Reality of Dress Code

[phychoice]

I have read how RCI descibes smart casual and casual but can you please help me out as to what the majority of people actually wear?

Do most men really wear jacket and ties on 'smart casual' nights as well as formal nights and do ladies really wear dresses on smart casual nights?

 

I'm just thinking that there is a pretty good chance most people end up dressing more casually than RCI 'suggests'.

[chynnabow]

On non-formal nights, you will see men in dress pants and a collar shirt. For women, you will see dresses, pants and capri's. On formal nights, you will see women in cocktail dresses and men in tux's and suits. Believe it not, most be do not dress more casual than suggested.

[cb at sea]

The longer the cruise, the more "dressy" folks (older ones, anyway) tend to be. We saw few jackets/ties on smart casual nights. But, you'll find the women to dress it up a bit on those nights, in most cases. Higher heels, dressier tops, etc....

[Merion_Mom]

Do you really want *the reality*?

 

The reality is that these days people dress however they wish.

 

And some people apparently wish to be slobs.

 

Some follow the dress code suggestions, most dress nicely, but some insist on wearing shorts, t-shirts, flip-flops and baseball caps to the main dining room for dinner.

 

There is rarely a "smart casual" night on 7 night or shorter sailings.

[quiltsnh]

Who thinks there will be a change in how people dress on a cruise due to the luggage restrictions being placed on travelers by the airlines? My family of three each carries a bag and we used a garment bag for our formal night clothes maybe not next time maybe just seek alternate dinning on that night...

[southwestie]

I am on a 14 night med crusie and intend to have a tux for 3 nights, a suit or 2 and jackets, blazer and ties for the other.

 

I can go real casual at home when Im back?

[Batch5]

I also stick to the guidelines, a suit on formal nights and jacket and shirt on semi formal and slacks and button down shirt on other night while dinning in the main room.

[lady_cruiser]

Do you really want *the reality*?

 

The reality is that these days people dress however they wish.

 

And some people apparently wish to be slobs.

 

Some follow the dress code suggestions, most dress nicely, but some insist on wearing shorts, t-shirts, flip-flops and baseball caps to the main dining room for dinner.

 

There is rarely a "smart casual" night on 7 night or shorter sailings.

 

I have only been on three cruises but I am curious as to which ship you were on where people wore "shorts, t-shirts, flip-flops and baseball caps to the main dining room for dinner?"

[MakinGold]

On the cruises I've been on, most men wear a suit or tux on formal night. On "smart casual" night, I would have to say most men do not wear a jacket. For smart casual, you see, on average, dressier shirts and slacks than on the casual nights and some will wear tie and/or sport coat.

 

Some cruises are less dressy than others, though, depending on length and time of year, and maybe a couple other factors.

[Ula]

Honestly what I have seen for the none formal nights in regards to men is a nice pair of slacks like dockers and a nice shirt with a collar. No hats, you do not wear a hat when eating.

Us women dress in a similar sporty fashion. Honestly I do not even take jeans on a cruise. Formal night some people do just ignore, I get annoyed since I do dress formal, but also just eat with my dad in his tux. My mom and my husband do not participate in that. They eat alternate places.

That is a long running family joke. Since we all do cruise together many times. Mom says you are just like your dad, I respond and yes I married my mother.

[grandsix]

Do you really want *the reality*?

 

The reality is that these days people dress however they wish.

 

And some people apparently wish to be slobs.

 

Some follow the dress code suggestions, most dress nicely, but some insist on wearing shorts, t-shirts, flip-flops and baseball caps to the main dining room for dinner.

 

There is rarely a "smart casual" night on 7 night or shorter sailings.

 

We agree..........

[grandsix]

I have only been on three cruises but I am curious as to which ship you were on where people wore "shorts, t-shirts, flip-flops and baseball caps to the main dining room for dinner?"

 

On every cruise you will find at least 1 or 2 for sure on either early or late seating.

[TEXASMUNK]

Airline luggage limitations is just the latest in the long litany of excuses for some folks.

 

Some one asked so here is one LIVE example. NCL SS NORWAY, formal night. Drunk, cut offs, filthy t-shirt with filthy saying on it, loud, flip flops...

you asked.....

 

Note: See below for the following

 

'That is a rare exception, we don't care what people wear...blah, blah, blah...

 

ok, now who has the popcorn, the show is about to begin!!!!

[AnotherCruisingKid]

I have only been on three cruises but I am curious as to which ship you were on where people wore "shorts, t-shirts, flip-flops and baseball caps to the main dining room for dinner?"

 

Sovereign of the Seas on FORMAL night.

[libertybelle41]

I gues the "slobs" must been on the early seating. We have yet to see anyone (we're always second seating) dressing "slobish"...I guess we have just been lucky.

 

 

Thankfully, on our Liberty OTS cruise (May 24th) everyone was dressed nicely (by most anyone's standards):)

[Merion_Mom]

I have only been on three cruises but I am curious as to which ship you were on where people wore "shorts, t-shirts, flip-flops and baseball caps to the main dining room for dinner?"

 

As I said, most people dress nicely (I am not going to judge whether they were conforming to that night's dress code or not).

 

I do not think that I have been on ANY cruise where there wasn't SOMEONE dressed as I described. Numerically, as many on Explorer as on Sovereign. In my experience, it is NOT just a factor of "shorter cruises, less casual dress".

 

It's the luck of the draw for any particular cruise as to what the passenger mix is.

 

And I saw a fair number of inappropriately dressed (read: slobs) on the Crown Princess.

[aqhacruiser]

I can't tell you about other ships but on the Explorer you will see everything in the dining room and I have never seen anyone turned away on any night and yes, I have seen shorts, t-shirts, and ball hats on many nights too. The reality is..... people are dressing more casual on the ship today in the dining room and that's on 5 night cruises thru 12 nights. I have not seen the length of a cruise make any difference on the Explorer. The way I look at it is if RCCL welcomes people in the dining rooms wearing casual clothes on all nights then that's the way it is today and I don't care what anyone else is wearing. :)

[cruisePRN]

.

 

ok, now who has the popcorn, the show is about to begin!!!!

 

Lots of extra butter, I take a cholesterol lowering medication anyway :rolleyes: might as well have it work overtime.

[JanineM]

"My" reality has been that DH wears a jacket and tie on semi-formal night, but few others do. You'll see lots of jackets and open necked shirts, and even more tropical shirts with khakis. I always wear a sundress or skirt on semi-formal night, or even a cocktail dress and there are many other women dressed just like me.

 

As Merion Mom said, you'll see everything. But I dress for me, not to match what everyone else is wearing. I have lots of great dresses so I want to wear them ...

[cruisnpat]

We always try to dress as the code request, but it is jusr a request.

[Cruiznthefastlane]

I have only been on three cruises but I am curious as to which ship you were on where people wore "shorts, t-shirts, flip-flops and baseball caps to the main dining room for dinner?"

 

 

Majesty of the Seas. Saw that even on formal night.

[kidless]

You will see a wide variety of dress, the older the crowd the more formal they are...women in gowns, men in tuxes. Only on very rare occasions have we ever seen anyone dressed as "slobs" for the most part men wear suits or shirt & tie, women wear cocktail dresses or dressy pant suits. Personally we like to dress up as living in Florida is always such a casual atmosphere it is nice to dress up once in awhile....and honestly we enjoy each other we don't let what any one else wears take away from our enjoyment. :D

[Tucker in Texas]

We did a 12 night trans-Atlantic on the Voyager in April. The "suggested dress" for the evening was either "casual" or "formal." There was never a "smart casual" suggested.

 

Husband wore dark suit formal nights mainly because we didn't want to pack his size 12 tuxedo shoes that would only get three wearings (he has a tuxedo in the closet). With a suit, he can wear his wing tips several times. He did take a sports coat and slacks but only wore it once to Portofino's. Probably only half the other gentlemen in there had jackets and half of those did not have ties. On formal night, at the most 1/4 were in tuxes (keep in mind, longer cruise, older people, had tuxes hanging in their closets). I would say most of the rest were in suits or at least jackets and ties and a few underdressed. I will say I (and we sat at a table at the entrance to the dining room so I had a good view) I didn't see shorts, t-shirts, flip flops. Maybe a couple of pairs of "neat" jeans but that was as low as it got.

 

On casual night, the men stuck to golf shirts, sports shirts, khakis or slacks with a few in a jacket--again, no tie. There were shorts and jeans, collarless shirts, but, for the most part, clean and neat.

 

We will be doing the TA back to Galveston in the fall and with the current luggage restrictions, I think we won't even bother with a sports coat if packing gets "tight."

 

I have a long black dress I trade out with two dressy tops for formal night. My dress heels fit inside the wing tips. On the other nights, I usually wear slacks and a sweater set or a top that can be changed out with a scarf or accessories.

 

Tucker in Texas

[Sugar*Magnolia]

Always a 'hot topic'! Well, I agree with those that have said the shorter the cruise the less dressed, longer cruises, more dressy! Having said tghat, we are a family that wether a 5 night or 12 night you will see DH and DS in Tuxedos on formal night, DH in a suit or jacket on smart casual (9+night sails) and dressed appropriately therein. You'll always see that one or two who do look out of place and not in suggested attire, but thats only if you look and care what others wear. :rolleyes: We like getting dressed up and look forward to it, we also like to be casual on casual nights and think the whole suggested attire by RCI is well balanced. Most in the dining room (late seating for us) are dressed appropriately, cant say I ever saw anything too outlandish (except for people we met who brought their blow-up friend). Good times! Go, have fun and look good! :p hehehe

 

(PS our 12 night On Explorer in December, if it wasnt a Formal night it looked like many were still dressed 'smart casual'..it was one dressy 12 night cruise! :-))

[cruiseguy1016]

I have only been on three cruises but I am curious as to which ship you were on where people wore "shorts, t-shirts, flip-flops and baseball caps to the main dining room for dinner?"

 

We were on Enchantment a few years ago and sat next to a ten top that was all family, grandparents, parents and kids. Dad (middle generation) wore jean shorts and a T shirt to dinner EVERY night.