What to wear on Excursions?

[wallis7219]

Hello

 

Will be doing some tours on Brilliance of the sea med cruise.

I have noticed that RCI say that when on the tours to Florence / Rome etc that shoulders and knees must be covered.

 

Does this mean I will have to wear trousers on these tours? Its going to be real hot in these places in August! or would longer shorts that cover the knee be suffice?

 

Many thanks

Gary

[cb at sea]

Skirts are fine, so knees aren't the "thing"---it's the really "casual" wear that they object to. How about some capris? They don't want "sleeveless" or spaghetti straps---in the churches. A lightweight wrap that can be easily stuffed into your bag is ample to cover bare shoulders.

[SingingPixie]

I'm thinking Gary might be a man, so in that case there's a good chance that a skirt and a wrap are out. Unfortunately, that does make trousers your easiest option since shorts are too casual. Maybe try to find some lightweight linen ones? Either that or those pants with the zip-off sections that convert to shorts, so that you can be respectful for churches and things, but cool during other portions of the day.

[jbond]

Skirts are fine,

Somehow I can't imagine GARY in a skirt.:rolleyes:

so knees aren't the "thing"---

Have to disagree, knees are the "thing". In many places, Rome, Florence, Venice, signs at the entrance to the churches and museums state very clearly that knees and shoulders must be covered. Would this preclude wearing "long" shorts, it's debatable. For women, I'd say no, they would be acceptable, but for men, I wouldn't take the chance. I always wear lightweight slacks whenever there's a doubt, it's not worth risking it and being denied entrance.

[wallis7219]

:) Many Thanks for your comments

 

I have to say I dont think I have the legs to wear a skirt:D

 

Will search out some Linen Trousers, or as you say the zip ones.

 

Thanks

Gary

[ddean52]

I'm thinking Gary might be a man, so in that case there's a good chance that a skirt and a wrap are out. Unfortunately, that does make trousers your easiest option since shorts are too casual. Maybe try to find some lightweight linen ones? Either that or those pants with the zip-off sections that convert to shorts, so that you can be respectful for churches and things, but cool during other portions of the day.

 

I have been in churches (....etc) all over Europe and and have always worn shorts and have had no issues! Its a matter of respect for the building that your visiting. and respect is measured in different ways. IE no flash photography, no littering, no shouting..etc

 

I have grown weary of "the clothes police" who insist on haunting the "halls" of cruise critic.

there is at least one poster who continually posts "men visiting Europe should never wear shorts". total rubbish!

Dean

[English_in_Spain]

I have been in churches (....etc) all over Europe and and have always worn shorts and have had no issues! Its a matter of respect for the building that your visiting. and respect is measured in different ways. IE no flash photography, no littering, no shouting..etc

 

I have grown weary of "the clothes police" who insist on haunting the "halls" of cruise critic.

there is at least one poster who continually posts "men visiting Europe should never wear shorts". total rubbish!

Dean

 

I can assure you that churches in Spain will not let you enter unless you are dressed in an appropriate manner.

[ddean52]

I can assure you that churches in Spain will not let you enter unless you are dressed in an appropriate manner.

 

I have toured through churches in Barcelona and had no problems!!

[Amunet]

I went to Spain a few years back in January. I remember a guy in some shorts visiting this huge religious building we went to (there were so many, I don't remember which is which). I only remember cause it was slightly chilly out.

 

In Alahambra, many people were wearing tanks and/or shorts.

[ddean52]

we have a lot of well traveled folks at cruise critic and im sure their experiences are not different than mine!

[KansCocoa]

We were on the Brilliance in June - and the men in our group simply brought a pair of pants in their backpacks, which were left in our car for most of our touring - but when it came time to visit the Vatican, they simply did a quick change in the van while all of us ladies kindly looked in the other direction. Swoosh - off went the shorts - on with the pants - and they were good to go. When we were back in the van after touring the Vatican - another simple change back into their shorts. Voila!

 

All the ladies wore simple cotton skirts all day with a lightweight t-shirt top.

 

Sherri

[kyriecat]

I've seen people in shorts who were allowed inside the churches and some who weren't. I guess it depends on who has guard duty that day. I'm not on the fashion police - just reporting personal experience. On a tour of Genova, a woman in our group wearing shorts was not allowed inside the church. She had to wait outside until the rest of the group was finished. In Florence we saw a couple of people wearing shorts while climbing the dome inside Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore (Il Duomo). However, on that same day we saw a woman in a mini-skirt (mid-thigh) denied entrance to Basilica di Santa Croce. When we were in line to tour Vatican City, a couple of men were denied entrance who were wearing top-of-the-knee length shorts. In Barcelona I was taking pictures of the cathedral near the Gothic quarter (La Seu). I was wearing shorts (mid-thigh) but was outside the cathedral and made no effort to enter. A guard came over and asked me to move to the other side of the street because I was inappropriately dressed while on consecrated grounds. I think you might be allowed to wear shorts to visit La Sagrada Familia cathedral in Barcelona because I don't think it has been consecrated yet. I'm not positive about that but I think I remember seeing people in shorts there. In Pisa the guard gave a woman a paper shawl to wear inside Santa Maria Assunta (cathedral next to the leaning tower) because she had on a tank top. She wasn't denied entrance though. I didn't see any men in tank tops at any churches but I assume that a man could also wear the paper shawl.

 

I guess it's one of those hit-or-miss situations. If you choose to wear shorts or tank tops, that is your decision. However, don't pitch a fit if someone won't let you in a cathedral.

 

EDITED TO ADD: I usually wear a mid-calf length skirt or capris and a shirt with short sleeves if I know a church is on the tour. Hubby wears light-weight pants and a shirt with short sleeves. We'd rather know we were following the dress code "just in case" than be denied entrance to a church that we'd really enjoy seeing.

[ddean52]

ok, but in my years of travel experience, i have only witnessed a few women and men bared from churches and museums and public buildings! the reason was simple, in each case, the shorts were extremely short! other than the above cases... common sense should be the rule.from the Vatican to the Hermitage to St Peters (during sumer months) I have seen thousands of folks touring important buildings of Europe in reasonably long shorts and in a few cases where exposed knees were objected to, pieces of cloth were offered!!

[operafan]

The only place I've seen people in shorts turned away was at the Vatican. The fashion police there carefully looked everyone up and down before allowing anyone further up the line. Be on the safe side; wear lightweight pants........

[kyriecat]

Perhaps the guards let a thousand people in wearing shorts. I don't know because I don't really pay that much attention. I only remember the cases that I mentioned because they were people who were in line a few people ahead of my husband and me. In the case of the girl in the mini-skirt, she was several people ahead of us but being extremely loud about not being allowed in since she was wearing a skirt. I would have needed earplugs and blinders not to have noticed. With the exception of Barcelona, all the events happened in May 2008. Maybe the standards have been changed since then. I don't travel that often to Europe.

 

The Barcelona incedent was in Sept. 2005. I had read enough to know that shorts inside consecrated areas were not supposed to be allowed, but I thought I was okay taking pictures outside the cathedral. It didn't occur to me until I was asked to leave that areas outside were also consecrated. For me, it was embarassing to even unknowingly have shown a lack of respect.

[jbond]

I have been in churches (....etc) all over Europe and and have always worn shorts and have had no issues!

Have you toured the Vatican and Saint Marks in Venice in shorts? If so, did they cover your knees?

I guess it's one of those hit-or-miss situations. If you choose to wear shorts or tank tops, that is your decision. However, don't pitch a fit if someone won't let you in a cathedral.

Right on. Why take a chance of missing a visit you may never have the chance of experiencing again?

I have grown weary of "the clothes police" who insist on haunting the "halls" of cruise critic.

The dress code police come in all types. There are also those who insist it's my vacation and I'll wear what I want to. From this thread alone there are several posters who have seen peiople turned away. That would be sufficient for me to wear more conservative clothing than you propose.

[nhwwdebbi]

And we just returned and yes, people were turned away.Dee

[wallis7219]

WOW:)

I did not know such a simple question would open such a big can of worms

 

Many thanks to you all for your input. I will pack a spare pair of lightweights and pop them on when going to the vatican . Or anywhere else that request the legs to be covered up!

 

Cheers

Gary

[Sue L]

Hubby and I both have zipoffs from Land's End, we just wear the shorts and put the legs in our back pack and zip them on when or if needed.

[BarbaraM]

You can buy paper disposable pants to cover your shorts in shops near the Vatican. I'm sure you could buy them elsewhere. They kind of look like scrubs -- they are cheap, you could reuse if you wanted.

[critterchick]

I have been in churches (....etc) all over Europe and and have always worn shorts and have had no issues! Its a matter of respect for the building that your visiting. and respect is measured in different ways. IE no flash photography, no littering, no shouting..etc

 

I have grown weary of "the clothes police" who insist on haunting the "halls" of cruise critic.

there is at least one poster who continually posts "men visiting Europe should never wear shorts". total rubbish!

Dean

 

If you see a posted sign forbidding shorts inside a church would you go in, anyway? That to me would constitute a lack of respect.... There was such a sign in front of the cathedral we visited in Bologna. I was wearing walking shorts that just covered my knees, and tugged them down a little further (fortunately I had a long top on:eek:). That passed muster, and I did see a young woman in shorter (not micro, but her knees were exposed) shorts turned away.

 

To the OP - I think you're wise not to risk being denied entry. It would be a shame to go all that way and not be able to go into some of the glorious sights of Europe.:)

[mfantasia]

My husband had visited many churchs in Europe (Spain, Italy and Greece) in long shorts and never had a problem, the only place that I'm sure that shorts are not allowed is the Vatican, he actually was in pants for that visit, they really check your clothes and won't let you enter if you don't follow the rules...

[Tucker in Texas]

I have worn skorts with no problem and a top with sleeves. The skorts cover my knees.

 

Tucker in Texas