One of the things that draws a great many folks to cruising is a chance to dress up in fancy cloths. Tuxedo – check! Sequins – check! Looking your best and dressing for dinner harkens back to bygone years.
But for others, like me, really not so much. Norwegian, with there freestyle cruising, is a big reason I booked my first cruise with NCL and have now sailed hundreds of nights with them over my lifetime and continue to do so. On vacation I want to be free to dress how I want without feeling like anyone is looking at me “funny”.
But I also like the finer things and that includes either booking my cabin in “The Haven” or waiting to bid on a cheap-ish upgrade to enjoy a much better cruise experience. But does this impact my casual dress attitude?
If you are booked in The Haven you will have access to a restaurant that only Haven guess can enjoy. This restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. If you are booked on a smaller ship in a suite without a Haven you still have access to a private breakfast and lunch spot usually the Brazilian and or Steakhouse. Do you need to dress up for these restaurants?
The simple and quick answer is no with some guidelines. NCL tells us the following in a guide to what you should wear onboard in general:
“Dress cruise casual anytime during the day, in the buffet and in most specialty restaurants. For women, it includes summer and casual dresses, skirts, regular or capri pants, shorts, jeans and tops. Khakis, jeans, shorts and casual shirts are fine for men. Swimwear is acceptable at the buffet and outdoor restaurant, but a shirt or a cover-up and footwear are required.” – NCL.com
Having spent so much time onboard I can tell you, when it comes to The Haven, for breakfast and lunch, inside dining or outside, for men a T-shirt and bathing suite is fine and for women the same with a cover-up. There is no issue with open toed shoes. For dinner, while most men do wear either jeans or pants, you will not be turned away if you choose to wear shorts to dinner. IT is your vacation and you should enjoy it they way you want without judgment. Just avoid a bathing suite to dinner.
What about the specialty restaurants? There are a number of them that have direction that men should have pants. In reality this is not strictly enforced and if you want to go in shorts no one will stop you but the limit, like in The Haven, is a bathing suite to dinner.
The last one many ask about is formal nights or dining with officers. Here is where I would draw the line and no wear shorts as it is, at least IMO, a measure of respect to at least wear pants for such an invitation.
Bottom line is NCL has a focus that you may dress as you please on your vacation. If you choose to dress up on formal night or in The Haven or at Specialty restaurants – you go for it. If you choose not to you will not be turned away or shamed for dressing as you please. – Rene
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