Formal dining

[FiggyWig]

Hi

 

Can anyone tell me if on Celebrity formal nights is it mandatory to be dressed formally wherever you dine, even if you were to choose one of the 'alternative' dining venues, also if you have chosen 2nd sitting main dining, does this same time apply to eating elsewhere on board, or are you free to come and go as you please.

 

Any info gratefully received for a 1st time cruiser :o

[kitty9]

If you dine in the buffet area at night, even though it's not a buffet, but a sit down restaurant in the buffet area, you can be casual. But if you dine at the upscale restaurant on formal night (Normandie, United States, Muranos, Ocean Liners), you must be formal. And, Celebrity expects that if you're going to be in any of the public areas on formal night, not only the dining room, that you be in the code of the evening. I'm on Celebrity right now, and I can count on one hand the number of passengers who opted out of dressing formally and stayed in casual clothes all night. Celebrity is probably the most formal of the mass market lines and VERY FEW don't dress in formalwear for dinner.

 

You must make a reservation for the upscale dining room, but not for the evening "buffet" area. For that one, you can go at any time.

[SusieV]

 

You must make a reservation for the upscale dining room, but not for the evening "buffet" area. For that one, you can go at any time.

 

I agree with everything Darcie said except for the casual dining venue. They do request reservations for that area, as well as a $2pp gratuity.

 

Room service is also available on any night and you can order off the dining room menu.

[Shipyard Cruiser]

On out Celebrity cruise last month we saw a lot of folks not dressed foraml in public areas with no problem.

 

As a matter of fact we found the cruise to be not a dressy as folks out here would tell you.

 

And a lot of folks seemd to skip both formal and semi(in)formal nights in the dining room.

 

I guess most Celebrity cruises are just like the cruises on other lines.

 

This is always more of a Cruise Critic issue then an issue onboard.

[FinelyCruising]

Setting personalizations aside, it is the cruise line daily reminds that the during the formal attire evenings the guests are requested to maintain that ambiance for the entire evening and throughout the ship.

[tonism]

I have been on 3 celebrity cruises and have 2 more I'm going on this year, and we do not "dress" for the formal nights. we're going on vacation, not a party. in summer, I wear a nice linen pant suite and guys can get away with any jacket. I don't like packing any extra clothes for 2 hours on 3 nights!

[SusieV]

I don't like packing any extra clothes for 2 hours on 3 nights!

 

That's the point- although on cruiselines like RCCL, the dress code is only for dinner, on Celebrity it's for the entire ship excluding the casual dining boulevard.

 

So unless you plan on going to your room after dinner for the night, you need the clothes all evening.

[nycglitter]

While I understand the OP's original question as a first time cruiser, I do not understand those who have cruised and still fight the rules. Each cruise line has their own set of guidelines. You either choose to follow them, or choose another cruise.

 

I chose Celebrity in part because of the formal evenings. It is a vacation and I enjoy the opportunity to get dressed up and have a romantic evening with my husband in lovely attire. I don't get the opportunity nearly enough at home and the cruise is the perfect setting. However, it is not for everyone and that is fine. Just choose another cruise line and enjoy! It just bothers me that some people think they are above the guidelines and don't need to follow them.

 

Sorry for the rant, but this type of issue spills out into everyday life as well. Some people follow rules, some don't.

 

To the OP, enjoy your cruise! I have no doubt you will be as hooked as the rest of us!

[Shipyard Cruiser]

Double post, sorry:(

[Shipyard Cruiser]

I have been on 3 celebrity cruises and have 2 more I'm going on this year, and we do not "dress" for the formal nights. we're going on vacation, not a party. in summer, I wear a nice linen pant suite and guys can get away with any jacket. I don't like packing any extra clothes for 2 hours on 3 nights!

 

And you would not feel out of place at all.

 

From reading the boards I figured everyone stayed dressed up all night but that was not the case at all.

 

I would say about 75% did and 25% did not. And the fashion police were not around at all:p

 

But I also saw folks get dressed up(suit & tie) for lunch in the dining room.

 

Seemed like it had more to do with age.

 

Most of the cruiser were 65 plus and many of them were dressed up just about all the time formal or casual.

 

But overall my cruise was not a dressy as I was lead to believe from the boards. If I was to cruise Celebrity again I would leave about half the dressy stuff at home.

[nps001]

To set the record, I am one of the ones that does dress in a tux for formal nights. I believe it is part of the overall cruise experience and one of the reasons I really like and choose X.

 

On my last cruise, we dressed in tuxes (and I will add that I was really surprised at how many DID wear formal wear) for dinner. After dinner, we decided to go to the Stratosphere lounge (was probably 10-11pm). We decided to change into more casual clothing. Sport shirts and either khakis or jeans (I don't remember which). To my surprise and embarrassment, we were the only ones not in formal wear. I really felt our of place.

 

When they say that the dress code of the evening is applicable to all part of the ship, for the most part, guests adhere to this.

 

The shorter cruises certainly have a more relaxed/casual dress code that is observed. This one was a 10 day cruise.

 

By the way---no offense, but if one doesn't want to adhere to the dress code, why would they book X? There are lines that accept casual dress at any time. Not doing so makes as much sense as going to a restaurant that requires jackets and saying "it's my dinner and I'll dress as I chose" Saying "it's my vacation" simply is not a good excuse to flaunt the dress code.

[nycglitter]

 

 

By the way---no offense, but if one doesn't want to adhere to the dress code, why would they book X? There are lines that accept casual dress at any time. Not doing so makes as much sense as going to a restaurant that requires jackets and saying "it's my dinner and I'll dress as I chose" Saying "it's my vacation" simply is not a good excuse to flaunt the dress code.

 

I couldn't agree more. There are so many choices for cruising these days. There is no reason to be on a cruise where you aren't completely comfortable. Choose the line that fits your style best and enjoy!

[DrKoob]

While I understand the OP's original question as a first time cruiser, I do not understand those who have cruised and still fight the rules. Each cruise line has their own set of guidelines. You either choose to follow them, or choose another cruise.

 

I chose Celebrity in part because of the formal evenings. It is a vacation and I enjoy the opportunity to get dressed up and have a romantic evening with my husband in lovely attire. I don't get the opportunity nearly enough at home and the cruise is the perfect setting. However, it is not for everyone and that is fine. Just choose another cruise line and enjoy! It just bothers me that some people think they are above the guidelines and don't need to follow them.

 

Sorry for the rant, but this type of issue spills out into everyday life as well. Some people follow rules, some don't.

 

You could not have said that better. I completely concur. Especially your last line. Cudos to you for a great response!

[cvanhorn]

if one doesn't want to adhere to the dress code, why would they book X?

 

Not to start any rants or anything, just to answer the question. Although we adhere to the dress codes (suit not tux) we chose our R/T Mercury cruise strictly due to the itinerary and the PRICE! When a cruise line prices themselves with or lower than the other mass market lines they will get the same "joe six-pack" cruisers as the others, not the Cunard line cruisers.

[Shipyard Cruiser]

 

Itinerary.

 

Price.

 

Don't think it's your business to decide who should cruise what line.

Do you?

 

Most foks don't cruise based on the dress code. It's a very small part of cruising for most of us. I always attend formal night in a nice dark suit and change after late seating. But I don't feel the need to make a big deal out of it.

 

Soryy, if it's a big deal to you then by all means enjoy.

 

Also you should never assume how people dress based on how they post.

[nycglitter]

Itinerary.

 

Price.

 

 

 

Both very good reasons to choose a cruise line. However, if you do book with a cruise line that tends to be on the formal side, then prepare to dress appropriately. A dark suit is perfectly acceptable, while jeans are not.

 

As you said, people do choose their cruise based on a wide variety of reasons. Just dress accordingly.

[SCCAcruiser]

To those of you that say that you (and some others) choose a cruise based on price and itinerary - that's all well and good, but that doesn't give you the right to thumb your nose at a cruise line's policies, in this case the dress code.

 

To use that logic, the fact that Celebrity is going to impose some of the (if not THE) toughest smoking restrictions (BRAVO), are you and JOE SIX-PACK going to thumb your nose at that as well??? "Well this cruise costs the same as a Carnival cruise and I can smoke on there so I'm going to smoke on here." :confused:

 

On Caribbean itineraries (which is all we've done so far, but that will start changing in the next couple years!), I bring a dark suit rather than a tux, although for next January's Solstice cruise, I'm thinking that a lot of folks will be DECKED OUT so I might rent a tux. It really ticks me off to see people walk into the dining room on "Formal Night" with a sport jacket and open shirt! Regretably, X does NOT enforce a variety of rules as well as they should (trying not to alienate people), but then it just alienates those who ARE following the rules.

 

An open plea to X: if you make rules - ENFORCE THEM. A great majority of your passengers will love you for it!

[FinelyCruising]

I think it's pretty well known what X is about just as it is pretty well known what Cunard is about.

 

Now if Cunard had a great price on a great itinerary, would the joe six pack still select that ship? Would they accept the package and understand the type of atmosphere?

 

This can be argued for-ever. There will always be those who choose to be inappropriately dressed no matter where they go. Just have to chalk it up....

[nycglitter]

 

This can be argued for-ever. There will always be those who choose to be inappropriately dressed no matter where they go. Just have to chalk it up....

 

 

Sad but true...:(

[Shipyard Cruiser]

To those of you that say that you (and some others) choose a cruise based on price and itinerary - that's all well and good, but that doesn't give you the right to thumb your nose at a cruise line's policies, in this case the dress code.

 

To use that logic, the fact that Celebrity is going to impose some of the (if not THE) toughest smoking restrictions (BRAVO), are you and JOE SIX-PACK going to thumb your nose at that as well??? "Well this cruise costs the same as a Carnival cruise and I can smoke on there so I'm going to smoke on here." :confused:

 

On Caribbean itineraries (which is all we've done so far, but that will start changing in the next couple years!), I bring a dark suit rather than a tux, although for next January's Solstice cruise, I'm thinking that a lot of folks will be DECKED OUT so I might rent a tux. It really ticks me off to see people walk into the dining room on "Formal Night" with a sport jacket and open shirt! Regretably, X does NOT enforce a variety of rules as well as they should (trying not to alienate people), but then it just alienates those who ARE following the rules.

 

An open plea to X: if you make rules - ENFORCE THEM. a great majority of your passengers will love you for it!

 

All I can say is more power to you.

 

I don't think you speek for the averager cruiser who sees the whole dress code thing as a big non-issue. The last thing we need on vacation is some sort of "fashion police". On our cruise the folks at dineer in the dining room were dressed up, no shorts or jeans.

 

So how many of you pick your cruise based on the dress code?

 

If the dress code is such abig deal to X cruises why do so many skip formal nights?

 

In my dark suit wondering what's the big deal while looking at all the empty tables on formal night:D

[Mysticks1]

All I can say is more power to you.

 

I don't think you speek for the averager cruiser who sees the whole dress code thing as a big non-issue. The last thing we need on vacation is some sort of "fashion police". On our cruise the folks at dineer in the dining room were dressed up, no shorts or jeans.

 

So how many of you pick your cruise based on the dress code?

 

If the dress code is such abig deal to X cruises why do so many skip formal nights?

 

In my dark suit wondering what's the big deal while looking at all the empty tables on formal night:D

 

DH and I have decided on the Solstice for our next cruise - Sept 2009 to the Med. I was worried that I wouldn't be as happy on this cruise after reading most of the posts on this thread but yours made me feel somewhat better about our choice. They made me feel like dinner on X was a throwback to the Titanic. We have always adhered to whatever dress code is published for our cruises for dinner but we do usually change after dinner.

We don't spend time in lounges and rarely go to shows preferring to be outside on deck or our balcony enjoying the scenery and fresh air.

Having to travel so far (we have always had the luxury of driving to ports) and thinking of the limits we will have on luggage I think we will probably be some of those who are not present in the dining room on formal night and save that room in our luggage. With such a port intensive cruise we will probably be too tired on many days and just enjoy a quick bite somewhere or room service on our balcony and skip the dining room.

[diboja]

All I can say is more power to you.

 

I don't think you speak for the averager cruiser who sees the whole dress code thing as a big non-issue. The last thing we need on vacation is some sort of "fashion police". On our cruise the folks at dineer in the dining room were dressed up, no shorts or jeans.

So how many of you pick your cruise based on the dress code?

If the dress code is such abig deal to X cruises why do so many skip formal nights?

 

I agree that the average cruiser considers the "dress up" code as a non-issue. I have never met a person who picks a cruise on the basis of dress code??!!

The normal average person picks a cruise on the basis of price & itinerary....thats it..bottom line.

 

For years I have been following the comments on Cruise Critic and there is certainly a "migration" of fashion police to these forums. A number of years ago when I was planning our first cruise I obtained a lot helpful information from posters on this forum but the "police" scared the heck out of me with their dictatorial comments.

 

After a number of cruises I find that most of their comments are not to be taken seriously as it appears that some of them just like playing a "role".

 

After 40 years of being in business and dressing up I simply wear a blue blazer/tie/slacks and use the blazer for the jacket on informal nights as well.(Had enough of dressing up). After dinner we will step into our smart casual clothing and enjoy the lounge or the show...and MANY people do the same thing.

 

But what really gets to me is a poster telling some other poster that they should consider looking for another cruise because of dress codes.

 

My attitude is - dress nicely, don't look like a slob, its truly NOT necessary to get decked out in a tux or a gown, although if a person is so inclined then do it.

 

Clothes don't make the person - its who the person is!

[cvanhorn]

I think it's pretty well known what X is about just as it is pretty well known what Cunard is about.

 

Now if Cunard had a great price on a great itinerary, would the joe six pack still select that ship? Would they accept the package and understand the type of atmosphere?

 

This can be argued for-ever. There will always be those who choose to be inappropriately dressed no matter where they go. Just have to chalk it up....

 

I think you miss the point. Cunard does not have "cheap" cruises. If you go to a low cost chain restaurant such as "Outback", Applebee's, etc. do you expect people in suits? If you go to a higher level, Ruth's Chris, you see more dressed up, if you go to the really high class, minimum $50 entree's a la carte, you will find mostly suits/tux. People new to cruising are the same, a cheap cruise is associated with casual, they don't read the fine print and when they go to the dining room in jeans and are allowed in that just reinforces what they thought. A very simple solution is for cruise lines to enforce their rules, whether about dress, smoking, saving deck/show chairs, whatever. But they won't as the bottom line is to fill the ship and have happy repeat customers.

[nycglitter]

I agree that the average cruiser considers the "dress up" code as a non-issue. I have never met a person who picks a cruise on the basis of dress code??!!

The normal average person picks a cruise on the basis of price & itinerary....thats it..bottom line.

 

For years I have been following the comments on Cruise Critic and there is certainly a "migration" of fashion police to these forums. A number of years ago when I was planning our first cruise I obtained a lot helpful information from posters on this forum but the "police" scared the heck out of me with their dictatorial comments.

 

After a number of cruises I find that most of their comments are not to be taken seriously as it appears that some of them just like playing a "role".

 

After 40 years of being in business and dressing up I simply wear a blue blazer/tie/slacks and use the blazer for the jacket on informal nights as well.(Had enough of dressing up). After dinner we will step into our smart casual clothing and enjoy the lounge or the show...and MANY people do the same thing.

 

But what really gets to me is a poster telling some other poster that they should consider looking for another cruise because of dress codes.

 

My attitude is - dress nicely, don't look like a slob, its truly NOT necessary to get decked out in a tux or a gown, although if a person is so inclined then do it.

 

Clothes don't make the person - its who the person is!

 

 

Forget fashion police. I think what you are saying is disregard the cruise lines guidelines and wear whatever you want. If a cruise line gives you guidelines, they did it for a reason. It is not meant as a suggestion.

 

Why continue to fight policy? I think it is possible to be formal and not go over the top if that is not your thing, but to blatantly act as if the rules don't apply to all is selfish.

[diboja]

I think what you are saying is disregard the cruise lines guidelines and wear whatever you want.

QUOTE]

 

I never said that we disregard the code. Read my post again.

If you are not familiar with the code I have copied it from the Celebrity Website:

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.

 

On informal nights, men are requested to wear a jacket, shirt and slacks, No jeans, while women may want to wear a suit or dress.

 

"For the formal nights, including the Captain's Welcome Aboard Cocktail Party, dinner on the second night, and the Captain's Farewell Dinner held the next-to-last night of the cruise; both men and women may prefer more dressy attire, such as an evening gown for women and a tuxedo or dress suit for men."

 

The Key words are SUCH AS" in their policy...

Hope this helps you.