Newbie Question-How out of place will I be if I wear a full length gown

[Seago2]

Absolutely, wear your gown. You will see many other women in gowns. I know what you mean about overpacking, but as long as you're bringing two suitcases, is it really that bad to bring three? And unpacking- considering you'll have nothing to do but relax and have fun the entire time, does it really matter if you have to spend ten minutes dealing with your formal wear?

 

Just MHO! Also, see my avatar. If you are looking for a good picture, bring the formal wear! Although we rented his tux - easiest option going.

[wxtrix]

I care what other people are wearing simply because I want to be appropriately dressed for my environment. It is not an image thing; it is common courtesy. I wouldn't go to a black tie affair in jeans, just like I wouldn't show up to a bar-b-que in a formal gown. Either situation would be extremely uncomfortable, both for me and everyone around me.

 

Since this is my first cruise and I really do not know what to expect (other than from reading these boards), I asked the question.

 

DAGVBSB's comments were in no way directed at you--they were directed solely at the poster who felt that the fact he paid 10K for his cruise meant that everyone not in a tux/gown should be denied access to the main dining rooms for every 'dress up or not' evening.

[Sally Forth]

My FIL now goes exclusively HAL because he and his wife love to dress up and get pretty upset when others don't.

 

Viv

[Neil Down]

Quote "So basically I don't have a right to go to the main dining rooms on the ship because I choose not to dress up?? I'm sorry that is just wrong...I paid for my cruise just like snobs like you.

 

 

Wrong....they do have the right to dress as they please under Freestyle Cruising as long as it is resort casual.

 

I will make sure to tell my dad not to wear just a t-shirt or polo shirt next time he goes out in his $25,000 car."

It is attitudes like this that make me avoid NCL “freestyle” cruising. There is no way I want to spend my time sitting in a fine restaurant on a special night with someone whose dress sense goes no further that jeans and a tee shirt.

And by the way …Why shouldn’t your Dad wear a Tee shirt in his cheap old car, mind you it may be better if he puts some pants on as well? Yours sort of sincerely….Neil

[Queen_Of_Natick]

Go ahead and bring your gown. There were several nights on our ship that the women were dressed VERY WELL! (the guys didn't look too shabby either) That was the halloween cruise. Halloween night was the only exception to allowing shorts in the main dining room;)

 

I think you'll enjoy yourself.

 

-Q

[Cruise_Monkey]

... it has been my experience on recent sailings (say....in the last 5 years) that a long gown will be worn by very few of the women on the optional Formal night. Unfortunately, the same is true for men......

 

I know what you mean; I hate it when the men don't wear long gowns on Formal Night!

 

 

 

[sorry; this thread needed lightening up!]

[Seago2]

I know what you mean; I hate it when the men don't wear long gowns on Formal Night!

 

Speaking of which, I saw a few guys with kilts on a cruise once- Mama Mia! They looked NICE. Love those kilts.

[lidodeckbound]

Have fun dress as you wish. It is your vacation!

[BellaOnline]

I work in sweats every day - I work from home - so when I finally have a chance to dress up I take it. When I went on the Majesty I dressed up formally every night and had a blast. This time I'm on the Pride of America and I brought 3 formal gowns. I wore long gowns for the last 3 nights up until today, meaning the day before "official formal night", then formal night, then the day after that.

 

One night we ate in the Jefferson Bistro - their fancy French restaurant - and I wore a long black dress with roses. The second night we ate at the sushi restaurant and I wore a long Chinese dress. Last night we ate at the upscale steakhouse and I wore my long burgundy dress. I got compliments all 3 nights from staff and from other people.

 

You'll find that every night there are some people in shorts and flip-flops, who are happy to go eat in the buffet - and there are some people dressed up, who usually go for the high end specialty restaurants with the formal wait service. So there is something for everyone on the ship, and you never feel out of place :)

 

Now if I wore my long formal dress and went up to the buffet area and tried to balance a plate and glass while watching my long dress, while everyone around me was in tank tops and shorts, I might feel out of place. But sitting in the Jefferson Bistro, with tuxedoed waiters and very elegant decor and chateaubriand on the menu, it felt just right even though it wasn't "official formal night".

[CanadianTwosome]

Listen, if you are like most ladies, unless you are a diplomat, your gown sits lonely inside of that plastic cover all year long; waiting for the holidays to come around so she can stretch her seams. So why don't you take that gown on vacation. She has been loyal and faithful to you all year having to hang next to those business suits and cashmere sweaters. Why should they have all the fun? LOL;-)

 

This echoes my sentiments exactly!! Goodness gracious, if you own a gown, how often do you get the opportunity to wear it? Why would you even consider passing it up because of what TOTAL STRANGERS around you are wearing?

 

Speaking of what those total strangers are wearing, my goodness, what an incredibly trivial thing to worry about!! ha ha ha ha ha I admit that on our last cruise I made a comment about a man coming into the dining room wearing a ball cap - one of my personal pet peeves - but you know what? He walked past our table and vanished from my sight and my mind. Who cares? I love freestyle because not only can I dress up on the optional formal nights, but any night I want!!! As for the idea that an optional night doesn't give someone the right to wear a tee shirt - or anything else they choose - are you familiar with the definition of the word 'optional':p ?

 

To Neil Down... You are the second poster I've seen here on the NCL boards today who prefaces their post with 'this is why I'll never sail NCL again' or 'this is why I avoid freestyle cruising'... So, my question is, why are you here? I'm not saying that your opinion is not a valid one, but I don't understand why someone who had no interest in NCL would bother to visit the boards... I have never visited the boards for any other line, including ones I've sailed previously... because I only discovered CC after booking my NCL cruise last December and I'm booked on another one in January. So, please don't take offense, as I said, your opinion is as welcome and valid as anyone else's... I'm just curious why you bother to come back to the boards if you've sworn off of NCL cruises. :)

[DAGVBSB]

Speaking of what those total strangers are wearing, my goodness, what an incredibly trivial thing to worry about!! ha ha ha ha ha I admit that on our last cruise I made a comment about a man coming into the dining room wearing a ball cap - one of my personal pet peeves - but you know what? He walked past our table and vanished from my sight and my mind. Who cares? I love freestyle because not only can I dress up on the optional formal nights, but any night I want!!! As for the idea that an optional night doesn't give someone the right to wear a tee shirt - or anything else they choose - are you familiar with the definition of the word 'optional':p ?

 

To Neil Down... You are the second poster I've seen here on the NCL boards today who prefaces their post with 'this is why I'll never sail NCL again' or 'this is why I avoid freestyle cruising'... So, my question is, why are you here? I'm not saying that your opinion is not a valid one, but I don't understand why someone who had no interest in NCL would bother to visit the boards... I have never visited the boards for any other line, including ones I've sailed previously... because I only discovered CC after booking my NCL cruise last December and I'm booked on another one in January. So, please don't take offense, as I said, your opinion is as welcome and valid as anyone else's... I'm just curious why you bother to come back to the boards if you've sworn off of NCL cruises. :)

 

We don't always agree on a lot, but I'm behind those two comments 100%.

 

It amazes me, those who don't like Freestyle want to continue coming on here just to say that they hate it. Why??? If you aren't going to cruise NCL anymore and you don't have anything constructive to say, WHY DO YOU KEEP POSTING ON THIS BOARD???? Please answer.

[Neil Down]

The answer is a simple one ….I enjoy reading about all cruising matters and consider myself well informed because I do. Holding an opinion surely does not preclude anyone from telling others what they think, come on, life would be very dull (and impossible) if I agreed with you on everything or as it might appear…on anything sincerely Neil

[Toothfairy754]

This is why we chose Freestyle Cruising... we have a group of 4 going.. one in their 20's, 30's 40's and 50's. Our group also consists of different median incomes.. so this means if some of us want to pay extra to dress up and dine we can.. if some of us want to be casual all the time we can do that also. It seems the perfect choice for the varied backgrounds.

This is my first NCL cruise so it will be interesting to see the difference.

As a side note.... my son drives a 45,000 car and ALWAYS wears pants when driving:eek: (thinking how embarrassing to get pulled over and not be wearing pants):D

[NorthernNeighbour]

I say -- go ahead and dress up to the hilt in your finest, if that is what you like. If others want to 'dumb down', that is their problem -- don't let it bother you. Keep in mind it's their problem, not yours, otherwise you will just victimize yourself.

 

We cannot 'dis-invent' the current situation where people think they have the right to go anywhere dressed anyway they like -- part of the 'spoiled baby boomer' syndrome. Too late to re-raise these people with more traditional taste.

 

Anyway, if you dress up in your finest and do it with good taste, you will find you get much better service from the crew and will be the 'queen bee' for the evening. I don't know too many crew members who would feel they owed exceptional service to anyone dressed in a t-shirt in a nice dining room. Or for that matter, anyone dressed in their 'finest' that was tacky and tasteless -- think chartreuse dinner jacket for the man and 'hooker' fashions for his wife, which I once saw on CUNARD where there is a 'strict' dress code and no t-shirts allowed. (Actually, I would have preferred the t-shirt crowd to what I saw disguised as formal wear.)

[Cosmopolitan]

Anyway, if you dress up in your finest and do it with good taste, you will find you get much better service from the crew and will be the 'queen bee' for the evening. I don't know too many crew members who would feel they owed exceptional service to anyone dressed in a t-shirt in a nice dining room.

 

Sorry, I disagree.

 

We dined in LeBistro, two women were at the table next to us.

The younger woman at the table had a baseball cap and jeans...we were dressed up.

They received the same excellent service as we did. We conversed with them all evening.

 

NCL does not judge or serve according to "dress":)

[CanadianTwosome]

I blame John Mellencamp. I remember it well... okay, not the year, exactly, but anyway... I was sitting in my living room watching the Grammys. As always, I was enjoying seeing the celebrities in their best formalwear. Then it happened. John Mellencamp won a Grammy and walked up on stage in... RIPPED JEANS. RIPPED JEANS!!!!!!! :eek: I was stunned. I mean, sure, make a statement, don't wear a tux, but come on - did this gold record recording artist not own one pair of 'decent' jeans he could have worn to show some respect for the institution?

 

Anyway, after that, people started thinking it was 'super cool' to buck the establishment by dressing down. Thankfully, the trend didn't take hold for celebrities and those of us who love seeing the couture can still enjoy the red carpet shows, but there are still a lot of people who think it's their cultural duty to 'thumb their nose' at society by wearing ratty clothes to a formal event.

 

Okay, now that I've vented on JM a bit... ha ha ha All that being said, I don't think all the people who wear non-formalwear on NCL cruises are necessarily making a statement, nor do I think they're 'dumbed down' (which I take to mean they don't know any better?). Some people just outright hate dressing up. I always hope that those individuals will at least wear something that I would consider 'cruise casual', but if they honestly don't own anything other than tee shirts (I know people like this) and they are uncomfortable in anything else, I don't feel like I can really expect them to buy an assortment of collared shirts - for the 'comfort' of people around them who really shouldn't care anyway - so that they'll be uncomfortable while they eat their meals.

 

After all that now... optional is still optional. I am absolutely certain that there are CEOs who take the opportunity while on vacation to shun all things suit-like, and I don't blame them. I use my option to dress up as often as I can because in my private life, I just don't get to. If I want to have the freedom to choose my own attire, though, I have to stick up for anyone else who wants to choose theirs - even if I don't appreciate their choice. My suggestion to people is to make the choice that they will feel most comfortable in and then just enjoy being able to wear whatever you choose. It's what I do... and I always dress up more than my husband, but even at the same table, I just feel good to wear a beautiful dress, and that's what counts. :)

[billie5]

To call someone a snob and a dummy because his opinion does not agree with yours shows the most incredible lack of toleration, and probably intelligence as well.

 

Certainly Flick could have chosen his wording more sensitively, but it should be obvious that he longs for the very old tradition of a whole dining room in formal attire. It is an aesthetic issue, not a personality defect, to feel that the milieu, including what others are wearing, has an effect on the experience. If this were not the case, I doubt there would be private clubs and balls which require formal wear of all attendees. Does it make you a snob because you long for the return of a tradition which happens to have been associated with the upper class? If so, is one only allowed to favor middle or lower class traditions, but not upper class traditions? Are you a snob if you like polo?

 

I would be happy to eat at Flick's table. How can I know that he will not be a fascinating tablemate, even if I differ with his aesthetic tastes? On the other hand, I am rather certain I would not want to eat with someone who calls those with different opinions a dummy.

 

Bill

[jollyjones]

"If I want to have the freedom to choose my own attire, though, I have to stick up for anyone else who wants to choose theirs - even if I don't appreciate their choice."

 

The best and most succinct answer I've yet seen!

[Down-Unders]

So basically I don't have a right to go to the main dining rooms on the ship because I choose not to dress up?? I'm sorry that is just wrong...I paid for my cruise just like snobs like you.

 

The real dummies are the ones who worry more about what everyone else is wearing instead of paying attention to the company that they are with. Who cares what the people at the next table are wearing? Only those who are insecure with their own image.

 

 

Wrong....they do have the right to dress as they please under Freestyle Cruising as long as it is resort casual.

 

I will make sure to tell my dad not to wear just a t-shirt or polo shirt next time he goes out in his $25,000 car.

 

 

Make sure you keep your words sweet. One day you may have to eat them!

[Flick]

THANK YOU,BILLIE5 for your understanding remarks. I must admit to being somewhat "shocked" at the attack on me by so many because they mis-interpreted my intent. Yes, I know it is hard to understand intent strictly from the written word, but dear folks THAT is no reason to attack the writer!!

I also know I would be much better off if I kept my big mouth shut, but come on...I was only expressing my personal opinion......Whoops I almost attacked back!

[wxtrix]

Certainly Flick could have chosen his wording more sensitively, but it should be obvious that he longs for the very old tradition of a whole dining room in formal attire. It is an aesthetic issue, not a personality defect, to feel that the milieu, including what others are wearing, has an effect on the experience. If this were not the case, I doubt there would be private clubs and balls which require formal wear of all attendees. Does it make you a snob because you long for the return of a tradition which happens to have been associated with the upper class? If so, is one only allowed to favor middle or lower class traditions, but not upper class traditions? Are you a snob if you like polo?

 

if he longs for that kind of stuff then perhaps he should be choosing his cruise lines more carefully for it is impossible not to know that NCL had deliberately shaken up the old ideas of cruising.

 

to rail against people on a NCL cruise for not dressing up on a "dress up or not" night shows, at the very least, a misunderstanding of the context--milieu, if you like--one finds oneself in.

[billie5]

Well, sure, Wxtrix, his words were not great, especially when he opines about one not having the right to dress as casually as one wishes -- certainly he is wrong, at least in his use of the word "right." But he says very clearly that he resents giving in to NCL's change of formal night. It is pretty clear that he is choosing to cruise NCL for other reasons, but really objects to this change. And he believes the mixed styles of dressing is very different than a room full of penguins! I do not see this as railing against people, rather, railing against NCL's decision. Again, his wording could have been chosen better.

 

However, how does that compare to DAGVBSB calling him a snob, a dummy, and insecure? There have been many threads on this topic, and Flick, with more than 1000 postings certainly would have expected his opinion to be very much a minority opinion. But it is understandable that he would be surprised by the personal attacks. Attacking his position, sure, but him personally .... that is a disgrace.

 

Bill

[billie5]

Well, sure, Wxtrix, his words were not great, especially when he opines about one not having the right to dress as casually as one wishes -- certainly he is wrong, at least in his use of the word "right." But he says very clearly that he resents giving in to NCL's change of formal night. It is pretty clear that he is choosing to cruise NCL for other reasons, but really objects to this change. And he believes the mixed styles of dressing is very different than a room full of penguins! I do not see this as railing against people, rather, railing against NCL's decision. Again, his wording could have been chosen better.

 

However, how does that compare to DAGVBSB calling him a snob, a dummy, and insecure? There have been many threads on this topic, and Flick, with more than 1000 postings certainly would have expected his opinion to be very much a minority opinion. But it is understandable that he would be surprised by the personal attacks. Attacking his position, sure, but him personally .... that is a disgrace.

 

Bill

[wxtrix]

Well, sure, Wxtrix, his words were not great, especially when he opines about one not having the right to dress as casually as one wishes -- certainly he is wrong, at least in his use of the word "right." But he says very clearly that he resents giving in to NCL's change of formal night. It is pretty clear that he is choosing to cruise NCL for other reasons, but really objects to this change. And he believes the mixed styles of dressing is very different than a room full of penguins! I do not see this as railing against people, rather, railing against NCL's decision. Again, his wording could have been chosen better.

 

 

no one made him "give in"--that was entirely his decision. I saw men in tuxes on my sailing--why didn't NCL "make" them "give in" too? it was entirely HIS personal decision, as the cruise line and the pax all support the "dress up or not" idea. and if he doesn't like this policy--which has widely publicized for years--and it makes him so upset to the point he can't enjoy his cruise, then why sail on NCL? and why make a _choice_ to sail NCL and then complain about their policy afterward?

 

again, if someone has that big of a problem with what someone else is wearing--as long as it is within the guidelines and is not rude or vulgar--then the issue is bigger than attire.

[billie5]

Of course he chose to "give in" by himself. He doesn't claim any other individual made him. He just doesn't like that he has to "give in" in order to sail his favorite cruise line. Obviously, he accepts the tradeoff in order to sail NCL, but he opines that he doesn't like it. So what?

 

If you still see this as someone with a problem because he yearns a milieu which does not occur if everyone does not go along, well, I will certainly not say that you have a problem. But I do think you are being a little narrow sighted in allowing different views of beauty.

 

 

 

Bill