On non formal nights can men wear nice shorts to dining room?

[1 HappyCruiser]

I agree with your comment completely. We were on the Crown back in February for 2 weeks and we saw many variations of dress (or undress depending on your view) in the dining rooms and we didn't even go on formal nights. We didn't take formal clothes so we dined in the buffet or Crown Grill on those nights and pretty much followed the guidelines. But wow, we saw shorts, ball caps and young men in "Metalica" t-shirts in the dining room on various nights and it was obvious that they were not requiring people to follow the guidelines. If they don't enforce it, then why even post the guidelines. It really makes no sense.

 

One evening, we were at dinner with one of the waiters that we had gotten to know on our trip and it was toward the end of the cruise and a slow night so we had an opportunity to talk some. We asked about what he usually witnessed because we were wondering if our cruise was unusual for the dress we were seeing. It turned out he was very "old school" and wished people approached dinner more formally but he realized times had changed so he should too. But he went on to say that there have been many times that he wanted to ask people to leave because they were so poorly dressed but that it wasn't his place to do that. If they were let in, he was told to serve them.

 

As you find through many of these posts, we all have different experiences and it varies not only ship to ship, but dining room to dining room and well you get the point. I suppose it gives us something to talk about but I don't really worry about it. Until Princess is consistent in how they deal with this, things won't change and dining will just remain what it is.

 

It's very good to hear that the Crown isn't enforcing the dress policy very strictly since we'll be on the ship shortly & intend to take full advantage of the lax dress code. While I don't dress in "Metalica" t-shirts with a ball cap it's nice to know that my casual dress will be fully acceptable like most of the Princess ships.

Thanks again.

[tiller]

This is a Princess board, not a HAL board. The Princess answer book states clearly "No shorts in MDR on any night."

 

I know this is a Princess board. However, as I have not yet sailed on Princess, I was drawing from my most recent observations. FWIW, the Holland America dress code also forbids shorts in the dining room.

 

However, how are shorts defined? If it's OK for women to wear capris, shouldn't male shorts of a similar length also be acceptable on non-formal nights?

[Pam in CA]

FWIW, the Holland America dress code also forbids shorts in the dining room.

Not so much. :) I was on the Zuiderdam a couple of years ago and one night, a young lady in what can only be described as a Daisy Duke outfit, the shorts so short her butt was exposed, and a super tight, very low-cut tank top not only was allowed in the main dining room but was led to a table by the maitre d'. It was really funny to see the heads turning as she made her way.

 

On Celebrity last year, a man wore cargo shorts every single night, including formal night.

 

Seems like HAL and Celebrity are no better at enforcing the requested dress than Princess. :)

[tiller]

Not so much. :) I was on the Zuiderdam a couple of years ago and one night, a young lady in what can only be described as a Daisy Duke outfit, the shorts so short her butt was exposed, and a super tight, very low-cut tank top not only was allowed in the main dining room but was led to a table by the maitre d'. It was really funny to see the heads turning as she made her way.

 

On Celebrity last year, a man wore cargo shorts every single night, including formal night.

 

Seems like HAL and Celebrity are no better at enforcing the requested dress than Princess. :)

 

I wonder what would have happened with a female maitre d'. :p

[tip]

... but I wish our entire world society could just get over judgementalism based or people's surface features; be that skin color, clothing, or any physical appearance.

 

Just sayin'.

 

Doug

 

And you have said it very well!

[spunkyhungry]

Last summer I was dealing with a painful surgery scar on my knee. It hurt to wear pants. I was very grateful that the Carnival cruise I was on allowed shorts in the dining room. So that could be a reason why someone would want to wear shorts in the dining room. Fortunately, the scar is fine now, and I can wear whatever I want.

[caribill]

More people should think like that - all it takes is a few moments to read the answer book which some folks don't think exists or have not learned to read yet!

 

People would read it if Princess would still mail it out to passengers.

 

Now, new cruisers must:

o know it exists

o be able to figure out how to download it

o download it

o be willing to spend the time it takes to read it on the computer screen (or use a good bit of printer ink printing it out)

[caribill]

I wonder what the posters who feel the dress code is optional and will wear shorts even on formal evenings wear to a wedding if the requested attire is formal or to a funeral.

[1 HappyCruiser]

I wonder what the posters who feel the dress code is optional and will wear shorts even on formal evenings wear to a wedding if the requested attire is formal or to a funeral.

 

Weddings are by invitation & many, many people where I live go casual to funerals all the time.

[DugboatLarry]

Weddings are by invitation & many, many people where I live go casual to funerals all the time.

 

 

On the left coast of the USA so do we. We just went to a memorial service for a very old friend, and many Aloha shirts and shorts were present. Also a few stuffy shirts from the bank. Happy Travels, your dress, your skin color, your culture does not matter to us.

 

Maybe the government jobs require shirts and ties we don't know or care.

[chloe kitty]

Where we live, it is hot at least 9 months of the year. Both my husband and myself live in shorts. But, there is a time and place for everything, and wearing slacks for a few nights and only a few hours each night, won't hurt anyone.

[shepp]

Neither, it's just that on a vacation I dislike someone telling me how I should dress to be comfortable. Not that I always wear shorts to dinner but dictating to someone how they should dress is none of their concern. Dressing casually on a vacation in the DR for dinner (within limits) doesn't affect any one but yourself and if someone is offended they should learn to look the other way.

 

Well, we've been through this before when you pointed out that polo shirts were more uncomfortable than T-shirts, so I won't bother to challenge your notion that letting your legs dangle free in a chilly dining room is comfier than wearing icky, calf-strangling slacks.

 

But may I ask: who sets the "within limits" on casual dress?

 

Oh, that's right...

[1 HappyCruiser]

Well, we've been through this before when you pointed out that polo shirts were more uncomfortable than T-shirts, so I won't bother to challenge your notion that letting your legs dangle free in a chilly dining room is comfier than wearing icky, calf-strangling slacks.

 

But may I ask: who sets the "within limits" on casual dress?

 

Oh, that's right...

 

Polo's & T shirts are both comfortable and can be substituted interchangeably. I personally prefer my relaxed jeans on casual evenings except for sometimes on the first night & definitely on the last night when I'm packed ready to travel.

You seem to be confused as to who sets the limits & from what I can see on Princess it's left to the discretion of the wearer in which most times is decent by anyone's standards .

[keagle]

Dinner takes at the most - one & a half hours, maybe longer if you want it to.

 

If you do not want to wear trousers, go to the Horizon Court, or one of the other dinning options. Dress codes on the Sun Princess (from what I saw) were enforced.

 

I am I no way a conformist. I have tattoos that cover two legs and more, but, it did not hurt to put some long pants on for the nights we ate in the MDR. There are times when you can state that you are an individual, but dinner is not the time.

 

I suppose there are many of you that will do 60 in a 50 zone just for the hell of it.

[cruise pup]

It's one thing to wear clothes outside the recommended dress code on cruise lines where the maitre d' will look the other way. I didn't bring formal clothes on my recent RCCL cruise and I mentioned this to my head waiter and he felt it didn't matter at all. What others thought didn't matter to me because they should be looking at the food and not at me. I just wouldn't want to have a run-in with the staff over this issue. Now if Princess' staff will take exception to dressing outside the recommended code then that is different to me. I wouldn't want a confrontation with the maitre d' and therefore I would either follow the recommended guidelines (I hate the word rules... this isn't Mary Had a Little Lamb) or else dine in another venue. But damn, that Princess cuisine is so good I'd be willing to dress up like Little Lord Fauntleroy and stand on my head if they told me.

[Griller]

I was wondering about a Tuxedo Morph Suit personally, they look comfortable and they do make them in 3X.

 

No Superhero should be seen without one.

 

They roll up small and would be ideal for travelling.

[imfun888]

I really had no idea this was such a hot topic.....I have only cruised Disney and on non formal nights they allow khaki shorts with polo shirts, I really didn't know.

 

My opinion...on formal nights I think everyone that wants to come to one of the dining rooms should attempt to look nice, I personally think it is fun to get dressed up and dress my kids up twice! I even have a gown this time:)

If this is not your thing, that is fine and you have lots of choices. It is probably fun to have a quiet run of the ship at this time. But, again just my opinion. I would never let someone in shorts have the power of ruining my evening.

 

I think we all agree that no one should come to dining room with bathing suits, ripped shorts you would wear to mow the lawn, tanks that let it hang out....that I think we all know is not acceptable in a dining room. But you are cruising with thousands of people and you can assume there is one in every group....who cares.

 

But there is a difference between this and khaki ironed shorts to the knee with a ironed polo. I don't think anyone dressed like this should ruin anyones evening on non formal nights. HOWEVER as soon as I heard the policy is long pants I promptly said I would pack more pants.

 

Everybody...rich, poor, blue collar, white collar, from NYC or West Virginia have different opinions and when you CHOOSE to cruise with 3,000 people YOU have to come in with a certain expectation that there actually people different then you! Not better or worse just different. As a matter of fact one of my favorite things about cruising is meeting different people and of course...yes I will say it...people watching....it makes for good conversations, laughs and memories....

 

I think some of you need to lighten up and talk a little nicer.

[lcmslady]

I always read these threads and chuckle then go about my business. Today, I'm going to comment.

 

Am I more comfortable in jeans and a t-shirt - heck yes!

 

Do I wear those to a nice restaurant - heck no!

 

Yes, it's your vacation and you should be able to do what you want (within reason) but come on........

Would you really wear the Daisy Duke shorts and a low-cut shirt to a nice restaurant. The MDR is not McDonald's or Applebees but a cut or two above that.

 

Personally, I enjoy formal nights - it's the only time I ever get to get dressed up and feel like a lady :D

 

If you don't want to do adhere to the cruise line's guidelines, go eat in the buffet or order room service.

It's part of the cruise experience.

[cookingchick]

On the left coast of the USA so do we. We just went to a memorial service for a very old friend, and many Aloha shirts and shorts were present. Also a few stuffy shirts from the bank. Happy Travels, your dress, your skin color, your culture does not matter to us.

 

Maybe the government jobs require shirts and ties we don't know or care.

 

LOL...this just brought back the memory of my parent's memorial at Arlington a few years back. All of the men wore tropical shirts in honor of my dad who, after retiring from active duty and joining the civil service, wore nice slacks and tropical shirts to work every day at HQ...because he could. :)

[cookingchick]

Would you really wear the Daisy Duke shorts and a low-cut shirt to a nice restaurant.

 

I'm always amused at women who actually dress like this on a regular basis...and truly believe they look smokin' hot...when, in actuality, they look quite skeezy. :confused:

 

Perhaps when they are led to a table in the MDR looking like that it is really a reflection of the Maitre D's sense of humor! :D

[mycruz]

A couple of weeks ago when I was on the Grand I was outside one of the dining rooms on the first night. I over heard one of the hostesses advise a male passenger that was wearing shorts that they were allowed on the first and last night of the cruise. This was the first time I had ever heard that, but different ships seem to enforce the dining attire differently. Some don't enforce it at all.

[LS6Caddy]

Let me start by saying I despise wearing pants. I live in colorado and almost never wear pants, with exception to the occassional wedding, funeral, or any other occasion that warrants it. But with that being said, I have no problem with Princess enforcing a dress code in the MDR. Lets remember one thing, Princess is not telling you what to wear. If you don't like the dress code, there are other dining options. There are many places in this world that have a dress code and if you don't like it then you don't go to those places. Same goes for the MDR on a cruise ship. If eating in the MDR is important to you, then you follow suit, it's not really that difficult of a concept to grasp. I personally hate wearing a suit, but....my wife enjoys dressings up and I enjoy the MDR. So for 2 hrs a night it is not really that big of a deal.

[NoGvmnt]

I suppose there are many of you that will do 60 in a 50 zone just for the hell of it.

 

I do 60 in a 50 zone because everyone else is going 60 and usually it is safer to go with the flow than to impede it.

 

So, when attending the MDR, go with the flow.;):D

 

Jim

[themerle]

:) I also have to wonder about the fact that often, the waitstaff is dressed better than the people they're serving. Just saying...

 

 

Totally agree!!!

[AKman2495]

I assume you did not read my post carefully. I said I AM going to follow the rules on non-formal nights, AND that I will eat elsewhere on formal nights [owning no clothing appropriate to that situation].

 

I only suggested that in general humans will inevitably grow up beyond these biases. They WILL eventually actually scratch their heads when they read about a human history where such irrelevancies were used to segregate, as a symbol of 'worthiness'.

 

But again, I intend to do what is required by a private company whose services I purchased. I didn't have to buy, afterall. Their home, their rules. And it is still 2012.

 

Doug

 

the problem with your post and your argument is that it completely misses the point. Formal evenings are Formal evenings. People dress formally to express a certain style-one that Princess embodies (or at least tries to). It is like an artistic expression. The fact that you do not choose to participate is your choice and yours alone. No one makes judgments about you not participating. People DO make judgments about people who try to break the rules for whatever reason.

 

It never ceases to amaze me as to why people book cruises on ships that have dress codes and then complain up and down about having to conform to a dress code.

 

It is like someone booking a cruise to Europe and complaining the whole way that they are not going to see Hawaii!

 

There is also apparently an undercurrent expressed here that people who do not dress up are inferior or "low class". There are no doubt that some-perhaps many-people feel that way. But that is nothing new. It goes back to the beginning of civilization and it isn't going to change any time soon.

 

I saw a movie a few nights ago called "Romance on the high seas. It's a "B" move from 1948 about a cruise. In that movie two of the characters are cruising for the first time. They are from the lower classes and mistakenly dress in formal clothes on the first night of the cruise. At first the Maitre 'de thinks the main is a waiter. They are refused entry to the dining room because they are overdressed!!!!!!

 

Believe it or not!