Suggested improvements for the dress code issues

[leisuretraveler223]

Without taking into account "Cultural Differences"???? There use to be a time when a man wearing an ear ring was totally unacceptable, but of course now that is not the case and men of all ages wear them. Here in the U.S. there are so many different cultures of people now days, it could very well be that you are ignorant to what might be their "Typical Social Standards" and this is especially true on a cruise. Everyone don't fit into the fishbowl of what's socially prpoer in the U.S.

 

I'm sorry, but I've traveled all over the world. Exactly which culture embraces wearing ball caps indoors? Take away truckers, unskilled laborers, and ignorant childish Americans and I don't see it.

 

Want to wear your ball cap in a truck stop of the feed store? Go crazy, have at it. But most truckers I know take their hat off when they go into other settings.

[galavant3]

Who am I respecting if I wear a tux? And vice-versa, who am I disrespecting if I wear only a polo shirt and khaki pants?

 

I think people are just different. If I showed up at a dinner table wearing shorts and a t shirts and my table mates were dressed in a tux and evening gown, I would feel very uncomfortable and under dressed. And I imagine my table mates might feel over dressed.

 

I totally get that not everyone would care and I respect that. But please understand that not everyone feels the same way.

[Don Pedro]

OK, I think I may have come across as thinking EVERYONE should be forced to wear tuxes for Formal Nights, and that's most certainly not the case.

 

As it stands now, there is obviously a very poorly enforced and unevenly enforced dress code which makes it pretty much a farce. Many have said that shorts, tee shirts and ball caps are not allowed - but I don't think that's actually stated anywhere in writing by RCI and many have seen others let in with that attire. All that's there is the suggested/requested attire, which on Formal Nights for men is either a tux or a dark suit & tie.

 

If I were Adam (I'm obviously not!) here's what I think I'd do:

 

• Keep the current requested/suggested dress code statements pretty much as is
  
• Add - for Formal Nights - a "minimally acceptable" dress code and I'd suggest that that be slacks & collared dress shirt for men.
  
• Add a list of items prohibited in the MDR any evening - shorts, jeans, t shirts, flip flops, ball caps.
  
• Then actually ENFORCE the above uniformly!
  
• (Suggested by someone else on Adam's blog) possibly offer a small incentive - a free drink or a free 5x7 photo per couple or similar - for everyone on Formal Night who's dressed according to the requested/suggested code. A carrot is better than a stick!
  

Thoughts? Reasonable?

 

I applaud your suggestions concerning formal night as it has probably been the most hotly discussed topic on these boards. I totally agree that a list of prohibited wear is appropriate. However I feel that considering slacks and collared shirt as acceptable for formal night as a bit of a stretch. Formal in cruise ship jargon is not really formal at all so why not do away with the charade. I really liked someone's suggestion of changing the name to dress up night. That coupled with a list of prohibited wear seems like a winner.

 

The idea of using small incentives to encourage people to dress-up doesn't strike me as a good idea. It worked great when I was training a dog but I don't care for the concept for humans.

 

Now, what I'd like to see is a real formal night for those who wanted to participate. Defined and strictly enforced dress code - tuxedos for the guys - gowns or cocktail dresses for the gals. Held in a venue other than the MDR with an upscale menu preceded by a cocktail hour with hors d oeuvres and drinks of your choice with several of the ship's senior officers in attendance. A fee of perhaps $50 a person could be charged.

[Ba' Datz]

Get out much? Try the pool deck:D:p..

 

 

Oh I get out plenty.

 

I am not talking about the pool deck but the Windjammer, Centrum and other public decks. The pool deck is fine by me.

[jp30338]

internet fights are AWESOME!!! :rolleyes:

[comxkid]

I think people are just different. If I showed up at a dinner table wearing shorts and a t shirts and my table mates were dressed in a tux and evening gown, I would feel very uncomfortable and under dressed. And I imagine my table mates might feel over dressed.

 

I totally get that not everyone would care and I respect that. But please understand that not everyone feels the same way.

 

What I'm saying is that based on RCCL current policies, you should wear what makes you feel comfortable. I should wear what makes me feel comfortable and we should be able to sit at a table and have an engaging conversation. If someone wears shorts and a t-shirt to my next formal night, I will not feel overdressed in my tux. My first question to them would be "How was your day?" If they wear a tux, my first question would be "How was your day?"

Edited February 6, 2014 by comxkid

[bigque]

I'm sorry, but I've traveled all over the world. Exactly which culture embraces wearing ball caps indoors? Take away truckers, unskilled laborers, and ignorant childish Americans and I don't see it.

 

Want to wear your ball cap in a truck stop of the feed store? Go crazy, have at it. But most truckers I know take their hat off when they go into other settings.

 

Ok Ok, I didn't know I was being taken literally to mean baseball caps and if that is what you got from it you miss the whole point I was making! I retired from the military after serving 20 years and I too have been all over the world to many different countries and have experienced many different cultures and what I was saying to clarify for you is that what is the same "Culturally" for some is not the same culturally for others, be it hats in general or whatever else it may be!

[ryano]

Rude and pretentious? I'm not a defender but have you taken a look in the mirror?

 

LOL! This ^

Edited February 6, 2014 by ryano

[hgmizzou]

.

 

Baseball caps, or any hat, is a sign of disrespect at dinner. Why do you need to wear a hat at dinner? Something wrong? Hiding something? If that is the case, than maybe, but unless you have something to hide, don't wear it to dinner at any time.

 

I am not going to get drawn into the fashion drama, however, I do want to address this statement. I have a son that began losing his hair at 18, and at 21 is very nearly bald. This is a VERY embarrassing situation for him and he wears a ball cap most of the time. The only exception is work and out to dinner in a nice restaurant. While he would not wear a ball cap in the MDR or the specialty restaurants, he would wear it at any other venue on the ship.

 

Be careful saying that something is a sign of disrespect. You don't know why someone might be wearing that ball cap. Maybe they are dealing with cancer or some other illness and wear the cap for their own self-confidence.

 

We follow the dress "suggestions" or eat in other venues on formal night. However, I would never presume to judge anyone else because I don't know their personal story.

[BonTexasNY]

It's 15 degrees here and I'm looking out at a world of snow. YES, we get snow even in Texas. From my perspective I wish I could be in the MDR tonight, on any ship, sitting next to someone who is not dressed as "appropriately" as suggested. It never bothered me before and never will. Just my two cents worth.

 

Bigque your font color looks suspiciously just like mine but we can share. It's all good. ;):p

[LetsGetWet!]

I applaud your suggestions concerning formal night as it has probably been the most hotly discussed topic on these boards. I totally agree that a list of prohibited wear is appropriate. However I feel that considering slacks and collared shirt as acceptable for formal night as a bit of a stretch. Formal in cruise ship jargon is not really formal at all so why not do away with the charade. I really liked someone's suggestion of changing the name to dress up night. That coupled with a list of prohibited wear seems like a winner.

 

The idea of using small incentives to encourage people to dress-up doesn't strike me as a good idea. It worked great when I was training a dog but I don't care for the concept for humans.

 

Now, what I'd like to see is a real formal night for those who wanted to participate. Defined and strictly enforced dress code - tuxedos for the guys - gowns or cocktail dresses for the gals. Held in a venue other than the MDR with an upscale menu preceded by a cocktail hour with hors d oeuvres and drinks of your choice with several of the ship's senior officers in attendance. A fee of perhaps $50 a person could be charged.

I tend to agree with you that only slacks and dress shirt is a stretch, was trying hard to accomodate "the other side." :)

 

I like your idea a lot of an optional REAL formal night with a more upscale required dress code and ambiance, along with officers in attendance, I'd go for that definitely.

 

Now, based on the arguments being made over and over, I wonder how long before someone shows up saying "Hey, if I pay my $50 I'll show up to that event dressed however I want to, because how I dress is no one's business but mine and I'll dress however I feel like dressing!!!" :cool:

[jbond]

I think the dress code is just perfect as it is, I hope it doesn't change. It allows my wife and I to dress up on formal nights and allows others to be cool and casual. I have yet to see anyone dressed in what I would feel to be dirty, ragged or unacceptable clothing. Don't fix it, it ain't broke.

[LetsGetWet!]

I am not going to get drawn into the fashion drama, however, I do want to address this statement. I have a son that began losing his hair at 18, and at 21 is very nearly bald. This is a VERY embarrassing situation for him and he wears a ball cap most of the time. The only exception is work and out to dinner in a nice restaurant. While he would not wear a ball cap in the MDR or the specialty restaurants, he would wear it at any other venue on the ship.

 

Be careful saying that something is a sign of disrespect. You don't know why someone might be wearing that ball cap. Maybe they are dealing with cancer or some other illness and wear the cap for their own self-confidence.

 

We follow the dress "suggestions" or eat in other venues on formal night. However, I would never presume to judge anyone else because I don't know their personal story.

 

And that's entirely appropriate. The fact that he wouldn't wear the ball cap in the MDR or specialty restaurants, I think would meet with ANYONE'S approval, no one is remotely suggesting he shouldn't wear it anywhere else he chooses.

 

I think the illness/cancer argument is a red herring. If someone is dealing with something like that, no reasonable person is going to complain about an exception - be it ball cap, stocking cap or whatever. But we all know those cases are exceedingly rare as opposed to the guy who shows up in the MDR in a backwards ball cap "just because he wants to and no one is going to tell him how to dress."

[ryano]

It's 15 degrees here and I'm looking out at a world of snow. YES, we get snow even in Texas. From my perspective I wish I could be in the MDR tonight, on any ship, sitting next to someone who is not dressed as "appropriately" as suggested. It never bothered me before and never will. Just my two cents worth.

 

Well said! Me too! All about perspective for sure! Id probably sit by a naked person right now if I could just be on a ship :D

[lex_n_saph]

A hat, like an overcoat, is considered outerwear. As such, it's subject to the collection of dust and dirt. Outerwear is removed at a dining table (or any indoor non-public area), for fairly obvious reasons (dirt or having it accidentally knocked off your head an onto someone's plate, etc.). Likewise, if your hair is long, you don't leave it loose at a dining table.

[LetsGetWet!]

It's 15 degrees here and I'm looking out at a world of snow. YES, we get snow even in Texas. From my perspective I wish I could be in the MDR tonight, on any ship, sitting next to someone who is not dressed as "appropriately" as suggested. It never bothered me before and never will. Just my two cents worth.

 

Bigque your font color looks suspiciously just like mine but we can share. It's all good. ;):p

 

Well said! Me too! All about perspective for sure! Id probably sit by a naked person right now if I could just be on a ship :D

 

Not sure where in Texas you are, Bon - but I hear ya! Our low in the Dallas 'burbs this morning was 16, at 10:30 its all the way up to 19 and snowing fairly heavily. Yuck and double YUCK!

[bigque]

A hat, like an overcoat, is considered outerwear. As such, it's subject to the collection of dust and dirt. Outerwear is removed at a dining table (or any indoor non-public area), for fairly obvious reasons (dirt or having it accidentally knocked off your head an onto someone's plate, etc.). Likewise, if your hair is long, you don't leave it loose at a dining table.

 

Seriously????!

Edited February 6, 2014 by bigque

[bigque]

Bigque your font color looks suspiciously just like mine but we can share. It's all good. ;):p

 

Cool! :cool:

[jp30338]

A hat, like an overcoat, is considered outerwear. As such, it's subject to the collection of dust and dirt. Outerwear is removed at a dining table (or any indoor non-public area), for fairly obvious reasons (dirt or having it accidentally knocked off your head an onto someone's plate, etc.). Likewise, if your hair is long, you don't leave it loose at a dining table.

 

uhhh seriously?? lmao

[comxkid]

A hat, like an overcoat, is considered outerwear. As such, it's subject to the collection of dust and dirt. Outerwear is removed at a dining table (or any indoor non-public area), for fairly obvious reasons (dirt or having it accidentally knocked off your head an onto someone's plate, etc.). Likewise, if your hair is long, you don't leave it loose at a dining table.

 

I guess I'm going to have to do something with this.

[Charger2008]

A hat, like an overcoat, is considered outerwear. As such, it's subject to the collection of dust and dirt. Outerwear is removed at a dining table (or any indoor non-public area), for fairly obvious reasons (dirt or having it accidentally knocked off your head an onto someone's plate, etc.). Likewise, if your hair is long, you don't leave it loose at a dining table.

 

 

Pardon? I can't wear my hair down at the dining table????? Says WHO? :eek: I normally don't go waving my hair over people's plates but it is long and I DO wear it down most of the time :p

[CruiseTobey]

I tend to agree with you that only slacks and dress shirt is a stretch, was trying hard to accomodate "the other side." :)

 

I like your idea a lot of an optional REAL formal night with a more upscale required dress code and ambiance, along with officers in attendance, I'd go for that definitely.

 

Now, based on the arguments being made over and over, I wonder how long before someone shows up saying "Hey, if I pay my $50 I'll show up to that event dressed however I want to, because how I dress is no one's business but mine and I'll dress however I feel like dressing!!!" :cool:

 

I think mizziou has a great idea here. Why not designate a formal night at one of the signature restaurants and include the normal surcharge in the $50.00 price? This seems like a very reasonable alternative.

 

Wet, much to your chagrin, I doubt many would have a problem with this because unlike the MDR, which is included in the cruise fare and thus rightly available to everyone, the for-fee restaurants are optional.

 

Nice comment mizziou.

[comxkid]

I think mizziou has a great idea here. Why not designate a formal night at one of the signature restaurants and include the normal surcharge in the $50.00 price? This seems like a very reasonable alternative.

 

CruiseTobey,

 

This is genious. Win/Win for everyone (even RCCL). People would pay for the priviledge of dressing up and eating a fine meal with selected members of the cruise staff and formal nights in the dining room would be eliminated.

Edited February 6, 2014 by comxkid

[jbond]

I guess I'm going to have to do something with this.

Wear a baseball cap.:D

[deedeetoo]

A hat, like an overcoat, is considered outerwear. As such, it's subject to the collection of dust and dirt. Outerwear is removed at a dining table (or any indoor non-public area), for fairly obvious reasons (dirt or having it accidentally knocked off your head an onto someone's plate, etc.). Likewise, if your hair is long, you don't leave it loose at a dining table.

 

OMG. Now the fashion police are telling people what to do with their hair. Since this is a cleanliness issue for you, I assume men and women are being held to the same standard. So my hair is slightly longer than my shoulders. Does this mean I have to put it up during dinner to pass your standards? My teen daughter has straight hair about half way down her back. How is she supposed to wear her hair?

Edited February 6, 2014 by deedeetoo