Elegant Night or Not?

[LemurCat]

How true! Standards have seriously deteriorated!

 

Have they? Or have they just changed?

 

And fifteen years ago wasn't the 1950's. It was 1997 which is about the time the push to make cruising mainstream started.

[cruisecruisecruise2011]

How true! Standards have seriously deteriorated!

 

You are so right!

 

I remember when on the last night of the cruise we handed an envelope to several people with a handshake and smile to thank them for their service to us during the cruise.That was personal!

Now the cruiseline thinks we are all to stupid to do that anymore and has instituted an automatic system which I guess is fine because it leaves us more time to do other things such as watching "Hillbilly handfishin" or "Keeping up with the Kardashians".:rolleyes:

[mommyto3girls:)]

If you haven't eaten at the buffet, then you're really not familiar with it. It's about on par with the Old Country Buffet. The food is not as good at the MDR by a long shot and it's not exactly extensive either.

 

I could make a comment on how dictating to other what to wear to make your experience "nice" isn't considerate either. But the fact of the matter is, CCL is the final arbiter of this. They don't make changes without focus-grouping them and user-surverying them six ways to Sunday.

 

I have eaten at the Lido buffet-just not for dinner. Again I have seen people carrying out lobster etc so I agree that the same food should not be made available to anyone regardless of how they dress.

I get to take one or two cruises a year and with 3 young kids the only time I dress up is for work. Dressing up for dinner is something that most people enjoy. To me that is one of the distinctions of cruising vs a more casual AI setting. If people don't want to dress up I just don't understand why they choose to go the dining room against the established standard.

[elcuchio24]

Have they? Or have they just changed?

 

And fifteen years ago wasn't the 1950's. It was 1997 which is about the time the push to make cruising mainstream started.

 

1997 was the year I finally threw away my parachute pants. Would they have been appropriate in the MDR? The debate continues......

[babyher]

1997 was the year I finally threw away my parachute pants. Would they have been appropriate in the MDR? The debate continues......

 

 

 

I guess as long as your rip cord wasn't hanging out they would be OK :)

[sjn911]

Keep it how it is where there is a large spread of what is ok for Cruise Elegant..but keep it, for one or 2 nights a year/cruise..we often don't even dress up as much for church etc..this small civility..even with just dressy evening pantsuits and dress slacks, shirt, and tie for a guy change everything IMHO, it lends an air of specialness even if people do not want to admit it..i think it sub-consciously even effects the work on the food and quality...the buffet is fine for folks who want to skip it that night, i.e.the formal dining. Is the buffet not pretty good on those nights??..do they serve some better things those nights?..and on elegant nights I think steakhouse should be requested cruise elegant too...is that the case now? That being said..everything but swim suits, bad ratty jeans, baseball caps or cowboy hats on the head....causes me no pause..but we and Carnival have to stand up because enough of us want it from the pole..it can be very casual elegant up to the nines..they give much leeway to me it is enough to keep the service of real tablecloths, several courses..real dining rooms..stemware etc, nice...sarah

[LemurCat]

1997 was the year I finally threw away my parachute pants. Would they have been appropriate in the MDR? The debate continues......

 

Were they made of denim? Or were they the best New England Patriots Zubaz money could buy?

[LemurCat]

How many people have actually seen "ratty jeans, swim suits, wife beaters" in the MDR on ELEGANT NIGHT and only ELEGANT NIGHT?

[arhillbilly]

L cat, who said any thing about snooty.

Take a valium.

ncl is the most casual, ccl is the second most casual.

dispute that if you have other evidence.

I do dress up and sip tea with my little finger extended.

Whats wrong with that?

All things are ranked from the lowest to highest.

Lowest isn't necessarly bad. Just a starting point.:cool:

 

NCL might be casual, however on the Spirit (only one I have sailed) there were 2 MDR...one you could wear shorts and flip flops in, the other you could not and it was enforced

[LemurCat]

I have eaten at the Lido buffet-just not for dinner. Again I have seen people carrying out lobster etc so I agree that the same food should not be made available to anyone regardless of how they dress.

 

Why should people be denied food based on their clothing? They're paying for it the same as you are. If the Maitre D has not problem with it, why should you?

 

I get to take one or two cruises a year and with 3 young kids the only time I dress up is for work.

 

Don't take this the wrong way, but I hear this statement a lot. And I would like to know why people think that because they don't get to dress up a lot in their "real life" they should impose rules demanding others do. If you want to dress up, do it! Hell, do it and go to Appleby's! Do it to make yourself happy and to hell with whatever else is thinking. If you enjoy it, you shouldn't limit how often you do it.

 

Dressing up for dinner is something that most people enjoy.

 

I disagree. It's something some people enjoy and something some people detest and find a chore. I won't speak for "most people" as I'm not "most people". But I don't enjoy it. I do it several times a year (and right now is prime time for me). It's not fun, even if I do look fabulous.

 

To me that is one of the distinctions of cruising vs a more casual AI setting. If people don't want to dress up I just don't understand why they choose to go the dining room against the established standard.

 

Maybe it's just me, as I have yet to see anyone go so far below the minimal "cruise elegant" standards that I simply don't understand where the complaints are coming from. That could be it. But I have to ask, why do you care what everyone else is doing? If you dont' like what they're looking, avert your eyes! Hell, I do that with what people pass off as "formal" wear all the time. Why some women think they can fit into a dress that's two sizes too small and cut all wrong for their body, I will never know.

[jzcruiser57]

I'm with you. I'm in the middle of Fund Raising Season, which means cocktail parties and balls. I don't feel like putting on a freakin' cocktail dress every weekend, much less while on vacation. (And nothing in this world will make me put on pantyhose, dang it.)

Why do you wear the cocktail dress and such during fundraising events? Oh, thats right , to "fit in". You are absolutely a contradiction. In another post you state " Why can't people just do what they want and not worry about everyone else? I swear to God, it's almost like people never got out of high school and still need to " fit in". Very sad." I myself feel the same way about fundraisers. If you want my donation the you will take me the way I am.

[LemurCat]

Why do you wear the cocktail dress and such during fundraising events? Oh, thats right , to "fit in". You are absolutely a contradiction. In another post you state " Why can't people just do what they want and not worry about everyone else? I swear to God, it's almost like people never got out of high school and still need to " fit in". Very sad." I myself feel the same way about fundraisers. If you want my donation the you will take me the way I am.

 

No, because the people running the party won't let me in if I'm not in black tie formal. (And no, they won't take you as you are, they'll ask you to mail your check in. When it's a political event, they can make those sort of demands on you because it's as much about influence as it is about money. And I do just send a check for the flat-out charity events, unless there is gambling involved.)

 

My issue isn't with the dress code as is. My issue with with people who want to change the dress code to suit their personal preferences and with CCL for not enforcing it fully.

[BaseballMomof4]

Why should people be denied food based on their clothing? They're paying for it the same as you are. If the Maitre D has not problem with it, why should you?

 

Because on the night that food is served, there is a dress code in place in the MDR. Make a choice. Either go with the flow and enjoy the cuisine dressed appropriately, or enjoy your dinner in an area of the ship where you can wear whatever you please.

 

CCL should enforce the guidelines they set and then this would be a moot point. Saying it's OK to dress as you please on elegant night in the MDR because it is not enforced is like saying "No cop, no stop."

[LemurCat]

Because on the night that food is served, there is a dress code in place in the MDR. Make a choice. Either go with the flow and enjoy the cuisine dressed appropriately, or enjoy your dinner in an area of the ship where you can wear whatever you please.

 

CCL should enforce the guidelines they set and then this would be a moot point. Saying it's OK to dress as you please on elegant night in the MDR because it is not enforced is like saying "No cop, no stop."

 

That I agree with. CCL should enforce THEIR dress code. Not the dress code people have built up in their minds.

[Sailor_Sally]

COULDN'T HAVE SAID IT BETTER MYSELF!!! You (H82seaUgo) took the words right out of my mouth! IMHO, WHERE you are dining should dictate (to a certain extent) how you dress for the occasion!!! DH & I will be going on our 1st cruise this Thursday (10/20/2011) & I plan on not only wearing a evening gown for elegant night (dh is going to wear his best suit), I also plan on wearing a nice "coctail dress" for the other 3 nights! We RARELY get a chance to dress up when we're at home but, in the event that we're invited to a nice dinner/party, etc, WE DRESS ACCORDINGLY!!! :)

 

Don't you think it's a little ironic that you have never cruised yet you have such a strong opinion on something you have yet to experience ?

[Chris41]

I really would like to see some of the nicer aspects come back to cruising. Even when Carnival was earning the name of the party line cruisers would dress for the formal night. I would also like to see the Captain celebration come back with the crew being present and the free drinks in the bars. I believe that when that went away it took a large bite out of the entire formal celebration....JMHO

[mommyto3girls:)]

Why should people be denied food based on their clothing? They're paying for it the same as you are. If the Maitre D has not problem with it, why should you?

 

 

 

Don't take this the wrong way, but I hear this statement a lot. And I would like to know why people think that because they don't get to dress up a lot in their "real life" they should impose rules demanding others do. If you want to dress up, do it! Hell, do it and go to Appleby's! Do it to make yourself happy and to hell with whatever else is thinking. If you enjoy it, you shouldn't limit how often you do it.

 

 

 

I disagree. It's something some people enjoy and something some people detest and find a chore. I won't speak for "most people" as I'm not "most people". But I don't enjoy it. I do it several times a year (and right now is prime time for me). It's not fun, even if I do look fabulous.

 

 

 

Maybe it's just me, as I have yet to see anyone go so far below the minimal "cruise elegant" standards that I simply don't understand where the complaints are coming from. That could be it. But I have to ask, why do you care what everyone else is doing? If you dont' like what they're looking, avert your eyes! Hell, I do that with what people pass off as "formal" wear all the time. Why some women think they can fit into a dress that's two sizes too small and cut all wrong for their body, I will never know.

 

Sorry I meant to say should not be denied regardless if they dress up-didn't proofread that double negative:o I think take out should be available or they could have the options available on room service those elegant evenings maybe?? Maybe they could incorporate another dining room on new ships that would offer MDR food with a casual atmosphere for those people who detest dressing up? Or modify the comedy clubs somehow?

 

I haven't seen too many people dressed too terribly-one lady in a tank and shorts that were far too short, but luckily I did not sit near her and only had to look at her while we were waiting for the doors to open. But it would have been a different story if she was at my table. Felt bad for those people:( I agree 100% with ladies and men wearing clothing too small-dressy or not!

 

I think the concern is that it is a slippery slope and maybe it is not so bad now, but many do not want to see it continue to get more and more dressed down. I'm just afraid that if that happens, one of these days tank top and daisy duke lady WILL be at my table :eek: We don't wear tuxes and evening gowns, but do wear cocktail dresses and suits. I don't expect someone to buy a $400 suit just to wear to elegant night, but don't see what the big deal is with dress pants-or even khakis- a button shirt and a tie-even a cheap one. Ladies can buy even a sundress very cheap. If it's not your thing you could certainly wear the same dress for more than one night and then change right after dinner too.

[LemurCat]

I think the concern is that it is a slippery slope and maybe it is not so bad now, but many do not want to see it continue to get more and more dressed down.

 

Have you ever seen a movie called "Idiocracy"? ;)

[elcuchio24]

I can't remember a single meal on a cruise ship that my meal has been ruined by what anyone else in the dining room was wearing.

[H82seaUgo]

I can't remember a single meal on a cruise ship that my meal has been ruined by what anyone else in the dining room was wearing.

 

i can't remember one post that said this.

[TriciaEMTB]

Because on the night that food is served, there is a dress code in place in the MDR. Make a choice. Either go with the flow and enjoy the cuisine dressed appropriately, or enjoy your dinner in an area of the ship where you can wear whatever you please.

 

CCL should enforce the guidelines they set and then this would be a moot point. Saying it's OK to dress as you please on elegant night in the MDR because it is not enforced is like saying "No cop, no stop."

 

Really how does someone sitting down wearing jeans an a t eating their prime rib and lobster affect you eating yours in your fancy dress?

[sail-a-bration]

I like the idea of a formal dress dinning and casual dinning room. As John would say Brilliant!

[Wayfairers]

I think the only way to keep everyone happy is a formal dress dining and a casual dining room or separated areas in the same room if the ship isn't set up for separate rooms. That way those who wish to dress formally could get the full experiences with those around them similarly dressed and those of us who don't feel the need to dress formally could dress as we want but still enjoy the MDR.

[cruisinchick71]

I personally love dressing up in elegant wear but it's just not for everyone. I do think jeans and extreme casual wear should be kept out of the dining room on the more formal night. I think "Sunday best" is appropriate.

[DarthGrady]

Why should people be denied food based on their clothing? They're paying for it the same as you are. If the Maitre D has not problem with it, why should you?

 

 

 

Don't take this the wrong way, but I hear this statement a lot. And I would like to know why people think that because they don't get to dress up a lot in their "real life" they should impose rules demanding others do. If you want to dress up, do it! Hell, do it and go to Appleby's! Do it to make yourself happy and to hell with whatever else is thinking. If you enjoy it, you shouldn't limit how often you do it.

 

 

 

I disagree. It's something some people enjoy and something some people detest and find a chore. I won't speak for "most people" as I'm not "most people". But I don't enjoy it. I do it several times a year (and right now is prime time for me). It's not fun, even if I do look fabulous.

 

 

 

Maybe it's just me, as I have yet to see anyone go so far below the minimal "cruise elegant" standards that I simply don't understand where the complaints are coming from. That could be it. But I have to ask, why do you care what everyone else is doing? If you dont' like what they're looking, avert your eyes! Hell, I do that with what people pass off as "formal" wear all the time. Why some women think they can fit into a dress that's two sizes too small and cut all wrong for their body, I will never know.

 

Lemur, this post is so full of win I think it just broke the internet! Agree 1000%