Specialty Restaurants - Formal or Informal??

[cruzin4us]

We were told on our Summit cruise these past two weeks that starting with the next sailing on Dec 9 the dress code in the Normandie was going to be changed to follow the dress code of the day, in other words if the dress code of the day is casual the dress code in the Normandie would be casual as well.

 

I understood this to be fleet wide and a corporate decision. We got the impressions that the Maitre'd of the Normandie was not too happy about it.

 

Astrid

 

Wow, this really surprises me if this is true. I would NEVER expect the specialty dining room to be anything other than informal at the very least.

 

Have any other cruisers heard this to be true?

[AstridSJ]

Wow, this really surprises me if this is true. I would NEVER expect the specialty dining room to be anything other than informal at the very least.

 

Have any other cruisers heard this to be true?

Just to clarify, we got this information from the Maitre'D of the Normandie himself, as well as from our cruise director.

[Keith1010]

We were told on our Summit cruise these past two weeks that starting with the next sailing on Dec 9 the dress code in the Normandie was going to be changed to follow the dress code of the day, in other words if the dress code of the day is casual the dress code in the Normandie would be casual as well.

 

I understood this to be fleet wide and a corporate decision. We got the impressions that the Maitre'd of the Normandie was not too happy about it.

 

Astrid

 

I agree with the Matre D'. This is such a wonderful restaurant (the best I have eaten at on any cruise line) and given the beauty and ambience of the restaurant, the outstanding service and the outstanding food, I am sorry to hear that you can dine their in casual attire. I think having the folks dine there in more dressed up attire add to making this a special dinner. Many times change is good. But, this is change that INMO is in poor taste.

 

Keith

[Zaphod]

Oh well, if that's the case then we'll just have to live with the stigma of being the best-dressed couple in the room.

 

After all, it's my vacation, I paid for it, and if I want to wear a suit and tie I'm not going to let anyone stop me.

[birders]

Oh well, if that's the case then we'll just have to live with the stigma of being the best-dressed couple in the room.

 

Except for us, Zaphod!! ;) (Good one!)

 

Dockers and polo shirts just DON'T MAKE IT with those lovely table settings, elegant decor and service. With waitstaff in white tie and tails and the most gorgeous rooms at sea.

 

Bad, bad, bad.

Not the direction I want to see.

 

And, for goodness sake, all a man has to do to get to the CURRENTLY-acceptable "Informal" level required for the room is to PUT A SIMPLE BLAZER ON! That turns khakis and shirt into the MINIMAL "Informal" category (yes, I know, some X website info has tie required, but, as myriads of people have written, aboard it only says "jackets.") And for women - they can already fit in with an attractive sundress, a silk blouse and slacks, etc., on an otherwise "casual" nite and still be acceptably dressed. So X, what's the reasoning? All for want of requiring a blazer for men? What's next? Backward baseball caps?!?!? A woman in a sweatsuit being escorted to her seat by the white-tie and tailed asst. maitre d'?!?!?

 

Do any of you remember Jean Pierre Hervio? He was in charge of the specialty dining room as each M-Class ship was launched and rotated among them - ran an amazing operation. (The former maitre d' at Michel Roux's London restaurant.) Jean Pierre runs his own wine shops in Le Havre now but X brought him back to open the revamped Century specialty room. He would be appalled!

 

We usually dine 2 or 3 times in the specialty room - will sail Constellation in January and have other X cruises booked. I hope this doesn't happen - that room was one haven of elegant ambience.

 

Does X think this will fill more seats in there? In my experience, someone who will pay the extra $30 pp doesn't mind throwing on a blazer!!!

[dmk]

I agree with the Matre D'. This is such a wonderful restaurant (the best I have eaten at on any cruise line) and given the beauty and ambience of the restaurant, the outstanding service and the outstanding food, I am sorry to hear that you can dine their in casual attire. I think having the folks dine there in more dressed up attire add to making this a special dinner. Many times change is good. But, this is change that INMO is in poor taste.

 

Keith

 

My sentiments exactly!

[Rev22:17]

birders,

 

And, for goodness sake, all a man has to do to get to the CURRENTLY-acceptable "Informal" level required for the room is to PUT A SIMPLE BLAZER ON! That turns khakis and shirt into the MINIMAL "Informal" category (yes, I know, some X website info has tie required, but, as myriads of people have written, aboard it only says "jackets.")

 

That apparently has changed. On my last cruise abourd GTS Infinity (to Hawai'i on 22 October 2006), the dress standards published aboard the ship stipulated that a tie is now "required" (boldface Celebrity's) in "informal" evenings. I do think that the definition of "informal" should at least allow a turtleneck, but Celebrity's does not.

 

Norm.

[DaveFr]

birders,

 

 

 

That apparently has changed. On my last cruise abourd GTS Infinity (to Hawai'i on 22 October 2006), the dress standards published aboard the ship stipulated that a tie is now "required" (boldface Celebrity's) in "informal" evenings. I do think that the definition of "informal" should at least allow a turtleneck, but Celebrity's does not.

 

Norm.

Interesting, Norm. I just returned from the Millennium TA and the Celebrity Daily that sets forth the appropriate dress each evening did not require a tie on informal nights. Were the dress standards you're speaking about above also from the Celebrity Daily?

[wdh]

Does anyone have a menu for the specialty restaurant on the Century. We plan to dine there each evening as we do not enjoy the crowded main dining room.

[Rev22:17]

DaveFr,

 

Interesting, Norm. I just returned from the Millennium TA and the Celebrity Daily that sets forth the appropriate dress each evening did not require a tie on informal nights. Were the dress standards you're speaking about above also from the Celebrity Daily?

 

Yes.

 

Norm.