Formal Night Dress up or Dress Down

[bradpole]

Brad and JJ,

I couldn't agree with you more and I have learned a valuable lesson from listening to some of the advice that comes from these boards. Be careful ! My one and only HAL Cruise (14 Day Alaska) was nearly flawless. The one thing I would have changed would be to have ate in the MDR, but the DW and I stayed away based on the stuffy attitudes and advice that at times turned into nasty comments on these boards. I won't make that mistake again. HAL is a great line and is now one of our favorites. :)

 

I fell in love with HAL and plan to continue to cruise with them much more.

 

I used to LOVE formal night, truly I did, but I never cared what other people wore to dinner. Just because I had a tuxedo on didn't mean that everyone else needed to have one on. I know I'm in the minority with that opinion, but I had more important things to worry about, such as enjoying my cruise!

 

And as formal night stands today, it just doesn't justify dressing up. The service is the same, the people are the same, the food is basically the same, but one night needs a tux the other doesn't. Perhaps if there was still a true Captain's reception on the first formal night it would be fun to dress up. But the champagne toast before the show as HAL currently does it is a joke, and doesn't justify the need of a "formal night"

[Rutland Gate]

If people can't afford to dress well, then don't make me wear jeans to make them feel better! It's not my fault they can't stay up with the occasion. I'm comfortable with my wife and I looking good, and that's one of the reasons we enjoy cruising on HAL.

[bradpole]

If people can't afford to dress well, then don't make me wear jeans to make them feel better! It's not my fault they can't stay up with the occasion. I'm comfortable with my wife and I looking good, and that's one of the reasons we enjoy cruising on HAL.

 

Afford to dress well? Just because someone spends a lot of money of clothing (be it true formal attire or designer jeans) doesn't make either one of them better!

 

I bought a very nice tuxedo (with all the trimmings) when I started cruising. When that one didn't fit me anymore, I bought a second one. I don't want to wear it anymore because there isn't anything special about formal night to justify dressing up...to me. If you enjoy it, you should dress up!

 

Perhaps a transatlantic on the QM2, there literally is nothing to do for 6 days at sea except step back in time and enjoy the old traditions, but for most cruises formal night just seems outdated, and unnecessary to a growing number of people.

 

This problem is only going to get worse as more and more people look to upgrade from RCL, Carnival, and NCL and look to HAL and X.

[dockrocker]

If you don't want to dresss, the option is Freestyle with NCL. Not my choice!

 

You're years behind the times. Oceania and Azamara, both considerably more elegant lines than HAL, both have all-resort casual dress policies.

[startwin]

If people can't afford to dress well, then don't make me wear jeans to make them feel better! It's not my fault they can't stay up with the occasion. I'm comfortable with my wife and I looking good, and that's one of the reasons we enjoy cruising on HAL.

 

Yet another example of somebody all dressed up not necessarily having manners, good taste or civility. Along the same lines as being told to cruise NCL.

 

I don't believe anyone told you to dress down. Wear what you like and don't let what others wear spoil your dinner. I don't.

[dockrocker]

Agreed

 

If a couple is spending $2500 on cruise tickets, $800 on airline tickets, another $2000 on hotels, transfers/taxis, shore excursions, onboard spending and tips...

...what's another $100 in airline luggage fees??

 

I've enjoyed reading your past posts about all the things you pack for your cruises. I'm guessing you look quite spiffy in your formalwear (including your "touch me" jackets, you naughty boy).

 

But I also get the impression that you, like a number of the regulars here, tend to fly directly to and from your cruises, with perhaps a night or two in a hotel on one end or another. There are actually quite a few of us for whom the cruise is only part of the vacation. (We hear this a lot from our Aussie friends heading just about anywhere, as well as from Europeans heading to the U.S. for extended periods, for just a couple of examples.)

 

Our next cruise will be a 12-day HAL sailing out of Venice, but on either end of the cruise we've got a number of days that will involve getting our bags in and out of/off of trains, rental cars and vaporetti--and up and down uneven, cobblestoned streets in Italian city centers that are pedestrian only. My husband and I don't particularly mind paying $100 extra for the bags, but we--and my elderly parents, who are going with us and will need our help with their bags--aren't going to be taking more than one large bag each because it's simply too much of a hassle and there won't be space in the cars.

 

We haven't ruled out taking formalwear yet, and if we decide not to do so, we will eat in the Lido at the ungodly hour of pre-8:00. But it would be good if those folks who think that the baggage issue is only about stinginess could understand that quite often it's about logistics.

[dockrocker]

If people can't afford to dress well, then don't make me wear jeans to make them feel better! It's not my fault they can't stay up with the occasion. I'm comfortable with my wife and I looking good, and that's one of the reasons we enjoy cruising on HAL.

 

You seem to be responding to an alternate conversation that may be taking place in your head, but certainly isn't happening in this thread. As has been noted, more upscale lines than HAL have resort-casual dress policies, so it's not really all about the money. And no one here is "making you wear jeans"; as far as I've noticed, no one is even suggesting that you do so.

[bradpole]

You're years behind the times. Oceania and Azamara, both considerably more elegant lines than HAL, both have all-resort casual dress policies.

 

Well said!

 

Those who like to dress, do. But most are in country club casual, and everyone gets along.

[Gotta Go Cruisin]

If people can't afford to dress well, then don't make me wear jeans to make them feel better! It's not my fault they can't stay up with the occasion. I'm comfortable with my wife and I looking good, and that's one of the reasons we enjoy cruising on HAL.

 

I'll bet HAL really loves this kind of attitude when it comes to the endorsment their product. ;)

[dockrocker]

I'll bet HAL really loves this kind of attitude when it comes to the endorsment their product. ;)

 

An NCL plant, d'you think? ;)

[Rutland Gate]

An NCL plant, d'you think? ;)

 

You Bet!

[F5Loar]

Okay I throw in the towel. After reading all this I find HAL only thinks they are having a formal night. According to the almighty high sailing cruisers on here it's okay to wear your $200 designer jeans and $100 polo shirts with flip flops as formal wear because nobody cares. The other passengers don't care, HAL for sure don't care and the whole concept of a formal night is a joke that should be taken lightly for those that wish to participate. Why should the majority live in their little fantasy world? Forget the ties, the jackets and have mercy on those stupid enough to wear a tux or business suit. It's now acceptable according to the majority here on CC that looking like you are ready for a stroll on the beach is the "in" thing. Rodney Dangerfield has come to HAL formal night. The dress codes have officially been rewritten by the new breed cruisers. The food is the same, the service is the same. Don't bother to notice the white drapped covers over the chairs or your servers wearing formal wear. And what makes a little overcooked lobster tail formal? That is nothing more than to show how it use to be before the non-conformers took over formal night. You win. It's now "your night" and you can do as you wish. Pack light. Pack very light. Go ahead and wear your pajamas on formal nights. Who will notice? Not us. It's now your formal night and you can do as you see fit.

As a HAL stockholder I will notify the board of directors Monday morning so they can reprint the new wave dress codes for formal nights and distribute them before your next cruise. We don't want to loose you to NCL or RCL. I would hate to see my dividend lowered over a tie suggestion.

[skydancing]

This has been an interesting debate. We chose Holland America Line because we did not want the hassles of a lot of younger people, loud stuff etc and it had such good recommendations from an American friend of mine.

 

We were attracted to the elegance etc. We will go to one or two formal dinners but will wear what we consider appropriate for us.

 

We are retired, on limited means, do not socialise very much and i have to admit in 40 years of marriage I have perhaps needed a ball gown type dress about 3 times and that was when I was much younger.

 

I dont think my husband has ever worn a Tuxedo!

 

Unless you are in the "in" circles in New Zealand most of us just do not get the opportunities to wear extremely formal clothes.

 

I love seeing women done up to the "nines" just so long as they don't mind that I don't meet their expectations. It wont make me any less of a person.

 

We are looking forward to being a bit pampered, staying in what we consider luxury surroundings and hopefully meeting up with wonderful people from many parts of the world.

 

we are doing the two cruises back to back from the 5th september and hope to meet you all there!! Would be lovely.

[cruiseapril]

We have been on most of the major cruise lines, including Cunard, and do enjoy dressing up. However, personally want to stress that a dress up outfit, for women or men, should be comfortable.

 

It is pretty obvious when people are wearing clothes which are too tight or itchy and when shoes are too tight or wobbly. The thing that concerns us most, is when women wear very high thin heels, which are not appropriate for walking on a ship, and they look like they are about to fall over! And may trip. So please choose comfortable dress up clothing.:)

[Gotta Go Cruisin]

Okay I throw in the towel. After reading all this I find HAL only thinks they are having a formal night. According to the almighty high sailing cruisers on here it's okay to wear your $200 designer jeans and $100 polo shirts with flip flops as formal wear because nobody cares. The other passengers don't care, HAL for sure don't care and the whole concept of a formal night is a joke that should be taken lightly for those that wish to participate. Why should the majority live in their little fantasy world? Forget the ties, the jackets and have mercy on those stupid enough to wear a tux or business suit. It's now acceptable according to the majority here on CC that looking like you are ready for a stroll on the beach is the "in" thing. Rodney Dangerfield has come to HAL formal night. The dress codes have officially been rewritten by the new breed cruisers. The food is the same, the service is the same. Don't bother to notice the white drapped covers over the chairs or your servers wearing formal wear. And what makes a little overcooked lobster tail formal? That is nothing more than to show how it use to be before the non-conformers took over formal night. You win. It's now "your night" and you can do as you wish. Pack light. Pack very light. Go ahead and wear your pajamas on formal nights. Who will notice? Not us. It's now your formal night and you can do as you see fit.

As a HAL stockholder I will notify the board of directors Monday morning so they can reprint the new wave dress codes for formal nights and distribute them before your next cruise. We don't want to loose you to NCL or RCL. I would hate to see my dividend lowered over a tie suggestion.

 

Your understanding is both refreshing and enlightening. ;) Enjoy your Vacation!