Dress Code

[silentbob007]

I noticed a few people being turned away from the MDR with shorts on the Millennium, but that was about the limit. Suggested dress codes for about every other venue were ignored (people running through the buffet in bathing suits, etc). Even at the specialty dining (where jackets were "required") there were three men wearing jackets (including me and my dad) while the rest wore polos and Hawaiian shirts.

[excitedofharpenden]

I noticed a few people being turned away from the MDR with shorts on the Millennium, but that was about the limit. Suggested dress codes for about every other venue were ignored (people running through the buffet in bathing suits, etc). Even at the specialty dining (where jackets were "required") there were three men wearing jackets (including me and my dad) while the rest wore polos and Hawaiian shirts.

I wear a jacket in the Speciality restaurants because I feel it is more appropriate, but the requested dress is smart casual and above:

 

http://www.celebritycruises.com/beforeyourcruise/faq/home.do;jsessionid=0000OM-JeUBe8s5XF8rY1ZfVEfP:12h3rnd1c?faqSubjectName=Dress+Code&faqId=2728&pagename=faq_answers

 

Phil

[tally10]

No-one on this thread has said about insisting. The majority have said they like dressing up on formal night, but it's been mentioned a number of times that there is a choice of venues so that you don't have to dress formally and that has been supported by posters here.

 

tally10, as far as the age comment goes I like dressing on formal evenings and hope I've got a few more years to go yet. I'm 46 and started cruising in my late 30s. My observations are like SusieVs. I've seen and met plenty of younger people who enjoy dressing smartly, both at home and on a ship and I don't necessarily mean a tux or gown. Other options exist.

 

Phil

 

We don't cruise in the Carribbean anymore so I can't comment on what goes for formal wear on those cruises. We usually do transatlantics or Europe. I did not say all younger people don't like to dress formally. Some do, some don't. You can't equivocally say that ALL young people love to dress formally and do, just as not ALL like to dress informally. We just see a good variety of both. Celebrity is chosen for other reasons than their dress code and not everyone loves the formal nights as what is represented on these dress code threads. As other posters have mentioned, you do see a variety of formal and not so formal outfits on formal nights even on transatlantic and European cruises. That is the reality of it, just as Celebrity is trying to expand their market base to appeal to everyone, not just people who choose them for their love of dressing in tuxes and ball gowns. On our last European cruise, I can't even remember seeing anyone seated near us on the formal night wearing a long gown except for those ladies wearing kimonos from the Japanese contingent. I am sure there were, we just didn't see them in our area of the MDR. Mainly slacks with sparkly tops for women or cocktail dresses and lots of sport coats and ties and suits for men. Tuxes were represented but definitely in the minority. To each their own and enjoy yourselves, for heaven sake! There are many other things to worry about other than what people wear that some may disapprove of. You can suggest what people should wear but you can't insist on it just as Celebrity does not enforce it unless it is in flagrant violation.

[excitedofharpenden]

We don't cruise in the Carribbean anymore so I can't comment on what goes for formal wear on those cruises. We usually do transatlantics or Europe. I did not say all younger people don't like to dress formally. Some do, some don't. You can't equivocally say that ALL young people love to dress formally and do, just as not ALL like to dress informally. We just see a good variety of both. Celebrity is chosen for other reasons than their dress code and not everyone loves the formal nights as what is represented on these dress code threads. As other posters have mentioned, you do see a variety of formal and not so formal outfits on formal nights even on transatlantic and European cruises. That is the reality of it, just as Celebrity is trying to expand their market base to appeal to everyone, not just people who choose them for their love of dressing in tuxes and ball gowns. On our last European cruise, I can't even remember seeing anyone seated near us on the formal night wearing a long gown except for those ladies wearing kimonos from the Japanese contingent. I am sure there were, we just didn't see them in our area of the MDR. Mainly slacks with sparkly tops for women or cocktail dresses and lots of sport coats and ties and suits for men. Tuxes were represented but definitely in the minority. To each their own and enjoy yourselves, for heaven sake! There are many other things to worry about other than what people wear that some may disapprove of. You can suggest what people should wear but you can't insist on it just as Celebrity does not enforce it unless it is in flagrant violation.

In both my posts number 32 and 49 I said that formal didn't have to mean a tux or gown. I don't think anyone on this thread has said you must wear a tux or gown on formal night.

 

Phil

[dkjretired]

I noticed a few people being turned away from the MDR with shorts on the Millennium, but that was about the limit. Suggested dress codes for about every other venue were ignored (people running through the buffet in bathing suits, etc). Even at the specialty dining (where jackets were "required") there were three men wearing jackets (including me and my dad) while the rest wore polos and Hawaiian shirts.

 

Specialty dining has been smart casual for at least six months, jackets are not required...

[tally10]

In both my posts number 32 and 49 I said that formal didn't have to mean a tux or gown. I don't think anyone on this thread has said you must wear a tux or gown on formal night.

 

Phil

 

That's true. But a lot of the posters on this thread embrace it. No one must do anything. That is the beauty of it. You can decide what is formal enough for you and what you are comfortable in. If Celebrity does not approve, they will stop you at the door of the MDR just as some posters say they will. No one wants to be that out of place or stick out like a sore thumb for others to notice and get upset over.

[Ma Bell]

As a matter of fact there is not one person on this thread who has said people must or should wear tuxes and gowns. Celebrity provides many alternatives for everyone.

[tally10]

As a matter of fact there is not one person on this thread who has said people must or should wear tuxes and gowns. Celebrity provides many alternatives for everyone.

 

Yes, but most of the cruisers who love the formal nights all say they enjoy dressing up in their tuxes and gowns for formal nights, not that it is mandatory. I never said it was mandatory. It isn't. Many posters on the dress code threads (and not just this one, Joanie) push the fact that they all bring along their tuxes and gowns. I have not read a lot of them post that they bring just their "dark" suits.

[dkjretired]

Yes, but most of the cruisers who love the formal nights all say they enjoy dressing up in their tuxes and gowns for formal nights, not that it is mandatory. I never said it was mandatory. It isn't. Many posters on the dress code threads (and not just this one, Joanie) push the fact that they all bring along their tuxes and gowns. I have not read a lot of them post that they bring just their "dark" suits.

 

And there are just as many who say they don't wish to bring either, that they will either eat in the buffet, specialty restaurants or wear sport coats. You have to look at it both ways to be fair. Also, dark suits are not in the dress code anymore.

[tally10]

As a matter of fact there is not one person on this thread who has said people must or should wear tuxes and gowns. Celebrity provides many alternatives for everyone.

 

Post #2 refers to their sons wearing tuxes on formal nights and #27 and #28 refers to long gowns on formal nights. This thread is pretty mild compared to all the previous ones for those who enjoy formal attire and don't want anyone else "ruining" the atmosphere. I never said they are mandatory. If they were, very few would be in the MDR on formal nights. I hope this is the end of the same topic phrased different ways about the same subject. If you want to enjoy formal attire do so. Those who wish to be a little less formal do so and not worry about it. Thankfully, Celebrity allows people who prefer a little less formal in the MDR on formal nights as long as they are dressed decently.

[tally10]

And there are just as many who say they don't wish to bring either, that they will either eat in the buffet, specialty restaurants or wear sport coats. You have to look at it both ways to be fair. Also, dark suits are not in the dress code anymore.

 

The buffet options last May on formal nights on the Eclipse, were pitiful as I have said before on other dress code threads. I did wear a sport coat and tie in the MDR on the remaining 2 formal nights on last May's Baltic Eclipse and was definitely not in the minority. And you know what, after spending $10,000 for the three of us on that cruise, I refused to spend extra for the specialty restaurants. If Celebrity would expand the buffet or have the casual dining boulevard as they used to on the M class ships, that would be fine, too, and would definitely solve the problem. Personally, I think things will be changing and this will no longer be an issue in the future.

[excitedofharpenden]

Post #2 refers to their sons wearing tuxes on formal nights and #27 and #28 refers to long gowns on formal nights. This thread is pretty mild compared to all the previous ones for those who enjoy formal attire and don't want anyone else "ruining" the atmosphere. I never said they are mandatory. If they were, very few would be in the MDR on formal nights. I hope this is the end of the same topic phrased different ways about the same subject. If you want to enjoy formal attire do so. Those who wish to be a little less formal do so and not worry about it. Thankfully, Celebrity allows people who prefer a little less formal in the MDR on formal nights as long as they are dressed decently.

This thread started out as a discussion on changing the dress code and a number of people including me have expressed the opinion that we like it the way it is. Nobody here has made mention of the affect it has on their cruise if they see someone not wearing what is requested nor the level of enforcement by Celebrity (and all points in between) and I think it was a pretty sensible discussion without those elements. You are just turning it into the usual stalemate. I'm out of here.

 

Phil

[Hab Fan From Ham]

I fully respect people's desire to use cruiseline dining to celebrate events or even just celebrate the pleasure of cruising and being on vacation, and many like to celebrate through dressing formally. However, for me it is more important to offer people choices. Not everyone's tastes and desires are the same.

 

To require a formal dress code is over the top. I for one have to dress relatively formally 5 days a week at work. I then choose to dress formally for other occassions (religious observances, social gatherings etc.). The last thing I want is to be told how I'm supposed to dress while I'm on vacation. Put another way, I'm dropping upwards of $10,000 on a med cruise for me and DW and for that I'm buying the privilege of being told what I can or can't wear?? If you want to dress to the nines - go for it. But you should also be able to dine in casual clothes so long as what you wear is clean and presentable.

 

A dress code is just that "code" - code for: we don't want "riff raff" or a certain kind of people here. I think as a society we are beyond that. Like to dress up? Great. But don't force everyone else to.

[Nonna and Papa]

I hadn't planned to join the discussion this time, but here I am to share what we saw on our Century cruise two weeks ago.

 

First of all, to get back to the OP's question.....we also enjoy dressing for formal night. We did choose to change to Celebrity for the dressier nights, as well as the "better" food, and the opportunity to engage with passengers who have traveled widely.

 

So, that said, we took a short Caribbean cruise a couple of weeks ago. We haven't cruised to the Caribbean since 1997, probably because our daughter and her family lived in Key West for a number of years and we spent lots of time there. Anyway, for the formal night, my husband wore a dark suit and I wore a black 3 piece dressy pants suit. This is the first time in many years that we didn't wear formal attire. But we dressed for what we knew others on this type of cruise would wear.

 

We also saw many people wearing cargo type shorts, tee shirts, and flip flops into the dining room on all nights, except for the formal night. We even saw baseball hats on heads for dinner, including one teenager (about 17 - 18 years old) sitting with his family and four other diners, and whose table was positioned directly in front of the Captain's table.

 

Our waiter told us that the dress code is getting sloppier (his words, not mine) all the time. Now, he said, passengers make a scene when they're denied access to the dinning room, and since Celebrity doesn't want confrontation or bad manners in public, they have to allow these people in to the MDR. So, FWIW, that was our experience two weeks ago.

 

Mary

[YOW]

If Celebrity would expand the buffet ... that would be fine, too, and would definitely solve the problem.

 

They have:

 

http://www.celebritycruises.com/whyceleb/heroSingleTxtSub.do?pagename=casual_dining

[We're The Groupnors]

Also, their employees in the dining rooms wear tee shirts with tuxes imprinted on them.

 

Oh, goody! I can bring my t-shirt dress with the skinny woman wearing a bikini imprinted on it, and wear it to the dining room!

[Zouave]

I fully respect people's desire to use cruiseline dining to celebrate events or even just celebrate the pleasure of cruising and being on vacation, and many like to celebrate through dressing formally. However, for me it is more important to offer people choices. Not everyone's tastes and desires are the same.

 

To require a formal dress code is over the top. I for one have to dress relatively formally 5 days a week at work. I then choose to dress formally for other occassions (religious observances, social gatherings etc.). The last thing I want is to be told how I'm supposed to dress while I'm on vacation. Put another way, I'm dropping upwards of $10,000 on a med cruise for me and DW and for that I'm buying the privilege of being told what I can or can't wear?? If you want to dress to the nines - go for it. But you should also be able to dine in casual clothes so long as what you wear is clean and presentable.

 

A dress code is just that "code" - code for: we don't want "riff raff" or a certain kind of people here. I think as a society we are beyond that. Like to dress up? Great. But don't force everyone else to.

 

Suggest you move to Carnival or Windjammer (clothes?????) where sleeveless t-shirts (to include arm pit hair) and flip flops are considered "good to go" for dinner.

[tally10]

They have:

 

http://www.celebritycruises.com/whyceleb/heroSingleTxtSub.do?pagename=casual_dining

 

Glad to hear that since they did not offer this on our Eclipse cruise last May. Perhaps the ship was too new. There was no carving station or stir fry station. Just pizza and pasta, some salads, limited desserts and a few Indian dishes. Nothing like the offerings in the RCI evening buffets. It was mentioned on these threads in the past, that this was not on the Solstice class ships so I am very glad to hear it!

[cruzeluver]

Our waiter told us that the dress code is getting sloppier (his words, not mine) all the time. Now, he said, passengers make a scene when they're denied access to the dinning room, and since Celebrity doesn't want confrontation or bad manners in public, they have to allow these people in to the MDR. So, FWIW, that was our experience two weeks ago.

 

I usually avoid dress code threads like the plague, but this comment really got me.

 

Include me in the list who love putting on the formal attire on formal nights. I am 39, so there goes the younger person argument;)!

 

I find it awful that the dining room staff are being put in the position of having to either ask those not dressed appropriately to leave and change or just let it slide. Either way they lose. I wonder, when someone is asked to leave if the person lowers comment scores as a result.

[tally10]

This thread started out as a discussion on changing the dress code and a number of people including me have expressed the opinion that we like it the way it is. Nobody here has made mention of the affect it has on their cruise if they see someone not wearing what is requested nor the level of enforcement by Celebrity (and all points in between) and I think it was a pretty sensible discussion without those elements. You are just turning it into the usual stalemate. I'm out of here.

 

Phil

 

It is the same thing, just rehashed in a different way. It has all been said before by the same posters on both sides of the aisle and like you, I am out of here.

[Nonna and Papa]

I usually avoid dress code threads like the plague, but this comment really got me.

 

Include me in the list who love putting on the formal attire on formal nights. I am 39, so there goes the younger person argument;)!

 

I find it awful that the dining room staff are being put in the position of having to either ask those not dressed appropriately to leave and change or just let it slide. Either way they lose. I wonder, when someone is asked to leave if the person lowers comment scores as a result.

 

I would have to agree. The comment the waiter made, which really made me sit up, was that people now know that if they create a public scene they will be allowed into the MDR dressed any way they desire. In my earlier post, I tried to refrain from giving an opinion other than our own for choosing Celebrity. But with the waiter's comments to us, I feel we're getting to even lower standards of dress. There will always be people who push what's been requested, and maybe we're there.

 

Mary

[SrTrPro]

Oh' date=' goody! I can bring my t-shirt dress with the skinny woman wearing a bikini imprinted on it, and wear it to the dining room![/quote']

 

My wife has one of those "bikini" t-shirt dresses - she uses it as a cover up at the pool.

[PS90]

I would have to agree. The comment the waiter made, which really made me sit up, was that people now know that if they create a public scene they will be allowed into the MDR dressed any way they desire. In my earlier post, I tried to refrain from giving an opinion other than our own for choosing Celebrity. But with the waiter's comments to us, I feel we're getting to even lower standards of dress. There will always be people who push what's been requested, and maybe we're there.

 

Mary

 

Personally, I would rather X forgo the dress code as well. It has been stated here hundreds of times that the attraction of Celebrity differs for each person, and people who say "if you don't want to dress up, then cruise with NCL" are guilty of stereotyping everyone with a different opinion into the "young slob" category.

 

Having said that, X's dress code is what it is at this time, and to me, whether or not you agree with them, they need to be followed. It's no different than the idiot with 63 items in the express lane at Wal-Mart - no one is above the rules. :mad:

[iancal]

We like X and the rules are fine with us. I do not like to take or wear formal attire while on vacation. I had enough of that while I was working. If DW and I want to dress up, we can do it at home. No need to travel thousands of miles lugging extra clothing along that will be hardly used. That being said, if we do not dress, then we eat in the buffet. And if we dress and do the MDR, we usually change after dinner, prior to the show or going to the casino. There was a gentleman at our table on the Millennium last month who did not have a tie and jacket. The maitre'd gave him a jacket. Frankly, this does not bother us in the least, it does not detract from our dining experience. We are more interested in what our tablemates have to say rather that if they are wearing a tie, jacket, etc. It is not a not an issue for us nor do we view formal nights as some sort of fashion show.

[Spf12]

Resort casual all the way.Been on Azamara and was exceptional. Been on 31 Celebrity cruises and hated formal nights.It.s the 21st Century,not the Titanic era.