Should cruise lines enforce their dress codes ?

In October I went on a cruise with MSC on the Preziosa.

My husband who has cruised before asked me about the dress code because as we were flying he didn’t want to pack dinner jackets and suits if it wasn’t necessary.  We have cruised with other cruise lines but never MSC and have found in the past there was a mixture of people who followed the dress codes.

I told him to take them as he doesn’t get the chance to wear them very often and cruising is the perfect opportunity for him to wear them.

I really felt for him though as the formal night happened to be on our first night so we turned up to dinner to meet our fellow guests with him in his tuxedo and me in a cocktail dress to find the others in jeans and t-shirts.

It made it very awkward as he instantly felt uncomfortable and I guess they did too as they maybe felt they should have dressed more appropriately.

It does make me wonder why cruise lines bother with setting dress codes if they aren’t going to enforce it. Cunard would not allow anyone into the main dining room who was not dressed formally on the gala evenings.

Why should people who have gone to the expense and effort be made to feel awkward, surely it should be the people who haven’t made the effort ?

Part of cruising for me is getting dressed up but I know there are people who want to enjoy the cruise experience without having strict dress codes. There are cruise lines who cater for this such as NCL. They offer a freestyle dining experience with no dress code so you can go to dinner in jeans and a t-shirt and not feel out of place. You can also choose to dine in the buffet or a more casual dining area on most cruise lines so there are always other options for anyone not wanting to dress up.

What are your views have you had a similar experience ?