specialty restaurants and formal night?

[danajjj]

Do you have to dress in formal attire if you are going to Chops on one of the formal nights?

[barbyma]

They do expect formal on the formal nights. Otherwise, it's "smart casual".

 

Barb

[Soxfan05]

They do expect formal on the formal nights. Otherwise, it's "smart casual".

 

Barb

 

I was under the impression that the alternative dining venues did not fall under the guidelines for dress for any specific evening and they were "smart casual" for the duration of the cruise. Has this changed? I'm thinking if we decide on formal night to eat there or the Windjammer, we might as well get all dolled up if we're expected to wear the same attire as they request for the dining room.

[barbyma]

While the guildelines are for the ship, not for a particular venue, I don't think anyone really expects formal wear in the Windjammer. Chops & Portifino are a different story. Formal wear would not be out of place there at any time IMO, but "smart casual" is certainly fine for casual nights on the ship.

 

Barb

[hdawson]

Folks. Think upscale supper club. At a minimum a sport coat or blazer on non-formal nights. Formal nights same dress as the dining room And please no young children. It is a long drawn out dining experience exceeding most childrens attention span.

[katydyd]

We ate at Chops on formal night while on the Navigator in April 2004. DH had rented a tux for the cruise so we dressed to the nines for dinner that night. However, we were the only ones there that dressed up. It was very empty in general (I'm guessing because it was lobster night in the dining room. Coming from New England...we don't get that excited about lobster night), most people there were nicely dressed. Some blazers, some ties, some nice polos and chinos. I have to be honest, it's like eating in any very nice restaurant...my attention was on my dinner, not on who was coming and going.

[barbyma]

We ate at Chops on Lobster night & it was actually busier than Portofino's had been a few nights earlier. Didn't eat at either on a formal night, but most people dressed up for both restaurants regardless. We spent a lot of time at the Schooner Bar, which is right in front of the entrances, and watched those arriving for dinner on the nights we dined in the dining room.

 

Barb

[kenandlaura06]

FI is planning on wearing his sportcoat to the specialty restaurants and wearing his suit for formal night.

[barbyma]

FI is planning on wearing his sportcoat to the specialty restaurants and wearing his suit for formal night.

 

Sounds perfect. That's what my husband wore and he looked awesome.

 

Barb

[Mah Jong Lover]

I was under the impression that the alternative dining venues did not fall under the guidelines for dress for any specific evening and they were "smart casual" for the duration of the cruise. Has this changed? I'm thinking if we decide on formal night to eat there or the Windjammer, we might as well get all dolled up if we're expected to wear the same attire as they request for the dining room.

 

We have been on many cruises. When we eat in the restaurants on formal nights we do smart casual. My husband does not wear a tuxedo. He does wear a shirt & tie with a jacket. We have never encountered a problem.

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

We have eaten at Portofino on formal nights on the Mariner of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas and Jewel of the Seas. The dress was very dressy, but no one was in all out formal attire. I saw no man in a tux. Of course, there were not many people at the Portofino on these nights. It was easy to get reservations.In fact, the maitre D' told us Portofino is seldom crowded on a formal night.

 

That said, I don't think formal attire would be out of place if it is your desire. Portofino is an elegant restaurant and you would not look out of place in formal attire, but neither would you look out of place in dressy attire or what used to be called "after five".

[Ella2]

The attire in the alternative restaurants is always listed as smart casual. If you happen to dine there on formal night you will see some folks dressed formally (not many) and most dressed in smart casual attire. That's what we encountered eating in Chops on the second formal night on our 8/28 Mariner cruise.

[caviargal]

I dined in Portofinos on a formal night with the Hotel Director two years ago. The restaurant was full and most were in formal attire. I was in a gown and very happy that I was properly attired.

 

Overall, I have dined in Chops and Portofino's a dozen times or so. I have found that most pax dress as requested, which is to say, very nicely.

[artvlay]

I forget, can you make advance reservations (before the cruise) for Chops and Porofinos?

[Ella2]

Artvlay, no, not unless you're in a suite...the concierge e-mailed us prior to the cruise and gave us the opportunity to pre-book the alternative restaurants.