NCL Dress Code?

[Bulldog3777]

Was on the Sky last week for the 4 night cruise. Read the newsletter in the cabin and it stated that shorts were allowed in one of the two dinning rooms for the evening meal. Is this a change for NCL in general or just what the Sky is allowing? I am going on the Gem to Italy next year and was wondering if the shorts thing was on all ships???

 

[uppitycats]

That might have been just for that specific short cruise. I was on a NCL Jewel cruise a couple of weeks ago and the dress code there was what is posted on the NCL website: "resort casual", no jeans in the more formal dining room (Tzars), but allowed in the less formal dining room (Azura), and shorts only allowed in the buffet and similar venues.

 

[nmnita]

yes, Uppititycat is right,

Normally shorts are not allowed in the dining room after 5pm. Of course I am sure exceptions are made which doesn't make me very happy. On our Princess cruise earlier this year we were sitting next to a gentleman (about our age, really old) =huh wearing cargo shorts and rubber flip flops at dinner. Some may say, so what? I was not exactly thrilled. We also saw shorts a few other times. I believe the dress code may soon be a thing of the past regardless of the ship or line..:help I love casual, as in resort casual, not "come as you are" =sleep

 

[Searcher]

Too bad your night was ruined by what someone else wore. I had a similar incident a few years ago and pouted for hours after wards

Look folks. Some times there are reasons such as the time we were in St Thomas and our expedition got back to the ship way late. We had a choice, don't eat or go in dressed as is. The dirty looks were classic but know what, the food was still great.

 

[nmnita]

did anyone say their meal was ruined because of the way another dressed? I don't think so. I was shocked at the way the guy was dressed next to us, as I said, I can assure you it wasnt' anything like happened to you, if you had been next to him you would have realized he was basically a slob, period, manners, actiions, personality, everything.

As for not getting back in time to change clothes, 20 plus cruises and this has never happened to us, even when we almost missed getting back before embarkation we had time to change our clothes before dinner.

Nita:wave-D

 

[paul8]

We are going on the Norwegian Sun Jan. 2010 to South America and are told that there are no formal nights. Yet on HAL Veendam in June to Alaska for 7 days there are 2.

 

[Calgon1]

Ya know? If they posted a sign reading, "No shirt, no shoes, no service" some moron would show up wearing only a shirt and shoes!

 

[nmnita]

Paul,

You have heard correctly, although there will be a few "formal optional: nights and some will be dressed formally. This is part of the Freestyle policy. Dress the way you feel comfortable. I will add with the restriction on weight when flying, it is wonderful we do not have to worry about dressing up. There are some who do not like the relaxed dress codes, I understand, for us, as long as we have on cloths that are clean and neat we are comfortable. On our last cruise we did take a couple of dress outfits but never even wore them.

You are going to find a lot of differences in NCL and HAL..

Nita

 

[paul8]

Thanks for the reply.

Nita, HAL is rather dressy. I took a white dinner jacket and tux. Went on Celebrity Jan. 08 and got away with just a jacket and slacks. I probably can do with same with NCL. Even on HAL I noticed that people are getting away from "dressy". I don't mind dressing for dinner but a tux is too much. On HAL in Jan 2009 a gent showed up in the dining room of the Zuiderdam with slacks, a shirt and sandles, no socks. That is going a bit far.
Paul8

 

[nmnita]

Paul,

Last time we were on HAL hubby did take his tux, just cause he owns one and doesn't get many chances to wear it. but we had one guy at our table in a turtle neck and sports jacket. Of course he had on slacks as well..=docdance

On Celebrity we found most people dressed similar to HAL, Princess is a bit dressier than NCL but they too, are relaxing and I have seen some pretty strange outfits in the dining room. Laat year, at our table, sitting next to me was a guy (older) in cargo shorts and sandles. It really isn't my business and shouldn't bother me, but it did. Of course he was a slob and had poor manners to add to it...

I think resort casual is just fine, but don't come in the cloths you wore to the beach earlier in the day...

Nita-D

 

[paul8]

Nita, When I purchased my white dinner jacket, the salesman sold me a turtleneck, said that people are wearing that also with a tux. For dress maybe a tux is not necessary. I will wear shorts during the day but at least casual for supper. Then I maybe back to my cabin after supper for shorts. But that is me. The way I was raised. Shorts for supper, yes, but at Ogunquit, Maine. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that I was raised and live in Boston, the puritanical town-D

 

[Parrot Mom]

:lolSorry Paul, but I'm from Boston too and don't consider myself puritanical.. When we do go on our two week cruise on the NCL Gem.. we will l bring not a tux but dark jacket for Parrot Pop and dressed to the nine for myself.. after 20 years PP is tired of wearing a tux..

 

[CarrieNAustin]

Wow! I didn't realize we had to have dress clothes for an NCL cruise...
I live in a town where shorts and flip flops or jeans and tennis shoes are worn almost anywhere...even nice restaurants. Can we not wear jeans to eat? I expect to live in jeans while on my Alaskan cruise, I planned on not even bringing dress clothes
The reason I chose NCL was because I did NOT want to have to dress for dinner.

 

[nmnita]

Depending on what you consider dress cloths you should be fine. You can eat almost anywhere in jeans on NCL. There will be one main dining room that may not allow jeans, but everywhere else it is accepted. I will add, though you can wear jeans in the more formal dining rooms you will see very few weaing them. More people do dress casual when do Alaska. My suggestion, bring a couple of pair of nice slacks or capris. I know you must have some and you will feel a little better. Do not plan on wearing plain old T shirts but blouses or nice polo types are just fine.. NCL is by far the most casual of all cruise lines, and yet, there are still accepted manners of dress.
Again, go and enjoy, don't think you have to be dressed to the nines, but do take a few resort casual cloths.

Nita:wave

 

[Don Clark]

From NCL's FAQ

What Should I Pack?

To give you an idea of what to toss into your suitcase, we've got answers to some of your questions like:

Can I wear something casual to dinner?
Do people dress up at night?
Can I wear my swimsuit day and night?
The answer to all the above is "yes" - with Freestyle Cruising, you're pretty much welcome to wear whatever, whenever. Our philosophy is "resort casual" and with the widest range of dining venues, tons of entertainment options and bars & lounges, you'll find there are places for your style all over our ships, day and night.

Daytime, it's basically all fine since we know you're probably headed to the pool or out for a fun Shore Excursion. Casual shorts, jeans, tops and sundresses are welcome everywhere. You can even wear your swimsuit to the poolside grill or the buffet.

Resort casual dress gets you into every venue at night too. Some people like to add a jacket, or when celebrating a special occasion, get all decked out. This too is welcome everywhere. And if you're tired from a long fun day and just want to wear shorts; our buffet is the place for a casual dinner. Some people prefer nice jeans. They're welcome in many of our restaurants as well, but not in all. It's your vacation on NCL so dress comfortably, and you'll find a venue that suits your style.

Since all suitcases are collected the night before we return home, don't forget to bring an overnight bag packed with a change of clothes, prescriptions and need-to-have items. Thanks to Freestyle Disembarkation, you'll have time on your final morning on board for breakfast and some last minute sunbathing or even a workout.

Well, that's NCL's answers.

 

[paul8]

I do not mind dressing casual for dinner. My parents never taught their children to wear shorts for dinner, but that was a long time ago. Now a jacket MIGHT be going to far and a tie is questionable.

Paul

 

[clayton]

Hi.I was on gem in march out of ny you can only wear shorts in the buffet eating area.

 

[Sledman77]

My girlfriend and I were on the SKY in April and thought the way NCL dress code was great. Being raise the way I was wearing something nice for a dinner out you should dress appropriate and I don't care wherever that dinner is but if you are sitting down being served by someone else then dress nicely. Every night I at least wore a collard shirt and she wore a nice casual dress for dinner. I think regardless of whatever the policy the cruise line that you are travelling on people should take it upon themselves to add a little class to their life. Save the ties and tuxes or in my case military dress uniforms for those formal nights. For the rest of the dinners in a dinning room wear dress casual and if you don't want to do that goto the buffet or deck BBQ for dinner. Regardless its not going to wreck my dinner if you look like a slob but how can those people that don't put a little class in their life at least for dinner enjoy themselves. (I was more disturbed by the large group that had two laptop/DVDs playing to keep their kids occupied, but thats another story) I think if the cruise line really didn't care how you dressed then I think their staff server uniforms and decorum of their dinning rooms would look a little less classy than they do. Even on a cruise line like NCL where their policy is a little less demanding than others take the at the most 10 minutes to get back to your room change and head for dinner.

Anyways just my two cents.

 

[blanceg]

NCL DOES have a dress code. Evening meals: MEN - NO SHORTS. We just got back from being on the NCL Jewel and, at Tangos, a CASUAL evening dining place, was informed to go back to my stateroom and put on LONG pants. Embarrassing, but done. For all their "freestyle cruising" nonsense, this is ONE area that needs to be CHANGED. Perhaps I can understand it for the MAIN DINING rooms, but, come on, in the casual restaurants? NCL, lighten up!

 

[nmnita]

sorry,

I disagree with you on this one: yes, Tangos is casual, but the dress code is very clear..Except for the bufrfet and Blue Lagoon shorts are not allowed after 6pm...I just wish they would enforce this on all ships and all dining rooms, if they are going to enforce it at all. That is my problem, NCL as well as other lines are not consistant. We were on Princess last year and sitting next to us in the main dining room was a man in shorts. And yet on another occassion I saw someone turned down..

Nita