Evolution of Dining Attire

[boscobeans]

1 hour ago, 2Beeze said:

I have seen photos, but was unsure of how long ago they were actually used. Honestly, I supposed they could not have been heavier than the luggage we take with us now (thank goodness for some status we have with Delta since my cases are regularly over  50 lb!). So interesting to have that history and to have seen those earlier forms of cruising first hand! I love history and genealogy, but both are poor seconds to the actual living of the experience. 👍🏼

 

Lynn

 

Here is a photo of the loading dock for a NY to Cuba cruise sometime in the 40's or 50's... Enjoy.

[GUEST71919]

14 minutes ago, boscobeans said:

 

Here is a photo of the loading dock for a NY to Cuba cruise sometime in the 40's or 50's... Enjoy.

Wow,  very cool! Of course the shape had to make it more difficult to handle these. You must have some stories!! I need to find that leather trunk, you should have seen it strapped onto the back of a new cherry red Fiero!  😂🤣😂🤣

 

Lynn

[mjkacmom]

On 11/15/2018 at 8:53 PM, shorti503 said:

I absolutely LOVE formal night.  Such a great excuse to get my whole family dressed up and have some nice pictures taken.  We wear jeans and casual wear every day, very seldom do we ever get the chance to really dress up.  We don't usually do tuxes, with 3 growing boys I would have to buy a new one for each of them every time we cruise. My husband does wear a suit and my boys always wear ties/bowties, and either a vest or a suit coat. For regular dinners we will wear a nice pair of jeans but my kids always wear a collared shirt to dinner.   While this may not be necessary, I do think its important to teach them the correct way to dress for dinner.  If you wear a tshirt and shorts to dinner at chili's that's just fine, but if we were to take our family to a really nice restaurant at home we would also dress in collared shirts or possibly ties.  The dining room on a cruise ship is the equivalent to a really, really nice restaurant and therefore I feel your attire should reflect that, but whatever anyone does is up to them. The ONLY thing that really bothers me is when I see people wearing ball caps into the dining room.  Its like seeing someone wear one into a church. 

I don’t equate dining on a cruise ship with dining at a really nice restaurant on land. We have local restaurants with dress codes, no jeans, jackets for men, but they are also excellent restaurants, with great food that is not mass produced and served, with steep prices. Maybe luxury cruises, but I think mainstream cruise dining mimics fine dining, but isn’t fine dining.

[boscobeans]

1 hour ago, mjkacmom said:

I don’t equate dining on a cruise ship with dining at a really nice restaurant on land. We have local restaurants with dress codes, no jeans, jackets for men, but they are also excellent restaurants, with great food that is not mass produced and served, with steep prices. Maybe luxury cruises, but I think mainstream cruise dining mimics fine dining, but isn’t fine dining.

 

True, but ships do come closer than many restaurants even those with steep prices.

Soups, sauces, gravies and many side dishes as well as desserts are prepared in advance at both venues. Dishes like Lasagna, prime rib, roasts of any kind including chicken and other fowl along with items like ravioli, meatballs and most time consuming items including braised shanks or rib dishes are because of time constraints set in motion long before waiters begin picking them up in the galley.

 

The true artistry and skill in ship's galleys is in the timing, estimation, execution and plating they manage to achieve with those entrees that ARE prepared almost contemporaneously when the waiter takes your order.  Being able to put a still sizzling steak, moist fish filet or other entrée fresh from the grill, fryer or broiler on a warm plate with a few prepared veggies and sauced to perfection makes what goes on in a ship's galley almost magical.  Timing and estimating the final steps performed just before the waiters pick them up so they seem to go from the stove to the plate to the passenger is something to see. 

I hate when people equate typical catered affairs to food in Royal Caribbean or Celebrity's MDRs. The difference is tremendous.

 

I agree that certain things like the grades of meats and other provisions prepared on ships does NOT for the most part equal restaurants that serve prime aged beef and fresh caught fish or hand selected garden fresh vegetables but they do come pretty close.  But then we aren't paying $15 for a Caesars salad, $30 for a slice of prime rib or $50 for a steak and baked potato (the potato of course being prepared well in advance) at Peter Luger's.

 

 

 

 

[sparks1093]

6 hours ago, BND said:

Everyone wore suits and dresses when they flew, pretty much into the early 80's when it became more affordable to fly and discount airlines started appearing.    The first time I flew I was 12 (1972) and I wore a dress and pantyhose as did my mom and sister. Dad wore a jacket and dress shirt and tie.  It's just how everyone flew back then.  My point about dressing up had more to do with the perception that wealthy people always dressed up, which they didn't, except when socially required.   Please don't get your info from the tv or movies.  Print media showed wealthy people attending events, not their everyday life.  Anyway, my feeling on the subject is this disdain for dressing up comes from a couple of different things.  I think being told no one can tell you what to do while growing up and that conforming is somehow bad.  

 

I just think the effort to clean up for one or two nights shouldn't be that difficult.  Even on casual nights most do not wear shorts and t's.  I have found that when dressed up, people carry themselves differently and use their best manners.

And now cruising has become more affordable. As I said earlier our culture started becoming more casual in the 60's and that train has been picking up speed since then. Personally DW and I exceed the minimum requirements every cruise because we don't get the opportunity to dress up all that often. I actually brought my tux on our cruise last November since we were celebrating a milestone anniversary that year.

[vacationlover_mn]

I know my DH is very happy to not feel obligated to wear a tux like he did on our first cruise 20 years ago 🙂.  He still usually brings a sports coat, tie, etc for formal nights, since I like to take a few nice pictures 🙂

[pacruise804]

On 11/15/2018 at 6:40 PM, cruisinrealtor said:

Hubby and son will be wearing nice pants, dress shirt with tie no jacket and still debating about them wear sneakers or pack dress shoes. We fly into port so the less and lighter we can pack the better.  I’m pack 2 nice long dresses.  

 

I'd suggest trying on the sneakers with the pants.  Usually sneakers don't look quite right and you would want some type of non-athletic shoe.

[Oak Hill Cruisers]

On 11/16/2018 at 8:58 PM, kochleffel said:

 

In Curacao, a guayabera shirt is considered formal (depending, somewhat, on the quality of the embroidery).

 

Guayabera shirt FTW, especially for Caribbean cruises.

 

 

[John&LaLa]

On 11/17/2018 at 9:48 AM, BND said:

Not necessarily, but when the occasion called for it, they did.  I went to school with middle, upper middle and wealthy kids in the 70's.  One particular neighborhood that attended my HS was very well off and I have been to many of the homes there.  They did not dress up daily, but they did take very nice vacations and dressed up accordingly.  In their daily lives, unless they had an event, they dressed casually.  But, when an event stated "formal attire requested" you better believe they did so.  And, I agree with a pp, "suggested" means more than a lot think it does.  Suggested means, this is the attire we think you should wear and is appropriate for the occasion.  It doesn't mean wear what you want.  Do we dress to the "nines"?  No, but we do dress up.  Formal doesn't mean ball gowns and tuxes.  Black tie does, but formal doesn't.

 

You should watch 'Meet me in St Louis' this holiday season.

[GUEST71919]

Funny I got a notice of a new post here tonight since I am just completed the last touches on my formal wear “haul’! This is a great time of year to do that for warmer weather formal dresses and shoes (....Caribbean.... 💃🏼). Six new dresses and 4 new pair of shoes, all at great prices 💅🏼   I don’t miss my younger days when we cruised with my parents and everyone “dressed” for dinner (heck, I love sandals and flip flops and relaxing as much as the next person!). 😎. But to me it is also fun to see people in their formal wear, it is interesting to see what people come up with. Plus, we LOVE having our photos made as (as I have said before...) they are some of the best we have made since we are happy and relaxed. 🌸🌼🌹

 

Lynn

[pacruise804]

On 12/1/2018 at 12:03 AM, 2Beeze said:

Funny I got a notice of a new post here tonight since I am just completed the last touches on my formal wear “haul’! This is a great time of year to do that for warmer weather formal dresses and shoes (....Caribbean.... 💃🏼). Six new dresses and 4 new pair of shoes, all at great prices 💅🏼   I don’t miss my younger days when we cruised with my parents and everyone “dressed” for dinner (heck, I love sandals and flip flops and relaxing as much as the next person!). 😎. But to me it is also fun to see people in their formal wear, it is interesting to see what people come up with. Plus, we LOVE having our photos made as (as I have said before...) they are some of the best we have made since we are happy and relaxed. 🌸🌼🌹

 

Lynn

 

Congratulations on your haul - I hope you enjoy all your fancy duds 🙂 

 

Sorry to be off topic, but your phrasing for photos struck me.  Is that a southern expression (or is mine a northern?)?  I'm used to having my picture/photo taken rather than made.  Either way, I'm sure they will be lovely.

[GUEST71919]

5 hours ago, pacruise804 said:

 

Congratulations on your haul - I hope you enjoy all your fancy duds 🙂 

 

Sorry to be off topic, but your phrasing for photos struck me.  Is that a southern expression (or is mine a northern?)?  I'm used to having my picture/photo taken rather than made.  Either way, I'm sure they will be lovely.

Hi 😊. Not sure it’s geographically determined, but more tomato/tomaaato 😉 My husband is from Chicago and he says the same (I’m from Atlanta). But he does say he is going to “jump” into the shower and I tell him to please not get hurt 😂🤣😂🤣 I blame that more on years in the USMC of Y chromosome than on the Midwest though ✌🏼

 

Lynn

 

P.S. Thanks on the congrats, I intend to do my best to pull of “cute” if nothing else!

[cindivan]

I laughed out loud when you said your husband says he’s going to jump in the shower. I grew up in Missouri and I say that as well. Although sometimes I “hop in the shower” to “get cleaned up.”  The latter of which many of my southern friends say they have never heard from anyone but me. 

 

 

[pacruise804]

We use "hop" in the shower in PA too - and I also say to be careful not to slip 😂

[ScottC4746]

On 11/15/2018 at 4:12 AM, BirdTravels said:

We're just off the Symphony of the Seas. I'll be the first to fully acknowledge the fact that there are only "suggestions" for dinner attire. From our table in the Main Dining Room, we could see 1/4 to 1/3 of the tables and did a quick survey. It is a lot easier to pick out men's clothes, so here's what we observed on Formal Night:

 

0% Tuxes (surprising)

25% Coats (could be coat and tie, or just coats in general)

65%-70% Casual shirts (polo shirts (many), dress shirts (many),  Hawaiian shirts (some))

5%-10% Shorts and Polo shirts/T-Shirts

 

We have contributed to the downturn in formal attire. We have not packed gowns/tuxes in several years. One less bulky item and shoes to pack.  We do still pack dinner dresses / suits. But, after three cruises on RCI in the past year where the "formal night" attire is getting more casual, maybe we can leave those behind too. 

It is not just cruises but society overall.  The Catholic Church on my street I swear they have installed a pool because everyone is in sundresses, t-shirts, shorts and flip flops.  I remember the days of dressing in suits to go to church.  Theater, even here in Los Angeles, is down to jeans and collard shirts.  I remember the days of dressing for the theater.

[vacationlover_mn]

20 hours ago, cindivan said:

I laughed out loud when you said your husband says he’s going to jump in the shower. I grew up in Missouri and I say that as well. Although sometimes I “hop in the shower” to “get cleaned up.”  The latter of which many of my southern friends say they have never heard from anyone but me. 

 

 

FYI, from MN, born and raised (with brief stints in Michigan, PA, and IA), and I say “jump in the shower” 🙂

[BigHouseFootball]

I pack a dress shirt for each day of the cruise along with 2 pairs of black pants. On formal nights I put on a tie. The other nights I go with no tie and the top button undone. Living crazy baby! 

 

This is way I only have to pack one pair of dress shoes. 

[payitforward]

On 11/17/2018 at 8:51 AM, BND said:

And men in Bermuda wear shorts with jackets.  So, you dress the way the locals do on a cruise?  Really?  Think of all the places cruise ships go and look at what they consider formal wear and let me know if you still feel that way.

If people are trying to dress as the locals do on each cruise, then some of it makes sense to me now: there's a Walmart in almost every port. 😂

[GUEST71919]

23 hours ago, cindivan said:

I laughed out loud when you said your husband says he’s going to jump in the shower. I grew up in Missouri and I say that as well. Although sometimes I “hop in the shower” to “get cleaned up.”  The latter of which many of my southern friends say they have never heard from anyone but me. 

 

 

And @pacruise804  

 

The “get cleaned up” one isn’t something we say for sure, not that I ever hear anyway 😂 - but now if my husband says he is going to hop in the shower I am going to give him a hard look and tell him that I had no idea that Marines hop 😱😬

 

@vacationlover_mn  as long as you don’t live in an upstairs apartment you should be fine with all that jumping 🤣

 

What is even funnier is when my husband’s Hawaiian family mixes English, Native Hawaiian, and Hawaiian slang into the same sentence! 

 

Lynn 

[Biker19]

On 11/15/2018 at 6:27 PM, screenname2004 said:

When did RC stop renting tux & shoes?

 

Don’t think they have on all ships. 

 

Biker, who likes the new phrase “Dress to impress “ - it could mean anything to anyone. 

Edited January 15, 2019 by Biker19

[I_r_a]

> The lack of decorum permeates our entire society, not just cruise ships.  

 

It's all the fault of HRH Bertie (later Edward VII) who abandoned proper dinner dress for the Tuxedo.

 

Ira

[molly361]

On 11/16/2018 at 2:08 PM, sparks1093 said:

I thought it was "you didn't live right if you can remember the sixties"?

 

On 11/16/2018 at 1:55 PM, davekathy said:

You're not old if you can remember the sixties. ☮️

I thought it was you didn't smoke enough you know what if you can remember the 60s

[sparks1093]

16 minutes ago, molly361 said:

 

I thought it was you didn't smoke enough you know what if you can remember the 60s

I turned 11 in the summer of 1969 so I don't think that I was doing a lot of smoking.🤣

[Clarea]

8 minutes ago, sparks1093 said:

I turned 11 in the summer of 1969 so I don't think that I was doing a lot of smoking.🤣

 

Youngster.

[Yorkvillain]

1 hour ago, Biker19 said:

Don’t think they have on all ships. 

 

Biker, who likes the new phrase “Dress to impress “ - it could mean anything to anyone. 

Did Biker just do a resurrection?