Dinner, first nite on ship...Sneakers?

[Poohb]

I want to do everything right. I understand the first nite on board may be open seating and dress is informal. I think I read that you might be wearing the same clothes for dinner as you did for boarding cuz you may not get your luggage. Since we'll be on a land tour and I wear sneakers 24/7 at home and on coach/tour; on the first nite are sneakers okay or should I have another pair of shoes handy? Sorry, first cruise and I'm still learning.

[Deb C.]

Welcome to the forum and to cruising. Hope you will enjoy both.

 

Depending on the ship, the 1st night's dinner can be open seating, but many times it is at your reserved table. Which ship and itinerary are you sailing?

 

Generally the 1st night is casual NOT informal (which on Celebrity ships means semi-formal). Since a few may not have their luggage, they are more lenient than other evenings, but no shorts in the dining room after 6PM. I would think you could get by with your tennis shoes that first night.

 

Happy sailing! Deb C.

[catmand]

I will refer to our first night dinner aboard <ercury as semi-organized madness. A number of people in the wrong spots etc. but it all worked out and was just fine. Very casual on night one. We saw a number of people wearing sneakers.

[Poohb]

Thanks, Deb for the well wishes. I just get sooo confused...I understand formal. I thought informal was the complete opposite and casual was sort-of dressy. I just hope I remember which is which on board. We're on Celebrity's Summit Alaska July 9. Seward to Vancouver.

[TBRANDONKYLE]

I want to do everything right. I understand the first nite on board may be open seating and dress is informal. I think I read that you might be wearing the same clothes for dinner as you did for boarding cuz you may not get your luggage. Since we'll be on a land tour and I wear sneakers 24/7 at home and on coach/tour; on the first nite are sneakers okay or should I have another pair of shoes handy? Sorry, first cruise and I'm still learning.

HOPE ALL GOES WELL WE ARE LEAVING ON CENTURY JULY THIRD

[Poohb]

thanks Catmand & Tbran. I will be wearing my sneakers and they can just deal with it. 8-) I hope Tb, that you have a marvelous time also.

[Danno]

Bring another pair of shoes...it's not proper to wear sneakers (no matter what some say here) and while it won't become an issue onboard it is still not in keeping requested dress of the evening.

 

Just because others have seen it done or have done it themselves doesn't make it right.

 

One of the true joys of cruising is that it ISN'T like other vacations!! Enjoy the things that make it different and don't join the small group that are striving to make it no more than a floating casual resort.

 

Have a great vacation and welcome to the unique (so far) world of cruising.

[sueclark]

Thank you Danno. I was hesitant to post my thoughts on this, but now I'll join in. Tennis shoes are appropriate for sports activities but not dining in a fine restaurant. Even if the attire is casual for the first night - the restaurant is still a very elegant place. There is always the alternative dining.

 

Here is the recommendation from Celebrity for casual attire: "A gentleman's choice for casual nights includes a sport shirt and slacks, while women will be comfortable in a pants suit, skirt and blouse, or casual dress."

[StephenJohnson]

Bah, sneakers will be fine.

 

You can cheat (as I often do) and wear solid black Rockport walking shoes - or equivalent - not strictly runners but certainly comfortable like runnies, not so glaringly obvious, and they grip really well on slippery decks.

 

Even back in the days of ocean liners, first and last night were normally casual - albeit casual in those days had a completely different meaning than today ;)

[flagger]

Wear whatever shoes you are comfortable in. If someone is looking at your feet and worried that you are wearing sneakers, they have way too much time on their hands. It is your vacation and frankly if you are comfortable in sneakers and/or your bag has not arrived on the first night by dinner time, as long as those piggies are covered enjoy!

[1stimekruiser]

I, personally, would not wear sneakers in the dining room on any night. However, if your sneakers/tennis shoes look clean and neat, I don't see any problem wearing them the first night.

[jschutz]

Would you wear "sneakers" at a very nice resturant in your home town?

[kitty9]

To avoid confusion about the code thing, there are generally three kinds of dress on cruise ships. Formal, informal/semiformal, and casual. It used to be that they referred to the second tier of clothing as semiformal, which was less confusing, but now it's called informal. Casual means things like khaki slacks and collared shirts, capris and nice tops or sundresses. Informal means dress slacks and shirts with a sport coat (with or without a tie) for the men and nice dinner suits or dresses for the ladies.

[dkjretired]

The reality of the first night is that many people don't understand that they may not get their luggage by dinner and only have the clothes they are wearing. These are the people who usually are in the dining room in shorts or sneakers on the first night only. If you want to do the right thing you are now not one of those people. By asking on this board, you know the possibility exists that you may not get your luggage and should be prepared. I don't want to be thought of as preaching but you stated you wanted to do the right thing.

 

As to Flaggers comments about do what you want, perhaps after he goes on his first cruise, he might change his mind but I doubt it. I have grown to get used to Flaggers rather bizarre feelings about cruising and to a certain extent respect him for his convictions even though I disagree with them. I do not agree at all with anyone who comes on these boards and says do what you want, its your vacation especially from someone who has never been on a cruise.

 

Don

[MSBYRDY]

Danno and Sue, Thanks! I too was hesitant to respond, but isn't it just as easy to put a pair of sandals in your carryon in the event your luggage didn't arrive? Sneakers are NOT appropriate in the dining room EVER!!!! Right up there with Jeans and Shorts.

Marilyn

[dkjretired]

Marilyn:

 

I agree with you about sneakers not being worn in the dining room but saying never is not dealing with the reality of the situation. Not everyone knows that they may not get their clothes by early seating. I had it happen to me and I did not have anything in my carry on because I simply did not know at the time. I went to dinner in the dining room because I was not the only one in that situation because the cruise line allowed it. I know now and it won't happen again.

 

Also, last year we were on the Galaxy and were heading back to the ship when there were transportation problems causing us to be quite late for early dinner. This was by the way Celebrity provided transportation. The cruise director met us at the gangplank and told us they had advised the dining room staff about our problem and we were welcome to go to dinner in the clothes we were wearing at the time which was shorts. This was in the middle of the cruise.

 

Please don't say never because you don't know what can happen.

 

Don

[Danno]

Amazing how those who think abiding by the rules and/or guidelines, is the proper thing to do, are hesitant to reply...says a lot about how we have changed and unfortunately what we are passing on to the next generation. Sad.

 

I'll just keep abiding by the rules and telling my son that it's important to do so...I guess the rest of you can do what you like.

[hdawson]

Dano. Good parent. I always have suitable clothing in my carryon for the first night knowing that sometimes the luggage isn't delivered before dinner. It's happened once for me in 14 cruises but I was prepared.

[TaznBugs]

Thank you Danno you said what I think and that is you should try to do the right thing at all times!!!:cool:

[thomasale]

go and enjoy

[1stimekruiser]

The cruiseline explicitly states that shorts are not allowed in the dining room on any night and they only make recommendations on what to wear for the casual, and informal nights. That leaves the choosing of what to wear "subjective" requiring ourselves to make good judgements. That's where our upbringing comes into play. Some feel it's ok, while others don't.

[Danno]

Just to clarify...If my luggage doesn't arrive I will go to dinner, in what I have available. I will explain to my table mates why I am dressed as I am. These are situations that are beyond our control and not really forseeable...no problem. But to ignore the rules just because it is more convenient to do so, goes againest how I was raised and how I expect my son to conduct himself.

[StephenJohnson]

This has nothing to do with the rules

 

To borrow from sueclark:

Here is the recommendation from Celebrity for casual attire: "A gentleman's choice for casual nights includes a sport shirt and slacks, while women will be comfortable in a pants suit, skirt and blouse, or casual dress."

 

Where does it say no sneakers? Or talk about shoes at all? There's a valid argument about open toed sandals, going barefoot, shorts (especially cutoffs), tank-tops, yadda yadda yadda but sneakers?

 

The other guidance I see most commonly is that you would dress as you would at a nice land-based resort. How many of those ask for no runners in the dining room? I defy all you no-sneaker enthusiasts to name one that does.

 

This has to do not with the rules but an interpreted extension of the rules, which is a whole different thing.

 

All that being said, virtually all of my shoes are solid black, so the shoe police would have a tough time with me, unless I'm wearing my Hiking boots :p

 

Good cruising to all,

[Arwenmark]

Poohb

I don't think if you wear sneakers the first night it would be the end of the world, BUT do understand the dress code for the other evenings.

Informal and even casual, do not mean what you might think they mean.

the most casual it ever gets is neat pants or skirt nice collared shirt or nice blouse or sundress and sandals or other nice shoes.

Never sneakers, jeans, shorts, tank tops [on men] T-shirts etc.

 

That does not mean you won't see any of those things, but it is "requested" that you not wear them to the dining room at dinner.

[tbelian]

People have problems with following rules, guidelines, or whatever you choose to call them, it's human nature (one of my favorite songs is 'Signs' ... sign sign everywhere a sign, etc). I don't have a problem with it, so that's what I do. It doesn't mean I'm a 'robot' . I use my turn signal, I cover my nose when I sneeze, and I don't wear sneakers to dinner. That's just me.

 

You have to use your own judgement. It's not so much a matter of what people think of YOU (or whether or not they are looking at your shoes) but, rather, it's a matter of what you think of yourself. If 500 people are not wearing sneakers, and 2 are, I personally would feel out of place. It doesn't mean you will feel out of place.

 

It seems like this particular topic always comes up in light of a person's effort at finding out just how far they can 'bend' things to fit their own wants and desires.

 

Perhaps it's ok to wear blue shorts, but not green ones? (White sneakers vs. black ones?).

 

Have a nice cruise, whatever you decide.