Is the Dress Code being enforced?

[Barb Nahoumi]

There are always going to be exceptions to the rule. For the most part I assume almost everyone else was dressed resort casual.

 

Why is it not enforced 100%. The people asked to do that job are one customer complaint from being sent home. Who knows perhaps these people were asked nicely to change and flat out refused.

 

If they grabbed them and tried to stop them they risk their job or worse they would become the lead story in the next NIGHTMARE thread. :eek:

 

 

Yup, and forced to drink salad dressing.

[shoreguy]

Yup, and forced to drink salad dressing.

 

And that is very hard to do when it is not served on the side :D

[bangzoom6877]

GoHuskies, okay you have a point. I read what I wrote, and I understand what you're saying. Let me clarify. The way I really feel, in our society we see an excess of greed, be it Americans or other people that come to America that think the world owes them something. I know what you're talking about when you say that some people of foreign origin act that way. I teach many foreign students and I think I can even pinpoint the one group you are talking about (not going to insult anyone though so I will leave it out in this post). The problem is that our reputation is that we are all rich in this country and that's why others think they deserve to get a piece of the pie when they come here. Little do they know how difficult life is anyway! I am sure we can all attest to that one. We all work hard for our money and we deserve our vacations. That said, yes, there are rude people everywhere. When you have a ship of 3,000 or so people, there will definitely be all different kinds of people, from super-classy to downright rude and arrogant. And I've seen it all on various cruises. There are some people that will never be satisfied and will find something wrong with every vacation they take, every restaurant they eat at, everything they buy. Some people just like to complain and they have a huge sense of entitlement also.

 

I also understand where the crew is coming from. They do not want any negative feedback. These people work so hard and I am sure they are disgusted with some of the behavior they see when observing so many passengers each week. I always wonder, do they really think we are all super rich...do they think we are all pigs because we eat so much when we're on vacation? What goes on in their minds must be interesting.

 

In any case, I always feel bad when I see anyone saying nasty things to someone trying to help them, whether on a cruise ship or not. Specifically, these crew members are simply doing their jobs, what they were trained to do when they went through their training program.

 

-Bonnie

[GoHuskies!]

Bangzoom6877--Well said, Bonnie. It's true, we've historically attracted envy around the world because of our tendency to flaunt affluence. And you are certainly right about some people finding fault with every vacation. There are threads on this board that I sometimes wish I had never seen--they are so negative I wonder what planet they are on, and why they spend good money on vacations at all!

[professor]

what I hate most of all is when you put a rule or regulation in place and then simply don't enforce it. NCL has taken great care to put the regulation in their booklets, their ticket information they send you, on their website, in Freestyle Dailies (at least it was in one of mine) and at a sign on the door. I'm of the belief that if you are going to make a rule, then enforce it!

Keystone succinctly encapsulates my feelings. Several months ago, I was on the Star (Mexican Riviera) with friends who had never cruised before. I made a point of briefing them on NCL's policies regarding dress codes in the various dining venues, seat-saving at the pool and theater, etc.

Of course I know that borderline infractions may be overlooked, but when we had dinner in the Aqua restaurant adjacent to adults attired in jeans and sweatshirt, and sat in the Stardust Theater behind a woman saving nine seats for her platoon of companions, my friends quite rightly assumed that I didn't know what I was talking about when I had earlier instructed them on the rules-&-regulations of shipboard life.

 

It's wallowing in understatement to say that I was acutely embarrassed by NCL's see-no-evil approach to enforcement of the rules it piously prints in brochures and website postings. The lesson we learned is that dress codes (and similar rules) are merely a part of NCL's product marketing, designed to give the impression that cruising is stylish, refined, elegant, and so forth -- but once you're on the ship, it becomes clear that the guiding principle all too often is "the customer is always right."

[sterling2]

A head waiter on the Regal Princess told us that they are reluctant to enforce dress codes because customers have many choices insofar as cruise lines. When offended, they will go to another cruise line. It isn't just NCL.

[Bucks]

A head waiter on the Regal Princess told us that they are reluctant to enforce dress codes because customers have many choices insofar as cruise lines. When offended, they will go to another cruise line. It isn't just NCL.

I understand this perspective on the problem, but it cuts both ways, doesn't it?

If I am offended by a cruise line's refusal to provide the ambience they've promised by refusing to enforce their rules, I am inclined to give my business to another company in the future. I guess a ship (cruise line) has to decide which type of customer it wants to retain.

[johnql]

I think the point is that ALL mainstream cruise lines are inconsistent as far as enforcing their own dress codes. None of them want to be overly confrontational with offenders.

[SomeBeach]

Professor,

I know how you feel. You explain something to a first time cruiser and then see something totally opposite.

Now imagine how Evelyn and her son must be feeling. This site gave her all the information and then some about no jeans after five. Wonder what they could be thinking with all the advice they got.

I do believe many lines are pushed to the limits on when to or not to turn a suggestion for dress into a confrontational situation. I also wonder if this is more of a problem with Americans or our foriegn friends or if it equals out.

 

Note to Bonnie..... My last cruise, I did have one young man from Romania tell me his thoughts. It started...... "In my country, we have nothing, but you Americans have everything................" I don't think you really want to know what some of them think.

[nancystn]

Last Aug. on POA we were turned away for wearing shorts to the dining room. WE WERE IN HAWAII! We went to a white glove rest. in Honolulu in Shorts! The M'D was very nasty, and rude to appr. 25 people waiting to get into the DR. in shorts. After a long wait at the CS desk, the M'D of 2nd. DR said he would seat us. On the POA the dress code was printed and displayed on the grand piano IN the dining room! I think policy needs to be flexible based on the ship and the destinations. We received a credit due to our issues, there were many, on the POA and are using it to go on the Crown to Bermuda on 8/28. Love Bermuda, love cruising, so giving NCL another try.

[johnql]

Last Aug. on POA we were turned away for wearing shorts to the dining room. WE WERE IN HAWAII! We went to a white glove rest. in Honolulu in Shorts! The M'D was very nasty, and rude to appr. 25 people waiting to get into the DR. in shorts. After a long wait at the CS desk, the M'D of 2nd. DR said he would seat us. On the POA the dress code was printed and displayed on the grand piano IN the dining room! I think policy needs to be flexible based on the ship and the destinations. We received a credit due to our issues, there were many, on the POA and are using it to go on the Crown to Bermuda on 8/28. Love Bermuda, love cruising, so giving NCL another try.

There's no excuse for rudeness on the part of the maitre d'. However, the rules are clearly published in every Freestyle Daily - no shorts in the main dining rooms for dinner. You should have been turned away. It makes no difference what other restaurants do and it makes no difference what the destination is. The policy is clearly stated in all the brochures and the Dailys. You have every right to express your opinion in your comment cards in an attempt to change the policy in the future, but while on the ship, it's irrelevant.

[JoanB]

On the POA the dress code was printed and displayed on the grand piano IN the dining room! I think policy needs to be flexible based on the ship and the destinations.

I agree that dress codes should be based on ship and destination, but the flexibility that Nancy desires is for NCL to grant, not for passengers to give to themselves at will. When we were on the POA, my family wasn't always thrilled to "dress for dinner," but every night we did so because it's a requirement of the ship. We were quite naive, never realizing that we could have worn whatever we wished if we were willing to make enough of a fuss about it. Next time, we'll know better -- anything goes!

[cmd1978]

I just got off the Crown this morning... the dress code was enforced SOMETIMES... I witnessed several people being asked to change from clothing that included denim... jackets, skirts... on one day, being told "blue jeans are blue jeans"...but the day before, jeans seemed to be just fine... A skirt that was more than fine in the Pasta Cafe one day was unacceptable in the main dining room 2 days later. I can see not allowing jeans pants...however, nice denim skits are quite appropriate, especially for teenages... and actually a few of the people I witnessed being asked to change had "dressier" clothing on than others... just because of the material they were asked to change..... not really fair...

[johnql]

I couldn't agree more - it's the inconsistent enforcement more than anything that leads to problems. Not just on NCL but on all cruise lines.

 

And who knows why cruise lines once upon a time decided to draw the line at jeans or denim (just a rhetorical question). We've all seen people who were far more casually dressed (e.g., sweatpants) be allowed into the dining room. I suppose it would be asking too much to have the gatekeepers judge each and every single person's attire before allowing entry. Talk about subjective criteria! We'd probably see fisticuffs break out.

[KeystoneCruiser]

I too was on the Pride of Aloha last year and agree that everyone was well aware of the dress code and shorts simply are not acceptable. Do I agree with that policy, no, but it is the well stated policy and it should be enforced.

 

I am in a job where I sometimes have to deal with the public and enforce rules. The greatest problem is people who get loud or arguementative to start a confrontation over the rules. Those are the ones that scare you the most and sometimes you do have to be rude. They are also the same ones who will then next go crying to your superiors about you and how unfairly you treated them. Bottom line is when rules are written out and posted, there IS NO EXCUSE not to abide by them except selfishness or what I refer to as the "me" attitude (I and my wants are more important than anyone else) that is becoming a serious problem in today's society.

 

NCL goes to great lengths to explain their policies and it is unexcusable on their part not to enforce the rules equally and as stated. Like I said, there was a large sign outside of the Aqua restaurant on the Star with the dress code clearly printed on it but yet the maitre'd did nothing to enforce it.

 

Maybe the next time I see the dress code violated on board a ship and nothing is done about it, perhaps I should raise a fuss to the maitre'd and then to customer service about the inconsideration I am getting. Maybe I could get a credit on my account for that!

[johnql]

Maybe the next time I see the dress code violated on board a ship and nothing is done about it, perhaps I should raise a fuss to the maitre'd and then to customer service about the inconsideration I am getting. Maybe I could get a credit on my account for that!

It's funny you should say this, because there was a recent thread on the CC Princess board where several people stated that they did "tattle" on their fellow cruisers who were inappropriately dressed. They felt it was their only recourse to try to get the maitre d' to enforce their policy strictly and consistently.

[cutipie491]

We just got off the crown and most nights my husband was dressed in dockers for the seven seas restaurant. One night he tried to get in with longer dk brown denim shorts with a polo - he begged for a minute and then hung his head and changed. She would not let him it. I warned him but I guess he figured he'd try it out.