Formal Night Advice and General Packing Tips Needs

[iamaphisig]

Question about formal nights for men... Does my hubby NEED to wear his jacket to the MDR, or can he get by with his shirt and tie (carrying or not carrying the jacket?) He's throwing a fit regarding needing to wear the jacket - I told him I'd ask!

 

Also - anyone been on a Christmas South American cruise? What on earth do I pack?!? It doesn't seem to be as warm as I thought it would be in Chile, but packing for the warm of Chile & Buenos Aires, and the cool of the Antarctic Sound - how I get it all in there?!?

 

Anyone have any tips on fun things to pack to keep us entertained on board? Just some small fun activities to pass the time? Let me know.

 

 

Thanks in advance,

Jessica & Jerry

Veendam - next week!!

[SwissMyst]

You touched on one of the chronic hot topics here and I will just direct you to a search of past posts on this topic for more details. The answer is yes and no about whether to dress up for formal nights. Get the idea of the range of answers? It appears from posts here that HAL does not enforce this, the dress suggestions are only guidelines not rules, and the paying passenger is captain of his own choices on this matter. And that lots of passengers still enjoy dressing up on special nights, a lot. This is one of HAL's special features for lots of us.

 

You do have a challenge with packing for your trip. There is a "ports" forum which may have specific tips. I have converted all my luggage now to a large wheeled "dufffle" bag, which is lighter weight allowing a few more pounds of things to be able to pack and still meet airline baggage limitations. Additionally, a nylon duffle is good for carryon like you can find on "onebag.com" to which you carry the cart as a separate item rather than built in to the luggage to also give more room.

 

So how you carry things can matter as much as what you carry. Since most heat is lost through the extremities, having really good hand, ears, neck and head coverings are critical which are easier to pack and stuff into things like shoes and boots along with silk long underwear to get that insulating extra layer but also not take up much packing space (or wear on the plane).

 

The rest of the stuff I would try to carry on the plane like a puffy long parka or heavy fleece items which you can wad up for a pillow on the plane, or whatever major outerwear you plan on taking. Many a time I have left or landed in 80 degree weather dressed like a tricked out penguin with my heavy layers but they were welcome later on, after the initial discomfort.

 

And since wind is even more critical for the chill factor than the mere temperature, having a nice tight weave windbreaker layer gives you a lot of mileage for packing space too.

 

I apologize if these are things you have already considered. I am just thinking about the challenge off the top of my head now -- day dreaming about your trip and what I would be faced with too. Your trip sounds wonderful and there are great stores in Buenos Aires at prices less than the US for anything extra you want to add after you get there. Fabulous city. Very walkable.

 

Calle Florida, the pedestrian shopping street is a destination in itself. it is more formal than most US cities, but something like a comfortable twin sweater set with pants looked very okay there. Most men did wear suits there during the day. Have a wonderful and toasty time.

[RevNeal]

I have done the South America/Antarctica Cruise before. It's a wonderful itinerary and an incredible experience. Packing for both the warm and the cold weather can be a bit daunting, however it's imminently do-able if care is taken, lists are used to control how much of each kind of garment you take, and layering is employed in cold weather environments. Since this is a longer cruise, you'll want to make use of the ship's laundry; do keep that in mind when packing, for it will eliminate the need to over-pack in some areas. Also, keep in mind that this cruise is an expensive one; the fee the airlines charge for bringing a second bag really should NOT deter you from bringing what you need (i.e., you're paying a lot for the cruise, why not pay a little bit more so-as to have the kind of clothing you really need in order to enjoy the trip).

 

By way of example, here is my packing list for my 2008 South America / Antarctica cruise (modified for the layperson).

 

Formal Night Wear

1 Tuxedo

1 White Dinner Jacket

1 Tux shirt and shirt buttons

2 or 3 Vest/Cummerbund and bow-tie sets

1 pair Dress Shoes

 

Casual Evening Clothing

5 knit/silk shirts

1 pair of nice (new) Dockers (kaki)

1 pair of dress slacks (grey)

 

Daytime Wear (ship and shore)

3 polo shirts (2 blue, 1 dark green)

3 long-sleave shirts

1 pair of shorts

1 swimsuit

Undershorts (10) and undershirts (4) gradient socks (3)

Workout wear (2 sets of work-out shorts & t-shirts)

Walking shoes

White socks (2)

Cold weather coat (M-65)

1 sweater

Gloves and cold weather cap.

Rain poncho

Umbrella

 

Stuff:

Shaving Kit (all bathroom articles)

iPod and iPhone with charger

Short, Multi-Plug Extension Cord

Prescription meds

Tums

Sinus/headache/other minor pain medicines

Sun tan lotion (you'll need it if the sun comes out in Antarctica)

Laptop

Digital cameras and assorted accessories

Video camera

Monopod

A couple of books to read

Travel documents and money (cash and travelers checks)

 

To Wear In Transit:

--> kaki slacks

--> black polo shirt

--> black sport jacket

--> gradient compression socks

--> casual walking shoes

 

If your husband doesn't own a Tuxedo, an alternative would be to order it from Cruiseline formalwear and it will be in your cabin when you board. If a Tuxedo isn't in the cards for him at all (for whatever reason), then a suit or a jacket and tie is really a "must." True, the Line doesn't enforce the code throughout the ship, but they do have a tendency to enforce it in the MDR and in the Pinnacle Grill. Also, most long exotic cruises (like this one) will tend to be more dressy. If he doesn't wear a jacket and tie he not only probably won't be allowed in the MDR on the 4 formal nights, but he will probably also feel VERY conspicuous as one of the very few men about who isn't properly dressed.

 

On HAL formal night calls for, at minimum, a jacket and tie. The Tuxedo or Suit is suggested, but a jacket and tie really is required for formal night dinners in the main dining room. And, no, carrying it isn't sufficient ... he will need to actually wear it. If I may be so bold as to ask, is there some specific reason why he doesn't want to wear a jacket?

[yogi2929]

The key is layering and mix and match seperates. Sounds almost like an Alaskan cruise in terms of what to bring.

 

If your DH does not want to do formal night in the MDR then the buffet or room service are alternatives.

[garydm]

We used to do the two big bags plus a third for shoes, etc. On our 12 day Oosterdam cruise in October we were in Europe for an additional 13 days and we did the whole trip with a 22" carryon bag each plus a small back pack. It was only possible because we skipped the MDR for the two formal formal nights. The third formal night was optional so we wore smart casual type stuff. We get tired of all nights in the MDR so skipping formal nights gave us nights to do Canelletto and Lido for dinner and an opportunity to travel light.

 

Gary

[iamaphisig]

He's just finicky : ) He doesn't own a suit, so we went to buy one and he didn't even want to try them on! We found a great deal, and a super cute suit (wife speaking, he'd never agree!) but didn't end up buying it. We're probably on the younger end of this cruise (both in our late 20's) and I feel like we're already going to stick out - no need to be underdressed as well! I think I'm off to the suit shop, what he doesn't know won't hurt him!

[sparky-elpaso]

He's just finicky : ) He doesn't own a suit, so we went to buy one and he didn't even want to try them on! We found a great deal, and a super cute suit (wife speaking, he'd never agree!) but didn't end up buying it. We're probably on the younger end of this cruise (both in our late 20's) and I feel like we're already going to stick out - no need to be underdressed as well! I think I'm off to the suit shop, what he doesn't know won't hurt him!

 

Tell him how super handsome he looks in a suit. :) My DH isn't wild about dressing up either but he does it for me. He has a nice gray sport coat that we found in a 2nd hand clothing store for - drum roll - $4. He wears it with black dress slacks and either a silver or burgundy shirt and tie.

[room010]

In my experience ALL men look much better all gussied up in a suit or tux and once they make the effort I think they secretly like it too. Flatter him into wearing it!

 

Your husband may not feel comfortable in a suit - but I suspect he'll feel way more UNcomfortable (a) being turned away from the MDR, (b) sticking out like a sore thumb because the other men are in a suit/tux, and © being the object of scrutiny from other diners.

 

The alternative is not to dine in the MDR on formal nights which would be a pity because it's an intrinsic part of the whole cruising experience IMO. I know others disagree strongly and resent any kind of dress code but that's how it is.

[Cinder Again]

I was on the same S/A trip as Rev. Neal and here is my two cents regarding packing. We were on the ship at the end of January, at the height of their "summer".

Remember that flights inside of S/A may have different weight requirements on baggage. We ran into this, as we took a plane from Sao Paulo to Iguassu Falls, then on to Rio, and after the trip, a flight from Chile back to Brazil. All of those "inside" flights were the toughest on the baggage weights. Coming home, I put all of our shoes in my carry-on and tried to act like the suitcase was light so they wouldn't weigh it!;)

I tried to split my packing between warm weather clothes and cold weather clothes. Now I wish I had brought a little more heavy clothing, and a little less warm weather gear. I had a warm coat, gloves, socks, etc. but really only one set of polar fleece,turtleneck, long underwear, etc, and I got sick of re-washing/re-wearing those same clothes. When you get to Antarctica, it is so awe inspiring, and light so early, I don't care how cold you are, you will want to be outside, so take the clothes to be comfortable. After we left Brazil, I wore long pants in ports,(it was often windy in ports) and I didn't wear shorts again until our last day in Chile.

My friend took one black suit,several ties and two shirts and made that do for all formal evenings. I know it's hard if he doesn't like to dress, but tell him you will miss a great part of the cruise experience if you can't meet with your fellow travelers at dinner to talk about the majesty of the Antarctic! .

This ranks, for me, as my best cruise experience, and I hope the Canadian Ice Captain, Pat Toomey, is on your ship as a speaker. He was wonderful, and the education portion of this trip really made the trip. there were other excellent speakers, in addition to Mr. Toomey, but right now I can't come up with their names. (They were British).The speakers mingled freely with the guests, and we sometimes were lucky enough to eat with them, which made the trip even more memorable. Hope this helps.

[iamaphisig]

Well - my husband owns a suit!! We have this fabulous store here in Southern California called "3-Day Suit Brokers," their gimmick is that they're only open Fri-Sat-Sun. We were able to buy a $100 suit, leave it there for tailoring, and we'll pick it up tomorrow. PERFECT! He does look really nice, and I think he's okay with it now that we bought it.

 

We started to pack today, and quickly became overwhelmed : ) I'm definitely going to take the advice to go heavy on the cold-weather options... Chile seems to be cooler this week that we thought it was going to be, so I'm hoping what we pack will be appropriate!

 

 

Thanks for everyone's help - SO looking forward to the Veendam!

[Nancyquilts]

Well - my husband owns a suit!! We have this fabulous store here in Southern California called "3-Day Suit Brokers," their gimmick is that they're only open Fri-Sat-Sun. We were able to buy a $100 suit, leave it there for tailoring, and we'll pick it up tomorrow. PERFECT! He does look really nice, and I think he's okay with it now that we bought it.

 

We started to pack today, and quickly became overwhelmed : ) I'm definitely going to take the advice to go heavy on the cold-weather options... Chile seems to be cooler this week that we thought it was going to be, so I'm hoping what we pack will be appropriate!

 

 

Thanks for everyone's help - SO looking forward to the Veendam!

Great. Now that he has the suit, he'll need to take you on lots more cruises to make use of it.;)

[SwissMyst]

Wearing a suit to formal dinner night is just like wearing a bathing suit when going swimming. Different attire for different situations.

[iamaphisig]

Does that mean now I have to buy him a bathing suit? : ) Ha ha... only half kidding. He really doesn't own a bathing suit either!!

[SwissMyst]

Does that mean now I have to buy him a bathing suit? : ) Ha ha... only half kidding. He really doesn't own a bathing suit either!!

 

You sure need to buy him one if he goes swimming! (Ahem, just like buying him that suit if he plans on attending the formal dinner night. ;) )

[silver threads]

My husband would rather not wear a suit as well! Ever! And I've told him a thousand times how handsome he is when he dresses up (it's true!). He does wear one when he agrees he should. And that includes formal night in the dining room.

 

I do sympathize with him. He gets very warm and the ship's temperature seems geared for ladies in strapless gowns, not men in several layers of clothing.

 

What we found on our recent Statendam cruise: For the first formal night most everyone dresses up. But even that evening there were a few people who chose to eat in the Lido and not dress up. For us, the second formal night came too soon and we just weren't up to getting all dressed up. We ate in the Lido and found we weren't the only ones. It was very busy. That pattern continued on subsequent formal nights. But always the men in the dining room wore jackets - more or less formal.

[Boytjie]

He really doesn't own a bathing suit either!!

 

Is it that kind of cruise? :eek: :D

[SwissMyst]

 

I do sympathize with him. He gets very warm and the ship's temperature seems geared for ladies in strapless gowns, not men in several layers of clothing. .

 

I always assume the dining room temps are best for the busy working wait staff who are dressed up in heavy uniforms, and find them way too cold for bare arms.

 

Yes, if some is really uncomfortable wearing all those clothes I can see why he tries to avoid them. But not sure they ever keep the dining room warm enough for strapless gowns. The waiters would be the first to suffer. Younger women in the strapless gowns seem to enjoy them and the room temperature, probably because they glow looking so beautiful.

 

But I always seem to need a jacket, wrap or long sleeves in the dining room. My strapless, bare arm days are over anyway and that is what I call courtesy dressing for the occasion too.:p

 

A suit in a summer light weight wool or silk twill could make a big difference for your husband, maybe?

[RuthC]

Is it that kind of cruise? :eek: :D

Pretty much, yes. Although I get a real kick sitting in the hot tub while huge icebergs float by outside. :D

[I_r_a]

Hi iam,

 

>He doesn't own a suit, so we went to buy one and he didn't even want to try them on!<

 

I empathize.

 

Unfortunately, one of the requirements of growing up is learning to dress like an adult, when necessary.

 

A Navy Blue Blazer w/gold buttons and a pair of light grey trousers, a white or pale blue shirt, a tie and dark shoes will make an acceptable substitute.

 

He can also wear the blazer for weddings, funerals, court appearances, TV interviews, etc.

[iamaphisig]

<<<Unfortunately, one of the requirements of growing up is learning to dress like an adult, when necessary.>>>

 

WOW! Kinda ugly. He is a grown up : ) but like many other men he's more comfortable in his "normal" gear. We bought the suit, and he'll be looking quite dapper on our formal nights.

[PatsyAnne]

Anyone have any tips on fun things to pack to keep us entertained on board? Just some small fun activities to pass the time? Let me know.

 

 

Thanks in advance,

Jessica & Jerry

Veendam - next week!!

"Fun activities" depend on what you like to do. Because I like reading and working puzzles, I use the library in the Explorations Cafe and take enough books to get me to and from the ship. Some people like to journal (I usually make it through about one and a half entries before quitting)--you could take a small journal/sketch book if you like that. My husband plays with his IPOD. Someone like Rev Neal can probably fill you in on activities available on board specific to your itinerary. I've seen cooking, mixology, and dancing classes. Some of the lecturers are excellent, others less so.

 

Have a wonderful trip!

[buckirj1]

I don't think the previous posted meant to be ugly, but it did come off as sort of patronizing. I'm sure your husband looks fine and perfectly adult, whether in normal clothes or in a suit. I like your idea of hubby carrying the jacket if he doesn't like wearing it. He can always put it on if the maitre'd insists, then hang it on the back of the chair so he can eat in comfort. Have a great time!

[iamaphisig]

Thanks, I'm sure that's his plan (to take it off as soon as we're in) but I'll take what I can get... I'm really looking forward to getting all dressed up for a nice dinner, nice to know I'll have some company! I can't believe we're just a week away - I'll be having dinner in the MDR (with our without my husband's jacket!) in just a week!!