Rhapsody-Shorts in dining room?

[Son of a Cruiser]

Can't believe this thread has stayed on page one for so long. Since we are booked on the Rhapsody it caught my eye. The following used to be a sticky on the Princess board and I think sums up things pretty well:

 

It's Not Just About Comfort...It's About Respect

I want to chime in on this subject, because in all my reading on the board, I've never seen anyone express my thoughts about dressing for formal nights.

 

I've heard many mention "comfort" as a reason for wearing jeans, or just a sundress. I've heard others object to that same attire because it just doesn't follow the rules or expectations. Some are even somewhat sarcastic and ask, "Do my jeans really ruin your vacation?" Of course, the answer should be no. But I want to ask everyone: what about respect?

 

Dressing up on a formal night can be a way of showing respect for both yourself and everyone else you are dining with. It can be a way of saying, not just with words but with action: I care about you AND me. I think beyond my own needs. I care enough to make this evening special by going the extra mile to create an atmosphere of celebration and style that occurs rarely in modern life. I respect you enough, stranger and family member alike, to take the time to look my best, be thoughful, and show you that sometimes certain nights should be special enough to create memories on unique levels.

 

I harken back to the early 80s when I graduated from High School in San Diego. Back then, Disneyland had a late night party for HS seniors called grad night (maybe it still happens). Any senior that wanted to come to Disneyland had to dress in business attire. That meant dresses or pants suits for the women and sportcoat and tie for the men. At the time, I heard they required this kind of attire to cut down on fights between hormone rich boys. But I think it was more than that.

 

I believe most people behave differently when they dress up. They are more likely to slow down, be curteous and respectful in their manner. We are worth it, aren't we?

 

So when people show up in jeans, they don't ruin my vacation. But in a small way I think they are telling me "You aren't worth it. This is just another night out for me and I care only about my comfort. I don't want to expend the extra energy to make this night unique for all of us. I only care about me."

 

There are so many different ways to vacation. Must crusing sink to the lowest common denominator. Must it become no more special than a night at Hooters? I want my fellow travelers to know I still care about some old traditions, and I care about the people I am with - I care enough to do something special like dressing up on formal nights, and even taking an extra step on the smart and casual night. I'll leave my jeans at home, waiting for the next time I go out to the neighborhood pub. There is a time and a place for everything. Beside, I feel very comforable in my best black suit with a beautiful chic silver tie, cuff links. and polished shoes. In fact....honestly.... I am HOT BABY!!! Come on, join me lets all be hot and sexy together!

__________________

Carrie

[pcur]

I checked it all, and I could not find anything about a promise or a contract. I also did not see any advertisement about a certain atmosphere. Maybe I didn't get the same documents, that you did. Maybe the cruise line wants to accomodate everyone, not just those who have you're attitude.

 

 

Breathe deeply and chill, jander....boy, you get feisty in the evening!:D

 

The documents you receive ARE a contract, and part of them IS a cruise contract. I interpretted what hstrybuf was saying to mean, that through their advertising, publicizing their policies, and including the dress code suggestions in the cruise documents (including the contract section), that RCCL is participating in, at the least, an IMPLIED contract to provide a certain level of cruising. So, if their staff are allowing goat-men with man-pits to sit at her table (and I heartily agree), then she, Mr. Pete, and I will express our opinion to the staff about it. They aren't upholding their policies that have been widely communicated.

 

And, whatever happened to that yelling poster anyway? Maybe he turned his cap-lock off?:D

[hstrybuf]

I checked it all, and I could not find anything about a promise or a contract. I also did not see any advertisement about a certain atmosphere. Maybe I didn't get the same documents, that you did. Maybe the cruise line wants to accomodate everyone, not just those who have you're attitude.

 

Of course they want to accomodate everyone, but they do try to set limits on what is or isn't acceptable. As for my attitude, it's a pretty good one. I never said a word when our tablemates came to dinner in shorts! ;)

[jander]

Ah yes pcur, took a deep breath, and now relaxed. I don't know why I'm sticking up for shorts in the dinning room at dinner, as I wouldn't wear them myself. I guess my point is, if the cruise line does not enforce guidelines then I'll just go with the flow. The cruise lines are catering to everyone, to fill their growing capacity. Personaly I'll have a good time no matter what they do, and when I don't I'll find something else.

[pcur]

Ah yes pcur, took a deep breath, and now relaxed. I don't know why I'm sticking up for shorts in the dinning room at dinner, as I wouldn't wear them myself. I guess my point is, if the cruise line does not enforce guidelines then I'll just go with the flow. The cruise lines are catering to everyone, to fill their growing capacity. Personaly I'll have a good time no matter what they do, and when I don't I'll find something else.

 

Hey, me, too!

 

Even when I didn't have a good time last October (we call it our Fiasco of the Seas event), I'm STILL going back. I don't get worked up about what other people are wearing. I'm petty: if it's outrageous, I consider it good entertainment. But, I have to agree that (to quote you): "The cruise lines are catering to everyone, to fill their growing capacity.", and they ARE tending to go to the lowest common denominator sometimes.

[jander]

Fiasco of the seas sounds like fun. where is its home port?

[pcur]

Oh, do NOT get me started. If you have the energy, go to the Meet and Mingle board, look for Brilliance of the Seas, 10/15/05 cruise, and find the last posts after the cruise on 10/30/05. What a mess!

[jander]

I'll have to save my money and buy a ship, and I'll name it Fiasco. Have a good night.

[MrPete]

The following used to be a sticky on the Princess board and I think sums up things pretty well:

 

Like that! Here's another.....

 

 

Originally Posted by Blazerboy

(Caveat: Rant coming on. A stream-of-consciousness diatribe spurred on by the never-ending clothing wars. If it matters to anyone, I don't think it'll change any minds, but it made me feel better to get it off my chest- Happy cruising everyone, and remember what is so often posted on these boards: the debates that rage on here are hopefully a small part, or no part at all, of your cruise experience!

 

Ahh, this great democracy that we live in, where supposedly everyone is equal, but nobody truly believes it- it's not true, mostly because everyone's insecure about where they fit in to the picture, and is clawing to feel better than others. This country, where manners are seen as something only for the upper class, but then the upper class is defined solely by educational level and income level, and those two things are no guarantee of manners. Some of the "classiest" (I HATE that word) people I know have what are considered humble lives by most.

 

"Me, me, me" is the shout, but I read that not as a true belief on the part of the declarer, but as a cry that "I'm just as good as you are!", based on some insecurity about their social standing. Well, no one said you weren't, especially if you respect the requests of others, including your hosts or the people with whom you choose to do business.

 

"It's my vacation, so I'll do whatever I want" are nine of the most immature words strung together in the history of the language. If you were six, you'd be called a spoiled brat. Why is it any different when you become an adult. In kindergarten, you're expected to have better behavior than that. Why not now? We are becoming a culture that is solely about acquisition of status symbols, be they homes, cars, children, or vacations. We have also become a country of impatient, scared, small minded, classless boors, who think "instant gratification" takes too long. In our demand to be treated the same, we seem to all feel that we should be the exception to rules. Our arrogance about our own self importance (and the underlying insecurity that feeds it) knows no bounds. We drive enormous wasteful SUV's to feel protected, and shut ourselves off from the world in huge McMansions so we don't have to interact with other people. And our lives' list of accomplishments would say very little about our value as a person, and would say not-so-nice things about our values as humans.

 

A cruise is not simply a vacation to brag about around the office water cooler, it's a social interaction, just like going to a party, or conducting business in a professional manner when at work. It comes with privileges AND responsibilities. Guests, whether paying or not, have rights, but they also have obligations. It's about interacting civilly, about accepting that there are rules and requests that apply to us, and that we need to start valuing some of the culture that we claim is 'old fashioned' before it's acceptable to stop interacting with people altogether.

 

My word. What a sad state of affairs.

 

Andrew

[SissasMomE]

What is the problem here? Don't these folks ever go to a "real" restaurant, or are they primarily of the Big Mac variety? When you have a formal dining experience you dress for it, or make us all comfortable and go to the Windjammer for heaven sakes.

 

 

I live in Florida, and it is quite common here for one to wear Bermuda shorts to a restaurant ... and I'd hardly consider a $250 tab for 2 people the "big mac variety". ;)

[p2lockhart]

Richard/Son of a Cruiser, your post of Carrie's quote was excellent. It's a shame that adults won't do what's right on their own. Children learn from their parents, and the message they get is, if it feels good, do it; me first; you don't have to respect others, etc.

[cruisersnorkler]

When I said Dockers--for dinner--I meant Docker long pants--not shorts. I have cruised several times with RCCL, and with an other cruise line too. We have never seen shorts in the dinning room for dinner--just brft or lunch. The last one was on the Brillance, Dec 05. Everyone was dressed nicely on all the nights, more casual on the first night, though. They were dressed in formal wear on the formal nights, and really, smart casual on the rest. It was a longer cruise, though. The atmosphere was one of excitement when people enter the formal dinning room. Again, we have never seen shorts in the dinning room for dinner. However, I understand NCL is more casual. Maybe that is where the confusion comes in. We enjoy the dress code and have always followed it with no problem. My kids wear Dockers and dress clothes too,not only on the ship, but sometimes to other places we have gone. My sons have worn their Docker long pants to school many times. It has been a wonderful experience for them to eat in the ships formal dinning room with nice clothes on. We believe it is part of the cruise experience. If you want to wear shorts--there is the Windjammer with a nice selection of food items.

[cruisePRN]

I know I'll need a flak jacket for this by how come it's not okay ignor the "no shorts" rule but it's okay to tell people how to smuggle liquor onboard in mouthwash bottles? It strikes me as a bit hypocritical to say it's okay to break this rule but not that rule. I personally don't care what my tablemates wear I hope they're friendly and talkative.

[p2lockhart]

There is at least one other active thread on the topic of alcohol that can be easily accessed if you are really interested. I would hope that we can keep to the topic of shorts in the dining room and not hijack this thread.

[KarinaGW]

I don't know where it's mentioned on the website, but I know that on every cruise I've been on it it has been printed in the Compass that shorts and tank tops are not allowed in the dining room in the evenings.

 

On my cruise compasses from the Voyager Easter sailing of 2002, it says that barefeet, tanktops and t-shirts are not allowed at dinner. Nothing about shorts.

 

Now, mind you, that said...I have lightweight gowns that I bring. They fold without wrinkles and way very little, but they look lovely. My hubby either brings a tux or rents one. My daughter (20) and son (19) dress in gowns/cocktail dress (depending on what kind of dancing she's planning after dinner) and a tux, respectively.

[Son of a Cruiser]

Richard/Son of a Cruiser, your post of Carrie's quote was excellent. It's a shame that adults won't do what's right on their own. Children learn from their parents, and the message they get is, if it feels good, do it; me first; you don't have to respect others, etc.

 

I obiously thought SeaTecher did a great job as well. We have been cruising since the late 70s and noticed many changes - some good (ship design, prices) some not so good (reduction in what's included in the cruise fare and staffing levels - a waiter and asst. waiter had ONE table to wait on, if it was a large table. Also had cocktail waiter and sommelier). We still love to cruise. Part of what hooked us on cruising was the magic of a cruise. Back then a cruise was an escape to a world of luxury and service. Still is in many ways. No one would even think of not dressing for dinner back then, not so much because it was "suggested" but because the experience was so extraordinary. We still love to get dressed for dinner and will continue to do so, it just adds to the ambiance. I think those who decide its not worth the effort are really missing out on a wonderful and romantic part of the cruise experience.

[cruisersnorkler]

Thank you Son of a Cruiser, you said it all.