Royal Caribbean Drops Shorts From Casual Nights in Latest Travel Dress Scuffle

Royal Caribbean has updated its dress code again to remove shorts from its list of casual attire.

According to the cruise line’s blog, last week the line had added shorts to its suggested dress code for cruise ship guests dining in the main dining room on casual nights.

Today, the latest version of the suggested dress code on the cruise line’s website drops shorts from the list of casual attire, instead listing “Jeans, polos, sundresses and blouses.” Instead, shorts are only “welcomed for breakfast and lunch.”

Other dress code items to note from the line: guests are advised to only wear swimsuits on the pool deck. There are also “smart casual” suggestions – collared shirts, dresses, skirts and blouses or pantsuits – as well as formal nights on certain sailings, which require suits and ties, tuxedos, cocktail dresses or evening gowns.

The change is notable because proper attire – or lack thereof – has been a hot topic when it comes to travel lately. Just last week United Airlines sparked controversy on social media when it denied boarding to two young girls, who were traveling on a non-revenue ticket, because the two girls were wearing leggings.

The incident, which wound up going by the name of “leggingsgate,” drew some discussion from travel agents on our Facebook page. Travel agents who weighed in mostly sided with the airline, pointing out that, as passengers traveling on a non-revenue ticket – a ticket type which offers free or heavily discounted airfare to airline staff and their families – they would have been notified of the dress code requirement.

One reader was against leggings entirely. In response to our Facebook poll, “Should airlines allow leggings as pants on planes,” they simply answered, “No!!!”

What are your thoughts on shorts on cruise ships? Let us know on our Facebook page and we’ll share the responses in a follow-up story on www.travelagentcentral.com.