First time cruise ?

[wallawallakids]

Hello. I am sorry if these are silly questions, but I am new to cruising and I can't seem to find the answers anywhere. Would you mind helping me out?

1) I know you can not wear shorts to the sit down dinners for dinner, and I plan on wearing nice dresses to those, however, are you allowed to wear shorts for breakfast and lunch in the sit down restaurants? Like Parrot Cay? Lumiere's? etc.

2) When the boat docks at the port are you allowed to come and go as you please? Or is it once you are off you have to wait until a certain time to come back on board?

Thank you so much for your help with these questions!!

 

[TGaines107]

1) Yes (There were even folks who wore shorts to dinner)
2) Yes, come and go as you please. We did several times at Castaway Cay
3) Have fun! They make it easy for you!

 

[truck1]

Hello. I am sorry if these are silly questions, but I am new to cruising and I can't seem to find the answers anywhere. Would you mind helping me out?

1) I know you can not wear shorts to the sit down dinners for dinner, and I plan on wearing nice dresses to those, however, are you allowed to wear shorts for breakfast and lunch in the sit down restaurants? Like Parrot Cay? Lumiere's? etc.

2) When the boat docks at the port are you allowed to come and go as you please? Or is it once you are off you have to wait until a certain time to come back on board?

Thank you so much for your help with these questions!!

To answer your questions yes. Shorts are fine for lunch and dinner. There is also onboard buffett that you can go to also is you dont want to go to the mdr for lunch or breakfast.

2. You can come and go as you please. As long as the ship has cleared Customs, you can leave as soon as they open the gangway and stay off the ship until 30 minutes before she sails again.( This is called the Onboard time.It can and will vary from port to port. Make sure you double check the Onboard time BEFORE you leave the ship and that your watch is the SAME TIME as the ships time.) Or you can get on and off as many times as you want. Just make sure that you carry the required ids to get back onto the pier or the ship. KTTW and a passport of photo id are usually the minumum for security reasons.

 

[wendyoconnor]

Take a sundress that can double as a swim suit coverup. Then you can go from the pool to lunch without changing or straight to the pool after breakfast. DH wears a t-shirt with his swim trunks for lunch, we either eat at the buffet or next to the pool. If I had little ones I would do the same, t-shirt for a boy and a sundress for a girl to go over the swimsuits.

 

[wallawallakids]

Thank you so much!!! This has been so helpful.

Are little boys ok to wear shorts to dinner then as well? I was reading my passporter book about the dress code and it said no shorts so I wasn't sure if my boys would be ok with a button down shirt and shorts or if I should pack them a few pairs of khakis? Thank you again!!!

 

[tvguy]

And to me, the most important tip, STUDY your Navigator (the daily on board newsletter listing activities) the minute you get on board, and every night before you go to bed so you don't miss something.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Thank you so much!!! This has been so helpful.

Are little boys ok to wear shorts to dinner then as well? I was reading my passporter book about the dress code and it said no shorts so I wasn't sure if my boys would be ok with a button down shirt and shorts or if I should pack them a few pairs of khakis? Thank you again!!!

The suggested dress code for the MDRs is "no shorts, tank tops, or swimsuits for dinner". No specification on ages that it may or may not apply to.

Yes, there are those who wear shorts to dinner anyway. It's your call.

 

[truck1]

Thank you so much!!! This has been so helpful.

Are little boys ok to wear shorts to dinner then as well? I was reading my passporter book about the dress code and it said no shorts so I wasn't sure if my boys would be ok with a button down shirt and shorts or if I should pack them a few pairs of khakis? Thank you again!!!

I would go with the khakis for the simple reason depending on what time of the year you travel, it can get chilly in the mdrs.

Now, do some people wear shorts (adults) to the mdrs, yes. But its not recomended/goes against the policy in place.(If you have a medical reason why you have to wear shorts its a different story.) Each of the 4 ships has a slightly different take on the dress code. In reality, how hard is it to follow a policy(not directed at you, but at the people that cant seem to follow directions) for a few days?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I would go with the khakis for the simple reason depending on what time of the year you travel, it can get chilly in the mdrs.

Now, do some people wear shorts (adults) to the mdrs, yes. But its not recomended/goes against the policy in place.(If you have a medical reason why you have to wear shorts its a different story.) Each of the 4 ships has a slightly different take on the dress code. In reality, how hard is it to follow a policy(not directed at you, but at the people that cant seem to follow directions) for a few days?

 

[wallawallakids]

Ok. Great. I will pack the boys pants then. And I guess I will plan to pack mostly skirts for the afternoons and dresses for dinner for me and the girls then. Thank you again!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Ok. Great. I will pack the boys pants then. And I guess I will plan to pack mostly skirts for the afternoons and dresses for dinner for me and the girls then. Thank you again!

I will point out that dresses are not required for the MDRs. The dress code is cruise casual.

 

[lanejudy]

I will point out that dresses are not required for the MDRs. The dress code is cruise casual.

Agreed! I (and many others) wore nice capris to the MDR each evening except for the semi-formal night when I wore a dress. I packed mix-n-match outfits so I didn't actually bring too many clothes that would be worn for only a couple of hours each day. My DD wore dresses each night.

 

[loran424]

My boys each took 2 pairs of pants for a 4 day cruise. 1 khaki, 1 nice jeans. They only wore them for a couple of hours at dinner; a spray of febreeze & back on the hanger & the boys were back in swimsuits. They did wear button down shirts & nice polo shirts with the exception of pirate night, of course.

 

[kcashner]

Shorts are fine for breakfast and lunch.

You can come and go from the ship when in port. Whatever fits your desires/schedule is fine with DCL.