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Originally posted by Malcolm:

Dress code is always a controversial subject. Have you ever seen somebody inappropriately dressed for dinner, on a Cruise ship? Maybe they were severely underdressed or perhaps they were very overdressed? Lets here those stories!

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Malcolm,

I wear nice shorts, sneaks, and colored T-shirts on the ship, in the evening I put on
a button down or polo shirt, and no shorts.

I do not like to wear business attire of formal wear on vacation.

I suppose I'm about to upset some of the ladies here? But here goes anyway:

I think those highly sequinned tops that some Ladies buy and wear on American cruise ships are so funny! On my first cruise I saw them all for sale in the ship-shop, I remember saying "Who on earth would buy or wear these?". When we had our first formal meal, I found out: it was 80% of the Women aboard!

I suppose it a matter of taste and culture, but from a British point of view they are so 'tacky' - imagine the Queen or the late Princess Di wearing one! The women often look like Christmas trees! However, I suppose they match the interior of the modern ships?

Although I appreciate a women's right to wear what she wants, in my opinion a 65 year old woman in a backless, bra-less, low cut evening dress is not a pretty sight either!

Possibly we can extend this subject to the dress code of those going ashore.

Last fall, we were first to dock in St Georges, Bermuda. We were in the town square when an NCL ship that had arrived later disgorged its mass of humanity.

This is hard to describe, but many may have seen similar spectacles and identify with the show. The noise level gradually increased as the mob approached down the causeway.

To the point, in the absence of a dress code the sight was astounding. It included large numbers of massively overweight young ladies wearing tight highly colored clothing.

Males, barechested, carrying T shirts showing massive tattooed muscles with equally large bellies. Shorts in this case were draped in such a way as to barely cover the pubic area.

The teenage mob closely competed.Starting from the top, this comprised; reversed baseball cap, XXXL tee shirt together with shorts draped to the knees. Chains jangled from pockets with no apparent purpose. An on board fad had obviously lead many to buy oversized dark glasses with multicolored rims.

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Originally posted by topgun:

Last fall, we were first to dock in St Georges, Bermuda. We were in the town square when an NCL ship that had arrived later disgorged its mass of humanity.

To the point, in the absence of a dress code the sight was astounding. It included large numbers of massively overweight young ladies wearing tight highly colored clothing.

Males, barechested, carrying T shirts showing massive tattooed muscles with equally large bellies. Shorts in this case were draped in such a way as to barely cover the pubic area.

The teenage mob closely competed.Starting from the top, this comprised; reversed baseball cap, XXXL tee shirt together with shorts draped to the knees. Chains jangled from pockets with no apparent purpose. An on board fad had obviously lead many to buy oversized dark glasses with multicolored rims.

Capping it all of as a young mother, meeting the dress code, wheeling twins in a carriage wearing junior editions of the humungous sunglasses.

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No surprise

That is what you get when you go to the lowest common denominator tourist destinations. The Caribbean Islands are boring. You did not mention the ship.

In Bali; the Miami beach of Australia, the natives wear multi-colored gowns, men too.
The tourists wear little, and the nude beaches, clothing is a moot point.

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Originally posted by desirod6:
No surprise

That is what you get when you go to the lowest common denominator tourist destinations.
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We haven't been in Bermuda for about 3 years now - has it really sunk so low?

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Originally posted by Green:
Hi topgun -

some of those really fat people every look in a mirror - particularly for a rear view - they are not a pretty sight

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People with eating addictions gravitate to cruises because of all the 'free' food. To eat that much at home or a land based destination ala carte would cost a fortune.

PS: Saw a fat woman wearing a T-shirt with a full size picture of a skinny model type while waiting for a tender on the Norway.

Better than the 400lber on the Queen Anna Maria in 1971 wearing Mary Tyler Moore pants suits LOL

nullHe turned up in a t-shirt and was stopped at the door. So he went back to his cabin, changed, and came back to the restaurant wearing a jacket and tie but minus his trousers, obviously expecting to be stopped at the door again. The restaurant manager called his bluff, made no comment whatsoever, and led him to his table. He only tried this once.

Hope he had something worth looking at LOL

Seriously: On formal nights I wear warm weather business casual

A cruise to Bermuda will not probably be to the liking of many. There is no great shopping and most get bored with being docked for three days. Many children do not like this for similar reasons.

I avoided an hour wait with only carry on bags to check in at Miami airport when 15,000 departing cruise passengers descended upon it.

Maybe a topic for air travel. The 3 times I have checked bags, once it took 3 days to get my checked bag back; courtesy of Air France.

I hear stories of suitcases being lost from cruise ships upon embark-debarkation.

Ascendancy, I work too hard for my vacation, and do not want the added stress of having my luggage out of my control.

There is laundry on a ship and always get it done mid and end voyage.

I am an inveterate traveler, by car, sea, and air. Nothing worse than lugging around stuff you may not use.

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Originally posted by Ascendancy:
Desirod6. We don't pack light, and we don't care. We need BIG bags because we will
dress like a million bucks for dinner.
Always. It's fun to look good.

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I care less of what people wear, and more of who they are, and how they treat others. I have met passengers from heavan and hell in all forms of dress

Clothing is simply packaging. Unless it is extremely shabby or ostentatious it does not matter. If people do not remember what you wore, you have dressed well.

If the hassle is worth it to you so be it.

PS: NCL rents formal wear

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Originally posted by Ascendancy:
I hear you desirod. What gets me the most is when someone takes more than what they can handle. They are always in your way struggling at the carousels, on the plane and boarding and debarkation. I cannot count the number of times I've helped old folks with their bags just to get them the heck out of the way!

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Originally posted by gohaze:
Ascendancy...regardless of age may you never be in the position where you HAVE to have help for anything…………

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It's doubtful that our friend will ever be in that position - fate is a law unto itself!

"Different types of baggage …………." nor us - but times change. My other half complained about my 2 suitcases - in St Marten one trip he found a large Oyster suitcase and announced that it should be big enough to reduce me to one piece of baggage - we bought it - it's a very sickly grey with pink trim - we never lose it but it's impossible to remove from a carousel! - even the airline check-in people plaster HEAVY (bright red) stickers on it! After our last cruise, I was advised that from now on two regular size bags would be o.k!
Red Caps - Amen to that - if you can find one!!!

Last I heard, it's now 10lbs max. and if check-in personnel live by the rules, the piece has to fit into the basket thing. Let's hope the rule is vigorously imposed - I'm sick of those overhead bin hogs.

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Originally posted by Winner:
Malcolm--I am one of your "older" ladies--and I hope you DO age well. Some of us do also. I have a decent bod--thanks to my parents' genes and lots of walking. I continue to wear backless (sometimes) but never bra-less dresses and am happy, as is my husband, with my personal style.
The point I am making is that a person's age is not necessarily the defining factor in her or his choice of dress.
PS: some of those sequined tops are quite attractive and festive.

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Lots of understated muted colours are always good for armani followers but in summer Versace comes into its own!!