Dress Code

[jks9103]

My boyfriend and I are going on our very first cruise in April 2008, Serenade of the Seas, Southern Caribbean. I'm wondering how strict RCCL is with the dress code on formal nights? For him, is a charcoal gray sportcoat okay? With dress pants and a tie of course. On the smart causal evening, is a jacket required or is just a dress shirt and tie okay? It's not that we don't want to dress up, it just that we'd prefer to get by with that's in the closet..well for him at least, I'm all for shopping for something nice to wear!

[Sue L]

Formal night sounds find but he can rent a tux either beforehand at http://www.cruiselineformal.com or on the ship. Though if he is a hard to fit size I would suggest doing it ahead. Think of the beautiful pictures. For the other nights no jacket or tie required. A nice pair of dockers and a polo type collared shirt is fine.

[cruisenfever]

My boyfriend and I are going on our very first cruise in April 2008, Serenade of the Seas, Southern Caribbean. I'm wondering how strict RCCL is with the dress code on formal nights? For him, is a charcoal gray sportcoat okay? With dress pants and a tie of course. On the smart causal evening, is a jacket required or is just a dress shirt and tie okay? It's not that we don't want to dress up, it just that we'd prefer to get by with that's in the closet..well for him at least, I'm all for shopping for something nice to wear!

First of all, there is no such thing as a "dress code". :) RCI likes to refer to it as "suggested attire" for the evening as listed in the daily compass.

 

What you described for your boyfriend on formal nights will be perfect. On smart casual night, dress slacks and a collared shirt would also be fine, no need for a tie. You will be surprised at the variety of styles you will see on any given night in the Dining Room.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[dak_friendly]

Everything is suggested. I tell people I sail with to wear what you'd be comfortable eating in a standard chain sit down restaurant (Olive Garden, Applebee's, etc.).

 

Beyond that, dress for any photos you want to have taken since that is the main reason they have a formal night... to sell those photos.

[Bakincakes]

My boyfriend and I are going on our very first cruise in April 2008, Serenade of the Seas, Southern Caribbean. I'm wondering how strict RCCL is with the dress code on formal nights? For him, is a charcoal gray sportcoat okay? With dress pants and a tie of course. On the smart causal evening, is a jacket required or is just a dress shirt and tie okay? It's not that we don't want to dress up, it just that we'd prefer to get by with that's in the closet..well for him at least, I'm all for shopping for something nice to wear!

 

I think the sportcoat would look very nice.

 

My husband does wear a jacket on casual evenings but it isn't mandatory. RCI has dropped the "smart" part from their casual evenings.:rolleyes:

 

And yes , RCI does "suggest" attire and most pax honor those suggestions.:)

[cb at sea]

On casual and smart casual nights, no jacket is needed. Some men will wear them, but most won't. A nice polo or golf-style shirt is perfect for men. Women do tend to "dress-up" more on ALL evenings than the men!

[lucky99]

Everything is suggested. I tell people I sail with to wear what you'd be comfortable eating in a standard chain sit down restaurant (Olive Garden, Applebee's, etc.).

 

Beyond that, dress for any photos you want to have taken since that is the main reason they have a formal night... to sell those photos.

 

 

I guess Jacksonville, Fl is a hick town because all our Olive Garden's, Applebees and even Outback people come dressed like they just worked in the garden any more. I can never understand this suggested thing. If it is just suggested why not just say "we would love for you to come dressed like formal says in the dictionary but heck, wear anything you want, just be comfortable." I know on Holland America it is required, not suggested. When ever I have called RCI about other things I asked 3 different people and they all told me formal is formal and they want formal. I guess I was taking a poll of sorts just to see. They are polite in using the word suggest. But what the heck, come in whatever makes you comfortable.

[dak_friendly]

Lucky99: I guess the key wording I use is my lovely contraction "you'd" short for you would (and not others). I personally wouldn't feel comfortable wearing gardening clothes into an Olive Garden even if it is a chain restaurant. Others might. But, I feel it is the proper gauge to use when telling someone, in this day and age, an example of what the average person thinks of as a formal dining experience.

 

The best story to explain this stance happened on my last cruise. I had some WONDERFUL tablemates that were young and on the first night had expressed nervousness about being under dressed. You see, they had read the "great debate" on cruise critic forums before the cruise and that caused them some worry.

 

My response (paraphrased) was simple: I'm happy you're here and don't care how you're dressed. This is one of the awesome things about a cruise... the food in the dining room and I'd hate for anyone to miss it.

 

The best thing I told them was that Cruise Critic passengers are in the minority compared to the overall passengers as a whole. And the ones that complain on the Internet would be cowards about actually confronting anyone in person about how they were dressed. And if even if they did ... who would be the rude one?

 

I'm happy to report someone wore shorts in the dining room on formal night! :D And gosh, nary a peep of complaint ushered forth from any source.

[Bakincakes]

Lucky99: I guess the key wording I use is my lovely contraction "you'd" short for you would (and not others). I personally wouldn't feel comfortable wearing gardening clothes into an Olive Garden even if it is a chain restaurant. Others might. But, I feel it is the proper gauge to use when telling someone, in this day and age, an example of what the average person thinks of as a formal dining experience.

 

The best story to explain this stance happened on my last cruise. I had some WONDERFUL tablemates that were young and on the first night had expressed nervousness about being under dressed. You see, they had read the "great debate" on cruise critic forums before the cruise and that caused them some worry.

 

My response (paraphrased) was simple: I'm happy you're here and don't care how you're dressed. This is one of the awesome things about a cruise... the food in the dining room and I'd hate for anyone to miss it.

 

The best thing I told them was that Cruise Critic passengers are in the minority compared to the overall passengers as a whole. And the ones that complain on the Internet would be cowards about actually confronting anyone in person about how they were dressed. And if even if they did ... who would be the rude one?

 

I'm happy to report someone wore shorts in the dining room on formal night! :D And gosh, nary a peep of complaint ushered forth from any source.

 

:rolleyes:

[dak_friendly]

:rolleyes:

 

;) and :)

[lucky99]

Lucky99: I guess the key wording I use is my lovely contraction "you'd" short for you would (and not others). I personally wouldn't feel comfortable wearing gardening clothes into an Olive Garden even if it is a chain restaurant. Others might. But, I feel it is the proper gauge to use when telling someone, in this day and age, an example of what the average person thinks of as a formal dining experience.

 

The best story to explain this stance happened on my last cruise. I had some WONDERFUL tablemates that were young and on the first night had expressed nervousness about being under dressed. You see, they had read the "great debate" on cruise critic forums before the cruise and that caused them some worry.

 

My response (paraphrased) was simple: I'm happy you're here and don't care how you're dressed. This is one of the awesome things about a cruise... the food in the dining room and I'd hate for anyone to miss it.

 

The best thing I told them was that Cruise Critic passengers are in the minority compared to the overall passengers as a whole. And the ones that complain on the Internet would be cowards about actually confronting anyone in person about how they were dressed. And if even if they did ... who would be the rude one?

 

I'm happy to report someone wore shorts in the dining room on formal night! :D And gosh, nary a peep of complaint ushered forth from any source.

 

 

I guess I am in the minority and the rude one then because on a cruise several years back I saw a couple come in and sit down at the table next to ours...he in a muscle shirt and she in capris and a tee shirt and being of Irish decent (my father was a red headed Irishman) I said "I hope they don't tell you to leave because tonight is formal night and most everyone is dressed formal". The man said it was their first cruise and did not know. Guess the brochures aren't available in every city and the tickets aren't read by all. Any way the waitress did mention to them it was formal night as well but I did not hear their response.

 

Funny you mention the great debate on cruise critic because another thing the RCI people told me was they were very aware of cruise critic and it was just people with opinions and not a lot of fact. Because when I first found this site, I really don't come on here that often, I could not believe some of the stuff I was reading since we have been on 31 cruises. But then as I read along I see that so many people post things and really don't know the truth so I take most of it with a grain of salt now. Some of it is quite funny.

 

Like I said some of the other cruise lines are more strict then RCI about a lot of things and it does make for a much better experience. We chose this one this time because of port it is leaving from, really close to home.

 

Good talking to you

[grandsix]

If you follow the suggested dress code, you cannot go wrong.

[Bakincakes]

If you follow the suggested dress code, you cannot go wrong.

 

Perish the thought that something that seems so simple would actually be the order of the day.;)

[doublenickelgal]

I guess I am in the minority and the rude one then because on a cruise several years back I saw a couple come in and sit down at the table next to ours...he in a muscle shirt and she in capris and a tee shirt and being of Irish decent (my father was a red headed Irishman) I said "I hope they don't tell you to leave because tonight is formal night and most everyone is dressed formal". The man said it was their first cruise and did not know.

 

Wow, things have really changed since my last cruise 21 years ago.

Didn't they ever see The Love Boat!

[French_Fry]

It's a "suggested" dress policy, cause RCCL, makes the expectation that

Mature Adults!

are crusing thier ships and eating dinner in thier dining rooms and are able to understand that the word "suggested" is a polite way of saying "required."

 

Immature Adults

will look for any wiggle room to not comply with the hosts desires, just like a little child has a temper tantrum when asked to do something by a parent.

[dak_friendly]

...

Mature Adults! ...

 

Immature Adults ...

 

Forgot one:

 

Realistic Adults who enjoy people for who they are and don't want anyone to feel unwelcome by judging them.

 

The "great debate" is moot unless the cruise line changes that wording AND enforces it.

 

Until then, don't smuggle alcohol, dress up up up, avoid those smoke filled areas, and oh yeah ... don't break the speed limit when driving.

[Jimmers]

As much as I despise wearing a tie or even a jacket I don't think its too much to ask for two nights on a seven day cruise. The dining room personnel should politely refuse entrance to those who are not dressed appropriately as they would in any upscale restaurant. Perhaps they could be referred to the Windjammer. If I have to wear a monkey suit then everyone does. I don't want to be sitting next to someone wearing a wife beater shirt.

 

Jimmers

[hpjmom]

We just got back from Enchantment. My DH wore a suit for formal night (your BF's dark sportcoat, slacks & tie are perfectly fine), but didn't wear a tie any other night. He did wear a dress shirt (but no tie) to Chops. All other nights he wore a collared golf shirt. I wore slacks to formal night--I don't wear dresses. I felt fine. No need to buy anything new--unless you want to!

[Darkwolfe]

jks9103- You can also take formal night as a challenge to twist the standard to a new level. Take an unusual formal attire and wear that.

 

My personal favorite is the Doc Holliday look I like to use for formal night. It's extremely formal by Old West standards after all. Black Stetson hat, black frock coat, white shirt, and a black ribbon tie. Of course I also get away with black jeans and my boots too.

 

The most common alternative formal wear I've seen is the ubiquitous kilt. It seems that the kilt has become the standard for those men who want to push the envelope a bit. So much so, that it doesn't even raise eyebrows.

 

I know that one group on our Enchantment cruise coming up is going as 1920's gangsters. Should be extremely amusing. :)

 

So have a little fun and grab some idea from the past. You'll likely cause some minor (but amusing) waves. Be forewarned, you'll probably find yourself on the Cruise in Review DVD if you do something unique and in good taste.

[iheartbda]

Q: What are the dress codes onboard?A: There are three distinct types of evenings onboard: casual, smart casual and formal. Suggested guidelines for these nights are: Casual: Sport shirts and slacks for men, sundresses or pants for womenSmart Casual: Jackets and ties for men, dresses or pantsuits for womenFormal: Suits and ties or tuxedos for men, cocktail dresses for women

 

This is from the RCI web site under FAQ.

 

For those who say there is no dress code on RCI, the question is; What are the dress codes on board, not what is the suggested attire? Where the suggestion comes in is stating what would be appropriate for the three types of evenings because there are people who would not know what they mean by casual, smart casual and formal.

 

BTW, my dining experience is not ruined by what someone else wears.:)

[dak_friendly]

To the Original Poster (jk9103): Don't go out of your way to buy anything beyond what he already owns just for a cruise. What you stated for him to wear sounds just fine. I really hope you enjoy yourselves.

[luckyprincess]

Everything is suggested. I tell people I sail with to wear what you'd be comfortable eating in a standard chain sit down restaurant (Olive Garden, Applebee's, etc.).

 

Beyond that, dress for any photos you want to have taken since that is the main reason they have a formal night... to sell those photos.

 

I don't agree with this so much that I just had to respond. I also am baffled at your other response, saying that Olive Garden and Applebees are most peoples idea of formal dining. That's just so far off base that I can't imagine. When you go to any of these chain restaurant, you would not dress up. I mean, shorts, t shirts, jeans, sneakers - thats what most people would wear in a $10 entree type place where the servers wear polo shirts and black sneakers. I mean, formal dining is formal dining. Real siverware, actual cloth napkins, fine atmosphere, servers in formal tux outfits, fine wine list, and serious professional chefs in the kitchen, not $8 an hour line cooks.

Formal dining calls for formal wear, in my opinion. At the very least khakis and polos for men and slacks and top for ladies. At a chain restaurant, its usually come as you are during your shopping trip at the mall and get your endless bowl of salad. That, to me, is just so not an appropriate comparison.

To the OP, the outfits you described sound perfect and I'm sure you will be a great looking couple. It's good to see people care enough to ask. I've only been on one cruise and am going on the next in Jan., but I researched to see what the formal dining room there entailed, and based my wardrobe choices on it.

Anyway, just my opinion, but I didn't see the comparison between the formal dining room on a ship and Applebees.

[dak_friendly]

Luckyprincess: You just don't get it and you never will.

 

A reality check for you ... a good number of people that you apparently have never met, will never meet, and based upon your attitude probably wouldn't want to meet... such a restaurant is the best restaurant at which they've ever dined.

 

These are the same people that are now cruising and want to clarify formal nights. If they have to ask that question, it's pretty clear they're NOT LEANING TUXEDO. At this point, why bother dressing up in a way they don't need to when someone like you is looking down their nose at them anyway.

[RoyalC]

I don't agree with this so much that I just had to respond. I also am baffled at your other response, saying that Olive Garden and Applebees are most peoples idea of formal dining. That's just so far off base that I can't imagine. When you go to any of these chain restaurant, you would not dress up. I mean, shorts, t shirts, jeans, sneakers - thats what most people would wear in a $10 entree type place where the servers wear polo shirts and black sneakers. I mean, formal dining is formal dining. Real siverware, actual cloth napkins, fine atmosphere, servers in formal tux outfits, fine wine list, and serious professional chefs in the kitchen, not $8 an hour line cooks.

Formal dining calls for formal wear, in my opinion. At the very least khakis and polos for men and slacks and top for ladies. At a chain restaurant, its usually come as you are during your shopping trip at the mall and get your endless bowl of salad. That, to me, is just so not an appropriate comparison.

To the OP, the outfits you described sound perfect and I'm sure you will be a great looking couple. It's good to see people care enough to ask. I've only been on one cruise and am going on the next in Jan., but I researched to see what the formal dining room there entailed, and based my wardrobe choices on it.

Anyway, just my opinion, but I didn't see the comparison between the formal dining room on a ship and Applebees.

 

I agree with you, but the problem now is the food at Applebees and some other chains far exceeds RCl's. Maybe RCI should go to casual every night. The food should match the dress.

[RoyalC]

I wore a tux on both formal nights on my last cruise. The rest were all casual, contrary to the website and brochures! I brought smart casual clothes along as well- wasted space and extra weight. Very few people wore tuxes, which was fine me and expected. What bothered me now, was not casual diners, but being served "Filet of Beef" at formal night (a.k.a. Roast Beef?). What happened to Filet Mignon and all the other good stuff. Why bother with a tux- I was embarrassed wearing a Tux and served the meal (and dessert) I received.