Another Dress Code Question

[bkalmans]

I know there are many topics on this but looked and couldn't find an answer to this.  I know in the dining room in the evenings jeans are not permitted.  What about khaki style jeans (I call them my dress jeans) for men.  Would that still apply and it is required to wear slacks?  Have no issues either way just want to make sure I pack correctly.

[CCWineLover]

1 hour ago, bkalmans said:

I know there are many topics on this but looked and couldn't find an answer to this.  I know in the dining room in the evenings jeans are not permitted.  What about khaki style jeans (I call them my dress jeans) for men.  Would that still apply and it is required to wear slacks?  Have no issues either way just want to make sure I pack correctly.

You probably need to be more specific and include a picture.

Rather than asking here, where you'll likely get opinions across the board, you probably should just ask Viking directly by sending them a picture with your question.  Send to tellus@Vikingcruises.com

[CDNPolar]

I will tell you what passes for me and no one has ever looked twice at me....

 

I have several pairs of "jeans" from RW&Co. called their "Straight Leg Super Stretch 5-Pocket Pant".

 

I have them in Olive Green, Navy Blue, Tan, and Black.  With a proper shirt on top, IMO no one is going to stop you or question your dress.  No one has ever stopped me.

 

My husband has several pairs of pants from Massimo Dutti that are essentially jeans but not the traditional Levis type jeans.

 

I think that no jeans is a way of Viking keeping out the ripped, faded, style jeans that can be both expensive and popular, but not dressy enough to meet an elegant casual dress code.

 

I have also worn Dockers brand chinos many times and again, never been questioned.

 

[Mitina]

1 hour ago, CDNPolar said:

I think that no jeans is a way of Viking keeping out the ripped, faded, style jeans that can be both expensive and popular, but not dressy enough to meet an elegant casual dress code.

Agree.  Or pockets double stitched on the outside with rivets.  There are 'jeans' as we knew it as kids and then there are casual clothes.

[CDNPolar]

1 minute ago, Mitina said:

Agree.  Or pockets double stitched on the outside with rivets.  There are 'jeans' as we knew it as kids and then there are casual clothes.

 

Exactly!

[formernuke]

You will be fine with those. In this case the suggestion to ask Viking will be fruitless as the shore establishment answering have no clue about actual on board activities. 

[bkalmans]

thank you

 

[DrKoob]

22 hours ago, bkalmans said:

I know there are many topics on this but looked and couldn't find an answer to this.  I know in the dining room in the evenings jeans are not permitted.  What about khaki style jeans (I call them my dress jeans) for men.  Would that still apply and it is required to wear slacks?  Have no issues either way just want to make sure I pack correctly.

Wore exactly what you are talking about on our Viking Ocean cruise. But after three meals in the loudest dining room I have ever been in, with strange and inconsistent service we ate the rest of the 21 night cruise either in the buffet, room service (we were quarantined for four days) or the specialty restaurants. 

[CCWineLover]

4 hours ago, DrKoob said:

Wore exactly what you are talking about on our Viking Ocean cruise. But after three meals in the loudest dining room I have ever been in, with strange and inconsistent service we ate the rest of the 21 night cruise either in the buffet, room service (we were quarantined for four days) or the specialty restaurants. 

Agree with you about the noise.  We used to go to the restaurant dining room, but as my wife now has hearing issues, it has become unbearable from a noise point of view, such that it is not even a pleasant place anymore.  Add in the often 2-2.5 hours to get through a meal without being able to hear ourselves or any people we've eaten with, and we've come to the conclusion - why?  And the World Cafe has nearly all the same selections - plus you can try all kinds of things to see what you like ....   AND it has the best view around.  Often if the weather is nice, we eat out on the fantail too.  Wonderful time had by all.    But each to his own.  Some don't appear to be bothered by the cacophony.   It's nice to have choices so everyone has what they want!

Edited May 6 by CCWineLover

[DrKoob]

24 minutes ago, CCWineLover said:

Agree with you about the noise.  We used to go to the restaurant dining room, but as my wife now has hearing issues, it has become unbearable from a noise point of view, such that it is not even a pleasant place anymore.  Add in the often 2-2.5 hours to get through a meal without being able to hear ourselves or any people we've eaten with, and we've come to the conclusion - why?  And the World Cafe has nearly all the same selections - plus you can try all kinds of things to see what you like ....   AND it has the best view around.  Often if the weather is nice, we eat out on the fantail too.  Wonderful time had by all.    But each to his own.  Some don't appear to be bothered by the cacophony.   It's nice to have choices so everyone has what they want!

We were long-time main dining room people. Like for 30+ cruises (on other lines). We think the noise level is from the low ceilings as opposed to most ocean ships where the ceilings are very high. 
 

One other thing we have discovered is that we eat less. In the MDR, it takes so long between courses and while waiting to order that we just eat bread. Lots of bread. In the World Cafe we get what we want, can hear each other and that's it. Great servers up there that kept our wine glasses full or brought us cocktails. Never got to eat outside. Where we were, it was just too hot. Hope to next month when we sail on Venus.

[MikeyB]

Please dont let anyone scare you away from dining room.  The WC is nice for lunch but my wife and I like to be served for dinner.  On Orion now and dinner takes 1 1/2 hours when we sat down after 7.  Now we sit at about 6:30, very quiet and great service.

[CDNPolar]

 

9 hours ago, CCWineLover said:

Agree with you about the noise.  We used to go to the restaurant dining room, but as my wife now has hearing issues, it has become unbearable from a noise point of view, such that it is not even a pleasant place anymore. 

 

We have not had this experience, at least in my memory.  I do admit that as I age I do find it harder to hear in loud dining environments... we will choose a restaurant based on how loud they play the music and the overall noise  level.

 

We will check this out on our next ocean cruise but that is not until October.

 

[CDNPolar]

9 hours ago, DrKoob said:

 

One other thing we have discovered is that we eat less. In the MDR, it takes so long between courses and while waiting to order that we just eat bread. Lots of bread. In the World Cafe we get what we want, can hear each other and that's it. Great servers up there that kept our wine glasses full or brought us cocktails. Never got to eat outside. Where we were, it was just too hot. Hope to next month when we sail on Venus.

 

Never looked at it this way... about eating more bread... yes, it is on the table and not on the table in the WC.

 

We often see the WC as having all the good stuff that the Restaurant has and you can get your perfect selection and sample more...

 

 

[CDNPolar]

9 hours ago, MikeyB said:

Please dont let anyone scare you away from dining room.  The WC is nice for lunch but my wife and I like to be served for dinner.  On Orion now and dinner takes 1 1/2 hours when we sat down after 7.  Now we sit at about 6:30, very quiet and great service.

 

Perhaps the reason we have never found the main dining room that noisy is because we typically are there at 6pm when it opens, and there are often many tables empty around us.  Perhaps the noise level increases as the evening grows later?  We are typically gone by 7:30pm.

[ddeprez]

We’re on board the Star now, and I’m pretty sensitive to loud noise and the MDR hasn’t bothered me at all. Dinner has averaged about 1.25-1.5 hrs, and has been very enjoyable. As far as dress, I was very worried about having the proper attire- been on many ocean cruises, but first time with Viking. The term “casual elegance “ really threw me! What I’ve found is it’s pretty much like every other cruise we’ve been on, with no one in anything close to “formal” attire. I haven’t even seen one suit coat for men. Men are mostly chino type pants with a collared shirt (golf style or button down). Women are casual slacks with a blouse or light sweater or casual dress. So, take what you’re comfortable with (as long as they’re not denim jeans, (lol) and don’t stress like I did!

[OKCowboy]

We always ask to be seated in a quiet area of the restaurant and have had little noise problems. My wife wears hearing aid and cochlear device with a mike that I wear.

[formernuke]

Just off the Venus and MDR noise wasn’t an issue the several times we ate there. May depend on the time of day and itinerary. We eat most dinners at the WC for the reasons mentioned above, but the dining room often will provide a slightly better quality on some dishes prepared to order vs sitting under heat lamps. We’re not big on being served and don’t like spending the 1.25-15 hours for dinner, but sometimes we choose it if there are particular dishes we think will be better prepared there. 

[CDNPolar]

56 minutes ago, ddeprez said:

We’re on board the Star now, and I’m pretty sensitive to loud noise and the MDR hasn’t bothered me at all. Dinner has averaged about 1.25-1.5 hrs, and has been very enjoyable. As far as dress, I was very worried about having the proper attire- been on many ocean cruises, but first time with Viking. The term “casual elegance “ really threw me! What I’ve found is it’s pretty much like every other cruise we’ve been on, with no one in anything close to “formal” attire. I haven’t even seen one suit coat for men. Men are mostly chino type pants with a collared shirt (golf style or button down). Women are casual slacks with a blouse or light sweater or casual dress. So, take what you’re comfortable with (as long as they’re not denim jeans, (lol) and don’t stress like I did!

 

I think that I have said this in the past, but in Corporate North America, there has always been challenges for folks to understand what is acceptable and what is not on a Casual Friday.  I used to see it as dropping the tie and moving from a suit to a sports coat....  then we went to jeans Fridays and all heck broke loose.

 

It is interpretation of the code and for me and us, it is about NOT looking like I am gardening on a Saturday morning in old jeans or shorts, but actually showered and taking some care in how I look, but without moving to formal.

[CCWineLover]

Everyone be aware - different people have different sensitivities to noise and loud sounds.  Some, like my wife, can now simply not deal with it - so that is one major reason we go to the WC.   This doesn't mean that some of you will say you have no noise problem with MDR.

 

For us, it is, as said by many, other reasons too.  Time to eat, relaxation, sampling of foods, ordering items cooked to order like steaks, mahi mahi, grilled shrimp, Asian bar, along with the sushi and fish selections.  We don't even think of it as a "buffet" like the old days.  I guess we just like to sample and graze.  As I said before, each to his own, and certainly we not trying to "scare" people away from the MDR.  Only you know what you tolerate and don't.  That's why it is so great to have so many choices on Viking Ocean.

[CDNPolar]

16 hours ago, CCWineLover said:

Everyone be aware - different people have different sensitivities to noise and loud sounds.  Some, like my wife, can now simply not deal with it - so that is one major reason we go to the WC.   This doesn't mean that some of you will say you have no noise problem with MDR.

 

For us, it is, as said by many, other reasons too.  Time to eat, relaxation, sampling of foods, ordering items cooked to order like steaks, mahi mahi, grilled shrimp, Asian bar, along with the sushi and fish selections.  We don't even think of it as a "buffet" like the old days.  I guess we just like to sample and graze.  As I said before, each to his own, and certainly we not trying to "scare" people away from the MDR.  Only you know what you tolerate and don't.  That's why it is so great to have so many choices on Viking Ocean.

 

You know, we don't really see the WC like what your minds picture of a buffet would be.  It is above that for sure with all the options and especially the cook to order options.

 

Shame is that I have met a number of people in brief conversation near the end of a cruise that did not know that they had cook to order options in the WC.

[Cienfuegos]

4 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

 

Shame is that I have met a number of people in brief conversation near the end of a cruise that did not know that they had cook to order options in the WC.

Cook to order is one of those very nice, but unheralded,  features of World Cafe.

 

My wife and I tend to eat late (7.30 - 8 pm) at home and when we travel. It's a slow down time for the staff, the cooks will chat with you, etc

[CDNPolar]

On some of the ships, that hidden section at the back of the buffet, across from the bar on the Port side, there is a small cook to order kitchen...

 

I like eggs done a specific way and the morning chef there knew my likes and every morning I would walk by, wave, say hello, and he would take that as my "request" and I would come back after getting my other items and the eggs would be ready.

This is one of the types of great service that we have always found on Viking... especially when you chat with the crew member.  This guy was on his first cruise with Viking, and of course away from home, and adjusting to the life...  He was extremely interesting to chat with.

One morning we left on a very early excursion and the next day he indicated that he missed me the day before, and was I ok?  He was concerned that I was not there the day before.

 

Sorry - I digress from the actual topic....

[formernuke]

5 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

On some of the ships, that hidden section at the back of the buffet, across from the bar on the Port side, there is a small cook to order kitchen...

 

I like eggs done a specific way and the morning chef there knew my likes and every morning I would walk by, wave, say hello, and he would take that as my "request" and I would come back after getting my other items and the eggs would be ready.

This is one of the types of great service that we have always found on Viking... especially when you chat with the crew member.  This guy was on his first cruise with Viking, and of course away from home, and adjusting to the life...  He was extremely interesting to chat with.

One morning we left on a very early excursion and the next day he indicated that he missed me the day before, and was I ok?  He was concerned that I was not there the day before.

 

Sorry - I digress from the actual topic....

At least on some ships, the area at the aft port side is now a dedicated asian/noodle bar, including breakfast. Sometimes great choices there, and what they have is not listed on the app WC menu, so you have to go look. Really liked some breakfast items like fried wontons/egg rolls, etc., 

[hutch1994]

On 5/6/2024 at 9:15 AM, CDNPolar said:

 

I think that I have said this in the past, but in Corporate North America, there has always been challenges for folks to understand what is acceptable and what is not on a Casual Friday.  I used to see it as dropping the tie and moving from a suit to a sports coat....  then we went to jeans Fridays and all heck broke loose.

 

It is interpretation of the code and for me and us, it is about NOT looking like I am gardening on a Saturday morning in old jeans or shorts, but actually showered and taking some care in how I look, but without moving to formal.

Best attitude that I have seen.  Totally agree with you on the dress or lack of it on the Viking cruises.  

[benjaminnicholas]

As a simple data point, on Polaris (expedition), in the two reservation eateries, they were making comment on people coming to dinner in black jeans, but still allowing them to sit.