Hello! I will not be going in the dining room at all on my upcoming 4 night cruise. I would rather eat in a much more relaxed setting, such as the Windjammer.
Just curious, though, if the suggestions for "evening dress" are just for those in the dining room, or will people get bent out of shape if I am not dressed up at night? I'll be in Orlando the week before the trip, so I'll be packing mostly casual clothes (nice jeans, capris, etc.) Thanks for any advice!
If you are going to eat in windjammer you can wear what you want.The dress code is for the dining rooms.
I agree with you I dont like to dress up on Vacation.
And the food in the windjammer is just as good only no lobster.
I think you will be missing out on a great cruising experience. You can always do casual at home. Who wants to wait on themselves. IMHO buffet lines are not relaxing with everyone grabbing food here and there, going to this line and that then looking for a table. Be pampered! Sun dress for girls or dockers for men, eat then change and relax. I love going to the dining rooms.
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The only night youd really have to worry about dressing up is formal night and even then I dont go all out (a nice St Johns pants outfit as I rarely wear a dress or skirt). The first and last night are good to try as you might not have your luggage so you dine in what you traveled in (1st night), or your luggage is already outside your door and youre wearing what youd be wearing the next day (last night).
oh definately try the dining room the first night. Just pretend you didn't get your luggage. Then you can decide if its worth it to you the rest of the nights. At least try it...you will like it I bet, and if not, at least you know for sure!
Dont forget to tip your waiters in the dining room for each night you do dine in there! I just love it when people eat in there often and then dont show up the last night. In the back of my mind Im thinking the poor waiters wont be getting tips from them (but I could and hope to be wrong)!
I don't like dressing up either, but I love the pampered treatment you recieve in the dining room. I always take a couple pairs of dress slacks and comfortable short sleeve sweaters to wear with flats or sandles in the dining room. That way, I'm "dressed" enough to blend in and comfortable at the same time. I then, go to the cabin and change into jeans/shorts whatever...for the rest of the evening. I do go into the windjammer if I find myself extremely tired or don't like what I see on the menu in the dining room. It's really because it's quicker to eat and get out.
I ALWAYS go to the windjammer for breakfast and lunch and then the dining room for dinner. The waiters in the dining room often put on special "performances" for the entire dining room too. That's something you don't get in the windjammer.
And the answer about going the first night with what you have on....many people do this simply because they don't have time to change or their luggage hasn't been delivered to their cabin prior to dinner...so on the first night, dress can be casual and it isn't a problem.
Bottom line....try everything at least once and then HAVE FUN!!! :o)
You'll miss out on meeting new people from different places if you go it alone...We like to do the DR. casual & specialty venues just to mix things up a bit..Not into gowns/tux but everyone can dress up a bit!
I understood that formal nights were supposed to be evening gowns & tuxes. Do most people just dress up rather than go "formal". Please let me know before my husband packs a tux & I go shopping! Also, our 13 yr.old daughter is going. What do the teenagers wear?
Why does everone resist dressing up?? It will not hurt you to look nice.. Also after you eat DON'T go to your room and dress down, keep your nice cloths on for the rest of the evening so you'll look nice all evening long... OM
Tux definitely NOT required. Don't bother unless you have other need/want for it.
How formal depends a lot on the itinerary. Two cruises we did from San Juan, Puerto Rico seemed to be popular with "East Coasters" and a lot of Europeans who tend to dress more formally in general than most "Westerners" (O.K., O.K., gross generalization -- not true for all of course!!) On formal nights most women wore fairly formal dresses -- short or long. Most men wore business suits, only a few tuxes.
On our cruise from Galveston, dress was MUCH more informal. On formal nights, women wore range of dresses from very formal to fairly casual with a number of dressy pantsuits. Men wore mostly blazers (with or without ties!) or suits, some just dress shirt, usually -- not always! -- with tie.
I always have a couple of long dresses for the formal nights because I enjoy dressing up and there are so few opportunities to do so, however many women are perfectly comfortable and suitable in the "little black dress" that you can dress up or down.
As for your 13 year old, think "church dress" or the dress she might wear for the school band / chorus / orchestra concert. Nicer than average school clothes, but you don't need to spend a fortune on formal clothes she won't ever wear again. (Unless you really want to!) We brought 8 and 11 year old boys on our last cruise. All they needed were 2 pair of slacks with polo shirt for informal nights, dress shirt for semi-formal nights, and dress shirt with tie for formal nights.
I just don't get it...this is a cruise, not a night out at the local pub! Who says that formal wear cannot be comfortable ? When I swim I wear a bathing suit. When I ski I wear gloves. When I cruise, on formal night, I wear a tux. Look around the dining room. Do you see a ball pit? A swing set ? No ? Then leave the casual clothes in the cabin . IMHO
Exploring-Thanks very much-very informative. To all the gripers, just try to understand a few things: On our 1st, short cruise, I took dressy outfits for every night. I was overdressed. I realize that longer cruises offer more opportunities to dress up & I like that, but-guys-formal wear for women takes a little more packing than just folding up a dress-you have to take the right shoes, handbag, jewelry, etc. I 'd prefer to wear a long, sparkly gown but not if all the other gals are in cocktail dresses! Plus, my married daughter is going-we may need to help her w/formal wear & my teeny bopper-there's a lot to it for some of us!
Over the past year, my wife and I have slimmed down considerably. We are both looking forward to dressing up really nice for the 2 formal nights on our cruise. Not sure if I'm gonna wear a tux, but a nice dark suit for sure! My wife is gonna wear the black dress she stole my heart with many years ago! We can't wait!!!!!
Ed,Great post and I agree with everything you said If the others would read what is written by the cruise lines,they dress accordingly.You woud think that most could dress for the formal nites.Until the cruise lines start enforcing the dress code,we are going to have those who will push this issue.Unfortunately many of those who could help are too concerned that they will get a bad review from the passengers at the end of the cruise.I have written up this subject on my last 10 cruises and only Holland appears to try and do something from time to time.How things have changed thru the yrs. of cruising.Can remember dressing up every nite on Nieuw Amsterdam in the early 70,sand it was a carribean cruise.Oh well off my soap box.This topic always gets numerous replies and most recently on another board a survey was taken and more responded that they enjoyed dressing up on the 2 formal nights.
Just one more thing....you have read the opinions and experiences of many people with your question. So, it's evident that there is a wide range of dress on formal nights. I would say, expect very dressy/ballroom attire for some women and "dressy/casual" from others on formal nights. For all other nights you will see mostly "church" attire at dinner in the dining room. It's your vacation.....so wear what will make you happy and don't worry about what others think! :o)
IMHO, it would be so much more fun to have people notice you for being so beautifully dressed and going all out than having people notice you for not making an effort and bringing down the elegant, luxury atmosphere.
It also gives hubby an easy chance to give you some wonderful compliments! "Honey, you're the most beautiful woman here... Darling, no one can hold a candle to you... Sweetheart, I'm so proud to have everyone notice how elegant you look... etc. etc." Give the guy a bone! Brownie points on a silver platter! Ha ha!
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"Honey, you're the most beautiful woman here... Darling, no one can hold a candle to you... Sweetheart, I'm so proud to have everyone notice how elegant you look... etc. etc." Give the guy a bone! Brownie points on a silver platter! Ha ha!
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