Sorry dreaded dining room attire question

[KSDisneyDad]

If that is the case, this is going to discourage a lot of families from eating in the MDR. Nice jeans are easy to pack, and easy to wear when you are on vacation. I see nothing wrong with them. If they are going to suggest this attire, or at some point enforce it, then they should change Cabanas from a sit-down dinner to a buffet like other cruise lines so people who want to be comfortable have somewhere to dine other than the fast food options on deck 11.

We actually discourage our jean wearing boys from packing jeans for our vacations for the exact opposite reason. They are heavy to pack and too hot to wear in Florida/Caribbean IMO. We live in a climate where jeans can be worn comfortably year-round and I think they sometimes forget that it's not necessarily going to be dry and cool on vacation. YMMV

Also, I agree with Cabanas being a buffet at night for convenience. That said, I think wearing "cruise casual" is very comfortable so that's not the reason for wanting Cabanas/Topsiders/BBB to be a buffet. Again, YMMV.

interesting my e-mail was for the 21st May Wonder Alaskan Cruise.

I would think that jeans would be encouraged for Alaska given the climate. We leave for the Eastern Caribbean in three weeks and haven't received the "dress code" email yet - just lots of other emails encouraging us to buy things (room gifts, excursions, BBB, transportation, etc.! )

 

[Minnie Monellen]

interesting my e-mail was for the 21st May Wonder Alaskan Cruise.

I seem to recollect that last year someone posted they got a similar e-mail for the cruises to Alaska on the Wonder.

 

[2boysmommy]

In our email (we are on the May 19th Fantasy sailing) it didn't say no jeans. Here is what I cut and pasted:

Packing for Paradise. Here are a few tips on things to bring. For more details, be sure to refer to the Planning Center.

Days
• Casual wear (shorts, slacks, sundresses, jeans)
• Comfortable shoes (sandals, sneakers, boat shoes)
• Beach and pool wear (swimsuits, wraps, t-shirts)

Evenings
• Don’t forget a jacket or sweater. Yes, it’s the tropics, but the nights can be a bit breezy.
• Nice dining attire (no swimwear, tank tops or shorts at dinner, please)
• Optional formal attire
• Themed attire is welcome for Pirates IN The Caribbean night.

I was JUST getting ready to cut and paste the same thing (we are on the May 19 sailing as well)! My husband was happy that, when that email arrived yesterday, it confirmed his decision to bring jeans for a couple of nights. It breaks up the monotony of dress pants for him.

So maybe they are testing the waters with some cruises? Or maybe the creator of the OP's email used a form letter from last year and failed to update it?

 

[NancyIL]

Maybe DCL read the thread by the guy who insisted he would wear shorts at dinner - even though he knew DCL asked that he not! Until DCL enforces whatever dress code they deem appropriate at the door of the dining room on a consistent basis - people will continue to wear whatever they want.

 

[Bill Seattle]

I don't think the "no jeans" is a typo. Just because some people have gotten away with jeans in the dining room doesn't mean its officially allowed and doesn't mean you should count on it being allowed when you cruise.

 

[MisterOJ]

This is likely not a big deal.

I really doubt DCL is going to try and make the MDRs more formal. The trend is going toward more casual with most of society. DCL is not about to try and force things in the other direction at the cost of potentially losing customers.

 

[Minnie Monellen]

I found the link to a thread from last summer (2011) re: request for no jeans in main dining rooms for the Alaska cruises. See post #6.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=41800756

 

[mcd2745]

It seems that there is an assumption on Disney's part that most guests on he Alaskan cruises will be wearing jeans during the day. Just like it is a safe assumption that most guests will be wearing shorts during the day for Caribbean/Bahamas cruises. So it looks like they just want guests to not wear to dinner, the clothes they have been wearing throughout the day. More than anything, it appears to me that they would just like everyone to clean up and change for dinner.

 

[KSDisneyDad]

It seems that there is an assumption on Disney's part that most guests on he Alaskan cruises will be wearing jeans during the day. Just like it is a safe assumption that most guests will be wearing shorts during the day for Caribbean/Bahamas cruises. So it looks like they just want guests to not wear to dinner, the clothes they have been wearing throughout the day. More than anything, it appears to me that they would just like everyone to clean up and change for dinner.

Very insightful. I bet you're right.

 

[Chilly]

That seems to be the case that its Alaska specific.

Guess my DH is dressing up for dinner then.

 

[Chirple]

We were on the August 30 Alaska cruise last year. I wore a dress to the MDR the first night; my DH wore docker-type pants and a collared shirt. Our tablemates all wore nice jeans. From that point on (except for formal night), we also wore our nice jeans but paired with a business casual type shirt.

 

[Chilly]

My TA got back to me after speaking to Disney, they confirmed jeans were OK, "nice" dining means Palo.

 

[bumbershoot]

Why would any one not go to the MDR just because of this single factor?

If someone doesn't OWN any non-jean pants, it's a problem. DH works for a very casual company, and wears shorts and jeans to work. Khakis are what the CEO wears, not the normal employees... I think he owns one pair of dockers-type pants, and that's just what I think (I haven't seen them for awhile).

Well, we're on weight watchers and will be getting new clothing as time goes by anyway...guess he'll just have to buy a couple pairs of non-jeans as his weight goes down.

My TA got back to me after speaking to Disney, they confirmed jeans were OK, "nice" dining means Palo.

Whew. On the other hand, by the time our not-yet-booked plans come around, maybe he will *like* wearing non-jeans...

 

[Piggeldy]

DH works for a very casual company, and wears shorts and jeans to work. Khakis are what the CEO wears, not the normal employees... I think he owns one pair of dockers-type pants, and that's just what I think (I haven't seen them for awhile).

My DH works in a very small family-run business without much actual customer contact (just phone/email). The office is in his boss' basement and his boss has been known to work in sweat pants. DH owns two suits, two pairs of shorts and three pairs of jeans. "Business attire" for him is jeans and a tshirt.

I work at a very, very casual university faculty. As long as I am dressed, nobody minds. Fortunately I have a side job in a book store with a very strict dress code (no jeans, no shorts, no capris, no jeans skirts, skirts have to cover knees, shirts/blouses have to cover shoulders, no low necklines, no sandals, no sneakers... goes on like that).

I am sure we will get DH some khakis before the cruise and he won't have a problem wearing them (holds a degree in law though he isn't using it)... but it's good to hear that others have the same "problem"

 

[KYDIZFAN]

I have worn black or grey jeans on NYE and Formal Night(with my Dinner jacket and a nice shirt) and have never had a problem.

 

[MK4ever]

This will be our first cruise so dress code is a little confusing. Are shorts allowed in dining rooms for breakfast and lunch?

 

[moab44]

You can wear what every you want. We just did the Dream and we wore shorts and T-shirts on formal night. Wear what you are comfortable in.

 

[KSDisneyDad]

This will be our first cruise so dress code is a little confusing. Are shorts allowed in dining rooms for breakfast and lunch?

Yes. There are no dress "codes" for breakfast or lunch. That said, I believe I've heard people say that Disney has enforced a policy of no swimsuits without a coverup. We've not tried that so have no experience.

You can wear what every you want. We just did the Dream and we wore shorts and T-shirts on formal night. Wear what you are comfortable in.

The bolded is the key to this. I would think you were in the minority wearing shorts and t-shirt on formal night (unless you were on a 4-night with the dress up optional night). Disney does have a mostly unenforced Dress policy which encourages most people to dress up more than they would have otherwise done.

You are absolutely right in that if you are "comfortable" in shorts and a t-shirt on formal night, Disney won't say a thing. It's just that many people would not be comfortable wearing a shorts and a t-shirt if their table mates or others nearby are dressed more in line with the requested dress code for the evening, particularly on a more formal evening. And others may not be comfortable wearing something other than the "official" requested attire regardless of what anyone else is wearing. YMMV

 

[rillsung]

interesting my e-mail was for the 21st May Wonder Alaskan Cruise.

My TA got back to me after speaking to Disney, they confirmed jeans were OK, "nice" dining means Palo.

LOL I got the same email about the jeans and wondered... Funny that it's "Nice Dining" and not "Nice Attire"... it's easy to misread that, I guess!

 

[Minnie Monellen]

. . . It's just that many people would not be comfortable wearing a shorts and a t-shirt if their table mates or others nearby are dressed more in line with the requested dress code for the evening, particularly on a more formal evening. And others may not be comfortable wearing something other than the "official" requested attire regardless of what anyone else is wearing. YMMV

We had planned on dressing up for dinner each evening on our four night Dream cruise. As it turns out our tablemates also dressed up each evening. We really would have felt awkward if we had worn shorts and t-shirts to dinner. Quite honestly, we wouldn't wear shorts and t-shirts to Outback for lunch.