No shorts at night?

[andyandsue]

The statement is really clear. There can't be any confusion.

 

You are allowed to eat in shorts in the Lido, and to wear them on the outside decks, and inside on the Lido deck. Elsewhere, self-enforcement is expected.

 

This is where I disagree because I too am confused about the shorts issue. You state and I have read here on many, many threads that shorts are allowed outside and on the Lido deck (happy face from me), but HAL states "T-shirts, swimsuits, tank tops and shorts are not allowed in the restaurants or public areas during the evening hours." Aren't the Lido and outside public areas? So confusing!

 

Sorry to everyone who reads this and cares to hate us, but we'll be the family in shorts. Nice, no holes, rips, or stains, not denim, but shorts. We won't ruin anyone's formal night certainly, I would never barge into formal night not dressed us such, or wear shorts in the MDR if they are not supposed to be- you'll find us in the Lido, but yup, maybe in shorts if they'll let us.

[cruzingtchr]

I find it interesting that many places frown upon shorts... even the Docker-like cargo ones... yet there's no code saying how short or how skimpy a woman's skirt/dress can be. Definitely more skin is shown with some of the dresses I've seen on cruises.

[3rdGenCunarder]

This is where I disagree because I too am confused about the shorts issue. You state and I have read here on many, many threads that shorts are allowed outside and on the Lido deck (happy face from me), but HAL states "T-shirts, swimsuits, tank tops and shorts are not allowed in the restaurants or public areas during the evening hours." Aren't the Lido and outside public areas? So confusing!

 

Sorry to everyone who reads this and cares to hate us, but we'll be the family in shorts. Nice, no holes, rips, or stains, not denim, but shorts. We won't ruin anyone's formal night certainly, I would never barge into formal night not dressed us such, or wear shorts in the MDR if they are not supposed to be- you'll find us in the Lido, but yup, maybe in shorts if they'll let us.

 

I think the public areas where HAL asks pax not to wear shorts, etc in the evening are the indoor venues. The showroom/theater, bars, etc. and, yes, the MDR. Lido and open decks, pool area, etc. are OK for shorts.

 

Although hallways are technically public areas, HAL can hardly ban shorts there, or you couldn't get from your cabin to the Lido. (Unless you travel with a Star Trek transporter :D)

 

Whenever the question of shorts in the evening comes up, I think of a group of 20-somethings on our Veendam cruise. On formal night, they came to the show in cargo shorts, tank tops, and flip flops. They sat on the side bench/banquette seating where there were no seats in front of them so that they could sprawl across the bench as if they were on the sofa in the den at home. The only things missing from the picture were a can of Bud, a bag of Doritos, and a backwards ballcap. There may have been other people wearing shorts or in casual clothing, but those were the only ones I noticed, because they stuck out as inappropriate in so many ways.

 

I'm sure not all shorts-wearers dress like that or sit like that, but it's the image that comes to my mind. If this group had wanted to lounge around the pool or the poolette, fine. Sprawl on a deck lounger. But they should have dressed a bit better and sat like grownups in the showroom.

[iancal]

I think it is alot about nothing. We could really care less if someone is wearing shorts in the Lido or on the deck in the evening.

 

We are too busy enjoying ourselves to be the least bit bothered by what someone else is wearing.....and we feel that it is not really our business or our place to judge others.

[Post Captain]

If you must insist on wearing shorts, wear them as part of a proper wardrobe, as they do in Bermuda.;)

 

(NB: These gents are dressed in what the source caption describes as business attire, not formal attire.)

 

 

[HamOp]

I think it is alot about nothing. We could really care less if someone is wearing shorts in the Lido or on the deck in the evening.

 

We are too busy enjoying ourselves to be the least bit bothered by what someone else is wearing.....and we feel that it is not really our business or our place to judge others.

 

Right on!

[Post Captain]

If a gentleman wishes to show a bit of leg on formal night, the outfits shown in the attached photos are eminently suitable.:)

[iancal]

I know about kilts...and a kilt (heavy, bulky) is about the very last thing that I would want to bring in a suitcase...not to mention the rest of kit that goes along with it!

[AZNative2000]

In all honesty - I find many of the public rooms too cool to contemplate wearing shorts at night.

 

I'm with you Jacqui. If you are indoors in air conditioning, the outside temps don't matter. It's just as cool inside in the Caribbean as inside in Alaska. Even while wearing long pants, I bring a sweater to the showroom.

[andyandsue]

No. 1, I'm not sure it's up to you decide what is comfortable for other people.

 

No. 2, complying with the dress code is the very reason I asked the question. I was just trying to confirm that it is really practiced that way.

 

It would appear that HAL is just not the cruise line for us. I thought so before, and now I'm pretty sure. Thanks.

 

Jim

 

Ha! I'm worried about the same thing Jim... 4 days in Bermuda, newly refurbished, and new kids club, hoping for the best.

[andyandsue]

By small people with no life.......

 

I like being stared at and talked about. Makes me feel like a celebrity, in shorts. LOL

[jaguarstyper]

Outside of the dining room, the show room and maybe the more "upscale" bars like the crows nest or the explorers lounge, you should feel free to wear shorts in tropical climates. I like the dress up of a formal night as much as anyone and probably more than most, but I do it for me, not for anyone else. And I don't really care what anyone else is wearing. You people that constantly recite the rules need to find something more important to do.

 

As long as you are clean and neat, I really don't care what you are wearing. And I think the VAST MAJORITY of passengers would agree with that. Go have fun, dress how you're comfortable and don't worry what other people are wearing.

[dakrewser]

As long as you are clean and neat, I really don't care what you are wearing. And I think the VAST MAJORITY of passengers would agree with that. Go have fun, dress how you're comfortable and don't worry what other people are wearing.

 

We all think the vast majority would agree with us. In my case, I believe they would agree with me that flauting the rules is a bad thing to do...

[sppunk]

Regarding HAL's dress code, also don't let others tell you it's required. The dress code for the ship is a suggestion, not a requirement.

 

Per HAL's website:

 

In order to complement your fellow guests, Holland America Line asks that you observe the suggested dress code throughout the entire evening.

[Opinions]

The statement is really clear. There can't be any confusion.

You are allowed to eat in shorts in the Lido, and to wear them on the outside decks, and inside on the Lido deck. Elsewhere, self-enforcement is expected.

 

Clear?... I have read the dress code on HAL's website and find no mention of the Lido...Perhaps I have missed it...I would appreciate it if you could give me a link to the dress code for the Lido you have mentioned.

[iancal]

We would never be so rude and condescending as to stare at someone's attire and talk about it or them to other cruisers. It would say more about us than it would about them.

Who am we to judge others?

It is a cruise ship vacation. No reason to be so uptight.

[Olive1950]

[COLOR=DarkGreen][SIZE=3][FONT=Comic Sans MS]I would never give anyone the opportunity to either stare at OR talk about my legs. I reserve my shorts for use when I'm mowing the back yard.

Personally, I don't care what anyone wears on a cruise. Having cruised since 1978, I have seen attire go from very formal to VERY casual. I prefer formal; but that is just me.


[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[RuthC]

[quote name='Olive1950'][SIZE=3][FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=darkgreen]Having cruised since 1978, I have seen attire go from very formal to VERY casual. I prefer formal; but that is just me.[/COLOR][/FONT][/SIZE][/quote]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=royalblue]It's not "just" you. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=royalblue][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=royalblue]It's unfortunate that evening wear uses the word "casual" when referring to "smart casual", "country club casual", "business casual", "elegant casual", and any other discription of evening wear that the cruiselines publish. Too many people also use that word "casual" for daytime clothes, and think it's the same thing. It isn't. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[tip]

[quote name='iancal']I think it is alot about nothing. We could really care less if someone is wearing shorts in the Lido or on the deck in the evening.

We are too busy enjoying ourselves to be the least bit bothered by what someone else is wearing.....[B]and we feel that it is not really our business or our place to judge others[/B].[/quote

Very well said.

[Poulsbo]

Just wear what ever you like - I'm turning seventy this year and I've seen it all! The good, the bad, and the very UGLY.

We just got back from a month long cruise through the Suez Canal and saw a lot of the world that harshly restricts what you can wear and the people there are NOT polite to nonconformists. We were thankful that our lovely small ship cruise had NO formal nights.

For the "Dress Police" on this thread, I'd have to say that, in the evenings, people were more tastefully dressed with the "Country Club Casual" code than I've observed on Formal Nights on previous HAL cruises. It's simply a fact that while some people look good in their formal dress, others would do well to look in a mirror (front and back) before packing their dressy garments for the trip!

As for us, we have an airline imposed weight limit and we're not wasting it. Our next HAL cruise is a 51-day b2b. Formal clothes? Mmmmmmm

[RuthC]

[quote name='iancal']I think it is alot about nothing. We could really care less if someone is wearing shorts in the Lido or on the deck in the evening. [/quote]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=royalblue]Can't imagine why you felt the need to post this, as no one is complaining about others wearing shorts in appropriate places. It's wearing them inappropriately, in clear disregard of HAL's published dress code, that's under discussion here. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[big green]

[quote name='RuthC'][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=royalblue]Can't imagine why you felt the need to post this, as no one is complaining about others wearing shorts in appropriate places. It's wearing them inappropriately, in clear disregard of HAL's published dress code, that's under discussion here. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE]

So what--they need to change with the times--bookings are down ( the low prices in Alaska and Europe to attract cruisers)--just like the music they have on board is way outdated--we saw lots of shorts after dinner on our Hawaii cruise--no one flinched. Our coming 30 day cruise to French Polynesia will probably have a lot of shorts in the evening. (For for the price we paid I will certainly wear shorts to lounge around and have drink in one of the venues at night).

The dining rooms have no glamour--they are crowded, loud and service is not that good--so why the formal thing--on our last cruise several times in the dining room the tablecloths were in ill repair. diners manners were lacking, and formal clothes ranged the gamut--so I see the formal nights disappearing in the near future.

BG

[HamOp]

[SIZE="4"][FONT="Comic Sans MS"][COLOR="Red"]Guess this thread calls for this to be posted again.[/COLOR][/FONT][/SIZE]

[IMG]http://tdpowers.com/bermuda/pj.jpg[/IMG]

[3rdGenCunarder]

[quote name='big green']So what--they need to change with the times--[B][COLOR=red]bookings are down[/COLOR][/B] ( the low prices in Alaska and Europe to attract cruisers)--just like the music they have on board is way outdated--we saw lots of shorts after dinner on our Hawaii cruise--no one flinched. Our coming 30 day cruise to French Polynesia will probably have a lot of shorts in the evening. (For for the price we paid I will certainly wear shorts to lounge around and have drink in one of the venues at night).

The dining rooms have no glamour--they are crowded, loud and service is not that good--so why the formal thing--on our last cruise several times in the dining room the tablecloths were in ill repair. diners manners were lacking, and formal clothes ranged the gamut--so I see the formal nights disappearing in the near future.

BG[/quote]

I don't think formal nights are causing bookings to be slow. It's the economy.

[DizzyDallasDi]

The most "out of place" folks I've ever seen were the handful wearing gowns and tuxes eating dinner in the Lido on formal night. They probably read HAL's dress code and saw that it was enforced in restaurants with no mention of the Lido being carved out.

Honestly, you will NOT look out of place wearing nice shorts, capris, jeans, etc. on formal night anywhere...except the MDR or Pinnacle Grill. There will be many others doing the same thing. :D