Non Existent Dress Code

[ptcbass]

We always were our nicer flip flops and shorts

That is what we love about DCL is that you can dress casual. Now we will dress nicer for the formal and semi-formal night but still we refuse to pack and wear suits of any kind. I figure those that love to embrace dressing up will do so and also can enjoy dressing up for Remy's/Palo.

We have to dress a certain way all year long for work so on vacation we LOVE that we can be more casual!

 

[263a2879]

We were on the DREAM 4 day over New Years Eve and I was shocked at the lack of attention to attire worn in the dining rooms. Normally I don't care about this one way or the other, but it was flagrant! About 30% of the men had on cargo shorts and sandals, less than 10% had a suit or tux on - and this was every night in every restaurant. I saw oodles of women with tank tops and shorts with flip flops and frankly they acted as though they didn't give a darn! Never did i see any CM ask they to wear proper attire. Remy's/Palo were exceptions as the code was enforced. I did see a gentleman offered shoes as he was wearing sandals which was a no no.

It sounds to me like you spent most of your cruise worrying about what other people were wearing.

My suggestion is that if you want to be surrounded by elegantly dressed people at dinner time, than you should probably book and cruise with a higher end cruise line that focuses on that. Don't get me wrong...Disney Cruise Line is very high end, but their main focus is making sure all of their guests have a fantastic time in a relaxed casual atmosphere. You need to remember that most guests are cruising with young children that have zero interest in getting dressed up for dinner each night, which is why they offer Remy and Palo as alternatives.

 

[over50visits]

DCL is full of entitled guests - wasting food, saving seats, holding poolside chairs all day, having no pride in how they dress for the elegant dining rooms. It's just part of a general trend, and it's a reasonable reflection of our changing society. Those who wish for the (not so long ago) days of group kindness are destined to be unhappy.

We need to just accept the new "it's all about me" attitude and move on; fretting about something you can't change isn't much fun.

 

[ptcbass]

Do any of the main cruise lines have a required formal attire night anymore?

I know years and years ago if you went on a cruise you brought a gown similar to prom but I thought those days were pretty much over. With everyone's busy and stressful lives I think people have embraced being able to relax and have a more casual atmosphere for vacation.

 

[Dave2425]

well, when people dress better at home than when on a cruise i don't think much of it. Sorry. When the Navigator says 'cruise casual' no shorts, swimwear or tank tops (DCL's words on their website) i tend to dress in the groove, yet i saw every one of the above in the MDR's and to me it belongs on deck 11. and yes I too live in a cold (below 0) and snowy climate on the shore of Lake Superior.

Where does it say shorts aren't allowed in the MDR?

 

[263a2879]

DCL is full of entitled guests - wasting food, saving seats, holding poolside chairs all day, having no pride in how they dress for the elegant dining rooms. It's just part of a general trend, and it's a reasonable reflection of our changing society. Those who wish for the (not so long ago) days of group kindness are destined to be unhappy. We need to just accept the new "it's all about me" attitude and move on; fretting about something you can't change isn't much fun.

Sorry...but MY vacation IS "all about me"...

 

[ptcbass]

Where does it say shorts aren't allowed in the MDR?

I'm not sure exactly but I have seen it several places in print and on the website. I know when we booked our first cruise I made sure shorts were allowed. Yeah! I am sure those that still see the places that says no shorts are surprised when they are eating and almost everyone has shorts on.

 

[jahber]

DCL is full of entitled guests - wasting food, saving seats, holding poolside chairs all day, having no pride in how they dress for the elegant dining rooms. It's just part of a general trend, and it's a reasonable reflection of our changing society. Those who wish for the (not so long ago) days of group kindness are destined to be unhappy. We need to just accept the new "it's all about me" attitude and move on; fretting about something you can't change isn't much fun.

You're seriously calling people who choose to follow the dress code as stated by DCL (instead of the one you would prefer) entitled? That's funny. But seriously, I'm not sure how wearing shorts to dinner is being unkind or selfish.

 

[JMHDisney]

From the "packing list" sent to me by Disney in my pre-arrival guide:

Dinner attire is cruise casual, meaning no shorts, swimwear, or tank tops. Diners at Palo or Remy, the adults only restaurants, will want to dress more formally than when dining at our other restaurants.

Nothing about bringing formal wear for special nights. So, I think it is entirely reasonable for cruisers to assume no need, even on formal or semiformal nights. Some who would have dressed up might not simply because they followed the packing guide. In fact, when I read that, my reaction was, oh, looks like they stopped doing the dress up nights!

 

[Saratoga Souris]

I'm not offended but it does take away from my "Magic".... sorry to say.

Wearing shorts in a dining room.... that just wouldn't cross my mind.

I am from a different "era" maybe?

 

[sabrecmc]

We always were our nicer flip flops and shorts

That is what we love about DCL is that you can dress casual. Now we will dress nicer for the formal and semi-formal night but still we refuse to pack and wear suits of any kind. I figure those that love to embrace dressing up will do so and also can enjoy dressing up for Remy's/Palo.

We have to dress a certain way all year long for work so on vacation we LOVE that we can be more casual!

My first thought when I read the original post was, "But they are my nice flip-flops, not the sketchy Old Navy ones with my dirty footprints outlined on them!"

For the longer cruises with true formal nights, I do like to dress up. For the 3 night Dream cruises, eh, it is usually a jacket thrown over whatever I managed to put on after swimming with dolphins. People will just have to deal.

 

[MunFam]

I ONLY cruise DCL because I have a young child who appreciates the magic. I much prefer the cruise lines that have a more formal, upscale feel. For the price I am paying, that is what I want out of my vacation.

We do dress up, because we feel it is the respectful thing to do. I wouldn't dare show up to a wedding that said black tie optional in a summer dress simply because the word "optional" was on the invitation.

And for what its worth, we also dress "nicer" to fly and we have been comped/offered to either business or first class without status or points the last 7 of 8 flights we have been on and this is across multiple airlines. Dressing the part takes you further than wearing your PJs. I am also aware of times that airlines have bumped people that "look" like they are not in a hurry to get somewhere vs a business traveler in a suit and tie.

I have always been told to dress the way you want to be treated. I do not want to be treated casually, I want to be respected and in a dining setting, served well.

I do not care how you justify it, people do judge you (in life, in general) and often times are treated accordingly. Fair or not. Its life. It is your right to wear whatever you want to the MDR because DCL does not mandate it...for sure, but what you put out always comes back to you.

 

[MunFam]

Sorry...but MY vacation IS "all about me"...

Makes PERFECT sense. However, you are sharing your vacation with 2,000 plus other guests on a public cruise ship, so being respectful of EVERY OTHER paying passenger's vacation is necessary too. If you truly need your vacation to be "all about you" then rent a castle somewhere, hire servants that report exclusively to you and let them kiss your feet for a week.

 

[263a2879]

That's really sad...where I come from, you treat everybody the same regardless of how they look. It's called respect...

 

[tvguy]

Yeah, we had a couple that came to MDR every night in jogging suits.

Cruising has gotten a lot more casual. My first cruise tuxes and formal wear were required on formal nights, and suits and such on every other night. Shorts and sandals would not be permitted.
But that was a very formal cruise.

Clearly I am in the minority in wishing they had and enforced a dress code. There are still a few cruise lines that do, but it is getting rare.

We still wear nice clothing on formal nights, and that is usually the night we get our portraits done.

 

[richkaryn]

With all the airline charges for luggage now (SW the exception), it's too expensive for people to have to pack 2-3 outfits/day for their cruise. I am glad to have the "cruise casual" dresscode and will be even more grateful when we sail to Alaska in 2016 and I have to fly an airline other than southwest. $60/person to carry 2 suitcases full of bulky cool weather clothes is going to be bad enough, but if we have to take more than that it'd be even worse.
I took advantage and wore jeans one night and capris another on our recent December Bahamas cruise.
I think people should be grateful they can afford to go on the cruises and not care so much what everyone around them are wearing. We've also cruised RC in past (before all these baggage fees) and having to pack all that extra not to mention buy things to wear if you didn't already have formalwear, can add quite a bit to the cost of a cruise. It's vacation.....quit worrying what others are wearing and enjoy yourself.

 

[ocspartan]

Makes PERFECT sense. However, you are sharing your vacation with 2,000 plus other guests on a public cruise ship, so being respectful of EVERY OTHER paying passenger's vacation is necessary too. If you truly need your vacation to be "all about you" then rent a castle somewhere, hire servants that report exclusively to you and let them kiss your feet for a week.

So here's the problem with this, everyone in this case was being "respectful" and following the rules that DCL sets....

but on a broader scale do you care what others wear when you stay at a resort with well over 2000 people on land? so as long as they aren't breaking the dress code of the resort/cruise line how is that being disrespectful?

 

[Dave2425]

I have always been told to dress the way you want to be treated. I do not want to be treated casually, I want to be respected and in a dining setting, served well.

That's really sad...where I come from, you treat everybody the same regardless of how they look. It's called respect...

 

[Uncleromulus]

I'm not offended but it does take away from my "Magic".... sorry to say.

Wearing shorts in a dining room.... that just wouldn't cross my mind.

I am from a different "era" maybe?

IN a way--yes. Just look at any older photos--even people just walking downtown, at a ballgame etc--

And then look at any of today's photos.

Like it or not, it's a far more casual (dress-wise) world than before and it's simply being reflected in DCL dining.

Been sort of this way for a # of years at WDW so I'm not surprised it's finally arrived on DCL

 

[purfectlyweird]

I'm a chef, so I'm always in my chef coat and work shoes 24/7. I haven't worn a dress in 7 years much less a skirt. Vacation to me means shorts and converse, which is exactly what I wore every night for dinner. I'm hoping come december to really offend whomever with my purple mohawk & matching converse