What cruise lines offer flexible meals and dress?

My husband and I generally sail on Celebrity, but my parents want to
take the family on a cruise for their 50th anniversary. My parents
are generally casual people who do not enjoy getting dressed up. As
well, they much prefer buffets to ordering off a menu, and would feel
most comfortable on a ship that allowed them to eat at buffets for all
their meals. If their gratuities were automatically charged to their
account, that would probably be an added bonus.

We've previously sailed on Celebrity, Carnival and Norwegian, and each
of those lines at the time had an expectation that one dressed
formally on formal night, and dined in the dining room.

Is there a cruise line where formal nights are optional (ie. one could
eat at a buffet dressed in khakis and a golf shirt) and afterwards
still go to the production shows or other public rooms without feeling
underdressed?

We're looking within a Celebrity-type budget, and destination will
likely be Bermuda or southern Caribbean.

Any suggestions would be greaty appreciated.

Brenda J.

On Tue, 24 Aug 2004 21:10:11 GMT, Brenda J.
wrote:

My husband and I generally sail on Celebrity, but my parents want to
take the family on a cruise for their 50th anniversary. My parents
are generally casual people who do not enjoy getting dressed up. As
well, they much prefer buffets to ordering off a menu, and would feel
most comfortable on a ship that allowed them to eat at buffets for all
their meals. If their gratuities were automatically charged to their
account, that would probably be an added bonus.

We've previously sailed on Celebrity, Carnival and Norwegian, and each
of those lines at the time had an expectation that one dressed
formally on formal night, and dined in the dining room.

Haven't been on NCL, but I thought that was the idea behind FreeStyle
dining.

I do know people who just totally skip the formal nights and hit the
buffet. Since that's what your folks want to do anyways ...


Is there a cruise line where formal nights are optional (ie. one could
eat at a buffet dressed in khakis and a golf shirt) and afterwards
still go to the production shows or other public rooms without feeling
underdressed?

We're looking within a Celebrity-type budget, and destination will
likely be Bermuda or southern Caribbean.

Any suggestions would be greaty appreciated.

Brenda J.

--
dillon

When I was a kid, I thought the angel's name was Hark
and the horse's name was Bob.

On Tue, 24 Aug 2004 21:10:11 GMT, Brenda J.
wrote:

My husband and I generally sail on Celebrity, but my parents want to
take the family on a cruise for their 50th anniversary. My parents
are generally casual people who do not enjoy getting dressed up. As
well, they much prefer buffets to ordering off a menu, and would feel
most comfortable on a ship that allowed them to eat at buffets for all
their meals. If their gratuities were automatically charged to their
account, that would probably be an added bonus.

We've previously sailed on Celebrity, Carnival and Norwegian, and each
of those lines at the time had an expectation that one dressed
formally on formal night, and dined in the dining room.

Haven't been on NCL, but I thought that was the idea behind FreeStyle
dining.

I do know people who just totally skip the formal nights and hit the
buffet. Since that's what your folks want to do anyways ...


Is there a cruise line where formal nights are optional (ie. one could
eat at a buffet dressed in khakis and a golf shirt) and afterwards
still go to the production shows or other public rooms without feeling
underdressed?

We're looking within a Celebrity-type budget, and destination will
likely be Bermuda or southern Caribbean.

Any suggestions would be greaty appreciated.

Brenda J.

--
dillon

When I was a kid, I thought the angel's name was Hark
and the horse's name was Bob.

ncl is great for a bum like me, taking carryon luggage only. saves gobs
of time an no lost rags guaranteed.

ncl is great for a bum like me, taking carryon luggage only. saves gobs
of time an no lost rags guaranteed.

"Brenda J." wrote in message
...
Is there a cruise line where formal nights are optional (ie. one could
eat at a buffet dressed in khakis and a golf shirt) and afterwards
still go to the production shows or other public rooms without feeling
underdressed?

Brenda, we have been on three NCL ships and they have formal nights, which
are optional~~but you can eat in the buffet those nights, dressed as you
stated above..They had tablecloths, silver and crystal set up in the buffet
on formal nights with the same menu as in the main dining room...At least
they did on the Norwegian Crown... The rest of the cruise, you can eat while
dressed casually every night in the main dining room...no jeans or shorts
are permitted in the main dining room on any night...

We're looking within a Celebrity-type budget, and destination will
likely be Bermuda or southern Caribbean.

The Norwegian Crown is now doing the Bermuda itinerary. You did not mention
when you were planning to take this cruise but the rates to Bermuda really
drop in September, especially towards the end of the month..You might check
the link below for the itineraries the Norwegian Crown takes...

http://www.ncl.com/itinerary/it_12.htm


--Jean

"Brenda J." wrote in message
...
Is there a cruise line where formal nights are optional (ie. one could
eat at a buffet dressed in khakis and a golf shirt) and afterwards
still go to the production shows or other public rooms without feeling
underdressed?

Brenda, we have been on three NCL ships and they have formal nights, which
are optional~~but you can eat in the buffet those nights, dressed as you
stated above..They had tablecloths, silver and crystal set up in the buffet
on formal nights with the same menu as in the main dining room...At least
they did on the Norwegian Crown... The rest of the cruise, you can eat while
dressed casually every night in the main dining room...no jeans or shorts
are permitted in the main dining room on any night...

We're looking within a Celebrity-type budget, and destination will
likely be Bermuda or southern Caribbean.

The Norwegian Crown is now doing the Bermuda itinerary. You did not mention
when you were planning to take this cruise but the rates to Bermuda really
drop in September, especially towards the end of the month..You might check
the link below for the itineraries the Norwegian Crown takes...

http://www.ncl.com/itinerary/it_12.htm


--Jean

"Brenda J." wrote:

My husband and I generally sail on Celebrity, but my parents want to
take the family on a cruise for their 50th anniversary. My parents
are generally casual people who do not enjoy getting dressed up. As
well, they much prefer buffets to ordering off a menu, and would feel
most comfortable on a ship that allowed them to eat at buffets for all
their meals. If their gratuities were automatically charged to their
account, that would probably be an added bonus.

We've previously sailed on Celebrity, Carnival and Norwegian, and each
of those lines at the time had an expectation that one dressed
formally on formal night, and dined in the dining room.

Is there a cruise line where formal nights are optional (ie. one could
eat at a buffet dressed in khakis and a golf shirt) and afterwards
still go to the production shows or other public rooms without feeling
underdressed?

We're looking within a Celebrity-type budget, and destination will
likely be Bermuda or southern Caribbean.

Any suggestions would be greaty appreciated.

Brenda J.

Do not know about the prices but Princesses meets your dress code needs.
We saw casual dressers in the personal choice dining rooms even on
formal nights.

LB

"Brenda J." wrote:

My husband and I generally sail on Celebrity, but my parents want to
take the family on a cruise for their 50th anniversary. My parents
are generally casual people who do not enjoy getting dressed up. As
well, they much prefer buffets to ordering off a menu, and would feel
most comfortable on a ship that allowed them to eat at buffets for all
their meals. If their gratuities were automatically charged to their
account, that would probably be an added bonus.

We've previously sailed on Celebrity, Carnival and Norwegian, and each
of those lines at the time had an expectation that one dressed
formally on formal night, and dined in the dining room.

Is there a cruise line where formal nights are optional (ie. one could
eat at a buffet dressed in khakis and a golf shirt) and afterwards
still go to the production shows or other public rooms without feeling
underdressed?

We're looking within a Celebrity-type budget, and destination will
likely be Bermuda or southern Caribbean.

Any suggestions would be greaty appreciated.

Brenda J.

Do not know about the prices but Princesses meets your dress code needs.
We saw casual dressers in the personal choice dining rooms even on
formal nights.

LB

Brenda J. wrote:

Is there a cruise line where formal nights are optional (ie. one could
eat at a buffet dressed in khakis and a golf shirt) and afterwards
still go to the production shows or other public rooms without feeling
underdressed?

Princess would be a good choice. I like Personal Choice dining, so we
can eat dinner whenever the time is right for us. On a couple of
cruises, we only ate one or two meals in the dining room, the rest of
our meals were in the buffet.

Becca -----good luck on your decision...

Sleazy3 http://www.cruisemaster.com/sleazy3.htm
MOAGC http://www.motherofallgroupcruises.com/
Miracle in May http://www.cruisemaster.com/miracle.htm