Rickgina Posted July 12, 2023 #1 Share Posted July 12, 2023 Hello, Doing a 7-night Boston to Bermuda shortly and haven't cruised Norwegian in a number of years. What's the policy (and/or what have you seen) in regard to dress shorts and a collared shirt with boat shoes in the MDR for specialty dinners? I've worn Dockers in the past then always went back to the cabin to change into shorts for the rest of the evening, but it's such a waste of time and it means packing more. I feel it's still in the spirit of Freestyle cruising to be dressed well and comfortable at the same time. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkrickles1 Posted July 12, 2023 #2 Share Posted July 12, 2023 17 minutes ago, Rickgina said: Hello, Doing a 7-night Boston to Bermuda shortly and haven't cruised Norwegian in a number of years. What's the policy (and/or what have you seen) in regard to dress shorts and a collared shirt with boat shoes in the MDR for specialty dinners? I've worn Dockers in the past then always went back to the cabin to change into shorts for the rest of the evening, but it's such a waste of time and it means packing more. I feel it's still in the spirit of Freestyle cruising to be dressed well and comfortable at the same time. Thanks I sailed Encore in January, 2020 and only wore shorts at dinner. As you said, dress shorts with a collared shirt. We ate in all 3 mdr's without issue, although I've read on here that men are supposed to wear pants in the Manhattan mdr. I did not and many others did not either. As far as specialty dining, we ate in Q, Los Lobos and Teppenyaki and I wore shorts and it was fine. My understanding is that shorts are frowned upon in Le Bistro and Onda, but I don't know that for sure. Last summer, on Joy, I wore shorts to Cagney's too. I'm sailing Joy again in 11 days and will bring a couple of pairs of pants as I'm getting older and sometimes get a little cold in the evenings. Lmao! Enjoy your cruise! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjkacmom Posted July 12, 2023 #3 Share Posted July 12, 2023 I think it was on the jewel in the bigger MDR that my 12 year old short wearing son was asked his age, he was a tall 12, but he was allowed in due to his age at the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggTexasGal Posted July 12, 2023 #4 Share Posted July 12, 2023 Generally speaking, if you do not go to the larger of the dining rooms, nice shorts are allowed. (Avoid wearing torn, soiled, and/or short shorts.) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
js Posted July 12, 2023 #5 Share Posted July 12, 2023 We sail Haven and my dh only wears dress shorts and a golf shirt for dinners. We eat in the specialties, including LeBistro (although they did seat us in the seating area outside the restaurant, although inside the ship) and Haven restaurant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brookie848 Posted July 12, 2023 #6 Share Posted July 12, 2023 Generally, there are two dining venues on each ship where long pants are required (jeans are okay). That is often one of the main dining rooms and Le Bistro. On some newer ships there might be one other restaurant that requires long pants. My husband wears shorts to dinner every night unless he chooses to dress up for some weird reason. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vacation44 Posted July 12, 2023 #7 Share Posted July 12, 2023 The Manhattan Room required pants for men on the Epic in March; however the Joy did not when we were on her last September. I still say a nice pair of dress shorts is a nicer look than torn jeans and sweats, but that is my opinion. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maleficent's Dad Posted July 12, 2023 #8 Share Posted July 12, 2023 The only issue we saw was a young man being told he could not enter Ocean Blue in shorts. This was last week on the Joy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Traveling Man Posted July 12, 2023 #9 Share Posted July 12, 2023 3 hours ago, Rickgina said: Hello, Doing a 7-night Boston to Bermuda shortly and haven't cruised Norwegian in a number of years. What's the policy (and/or what have you seen) in regard to dress shorts and a collared shirt with boat shoes in the MDR for specialty dinners? I've worn Dockers in the past then always went back to the cabin to change into shorts for the rest of the evening, but it's such a waste of time and it means packing more. I feel it's still in the spirit of Freestyle cruising to be dressed well and comfortable at the same time. Thanks Please, not another Cruise Critic discussion thread about dress codes. The policy is that certain venues prohibit shorts, sandals, or shirts without a collar. The current terms are spelled out on NCL's website. In practice, however, shorts generally are allowed. It seems to be up to the discretion of the individual crew members on board. It is reasonable to assume that most crew would rather let a passenger slide by while wearing something outside of the stated policy rather than challenge the customer and possibly cause a confrontation. There have been many reports on Cruise Critic of examples of each course of action, yea or nay. YMMV but you know you can't go wrong by fully complying with NCL's published policy. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two Wheels Only Posted July 12, 2023 #10 Share Posted July 12, 2023 21 minutes ago, The Traveling Man said: The current terms are spelled out on NCL's website Not exactly. The website gives general information but the ship's dailies give the specific information for each sailing. For example, some ships have a MDR that requires long pants and some other ships allow shorts in all MDRs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharonann24 Posted July 12, 2023 #11 Share Posted July 12, 2023 The only dining rooms/restaurant that we have encountered that adhere to the long pants are Le Bistro consistently. We saw an extremely irate man being told that and he was not a happy camper, but that is their policy. My DH always wears long pants at dinner, except for the first and last night. So it really doesn't bother us one way or another. We will be on the Prima in two weeks and I wonder if the climate will impact those decisions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Traveling Man Posted July 12, 2023 #12 Share Posted July 12, 2023 1 hour ago, sharonann24 said: The only dining rooms/restaurant that we have encountered that adhere to the long pants are Le Bistro consistently. We saw an extremely irate man being told that and he was not a happy camper, but that is their policy. My DH always wears long pants at dinner, except for the first and last night. So it really doesn't bother us one way or another. We will be on the Prima in two weeks and I wonder if the climate will impact those decisions. And yet on a different sailing, probably on a different NCL ship, I saw a man seated in Le Bistro while wearing scruffy looking shorts, sandals, and a T-shirt. YMMV. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Traveling Man Posted July 12, 2023 #13 Share Posted July 12, 2023 3 hours ago, Two Wheels Only said: Not exactly. The website gives general information but the ship's dailies give the specific information for each sailing. For example, some ships have a MDR that requires long pants and some other ships allow shorts in all MDRs. It seems that you are correct and that I'm stuck in the past. NCL used to spell out their dress code policies on their website, but I'll be darned if I can find it there today. I even went to the chat function on their website to inquire. The "Chatty Cathy" asserted that NCL had dropped its dress code years ago. I'm not sure how much confidence you can place in the accuracy of the reports received from their chatters, but apparently all bets are off, at least on a company-wide basis. I suppose you are right that passengers need to check the Freestyle Daily for up-to-date info. Thanks for the heads up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two Wheels Only Posted July 12, 2023 #14 Share Posted July 12, 2023 11 minutes ago, The Traveling Man said: It seems that you are correct and that I'm stuck in the past. NCL used to spell out their dress code policies on their website, but I'll be darned if I can find it there today. NCL currently has.... Cruise Casual: the Freedom of Freestyle Cruising Dress cruise casual anytime during the day, in the buffet and in most specialty restaurants. For women, it includes summer and casual dresses, skirts, regular or capri pants, shorts, jeans and tops. Khakis, jeans, shorts and casual shirts are fine for men. Swimwear is acceptable at the buffet and outdoor restaurant, but a shirt or a cover-up and footwear are required. Be sure to pack a sweater - the air conditioning can be chilly. Kids 12 and under are welcome to wear shorts in all our restaurants. Please Note: We want you to be comfortable, but tank tops for men, flip flops, baseball caps, visors and jeans that are overly faded, with holes or tears and worn below the hips are not permitted in main dining rooms or specialty restaurants. All Decked-out: Smart Casual Dress smart casual in our more upscale specialty restaurants. For women, it includes slacks or jeans, dresses, skirts and tops. For men, it's jeans or slacks with a collared shirt and closed-toed shoes. Kids 12 and under are welcome to wear shorts in all our restaurants. What NCL used to have was... Cruise Casual: the Freedom of Freestyle Cruising Dress cruise casual anytime during the day, in the buffet and in most specialty restaurants. For women, it includes summer and casual dresses, skirts, regular or capri pants, shorts, jeans and tops. Khakis, jeans, shorts and casual shirts are fine for men. Swimwear is acceptable at the buffet and outdoor restaurant, but a shirt or a cover-up and footwear are required. Be sure to pack a sweater - the air conditioning can be chilly. Kids 12 and under are welcome to wear nice shorts in all our restaurants. Please Note: We want you to be comfortable, but tank tops for men, flip flops, baseball caps, visors and jeans that are overly faded, with holes or tears and worn below the hips are not permitted in main dining rooms or specialty restaurants. All Decked-out: Smart Casual Dress smart casual in our more formal dining room or in our more upscale specialty restaurants. For women, it includes slacks or jeans, dresses, skirts and tops. For men, it's jeans or slacks with a collared shirt and closed-toed shoes. Kids 12 and under are welcome to wear nice shorts in all our restaurants. ...but even after the slight adjustment to the "Smart Casual" section, there are still cases where the code for the actual restaurant differs from what is listed on the site. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Traveling Man Posted July 12, 2023 #15 Share Posted July 12, 2023 12 minutes ago, Two Wheels Only said: NCL currently has.... Cruise Casual: the Freedom of Freestyle Cruising Dress cruise casual anytime during the day, in the buffet and in most specialty restaurants. For women, it includes summer and casual dresses, skirts, regular or capri pants, shorts, jeans and tops. Khakis, jeans, shorts and casual shirts are fine for men. Swimwear is acceptable at the buffet and outdoor restaurant, but a shirt or a cover-up and footwear are required. Be sure to pack a sweater - the air conditioning can be chilly. Kids 12 and under are welcome to wear shorts in all our restaurants. Please Note: We want you to be comfortable, but tank tops for men, flip flops, baseball caps, visors and jeans that are overly faded, with holes or tears and worn below the hips are not permitted in main dining rooms or specialty restaurants. All Decked-out: Smart Casual Dress smart casual in our more upscale specialty restaurants. For women, it includes slacks or jeans, dresses, skirts and tops. For men, it's jeans or slacks with a collared shirt and closed-toed shoes. Kids 12 and under are welcome to wear shorts in all our restaurants. What NCL used to have was... Cruise Casual: the Freedom of Freestyle Cruising Dress cruise casual anytime during the day, in the buffet and in most specialty restaurants. For women, it includes summer and casual dresses, skirts, regular or capri pants, shorts, jeans and tops. Khakis, jeans, shorts and casual shirts are fine for men. Swimwear is acceptable at the buffet and outdoor restaurant, but a shirt or a cover-up and footwear are required. Be sure to pack a sweater - the air conditioning can be chilly. Kids 12 and under are welcome to wear nice shorts in all our restaurants. Please Note: We want you to be comfortable, but tank tops for men, flip flops, baseball caps, visors and jeans that are overly faded, with holes or tears and worn below the hips are not permitted in main dining rooms or specialty restaurants. All Decked-out: Smart Casual Dress smart casual in our more formal dining room or in our more upscale specialty restaurants. For women, it includes slacks or jeans, dresses, skirts and tops. For men, it's jeans or slacks with a collared shirt and closed-toed shoes. Kids 12 and under are welcome to wear nice shorts in all our restaurants. ...but even after the slight adjustment to the "Smart Casual" section, there are still cases where the code for the actual restaurant differs from what is listed on the site. Thanks for finding this. I could have sworn that a pre-COVID version specified even stricter requirements for Le Bistro, the seafood restaurant, and the larger of the main dining rooms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare BirdTravels Posted July 12, 2023 #16 Share Posted July 12, 2023 9 hours ago, Rickgina said: Hello, Doing a 7-night Boston to Bermuda shortly and haven't cruised Norwegian in a number of years. What's the policy (and/or what have you seen) in regard to dress shorts and a collared shirt with boat shoes in the MDR for specialty dinners? I've worn Dockers in the past then always went back to the cabin to change into shorts for the rest of the evening, but it's such a waste of time and it means packing more. I feel it's still in the spirit of Freestyle cruising to be dressed well and comfortable at the same time. Thanks If you are leaving out of Boston, I assume you are on a small ship. In that case, long pants (dockers or jeans are fine) are required in the aft main dining room and Le Bistro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rickgina Posted July 12, 2023 Author #17 Share Posted July 12, 2023 Thanks all for responding. I found a copy of the Freestyle in a review of my cruise, and it does say it's "Smart Casual" after 5 pm, which means jeans or pants. I'll plan on taking Dockers but playing to the crowd if I can get away with it. I promise not to be that guy in ripped or stained shorts, I pride myself on my fasion sense! lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLAHAM Posted July 12, 2023 #18 Share Posted July 12, 2023 I see plenty of passengers in shorts, jokey t-shirts and ball caps (often backward) in all NCL dining venues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gizfish Posted July 13, 2023 #19 Share Posted July 13, 2023 7 hours ago, Rickgina said: Thanks all for responding. I found a copy of the Freestyle in a review of my cruise, and it does say it's "Smart Casual" after 5 pm, which means jeans or pants. I'll plan on taking Dockers but playing to the crowd if I can get away with it. I promise not to be that guy in ripped or stained shorts, I pride myself on my fasion sense! lol That cannot be a recent freestyle or a review of an NCL cruise. NCL NEVER has an evening dress code for the whole ship. The dress code quoted above from the NCL site is accurate. You could even skip the collated shirt and wear a tee shirt with your shorts in any dining room other than le bistro, the seafood restaurant and the one MDR that is smart casual each night (and depending on the ship they often don't require smart casual in any MDR.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrumpyNor Posted July 13, 2023 #20 Share Posted July 13, 2023 Summer 2022 both on the Gem and the Escape this sign was outside restaurants on board: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vwwolfe Posted July 13, 2023 #21 Share Posted July 13, 2023 The Norwegian Encore dailies state "DRESS CODE: Resort casual (tank tops and baseball caps are not permitted) Shorts are allowed in all dining venues except Ocean Blue & Le Bistro after 5:00 PM. Shoes and shirts must me worn." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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