Shorts appropriate in dining rooms?

[kendon]

[quote name='Pam in CA']You are aware of the dress code as you are asking about it... so to criticize Princess now when you've never been on a Princess cruise doesn't make sense. Princess is not RCI so to moan and groan that you've always been able to get away with wearing shorts when it's not allowed on Princess in the dining rooms in the evening also doesn't make sense. You can always try to get away with it and have the attitude that it's your cruise and the heck with anyone else, but be prepared to be turned away by the Maitre D' and asked to change. That's the way it is.

You asked, people have answered. Just because you don't like the answer doesn't mean you're right and Princess is "old fashioned" or those who have included links to the dress code are "fashion police."[/QUOTE]

Exactly and well said.

I'd wear shorts to a pizzeria or BBQ, but never a nice restaurant. Come on....

[cruisin36]

[quote name='Pia1913']Yes, you can wear sneakers.[/quote]

Sneakers??? with a tux on a man or an evening gown on a lady??? I once saw a gentleman with a tux and patent leather shoes wearing bright red sox, but never sneakers.

[1 HappyCruiser]

[quote name='cruisin36']Sneakers??? with a tux on a man or an evening gown on a lady??? I once saw a gentleman with a tux and patent leather shoes wearing bright red sox, but never sneakers.[/quote]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS]Actually a pair of black crocks blends in much better & can also be worn to the pool or beach thereby eliminating another pair of heavy unneeded shoes in your suitcase.
(and they don't have to be shined) [/FONT]

[Toto2Kansas]

[quote name='cruisin36']Sneakers??? with a tux on a man or an evening gown on a lady??? I once saw a gentleman with a tux and patent leather shoes wearing bright red sox, but never sneakers.[/quote]

I have seen a man at dinner wearing a tux and high top tennis shoes, it looked absolutely RIDICULOUS! The thing is, he planned it that way, as I talked to him and he explained he does this on every cruise. :eek:

[PescadoAmarillo]

Oh my, now we're commenting on peoples SHOES???

[heyshestall1]

wow, i MUST need a vacation...

I read the thread title too quickly and thought it said

"are SHOTS appropriate in the dining room?"

To which i thought "well, it's more of a classy, wine or cocktail type place, but I suppose if you're discreet about it, just don't expect the other tables to join you in car bombs!"

;)

[pg.]

RN,,, I personally think the picture you posted looked fine.. and wouldn't bat an eyelash at that outfit. Problem is it is hard for maitre d to accept your perfectly nice looking shorts,, and then have to deal with some oaf who shows up in his old gym shorts.. so they make a rule "ho shorts".. I think this is also why some ladies have "gotten away" with wearing shorts,, as they just looked so nice that maitre d doesn't bother stressing about it. It would not be something you could count on though.

You can wear jeans in many restaurants in Paris and London,, nice jeans with heels of course,, very few would take exception,, but frankly older folks still think of jeans as "work" wear, and nothing you can say will convince them otherwise. Give up.

The truth is ,, most cruisers on the ships do NOT go on Cruise Critic,, so will have no idea they are not following certain rules. They do not read the little booklets,, and they figure they can wear what they would normally wear on vacation.

[onthelake]

I cover the packing light and meeting the dress code requirements quite simply - I pack a skirt that matches the tops I am taking that match the shorts/slacks. It isn't a big deal. We went to Europe for a month with a week in Paris and a 24 day cruise with a carry-on each. It isn't difficult if you pack clothes that match and wear your 'bulky' shoes (walking shoes) on the plane. I don't focus on 'what I can get away with', I focus on how I can be appropriate in the simplest way.

[redlac]

[quote name='onthelake']I cover the packing light and meeting the dress code requirements quite simply - I pack a skirt that matches the tops I am taking that match the shorts/slacks. It isn't a big deal. We went to Europe for a month with a week in Paris and a 24 day cruise with a carry-on each. It isn't difficult if you pack clothes that match and wear your 'bulky' shoes (walking shoes) on the plane. I don't focus on 'what I can get away with', I focus on how I can be appropriate in the simplest way.[/QUOTE]

Ah, onthelake... I'm dead jealous. I have a girlfriend like you... She can do Europe with a carry-on, and dresses in simple sophistication, looking fabulous. High five to you!

[G'ma]

[quote name='onthelake']I cover the packing light and meeting the dress code requirements quite simply - I pack a skirt that matches the tops I am taking that match the shorts/slacks. It isn't a big deal. We went to Europe for a month with a week in Paris and a 24 day cruise with a carry-on each. It isn't difficult if you pack clothes that match and wear your 'bulky' shoes (walking shoes) on the plane. I don't focus on 'what I can get away with', I focus on how I can be appropriate in the simplest way.[/quote]

Ditto.....

Freedom is less luggage.

[luvs2travl]

ITA with 90% of what has been posted here. You know the dress code before boarding, so why ask how/if you can get around it!!

Buy a pair of lightweight nylon black slacks - available on nearly every clothing website as well as in most department stores, (cost around $25.00), and pack them. They weigh less than 2 ounces and can be folded up and tucked into your suitcase with no problem. They will go with whatever top you may choose to wear -they can be as dressy or as casual as you choose.

It will save you the trouble of worrying with all of this and you will be properly dressed on "smart casual" night. You can certainly wear a nice pair of dress sandals (not flip flops or those horrendous "Crocs") to the MDR and look wonderful.

De-stress and enjoy your cruise - please! Life is too short to sweat the small stuff!! ;)

[Times Prince]

[quote name='cruiser113']On one cruise my husband broke his ankle. He had a splint that would not allow for the wearing of dress pants as he could not get them over the splint. [/quote]Perfect solution if you really want to wear shorts ... break a leg ! :rolleyes:

[quote name='Pam in CA']You are aware of the dress code as you are asking about it... so to criticize Princess now when you've never been on a Princess cruise doesn't make sense. Princess is not RCI so to moan and groan that you've always been able to get away with wearing shorts when it's not allowed on Princess in the dining rooms in the evening also doesn't make sense. You can always try to get away with it and have the attitude that it's your cruise and the heck with anyone else, but be prepared to be turned away by the Maitre D' and asked to change. That's the way it is.

You asked, people have answered. Just because you don't like the answer doesn't mean you're right and Princess is "old fashioned" or those who have included links to the dress code are "fashion police."[/quote]Well written, Pam.

As we told our children - you can do what you want, but there will be consequences to your actions, good or bad.

[sabbrina]

[quote name='redlac']Ah, ... She can do Europe with a carry-on, and dresses in simple sophistication, looking fabulous. [/quote]

It's what we do in Europe...

It's called "having Taste".

[avd79]

Does the "no shorts" rule apply to children? My husband and I will be travelling with our 2 boys (8 and 10) and on previous cruises (not Princess - Carnival and Disney) they have been allowed into the MDR on causual nights with a dressy pair of shorts and a nice top (no tee shirts) and a nice pair of shoes. For formal nights they will each be wearing a suit and tie. My husband and I have cruised Princess on several occassions before and we know what the dress code is and always dress appropriately, but never noticed what chilldren were wearing. Your observations would be greatly appreciated as I may have to rethink what I pack for my children!!!

[WeBeGone]

Our experience is that very young children can wear most anything, but age 8 and 10 boys should wear long pants.

[Katie333]

I've never worn shorts or jeans in the MDR, I find they can be relatively similar on the casual scale.

What I do is pack a few lightweight skirts that I can mix and match with casual and dressier tops, they are just as comfortable as a pair of shorts, and I can wear them for more than just dining room visits.

PS - Chrissy, I think your outfit looks very nice, but officially that's out of dress code and you'd be safer not to chance it.

[beachnative]

I've read this thread and I'm confused. I just copied this from the Princess website and it sounds very different from what many have posted. Some people seem to be omitting the "casual jeans (with fraying and/or holes)" from their statements. The "with fraying and/or holes" seems to me to be a qualifier for "casual jeans" leaving non-frayed and no-hole jeans as acceptable to the "recommendation". I have removed nothing from the sentences, not even a comma.

Smart Casual
Passenger attire should be in keeping with what they would wear to a nice restaurant at home.
Skirts/dresses, slacks, and sweaters for ladies
Pants and open-neck shirts for men
Inappropriate dinner wear such as pool or beach attire, shorts, ball caps and casual jeans (with fraying and/or holes) are not permitted in the dining rooms. Shoes must be worn.

[Cruise Junky]

[quote name='beachnative']I've read this thread and I'm confused. I just copied this from the Princess website and it sounds very different from what many have posted. Some people seem to be omitting the "casual jeans (with fraying and/or holes)" from their statements. The "with fraying and/or holes" seems to me to be a qualifier for "casual jeans" leaving non-frayed and no-hole jeans as acceptable to the "recommendation". I have removed nothing from the sentences, not even a comma.

Smart Casual
Passenger attire should be in keeping with what they would wear to a nice restaurant at home.
Skirts/dresses, slacks, and sweaters for ladies
Pants and open-neck shirts for men
Inappropriate dinner wear such as pool or beach attire, shorts, ball caps and casual jeans (with fraying and/or holes) are not permitted in the dining rooms. Shoes must be worn.[/quote]

I posted that a while back in this thread. Decent jeans are fine for smart casual according to Princess. According to anyone else, I don't care ;)

[beachnative]

Thanks.:) I knew we, and most others, had worn jeans in the MDR on our last cruise to Alaska. I thought my memory had gone from me.

I totally agree with the earlier poster who said that one can do two weeks in Europe with only a carry-on suitcase each. We've done it several times, however it does take planning and coordinating. Now if my wife and I could convince ourselves that we can do a one week cruise with only a carry-on each we will be in travel heaven.

[Cruise Junky]

[quote name='beachnative']Thanks.:) I knew we, and most others, had worn jeans in the MDR on our last cruise to Alaska. I thought my memory had gone from me.

I totally agree with the earlier poster who said that one can do two weeks in Europe with only a carry-on suitcase each. We've done it several times, however it does take planning and coordinating. Now if my wife and I could convince ourselves that we can do a one week cruise with only a carry-on each we will be in travel heaven.[/quote]

Hell, I'm trying to do 3 weeks in France with one suitcase, never mind one carryon ;)

[cruisemom42]

[quote name='WeBeGone']Our experience is that very young children can wear most anything, but age 8 and 10 boys should wear long pants.[/quote]

I've been cruising with my son on Princess since he was 8, and WeBeGone's answer is absolutely correct and it is how you'll see other kids dressed for the MDR. My son would (and still will) make a beeline for the room to change back into his shorts after dinner, but he does know the drill by now.

[kendon]

[quote name='Toto2Kansas']I have seen a man at dinner wearing a tux and high top tennis shoes, it looked absolutely RIDICULOUS! The thing is, he planned it that way, as I talked to him and he explained he does this on every cruise. :eek:[/QUOTE]

Many HS boys had the same combination of tuxedos and converse sneakers at the prom, but they were 17/18 year olds. Some just never grow up....or just love the reaction. Better than t-shirts and jeans with patent shoes I guess.

[kendon]

[quote name='PescadoAmarillo']Oh my, now we're commenting on peoples SHOES???[/QUOTE]

Why not, a tux and sneakers is ridiculous.

[PescadoAmarillo]

[quote name='kendon']Why not, a tux and sneakers is ridiculous.[/quote]
Actually, I think a person purporting to "know" that someone is wearing sneakers with their tux as a way to ignore guidelines is ridiculous. You have no idea why people are wearing sneakers (or Crocs, or Birks...whatever). Good grief, if they're wearing a tux, can't you be just a smidge tolerant of what is on their feet????

[davekathy]

[quote name='avd79']Does the "no shorts" rule apply to children? My husband and I will be travelling with our 2 boys (8 and 10) and on previous cruises (not Princess - Carnival and Disney) they have been allowed into the MDR on causual nights with a dressy pair of shorts and a nice top (no tee shirts) and a nice pair of shoes. For formal nights they will each be wearing a suit and tie. My husband and I have cruised Princess on several occassions before and we know what the dress code is and always dress appropriately, but never noticed what chilldren were wearing. Your observations would be greatly appreciated as I may have to rethink what I pack for my children!!![/QUOTE]

They are old enough to dress in accordance with the recommended dress code for that evening.