MDR clothing options

[cruiseny4life]

8 hours ago, TheHawk1 said:

Oooh, people I don’t know and will never see again talking about me behind my back. Yes, that will surely get someone to cave into peer pressure and follow the dress “code”. Are you sure you haven’t confused a cruise ship MDR with a high school cafeteria?

Leave it to the Canadian to make me laugh my you know what off...oh if only I could laugh my stomach off! 

 

Pretty sure it is a high school cafeteria:

 

You got the "popular" kids showing off their faux feather boas, clutching fake pearls, the jocks coming in with their too tight, tucked in polos, with a gut hanging over their pants (this would be me if I wore polos/tucked them in), the nerds who just still don't understand fashion sense wearing bow ties and fuddy duddy cardigans. And then, ya got the "I don't care about you" set that just wear whatever they heck they want. 

 

And of course all of the above think others care what they look like, when in fact, no one actually looks around a room at others to see how they're dressed. 

Then you have the cafeteria monitors trying not to upset anyone, lest a group complain they were discriminated against. 

[LGW59]

28 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

Leave it to the Canadian to make me laugh my you know what off...oh if only I could laugh my stomach off! 

 

Pretty sure it is a high school cafeteria:

 

You got the "popular" kids showing off their faux feather boas, clutching fake pearls, the jocks coming in with their too tight, tucked in polos, with a gut hanging over their pants (this would be me if I wore polos/tucked them in), the nerds who just still don't understand fashion sense wearing bow ties and fuddy duddy cardigans. And then, ya got the "I don't care about you" set that just wear whatever they heck they want. 

 

And of course all of the above think others care what they look like, when in fact, no one actually looks around a room at others to see how they're dressed. 

Then you have the cafeteria monitors trying not to upset anyone, lest a group complain they were discriminated against. 

Much of what you say is very true, but if no one cared how others dress, we would not be on this thread.

[davekathy]

6 hours ago, Mark_T said:

I hope you never get the opportunity to explain to a judge how you understood the State Penal Code to be 'guidelines' or 'suggestions' rather than 'rules' ... 🙂

Thanks for the morning laugh. 😂 Thanks for your concern but I wouldn't have a problem. You should contact Celebrity and have them change the verbiage for their published dress code. Don't worry, be happy. 

[cruiseny4life]

50 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

Much of what you say is very true, but if no one cared how others dress, we would not be on this thread.

Unfortunately, I suppose you make a very valid point. I was being an optimist. 😉

[JJRP]

17 hours ago, LMaxwell said:

I'm amazed anyone thinks the staff REALLY cares what you wear beyond being neat/clean; they care if you tip and they care if you are a decent person to them; as you should be at any meal service, any time of day. But I really can't imagine they care anything about your life, what you did in port, what show you saw, or about your kids, or doggie at home, etc.  It's an excuse to cajole people into doing something they don't want to do "See, the staff dressed up...so you know it's a special place because of that." 

 

Now I could show you some photos from 20 years ago on ships and we are all head to toe in suits and ties, tuxedos, dresses on the women; extravagent feasts with multiple courses; a real production. Go back to the 1990's and the MDR was IT. It was a fine dining experience every night. And it's gone so far downhill on every cruise line that it is just worth the hour it takes to get your starter and main and get out. Just my opinion.  The world is a lot less formal now.  You can be casual and still look great. Then again, you always see those whose formal clothes is from the 1988 Sears Catalog; not such a great look anymore.  

I believe the staff in the MDR works hard to create a specific experience.  They appear to have pride in their work.  I hear you that how you dress in your daily culture may not be considered part of good manners.  But for much of the world (especially outside the U.S., from where the vast majority of the staff hail), how you dress for dinner at night in a formal dining room is part of good manners; the same as saying "please" and "thank you."  It is not about you - it is not a judgment on your clothing preferences or anything else to do with you personally.  I suspect when you dine in the MDR, you don't refuse to say "please" and "thank you" because you are on vacation.  If you don't use such words of courtesy, I believe the staff would care and find it mildly disrespectful and not appreciating the work they are going for you.  So too, if you dress in shorts and flip-flops, they find it disrespectful of their work, of the experience they are trying to create with their effort.

[D C]

20 minutes ago, davekathy said:

Thanks for the morning laugh. 😂 Thanks for your concern but I wouldn't have a problem. You should contact Celebrity and have them change the verbiage for their published dress code. Don't worry, be happy. 

Based on Webster's definition, to what would they change it?  Rule? Law? From elementary school on, dress codes have been a set of rules. I've never seen a dress code called a 'dress rule'.

 

Definition of code

 (Entry 1 of 2)

1: a systematic statement of a body of law
especially : one given statutory force

2: a system of principles or rules

[Ozzmund]

You know that cruising is slowly getting back to “normal” when we have two active dress code topics on page 1.

 

[LGW59]

1 minute ago, Ozzmund said:

You know that cruising is slowly getting back to “normal” when we have two active dress code topics on page 1.

 

Yes and it’s so nice when we can all be in agreement on such an important issue

[davekathy]

5 minutes ago, D C said:

Based on Webster's definition, to what would they change it?  Rule? Law? From elementary school on, dress codes have been a set of rules. I've never seen a dress code called a 'dress rule'.

 

Definition of code

 (Entry 1 of 2)

1: a systematic statement of a body of law
especially : one given statutory force

2: a system of principles or rules

You have waaaay to much time on your hands. I don't care. Call 1-800-760-0654. Reads fine just the way it's published.

[Pinboy]

3 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

Yes and it’s so nice when we can all be in agreement on such an important issue

Agree--- And, another important issue--

Does the AI include a $ or $$ for the person that delivers our 3 shrimp cocktails, 6 chocolate cookies , 2 club sandwiches and 4 diet cokes to our stateroom after we just spent $$$ on a 6 hr tour to a banana plantation ?  ( Talk about a waste of time and $$$ ).

[LGW59]

4 minutes ago, Pinboy said:

Agree--- And, another important issue--

Does the AI include a $ or $$ for the person that delivers our 3 shrimp cocktails, 6 chocolate cookies , 2 club sandwiches and 4 diet cokes to our stateroom after we just spent $$$ on a 6 hr tour to a banana plantation ?  ( Talk about a waste of time and $$$ ).

I still don't understand why you refuse to make life on-board easier for you and Mrs. Pinboy, just lug a few cases of diet coke on-board with you, problem solved.

[JJRP]

I very much enjoy the experience of dining in the MDR.  It is not just about getting dinner; they will deliver the MDR menu to my room if I only want the food.  There are many elements to the experience; decor, attentive service, china, flat ware, food, wine, coffee, conversation, how the staff dress, and even the design of the room itself.  Another part of the experience of dining, for me, is how the other guests dress and their behavior.   Kinda like Rockey Horor Picture Show, or Japanese Kabuki theater, audience participation is part of the experience.  

 

It has nothing to do with judging someone else about how they like to dress or what they like to do on their vacation.  By all means, you do you.  But when someone else decides to ignore the clearly written direction on how to dress, you deny me my experience.  Please let me be me.

 

I will be taking my first Celebrity cruise this August.  I changed from NCL specifically because I hoped Celebrity would be somewhat more traditional and calmer.  One of my top hopes for Celebrity specifically was that the MDR dining would a more traditional, full dining experience.  I think it is great that people want to have a crazy silly time with their kids on vacation, or that 20-somethings want to be up drinking and dancing until 2am.  I think it is great that people want to wear flip-flops and shorts to their dinner (on NCL anywhere or Celebrity at the buffet dinner).  I chose Celebrity because I am looking for a somewhat different experience.  It is  discouraging to see I may not find it because someone else has decided that because dressing "to code" does not matter to them, and they are going to make that decision for me.

 

Finally, I see lots of people on this thread who say they like to wear shorts and flip-flops on their vacation dinner, but that they either eat at the buffet or put on pants and shoes anyway for the MDR.  Thank you for your consideration, and there will be at least one passenger in August who appreciates it.  

[Pinboy]

6 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

I still don't understand why you refuse to make life on-board easier for you and Mrs. Pinboy, just lug a few cases of diet coke on-board with you, problem solved.

LOL--- Do you think for a minute " You Know Who " is gonna  lug 4 cases of diet coke on board for me just because I don't wanna hurt my back and she don't even drink the stuff ??  

And besides--- I don't mind tipping a few $ " extra " even though some say " It's INCLUDED -- I am on the AI and don't have to tip nobody "---- ( One day I'll tell ya how I really feel about those people )

 

[terrydtx]

8 minutes ago, JJRP said:

I very much enjoy the experience of dining in the MDR.  It is not just about getting dinner; they will deliver the MDR menu to my room if I only want the food.  There are many elements to the experience; decor, attentive service, china, flat ware, food, wine, coffee, conversation, how the staff dress, and even the design of the room itself.  Another part of the experience of dining, for me, is how the other guests dress and their behavior.   Kinda like Rockey Horor Picture Show, or Japanese Kabuki theater, audience participation is part of the experience.  

 

It has nothing to do with judging someone else about how they like to dress or what they like to do on their vacation.  By all means, you do you.  But when someone else decides to ignore the clearly written direction on how to dress, you deny me my experience.  Please let me be me.

 

I will be taking my first Celebrity cruise this August.  I changed from NCL specifically because I hoped Celebrity would be somewhat more traditional and calmer.  One of my top hopes for Celebrity specifically was that the MDR dining would a more traditional, full dining experience.  I think it is great that people want to have a crazy silly time with their kids on vacation, or that 20-somethings want to be up drinking and dancing until 2am.  I think it is great that people want to wear flip-flops and shorts to their dinner (on NCL anywhere or Celebrity at the buffet dinner).  I chose Celebrity because I am looking for a somewhat different experience.  It is  discouraging to see I may not find it because someone else has decided that because dressing "to code" does not matter to them, and they are going to make that decision for me.

 

Finally, I see lots of people on this thread who say they like to wear shorts and flip-flops on their vacation dinner, but that they either eat at the buffet or put on pants and shoes anyway for the MDR.  Thank you for your consideration, and there will be at least one passenger in August who appreciates it.  

My sister and BIL came back from their first and last NCL cruise in June of Hawaii. She said food was mediocre at best and half of the specialty restaurants were closed on the cruise due to staffing shortages. They had the drink package and the waits for drinks at the bars were 20 or 30 minutes with no servers working around the pool, again all due to staffing issues. Kids were running wild all over the ship and up and down the hallways late at night banging on cabin doors. They are joining us in the Retreat on the Reflection in two weeks and will not stray from Celebrity again. You will love Celebrity; we did our one and done NCL cruise back in 2018 in the Haven and it was not a pleasant experience either.

[cruiseny4life]

18 hours ago, Pinboy said:

Since we were never invited to dine with the Captain , I always thought it would be discourteous to refuse an invitation to dine with him/her.

 " Awkward conversation involving a lot of small talk "-- LOL-- OH YEA -- Been there, done that for " years "!!!

"  not dine with anyone else unless they interest me . "-- LOL--- Agree 100 %

We learned that on our first cruise -- a table for 2 suits us fine.

" Next time, please don't take my comments out of context ".

It seems as if I did--- my bad--- didn't mean to offend you.

" Individuals should have the courtesy "--- Reminds me of the Slugfest on 14 ( OVC ) !!!

  ( You sound like the kind of person I'd like to meet )

Discourteous? Yikes - I didn't think about it that way. I just figured it's a perk that people who want an Instagram experience would fawn over! I certainly wouldn't bring interesting stories to the table...well I was a school administrator and am now in HR, so perhaps I would, but I can't share too many details. 😞 

 

I suppose you did offend me - I wanted to say, "nah, you're good..." but then I realized my reaction was a bit defensive. Haha - anyway, all is well and good with the world! I've got my coffee and the She soup my husband made for lunch so I'm a happy man right now.

 

I'm trying to wrap my head around this Slugfest on 14. What am I missing?

 

Sometimes I can be interesting - then others I just kind of stare into space, saying yea, mhm, etc...that's when you know I'm bored. Do you have some epic adventures to share? We'll get along well if we can one-up each other on our adventures Mr. Pinboy. 

 

Also - Coke all the way - but no diet please.

[TheHawk1]

27 minutes ago, JJRP said:

I very much enjoy the experience of dining in the MDR.  It is not just about getting dinner; they will deliver the MDR menu to my room if I only want the food.  There are many elements to the experience; decor, attentive service, china, flat ware, food, wine, coffee, conversation, how the staff dress, and even the design of the room itself.  Another part of the experience of dining, for me, is how the other guests dress and their behavior.   Kinda like Rockey Horor Picture Show, or Japanese Kabuki theater, audience participation is part of the experience.  

 

It has nothing to do with judging someone else about how they like to dress or what they like to do on their vacation.  By all means, you do you.  But when someone else decides to ignore the clearly written direction on how to dress, you deny me my experience.  Please let me be me.

 

I will be taking my first Celebrity cruise this August.  I changed from NCL specifically because I hoped Celebrity would be somewhat more traditional and calmer.  One of my top hopes for Celebrity specifically was that the MDR dining would a more traditional, full dining experience.  I think it is great that people want to have a crazy silly time with their kids on vacation, or that 20-somethings want to be up drinking and dancing until 2am.  I think it is great that people want to wear flip-flops and shorts to their dinner (on NCL anywhere or Celebrity at the buffet dinner).  I chose Celebrity because I am looking for a somewhat different experience.  It is  discouraging to see I may not find it because someone else has decided that because dressing "to code" does not matter to them, and they are going to make that decision for me.

 

Finally, I see lots of people on this thread who say they like to wear shorts and flip-flops on their vacation dinner, but that they either eat at the buffet or put on pants and shoes anyway for the MDR.  Thank you for your consideration, and there will be at least one passenger in August who appreciates it.  

Please stop conflating this issue by saying flip flops and shorts in the same sentence.  The OP started this (overly) long discussion about people wearing shorts in the MDR, that was it.  Six pages in, we're still talking about a clothing choice that has 12 inches less material than what some people consider to be the only acceptable article of clothing for men below the waist when dining.  But very few comments here have supported the wearing of flip flops in the MDR, myself included.

[cruiseny4life]

3 minutes ago, TheHawk1 said:

Please stop conflating this issue by saying flip flops and shorts in the same sentence.  The OP started this (overly) long discussion about people wearing shorts in the MDR, that was it.  Six pages in, we're still talking about a clothing choice that has 12 inches less material than what some people consider to be the only acceptable article of clothing for men below the waist when dining.  But very few comments here have supported the wearing of flip flops in the MDR, myself included.

Agreed...we need to get the terminology clear, it's flippie floppies! 

 

Though, I do agree with ya - no flippie floppies in the MDR IF the MDR dress code (or heck, even if it were a suggestion) requires closed-toe shoes of some sort. 

[Pinboy]

2 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

I'm trying to wrap my head around this Slugfest on 14. What am I missing?

You're not missing anything--- It's just me referring to the OVC ( Ocean View Café ) where lots, I mean , lots of people act like Slobs. There has been many threads on this.

( We avoid the OVC quite a bit--- prefer MDR for breakfast and the Spa Café for lunch )

" I suppose you did offend me "---- Didn't mean to. 

"  Do you have some epic adventures to share? We'll get along well if we can one-up each other on our adventures Mr. Pinboy ".

As I said in my previous post--  ( You sound like the kind of person I'd like to meet ).

 

[UnorigionalName]

1 hour ago, JJRP said:

I very much enjoy the experience of dining in the MDR.  It is not just about getting dinner; they will deliver the MDR menu to my room if I only want the food.  There are many elements to the experience; decor, attentive service, china, flat ware, food, wine, coffee, conversation, how the staff dress, and even the design of the room itself.  Another part of the experience of dining, for me, is how the other guests dress and their behavior.   Kinda like Rockey Horor Picture Show, or Japanese Kabuki theater, audience participation is part of the experience.  

 

It has nothing to do with judging someone else about how they like to dress or what they like to do on their vacation.  By all means, you do you.  But when someone else decides to ignore the clearly written direction on how to dress, you deny me my experience.  Please let me be me.

 

I will be taking my first Celebrity cruise this August.  I changed from NCL specifically because I hoped Celebrity would be somewhat more traditional and calmer.  One of my top hopes for Celebrity specifically was that the MDR dining would a more traditional, full dining experience.  I think it is great that people want to have a crazy silly time with their kids on vacation, or that 20-somethings want to be up drinking and dancing until 2am.  I think it is great that people want to wear flip-flops and shorts to their dinner (on NCL anywhere or Celebrity at the buffet dinner).  I chose Celebrity because I am looking for a somewhat different experience.  It is  discouraging to see I may not find it because someone else has decided that because dressing "to code" does not matter to them, and they are going to make that decision for me.

 

Finally, I see lots of people on this thread who say they like to wear shorts and flip-flops on their vacation dinner, but that they either eat at the buffet or put on pants and shoes anyway for the MDR.  Thank you for your consideration, and there will be at least one passenger in August who appreciates it.  

 

Well, if you want something in particular, maybe you should find a company that actually offers it?  Why complain to about a company marketing towards a different type of crowd?

 

In any event, the though of MDR food as "fine dining" is pretty laughable these days.  For land based restaurants, the quality of food that warrants dressing up is increasingly getting higher and higher.

 

It is a cultural thing, so why do you feel your culture is so superior it needs to be foisted on unwilling participants that disagree?

 

[Denny01]

 

OK, if we are going to continue on dress codes and what to wear, lets drop this whole “I wanna wear shorts everywhere” stuff and look at True dress code/rule transgressions!!

 

1 - A guy wears a tuxedo…..OK, thats nice, but he puts the cummerbund on UpSideDown!!! The folds are down instead of Up! Beyond Tacky and indicates he wears one very 10 years or so!!!

 

2 - A Bow Tie is added to a nice shirt…..nice. I love bow ties (well, I need to watch YouTube every once in a while to remind myself how to tie the thing!). But its a perfect bow tie which means, and I cant believe I’m typing this, Its a pre-tied!..or even worse a clip-on….A Clip-On!!! I have to control myself from going over and grabbing the darn (yeah, Im trying to follow the CC rules) thing off his neck!

 

3 - A nice tie is added……good idea. But he then loosens it and unbuttons the shirt neck button…..What does he think he is?? A Private Eye out of the 40’s hanging a filterless smoke out of his mouth??? Close it all up….and Please, Please make sure its the proper Private School Colors! I mean, what’s the point of wearing one unless you are subtly letting everyone know Where Your Matriculated (thank god for spellcheck!).

 

4 - And back to Shorts. If you insist on wearing shorts to dinner…Dinner!….because the MDR is too hot…….OK, I did meet a couple from  Utqiagvik (Barrow) Alaska who sweated when it got about 38deg, so I understand. But at least make it Proper shorts, ie Bermuda Shorts worn with a blazer and loafers.

 

So Yes, I’m ready to compromise and accept those who wish to wear such!

 

Den

[cruiseny4life]

Just now, Denny01 said:

 

OK, if we are going to continue on dress codes and what to wear, lets drop this whole “I wanna wear shorts everywhere” stuff and look at True dress code/rule transgressions!!

 

1 - A guy wears a tuxedo…..OK, thats nice, but he puts the cummerbund on UpSideDown!!! The folds are down instead of Up! Beyond Tacky and indicates he wears one very 10 years or so!!!

 

2 - A Bow Tie is added to a nice shirt…..nice. I love bow ties (well, I need to watch YouTube every once in a while to remind myself how to tie the thing!). But its a perfect bow tie which means, and I cant believe I’m typing this, Its a pre-tied!..or even worse a clip-on….A Clip-On!!! I have to control myself from going over and grabbing the darn (yeah, Im trying to follow the CC rules) thing off his neck!

 

3 - A nice tie is added……good idea. But he then loosens it and unbuttons the shirt neck button…..What does he think he is?? A Private Eye out of the 40’s hanging a filterless smoke out of his mouth??? Close it all up….and Please, Please make sure its the proper Private School Colors! I mean, what’s the point of wearing one unless you are subtly letting everyone know Where Your Matriculated (thank god for spellcheck!).

 

4 - And back to Shorts. If you insist on wearing shorts to dinner…Dinner!….because the MDR is too hot…….OK, I did meet a couple from  Utqiagvik (Barrow) Alaska who sweated when it got about 38deg, so I understand. But at least make it Proper shorts, ie Bermuda Shorts worn with a blazer and loafers.

 

So Yes, I’m ready to compromise and accept those who wish to wear such!

 

Den

Oh Den - you keep rocking those properly tied bow ties! When I was a charter school administrator, I had a co-leader that requested I wear a bow tie on Friday's with him. That was probably the fastest I've ever said no in my life! He was disappointed, but they're not for me. I ain't gonna judge you if you wear one, although I'll admit, I do chuckle a little, because I think they look silly. 

 

But!!! Your post just made my day - work has put me in a crappy mood today and I really needed this post to brighten my mood. Thank you, gracias, merci, spacebo!!!

[TheHawk1]

46 minutes ago, Denny01 said:

4 - And back to Shorts. If you insist on wearing shorts to dinner…Dinner!….because the MDR is too hot…….OK, I did meet a couple from  Utqiagvik (Barrow) Alaska who sweated when it got about 38deg, so I understand. But at least make it Proper shorts, ie Bermuda Shorts worn with a blazer and loafer

Done.  I'm fine with that (well maybe not the blazer part).  It's not like I was suggesting gym shorts or jean cut-offs as acceptable.  Now if the rest of the fashion police on this thread could be as flexible, we'll all get along just fine 😄

[LMaxwell]

4 hours ago, JJRP said:

 So too, if you dress in shorts and flip-flops, they find it disrespectful of their work, of the experience they are trying to create with their effort.

 

Then get dressed up for breakfast and lunch too I suppose.  I don't subscribe to that point above. We are always courteous and respectful.  I've seen some very "nicely" dressed people be absolutely horrible to the staff, totally unncessary. 

 

I believe the cruise line sets the tone for the MDR and it's just fancy cafeteria now; nothing at all close to what it was in days past. Go on a mass market line (where this seems to be a bigger issue on the forums, to be honest about it) and they spend all week trying to sell you specialty dining.  The company has devalued the MDR experience.  it's Okay. It's nice. The food is decent. Thanks GOODNESS on Celebrity they don't make the wait staff sing or prance on table tops doing dance shows; I've always felt that demeaning to the staff. 

 

They don't care if I have on golf shorts or slacks. They just care that I am nice, I am content, and that I tip. That's all. Their management decides the level it should be at.  I think the only people that *might* care as much as you think, amongst service industry, are people who work for/at Disney

[Denny01]

1 minute ago, TheHawk1 said:

Done.  I'm fine with that (well maybe not the blazer part).  It's not like I was suggesting gym shorts or jean cut-offs as acceptable.  Now if the rest of the fashion police on this thread could be as flexible, we'll all get along just fine 😄

I’m Not flexible…..the Blazer Has to be part of it!!!

 

den

[LMaxwell]

51 minutes ago, Denny01 said:

 

 

4 - And back to Shorts. If you insist on wearing shorts to dinner…Dinner!….because the MDR is too hot…….OK, I did meet a couple from  Utqiagvik (Barrow) Alaska who sweated when it got about 38deg, so I understand. But at least make it Proper shorts, ie Bermuda Shorts worn with a blazer and loafers.

 

So Yes, I’m ready to compromise and accept those who wish to wear such!

 

Den

 

I did show a picture a page or so back of my typical outfit which is basically what you describe above minus the coat.  I place them over the chair when eating