Dress code

[soccer32]

We have been on other cruise lines but never on NCL. Can someone help me with dress code for main dining room? Thanks for your help.

[romandog]

You can dress up or not. It is totally up to you. One dining room, you can wear shorts in. It is usually the smaller of the 2 dining rooms. The other dining room you are required to wear long pants in, no shorts. They have a dress up or not night. Some people dress to the nines, but you need not dress up at all if you do not wish to. Freestyle is wonderful, and being able to go to the dining room when you wish is awesome. No need to rush back from a shore excurision to make a set dinner time. Enjoy, we love freestyle cruising and NCL!!

[Barb Nahoumi]

The code is resort casual-----Dockers & collared polo shirts for men, and nice slacks, skirts,tops, sun dresses for women.

 

At least one of the MDRS, per ship, will allow jeans. I am starting to notice shorts in the MDRS, as well.

 

No baseball caps, swimwear, tank tops for men, allowed at dinnertime.

[Family Travel Story]

It depends on where you dine and what you feel like. I often see people with causual pants and tropical shirts in the main dining room. However, at Cagneys and Le Bistro, I see more people dressed in suits, although many others are very causual. This is the nice thing about NCL. It is not stuffy or pretentious in any way. However, if it makes you feel good to dress up like your going to the finest restaurants in the world go for it, no one will think twice about you either. Just have fun!

[che5904]

The code is resort casual-----Dockers & collared polo shirts for men, and nice slacks, skirts,tops, sun dresses for women.

 

At least one of the MDRS, per ship, will allow jeans. I am starting to notice shorts in the MDRS, as well.

 

No baseball caps, swimwear, tank tops for men, allowed at dinnertime.

 

Jeans are allowed in every dining venue on the ship, shorts are allowed in the mid MDR on not in the aft except on some sailings that state otherwise in the freestyle dailies.

 

"What Should I Pack?

When it comes to what to wear, you can go resort casual or get decked-out and look your best - it’s your call. That’s the freedom of Freestyle Cruising. We even have special “Dress-Up or Not Night.” It’s the perfect opportunity to get your portrait taken with your family, that special someone or even with the ship’s Captain.

Dress cruise casual anytime during the day, in the buffet and in most specialty restaurants. For women, it includes summer and casual dresses, skirts, regular or capri pants, shorts, jeans and tops. Khakis, jeans, shorts and casual shirts are fine for men. Swimwear is acceptable at the buffet and outdoor restaurant, but a shirt or a cover-up and footwear are required. Cruise casual is also allowed day and night on embarkation day.

Wear smart casual if you are eating dinner in the aft main dining room (our more formal dining room) and in Le Bistro on cruises longer than five days. For women, it includes slacks or jeans, dresses, skirts and tops. For men, it’s jeans or slacks with a collared shirt and closed-toed shoes. Traditional Bermuda shorts along with long socks, loafers and a blazer are all acceptable on a Bermuda cruise.

We want you to be comfortable, but tank tops for men, flip flops, baseball caps, visors and jeans that are overly faded, with holes or tears and worn below the hips are not permitted in main dining rooms or specialty restaurants. Kids 12 and under are welcome to wear nice shorts in all our restaurants."

[luddite]

For dinner, big-boy pants, a shirt with a collar and some shoes will always get you through the door.

[sdmike]

Glad to see someone posted the official policy, but I think of it in very simple terms

 

 

• Jeans and a polo shirt, or anything nicer, will get you into any restaurant at any time.
  

 

• Shorts are allowed anywhere during the day, and anywhere at night except for the aft dining room and Le Bistro.
  

 

• If you're wearing a bathing suit, flip flops, sleeveless shirts, etc. you'll be limited to the various buffet areas on board.
  

[sdmike]

For dinner, big-boy pants, a shirt with a collar and some shoes will always get you through the door.

 

heh. always love it when you say "big boy pants" :)

[kh6275]

We just got off of the Dawn and it was very casual. Pants were required in Le Bistro & Venetian.

 

This was posted outside of the Venetian (aft MDR).

[bp traveler]

Can we also wear jeans in the Epic Steak house, do the shoes have to be closed for men as well?

[sdmike]

Can we also wear jeans in the Epic Steak house, do the shoes have to be closed for men as well?

 

Yep, you can wear jeans anywhere at any time. I wore nice leather sandals a few times without issue, but i'm not sure if I just got lucky or not

[lowroller]

On the Epic 1/26/2013 sailing. Shorts and sandels were allowed for everyone in the specialty restaurants that we were dining at. These included the Cagneys, Le Bistro and LaCuina.

Glenn

 

 

Can we also wear jeans in the Epic Steak house, do the shoes have to be closed for men as well?

[rbrugler]

There is no need to over-think the dress code issue. Keep it nice and simple if you are in one of the pay restaurants.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

For dinner, big-boy pants, a shirt with a collar and some shoes will always get you through the door.

 

I guess the fact that you can wear shorts in all venues except in Le Bistro and the aft dining room as SDMike posted really sticks in your crawl.

 

You trotted out this same line when I asked the same question before my NCL cruise last summer.:rolleyes:

 

SDMike thanks for posting the official dress code. Didn't even take a pair of "big boy" pants on our last cruise.

 

Bill

[DMLyons]

One dining room, you can wear shorts in. It is usually the smaller of the 2 dining rooms. The other dining room you are required to wear long pants in, no shorts.

 

One correction to this. The MDR does allow Bermuda dress for men on Bermuda cruises in the MDR. Still a collared shirt, shorts (but not athletic shorts...long, dress Bermuda shorts), long socks, and nice shoes (I've been told loafers are most common, but I've seen this done with dress sandals and socks by some older guys...yeach...). Oh, and that's for adults. Young girls and boys (under 12, I believe) can wear shorts and dress shirts in the MDR all the time.

 

DML

[DMLyons]

Yep, you can wear jeans anywhere at any time. I wore nice leather sandals a few times without issue, but i'm not sure if I just got lucky or not

 

As long as they are impeccable jeans (not ripped, distressed, etc.), and as long as your shirt is dressy enough, Mike is correct about this.

 

DML

[luddite]

I guess the fact that you can wear shorts in all venues except in Le Bistro and the aft dining room as SDMike posted really sticks in your crawl.

 

You trotted out this same line when I asked the same question before my NCL cruise last summer.:rolleyes:

 

SDMike thanks for posting the official dress code. Didn't even take a pair of "big boy" pants on our last cruise.

 

Bill

??

I don't have a crawl. My house has a crawl space.....hmmmm.

Last week, on the Star, the aft gining roomm did not allow shorts ar ratty jeans after 5:00 PM. I never saw any men who weren't wearing big-boy pants. I also never saw a ballcap. Just like the sign at the hostess desk advised.

 

There are some itineraries that do not enforce the dress code. It has something to do with the home port.

 

Gotta run and check my crawl space. :eek:

[DMLyons]

??

Last week, on the Star, the aft gining roomm did not allow shorts ar ratty jeans after 5:00 PM. I never saw any men who weren't wearing big-boy pants. I also never saw a ballcap. Just like the sign at the hostess desk advised. There are some itineraries that do not enforce the dress code. It has something to do with the home port.

 

I've heard that sometimes they don't enforce the dress code. Other posters say they enforce it to the letter, and they've seen people turned away for it. It doesn't always seem to depend on home port, from what I can see, but if you've seen that...please share. Which ports are usually strict or not? Not that I advocate anyone trying to "get by," of course; I'd rather dress to code and not chance not being the exception to the rule. Just a matter of general interest.

 

But I have also encountered people... :rolleyes: Let me put this in perspective. I am living outside Boston at this point, and ball caps and flip flops are very popular here. I've seen people argue at restaurants with dress codes, because they want to wear their ball caps or flip flops. Maybe it's just me, but bling on a set of rubberized flip flops doesn't make them any less flip flops, and ball caps are ball caps, no matter whose team or what message is on it.

 

DML

[Sauer-kraut]

Which ports are usually strict or not? Not that I advocate anyone trying to "get by," of course; I'd rather dress to code and not chance not being the exception to the rule. Just a matter of general interest.

DML

 

I would think it was not necessarily the port that is strict, but rather the Maitre 'd or House Head. Whoever is in charge is the one who will eventually have to face fall-out depending on which side of the dress code is enforced.

[DMLyons]

I would think it was not necessarily the port that is strict, but rather the Maitre 'd or House Head. Whoever is in charge is the one who will eventually have to face fall-out depending on which side of the dress code is enforced.

 

 

That was what I would have guessed as well. It seems more a personnel type of thing to me. If not them then one of the higher bosses giving them orders...the Food Services Director/Manager maybe? Considering the staff is multinational and those boarding a cruise not all from the same cities, I wasn't certain how port could matter as much as individuals do. :D

 

DML