Important question re: non-formal nights

[kimmie32]

What is appropriate dining room attire for the non-formal dining nights? Dresses? Skirts? Shorts?

Kim

[superjerryw]

Shorts are technically prohibited in the dining room at dinner time on all nights. A dress, skirt or pants is acceptable.

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Donuts, is there anything they can't do....

[bakal]

We had no problems with shorts or even tank tops on the casual nights in the dining room on the rhapsody. There were people in all sorts of attire, even swimming suits with cover ups.

[stretch]

That sounds very tacky! Has RCI slipped that much?
Stretch

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[DENNAS]

Hi Kim,
We just returned yesterday from the Radiance, a wonderful cruise by the way, and I did not see any shorts in the evening... except for the first night, if someone's luggage hadn't been delivered yet !! (Ours, by the way, hadn't been delivered and my husband had shorts on. We were certainly served.) I did hear someone in our group commenting that they saw them though.
I saw skirts, slacks, dresses, capris and the like on Casual night.

[ducklite]

Anything along the lines of resort/smart/business casual would be perfect for the non-formal evenings. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Anne

[raerae]

Bakal,

I have been on 8 cruises and can count on one hand for each cruise how many people wore shorts in the dining room. I have NEVER seen people in the dining room for dinner in swimsuits with coverups!! I feel that there is a dress code with RCI and if people don't want to follow it..they can go to the optional dining venues! What ship were you on??

Cindy [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif[/img]

[Corkle]

What about for kids? Can my son wear nice kahki shorts with a nice shirt so he won't have to change before he goes to the Adventure Ocean?

Happy Sailing!!
Corkle
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[Ohunion Cruzers]

The following expectation can be found on RCI’s Web Page:

What are the dress codes onboard?
There are three distinct types of evenings onboard: casual, smart casual and formal. Suggested guidelines for these nights are:

Casual: Sport shirts and slacks for men, sundresses or pants for women
Smart Casual: Jackets and ties for men, dresses or pantsuits for women
Formal: Suits and ties or tuxedos for men, cocktail dresses for women

3 to 4-night cruises include one formal night and two or three casual nights.
5 - nights include one formal, one smart casual and three casual nights.
7-night cruises include two formal nights, one smart casual night and four casual nights.
10, 11, and 12-night cruises include three formal nights and three smart casual nights, all other nights are casual.
14 and 15-night cruises include three formal nights and four smart casual nights. All other nights are casual.

We appreciate your usual parental guidance and cooperation in observing these easy guidelines with your children.

[ducklite]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Corkle:
What about for kids? Can my son wear nice kahki shorts with a nice shirt so he won't have to change before he goes to the Adventure Ocean?
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

How old is he? If he's school age, he should be in long pants. Get the kind with the zip off legs, you can just zip them off after dinenr and waalaa--he's in shorts.

Anne

[hdawson]

Stretch. I agree totally. Very very tacky.
I've been on 14 cruises and have never seen that kind of dress in the dining room at night. Shorts are fine for breakfast and lunch. Bathing attire, never. Not sure what cruiseline Bakal was on.

As for kids there is no distinction between grownups and teens. It's a great opportunity for the young to learn social graces. Of course it's the parents responsibility to teach.

[Corkle]

Anne,
That's a GREAT idea!!! Thanks for the suggestion.

Happy Sailing!!
Corkle
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[kimmie32]

What about for men - smart casual night and casual nights? Are shirts and ties without jackets okay? How about nice polo shirts and khakis?

Kim

[ducklite]

Kim--Sounds perfect!

Anne

[sscruising]

Hi:

I have been on about 12 cruises-7 with RCL and unless your luggage hasn'T arrived the first night I never see anyone in the dining room with shorts. Here's my fashion tip: for casual nights I pack 2-4 pairs of nice white slacks and pair them with some nice tops. You don't have to worry about different shoes, accessories, etc. and you always look good.

[sscruising]

Oh, I forgot, I pretty musch do the same when I pack for my husband. I pack 3 or 4 pair of neutral pairs of pants and some nice knit tops. He only wears a suit and tie on formal nights.

[kimmie32]

Thanks for all the tips. Fewer jacket and tie nights will go over well. I've been meaning to buy white pants for ages, and now I have the perfect excuse.

Kim

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[bluzcruzer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by kimmie32:
What about for men - smart casual night and casual nights? Are shirts and ties without jackets okay? How about nice polo shirts and khakis?

Kim<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

For clarifiaction, I've taken this from a Meet & Mingle posting - an optional dress code:

There seems to be some confusion re: the Men's dress code, so I have posted an optional Men's Dress list (as shown to my wife):

Semi Casual: Shorts; t-shirt and footwear optional

Casual: Jeans or shorts, and golf or t-shirt (witty slogan optional); sandals or athletic footwear

Smart Casual: Jeans, and shirt (untucked – buttoning optional, dependant on underlying t-shirt slogan); athletic footwear.

Smarter Casual: Jeans or Dockers, and golf shirt tucked; athletic footwear or shoes.

Brilliant Casual: Dockers, and shirt tucked & buttoned; shoes.

Formal: Fuggedabowdit! Not allowed.

I find that these options provide the greatest wardrobe flexibility when limited space is available for packing travel attire.
- Anon.

[Folgy]

bakal
QUOTE:
--------------------------------------------
We had no problems with shorts or even tank tops on the casual nights in the dining room on the rhapsody. There were people in all sorts of attire, even swimming suits with cover ups.
--------------------------------------------
Thats just plain disgusting. (tank tops !!! swim suits!!!) My word! I cruised the Rhapsody twice and it had never sunk to a slum dining room like that when I was on the ship. No such attire was ever worn in the dining room.
All I can say is UCK!! [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif[/img]

[hdawson]

Folgy. Don't panic. In 14 cruises (RCI, Celebrity and Carnival) I've never seen that level of dress in the dining rooms, and hope I never do. I have found that on RCI and Celebrity, 95% of guests do respect the requested dress standards. On Carnival about 90%. There are those that would like to dumb-down the cruise experience to nothing more than a week at the beach. Shuks. Even on the unRegal Empress people dressed appropriately.

[Folgy]

hdawson ,
Come to think of it on 11 previous cruises I have never seen that level of dress either.Believe me I would have noticed. I am still trying to figure out which Rhapsody cruise would possibly let people come to the dining room like Chucky Cheese at a Ho Down.

[ssrrmm00]

Im going to stick with unless men and women both wear designer name brand attire to the dining room the entire formal night and cruise for that matter is ruined for me. I cannot be expected to sit and enjoy my evening with anyone who does not care enough to only wear something from a mall. And older people should take notice to remain in the current trends. I should not be exposed to out of date clothing.

[ducklite]

[img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img]

Then maybe you need to charter your own yacht where you might be more comfortable.

Anne