dress code for dinner?

[mr_grumble]

Wow, hasn't this turned out to be a big deal

Whether you're the Formal attire wearing type of person or merely a casual dresser, it makes no difference to me.

I personally don't enjoy the 'formal' experience and if I were to show up to the MDR on formal night wearing smart casual, I'd probably feel a little self-conscious, which is why I am more than happy to dine elsewhere on those nights.

I respect peoples decision to dress to the nine's on formal night, if that's what floats your boat, then I'm happy for you. I also respect the rights of those who wish to dress casually and if you wish to dine in the MDR on formal occasions, then go for it. You may well look out of place, you may not, it really shouldn't bother anyone but yourself.

Cruising to me isn't about formal dining, but that probably the difference in generations.

My family and I are booked on the Silhouette in October and both departure and destination locations happen to be in the opposite hemisphere to where we live. Additionally we will be spending 2 weeks at both ends touring Europe / United States, so the practicality of all of us carrying formal attire whilst living from a suitcase for 5 weeks just doesn't make sense and yes, I know there is the Tux hire opt in the ship, but I too fall into the category where I think a tux is from yesteryear and simply would not feel comfortable in one. That's just my opinion and I respect others differing opinions.

I will be equally at home dining with my family in the buffet or alt dining dressed in smart casual as I would be in the MDR on those formal nights. As for the shorts, I really do think that's pushing things a little don't you think ?

[Tudorcruisers]

I love the formal dining nights on Celebrity and it is one of the reasons I book with them. I don't want to have dinner in shorts and

t-shirt but have read there are many other cruise lines out there if that is how I wish to have my holiday.

 

 

If people don't want the formality why the heck do they want to cruise with Celebrity??? I keep reading posts about people on the cruise but they just don't want to dress up etc so i just can't understand if they don't like this way of cruising why on earth do they not just book with a cruise line that is really casual and doesn't expect them to dress up. Am I missing something here?? One very confused cruiser!!

[mr_grumble]

I'm sure Celebrity isn't just about the formal dining experience. There will be many reasons why individuals choose Celebrity over the other lines, and I'm sure they extend further a field than just because it allows you to dine formally a few nights of the cruise.

 

Celebrity obviously cater for those who don't choose to dine in formal attire, otherwise all dining options on those nights would be enforced strictly formal and from what I read, they are not.

 

It's your holiday, you've probably worked hard and deserve it as has others who don't share the same vision of modern day cruising.

 

Horses for courses !

[vols_159]

If i wore one of those fake tux t shirts.. Would that be considered formal? "flame suit on" ???? again i ask the question If you wanna dress up Fine thats cool.. But why force me to be uncomfortable while eating dinner? Does celebrity make you seat with a table full of strangers? On my last cruise I asked my GF to marry me.. On a thursday night b4 dinner.. She was wearing a orange sun dress and I wore a kahkis shorts and Collard golf type shirt.. Was a special night for us we went to the MDR and Was sitting alone Just the 2 of us! Being forced to sit with strangers would of ruined the night for us..

[cruise kitty]

If i wore one of those fake tux t shirts.. Would that be considered formal? "flame suit on" ???? again i ask the question If you wanna dress up Fine thats cool.. But why force me to be uncomfortable while eating dinner? Does celebrity make you seat with a table full of strangers? On my last cruise I asked my GF to marry me.. On a thursday night b4 dinner.. She was wearing a orange sun dress and I wore a kahkis shorts and Collard golf type shirt.. Was a special night for us we went to the MDR and Was sitting alone Just the 2 of us! Being forced to sit with strangers would of ruined the night for us..

 

Hi,

 

It sounds like you had a very nice engagement night with your fiance on NCL.

 

I choose to cruise on X for the beautiful ships, high space/crew to pax ratio, elegant crew service, & I'm usually very comfortable with my fellow passengers.

 

It's very easy to get a table for two. You can't wear shorts at night in the MDR, those are just the rules for this particular line.

 

If you're trying to decide whether Celebrity would fit your needs, then maybe you should check out some of the role calls... read a few that had similar itineraries & times of year that you'd be looking at, that would give you a good idea of what to expect.

 

good luck with your research.:)

[Tenn4ever]

I love the formal dining nights on Celebrity and it is one of the reasons I book with them. I don't want to have dinner in shorts and

t-shirt but have read there are many other cruise lines out there if that is how I wish to have my holiday.

 

 

If people don't want the formality why the heck do they want to cruise with Celebrity??? I keep reading posts about people on the cruise but they just don't want to dress up etc so i just can't understand if they don't like this way of cruising why on earth do they not just book with a cruise line that is really casual and doesn't expect them to dress up. Am I missing something here?? One very confused cruiser!!

 

 

The only thing you are missing is there are those where it is all about them. They want every cruise line to conform to their desires. They think if they yell loud enough or complain loud enough they will get their way. It's called ME, ME, ME. I have a four year old grand daughter who seems to have the same mindset.:rolleyes:

[agabbymama]

The only thing you are missing is there are those where it is all about them. They want every cruise line to conform to their desires. They think if they yell loud enough or complain loud enough they will get their way. It's called ME, ME, ME. I have a four year old grand daughter who seems to have the same mindset.:rolleyes:

 

I think you have that backwards. It's the newer, younger cruisers, that are yelling ME ME ME. Formal dining has been a tradition of sailing/cruising for over 100 years. Some traditions are worth holding on to.

 

And no, I don't expect ALL cruiselines to adhere, NCL has been Freestyle for quite some time. Princess also has their anytime dining. I'm not sure about Royal Caribbean as I'm not interested in their floating amusement parks, SO I DON'T SAIL THEM. Why can't Celebrity and HAL retain some of the elegance they are noted for. Why do the youngsters have to come onboard and try to change it to their mindset?

 

There are enough different cruiselines to satisfy everyone's needs, does every cruiseline have to go casual?

[1 HappyCruiser]

 

There are enough different cruiselines to satisfy everyone's needs, does every cruiseline have to go casual?

 

Every cruise line offers something slightly different which attract people for different reasons but the casual dress thing (other than smoking) irritates a lot of people for various reasons. Myself, I just hate dressing up but want the better food & if they had a location to get it without the formal dress I'd be there & never complain or disregard the dress requirements. There's no reason to have every cruise line go completely casual but at least provide me with the same food selections I've paid for without trying to make me dress up to get it.

[iancal]

Does anyone really think that the ONLY positive attribute to recommend a Celebrity cruise experience is formal evenings in the MDR?????

 

We like Celebrity from many reasons. Dressing up on formal nights is not a draw or an event for us so we go with alternate dining arrangements on those evenings.

[Tenn4ever]

I think you have that backwards. It's the newer, younger cruisers, that are yelling ME ME ME. Formal dining has been a tradition of sailing/cruising for over 100 years. Some traditions are worth holding on to.

 

 

Agabbymama, that's what I was trying to say. I must not have been clear but I wasn't just referring to a particular age group but to anyone who acts like my four year old granddaughter and wants everyone else to comply with her desires. I completely agree that Celebrity should keep the formal nights.:)

[iancal]

We are not new cruisers and we are not 'younger cruisers' .

 

We have been on HAL, Crystal, Celebrity, NCL, Princess, RCI, and Carnival-and enjoyed them all very much.

 

Formal evening no longer has any appeal for us. We do not find the dinners all that special. Our idea of a vacation does not include taking a suit, dressing up, putting on a tie, etc.-especially in the Caribbean or in Alaska. We just don't attend the MDR on those evenings.

 

So please do not refer to us a me, me me generation or the 'younger generation' or whatever else come to mind. We are minding our own business and enjoying the ship in our own way. If you want to dress up to the 9's then more power to you. Just leave us out of it and enjoy your cruise.

 

I do not understand why the discussion has reached a point where people are actually discussing what to wear in church. Fortunately we attend a church whose leadership are more concerned about attendance and inclusion than they are about who is wearing what.

[dkjretired]

We are all for dressing up on formal night. But don't want any negative talk if we come to the MDR in a nice pair of jeans with a nice shirt on non-formal night. All because we wear jeans on the non-formal nights does not mean we are hillbillies and have to eat in the buffet! :)

 

Don't worry, several months ago Celebrity changed their dress code and jeans are now allowed in the MDR in the evening. This is the official policy and I am not expressing an opinion on whether they should be worn or not.

[PS90]

The only thing you are missing is there are those where it is all about them. They want every cruise line to conform to their desires. They think if they yell loud enough or complain loud enough they will get their way. It's called ME, ME, ME. I have a four year old grand daughter who seems to have the same mindset.:rolleyes:

 

First, let me preface this post by saying that I do not believe something as petty as formal dress nights on a cruiseline is anywhere near as important as some of the major changes in history. I don't mean any offense, or to belittle any achievement, by using this analogy.

 

BUT, some of the major milestones in recent history have been made by the voice of the people rising up and eventually becoming the majority. If enough people voice their opinions to reject a stupid, repressive, or out-dated law or rule, then change happens. This voice eventually led to ending slavery, women's right to vote, etc. Often, these changes occurred despite the voice of the loud minority.

 

In other words, if the majority of people want to continue formal nights, then that's how it should be. If the majority wants them gone, then that's how it should be.

 

But it is very condescending to contend that people, who voice an opinion that differs from your own, are either immature or childlike or ignorant.

[vols_159]

Change is part of lifestyle Happens every generation.. IMHO I dont think dressing up in tuxs ect for dinner is important.. But the ones that do I respect you.. If you want to than so be it have fun be happy.. Just dont force me too.. And I wont force you to wear smart casual..

Cant we all just be happy and eat in the same dinning room?

[Tenn4ever]

First, let me preface this post by saying that I do not believe something as petty as formal dress nights on a cruiseline is anywhere near as important as some of the major changes in history. I don't mean any offense, or to belittle any achievement, by using this analogy.

 

BUT, some of the major milestones in recent history have been made by the voice of the people rising up and eventually becoming the majority. If enough people voice their opinions to reject a stupid, repressive, or out-dated law or rule, then change happens. This voice eventually led to ending slavery, women's right to vote, etc. Often, these changes occurred despite the voice of the loud minority.

 

In other words, if the majority of people want to continue formal nights, then that's how it should be. If the majority wants them gone, then that's how it should be.

 

But it is very condescending to contend that people, who voice an opinion that differs from your own, are either immature or childlike or ignorant.

 

You are correct and that goes both ways :). It appears at least for Celebrity cruisers that the poll thus far by a clear majority is indicating to keep formal night and enforce the rules.

[agabbymama]

Agabbymama, that's what I was trying to say. I must not have been clear but I wasn't just referring to a particular age group but to anyone who acts like my four year old granddaughter and wants everyone else to comply with her desires. I completely agree that Celebrity should keep the formal nights.:)

 

Oops, misunderstood what you were saying. I believe all the cruiselines are trying to attract the younger families (so they have future generations of cruisers), so the formal nights will go by the wayside, as most of the younger generation isn't into formality, etiquette and manners. We have become a society of laid back, if it feels good do it folks, at least Americans have.

 

Geesh, stop and think, the ocean liners used to be class divided, and the upper classes DRESSED everynight for dinner, not just 1 or 2 nights of a 12 night voyage.;)

[PS90]

You are correct and that goes both ways :). It appears at least for Celebrity cruisers that the poll thus far by a clear majority is indicating to keep formal night and enforce the rules.

 

And, if it turns out that an actual, scientific, random poll demonstrated that the majority do want to keep formal nights, then I would expect that X will keep them. And I will continue to either suck it up and wear formal clothes, or go to an alternate venue on those nights and not whine about it.

 

But, when I am asked (such as a thread on CC, or a post-cruise questionnaire) I will always continue to asset my own personal preference - that formal nights cease to exist. That opinion doesn't mean I expect everyone to do everything "my way or the highway", and it doesn't mean that I currently attend formal nights in ripped jeans and a t-shirt.

 

And please note that I did not mention anything about "stuffy old people", which would be the appropriate denigrating rebuttal to the implication that anti-formal people are as mature as four-year-olds.

[Waterlily777]

And, if it turns out that an actual, scientific, random poll demonstrated that the majority do want to keep formal nights, then I would expect that X will keep them. And I will continue to either suck it up and wear formal clothes, or go to an alternate venue on those nights and not whine about it.

 

But, when I am asked (such as a thread on CC, or a post-cruise questionnaire) I will always continue to asset my own personal preference - that formal nights cease to exist. That opinion doesn't mean I expect everyone to do everything "my way or the highway", and it doesn't mean that I currently attend formal nights in ripped jeans and a t-shirt.

 

And please note that I did not mention anything about "stuffy old people", which would be the appropriate denigrating rebuttal to the implication that anti-formal people are as mature as four-year-olds.

 

Oooops! You did now! :D:D:D

[Tenn4ever]

And please note that I did not mention anything about "stuffy old people", which would be the appropriate denigrating rebuttal to the implication that anti-formal people are as mature as four-year-olds.

 

Ha Ha :) The four year old comparison had nothing to do with maturity or immaturity - age or youth. It had to do with a four year old's attitude that she wants to get her way and tends to think that the world revolves around her when something is not to her liking even when the rules state otherwise.:)

 

It's like when she says Meme "I don't want it like that" and I say "Well, that's the way it is and that's something you will have to deal with. If you don't like it that way then you can go play somewhere else."

[PS90]

Ha Ha :) The four year old comparison had nothing to do with maturity or immaturity - age or youth. It had to do with a four year old's attitude that she wants to get her way and tends to think that the world revolves around her when something is not to her liking even when the rules state otherwise.:)

 

I understand. Mine is seven years old, and she's still that way. ;)

[bhealy]

Do most people change out of their formal wear after dinner?

 

I like the compromise of having one floor of the MDR formal and the other smart casual. I think another good compromise is having one formal night in the MDR and the other in the specialty restaurants.

[1 HappyCruiser]

Do most people change out of their formal wear after dinner?

 

I like the compromise of having one floor of the MDR formal and the other smart casual. I think another good compromise is having one formal night in the MDR and the other in the specialty restaurants.

 

Best idea I've heard yet but there would be some people who would complain.

[rlsii488]

I finally figured it out. In my opinion, this question of the OP is just like picking up a crying baby every time he/she cries. If WE ALL learn to ignore "it", they will stop. I think we have all noticed that everyone is going to wear what he/she chooses.

 

Host Anne, isn't there a way to close these posts before they get this far? ;)

[SusieV]

I finally figured it out. In my opinion, this question of the OP is just like picking up a crying baby every time he/she cries. If WE ALL learn to ignore "it", they will stop. I think we have all noticed that everyone is going to wear what he/she chooses.

 

Host Anne, isn't there a way to close these posts before they get this far? ;)

 

I agree with you but your simile makes me sad. I can't imagine ever leaving a crying baby to cry! Thinking of a baby stopping crying because it's been ignored always makes me feel awful.

[SevenSeas70]

 

Celebrity

 

Examples of "Smart Casual and Above" attire include:

 

Ladies: Skirt or pants (no holes, rips or tears) complemented by sweater or blouse.

 

Gentlemen: Pants (no holes, rips or tears) with sports shirt or sweater. Shirts must have sleeves.

 

Examples of "Formal" attire include:

 

Ladies: Cocktail dress, gown, or dressy pantsuit.

 

Gentlemen: Tuxedo, suit or dinner jacket with slacks.

 

Note: T-shirts, swimsuits, robes, bare feet, tank tops, baseball caps and pool wear are not allowed in the main restaurant or specialty restaurant at any time. Shorts and flip flops are not allowed in the evening hours. As a courtesy to our guests, we respectfully require and enforce compliance with the dress code at the entrance of your restaurant of choice. We thank you, in advance, for your cooperation and understanding. Additionally, guests are asked to follow the "Smart Casual and Above" dress code in the Celebrity Theater for all evening performances.

 

　

 

Two questions: First, does this mean that men aren't requested to wear jackets on non-formal nights?

 

Second: What do men, in fact, tend to wear on those nights?