Do I have to dress for meals on a cruise ship?

With the airlines enacting new policies on the number of checked bags you may have, this is becoming a frequently asked question. The answer is both yes and no, confused, well let's see if we can shed some light on the policies.

Most all cruise lines have a number of formal nights each cruise, usually 2 in 7 nights and 3 in 14 nights. You can address this in a number of ways. First off what constitutes "formal." For the ladies it is a dressy pants suit or evening dress, for the men a tuxedo or dark suit. In my own experience I have a mix and match closet where I have a dark blue blazer,(suit coat)and a couple of different pairs of slacks so on "dressy informal" nights I can use my slacks with another sport coat or visa versa. Other times a sport shirt and dress slacks for the men, I wear a polo shirt and khaki slacks, for the causal dining nights. Shorts and tee shirts are seldom permitted on casual nights in the main dining rooms. Coats and ties are never required on most cruise lines for breakfast or lunch in the dining room.

Other options:

The Buffet: Ah, maybe this is what cruise line dining is all about! Dress is always casual and the food plentiful and varied. Cruise lines will have themed nights in the buffet areas, as well as the normal buffet line fare.

Snack bars: There you will find a wide variety of items from, burgers, and pizza, to made to order sandwiches, sushi, and of course ice cream.

Other dining options:

Speciality restaurants: These come in two categories, very formal and themed restaurants. The very formal category requires formal dress and there is a cover charge that ranges in price from $20.00 to $50.00. The cruise lines promote this as the ultimate dining experience. Many lines have such themed restaurants as Italian Bistro's, steakhouses, 50's dining etc. Ask your travel agent for a list of these speciality restaurants on your ship. Most all of them have a small cover charge and the dress code is informal but most do not allow shorts and tee shirts.

Casual dining: At least one cruise line, Celebrity, has what they call "Casual Dining." It is as the name implies, casual in dress, but not in service. Celebrity uses their "casual Dining' as a training ground for the main dining waitstaff. Usually reservations are required as a limited number of tables are available. In most cases when I have used casual dining the service has been fantastic as the new main dining room wannabies are looking to make an impression on the matre'de. Also customer comments mean a lot to them as well, I know of one case where we happened to be on the same ship several months apart and one of our "Casual Dining" waiters was promoted to the dining room. I like to think I had some part in that as I gave him a glowing review to Guest Services.

Healthy Dining: With the move to a more healthy dining fare in the public sector, the cruise lines have not missed that either. Most lines today have an area or restaurant dedicated to healthy fare. Again your travel agent can inform you of those dining options on your ship.

Snack bars: They run the gambit on cruise ships, from burgers, and pizza to Sushi, Chinese, and more.

Room Service: I found this to be a great option to "formal dining" nights. I seldom pack any formal clothes on long cruises (14 nights) so all I do on those dress up nights is order room service from the dining room menu. Most all items are available, except Baked Alaska, and are delivered to your stateroom by your Cabin Steward. While there is no extra charge to use room service, we always tip him extra. Room Service on most ships is available 24 hours a day, and in many cases can be accessed from your interactive television.

What can I have? I get a great kick out of being creative with the dining room menu! I am not a fan of chilled soups, which my wife tells me are delicious, so on the nights when the soup course is that, I usually order an extra shrimp cocktail. On one trip it got to be a standing joke with our waiter, on chilled soup nights he would say, "now for your soup this evening a shrimp cocktail?" Have trouble deciding on menu items, well then order one of each of the items you like, on nights when lobster tail and prime rib are on the menu, I order both, my at sea "surf and turf." Deserts are always a challenge as well, in addition to the varied offerings most ships have ice cream available as a desert option. Several cruise lines make their own ice cream on board and some other lines may use a premium brand like Ben & Jerry's.