what bothers me is .....

[cruzin w chris]

i know the whole dress code in the MDR has been beaten to death so i wont go there. what should happen though in my opinion is that they should offer the EXACT same food elsewhere on the ship as they do in the MDR . lobster, steak and warm melting cake should NOT only be served to those that dress up.

[moniquet]

I think they should set aside one dining room for those who want formal. Yes there should be the same food in all.

[paul929207]

If you don't want to dress up, there is always NCL.

[cruzin w chris]

thats a bit of an arrogant statement. all im saying is offer the exact same food in a different venue for those that dont wish to dress up. after all i pay just as much as most everyone else

[Wheatie59]

Serving lobster on the buffet seems problematic. Sure you can order multiple entrees in the MDR. But on the buffet, folks are going to be inclined to grab several.

 

Chocolate melting cake, we learned from Chef Panda during Chef's table, has to be served at exactly the right time after coming out of the oven. To have those on the buffet, they would need to be making them continuously and replacing the ones that had set too long.

 

Steak (and chocolate melting cake? not my thing) are available every night in the MDR. Not just elegant nights.

[Nic6318]

I think they should set aside one dining room for those who want formal. Yes there should be the same food in all.

 

Hi there

 

I think it would be somewhat difficult to make it work.

 

Imagine now you have to start all over. Exactly how formal? What!!! My designer jeans aren't good enough?? What about my t-shirt with the tie painted on? But I wear a hat everywhere! Really, every night?

 

It would be a hard sell...do you want to dine in the formal room this evening or with the slobs? :)

 

Cruise lines have set up their own standards and either enforce them or not at their discretion. For the most part, it works for them. If you want to have cruise with a more formal dress code you pick a cruise line that has a more formal dress code and adheres to it. If you want a cruise that is totally casual you pick one that allows you to come as you are. If you are unsure of what would be right for you, just ask.

 

There are many choices in cruise lines and you just have to keep trying till you find the one that is just right for you.

[teknoge3k]

I agree with this as well. I know most of the older crowd enjoys dressing up as that's what they did "back then" and I am sure they still dress up every Sunday and go out somewhere as well. That's fine, to each their own. Personally, I am in my mid 30s and dressing up to me is torture. In fact, I don't own a suit and tie as I have no need for it. Dressing up for me for work is khaki pants and a polo. That's it. I wear jeans to work with a polo on a typical day (I am in the IT field, a software developer). I don't feel as though I should have to go out and buy a suit and tie for 2 formal nights on a boat. That is a waste of money in my book. Again though, everyone is different and to each their own. It would be nice to have the same meals available everywhere.

[cruzin w chris]

Serving lobster on the buffet seems problematic. Sure you can order multiple entrees in the MDR. But on the buffet, folks are going to be inclined to grab several.

 

Chocolate melting cake, we learned from Chef Panda during Chef's table, has to be served at exactly the right time after coming out of the oven. To have those on the buffet, they would need to be making them continuously and replacing the ones that had set too long.

 

Steak (and chocolate melting cake? not my thing) are available every night in the MDR. Not just elegant nights.

 

im not saying to have it at the buffet, i am merely saying that they should come up with a different venue ( along the lines of a red lobster or dennys ) that people can wear shorts and sneakers and a t shirt and get the exact same food choices as those who choose to dress up,

[moniquet]

Never understood the fascination with lobster, not special now either seeing as it's fairly cheap.

[moniquet]

im not saying to have it at the buffet, i am merely saying that they should come up with a different venue ( along the lines of a red lobster or dennys ) that people can wear shorts and sneakers and a t shirt and get the exact same food choices as those who choose to dress up,

 

Yes that's what I think. Most newer ships have two dining rooms anyway.

[dreamin'ofthesea]

I agree with this as well. I know most of the older crowd enjoys dressing up as that's what they did "back then" and I am sure they still dress up every Sunday and go out somewhere as well. That's fine, to each their own. Personally, I am in my mid 30s and dressing up to me is torture. In fact, I don't own a suit and tie as I have no need for it. Dressing up for me for work is khaki pants and a polo. That's it. I wear jeans to work with a polo on a typical day (I am in the IT field, a software developer). I don't feel as though I should have to go out and buy a suit and tie for 2 formal nights on a boat. That is a waste of money in my book. Again though, everyone is different and to each their own. It would be nice to have the same meals available everywhere.

 

I sort of get what you're saying in that you want the great food without having to dress up, but having the same meals everywhere cuts down choice. So instead of decor, ambience or food style/ cuisine dictating the restaurant it has to

Be the same everywhere? It sort of makes sense to have snacks and ice cream where bathing suit or sarong is acceptable, pizza for casual and sit down dinner fully clothed. It seems the best way is as it seems to be now. Different cruise lines are known for formality and others for being casual. Rather than fancy dressers trying to get casual cruise lines to go more formal and jeans and polo cruisers trying to casualise the black tie cruise lines, why not just choose the one that suits you best. Then everyone has choice.

[paul929207]

thats a bit of an arrogant statement. all im saying is offer the exact same food in a different venue for those that dont wish to dress up. after all i pay just as much as most everyone else

Didn't you know the dress code when you booked?

[leaveitallbehind]

I think they should set aside one dining room for those who want formal. Yes there should be the same food in all.

 

RCI is doing something very similar to this with their Quantum class ships. Along with numerous inclusive and extra fee venues, the MDR arrangement is actually four separate restaurants with one, The Grande, being designated as formal all the time but the other three are casual. While they don't all offer the exact same menu, the varieties of each should satisfy most passengers tastes and would provide comparable offerings.

 

I've also not seen formal nights enforced on any RCI ship in recent years as long as the attire is tasteful and not shorts and t-shirts, which IMO would not be appropriate in most land based dinner restaurants either.

 

As a side note, not sure what the excitement is about the lobster currently served in the MDR anyway as it is usually very small and nothing very special.

[Floridiana]

I think it is best to choose a line that has no formal nights at all. Our favorite is Oceania, but we will try other lines without formal nights next. One is mainstream, the other is upscale. We are in the same age bracket as other old stooges ;) but we don't care for formal either.

[cb at sea]

If you go to a NICE restaurant in "destination" cities, you will find many different modes of dress....everything from shorts to suits....it's no different on a ship.

 

Yes, in the PAST, a cruise was a big deal, and folks followed the suggested dress code. Today, cruising is NOT a "big deal"..it's merely a vacation..and the "non-exclusivity" of cruising means the rules have fallen by the wayside.

 

Like it or not...cruising is no different from any other vacation...

[mjkacmom]

If you don't want to dress up, there is always NCL.

 

We sail NCL for this reason, plus freestyle dining, eating when we are hungry, privates tables.

[leaveitallbehind]

We sail NCL for this reason, plus freestyle dining, eating when we are hungry, privates tables.

 

All of which are also offered on most mass market cruise lines along with relaxed dress codes. :) They're all adapting to the preferences of today's cruising public.

Edited April 10, 2016 by leaveitallbehind

[navybankerteacher]

 

...

 

As a side note, not sure what the excitement is about the lobster currently served in the MDR anyway as it is usually very small and nothing very special.

 

Good point: what is served on ships is frozen rock (spiney) lobster tail -- which does not come close to live Atlantic (real) lobster in flavor or tenderness -- but somehow shares the mystique of Atlantic lobster as a special dish.

[spookwife]

but then you will have people( including myself) not happy that the options are the same everywhere.

 

there are days when the MDR menu just plain does not appeals to me and I am not wanting to spend extra on a specialty so that leaves the Buffet. and if all the Buffet has is the exact same stuff as the MDR I'd be pretty torqued.

 

It's like demanding McDonalds serve Onion rings because you want a Big Mac and not a Whopper. if you absolutely must have what passes for Lobster then you eat in the venue that serves it and abide by that venue's dress code. or you choose comfort over your taste buds and do without the shellfish.

 

the whole point of the buffet is to offer VARIETY and other choices beyond what the MDR serves.

[calliopecruiser]

thats a bit of an arrogant statement. all im saying is offer the exact same food in a different venue for those that dont wish to dress up. after all i pay just as much as most everyone else

 

So, you pay the same.....so what? Does that mean you get to have whatever you want when you want it, regardless of whether or not the ship wants to offer it? "I paid the same" should mean no more than that you are offered the same opportunities as everyone else -- whether or not you choose to take advantage of those opportunities is up to you. If you choose not to go to the MDR that night, that's up to you.

 

What if you wanted to have your dinner served to you pool-side? Why can't you get that....after all, you paid the same as everyone else, right?

[kitty9]

So, you pay the same.....so what? Does that mean you get to have whatever you want when you want it, regardless of whether or not the ship wants to offer it? "I paid the same" should mean no more than that you are offered the same opportunities as everyone else -- whether or not you choose to take advantage of those opportunities is up to you. If you choose not to go to the MDR that night, that's up to you.

 

What if you wanted to have your dinner served to you pool-side? Why can't you get that....after all, you paid the same as everyone else, right?

 

One of the best responses ever.

 

OP, you really don't pay the same as everyone else, as cruise ship cabins are priced differently. If we follow your logic then cruise lines should have menus that reflect what you paid for your cabin. I mean really, why should someone who paid $400 for an inside cabin be allowed to eat prime rib or filet just the same as the person who paid $10,000 for a suite? If you don't want to dress up, find a cruise line where you don't have to dress up for the MDR. But don't expect cruise lines to build dining rooms for every mode of dress.

[zqvol]

I agree with this as well. I know most of the older crowd enjoys dressing up as that's what they did "back then" and I am sure they still dress up every Sunday and go out somewhere as well. That's fine, to each their own. Personally, I am in my mid 30s and dressing up to me is torture. In fact, I don't own a suit and tie as I have no need for it. Dressing up for me for work is khaki pants and a polo. That's it. I wear jeans to work with a polo on a typical day (I am in the IT field, a software developer). I don't feel as though I should have to go out and buy a suit and tie for 2 formal nights on a boat. That is a waste of money in my book. Again though, everyone is different and to each their own. It would be nice to have the same meals available everywhere.

 

 

Don't know what you consider the "older" crowd but I can assure you that most men under 70 are not part of the older crowd and have no desire to dress up on a cruise unless their wife's force them to do so.

 

Most lines (including the luxury lines) do not require men to wear suits and ties ever. You can always get by with a pair of khakis and a polo shirt, with maybe a blazer thrown on top.

[Arzeena]

OP, I see your point and I agree.

 

You will get mostly rude answers from the older die hard not ready to accept a change cruise crowd. But that's them and their opinions.:rolleyes:

[cruzin w chris]

i fully respect those that like to dress up for the main dining room and they all do look fantastic. we do not like to dress up while on the cruise but would still like to enjoy a steak or lobster etc just as much as anyone else and i feel like that should not be an issue. we work as hard as anyone else and paid our cruise fare and paid for our way to the port and all other expenses just like everyone else..... not one person on those ships is better than anyone else. i can get a steak or lobster at a land based restaraunt without getting dressed up so why not on a ship? we like to dine on the lido deck as well and we do quite often but sometimes we would like something different without having to dress up.

[cruzin w chris]

OP, I see your point and I agree.

 

You will get mostly rude answers from the older die hard not ready to accept a change cruise crowd. But that's them and their opinions.:rolleyes:

 

thanks arzeena and yes i have noticed the various replies lol