Women's attire on formal night? yikes!!!

[cwbabe48]

This is our first Holland cruise, we have cruised all the other lines and were thrilled the MDR laxed up on the formal attire, I do NOT plan on buying formals so I have a sparkle sweater set and dress capris, Hope this works. Guess I will have to purchase a blazer for my hubby, with his dress shirt and tie, any thoughts?

Thanks

Marcia

[nana51]

Your hubby's outfit sounds perfect, your top sounds perfect, but the capris on formal nights.....not so much. If I were you I would pack one pair of dressy black slacks. If you are wearing heels and look FABULOUS your capris may be fine. My husband even goes without a tie. He wears a sportcoat and turtleneck. I was so worried but he had no trouble.

[sapper1]

This is our first Holland cruise, we have cruised all the other lines and were thrilled the MDR laxed up on the formal attire, I do NOT plan on buying formals so I have a sparkle sweater set and dress capris, Hope this works. Guess I will have to purchase a blazer for my hubby, with his dress shirt and tie, any thoughts?

Thanks

Marcia

 

At the risk of sounding my age, please what does "laxed up" mean.

 

You really don't need long formal dresses. A cocktail dress or the outfit you described will be fine.

Your husband may or may not be admitted without a jacket.

[debsjc]

I always take a little black cocktail type dress, not full length, but it packs well and doesn't take up much room. You can't go far wrong with a little black dress that can be mixed up with dressy jewellery.

[innlady1]

My husband used to wear a dark suit but the last couple cruises, he's worn his navy blazer on the plane with chinos...and in the MDR, wears it with a pair of dress pants. Saves on the packing and it's worked fine. I wear a pair of dressy black pants with assorted dressy tops. For instance, a really pretty shiny jacket that I bought at Chico's...and it's so lightweight and virtually indestructible. I can roll it and it comes out of the suitcase perfectly.

Hauling a lot of luggage is no way to start...or end...a vacation...so we try our best to pack lighter than we used to do.

[sail7seas]

No worry and no Yikes needed. :D

 

Your sweater set, a pair of nice black pants and pretty shoe and you will be fine. I'm not sure the capri pants work so well for formal night. Not many women are wearing gowns on formal nights anymore.

 

For your DH, blazer, shirt and tie and he is dressed to HAL's code. :)

 

[sail7seas]

I always take a little black cocktail type dress, not full length, but it packs well and doesn't take up much room. You can't go far wrong with a little black dress that can be mixed up with dressy jewellery.

 

 

I agree.

A lady's best friend is a nice LBD. Takes you most anywhere you need to go. Dress it up or not..... :) I never leave home for a vacation without a LBD in my suitcase and I have been happy I had it many a time.

[496and706]

A black skirt (of any length) will work with a sparkly top.

[Krazy Kruizers]

This is our first Holland cruise, we have cruised all the other lines and were thrilled the MDR laxed up on the formal attire, I do NOT plan on buying formals so I have a sparkle sweater set and dress capris, Hope this works. Guess I will have to purchase a blazer for my hubby, with his dress shirt and tie, any thoughts?

Thanks

Marcia

 

Your selections will be just fine!!

A blazer for DH will be fine - and he can wear it anywhere.

[debsjc]

I agree.

A lady's best friend is a nice LBD. Takes you most anywhere you need to go. Dress it up or not..... :) I never leave home for a vacation without a LBD in my suitcase and I have been happy I had it many a time.

 

Thank you. I see a lot of people commenting about packing space. We have a 30 day trip to Australia & NZ coming up, and I am taking 1 x 23 kilo suitcase. Luckily I have found a dress which isn't heavy and takes up very little room. :)

[Krazy Kruizers]

Up until a year ago I use to take a floor length skirt along with a 3/4 length skirt.

Now that I am using a walker/rollator -- just two 3/4 length skirts work for me with several very light weight fancy tops.

[sapper1]

Thank you. I see a lot of people commenting about packing space. We have a 30 day trip to Australia & NZ coming up, and I am taking 1 x 23 kilo suitcase. Luckily I have found a dress which isn't heavy and takes up very little room. :)

 

I buy my cocktail dresses now with a view to how lightweight they are and how packable they seem.

[sail7seas]

Thank you. I see a lot of people commenting about packing space. We have a 30 day trip to Australia & NZ coming up, and I am taking 1 x 23 kilo suitcase. Luckily I have found a dress which isn't heavy and takes up very little room. :)

 

 

Your dress is a 'treasure'.

I get so excited when I find something like that and buy it right away. I know I'll have good use from it.

 

Have a GREAT trip. :)

[innlady1]

Interestingly, I just bought Fodor's book on the Caribbean at B & N today as we're visiting some islands that are new to us... it spells out the dress code on the various lines...and recommends people book the one with which they are comfortable adhering to the codes.

[B Russo]

This is our first Holland cruise, we have cruised all the other lines and were thrilled the MDR laxed up on the formal attire, I do NOT plan on buying formals so I have a sparkle sweater set and dress capris, Hope this works. Guess I will have to purchase a blazer for my hubby, with his dress shirt and tie, any thoughts?

Thanks

Marcia

Yes i would purchase a Blazer.

[B Russo]

This is our first Holland cruise, we have cruised all the other lines and were thrilled the MDR laxed up on the formal attire, I do NOT plan on buying formals so I have a sparkle sweater set and dress capris, Hope this works. Guess I will have to purchase a blazer for my hubby, with his dress shirt and tie, any thoughts?

Thanks

Marcia

Yes I would purchase a blazer. Bill

[B Russo]

This is our first Holland cruise, we have cruised all the other lines and were thrilled the MDR laxed up on the formal attire, I do NOT plan on buying formals so I have a sparkle sweater set and dress capris, Hope this works. Guess I will have to purchase a blazer for my hubby, with his dress shirt and tie, any thoughts?

Thanks

Marcia

Yes I would purchase a blazer. Bill

[kazu]

Interestingly, I just bought Fodor's book on the Caribbean at B & N today as we're visiting some islands that are new to us... it spells out the dress code on the various lines...and recommends people book the one with which they are comfortable adhering to the codes.

 

It's really not hard to 'adhere' to HAL's dress code - and if you want you can skip it entirely in the Lido or with room service.

 

Over the years I have lost a lot of faith in Fodors's. I have booked one company they recommended (actually wrote them after and no answer but thankfully the company is no longer there) and done one hotel. Now, I choose on my own - and based on my experiences in Rome & Venice - I think I chose wisely.:D anyways each to their own:D I still prefer HAl and the fact that DH may have to wear a sports jacket is not too hard on us. siince I love long skirst - there is no trouble for me :D

[Cruising-along]

Interestingly, I just bought Fodor's book on the Caribbean at B & N today as we're visiting some islands that are new to us... it spells out the dress code on the various lines...and recommends people book the one with which they are comfortable adhering to the codes.

 

We bought the same book at B&N a few months ago. We're taking our first Caribbean cruise (!) so all the islands are new to us. :p

 

Love those LBDs! So easy to pack, and so easy to dress up with different jewelry, shawls, etc. I also bring black slacks or skirts with sparkly tops. So easy for us women! :D

[SailorMom37]

From my two week cruise on the Zaandam this month, I would say the majority of women were wearing sparkly tops and long black pants or skirts on formal nights. Dress capris were the norm on casual nights, but I don't think I saw many on Formal nights.

As for the jacket/blazer.... I do think he'd be more comfortable with a jacket on formal nights.... but we saw hardly any otherwise.

 

As for booking a cruise that has a dress code you're comfortable with - I'd say good luck.... It is really hard to tell. Oddly, although it seems from these boards that HAL has a stricter or more formal dress code - we saw far more people dressed up on RCI and Carnival. I packed far too much dressy stuff for our Hawaii cruise....

[B Russo]

Yes I would purchase him a blazer. Bill

[PathfinderEss]

OP your outfit sounds fine. I usually wear a sparkly top with black pants, though my DH still like wearing his Tux.

[Mr. Boston]

At the risk of sounding my age, please what does "laxed up" mean.

 

 

No kidding! That could soooooo mean different things to different people!

[NoobCruise]

This is our first Holland cruise, we have cruised all the other lines and were thrilled the MDR laxed up on the formal attire, I do NOT plan on buying formals so I have a sparkle sweater set and dress capris, Hope this works. Guess I will have to purchase a blazer for my hubby, with his dress shirt and tie, any thoughts?

Thanks

Marcia

 

We accidentally went to the MDR dressed in smart casual on formal night. I thought the formal night was the next night. I had on black pants, a lace tshirt, and black suede flat knee-high boots. Great for smart casual, but not what I would consider acceptable formal attire. DH had on slacks and a long sleeve dress shirt that was open at the throat. No tie and no jacket. The maitre'd didn't bat an eye and just showed us to our table. It was only after we were sitting that we realized it was formal night. We saw several other men dressed similarly. Although we were in Alaska which I guess tends to be more casual.

[mamaofami]

Interestingly, I just bought Fodor's book on the Caribbean at B & N today as we're visiting some islands that are new to us... it spells out the dress code on the various lines...and recommends people book the one with which they are comfortable adhering to the codes.

 

I find lots of very useful information on CC ports of call boards. It's always nice to read about what other people have experienced. And, I have found people tend to answer when I ask questions. Sorry if this is off topic.