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Is anyone else annoyed about the requirements of the main dining room in almost all cruise ships? There's the formal night, then the other nights where you have to dress business casual (why should I dress business casual when I'm on vacation vs working) and their definition of casual may be different.
I've been doing research on what to pack for my Bermuda cruise in August with Royal Caribbean and practically you are required to go to the main dining room since while there are other restaurants, cafes and buffets on the ship, they all charge extra while the ticket includes the meals in the main dining room. I've taken a Carnival cruise before and the dinner wasn't very filling at all and I'm typically a big eater.
So why do most cruise lines have these dress codes when people are on vacation? At least shouldn't a formal night be optional, just another optional activity that's offered for those who want it? And I don't think they allow shorts even for a casual dinner, or they may, but the standards are still stricter than most places on land. I've heard things about how they want to convey the golden age of sailing or whatever but isn't this a Caribbean getaway and a tropical escape? I hear some lines are starting to phase this out but I never quite understood why there hasn't been more feedback from passengers in general. I'm the kind of person who hates dressing up and only does it for work and church and very important functions. My usual attire doing errands in the summertime is flip flops, shorts and t-shirt. As long as I am clean and act in a gracious and respectful manner I don't think clothes is that important.
It's also a burden to have to pack more clothes. They do offer tuxedo rentals on the ship but that is extra charge of course. I really think formal nights should be optional, and that most dining places shouldn't have a dress code, or that the buffets and cafes away from the main dining room be included in the ticket price.
I have never been on a cruise, but I personally like the dress code. Is it only for certain restaurants or is it anywhere on the ship? I mean, if its just certain restaurants I think its kind of nice, when I was in Nassau, I felt that being in the restaurants with the dress code adds to the restaurant and makes you feel better about being there. I don't think the cruise should say that you have to dress up on a certain day to even be out at night or go get a burger of course, but to go to a fancy restaurant you SHOULD be dressed up nicely.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Count me in! I'm annoyed. 'Cruise casual' should be fine in any vacation venue. Our kids had to go to Goodwill and get tuxes for $20 to 'go-with-grandma' on a graduation cruise. Yet Grandma's favorite pic was of the grandkids wrapped in towels on the deck watching glaciers calve.
I prefer TX dress code where the bankers wear blue jeans.
I got so I would refuse my business trips to Japan, as I got sick of packing around all the fancy clothes, just to go sit in meetings and 'clubs' till all hours of the night. No thanks.
BTW.. the only time I've lost my luggage (in thousands of flights) was enroute to a cruise. That wasn't pretty. (and hopefully my last 'official cruise'). I like sailing, I.e, no motor / prop rumbling the night away, check into 'barefoot', I bet they don't make you dress for the Captain's sleazy dinner.
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hates dressing up and only does it for work and church and very important functions. My usual attire doing errands in the summertime is flip flops, shorts and t-shirt. As long as I am clean and act in a gracious and respectful manner I don't think clothes is that important.
plenty of 'flip flops, shorts and t-shirts' at 'work and church' in the PNW (50%+), maybe you are too close to the Mason Dixon . Last time I saw a tie (or hymnal) at church was when I left Colorado in 1980. Not that I don't miss some decent music
Last edited by StealthRabbit; 06-27-2010 at 03:22 AM..
Probably because people spend all day in a bathing suit and other casual clothes so they don't want their cruise to be labelled sloppy. Plus it makes it a special night. But the formal night IS optional - you don't have to eat in the main dining room.
I agree with OP: who wants to get dressed up on vacation? Plus when we retired we got rid of all those "fancy" clothes so we could be comfortable. That is ONE of the reasons I would never take a cruise.
I dont think it's a bad idea. If you dont want to "dress up" then find only casual cruises w/ no dress code. I went on a cruise with a dress code for 1 night and it was not the end of the world for me, but 1 night is enough though.
Been on a few cruises, I've Never 'dressed' to the max ie: tux on formal night. I put on sports jacket, button down shirt, nice pants. So far no one has said anything, People in shorts who try to come in on formal night are re-redirected to the buffets. All other nights ive gone in shorts, jeans, and golf shirt.
The buffets are included in the price that don't charge extra, Room service till 12?mid is included, after midnight there is a few dollar 'fee', The 'high' end restruants have a fee to go to them and you need to make reseveration almost as soon as you get on the ship.
Just got back from a week at Myrtle Beach, SC. We ate burgers/dogs/pizza while playing at the beach. But a few times for dinner, we'd shower and dress to go to a sit down restaurant.
Same holds true with cruising. Want to relax in shorts, flip flops and your fav Tshirt? Just eat at the buffet on the pool deck! Grab a dog and some fries!
But for those who want to shower and then dress for dinner- the dining room is for you.
That is, unless you've been on cruise lines who don't offer the buffet at dinner. Carnival is the 2nd cruise line I've sailed and they always have the outdoor buffet and even one indoor restaurant (behind the buffet) that has dinner for those who don't want to dress.
I'm all for it, it beats seeing people like this in the dining room!
Living in Miami I truly see people like that on a regular basis and it truly makes me wonder 1. what is truly going through their mind when they are wearing it 2. what do they think when the realize NOBODY really dresses like this? 3. what kind of looks do they get at the checkout lane when they are buying this?
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