dinner attire on Spirit

[lucybrown1]

Jim: Thought I had DH all set with the shorts/pants debate. Now I have to figure out about capris or pants for me! :)

 

Thanks for all of your input. We leave tomorrow but I have a feeling this post will continue on. I will write when I get back to let you know how it all worked out.

[jimswims]

Jim: Thought I had DH all set with the shorts/pants debate. Now I have to figure out about capris or pants for me! :)

 

Thanks for all of your input. We leave tomorrow but I have a feeling this post will continue on. I will write when I get back to let you know how it all worked out.

 

Have a great time. Enjoy the Spirit and Bermuda. :)

[mtwingcpa]

Has no one seen dress shorts, a belt, shoes and socks, and a collared shirt in a nice restaurant before. Are you all barbarians? Have you never dined out in nice New England restaurant on a warm July evening?

 

Actually, about the only times I've seen the kind of shorts you described in my part of the world are at private country clubs, either on the course (sounds like "sportswear" to me) or on the outdoor patio. But never in the clubhouse dining room at dinner (unless it's a special event with modified code).

 

The kinds of shorts I see on men around here are overwhelmingly of the "cargo" or "gym/fitness" variety. These are typically worn with t-shirts, sandals or athletic shoes, and (of course) ball caps. And that's pretty much what I see aboard NCL as well.

[mtwingcpa]

I agree, but I think a greater factor in these inconsistencies are all the lawyer-wannabes that like to play a game of semantics and believe that if a cruise line does not specifically exclude or prohibit something then it must be acceptable. Using that flawed logic then just about everything is acceptable onboard because it is impossible for a cruise to line to list every single thing or behavior that is not acceptable or in the spirit of the occasion. We would all be handed a book the size of a Websters dictionary upon boarding if cruise lines had to list everything that was not acceptable. I think they expect passengers to use a little common sense and look at their surroundings, location, and decor and dress appropriately for an evening in the MDR, not a trip to their local McDonalds. Some people just like to push the envelope and try to get away with as much as they can rather than trying to fit in with their fellow diners.

 

I agree completely with your comments. I've seen some country clubs with dress codes that are like 3 - 4 pages long and are typically an endless list of things NOT to wear. (And I note, such excluded items often read like every teenager's back-to-school shopping list! :-)

 

But my own view is that people come from different backgrounds and probably not everyone has encountered dress codes (other than "no shoes, no shirts, no service") prior to stepping on a cruise ship. For this reason, I believe that a cruise ship code (if you are going to have one at all) needs to be reasonably specific, with a short list of both allowed and unallowed items to serve as an example. Simply using a concept like "resort casual" is way too vague in my opinion.

 

Here is an example from Carnival that I think is reasonably good at communicating its objectives:

 

Cruise Casual Dining Dress Code: Gentlemen - Sport slacks, khakis, jeans (no cut-offs), dress shorts (long), collared sport shirts; Ladies - Casual dresses, casual skirts or pants and blouses, summer dresses, Capri pants, dress shorts, jeans (no cut-offs).

 

Not permitted in the dining room during the Cruise Casual dinner for ladies and gentlemen: gym shorts, basketball shorts, beach flip-flops, bathing suit attire, cut-off jeans, sleeveless shirts for men and baseball hats.

 

Keep in mind, I am simply commenting on the manner of communication, but not necessarily the substance, of the Carnival code. If I was to tinker with this, I would add specific comments (one way or the other) regarding CARGO shorts and t-shirts.