In a move sure to raise eyebrows among those who prefer cruising’s more traditional ambience, Norwegian Cruise Line is the first cruise line to adopt a dining room dress policy that’s gone really informal.  Yes, it’s denims with dinner.  NCL says it wants to encourage a more “relaxed” environment onboard it’s vessels. 

Still, there will be a “Jeans Free” dining zone, the large main dining room in the aft part of NCL’s ships.  Still, 10 plus venues will allow jeans that includes — a sushi joint, an Italian restaurant, a steakhouse and a French restaurant.  Basically, it’s casual all the time. Other cruise lines have not taken the case for jeans to be formally outlined as allowed on their dress code policies.  Carnival, Celebrity, Holland America and Royal Caribbean have avoided explicitly forbidding denim-at-dinner, but have merely indicated the types of clothing that should be worn at dinner: sport shirts and slacks for men; sundresses or pants for women. These guidelines, of course, apply to casual nights onboard; the same rules for formal evenings still apply. Only Princess has made a solid commitment, officially prohibiting jeans from the dining room.

Personally, I love jeans, I am wearing them right now as I type.  BUT, I don’t think they should be allowed in the dining rooms or formal restaurants.  I for one enjoy the traditional aspects of cruising and I really wish more cruise lines would adhere (and even fight for) keeping higher dress code standards.