Dress Code...

[stacylv]

Just was on Century in Baltic and did not put in my post but wanted to comment on dress code issues. I found a full mix of dress even on formal nights.. on formal saw 1 or 2 gowns, mostly casual dresses and some pants with blouses or sweaters even. On casual nights, saw some in jeans sweatshirts... I personally dont like to dress up but read the suggested clothing and adhered to it. It bothered me that people did not listen when I did not want to be dressed up at all

I think that Celebrity needs to either get rid of formal nights or enforce the dress code but to have everyone wearing different things defeats the purpose.

[Toftwood]

I have been told by others that the destination area can strongly influence the degree to which passengers adopt the dress code - different destination areas certainly do attract different passenger groups. I have never sailed Northern Europe, Baltics, Fjords etc. but friends who have do say that dress code was quite low down on some people's priorities when sailing in that region unlike for example, Caribbean.

 

As a European, I find it quite easy to say that fellow Europeans find dress codes a challenge. I am quite happy with a dress code and will always support it and I do agree with you that if the cruise line (whichever one it happens to be), issues an advisory dress code then it should be upheld by both passengers and the cruise line.

[mimip]

Took a transcanal on the Infinity a few years ago and insisted my husband wear his tux for formal night. The other couples at our table were casually dressed, one in jeans with a plaid shirt. He joked that someone stole his tie on the way in. My husband would much prefer shorts or his khakis with a golf shirt, but until the policy changes, we will be dressed accordingly. In the early years, HAL would not permit you to enter the dining room if you were not following the evening's designated dress. Personally, I would like to see all formal nights done away with considering the airlines have gotten so picky about sizes and weights of luggage.

[JanineM]

I agree with all of the previous posters.

 

It seems to me that there is just so much confusion created when they just "recommend" dress codes. Why bother if you're not going to enforce them?

 

If they want to attract passengers who like to dress up and those who do not like to dress up then maybe they need to split the dining room:

• my time dining is wear-whatever-the-heck-you-want-as-long-as-it-is-clean-and-isn't-indecent;

• traditional dining is follow-the-dress-suggestions

:)

 

But like others, I wonder why we bother hauling tuxes and formal wear when we may be seated with people in casual dress. For us, all of the fun of formal evenings is wearing the clothes that we never get to wear at home. And it is no fun to be in a gown and seated with people in capris and tank tops.

 

I guess it's a case of "please make up your mind, Celebrity!"

[woodofpine]

A standard is a standard and those that don't adhere to standards are clearly without standards!!

 

On the other hand...

 

Tuxes, gowns, isn't this VACATION paid for yet!? Wasn't this sort of fun already passe when double knits were in vogue??

 

Oh my! How Will I Get to Sleep Tonight?:D

[Toftwood]

I am not so sure about the comment on airline baggage weights etc. as you would still have packed enough variety for the trip duration. A man's formal wear jacket doesn't weigh any more than any other jacket - a suit jacket or a sports jacket; a ladies full length gown will, I agree, weigh more than a cocktail dress but probably not much more. Formal evenings (for the man at least) avoid the decision about what to wear - it has already been decided for you!

[C 2 C]

I wish there was an automatic link to all dress code topics..

Here we go again.

After a 100,000 posts on the same topic we should limit each person to only 1 comment with a limit of 100 words and put it in a sticky.

 

C'est fini.

[RCMarr]

We did the full formal route for our first cruise. I rented a tux, it was much easier than packing one, but my wife took full advantage of it to shop for a new dress or two. We enjoyed dressing up, but did note that most did not bother for the first formal night. We did feel a little over dressed at times on the ship; jeans and t-shirts were everywhere.

 

I wore the tux the night we went to the speciality restaurant, boy was that a mistake. I stepped out of the restaurant for a minute and on my way back, one table stopped me and ask about their meal. LOL! My wife laughed over that for days.

[Fit S600]

Dress codes are tricky. :confused: We did a Panama Cruise on HA. On Formal Night, DH rented the Tux. I got to buy two outfits. Not stressful because I saw that the renters thought a sparkly top and long skirt was formal. Even clutzy me could manage a sparkly top.:D NOW we are going on a Caribbean cruise in November on Celebrity. I've been reading the recent review posting and the comment appears to be sparkly top, long skirt might be way over dressed with everyone else at the formal dinner. BUT that is on the Alaska Cruises where one has to pack rain gear and sweaters just in case the weather isn't pleasant and maybe there was no room for the formal stuff. MAYBE there is a different practice in the Caribbean. SO can anyone offer an opinion on the current formal practices of Caribbean cruises??????:confused: Is formal wear a sparkly top/long skirt or designer gown or fresh clean Tshirt with one's grubby shorts.:)

[fleckle]

Dress codes are tricky. :confused: Is formal wear a sparkly top/long skirt or designer gown or fresh clean Tshirt with one's grubby shorts.:)

Yes

[Imagineer]

...on our Alaska cruise of August 16th, on formal nights we didn't see anyone dressed in strictly casual attire, the worst offenders were a few guys not wearing a tie, on the other hand, I could only see perhaps a dozen men in tuxes. The majority of the men were dressed in suits or sportcoat, blazer and slacks with a tie, the ladies all looked dressed up with not that many wearing long dresses or gowns, a lot of dressy pant and blouse outfits on our cruise...

[J & G]

Personally, I would like to see all formal nights done away with considering the airlines have gotten so picky about sizes and weights of luggage.

 

But then entertaining threads such as these would cease to exist.

 

And it's not the packing weight of one jacket and pants versus another, or one dressy dress/outfit versus a less dressy one.....it's all the accessories (extra shoes, etc) that are required to go along with the formal wear that add to the packing weight.

 

I know some people really love the formal nights, but I'd be happy to have "resort casual" as the recommended attire for every night. That way we could debate the meaning of "resort casual" and whether or not shorts/ jeans and a t-shirt fit that description. :D

 

Also, I like the idea (someone else's....not mine) of making one level of the dining room formal/traditional and the other level "resort casual"/select dining. Then everyone could have what they want......

[Paulal]

Hi,

Just curious Imagineer,

 

Do most men who wear a blazer and slacks with a tie always wear dark pants or would nice pressed khaki pants work on formal nights? Bringing a dark suit for just two nights as opposed to wearing a Blazer and nice pants most nights seem more workable and yes, less packing and weight, especially heavy fancy black shoes. I agree with J & G-it is all the accessories that add to the packing weight- imho.

[hcat]

Not sure why there are so many questions about this--it is laid out clearly in all the brochures, on line etc.

 

On Cunard they even send out a reminder about the expected dress for the various balls etc..& everyone is in synch.

 

I agree with the idea to make a big sticky for Dress Codes..

The only reason I continue to post on these threads is so the cruise line reps who read them don't conclude that everyone wants to abandon formal nights..

 

I do NOT think MTD/Select should be casual--that's reserved for the buffet or room service

[Spf12]

Hi,

Just curious Imagineer,

 

Do most men who wear a blazer and slacks with a tie always wear dark pants or would nice pressed khaki pants work on formal nights? Bringing a dark suit for just two nights as opposed to wearing a Blazer and nice pants most nights seem more workable and yes, less packing and weight, especially heavy fancy black shoes. I agree with J & G-it is all the accessories that add to the packing weight- imho.

 

I've worn a midnight Blue Blazer with grey slax and tan slax on formal night,with a white shirt and tie. I can't wait for Celebrity to eliminate formal nights and replace it with resort casual.

[macruise]

I agree with a lot of what has been said and suspect that people continue to post on this topic with info about the current state of dress code enforcement/compliance.

 

On the Infinity last year, there was a family table with tweenaged girls who wore cheek-peekers on formal night.

They also ran in and out of dining room several times, fully exposed.

Very appetizing, but nothing was said. Yuck.

[Imagineer]

Hi,

Just curious Imagineer,

 

Do most men who wear a blazer and slacks with a tie always wear dark pants or would nice pressed khaki pants work on formal nights? Bringing a dark suit for just two nights as opposed to wearing a Blazer and nice pants most nights seem more workable and yes, less packing and weight, especially heavy fancy black shoes. I agree with J & G-it is all the accessories that add to the packing weight- imho.

 

...for a cruise to Alaska, from what we observed, you'd be just fine...

[Imagineer]

Not sure why there are so many questions about this--it is laid out clearly in all the brochures, on line etc.

 

On Cunard they even send out a reminder about the expected dress for the various balls etc..& everyone is in synch.

 

I agree with the idea to make a big sticky for Dress Codes..

The only reason I continue to post on these threads is so the cruise line reps who read them don't conclude that everyone wants to abandon formal nights..

 

I do NOT think MTD/Select should be casual--that's reserved for the buffet or room service

 

...really not sure why you folks get so bent out of shape over this, nobody's asking you to change what you wish to wear, so keep on doing it, but what difference does it make to you what others around you are wearing? When we were in the MDR, we were too busy enjoying ourselves to pay notice of what the others around us were attired in, knowing I might be asked after the cruise about the dress code issue, the only way I was able to make an observation was while we were waiting in line before the door opened. I really feel that some folks "feelings" are too easily bruised over this thing, life is really too short to get all bent out of shape over what you wear to dinner...

[dkjretired]

...really not sure why you folks get so bent out of shape over this, nobody's asking you to change what you wish to wear, so keep on doing it, but what difference does it make to you what others around you are wearing? When we were in the MDR, we were too busy enjoying ourselves to pay notice of what the others around us were attired in, knowing I might be asked after the cruise about the dress code issue, the only way I was able to make an observation was while we were waiting in line before the door opened. I really feel that some folks "feelings" are too easily bruised over this thing, life is really too short to get all bent out of shape over what you wear to dinner...

 

Much of what you say is absolutely correct however the way these dress codes get out of hand is very simple. Uusally someone asks a simple question and they are then given the correct answer according to Celebrity's rules. After that someone will argue the rules or tell people to disregard them and it starts from there...