So I just got back from a 7 day cruise on the Carnival Liberty and I have a rant regarding the dining room.
I am one of those young guys who is still "Old School" when it comes to dining rooms on a cruise ship. I still like the assigned seating & dining time. I am also someone who treats the dinning room as a formal dining room, meaning I will not go into it for dinner wearing less than nice pants & a Blazer.
During the cruise they allowed some clothing that it was posted outside the dining room was not to be worn.
That being workout shorts and t-shirts that were not dining room appropriate. It really bugged me. If you want to wear stuff like that, you have other dining options. Just don't wear it in the dining room.
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Jonathan jonathan.dickenson@gmail.com
Mill Creek, WA, USA
Carnival Valor Sept/Oct 2007
Carnival Freedom Jan 2010
Carnival Liberty Feb 2013
I am also in complete agreement that people should wear the proper attire to the dining room.
TM
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CRUISES
Century 4/1998
Mercury 4/2000+4/2006+7/2007
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Infinity 4/2003
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Carnival Liberty New Year's Eve 2007
Liberty of the Seas 5/2008+11/2009
Solstice 4/2009
Oasis 4/2010+4/13/2013
Allure 1/16/ 2011
Equinox 4/11/2011
"Dress codes" are pretty much "history" on all the major mass market lines. However, it's been quite some time since Carnival made theirs the most "relaxed".
They began allowing shorts in the dining room on non "formal nights" some time ago. Then they changed their "formal nights" to "elegant nights".
Once they did allow shorts in the dining room, I tried it out in the dining room, and guess what... it was fine.
I've worn them on several cruises over the years since then, and I've felt fine, and really don't think I've ruined any meals.
Basically they've said, if you want to dress up, feel free; if you don't feel free. But, don't expect others to dress the way you choose to.
I used to be one of the dress up crowd. Now I admit to enjoying relaxed and at ease.
Given that most ships have two dining rooms and most of those also have 2 decks(a few even have 3) I'm surprised they don't have a casual section.
Dress code there could simply be no shoes no shirt no service. I enjoy formal night once a cruise, if there is more than one I usually skip it. Would love to still get the meal just be able to dress down especially if it was a long day in port. Everyone wins.
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My feelings have always been the same, I will wear what I feel is appropiate for me and my family. What the other guy wears is up to him. It will not in any way interfer with my enjoyment of the cruise. I am too old now to worry about what others do or think...
My feelings have always been the same, I will wear what I feel is appropiate for me and my family. What the other guy wears is up to him. It will not in any way interfer with my enjoyment of the cruise. I am too old now to worry about what others do or think...
Conway,
I fully agree with you. Life is to short to worry about the mundane stuff.
It's a dining room. There is nothing formal about it. You are free to follow your own dress code, but not free to impose one on others. The few dress suggestions that exist are often not enforced. This is by design.
Carnival is a mass market cruise line and knows the target market well.
The food served in the lido buffet on Carnival during the dinner hour is a complete travesty. The burger grill is closed (WTF?). So is the Indian counter.
I will go to the main dining room, and if Im not dressed appropriately, too bad. I might change this "policy" of mine if they put a proper selection in the buffet at dinner.
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No cruises booked at this time.
Newsflash: Carnival announces cost-saving measure:
Camp Carnival and Fun Force to merge to save money.
Nice shorts ok but not ball caps , workout shorts and t shirts with cut out arm pits. Sorry cannot agree with these other posts and will stay with Holland and Celebrity where the dress code is more enforced and more pay attention to the rules. Am not a non cruiser on Carnival as we have numerous cruises on Carnival to include the SPLENDOR 49 day and the dress code was not an issue. Do understand that the longer cruises tend to have more repeat cruisers who follow the dress code a little more strictly
Last edited by big apple; February 20th, 2013 at 11:59 AM.
Right it's not a formal dining room. It's the dining room on formal night. I believe that the "few dress suggestions" are not enforced because of the risk of losing business. If you stop someone at the door wearing shorts, ball cap and flaps and tell them they are dressed inappropriately for formal night they will get offended and take their cruise business elsewhere. Multiply that by all those who do this and it adds up. It's all about the dollar.
Formal nights long ago disappeared and are now simply cruise elegant nights.
That Carnival has a suggested dress at all is to appease some; lax enforcement is to appease others. Carnival knows it can't please everyone but it does try to please most.
Right it's not a formal dining room. It's the dining room on formal night. I believe that the "few dress suggestions" are not enforced because of the risk of losing business. If you stop someone at the door wearing shorts, ball cap and flaps and tell them they are dressed inappropriately for formal night they will get offended and take their cruise business elsewhere. Multiply that by all those who do this and it adds up. It's all about the dollar.
Totally agree with you however they must not worry as much on Celebrity and Holland about losing customers and as you well know Holland owned by Carnival.would like to see Carnival run a survey on dress code to determine what the majority really wants. Not that long ago I did this on Holland and the response was totally in keeping the formal night and dress formality. Just a thought.
Because Carnival is so "reasonably priced" you get more of a cross section of people cruising. For instance, because of the price some may not book Cunard or Royal Caribbean or Celebrity but may book Carnival. This is why Carnival is popular. If you prefer a more higher end experience then one of the other cruise lines would be more fitting.
As much as I agree with the original post - you can't blame a cruise line for the decline in standards in the general population.
Let's face it - dressing appropriately used to matter in a lot of cases; including church, flying, even going to the movies (remember when people clapped at the end of a film).
It's nice to see younger people who care about things like tasteful dress - but I think most of them have been indoctrinated with the idea that it is improper to judge people based on appearance (including optional appearance choices, like dress).
I prefer not to see nose rings and face tattoos, but that is considered perfectly normal for many people, so....
I guess in the end it does boil down to where you choose to go and who you choose to associate with.
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I am the editor, but I also speculate, ask questions and play devil's advocate. I reserve the right to change my mind.
Excellent idea having a separate formal dining room - Carnival ships have two dining rooms, and many with two entrances on separate decks. It would be easy to set aside one deck as strictly formal.
Of course, it would make the Maitre D' a little uncomfortable to have to tell people they came to the wrong entrance, and someone would certainly blow his top and say he was treated rudely because a Maitre D' who discriminated against him for no reason when he asked him to go to a different area.
But you could fix that by just having the waiter escort the person to a different area of the dining room.
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I am the editor, but I also speculate, ask questions and play devil's advocate. I reserve the right to change my mind.
My vacation, my dress code: Shirt with a collar, long pants (blue jeans out of Galveston only), clean shoes & socks. Ya'll wear what you want, you won't bother me.
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I traveled on the Inspiration a while back. On elegant night a couple came to our table to sit. The woman was dressed very nice in a dress and well groomed. Her companion was dressed in dungarees, dirty sneakers, a long sleeved shirt with the sleeves rolled up above the wrists and the buttons mostly unbuttoned or missing. He had on a baseball cap which stayed on throughout the meal. Nothing was said to this man at all. I observed several other men with baseball caps on during dinner. Has everyone forgetten that it is poor manners for a man to wear a hat indoors or at the dinner table?
Laura
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Carnival is a mass market cruise line not Fantasy Island. If someone wants to overdress and pretend to be in Camelot, go for it. Don't expect others to be players in your game.
There are fewer and fewer people willing to dress up and much like the dinosaurs, elegant nights will disappear as well. It's reality.
There is a difference between people following a posted dress code and people thinking that others should dress as they do - they are two totally different things. Carnival says shorts and jeans can be worn in the dining room. If you feel that this dress code is inappropriate then you need to take your business to a cruise line that has a dress code that conforms to your expectations, but do not expect people to dress to your expectations when that is above and beyond the dress code. I don't care if someone wears a long gown when I'm wearing jeans - to each their own - it isn't gonna affect my meal in the least and my attire shouldn't affect another's meal - if it does, they have a problem, a big problem. Another issue that has come into play is the expense - airline baggage fees as well as the cost of this "fancy" clothing to wear on one night (wouldn't be able to wear the same clothes to both elegant dinners or these same people would take notice, I'm sure, and grumble and point about that as well). I do not dress formally ever - other than my wedding day - and if I had to go out and purchase formal clothes for a cruise then I wouldn't be cruising - exactly why I didn't start cruising until cruise lines started doing away with "formal".
I noticed that Carnival has gone to smaller tables for the "Your Time Dining" option (the larger tables still being set in the fixed-hours room), just to deal specifically with this problem, I suppose.
I can understand some frustration if a fellow guest is under-dressed at a large table, where some socializing might occur. However, if someone at another table is under-dressed in "Your Time Dining", you REALLY need to mind your own business, or get your own planet.
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No cruises booked at this time.
Newsflash: Carnival announces cost-saving measure:
Camp Carnival and Fun Force to merge to save money.
I traveled on the Inspiration a while back. On elegant night a couple came to our table to sit. The woman was dressed very nice in a dress and well groomed. Her companion was dressed in dungarees, dirty sneakers, a long sleeved shirt with the sleeves rolled up above the wrists and the buttons mostly unbuttoned or missing. He had on a baseball cap which stayed on throughout the meal. Nothing was said to this man at all. I observed several other men with baseball caps on during dinner. Has everyone forgetten that it is poor manners for a man to wear a hat indoors or at the dinner table?
Laura
To me it would be taking from my night if I'm dressed, hubby is dressed. And this was who they sat at our table. If others choose not to dress. They should be seated together. Especially if we have taken time and money to make our night special. I'm sorry for you. I do hope you were still able to enjoy. Knowing me I wouldn't.
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