Too Casual?

[Cuizer2]

On our Dream cruise to Alaska in May and Majesty cruise to Bermuda in September, I'd be surprised if 20% of the passengers dressed "formally." Resort casual is perfectly appropriate for dinner EVERY night on NCL, and don't let anyone try to tell you differently.

By other ships I did not mean other NCL ships. I meant other cruise lines' ships. My mistake.

[BellaBaci4]

Leave the jeans at home, they really do not belong during dinner hours.

[BoscoBreaux]

For some reason people keep getting hung up on the term "Freestyle" like everyone's running around half naked in torn up tank tops and ratty shorts on NCL. All "Freestyle" really means is that you don't have a designated seating time for dinner and you aren't assigned to a certain table. The style of dress etc. is the same as on other ships for the most part.

 

You make a very good point. Freestyle only means you are "free" to eat anytime (the restaurants are open) and, unlike other cruises, you avoid being compelled by social pressure to adhere to the "formal night" in the main dining rooms--on NCL there is only the "optional formal night," which is delegated to one dining room. Yes, even NCL wants to make money on cheesy pictures of people dressed up in front of an aerial shot of the garish ship. (Note: even on "formal nights" on other cruises, there are other casual options, such as the buffet.)

 

But to be honest, I didn't detect any difference in the apparel of NCL freestyle cruisers and most other cruise lines. To a large extent, the itinerary has a great impact on what you see people wear. In general, the itineraries that appeal more to older folks tend yield a more formal look to the dining room. HAL tends to attract older folks, and they have the pesky "informal nights," which is nothing more than a more relaxed brand of formal night. Carnival, a bit more relaxed.

 

Dockers and a polo should be fine at any time.

[DroopySails]

Well, I may get an interesting array of responses to this question, but this reminds me:

 

We love freestyle and other than looking at Princess (which seems to do a decent job of accommodating both flex diners and the traditional crowd), we haven't even considered sailing another line besides NCL. I firmly believe that in a few years, many more lines or at least ships will have followed NCL's lead.

 

But in the meantime: If we did elect to sail a traditional line and opted to eat in the buffet on formal night, would we feel awkward moving about the ship that night in resort casual clothing? Would we feel out of place in the bars, at the shows, etc.?

 

We can cross that bridge when we come to it, but I'm kind of curious. Thanks in advance for your responses.

[johnql]

But in the meantime: If we did elect to sail a traditional line and opted to eat in the buffet on formal night, would we feel awkward moving about the ship that night in resort casual clothing? Would we feel out of place in the bars, at the shows, etc.?

Generally speaking, I think you would be fine. Many passengers on a traditional cruise change out of their formalwear immediately after dinner. In theory, and depending on the cruise line, the formal designation is supposed to apply to the entire evening but many people do not follow that guideline. This results in more of a mix in the public rooms. I don't think you would feel out of place.

[hotspur]

Generally speaking, I think you would be fine. Many passengers on a traditional cruise change out of their formalwear immediately after dinner. In theory, and depending on the cruise line, the formal designation is supposed to apply to the entire evening but many people do not follow that guideline. This results in more of a mix in the public rooms. I don't think you would feel out of place.

Celebrity requests passengers to observe the dress code throughout the evening, and does not offer a dinner buffet. Casual options are room service, pizza, a pasta bar, and by-reservation-only "alternate dining" served sit-down in the buffet area.

[mbisson]

Celebrity requests passengers to observe the dress code throughout the evening, and does not offer a dinner buffet. Casual options are room service, pizza, a pasta bar, and by-reservation-only "alternate dining" served sit-down in the buffet area.

 

As a believer in Freestyle (although I have enjoyed RCCL), I have only one word about what I think of this Celebrity method:

 

YUCK!

 

-Monte

[Cuizer2]

Leave the jeans at home, they really do not belong during dinner hours.

 

On my cruise on the NCL Star in October, there were several places one could eat while wearing jeans. Quoting from the Freestyle Daily, "Jeans, shorts and tank tops are not permitted after 5:00pm in the restaurants except Market Cafe & Blue Lagoon. Jeans are allowed in Trattoria." I understand that if the ship leaves from a port in Texas, then jeans are allowed in even more restaurants on board the ship.

 

I disagree with your statement completely. I see nothing wrong with wearing jeans in a restaruant during dinner hours.

[DroopySails]

As a believer in Freestyle (although I have enjoyed RCCL), I have only one word about what I think of this Celebrity method:

 

YUCK!

 

-Monte

 

When I said "buffet," I actually meant: "Whatever dinner options that particular cruiseline/ship have designated as 'casual.'"

 

As usual, Monte has nailed it! And thanks to johnql for the info.

 

If we try a traditional line, it won't be Celebrity...we dress up too much in real life to want to do so on vacation, and if you're flying internationally with a strict baggage limit, who wants to pay a bag surcharge so you can drag along formal wear?

[KeystoneCruiser]

Thought I would borrow an idea for the "who works on each ship thread." I have put this chart together based on what people have wrote in this thread.

 

NCL/NCL-A ships Dining on Formal night:

 

Star: Resort Casual accepted in any restaurant

Majesty: Resort Casual accepted in any restaurant

Dream: Resort Casual accepted in any restaurant

Dawn: Resort Casual accepted in any restaurant

Jewel: Resort Casual accepted in any restaurant

Sun: One main dining room reserved for Formal only

Crown: ?????????????

Wind: ?????????????

POA: Resort Casual accepted in any restaurant

POAm: ?????????

 

 

Anybody have info on the Crown, Wind and Pride of America's policies on formal night?

[Retired not Expired]

Thought I would borrow an idea for the "who works on each ship thread." I have put this chart together based on what people have wrote in this thread.

 

NCL/NCL-A ships Dining on Formal night:

 

Star: Resort Casual accepted in any restaurant

Majesty: Resort Casual accepted in any restaurant

Dream: Resort Casual accepted in any restaurant

Dawn: Resort Casual accepted in any restaurant

Jewel: Resort Casual accepted in any restaurant

Sun: One main dining room reserved for Formal only

Crown: ?????????????

Wind: ?????????????

POA: Resort Casual accepted in any restaurant

POAm: ?????????

 

 

Anybody have info on the Crown, Wind and Pride of America's policies on formal night?

 

Last January, they did have one dining room designated as formal on the POA but it was not reserved just for them. It was just designated so those who dressed formal could be together and where the formal photos were taken. The room itself was about 50-50 formal and resort casual.

 

That room also seemed to enforce the other dress codes a little better than the other dining room.

 

That may also be why some have reported a higher percentage of formal dressers on the POA. If they ate in that room, they may have thought around 50 % dress formal, when in reality, ship wide, it was more like 20-25 %.