Dinner attire - men/boys in nice shorts?

[sellwingri]

Not having room to pack pants in your suitcase is a new excuse I haven't heard! Now that's really stretching it. Why can't everyone just follow the rule that's posted in the Cruise Critic that says "no short pants" and end this discussion?

[LMaxwell]

Why can't everyone just follow the rule that's posted in the Cruise Critic that says "no short pants" and end this discussion?

 

Because it's an arbitrary rule from a bygone era. Many people just aren't interested in it on vacation anymore and want to be more casual. The MDR isn't "all that" anymore. it used to be the best meal and service. Now it's kind of the "baseline". Hope that answers your question.

[RaiderDuck]

I don't fly often, but $100 for a bag is a small part of a $3,000+ vacation.

 

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$100 for the bag, plus another $50 or so to check it on the plane, plus the bother of lugging something else around, finding a space for it in the cabin, making sure you don't lose it before or after the cruise, etc.

 

It's a lot to put up with solely to avoid offending a stranger you'll never see again.

[RaiderDuck]

Because it's an arbitrary rule from a bygone era. Many people just aren't interested in it on vacation anymore and want to be more casual. The MDR isn't "all that" anymore. it used to be the best meal and service. Now it's kind of the "baseline". Hope that answers your question.

Agreed. It's also the cruise line you're on: Travel on Cunard, and I can promise you'll see only formal dress every night for dinner. But we're talking Royal Caribbean or Carnival or Norwegian here. Different lines, different standards, different expectations (this is also why we'll never cruise Cunard).

 

We realized how optional "Formal Night" on Carnival was on our first cruise: we went to all the trouble of bringing my suit, steaming it, putting in on, and when we went to the MDR, found ourselves standing in between people wearing t-shirts, shorts and flip-flops. Since then, "Formal Night" means I'll wear a white button-up shirt and nice pants, but no fancier.

Edited February 6, 2017 by RaiderDuck

[John&LaLa]

Are you wearing pants?

 

Not right now, but I'm at work. ;)

[John&LaLa]

$100 for the bag, plus another $50 or so to check it on the plane, plus the bother of lugging something else around, finding a space for it in the cabin, making sure you don't lose it before or after the cruise, etc.

 

It's a lot to put up with solely to avoid offending a stranger you'll never see again.

 

So sorry, I assumed you at least owned a bag of sorts. The $100 was checking it twice. If you check it, no need to find space in the cabin.

[RaiderDuck]

Unless you live in a barn it's manners. A gentlemen takes his hat off when coming inside. Good manners are ALWAYS in fashion.

 

 

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We're talking about arbitrary rules from long ago. No need to apply them today. If I'm going to the MDR or a nice land restaurant and want to wear a coordinating trilby or newsboy hat, I fail to see how I'm offending anyone.

[nolesrule]

Slippery slope folks. Shorts in the MDR is like a gateway drug to rule-breaking. Pretty soon, your preteens will be smoking on balconies, bringing handcuffs, pocket knives and clothing irons, and bringing several liters of hard liquor onboard.

 

 

Seriously though, show a little self-respect and respect for others and dress for the venue. If you don't like wearing pants at dinner, the ship provides a place to eat where you can. I dislike dressing up, but I always try to dress appropriately for the occasion.

[John&LaLa]

Slippery slope folks. Shorts in the MDR is like a gateway drug to rule-breaking. Pretty soon, your preteens will be smoking on balconies, bringing handcuffs, pocket knives and clothing irons, and bringing several liters of hard liquor onboard.

 

 

Seriously though, show a little self-respect and respect for others and dress for the venue. If you don't like wearing pants at dinner, the ship provides a place to eat where you can. I dislike dressing up, but I always try to dress appropriately for the occasion.

 

Gateway drug, I like it.

[laginog]

We were on the Freedom in September & I heard them telling a man with shorts that shorts were not allowed in the dining room. It was a casual night.

 

 

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[Fouremco]

Not having room to pack pants in your suitcase is a new excuse I haven't heard! Now that's really stretching it.

That's what I was thinking too. First people couldn't bring formal wear because of suitcase limitations. That progressed to leaving suits and then sports jackets behind. Now it's pants. Soon they'll be wearing their Speedo to dinner because there wasn't room for their shorts!

[BamaGuy44]

Must resist, must resist, oh to heck with it, I just can't stand it.

 

It's about aesthetics. Why do they have nice artwork? Why do they have nice tablecloths and napkins? Why does the food have a nice presentation? Why do they paint the ship? Why do they decorate the lounges? Why the flowers? Why the trees? No one can explain why the human brain enjoys the way these things look, just as no one can explain why the human brain likes nice clothes, and makeup, and hairstyles. But yet it does, it really does.

 

Some thing look nice, and some don't. It's very jarring when clothes someone is wearing are out of sync with the rest of the environment. If you can't see that, I'm not sure whether to be jealous or sympathetic. Like the tone deaf person who isn't bothered by a slightly flat note, but yet just doesn't get the music in the same way. That's the best way I can explain it, but if you don't understand, you never will.

 

I realize this sound a but heavy, so let me conclude by saying it's not that big a deal. just as the slightly flat note doesn't ruin my evening or even concern me that much, nor does the casual dress. But one shouldn't try to understand it intellectually just as one should not try to understand why we like certain smells. We just do.

 

Well said. Of course what our fellow diners are wearing affects the ambiance of a restaurant. Is my meal ruined if someone is in shorts or a swimsuit? No but it's certainly a nicer atmosphere if people are dressed a little nicer. Like you say if aesthetics didn't matter, the dining rooms wouldn't have table cloths and chandeliers and the wait staff would be in t shirts. It's not the end of the world or anything, it certainly won't affect my mood on vacation, but it's just good manners and courtesy to respect the requests of the venue you are attending, even if no one "makes" you. Everyone has a nicer time when people aren't rude to each other.

 

That said, I don't expect RC to post fashion gestapo outside the dining room and make their customers angry by turning them away, that's bad business. If people don't respect the requested dress out of common courtesy, there's nothing they can do really.

[John&LaLa]

We were on the Freedom in September & I heard them telling a man with shorts that shorts were not allowed in the dining room. It was a casual night.

 

 

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When Freedom was in PC I only witnessed a man turned away for wearing a sleveless T shirt at breakfast. Not a wife beater though. They were always very casual these past few years

[trippintex]

if you dress like a bum go to johnny rockets put on pants and a shirt with out your arm pits showing for men this a real nice room where you should dress nice come on

[aenglish1609]

It's crazy to me, that there are people who have such dull lives, that what someone else wears to supper will affect them. To each their own.

[cruzeluver]

Just popping in to see if anyone in 9 pages has introduced anything new to this topic.

 

 

Nope.

 

 

Also wanted to see how many opinions have been altered.

 

 

None.

[Doug S]

People say its ok, but understand you MAY be turned away at the door. I was going into the MDR for breakfast before a beach excursion on Liberty in December. I had a nice jersey on (sleeveless but not a tank top) and was stopped. I had a regular t-shirt with me in my excursion bag so no problem, but they did stop me. I did see folks in shorts turned away in the evening, so take your chances but be prepared to run back to the cabin to change.

[ONECRUISER]

Unless it's raining inside Gentlemen need to remove their hat. It's good manners!

 

 

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My kids went to public school, youngest just graduated. Last year there was open house to meet teachers, along with the students they asked men to remove hats also. I'm retired Military so remove my hat inside anyway...

[BamaGuy44]

It's crazy to me, that there are people who have such dull lives, that what someone else wears to supper will affect them. To each their own.

 

Thanks for taking time out of your exciting life to weigh in on this topic that you don't care about :rolleyes:

[troykahack]

if you dress like a bum go to johnny rockets put on pants and a shirt with out your arm pits showing for men this a real nice room where you should dress nice come on

 

 

Really, I haven't seen much attire and appearances of a "bum" on any cruises so far. Wait, I do remember this bum last week blowing smoke next to me and not playing. That is what I call a bum.

 

 

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[aenglish1609]

Thanks for taking time out of your exciting life to weigh in on this topic that you don't care about :rolleyes:

 

I knew someone would try and make that argument. Its just sad.

[krewzin]

People say its ok, but understand you MAY be turned away at the door. I was going into the MDR for breakfast before a beach excursion on Liberty in December. I had a nice jersey on (sleeveless but not a tank top) and was stopped. I had a regular t-shirt with me in my excursion bag so no problem, but they did stop me. I did see folks in shorts turned away in the evening, so take your chances but be prepared to run back to the cabin to change.

 

 

This is why I always where my shorts over my pants in the MDR. If they tell me "sorry sir - no shorts allowed" I can simply slide them right off without even have to remove my flip-flops.

[George C]

You would think that they did not have a/c in MDR, I might dress in bathing suit and crocs and tank top during day , but always have at least dockers and collared shirt for evening or suit/tux for formal

[Mikew0805]

Hi - we have been on several disney cruises in the last few years and my husband and my two boys have always worn nice kaki short to dinner every night (and never felt awkward or out of place). We are traveling on the Liberty in March - - how acceptable is it for them to wear shorts to dinner (MTD)? Thx!

 

I would not worry about it. While I do not wear shorts on formal night, I will any other night. I have never been turned away. We dressed up and even did formal nights on the first 8-10 cruises. We are DONE with that. From the looks of the last few cruises we were on, it seems that many people are done with that.

[JoshuaA]

Gateway drug, I like it.

 

Lol

 

This is why I always where my shorts over my pants in the MDR. If they tell me "sorry sir - no shorts allowed" I can simply slide them right off without even have to remove my flip-flops.

 

Chaps + shorts = pants

 

(you're wasting luggage space)