Dress code for Chops/Portofino

[Slam308]

Is there a separate dress code for the specialty restaurants? Is a jacket and tie required?

I think this was mentioned on an earlier post, but I can never get the search to work (it just freezes) and I got tired after going through a dozen pages.

Thanks for any info.

[Host Caroline]

I wore a silk blouse and slacks and companion had on khaki summer suit with tie -- this was not a formal night. On formal night most people we saw going in were pretty much dressed for "formal night".... There were men in Chops with just a sport coat and no tie.

[chotton]

The dress code follows what is recommended for the main dinning room.

[Ella2]

The posted dress code is "smart casual" for the alternative restaurants, no matter what the dress code is for the main dining room. On formal nights, SOME people were dressed formally in the alternatives on our Mariner cruise, but many were just dressed "smart casual" -- nice dresses for the ladies, men with jackets (no ties).

 

I think you'll find it runs a gamut, and depends on the ship and the crowd. :)

[shirleygr]

smart casual most evenings; formal wear on formal night.

[jreeves628]

What is the best night to reserve dinner at portofino? I dont want to miss the favorites, like the escargot, in the main dining room?

[jckvpa0]

I would not reserve on formal night!

[Slam308]

Thanks for the quick replies. DH will be happy he doesn't have to do the full suit!

Jreeves, I've heard you can ask for escargot any time!!! Maybe give them a days advanced notice, but they'll make it happen. There was a huge thread on here a week back about escargot.

[Schplinky]

We went the last night and felt we made the right choice. We tipped the DR staff the night before and said goodbye. The food for the last night in the DR was simply not all that interesting.

 

Taking the advice of many on this board who said I could "get away" with a tie and no jacket, that's what I wore. I was the only person in the whole room who even had a tie on and there was not a dinner jacket in sight. There were mostly people in nice sports-shirts or polo shirts.

 

I'm sure folks meant to be well-intentioned but in my experience, the jacket or tie advice was off.

[dougp26364]

The listed dress for our cruise was smart casual or formal every night in chops and portifino's. When we ate in Chops, I wore a sports coat as it was smart casual night on the ship. There were only three of us wearing a sports coat that evening. Of all the men in Chops that night, only one was wearing a tie.

 

We ate in Portifino's on the last night of the cruise (yes I did go to the dining room to tip the staff) as the DR menu didn't interest us. I wore slacks and a polo shirt and fit right in with the rest of the crowd.

 

At no time during our cruise did I notice either of these venue's full. In fact, we made our reservations the night we decided to dine in these restaurants without trouble. This surprised me as Portifino's always seemed full when I went by it when we sailed on Explorer in November of '04. The best I could figure was that Brilliance had two restaurants and Explorer only the one, which I suspect ment fewer available tables.

[caviargal]

The dress code follows what is recommended for the main dinning room.

 

This is not correct. The dress code for both is "smart casual" all nights and was well enforced on my recent Serenade cruise as well as on AOS 2 years ago.

[BobBeaSea]

While I can't speak for formal nights, the night we were in Portofinos was casual at best...didn't see a jacket or tie.

[Schplinky]

This is from the RCL web-site but event hough it says it is appropriate, it doesn't say it is required that one dress formally on formal nights in Chops. I'm not trying to split hairs so much as acknowledge that many people go to alternate dining on formal nights to avoid dressing up. Also, even though they suggest jacket and ties on other nights, they are not common.

 

Dress Suggestion

We suggest smart casual attire in Chops Grille - jackets and ties for men, dresses or pantsuits for women. On formal evenings onboard, formal attire is also appropriate in the restaurant; which includes suits and ties or tuxedos for men and cocktail dresses for women.

[Host Karen]

We have dined in Chops and Portofino's on several occasions and DH has either worn slacks, shirt and jacket (no tie) or slacks and a polo shirt (most often). I wear slacks and a nice top or a dress. Even on formal nights, the suggested dress in these restaurants is smart casual. We skipped an unexpected formal night in the main dining room on our Med cruise by going to Chops instead.

[Slam308]

Thank you to everyone. DH and I have been on four cruises together and this is the first time he's expressed interest in Chops. He's usually jean and t-shirt casual, but he does enjoy dressing for the nicer nights on a cruise.

I appreciate everyone's input, calm seas to all.

Slam

[babyjmomma]

hey slam308--definately give chops a try. dress is the same as whatever the dining room is that day. Can't speak for Portofinos, but Chops was absolutely outstanding...can't wait to have it again!!

[Slam308]

BabyJ,

My man's a meat lover, so I'm looking forward to it.

Another thought, I like my meat to moo, do they truly cook to order???