jeans at dinner?

[Kimmielee]

You should have seen what our cruise did for our marriage!

Frank and Lola (just returned from our second honeymoon!)

Good for you Frank and Lola!!

 

[Skallywag]

I'm fortunate enough to have been on numerous cruises. My first Disney cruise is imminent. Considering the inflated price as compared to Celebrity, Cunard, Princess, RCCL, et al.....jeans AND sneakers in the dining room...... i'm confident my first Disney Cruise will be my last.

I quite agree - we booked the cruise over 12 months ago knowing it was formal dress and are extremely annoyed to find that you are able to wear jeans and training shoes in the restaurant.

We have just packed for our cruise on the 22nd and yes we have formal wear and my we have packed the dinner suite for my husband. Really feel that it does not take up any more room than jeans.

Just to throw another spanner in the works - would be most unhappy if we took the trouble to dress correctlyfor dinner and were seated with others that did not.

This is our first cruise and we did book to enjoy the formal evenings and correct dinner dress.

 

[Kimmielee]

I quite agree - we booked the cruise over 12 months ago knowing it was formal dress and are extremely annoyed to find that you are able to wear jeans and training shoes in the restaurant.

We have just packed for our cruise on the 22nd and yes we have formal wear and my we have packed the dinner suite for my husband. Really feel that it does not take up any more room than jeans.

Just to throw another spanner in the works - would be most unhappy if we took the trouble to dress correctlyfor dinner and were seated with others that did not.

This is our first cruise and we did book to enjoy the formal evenings and correct dinner dress.

Good for you... and it's nice that you can and WANT to participate (as do I)... however... why be unhappy? The trip is about YOU and your family. Dress as you want but don't let others dressing differently make you unhappy. Why judge them? You don't know their situation, financial or otherwise. LIVE AND LET LIVE....

I was on a Carnival Cruise in March... there were two men (a pair of friends) that were traveling together. They worked for the same company and wanted to fully relax... not get dressed up when it's out of the norm for them. NONE of us at our table of 8 judged them.... It was their trip... it didn't "take away" from my experience of getting dressed for dinner... it didn't bother me. Why should it? To each their own. I'm not capable of being judged by others without some faults being found... so I don't judge others for that very reason. Perhaps I'll do something that they feel is inappropriate. Who knows? I say, let it go.... we should not sit in judgement of others. Not one of us is perfect.

Ok, I'm done with my soapbox and unsubscribing from this thread. I hope everyone enjoys their cruises!!!

 

[kellib36]

I'm fortunate enough to have been on numerous cruises. My first Disney cruise is imminent. Considering the inflated price as compared to Celebrity, Cunard, Princess, RCCL, et al.....jeans AND sneakers in the dining room...... i'm confident my first Disney Cruise will be my last.

Now, see, my take on this wasn't quite as negative as a lot of others....my first reaction was, "We'll see what you say when you get back!" Disney has a way of making you forget your preconceived notions and have a blast!!!


But, I don't think Jimmy would be very happy with that attitude, Par8hed!!!!!

 

[Admiral Boom]

The only time I have ever let dress code upset me was in Palos. The first time we dined there, we had a table for 2 but were seated next to some people that were in *very* casual attire. There was also another couple that the gentleman was wearing a "muscle-type" shirt. That really upset me. As for general dining, I don't care. We follow the navigator recommendations and now that jeans are allowed I'll probably wear those with my black birks (shoes, NOT sandals). I'm there to enjoy myself and in a dining room, where kids are present, anything goes. I really only let it get to me, as I said, if it's at Palo.

 

[gydell]

We have been on numerous cruises on other cruise lines too and have even seen nice walking shorts in the dining rooms. As long as it's not cutoffs or bathing suits and you are clean - Who cares! Everyone should do what makes a vacation a vacation to them.

 

[Mickeyhugger]

Skallywag and Par8head, I haven't sailed on DCL since May 2004 (before the dress code was changed.)

I will say, I was pleasantly surprised, as this kind of debate has been on these boards since I logged on in 2003. A good majority seemed to dress in their 'Sunday best' and it added to the ambiance of the occasion. I saw very few not dressed according to the then guidelines.

I've seen similar heated discussions on other cruise boards, echoing the same 'I don't judge others, it's my vacation, I'll dress as I want, etc.' However, I've read that less than 5% of cruisers read and/or participate in message boards, so these comments are obviously are not representing a majority of cruisers. A great many go with the suggested dress code that is sent to them with their cruisedocs.

(We sailed Carnival in March of this year, and it was the same situation. Debates on their boards beforehand, but very few families dressed less than casual.)

 

[logan1_2000]

I quite agree - we booked the cruise over 12 months ago knowing it was formal dress and are extremely annoyed to find that you are able to wear jeans and training shoes in the restaurant.

We have just packed for our cruise on the 22nd and yes we have formal wear and my we have packed the dinner suite for my husband. Really feel that it does not take up any more room than jeans.

Just to throw another spanner in the works - would be most unhappy if we took the trouble to dress correctlyfor dinner and were seated with others that did not.

This is our first cruise and we did book to enjoy the formal evenings and correct dinner dress.

I agree, too. This board has many a thread with many an entry where people rationalize that its your vacation, do what you like, what i wear or say or do doesnt affect you, and my jeans are nicer than your clothes...and this is a disservice to what DCL was designed to be.

Disney could have made a cruise line that did not have formal nights. They chose not to do that. You just have to watch that Making of DCL program and remember that DCL was conceived to be reminsicent of a classic liner. There is no formal night on a 4 night cruise or a 3 night cruise. In contrast,RCCL does have a formal night on 4 night cruises. I've done both. I've managed to pack quite lightly for the 4 nighter, a blazer over khakis in Triton's and just polo shirts and khakis for other dinners. There are many cruise lines that have gone entirely casual. It is reasonable to choose a vacation that matches your desires for how you care to dress while on vacation. When I go to the beach, I dress for the beach. And when that beach is the Ritz in Amelia Island, I dress differently than when that beach is the family cottage in Panama City Beach. The DCL formal night and dining room dress codes, such as they are (the tux standard for formal night was abandoned long ago) are part of the info posted on the website, just as the fares and ports of call. No one changed the rules and sprang the dress code on the passengers after they'd put down their deposit, and certainly not after the refund deadline, that would be unfair.

Dinsey monitors these boards. They know what their guests are saying. And they have made adjustments to the dress codes since launching DCL.. They dropped the jacket requirement for Palo. (So though I still wear a jacket and tie to Palo, I recognize that is my choice and the absence of a jacket on the gentleman at the next table is not an issue, so long as that guest has respected the dress code that does exist). Disney has not chosen to drop Formal and Semi-Formal nights.

So I chose a cruise with a formal night. And the fun of a formal night is every one dressing up and the overall ambience and total experience of such an evening (which, i will concede, is distinctly out of place in parrot cay). And most on this board will say that I need to shut up about what they are wearing, it is none of my business. But if I, or other passnegers were looking forward to that experience, those who disregard the dress code do detract from the experience of those of us who were looking forward to an evening of dressing up.

Truth be told, most of the major cruise lines all offer a good quality experience, but the distinctions are in marketing and packaging. What type of experience do they offer, what demographics are they targeting. No different than why there is a Mercury Mountaineer and also a Ford Explorer--same vehicle, just packaging and marketing. I don't go on Carnival, and I also don't go on Crystal or Radisson, but the selection I made included what DCL includes.

One of my colleagues is getting married in 2 weeks--black tie optional. Should I say "hey, you invited me, I bought you your china, but I like to be comfortable on a saturday and this polo shirt and these very nice dress jeans cost more than that guy's cheap poly blend rental tux and you just enjoy what you're wearing and never mind me"? No--if I dont want to participate in a suitable way (pardon the pun), then I should decline. And while a cruise is not a wedding, there are many people who are likewise paying for their vacation and are looking forward to the experience advertised in materials that make reference to dress codes, formal and semi-formal nights, etc.

I don't go to the Ritz Carlton in jeans--and when I like to wear jeans there are many enjoyable places to go enjoy a great dinner and good company. But it would be darned selfish of me to show up at an event or location that was advertised well in advance as having dress code expectations and deciding that none of that applied to me.

So when I pick up my new tux today--and no, its not the cheap poly blend kind--I look forward to making the effect of my co-worker's wedding a little more special by respecting the black tie option instead of a suit, and I look forward to enjoying the last remaining vestiges of the class and elegance of cruising for just one night on great cruises, both DCL and RCCL. And if I didn't want to wear a tux or suit, or even just a jacket and tie with proper slacks, I would make use of one of the informal dinner options available to me.

 

[Mickeyhugger]

Thank you logan!

 

[oybolshoi]

I agree, too. This board has many a thread with many an entry where people rationalize that its your vacation, do what you like, what i wear or say or do doesnt affect you, and my jeans are nicer than your clothes...and this is a disservice to what DCL was designed to be.

Disney could have made a cruise line that did not have formal nights. They chose not to do that. You just have to watch that Making of DCL program and remember that DCL was conceived to be reminsicent of a classic liner. There is no formal night on a 4 night cruise or a 3 night cruise. In contrast,RCCL does have a formal night on 4 night cruises. I've done both. I've managed to pack quite lightly for the 4 nighter, a blazer over khakis in Triton's and just polo shirts and khakis for other dinners. There are many cruise lines that have gone entirely casual. It is reasonable to choose a vacation that matches your desires for how you care to dress while on vacation. When I go to the beach, I dress for the beach. And when that beach is the Ritz in Amelia Island, I dress differently than when that beach is the family cottage in Panama City Beach. The DCL formal night and dining room dress codes, such as they are (the tux standard for formal night was abandoned long ago) are part of the info posted on the website, just as the fares and ports of call. No one changed the rules and sprang the dress code on the passengers after they'd put down their deposit, and certainly not after the refund deadline, that would be unfair.

Dinsey monitors these boards. They know what their guests are saying. And they have made adjustments to the dress codes since launching DCL.. They dropped the jacket requirement for Palo. (So though I still wear a jacket and tie to Palo, I recognize that is my choice and the absence of a jacket on the gentleman at the next table is not an issue, so long as that guest has respected the dress code that does exist). Disney has not chosen to drop Formal and Semi-Formal nights.

So I chose a cruise with a formal night. And the fun of a formal night is every one dressing up and the overall ambience and total experience of such an evening (which, i will concede, is distinctly out of place in parrot cay). And most on this board will say that I need to shut up about what they are wearing, it is none of my business. But if I, or other passnegers were looking forward to that experience, those who disregard the dress code do detract from the experience of those of us who were looking forward to an evening of dressing up.

Truth be told, most of the major cruise lines all offer a good quality experience, but the distinctions are in marketing and packaging. What type of experience do they offer, what demographics are they targeting. No different than why there is a Mercury Mountaineer and also a Ford Explorer--same vehicle, just packaging and marketing. I don't go on Carnival, and I also don't go on Crystal or Radisson, but the selection I made included what DCL includes.

One of my colleagues is getting married in 2 weeks--black tie optional. Should I say "hey, you invited me, I bought you your china, but I like to be comfortable on a saturday and this polo shirt and these very nice dress jeans cost more than that guy's cheap poly blend rental tux and you just enjoy what you're wearing and never mind me"? No--if I dont want to participate in a suitable way (pardon the pun), then I should decline. And while a cruise is not a wedding, there are many people who are likewise paying for their vacation and are looking forward to the experience advertised in materials that make reference to dress codes, formal and semi-formal nights, etc.

I don't go to the Ritz Carlton in jeans--and when I like to wear jeans there are many enjoyable places to go enjoy a great dinner and good company. But it would be darned selfish of me to show up at an event or location that was advertised well in advance as having dress code expectations and deciding that none of that applied to me.

So when I pick up my new tux today--and no, its not the cheap poly blend kind--I look forward to making the effect of my co-worker's wedding a little more special by respecting the black tie option instead of a suit, and I look forward to enjoying the last remaining vestiges of the class and elegance of cruising for just one night on great cruises, both DCL and RCCL. And if I didn't want to wear a tux or suit, or even just a jacket and tie with proper slacks, I would make use of one of the informal dinner options available to me.

Very well said - I completely agree.

 

[Deb Quen of Colorado]

I do think it is sad that your enjoyment of a vacation depends on what I wear to dinner. Just my opinion.

 

[atakaratemom]

Good grief this topic is obviously a touchy one. I can't see what all the fuss is about. Just FYI, my DH and DS did not wear jeans on formal or semi-formal night. On formal night DH wore a suit and tie and on semi-formal night a dress shirt and tie. When we dined at Palo DH wore a suit and I wore a nice dress and we were the most dressed up people there. My point was that on the casual evenings, especially in Parrot Cay it seems totally appropriate to wear nice jeans. If you look at the OP he was just asking if people wear jeans in the dining room and the answer is yes. It didn't say anything about wearing jeans on formal night or to Palo. I think some of you are misinterpreting this to mean jeans and sneakers are always appropriate every night, everywhere. That was never the issue.

 

[Mickeyhugger]

I do think it is sad that your enjoyment of a vacation depends on what I wear to dinner.

I don't think anyone here is taking it to that extreme.

 

[oybolshoi]

I do think it is sad that your enjoyment of a vacation depends on what I wear to dinner. Just my opinion.

I don't think that's what people mean, but perhaps we're just looking at this from different perspectives.

I look at it like this - dinner is typically a more formal affair and it does seem to me based on previous cruise experiences that DCL and other cruiselines are trying to set a certain "atmosphere" for that one meal of the day. Does the ability to wear blue jeans to dinner as opposed to khakis or a pair of dockers make that much difference? Both are casual options but I think we'd all agree that khakis or dockers look much nicer and we are talking about appearance here. And my husband would say that khakis / dockers are much more comfortable anyway! That's what he wore every night to dinner except for formal, semi-formal, and Palo dinners and he looked just fine.

It doesn't lessen my enjoyment if other people don't dress up the way DH and I do - we have fun with it because it's not something we usually get a chance to do outside of a wedding reception or a holiday party.

I'll share something with you guys that happened last weekend that really surprised me. We were having lunch at a local restaurant - a very casual local microbrewery and a family came in and the dad was wearing a muscle-shirt - they gave him the option of wearing one of the shirts they keep for those situations or leaving. Not something I would have expected to see there but it's all about the mood and setting that they want to convey to their patrons. Just thought it was interesting.

Anyway...I'm off to my cruise thread... we leave on Thursday for Florida and sail on the Magic on Saturday, where at least two of us will be dressing for dinner!

Enjoy yourselves and try to be kind to each other!!

B.

 

[MrsMork]

I agree, too. This board has many a thread with many an entry where people rationalize that its your vacation, do what you like, what i wear or say or do doesnt affect you, and my jeans are nicer than your clothes...and this is a disservice to what DCL was designed to be.

Disney could have made a cruise line that did not have formal nights. They chose not to do that. You just have to watch that Making of DCL program and remember that DCL was conceived to be reminsicent of a classic liner. There is no formal night on a 4 night cruise or a 3 night cruise. In contrast,RCCL does have a formal night on 4 night cruises. I've done both. I've managed to pack quite lightly for the 4 nighter, a blazer over khakis in Triton's and just polo shirts and khakis for other dinners. There are many cruise lines that have gone entirely casual. It is reasonable to choose a vacation that matches your desires for how you care to dress while on vacation. When I go to the beach, I dress for the beach. And when that beach is the Ritz in Amelia Island, I dress differently than when that beach is the family cottage in Panama City Beach. The DCL formal night and dining room dress codes, such as they are (the tux standard for formal night was abandoned long ago) are part of the info posted on the website, just as the fares and ports of call. No one changed the rules and sprang the dress code on the passengers after they'd put down their deposit, and certainly not after the refund deadline, that would be unfair.

Dinsey monitors these boards. They know what their guests are saying. And they have made adjustments to the dress codes since launching DCL.. They dropped the jacket requirement for Palo. (So though I still wear a jacket and tie to Palo, I recognize that is my choice and the absence of a jacket on the gentleman at the next table is not an issue, so long as that guest has respected the dress code that does exist). Disney has not chosen to drop Formal and Semi-Formal nights.

So I chose a cruise with a formal night. And the fun of a formal night is every one dressing up and the overall ambience and total experience of such an evening (which, i will concede, is distinctly out of place in parrot cay). And most on this board will say that I need to shut up about what they are wearing, it is none of my business. But if I, or other passnegers were looking forward to that experience, those who disregard the dress code do detract from the experience of those of us who were looking forward to an evening of dressing up.

Truth be told, most of the major cruise lines all offer a good quality experience, but the distinctions are in marketing and packaging. What type of experience do they offer, what demographics are they targeting. No different than why there is a Mercury Mountaineer and also a Ford Explorer--same vehicle, just packaging and marketing. I don't go on Carnival, and I also don't go on Crystal or Radisson, but the selection I made included what DCL includes.

One of my colleagues is getting married in 2 weeks--black tie optional. Should I say "hey, you invited me, I bought you your china, but I like to be comfortable on a saturday and this polo shirt and these very nice dress jeans cost more than that guy's cheap poly blend rental tux and you just enjoy what you're wearing and never mind me"? No--if I dont want to participate in a suitable way (pardon the pun), then I should decline. And while a cruise is not a wedding, there are many people who are likewise paying for their vacation and are looking forward to the experience advertised in materials that make reference to dress codes, formal and semi-formal nights, etc.

I don't go to the Ritz Carlton in jeans--and when I like to wear jeans there are many enjoyable places to go enjoy a great dinner and good company. But it would be darned selfish of me to show up at an event or location that was advertised well in advance as having dress code expectations and deciding that none of that applied to me.

So when I pick up my new tux today--and no, its not the cheap poly blend kind--I look forward to making the effect of my co-worker's wedding a little more special by respecting the black tie option instead of a suit, and I look forward to enjoying the last remaining vestiges of the class and elegance of cruising for just one night on great cruises, both DCL and RCCL. And if I didn't want to wear a tux or suit, or even just a jacket and tie with proper slacks, I would make use of one of the informal dinner options available to me.

Bravo, Logan! Very well said.

 

[dharma517]

I have a full life and therefore don't have time to worry about what other people are wearing...maybe you should get one? The only way I would care is if they came naked and really shouldn't be..LOL!
Jenn

 

[Michelle2]

Good grief this topic is obviously a touchy one. I can't see what all the fuss is about. Just FYI, my DH and DS did not wear jeans on formal or semi-formal night. On formal night DH wore a suit and tie and on semi-formal night a dress shirt and tie. When we dined at Palo DH wore a suit and I wore a nice dress and we were the most dressed up people there. My point was that on the casual evenings, especially in Parrot Cay it seems totally appropriate to wear nice jeans. If you look at the OP he was just asking if people wear jeans in the dining room and the answer is yes. It didn't say anything about wearing jeans on formal night or to Palo. I think some of you are misinterpreting this to mean jeans and sneakers are always appropriate every night, everywhere. That was never the issue.

I totally agree. We were ALWAYS planning to dress formal on formal night, semi formal on semi formal night, and us wearing a suit and dress at Palo's. We will love getting into the themes that the cruise was designed for, and we will totally follow cruise guidelines for the dress attire. But I'll bet in all the dining locations I will take a quick look around and think, "And to think I was self conscious about what we wore!"
Everyone has their own opinion on what they consider nice and appropriate for dinner.

 

[MrsMork]

I have a full life and therefore don't have time to worry about what other people are wearing...maybe you should get one? The only way I would care is if they came naked and really shouldn't be..LOL!
Jenn

So, what's wrong with naked? There are people who are nudists and that is how they are comfortable. It is after all, their vacation too.

 

[ladygypsy]

I agree, too. This board has many a thread with many an entry where people rationalize that its your vacation, do what you like, what i wear or say or do doesnt affect you, and my jeans are nicer than your clothes...and this is a disservice to what DCL was designed to be.

Disney could have made a cruise line that did not have formal nights. They chose not to do that. You just have to watch that Making of DCL program and remember that DCL was conceived to be reminsicent of a classic liner. There is no formal night on a 4 night cruise or a 3 night cruise. In contrast,RCCL does have a formal night on 4 night cruises. I've done both. I've managed to pack quite lightly for the 4 nighter, a blazer over khakis in Triton's and just polo shirts and khakis for other dinners. There are many cruise lines that have gone entirely casual. It is reasonable to choose a vacation that matches your desires for how you care to dress while on vacation. When I go to the beach, I dress for the beach. And when that beach is the Ritz in Amelia Island, I dress differently than when that beach is the family cottage in Panama City Beach. The DCL formal night and dining room dress codes, such as they are (the tux standard for formal night was abandoned long ago) are part of the info posted on the website, just as the fares and ports of call. No one changed the rules and sprang the dress code on the passengers after they'd put down their deposit, and certainly not after the refund deadline, that would be unfair.

Dinsey monitors these boards. They know what their guests are saying. And they have made adjustments to the dress codes since launching DCL.. They dropped the jacket requirement for Palo. (So though I still wear a jacket and tie to Palo, I recognize that is my choice and the absence of a jacket on the gentleman at the next table is not an issue, so long as that guest has respected the dress code that does exist). Disney has not chosen to drop Formal and Semi-Formal nights.

So I chose a cruise with a formal night. And the fun of a formal night is every one dressing up and the overall ambience and total experience of such an evening (which, i will concede, is distinctly out of place in parrot cay). And most on this board will say that I need to shut up about what they are wearing, it is none of my business. But if I, or other passnegers were looking forward to that experience, those who disregard the dress code do detract from the experience of those of us who were looking forward to an evening of dressing up.

Truth be told, most of the major cruise lines all offer a good quality experience, but the distinctions are in marketing and packaging. What type of experience do they offer, what demographics are they targeting. No different than why there is a Mercury Mountaineer and also a Ford Explorer--same vehicle, just packaging and marketing. I don't go on Carnival, and I also don't go on Crystal or Radisson, but the selection I made included what DCL includes.

One of my colleagues is getting married in 2 weeks--black tie optional. Should I say "hey, you invited me, I bought you your china, but I like to be comfortable on a saturday and this polo shirt and these very nice dress jeans cost more than that guy's cheap poly blend rental tux and you just enjoy what you're wearing and never mind me"? No--if I dont want to participate in a suitable way (pardon the pun), then I should decline. And while a cruise is not a wedding, there are many people who are likewise paying for their vacation and are looking forward to the experience advertised in materials that make reference to dress codes, formal and semi-formal nights, etc.

I don't go to the Ritz Carlton in jeans--and when I like to wear jeans there are many enjoyable places to go enjoy a great dinner and good company. But it would be darned selfish of me to show up at an event or location that was advertised well in advance as having dress code expectations and deciding that none of that applied to me.

So when I pick up my new tux today--and no, its not the cheap poly blend kind--I look forward to making the effect of my co-worker's wedding a little more special by respecting the black tie option instead of a suit, and I look forward to enjoying the last remaining vestiges of the class and elegance of cruising for just one night on great cruises, both DCL and RCCL. And if I didn't want to wear a tux or suit, or even just a jacket and tie with proper slacks, I would make use of one of the informal dinner options available to me.

Bravo Logan....well said and I agree 100%. As far as I know, nobody is forced to go to T/L, Animators, or Parrot Cay for dinner if they don't want to adhere to the dress code. All DCL is/was trying to do is create a bit of ambience in the sit-down restaurants.

We're looking forward to dressing for dinners on our 10/15 cruise. If we don't feel like making the effort, we'll dine at Topsiders.

 

[dharma517]

Please re read my post...I said "only if they shouldn't be"..lol. And don't anyone get their underwear in a wad because I don't qualify for that group either and most of the people I know don't qualify either..lol!!!
Jenn