Clueless first-timer needs advice about cruises please

Juliana L Holm wrote:

However, if you truly want to wear shorts in the dining room every night,
then I have to heavily recommend Norwegian Cruise Lines. They will accept
this, you will be able to eat anywhere at any time.

I know about Freestyle Dining, but never knew that you could wear shorts
in the dining rooms on NCL.

sue

Juliana L Holm wrote:

However, if you truly want to wear shorts in the dining room every night,
then I have to heavily recommend Norwegian Cruise Lines. They will accept
this, you will be able to eat anywhere at any time.

I know about Freestyle Dining, but never knew that you could wear shorts
in the dining rooms on NCL.

sue

In rec.travel.cruises Sue and Kevin Mullen wrote:


Juliana L Holm wrote:

However, if you truly want to wear shorts in the dining room every night,
then I have to heavily recommend Norwegian Cruise Lines. They will accept
this, you will be able to eat anywhere at any time.

I know about Freestyle Dining, but never knew that you could wear shorts
in the dining rooms on NCL.

They advertise Freestyle including wearing whatever you like to dinner. Like I
said some of the dining rooms enforce a dress code (always filled by a polo and
pair of slacks at the most picky) but there is invariably another dining room
with the same menu that will let you in. Their upscale restaurant, Le Bistro,
will require slacks, also.

In my two NCL Cruises I frequently saw shorts in the formal dining rooms. I
won't wear them, but I have seen them. They don't bother me.

--
Julie
**********
Check out my Travel Pages (non-commercial) at
http://www.dragonsholm.org/travel.htm

(Otis McNatt) wrote in message om...

But the bottom line is that my idea
of a tropical vacation does not include packing a suit for any reason.
And my wife feels the same way. Our idea of "casual" does not require
slacks, or "golf" wear, as Ive read. If we can't wear shorts everywhere,
then we don't care to be there.

Consider Windjammer Barefoot Cruises. Little in the way of amenities,
activities, entertainment...no gym, spa, etc. But, about as casual as
you can get and you can't beat the itineraries - they're, for the most
part, untouched by the mass market lines. I loved my one WJ
experience. It's unlike any other cruise I've been on - different, not
better or worse. We had a blast. You really can't get any more casual
than a WJ cruise.

Lee

Then you DON'T want Celebrity. Shorts are not allowed in the dining
room for the evening meal on any night and a jacket is (more or less)
required on some.

Do any mass market lines allow shorts in the main dining rooms for the
evening meal??

You may want to consider Windjammer; all shorts all the time and you
can work out by helping sail the boat!

We love Celebrity but Windjammer does sound like fun as well.

-D

(Otis McNatt) wrote in message om...
Juliana wrote:

Just a quickie. I know that a lot of people are taking a "Try it you'll
like it" attitude toward dress on Celebrity. I'd like to suggest a different
tack. If you can rethink this, you might consider a cruise on Norwegian,
Royal Caribbean, or possibly Carnival (depending on the ship) or on
Princess.

All of these cruise lines will let you be casual at dinner, and not feel
funny about it. I suspect with Celebrity you will either cave or feel a
little like a fish out of water.

Thanks for touching on this Juliana. I was beginning to suspect that
I'd happened on a cruise line that emphasized glitz, and that they
were not all the same.

I realize that since the cruise business now caters to the masses, that
dress codes may be desirable because I know how some people are. Some folks
would show up for dinner wearing their grungy old sandals and tank tops,
with all their pimples showing...YUK. Then again, you can put a nice suit
or evening gown on a boor, and they're still boorish; but I guess they
would look a little nicer anyway. But the bottom line is that my idea
of a tropical vacation does not include packing a suit for any reason.
And my wife feels the same way. Our idea of "casual" does not require
slacks, or "golf" wear, as Ive read. If we can't wear shorts everywhere,
then we don't care to be there.

And thanks a bunch to everyone who posted. All were read, and all were
informative!

Then you DON'T want Celebrity. Shorts are not allowed in the dining
room for the evening meal on any night and a jacket is (more or less)
required on some.

Do any mass market lines allow shorts in the main dining rooms for the
evening meal??

You may want to consider Windjammer; all shorts all the time and you
can work out by helping sail the boat!

We love Celebrity but Windjammer does sound like fun as well.

-D

(Otis McNatt) wrote in message om...
Juliana wrote:

Just a quickie. I know that a lot of people are taking a "Try it you'll
like it" attitude toward dress on Celebrity. I'd like to suggest a different
tack. If you can rethink this, you might consider a cruise on Norwegian,
Royal Caribbean, or possibly Carnival (depending on the ship) or on
Princess.

All of these cruise lines will let you be casual at dinner, and not feel
funny about it. I suspect with Celebrity you will either cave or feel a
little like a fish out of water.

Thanks for touching on this Juliana. I was beginning to suspect that
I'd happened on a cruise line that emphasized glitz, and that they
were not all the same.

I realize that since the cruise business now caters to the masses, that
dress codes may be desirable because I know how some people are. Some folks
would show up for dinner wearing their grungy old sandals and tank tops,
with all their pimples showing...YUK. Then again, you can put a nice suit
or evening gown on a boor, and they're still boorish; but I guess they
would look a little nicer anyway. But the bottom line is that my idea
of a tropical vacation does not include packing a suit for any reason.
And my wife feels the same way. Our idea of "casual" does not require
slacks, or "golf" wear, as Ive read. If we can't wear shorts everywhere,
then we don't care to be there.

And thanks a bunch to everyone who posted. All were read, and all were
informative!

Otis, I've sailed Celebrity twice and as far as dress code goes most
people do dress as expected. From a man's point of view its no big deal
you get away with a suit and tie on the formal nights and look just
fine. My wife on the other hand has a more difficult time since she felt
under dressed the first cruise and packed more and better outfits for
our second. Personally I enjoy the "dressing" for dinner and really
enjoy seeing my wife looking so gooood. :-)

Allen & Diana

Otis McNatt wrote:
Juliana wrote:


Just a quickie. I know that a lot of people are taking a "Try it you'll
like it" attitude toward dress on Celebrity. I'd like to suggest a different
tack. If you can rethink this, you might consider a cruise on Norwegian,
Royal Caribbean, or possibly Carnival (depending on the ship) or on
Princess.


All of these cruise lines will let you be casual at dinner, and not feel
funny about it. I suspect with Celebrity you will either cave or feel a
little like a fish out of water.


Thanks for touching on this Juliana. I was beginning to suspect that
I'd happened on a cruise line that emphasized glitz, and that they
were not all the same.

I realize that since the cruise business now caters to the masses, that
dress codes may be desirable because I know how some people are. Some folks
would show up for dinner wearing their grungy old sandals and tank tops,
with all their pimples showing...YUK. Then again, you can put a nice suit
or evening gown on a boor, and they're still boorish; but I guess they
would look a little nicer anyway. But the bottom line is that my idea
of a tropical vacation does not include packing a suit for any reason.
And my wife feels the same way. Our idea of "casual" does not require
slacks, or "golf" wear, as Ive read. If we can't wear shorts everywhere,
then we don't care to be there.

And thanks a bunch to everyone who posted. All were read, and all were
informative!

--
Otis

Otis, I've sailed Celebrity twice and as far as dress code goes most
people do dress as expected. From a man's point of view its no big deal
you get away with a suit and tie on the formal nights and look just
fine. My wife on the other hand has a more difficult time since she felt
under dressed the first cruise and packed more and better outfits for
our second. Personally I enjoy the "dressing" for dinner and really
enjoy seeing my wife looking so gooood. :-)

Allen & Diana

Otis McNatt wrote:
Juliana wrote:


Just a quickie. I know that a lot of people are taking a "Try it you'll
like it" attitude toward dress on Celebrity. I'd like to suggest a different
tack. If you can rethink this, you might consider a cruise on Norwegian,
Royal Caribbean, or possibly Carnival (depending on the ship) or on
Princess.


All of these cruise lines will let you be casual at dinner, and not feel
funny about it. I suspect with Celebrity you will either cave or feel a
little like a fish out of water.


Thanks for touching on this Juliana. I was beginning to suspect that
I'd happened on a cruise line that emphasized glitz, and that they
were not all the same.

I realize that since the cruise business now caters to the masses, that
dress codes may be desirable because I know how some people are. Some folks
would show up for dinner wearing their grungy old sandals and tank tops,
with all their pimples showing...YUK. Then again, you can put a nice suit
or evening gown on a boor, and they're still boorish; but I guess they
would look a little nicer anyway. But the bottom line is that my idea
of a tropical vacation does not include packing a suit for any reason.
And my wife feels the same way. Our idea of "casual" does not require
slacks, or "golf" wear, as Ive read. If we can't wear shorts everywhere,
then we don't care to be there.

And thanks a bunch to everyone who posted. All were read, and all were
informative!

--
Otis

Otis, I've sailed Celebrity twice and as far as dress code goes most
people do dress as expected. From a man's point of view its no big deal
you get away with a suit and tie on the formal nights and look just
fine. My wife on the other hand has a more difficult time since she felt
under dressed the first cruise and packed more and better outfits for
our second. Personally I enjoy the "dressing" for dinner and really
enjoy seeing my wife looking so gooood. :-)

Allen & Diana

Otis McNatt wrote:
Juliana wrote:


Just a quickie. I know that a lot of people are taking a "Try it you'll
like it" attitude toward dress on Celebrity. I'd like to suggest a different
tack. If you can rethink this, you might consider a cruise on Norwegian,
Royal Caribbean, or possibly Carnival (depending on the ship) or on
Princess.


All of these cruise lines will let you be casual at dinner, and not feel
funny about it. I suspect with Celebrity you will either cave or feel a
little like a fish out of water.


Thanks for touching on this Juliana. I was beginning to suspect that
I'd happened on a cruise line that emphasized glitz, and that they
were not all the same.

I realize that since the cruise business now caters to the masses, that
dress codes may be desirable because I know how some people are. Some folks
would show up for dinner wearing their grungy old sandals and tank tops,
with all their pimples showing...YUK. Then again, you can put a nice suit
or evening gown on a boor, and they're still boorish; but I guess they
would look a little nicer anyway. But the bottom line is that my idea
of a tropical vacation does not include packing a suit for any reason.
And my wife feels the same way. Our idea of "casual" does not require
slacks, or "golf" wear, as Ive read. If we can't wear shorts everywhere,
then we don't care to be there.

And thanks a bunch to everyone who posted. All were read, and all were
informative!

--
Otis

If you don't even want to wear pants on your cruise, then I suggest
you pass by Celebrity, if not all the mainstream lines. Even Carnival
prefers the passengers to at least wear something other than shorts at
night. Note that I said prefers and not requires. NCL is probably
your best option since they have relaxed the standards. Note that NCL
plans to roll out a mandatory service charge of $10 per person per
day, which cannot be removed from your bill.

Perhaps you would prefer a Windjammer cruise, where shorts and no
shoes is typical.