I was asking for clarification of a post I read this evening BECAUSE I had not cruised celebrity in so long.

[SusieV]

Joanne, as other posters have said, that post pretty much is true. Lots of other options, but no evening buffet.

 

I have also personally seen people denied entry to shows because they were not properly attired on formal night. The only place I have seen anything goes is the casino. They'll never deny you a chance to donate unless you are really outrageous, I think.

 

And yes, as other posters have mentioned, unlike RCCL, the dress code is for the entire ship after 6pm excluding casual dining, not just for the dining room.

[ionsys]

we booked Solstice for 2009

 

 

I'm one of those who would just as rather go casual all the time. We sure don't anticipate going to the Main Dining Room on the 2 Formal nights.

 

My understanding at present is that:

 

1)One can easily go to Oceanview Cafe on Lido deck for free for dinner, with no reservation and be dressed casual on otherwise 'non-casual' nights-quite acceptable--instead of line up buffet, one sits at tables with an extensive menu- The food selection might be somewhat less than the MDR but not substantially so

 

2.a casual person on Formal nights in the MDR could alternatively eat dinner at Bistro for Five for free,which

serves fish and chips,quiche, salads,desserts,soups,sandwiches,crepes

 

3 On Formal nights, a casual dresser can also frequent the Resort Deck where the main pool is and likely also other areas such as the Lawn Deck

 

4. likely also the casino--and-maybe -the evening shows

 

5.not sure about the various bars

 

but i've never been on a celebity ship so anyone with more info here pls chime in

[hajekfam]

Currently, the daily for Celebrity ships state that the dress code is (bolding is in the daily) :

required modes of attire for evening dress (after 6:00pm nightly) throughout the ship

.

and for the the casual dining boulevard:

The dress code is casual every day. Although in all other areas the dress code of the evening applies. We kindly ask for your cooperation and consideration for your fellow guests.

Also the menu at the alternative casual dining is currently limited with 4 selections on two differnent menus that alternate. The selections are not the same as in the dining room.

If that will be the policy on the solstice class is anyone's guess.

[alcpa1]

I hate to once again correct one who favors orange and blue but the charge for casual dining is $3.00 per person. It's a small price to pay for a fine meal in a more casual setting. We actually could enjoy the company of our six fellow cruisers and hold conversations that we could all take part in. We did not realize how loud the main dining room was until we lounged through our meal in the Windjammer with a couple of bottles of wine.

We did follow the dress code for the evening [coat and tie], as did everyone else dining there.

The maitre 'd joined our waiter to explain the menu and also offered us alternatives which were not printed on the bill of fare.

We made reservations on line prior to the cruise.

We will try this again on our next cruise too.

[ionsys]

the words in the Daily implies to me that it's "casual throughout ship "

on all 'Casual in MDR ' evenings---Is that right?

[Lois R]

I hate to once again correct one who favors orange and blue but the charge for casual dining is $3.00 per person. It's a small price to pay for a fine meal in a more casual setting. We actually could enjoy the company of our six fellow cruisers and hold conversations that we could all take part in. We did not realize how loud the main dining room was until we lounged through our meal in the Windjammer with a couple of bottles of wine.

We did follow the dress code for the evening [coat and tie], as did everyone else dining there.

The maitre 'd joined our waiter to explain the menu and also offered us alternatives which were not printed on the bill of fare.

We made reservations on line prior to the cruise.

We will try this again on our next cruise too.

 

It must have gone up 1.00;) :eek: .....it has always been 2.00

per person.

[FinelyCruising]

I have not been on RCCL in a while but I don't remember a dinner buffet, (maybe I was not paying attention) so I don't think there is a dinner buffet on either line anyway.

[hajekfam]

the words in the Daily implies to me that it's "casual throughout ship "

on all 'Casual in MDR ' evenings---Is that right?

 

Yes, on casual evenings it is casual throughout the ship - however people tend to dress informal for the specialty restaurant on a casual evening. On other evenings, casual dress is supposed to be permitted only on the deck where casual dining is held (the pool deck).

Celebrity currently has three different dress codes for evening - Formal, Informal (more like semi-formal - jackets with or without tie required for men) and casual (more like informal - no shorts or jeans, no t-shirts).

[Shipyard Cruiser]

Yes, on casual evenings it is casual throughout the ship - however people tend to dress informal for the specialty restaurant on a casual evening. On other evenings, casual dress is supposed to be permitted only on the deck where casual dining is held (the pool deck).

Celebrity currently has three different dress codes for evening - Formal, Informal (more like semi-formal - jackets with or without tie required for men) and casual (more like informal - no shorts or jeans, no t-shirts).

 

I think you mean suggested, not required.

[hajekfam]

I think you mean suggested, not required.

 

Where in that quote did I say required? In my post a bit earlier where I used the word required I quoted directly (word for word) from my past cruises' Celebrity Today (the daily) including my cruise this last December. It appears in the program for the first day's daily under the food venue hours.

 

If Celebrity enforces the dress code is another story.

[Amlee]

...I saw this on the RCCL board comparing them to celebrity...

 

"The major differences for me is there is NO dinner buffets on Celebrity. They have pizza, pasta, and sushi(sp), also a sit down casual dinner.

Also the ship isn't as casual at night as RCI. It does state in their daily activities paper, that the attire for the ship after 6pm should follow the dining room requested attire. Yes, I have seen people turned away from the shows for not dressing on formal night."

 

Hubby and I like to do a few casual nights at the buffet and we sometimes change into something a bit warmer (most female evening clothes makes me chilly) for the shows.

 

Any info is appreciated...thanks

 

 

That quote is mine.

 

The major differences for me is there is NO dinner buffets on Celebrity. They have pizza, pasta, and sushi(sp), also a sit down casual dinner. But your choices are limited, you have to make reservations, and the tipping is extra. There is also a specialty restaurant that is $30 for meal only.

 

Also the ship isn't as casual at night as RCI. It does state in their daily activities paper, that the attire for the ship after 6pm should follow the dining room requested attire. Yes, I have seen people turned away from the shows for not dressing on formal night.

 

 

Yes, I did see one man turned away from the show on formal night. He was in jean shorts and a t-shirt. He was asked to change clothes.

 

 

My mother who is a RCI fan found the things I mentioned above as big downers on her Celebrity cruise. Matter of fact those are the things that will keep her from bring her travel group on that cruise line. They enjoy the more casual feel of RCI.

[embellish]

My humble apologies; I had indeed misread it.

[Amlee]

We've booked an Aqua class cabin on Equinox, so from what I have read, our dining room option is limited to Blu. Guess we will be mixing it up over the course of the 14 nights, a little bit of everything...some sushi, a slice of pizza and a couple specialty restaurants to get a feel for the whole ship. Gotta love all those choices...so much to eat...so little time :)

 

 

If there is space open in the "regular" restaurants, you can request to have dinner there. Just talk to your matri'd. Just as the non-Aqua spa cabin folks can request Blu if there is an opening.

[caviargal]

I have not been on RCCL in a while but I don't remember a dinner buffet, (maybe I was not paying attention) so I don't think there is a dinner buffet on either line anyway.

 

The Windjammer offers a casual buffet every evening for those who prefer.