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What do you wear in the main dining room on a cruise?

If you're having dinner in the main restaurant or any meal at one of the specialty restaurants, you'll follow a “smart casual” dress code on most nights. This means long pants, jeans, a dress or skirt, a stylish top, or a button-down.



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For evenings, the recommended onboard dress is elegant casual for most ship venues. Suggested attire for men includes trousers and collared shirts (ties and jackets are optional but not required). For women, dresses, or skirts or slacks with sweaters or blouses are recommended.

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On cruise lines where there is a formal night, jeans are not permitted in the main dining room. However, you can always eat in the casual restaurants and the buffet.

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Most cruise ships have one or more main dining rooms. These are typically large, sit-down restaurants with waiter service, where multicourse meals are included in your cruise fare.

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You'll see suits and ties, tuxedos or evening gowns, but don't have to go so formal yourself. Shorts (including cutoff jeans), T-shirts, sportswear, flip-flops, bathing suits, caps and men's sleeveless shirts are never permitted in the main dining room or specialty restaurants during dinner.

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Not permitted in the dining room during the Cruise Casual dinner for ladies and gentlemen: shorts, gym shorts, basketball shorts, beach flip-flops, bathing suit attire, cut-off jeans, sleeveless shirts for men and baseball hats. Cruise Elegant Dining Dress Code: Gentlemen - dress trousers, dress shirts.

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The rest of the week, proper dress in the evening was a polo shirt or any shirt with buttons, and long pants. And shoes. There is usually one formal dress night in the main dining room. On some cruises I've been on I can go in jeans and a pull over shirt in some of the other dining options.

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For breakfast, the main dining room typically opens between 7 AM and 8 AM and stays open for about 90 minutes. So, it typically closes between 8:30 AM and 9:30 AM. CRUISE DEALS: BOOK NOW AND SAVE ON YOUR NEXT ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISE!

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Day: Casual shirts, shorts, trousers and beachwear are ideal. The main restaurants require a casual wear dress code for breakfast and lunch, however you may wear shorts in either the Kings Court (Queen Mary 2) or Lido Restaurant (Queen Victoria & Queen Elizabeth).

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Casual Daywear For laid-back days spent walking around the ship or port, you'll want to have a good selection of comfortable and casual clothing. Check the weather, and stick to a cruise packing list with a good selection of shorts, jeans/khakis, sundresses/skirts, T-shirts (both long- and short-sleeved) and tank tops.

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You can take food from the buffet back to your room if you'd rather eat away from the crowds. If you take food from the buffet or another informal location and bring it back to your room, nobody will object.

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If you want to attend a “cruise elegant” evening, bring a fancier, more formal outfit. Men can wear suits or dress slacks with a sport coat and dress shirt. For women, cocktail dresses, pantsuits or elegant skirts and blouses are appropriate. Some guests like to go all out with a tuxedo or ball gown.

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Although the travelers can wear the dress of their choice, some cruise lines specify a dress code for every night, especially for dinner at the restaurants. The specialty restaurants on cruise ships have either a formal dress code or a less formal dress code, such as smart casuals.

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Menus are available for each restaurant on your cruise ship. The Main Dining Room will continue to offer a different dinner menu each evening so guests can experience varying selections on the menu each night.

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Nice jeans would also be ok, although we'd suggest something slightly more dressy. That said, not everything goes. There are some clothing items to avoid if you plan to eat in the dining room on formal night. This includes shorts, tank-tops, t-shirts, and swimsuits, as well as flip-flops.

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You'd want to look your best for your first cruise night. Men can suit up in that tuxedo, and ladies can glam up wearing evening gowns or pantsuits. Luggage is the first thing vacationers should consider when going onboard a cruise.

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If you like to have dinner on the table the minute you get home from work, stick to your regular routine. Choose the early dinner seating—it usually starts around 6 p.m. But if you like to lounge around a while or hit the gym after work, you might prefer a later setting, which typically starts at 8:30 p.m.

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Pajamas, slippers & robes Don't wear pajamas, robes and slippers in the buffet or restaurants, or around the ship for that matter. If you're at the spa, a robe might pass. However, otherwise keep your sleepwear for your cabin.

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Guests don't have to dress up at any point on a Royal Caribbean cruise if they don't want to. Royal Caribbean does have formal and smart casual nights where there is a dress code in the main dining room but cruisers are able to eat in the buffet or other dining venues without adhering to the dress code.

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