Formal Nights....... We Haven't Done This for a While......

[Cruising-along]

I guess I'm in the middle on this subject. It wouldn't bother me if formal nights went away, but as long as HAL has them, we do follow the dress code.

 

On a couple of our cruises (European with land trips pre-cruise) we didn't bring formal wear because it was just too much trouble hauling all the luggage every day from hotel to hotel for a week before the cruise. Instead we ate in the Lido or had room service. And we didn't miss getting dressed up, not one bit.

 

We plan to bring formal wear on our next cruise (Fla-Montreal) and we're looking forward to it this time. So for us it depends on the cruise and any extra travel involved.

 

I think 2 formal nights for every 10 days instead of every 7 would be better, but that's just my opinion. :)

[localady]

I guess I'm in the middle on this subject. It wouldn't bother me if formal nights went away, but as long as HAL has them, we do follow the dress code.

 

On a couple of our cruises (European with land trips pre-cruise) we didn't bring formal wear because it was just too much trouble hauling all the luggage every day from hotel to hotel for a week before the cruise. Instead we ate in the Lido or had room service. And we didn't miss getting dressed up, not one bit.

 

We plan to bring formal wear on our next cruise (Fla-Montreal) and we're looking forward to it this time. So for us it depends on the cruise and any extra travel involved.

 

I think 2 formal nights for every 10 days instead of every 7 would be better, but that's just my opinion. :)

 

I totally agree!:D

 

While I enjoy formal nights on our more leisurely cruises, DH and I will bring minimal formal wear and be in the Lido on our upcoming European cruise most formal nights. We may attend one or 2 of the nights during our 24 days, but not all of them.

 

Baggage allowances to Europe on our airline is 1 each at no cost, $70 dollars per any additional. :eek: If I am going to pay that cost, it will be to bring back our inevitable finds, not to lug formal wear! ;) :D

[serendipity1499]

It isn't about the extra $25 or $50, for us, Betty. That's a tiny amount in comparison to what our cruises/hotels/air cost us.

 

It's about dragging all that luggage with us. It's harder to manage multiple bags andkeep track of them all and pack/unpack. We've done it so many times and though DH bought another new tuxedo about a year ago, we'd be happy to hang it up in a garment bag and forget about it. :)

 

 

Oh I don't disagree with you..

When we last flew to NYC we had three checked bags, & each of us had a carry-on..That was a lot of luggage for us to keep track of & I realize my idea is very selfish..There are also some who don't want to spend the extra $$$ for their formal clothes & I understand their reasoning..

However, I still don't want to give up those Formal nights only because we hardly ever dress up here..

DH worked in Manhattan while I mostly worked outside of Manhattan, with the occasional jaunt into the big city on business..Then we had plenty of opportunities to dress, more formally, but no more! :( As much as I love the Fla weather, I miss that & DH doesn't...LOL

When we first started cruising we really enjoyed formal nights. I find that not to be the case as much any more. Our last few cruises we have taken formal wear but skipped one or more formal nights by eating in Lido. I find us doing that more and more. Last summer we did 2 out of 5 formal nights, this winter we did 1 out of 2. For our summer cruise this year on Princess, we are considering skipping all formal nights as we can also go to specialty restaurants in smart casual. Having said all that, I am fine if HAL continues there policy. My only comment would be less formal nights on longer cruises. Five out of nineteen days seemed like a lot to us last summer.

 

Agree that 5 or 6 out of 19-21 days is getting to be a drag...Perhaps more people would embrace the idea of formal nights if HAL cut it down to one per week...Then many of us who still enjoy the formal nights would still be happy..

Cheers....:)Betty

[Typhoon1]

Formal night or no formal night is just fine with me.

 

Whatever they decide most passengers want, I can go with the flow. The formal nights were never enforced anyway. It's kind of a moot point, Sail.

[thecook]

I agree with LaffnVegas..NCL offers a great compromise with it's "Formal or Not" evenings. DH and I choose not to participate in formal evenings, but enjoy seeing our fellow passengers all dressed up :D It's all about the luggage with us as well.

[LSEA]

My favorite was informal. Not casual, not formal. Nice dresses/skirts... These are the style of clothes I enjoy shopping for / getting "dressed up" in and still wear of many "casual" nights. As long as there is "formal" I will play along but I wouldn't miss formal if it went away too. I agree with S7S though, where does it end?

[solocanadian]

I enjoy a couple of formal nights each week. Don't get the chance at home. My 2 current long, formal dresses weigh less than a pair of blue jeans & denim jacket. Go figure!

[billyelliot]

Definitely keep it. We travel with strict baggage allowance, but don't find it a problem. I dress formally most nights. Can't imagine wanting to sit at a beautiful table with out making an equal effort.:eek:

[GreenhornUSA]

We have been discussing this lately, but since this will be our first cruise, we're not sure what to expect!

I am a blue collar worker, so jeans and flannel are my usual attire, and I have no desire to wear a suit and tie. I will wear some nice slacks and a dress shirt, but I don't even own a sport coat anymore, so we've decided to just skip formal nights and perhaps just do room service that night since I understand we can get whatever is being served in the dining room?

I personally have nothing against people dressing formally, I'm just not comfortable in that attire. I know some people who have to dress up for work look forward to being casual, I just prefer to always be casual!

[sail7seas]

Formal night or no formal night is just fine with me.

 

Whatever they decide most passengers want, I can go with the flow. The formal nights were never enforced anyway. It's kind of a moot point, Sail.

 

 

Yes, you're right about the enforcement.

 

 

serendipity1499

 

When we last flew to NYC we had three checked bags, & each of us had a carry-on..That was a lot of luggage for us to keep track of & I realize my idea is very selfish..There are also some who don't want to spend the extra $$$ for their formal clothes & I understand their reasoning..

 

However, I still don't want to give up those Formal nights only because we hardly ever dress up here..

 

DH worked in Manhattan while I mostly worked outside of Manhattan, with the occasional jaunt into the big city on business..Then we had plenty of opportunities to dress, more formally, but no more! As much as I love the Fla weather, I miss that & DH doesn't...LOL

 

 

 

Yes, I also understand you about wanting to dress up. There's no right or wrong and HAL decision makers probably have had about as many discussions about this topic as we have here on CC. :D

 

[hal lover]

We have gotten away from the formal night thing. Cost of luggage and of I course I always have to buy a few new things!! But I really do not want to see them do away with it. I've recently been thinking that on our next cruise that I would like to it again. Formal night can be done for a man renting the tux from HA (my DH has done it and always looked so very handsome) and a couple of nice cocktail dresses with accessories are easy enough to put together. I would really like to at least be able to wear a couple of my long gowns once more. Everyone always looks so beautiful/handsome on those nights!

[shuttlebuggy]

Well, in reading everyone's replies I may be among the unpopular...but it is a yay or nay thread, right??? ;)

 

We LOVE formal nights! Our daughter was just married in October, and though we are not

people of means as it were, we and many of our guests dressed formally.

But we were very surprised to see how many also dressed down "polo" or open shirt style, even for the ceremony!

The reception venue at the USCG Officers Club was a very stately & formal ballroom, in which our Presidents and their wives have been dining guests at annual post commencement receptions with the Officers.

It was at the very least suit coat dress code, and all that came KNOW this venue requires it...but some even stopped at home on the way to the wedding reception and showed up changed into informal too!

 

In general we feel the world has taken dress down into every vestige of what events, occasions and venues were once formal affairs. Sadly, though some look sharp in their casual clothes...many just go the way of sloppy or worse...downright immodest & scanty as though poolside...

 

So that's just us... we respect the wishes of others and choices, but today's trend that has taken hold in all places we find quite sad.

And we make it a point to compliment our shipmates (and friends here at home) when they go to the extra care & effort to dress up formally! :)

[Cruising-along]

I totally agree!:D

 

While I enjoy formal nights on our more leisurely cruises, DH and I will bring minimal formal wear and be in the Lido on our upcoming European cruise most formal nights. We may attend one or 2 of the nights during our 24 days, but not all of them.

 

Baggage allowances to Europe on our airline is 1 each at no cost, $70 dollars per any additional. :eek: If I am going to pay that cost, it will be to bring back our inevitable finds, not to lug formal wear! ;) :D

 

Yes! We always bring an empty suitcase to bring home our goodies. :D

 

We have been discussing this lately, but since this will be our first cruise, we're not sure what to expect!

I am a blue collar worker, so jeans and flannel are my usual attire, and I have no desire to wear a suit and tie. I will wear some nice slacks and a dress shirt, but I don't even own a sport coat anymore, so we've decided to just skip formal nights and perhaps just do room service that night since I understand we can get whatever is being served in the dining room?

I personally have nothing against people dressing formally, I'm just not comfortable in that attire. I know some people who have to dress up for work look forward to being casual, I just prefer to always be casual!

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

Don't worry, you can either eat at the Lido (buffet) or get room service if you don't want to bring formal wear. We have done both, no problem. You can look on the menu (posted outside the dining room) and call in your order during dinner service. HAL has choices, lucky us! :D

[beacha]

Gosh, we saved for 2 years for an opportunity to cruise on an elegant ship, the Maasdam, in April. I have been looking forward to dressing up. I have followed the threads about packing and rolling my clothes so that they do not take up so much space in my suitcase. I guess I watched too much "Love Boat" and wanted to have that kind of experience. I love casual dining as we live on the beach, but I wanted this to be different. There's no way that we would ever be able to afford more than a 10 day cruise. This is our 36 th anniversary and we thought we would really splurge. I can see how really long cruises would be limiting in bringing clothes. I'll never know about that. I can't wait for my Maasdam cruise in April. I'm bringing my best dresses from my favorite store, Anthropologie.

[xjust4fun]

I'm on the fence on this topic, I agree with the majority of the posts, we love to dress up for dinner and do enjoy formals. Our problem is the fact that we must travel very far to take any cruise, having to lug extra baggages makes it very hard for us. On our last cruise, we had 4 large suitcases and 2 small carry-ons and were on a 34 night cruise which had 8-9 formals. I would not object to at least one formal on a 7 night cruise. Wished that HAL or any shipline would at least enforce the clothing policy for formal nights. Flying to Europe for a 37 night cruise in the fall, not sure yet what we are going to do for formals. This is indeed a very interesting topic.

 

Diane.

[Wakepatrol]

All I can say is Holland America, recently had a facebook contest and had HAL fans send in their Gussied up pictures from formal nights. Wow these people looked great.

 

Blows the guy in the track suit right out of the water.:eek:

[baggal]

We fly to our cruises. The ridiculously restrictive luggage policies created by the airlines really put a crimp in planning and packing for a cruise. I bring only one black dress and change it with different shawls, etc. - but who really cares?

 

So DH brings a suit, dress shirt, shoes, etc. and I bring my dress, dressy shoes, etc - giving up valuable suitcase real estate that could better be used for another pair of walking shoes or maybe some items purchased along the way.

 

What, IMO, is most annoying that we have made the effort and at least 25% of passengers seated near us in the MDR are not dressed per the suggested dress code. I wish HAL and other cruise lines as well would enforce their code.

[Spender Nui]

Just off the Zuiderdam. Took the tux for the first time in a while and found I was in the (probably less than 10%) vast minority. Won't do it again.

 

It is easier and more comfortable to travel in today's world with country club casual.

[Richie2pies]

Eliminate the formal nights and make it optional. People who wish to dress can still get their picture taken if that's important to them. People really have to give up the "old days" and come into the real world.

[Boytjie]

I wonder: is airfare + luggage fees today really that much more expensive that just the airfare was before they started charging for luggage?

[ON cruiser]

Last December (2011) pre-Xmas on the Noordam I would say that most met the dress code on Noordam (for men, jacket and tie). Many, I would estimate 50%+, had on a tux or dinner jacket. I did not feel uncomfortable dressed and, for me and my wife, it adds to the "occasion" of a formal evening--everything and everyone just "sparkles". Most people do look good all dressed up; tailoring can hide a multitude of imperfections (don't I personally know it ! :)).

 

On an upcoming TA, we have 3 formal nights in 13 days, which to me is not too onerous. It is a nice tradition but, if someone would rather not participate, there are lots of dining choices, so we can all have the best of both worlds.

 

For us in Canada, West Jet still allows one checked bag free and they fly to the USA, while Air Canada charges for all bags in coach. For those in the states am I right that certain carriers have more flexible baggage policies? For example SouthWest allows 2 free checked bags? To me that is all the more reason to fly those carriers which offer flexibility, and avoid those that do not--market forces may compel those passenger-unfriendly carriers ("Untied" for example) to change their policies...in between breaking guitars, if anyone remembers that little hit of about a year ago.

 

Happy sailing, in whatever you choose to wear.

[nothriver]

I'm new to cruising, but as a jeans and t-shirt kind of family, I will say, we look forward to "formal nights". However, these evenings are hardly formal. I remember helping my parents pack for cruises in decades past with tuxes and beaded gowns for true formal wear, dresses and sports coats for semi-formal, and cruise casual for the rest of the evenings in addition to casual day time wear. THAT amounted to a lot of luggage!

 

While my son's suit and dress shoes does take up a bit of luggage space, coctail dresses for my daughter and myself take up very little space in the luggage. We plan coordinating outfits so we only take one pair of shoes each for formal evenings. So contrary to what others have said, I find it much easier to make room for dress wear for the ladies!

 

We live in a very casual city and enjoy getting dressed up and having photos taken. Perhaps once we've cruise more the novelty will wear off, but for now at the very least, I have the "little black dress" incentive to loose a few pounds before cruising and therefore cherish the "formal" tradition!

[NoobCruise]

I like options. I think they should continue with it so those that love dressing up, can. But allow casual options for those who don't feel like it. DH dresses for work all the time. We frequently do the dress up thing for work events and benefits etc. so for us, it's not really "special". Vacation is time to relax, let our hair down, and do what we feel like. I object to the "dress up or stay in your room" attitude. I think they can do formal in one area of the ship and allow casual in another. That should keep everybody happy.

 

We made reservations in the Pinnacle for our first formal night, so we'll definitely dress on the first one. We'll take clothes for the second night, but may opt out and either eat in the Lido or do room service and have a romantic dinner on our balcony (weather/temps permitting since we'll be in Alaska lol). Keeping our options open lol

[B744]

I say do away with Formal Nights. From my very first cruise on the Carnival Destiny in May, 2004, I never did understand the reason for getting all dressed up in jacket and tie or Tux to eat dinner two nights a week on vacation. I'm on vacation, leave it tastefully casual, folks.:)

Of course, that's just my opinion, I don't think the cruise lines will get rid of Formal Nights.

[B744]

I like options. I think they should continue with it so those that love dressing up, can. But allow casual options for those who don't feel like it. DH dresses for work all the time. We frequently do the dress up thing for work events and benefits etc. so for us, it's not really "special". Vacation is time to relax, let our hair down, and do what we feel like. I object to the "dress up or stay in your room" attitude. I think they can do formal in one area of the ship and allow casual in another. That should keep everybody happy.

 

We made reservations in the Pinnacle for our first formal night, so we'll definitely dress on the first one. We'll take clothes for the second night, but may opt out and either eat in the Lido or do room service and have a romantic dinner on our balcony (weather/temps permitting since we'll be in Alaska lol). Keeping our options open lol

 

There is an option, the Lido buffet(yep, I know you said options, with an 's'). I'm one who just love NCL's Freestyle Dining concept, you're not bound to dress up, just do............whatever, whenever.