Sorry, but if you purchase a cruise with certain dress codes, you should adhere to the codes, formal or otherwise. If you choose not to conform, then you should choose another line. I'm tired of people appearing in tee shirts, jeans and wife-beater tank tops. At least at HAL they usually turn people away who are not appropriately attired. To quote a friend, "Attire is not just a part of a car."
Donna - I suspect if some cruise lines enforced dress codes strictly, passenger numbers would drop off - IMHO. However that said, the cruise lines are inconsistent in enforcing the policy. Why have a policy if you do not enforce it.
I have just returned from a HAL cruise where the 'formal' dress code was largely ignored - even in MDR!
As I say, smart casual is my norm. I felt overdressed! BTW with my figure, I can't wear shorts or jeans and if I dress up - I feel like a sugar plum fairy!
I choose a vessel based on itinerary size and vessel size - NOT on dress code.
The Azamara cruise lines seem to operate very happily without a dress code but unfortunately they don't sail everywhere I want to visit.
Last edited by anniegb; October 28th, 2010 at 04:15 AM.
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Sorry, but if you purchase a cruise with certain dress codes, you should adhere to the codes, formal or otherwise. If you choose not to conform, then you should choose another line. I'm tired of people appearing in tee shirts, jeans and wife-beater tank tops. At least at HAL they usually turn people away who are not appropriately attired. To quote a friend, "Attire is not just a part of a car."
The operative word is 'USUALLY' not always - therein lies the true issue.
Donna - I suspect if some cruise lines enforced dress codes strictly, passenger numbers would drop off - IMHO. However that said, the cruise lines are inconsistent in enforcing the policy. Why have a policy if you do not enforce it.
I have just returned from a HAL cruise where the 'formal' dress code was largely ignored - even in MDR!
As I say, smart casual is my norm. I felt overdressed! BTW with my figure, I can't wear shorts or jeans and if I dress up - I feel like a sugar plum fairy!
I choose a vessel based on itinerary size and vessel size - NOT on dress code.
The Azamara cruise lines seem to operate very happily without a dress code but unfortunately they don't sail everywhere I want to visit.
Relatives of mine were on a HAL cruise in March and said on formal nights only about 10% of the people dressed as directed
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Of course the reply is predictable...because it's right that's why! Don't know about baseball but isn't a home run good? & therefore my reply was "a winner"
I personally could care a less how people dress, but then I don't ask them to comply with a dress code the cruise line do.
I think there should be a line in the conditions that says "I accept that I will be refused entry to xxxxx areas if I do not adhere to the dress code, the decision of the Maitre'D shall be final''
John, if you really don't care how people dress, why are you so adamant of cruise lines enforcing the dress code? My concern in the dining room is with the food on my plate, not with what some one else is wearing. I guess the clothes police will always be with us!
Live and let live and you will live longer!!!!!!!!!!
John, if you really don't care how people dress, why are you so adamant of cruise lines enforcing the dress code? My concern in the dining room is with the food on my plate, not with what some one else is wearing. I guess the clothes police will always be with us!
Live and let live and you will live longer!!!!!!!!!!
John - the cruise lines do not enforce the dress code policy as Henry and others have commented.
Tell you what IS tiresome....people inferring that they are some sort of innovative bringers of change by refusing to dress in the requested manner for dinner, you are not. You are just people with no manners, no respect for others nor for the cruise line & staff. If a ship has a dress code & it is not respected those who do not do so are exhibiting abject rudeness & sadly typical of attitudes today.
Well I guess I can be considered one of the rude cruisers who just likes to dress casually all the time. No baseball caps or shorts on formal nights but a nice long sleeve shirt & dress pants without a hot jacket. It works every time on Princess without question. No one else dining seems to mind either.
That being said, we've just returned from an Emerald cruise & they did serve lobster claws on the 2 ND formal night which meant I could eat at the buffet & still get the same selections. Maybe Princess is doing something to curtail people from dressing down in the DR but they're certainly not barring people from entering for lack of dress. ;-)
Provided they continue the same dining selections on formal evenings, I'll be sticking to the buffet for my meals but if they do eliminate the lobster claws I'll be back to the DR in my casual clothes since they have the best food there.
If people feel the need to be formally dressed in order to enjoy there meals there are more formal cruise lines that enforce a strict dress code but Princess isn't one of them.
I will try to explain...S L O W L Y....when I say I don't care much about dress codes I mean I don't care if there is one or not, what I think is important AND good manners is to respect any codes that are in place..do you see? If there is no code we dress as we like, if there is a code we respect it. As for comfort, if your clothes fit properly it should matter little what you wear.
I do think that people should be made aware of any dress codes & sign to accept that if they don't stick to them they will have limited or no access to certain areas.
I will try to explain...S L O W L Y....when I say I don't care much about dress codes I mean I don't care if there is one or not, what I think is important AND good manners is to respect any codes that are in place..do you see? If there is no code we dress as we like, if there is a code we respect it. As for comfort, if your clothes fit properly it should matter little what you wear.
I do think that people should be made aware of any dress codes & sign to accept that if they don't stick to them they will have limited or no access to certain areas.
Well said. I cruise to enjoy the ambiance and itineraries. If you wish to dress like slobs, so be it, but don't be surprised if you are denied access to certain dining rooms, etc. Buffet service is always available should you choose to dress casually. Just don't show up in the DR in jeans and a baseball cap.
Almost blew a gasket on our latest cruise..saw dungarees in the Select Dining..when I asked Maitre de why...didn't get appropriate answer IMO. Formal night there defintetely weren't as many tuxedos, but more dark suits.. of course....it seems to be a problem with men dressing appropriately...the women alway are dressed to the "nines"
I may have posted this before ,not sure .For years and years I would come to work in a suit ,that was the norm .In the late 90's the norm became business casual ,however on the days I was in my office I continued to wear a suit .Some people will always adhere to the suggested shipboard attire ,others will not .I personally do not believe that there should be a mandatory dress code aboard ship ,however ,I will still formally dress on formal night .
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until the day comes that the cruise lines either enforce their dress codes or eliminate them all together this topic will live on for eternity. For me personally i LOVE to get all glammed up, and i love to people watch my fellow passengers and their formal wear. If you want to get all glammed up go for it, but if you don't want to thats ok too, just please don't show up for formal nights in the main dining rooms in your casual daywear, is that too much to ask?
until the day comes that the cruise lines either enforce their dress codes or eliminate them all together this topic will live on for eternity. For me personally i LOVE to get all glammed up, and i love to people watch my fellow passengers and their formal wear. If you want to get all glammed up go for it, but if you don't want to thats ok too, just please don't show up for formal nights in the main dining rooms in your casual daywear, is that too much to ask?
I am looking forward to the day when a nice sports shirt and dress slacks or even clean jeans will be fine in the dining room every night. The smell of mothballs on formal nights isn't pleasant!!
until the day comes that the cruise lines either enforce their dress codes or eliminate them all together this topic will live on for eternity. For me personally i LOVE to get all glammed up, and i love to people watch my fellow passengers and their formal wear. If you want to get all glammed up go for it, but if you don't want to thats ok too, just please don't show up for formal nights in the main dining rooms in your casual daywear, is that too much to ask?
Lisa, what a refreshing moderate approach - I love it. BTW, I rarely dine in MDR - too noisy and service is too slow for me esp at large tables.
What irritates me is that some posters are 'pushing' for making 'formal' dress compulsory for all areas of the vessel on 'formal' nights and their comments that cruisers who elect to dress informally are rude! What happened to live and let live?
As far as I am aware, dress codes are recommendations and not compulsory and anyone purchasing a cruise does not enter into a contractual obligation to dress 'formally'.
Lisa, what a refreshing moderate approach - I love it. BTW, I rarely dine in MDR - too noisy and service is too slow for me esp at large tables.
What irritates me is that some posters are 'pushing' for making 'formal' dress compulsory for all areas of the vessel on 'formal' nights and their comments that cruisers who elect to dress informally are rude! What happened to live and let live?
As far as I am aware, dress codes are recommendations and not compulsory and anyone purchasing a cruise does not enter into a contractual obligation to dress 'formally'.
Very well said! We rarely participate in Formal Night anymore and we gladly stay out of the MDR...but I'll be darned if you're going to confine me to my cabin for the evening.
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Anyone who ignores the dress code of the evening is being rude & disrespectful. I would say that those who don't use the MDR just want to eat whereas those who do use the MDR wish to have dinner, one is a refuelling exercise the other is a social occasion. The bit people seem to miss is when cruise lines use the term "suggested" or "recommended" they are just being polite or diplomatic, hoping that their customers have the wit to realise. The old chestnuts about dress changing have been going on as long as I can remember, especially the jeans thing.
Anyone who ignores the dress code of the evening is being rude & disrespectful. I would say that those who don't use the MDR just want to eat whereas those who do use the MDR wish to have dinner, one is a refuelling exercise the other is a social occasion. The bit people seem to miss is when cruise lines use the term "suggested" or "recommended" they are just being polite or diplomatic, hoping that their customers have the wit to realise. The old chestnuts about dress changing have been going on as long as I can remember, especially the jeans thing.
You're completely delusional. I am neither rude or disrespectful and I completely resent your implication. Out of respect for my fellow cruisers that do enjoy formal night I stay out of the main dining room. Whether I chose to pay for a specialty restaurant that night (Princess is smart casual every night) or order room service, or eat at the buffet is still dining. So if you consider a 10 course diner in Sabatini's complete with wine and champagne "Eating" instead of "Dining" then you're sadly mistaken. My vacation no longer includes formal nights, you're free to make your vacation to your liking.
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Last edited by Trackypup; November 3rd, 2010 at 12:38 AM.
You're completely delusional. I am neither rude or disrespectful and I completely resent your implication. Out of respect for my fellow cruisers that do enjoy formal night I stay out of the main dining room. Whether I chose to pay for a specialty restaurant that night (Princess is smart casual every night) or order room service, or eat at the buffet is still dining. So if you consider a 10 course diner in Sabatini's complete with wine and champagne "Eating" instead of "Dining" then you're sadly mistaken. My vacation no longer includes formal nights, you're free to make your vacation to your liking.
Trackypup - very well said!
We have to accept that Johnthedog will never change ; I actually think he enjoys winding us up! I think our tact should be to ignore him and continue with our very acceptable behaviour!
Actions speak louder than words - and obviously our actions are condoned by the cruiselines.
I was just on a Carnival cruise out of Galveston in September. On the two formal nights we dressed up. But, it was not unusual to see people in shorts and t shirts walk in and proceed to their table to be feed. And nothing was said. There are always people who do not feel they have to dress to code and they don't care. On Carnival they do not push the issue. Bottom line, it does not matter.
Perhaps you missed a subtle distinction, but Carnival Cruise Line no longer advertises "formal" evenings. Rather, Carnival Cruise Line has replaced the former "formal" evenings with so-called "elegant" evenings that have a very wide range of acceptable dress. On those evenings, true formal (so-called "black tie") attire is acceptable for gentlemen, but so is a sport shirt with an open collar and a pair of slacks or anything in between. This is not exactly "formal."
That said, I absolutely would take the ship's management to task for allowing shorts in the dining room in violation of the stated dress code....
Is there a clause stipulated somewhere which states the fare-paying passenger MUST comply wth a dress code?
On many cruise lines, yes. Many cruise lines now have a "passenger conduct policy" which you are required either to sign or affirm digitally before embarkation, which states explicitly that failure to conform to the published dress code is a violation. In flagrant cases, failure to conform is sufficient grounds for the ship to leave the passenger in the next port of call.
What is wrong with a 'laissez-faire' attitude. If people want to dress up to the nines - good for them. I will not interfere with that and expect the same courteousy to be extended to everyone.
The dress and grooming of the participants is a major component of what sets the ambiance of a social event. When the cruise line advertises a particular ambiance, it has a legal obligation to deliver that ambiance to its paying customers.
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IMHO - topic of Dress Code is in the same league as Religion and Politics - entrenched views - and should not be discussed.
So should a Jew who walks into a Baptist church complain that the hymns are praising Jesus as God?
There are cruise lines that offer all sorts of onboard styles. I have no problem whatsoever with a cruise line offering "all casual" cruises for passengers who prefer that ambiance. What we're saying is simply that we all need to make a suitable choice of cruise line based on the style that we each prefer.
It is a sad state of affairs that people have to be told to remove caps in a dining room. Unfortunately a whole lot of people were never taught how to behave in public. Adhering to the dress code is just a matter of having respect for others and having some self respect.
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