Non Existent Dress Code

[ocspartan]

When the Navigator says 'cruise casual'

If part of the marketing includes selling a particular "vibe" yes..."resort casual" does not mean old band t-shirts and cutoffs. If I am sold a "formal" night its not about whether or not I can choose to wear a gown...heck, since "no one should be looking at what anyone else is wearing" I should be able to put on an evening gown and have DH in a tux nightly, right?

The sale of the event of a "formal" night, or a semi-formal night or even "cruise casual" goes to a description of the ATMOSPHERE I should be able to expect on my vacation. When we think about "respect" is there a place for "respecting" the people who paid for what was marketed? Certainly, a person can choose any of a million options for their vacation....so why not choose the one that MATCHES what you want, rather than selecting a vacation that tells you there are certain expectations only to stick you tongue out and basically say "yeah....make me!"

Certainly, anyone can join in on a Disney cruise. They offer multiple options for eating....the MDR (which supposedly has a dress code - albeit generally relaxed other than the specified dress-up nights) as well as a casual buffet and room service for the days you just can't face putting on the requested MDR garb. All of the protests about wanting casual vacations, too many bags to carry etc all come down to a basic "I-want-what-I-want-how-I-want" attitude. Life is full of choices. Most grown-ups have come to realize that sometimes there are trade-offs. If you want to eat in the equivalent of you pjs on your vacation, there is a way to do that. If you want to wear tanktops/cutoffs/swimwear etc...there are places for you to eat too. If you want to "experience" the main dining room - then JOIN THE EXPERIENCE! I guarantee that no one will hunt you down and force you into a tux if you are enjoying a pleasant dinner at Cabana's or demand that you take your feet of the coffee table in your cabin while you dine. Is it that much to ask that you give the same courtesy of your fellow cruisers who are electing to take advantage of the advertised atmosphere of the MDR?

EXACTLY, I agree 100% with you, the post is about cruise casual, you should respect the rules of what's marketed...and be CASUAL!! Here is the rule from disney's own website.. https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/...uise-plans/faqs/onboard-dining/dining-attire/

Q: What should I wear to dinner?
A: The dress code for dinner varies by the venue or theme night of your cruise. In general, most meals are "cruise casual"—no swimwear or tank tops.

On 4-night cruises:

First night is cruise casual—no swimwear or tank tops

So yes everything else is allowed in the MDR... No one is telling those that want to wear a tux that you are not allowed in the MDR for being over dressed, and go eat at Remy everynight... b/c you are not following the cruise casual rules and are ruining my Cruise Casual experience..........isn't that what you're saying when you tell everyone else to go to Cabanas.... But yes you are allowed to wear a tux and gown every night and it won't bother anyone else.

 

[flinkerfrosch]

There shouldn't be a problem if people are sticking to the guidelines.
I love to dress up and wear something nice to dinner every night. I'll be in formal attire for Formal night and have a pirate costume for pirate night. That's just me though, I love to go all out and wouldn't comment on other people. I do believe however that when people make an effort to look nice, it just makes the experience seem a bit more magical.

My experience has always been just as magical whether I'm in a bathing suit or a formal gown. In fact, its more magical for me when I'm in my bathing suit cause I'm comfortable, and comfortable is what I want to be while on vacation!

 

[MichellelovesMickey]

This thread is absolutely sad!!!! We just were on a 7 night cruise and I saw people dressed every which way......the ONLY thing that slightly irritated me, but certainly not enough to enjoy my dinner with my DH in the MDR was a family that had children all with ball caps on. We had people all week with shorts (including my DH), jeans, dresses, suits, tuxes, ball gowns etc.,. I could have cared less, I just liked watching everyone be with their families or friends or loved ones and just having fun, laughing & talking. To judge based on what someone is wearing is absurd and possibly you need to move to a private chartered cruise. I have friends that make 5, 6 & 7 digit salaries and you know what....,.you could not tell one from the other outside of their businesses.
Have fun on vacation, enjoy the time with who you are on vacation with and less time worrying about what someone is wearing or doing!!!!

 

[263a2879]

This thread is absolutely sad!!!! We just were on a 7 night cruise and I saw people dressed every which way......the ONLY thing that slightly irritated me, but certainly not enough to enjoy my dinner with my DH in the MDR was a family that had children all with ball caps on. We had people all week with shorts (including my DH), jeans, dresses, suits, tuxes, ball gowns etc.,. I could have cared less, I just liked watching everyone be with their families or friends or loved ones and just having fun, laughing & talking. To judge based on what someone is wearing is absurd and possibly you need to move to a private chartered cruise. I have friends that make 5, 6 & 7 digit salaries and you know what....,.you could not tell one from the other outside of their businesses. Have fun on vacation, enjoy the time with who you are on vacation with and less time worrying about what someone is wearing or doing!!!!

Beautifully said

 

[MichellelovesMickey]

Oh and on a side note......I saw a young Mom on formal night with a dress that was sheer and had only a little coverage covering certain parts...,.it might have been formal & a gown but I would have rather seen her in shorts & a TShirt. BUT STILL. It did not ruin my dining experience.

My husband sat on the pool deck everyday in regular cargo shirts, TShirt, and his tennis shoes watching movies on Funnel Vision, should he have been banned from the pool area because he did not have on proper pool attire???

 

[263a2879]

oh and on a side note......i saw a young mom on formal night with a dress that was sheer and had only a little coverage covering certain parts...,.it might have been formal & a gown but i would have rather seen her in shorts & a tshirt. But still. It did not ruin my dining experience. My husband sat on the pool deck everyday in regular cargo shirts, tshirt, and his tennis shoes watching movies on funnel vision, should he have been banned from the pool area because he did not have on proper pool attire???

 

[Bree]

Wow...the month that has passed since the last debate about clothing went by fast

Who wants to start up the saving of pool chairs and seats in the theater?

 

[Prose]

In all of our cruises I can truthfully say I never once noticed what another guest was wearing, except for a couple of ladies on formal night wearing slinky gowns cut waaaaaaay low in front.

Honestly, when you are in a room of 500 people, most of who are seated at a table, how do you even know what kind of footwear they have on?

We dress for formal night, just because it almost always ends up being our Christmas card photo. Otherwise, as long as my family is neat, clean and covered, I am happy.

 

[Savikins]

I'm used to being the most dressed up person most places I go. It's a consequence of being into an alternative fashion based on Victorian/Rococo styles.

I don't really care what those around me are wearing, as long as they're not breaking any rules.

I usually dress "too formally" for most occasions. I would be a total hypocrite if I was made uncomfortable by others dressing "too casually".

I just say wear what you feel comfortable in that's within the rules. With DCL, that includes everything other than bathing suits and tank tops.

On a side note... I really can't believe how heated discussions about dress codes always get.

 

[darkwing818]

Wow...the month that has passed since the last debate about clothing went by fast

Who wants to start up the saving of pool chairs and seats in the theater?

Any Minute Now......

 

[purfectlyweird]

Wow...the month that has passed since the last debate about clothing went by fast

Who wants to start up the saving of pool chairs and seats in the theater?

Was it you that stole MY pool chair even though I was absent for 4 hours.......

 

[DynamicDisneyDuo]

This escalated quickly.

Not that that is a surprise, given the history of these type threads. I figure a mod will be along shortly to shut it down.

 

[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.

I noticed that my reply got quoted quite a few times...it was referring to the person thinking that his/her DCL vacation should be exclusively about him or her. If you are in a public setting, it can not be all about you. Ever. That is why it is called PUBLIC. That was my point. There are other guests to take in to consideration. If that ruins the "all about me" vibe said passenger is going for, perhaps a private vacation is more up his or her alley.

 

[MichellelovesMickey]

This escalated quickly. Not that that is a surprise, given the history of these type threads. I figure a mod will be along shortly to shut it down.

I know, right!
I usually never comment but I am tired today!!

 

[MunFam]

After giving this some real thought, emotions put aside, it seems very strange to me that DCL has such a broad dress code for formal night. Why would they have a formal night (even if it is optional) that also allows shorts and a t-shirt to be worn in the MDR? If the majority disliked the formal night, then why wouldn't they do away with it? If the majority preferred a formal night, then why not enforce it? Or even offer one dining rotation that WAS formal and semi formal and one that was casual exclusively?

Because CLEARLY they are a lot of differing opinions on the matter, and I think it truly stems from Disney being so broad on what is allowed or requested in a single night.

 

[263a2879]

I noticed that my reply got quoted quite a few times...it was referring to the person thinking that his/her DCL vacation should be exclusively about him or her. If you are in a public setting, it can not be all about you. Ever. That is why it is called PUBLIC. That was my point. There are other guests to take in to consideration. If that ruins the "all about me" vibe said passenger is going for, perhaps a private vacation is more up his or her alley.

When I said that "it's all about me", I didn't say that I wear pj's to dinner and dress like a slob. I dress casually for the entire cruise in all of the MDR's and I dress up for Palo (just as states I am expected to). Yes, I wear nice shorts and dressy tank tops to every MDR dinner.

I follow the Disney guidelines for the MDR's and specialty restaurants. I choose and do cruise Disney Cruise Line because their cruise line allows me to dress casually for the MDR's...if Disney said that I had to "dress" up every night for dinner...I wouldn't cruise with them.

I am 36 years old, make excellent money and have the luxury of cruising multiple times per year with Disney in Concierge, but I don't "act" like I do and I dress totally casual at all times.

 

[breakingd_awn]

Wow...the month that has passed since the last debate about clothing went by fast

Who wants to start up the saving of pool chairs and seats in the theater?

How about another classic, Taking your children out of school to go on vacation That's always a good read, Very entertaining stuff

 

[KBinCO]

I would have to be having a pretty terrible time if i cared what other families' were wearing.

 

[perdidobay]

I don't think DCL enforces its own rules in the MDRs. My last cruise on the Fantasy I saw a woman at the table next to us in a bikini wearing a shear cover up over it, with flip flops. No staff said anything to her.

I really don't care what people wear to dinner, as long as I don't have to look at hairy armpits (men or women) while I'm eating in the dining rooms.

 

[jrabbit]

Cruise Casual is NOT Theme Park Casual

It's MY Vacation - I'll dress as I darn well please

It's MY Vacation - and since you are NOT following the dress code (and presumably I am), you are adversely impacting MY vacation

Rules - we don't need no stinking rules!!! ... Treasure of the Sierra Madre (sic)

Anarchists of the World Unite ... George Carlin

Oh yea, why is wearing what you want ok, (especially when it's "against" the dress code) and showing too much skin NOT ok Looks like a double standard to me. And don't say it's because of the children onboard, because by being selfish and wearing what you want vs. what is requested you are perpetuating the "It's ALL About ME!!!" syndrome and that rules are made to be broken and passing on a horrible set of ethics to the next generation.