New to HAL- Dress Code Question

[Oceanwench]

 

The only menswear I've seen that looked truly uncomfortable were my BIL's navy dress whites with the "choker collar." But he did look good. A couple of girls in the casino ran over to him and said "Oooh, are you an officer can we take our picture with you?" In the time it took for them to say that, two of them stood on either side of him and a third took their picture. They were gone before he could explain that he was not one of the ship's officers.

 

Funny story!!!

He was only stopped the one time? LOL

The way some folks are about officers, you'd think he'd be fighting off the women left and right! :D

 

Thanks for the chuckle!

[NickCDN]

wow, this has turned into quite the discussion. I am going to be wearing my suit jacket. It isnt old, I just dont wear it often as I wear a uniform for work.

 

Nick

[loerie]

My husband has the same shirts black and white .Wore it on the Queeen mary 2 .Lots of compliments!!!

[Opinions]

Sorry Nick, the Suit Coat or Tux is required for the MDR for formal night. That's "da code"

 

The dress "code" does not say a "Suit Coat or Tux" is "required" for the MDR for formal night.

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Well, my husband took care of this problem once and for all. He declared a self-imposed moratorium on cruising, period. He now happily resides tie-less and coat-less at home and at work at Microsoft, earning all the money that I spend on cruising without him.:D

 

The Voice of Reason;)

[HeatherInFlorida]

Well, my husband took care of this problem once and for all. He declared a self-imposed moratorium on cruising, period. He now happily resides tie-less and coat-less at home and at work at Microsoft, earning all the money that I spend on cruising without him.:D

 

The Voice of Reason;)

 

Now THAT sounds like a plan!!!;) ... (especially today but that's a story for another time ...)

[Gotta Go Cruisin]

The dress "code" does not say a "Suit Coat or Tux" is "required" for the MDR for formal night.

 

...but the Customer Relations folks do. I know that's a whole 'nother topic. Been there, Done that. :confused:

[JDinWA]

My husband has a shirt that looks like this... it's a mandarin collar.

very dressy, and no tie required... just a stud button.

 

 

I really like that! If I were a man, that'd be the type of shirt I'd wear. :)

[RevNeal]

Nick, I have been traveling on HAL since 1969 and have experienced the changes first-hand. We now travel mostly on cruises longer than 20 days (Prinsendam, Rotterdam VI, Amsterdam, and Volendam).

 

In by-gone years, HAL had 3 levels of dress FOR DINNER:

1. Formal

2. Informal

3. Casual

 

Let me start with lunch and breakfast in the dining room (not lido buffet). No swim suits, but shorts, t-shirts are allowed.

 

Dinner. On formal nights, I used to bring a very fancy dress. Now I bring a nice blouse and pants. My hubby used to wear a tux, now he brings a business suit.

 

Informal nights have been eliminated. The "old" dress code was suits and ties for men and women would wear a "nice" dress (not fancy, but nice).

 

Now most nights are casual. My hubby wears a golf shirt (collared) and dockers. I wear a blouse and long pants. NO JEANS (although many people do try and are successful).

 

Hope this helps.

 

I remember the prior code well and fondly and still, in some respects, follow it (with Smart Casual Nights on the evenings of days-at-sea being kicked up a notch with the addition of a jacket).

 

The way I used to articulate the code for men was as follows:

 

Casual Night: Slacks and button-down shirt or polo or silk or print shirt.

Informal Night: Add a Jacket to Casual Night (tie was not required)

Formal Night: Add a tie to Informal Night ... or wear a suit or Tuxedo.

 

It was easy. :)

[okspeedy]

Just got back from New England/Canada cruise and was surprised at the dress in the dining room. On formal night there were a few tuxes, some suits, more shirts and ties, no jackets. On "casual" dress night saw lots of shorts, jeans, tennis shoes, etc. Did not see that even on the Carribean cruise.

[Rutland Gate]

What gives anyone the right to deny my family and I our pleasure in dressing well. We buy Deluxe Suites at a premium price to enjoy the spirit of living in which we were brought up. We are older, that's true, but if we can't enjoy what we can afford, what has our culture become? I guess the popular opinion is to redistribute our wealth, no matter how hard we and our families worked for it.

[Lair Bear]

The way I used to articulate the code for men was as follows:

 

Casual Night: Slacks and button-down shirt or polo or silk or print shirt.

Informal Night: Add a Jacket to Casual Night (tie was not required)

Formal Night: Add a tie to Informal Night ... or wear a suit or Tuxedo.

 

It was easy. :)

 

Apparently the 'Informal Night' has been eliminated, why not continue the same way with the 'Formal Night'? Afterall, these cruises are intended to take us to parts of the world that are worth seeing while having fun aboard the ship. In my opinion wearing 'formal' clothes are for weddings and funerals. We don't want to continue living in the past, do we???

The tux is now replaced by laptops, iphones, pagers, digital cameras, etc.

 

Besides it makes packing a lot easier and less cumbersome, don't you think?

[Gotta Go Cruisin]

What gives anyone the right to deny my family and I our pleasure in dressing well. We buy Deluxe Suites at a premium price to enjoy the spirit of living in which we were brought up. We are older, that's true, but if we can't enjoy what we can afford, what has our culture become? I guess the popular opinion is to redistribute our wealth, no matter how hard we and our families worked for it.

 

In my opionion, you should wear whatever you are most comfortable wearing. That goes for everyone. :)

BTW, if you want to redistribute your wealth, you could send some my way. I promise I'll be very grateful. ;)

[Rutland Gate]

In my opionion, you should wear whatever you are most comfortable wearing. That goes for everyone. :)

BTW, if you want to redistribute your wealth, you could send some my way. I promise I'll be very grateful. ;)

 

I imagine you would. A European Government (inappropiate to say which} did so in the 1930's and 1940's with some skill. But we survived. Best wishes.

[terigo]

What gives anyone the right to deny my family and I our pleasure in dressing well. We buy Deluxe Suites at a premium price to enjoy the spirit of living in which we were brought up. We are older, that's true, but if we can't enjoy what we can afford, what has our culture become? I guess the popular opinion is to redistribute our wealth, no matter how hard we and our families worked for it.

 

i don't recall the original (or subsequent, for that matter) post said anything about depriving you and your family of the right to dress any way you pleased.

 

as for wealth distribution... huh? who said or implied anything about that?

who cares what category you book, or how hard you worked for anything you currently possess.

the wealthiest people i know put on the fewest airs... especially as regards their attire.

 

your defensiveness is a curiousity to me.

[ookpik]

What gives anyone the right to deny my family and I our pleasure in dressing well. We buy Deluxe Suites at a premium price to enjoy the spirit of living in which we were brought up. We are older, that's true, but if we can't enjoy what we can afford, what has our culture become? I guess the popular opinion is to redistribute our wealth, no matter how hard we and our families worked for it.

 

I thought that this was a joke!:eek:

[Rutland Gate]

i don't recall the original (or subsequent, for that matter) post said anything about depriving you and your family of the right to dress any way you pleased.

 

as for wealth distribution... huh? who said or implied anything about that?

who cares what category you book, or how hard you worked for anything you currently possess.

the wealthiest people i know put on the fewest airs... especially as regards their attire.

 

your defensiveness is a curiousity to me.

Oh, Well.

[Pam in CA]

Not sure if the Eurodam has a Canaletto but this is a no-charge Italian restaurant that is excellent any day of the week. On formal nights, dress is smart casual.

 

An alternative is to call down to Room Service earlier in the day and ask for the night's dining menu; you can order anything from the menu delivered to your cabin. If you have a balcony, so much the better.

[Gotta Go Cruisin]

I imagine you would. A European Government (inappropiate to say which} did so in the 1930's and 1940's with some skill. But we survived. Best wishes.

 

Politics has little or nothing to do with what we are discussing here on these boards, but my offer still stands. When you are tired of that burden of all your riches, just send it my way. I have an off shore account you can transfer large amounts to, no questions asked. ;)

[Rutland Gate]

i don't recall the original (or subsequent, for that matter) post said anything about depriving you and your family of the right to dress any way you pleased.

 

as for wealth distribution... huh? who said or implied anything about that?

who cares what category you book, or how hard you worked for anything you currently possess.

the wealthiest people i know put on the fewest airs... especially as regards their attire.

 

your defensiveness is a curiousity to me.

 

I guess you missed the point of my earlier post. Wealth distribution occured in prison camps.

[terigo]

I guess you missed the point of my earlier post. Wealth distribution occured in prison camps.

 

perhaps what i miss is the point of what prison camps have to do with how people choose to dress aboard a cruise ship.

 

the gist of this thread is to help new HAL cruisers with the expectation of dress on the ship.

anything other than that is off-topic and not very helpful

[Rutland Gate]

Politics has little or nothing to do with what we are discussing here on these boards, but my offer still stands. When you are tired of that burden of all your riches, just send it my way. I have an off shore account you can transfer large amounts to, no questions asked. ;)

 

Unfortunately, that has happened. These boards have become rather explicit. Perhaps you have no understanding of 20th Century History. You are cruel.

[Gotta Go Cruisin]

Unfortunately, that has happened. These boards have become rather explicit. Perhaps you have no understanding of 20th Century History. You are cruel.

 

I guess I don't understand how 20th Century History has a relationship to cruising on HAL in the 21st Century. It is also presumptious of you to believe that I or anyone else for that matter has no understanding or compassion (first hand or otherwise) for those who suffered through the travesties of any War, Military Action or Armed Conflict. If that makes me cruel, then so be it.

[Ryancoke]

Many of these boards are featuring dress code discussions. So, as I understand it: HAL's described dress code is suggested and encouraged but not mandatory? What % follow it? Also could op elaborate on his reference to the Carnival market? Have not been on it nor HAL but dress code is important to me. Presumably some sort of attire IS required. Once that is settled you have an enforced dress code. But where does HAL draw the line?

[Gotta Go Cruisin]

Many of these boards are featuring dress code discussions. So, as I understand it: HAL's described dress code is suggested and encouraged but not mandatory? What % follow it? Also could op elaborate on his reference to the Carnival market? Have not been on it nor HAL but dress code is important to me. Presumably some sort of attire IS required. Once that is settled you have an enforced dress code. But where does HAL draw the line?

 

HAL does have a dress code that comes across much more as a suggestion than a policy (open for interpretation and widely discussed here). The Customer Relations folks are adamant about the "Formal Attire" being strictly enforced (I know I have confirmed this first hand with them). The enforcement on the other hand is reportedly severly lacking. How much is up for debate. On our most recent cruise with HAL we did not venture near the MDR on Formal Night (we were not in Formal Attire) and so I can't tell you first hand how much the rules get bent. Just the walking around crowd, I'd say 75% were formal on the first formal night and those percentages dropped to about 50% by the final formal night. Somebody here will likely offer their opinion or experience regarding this matter. Advice...don't be too concerned about "da code", there are other options if Formal is not your priority, if it is, then HAL will accomodate that as well. Happy Cruisin' :)