Formal nites Alaska 7 day

[nana541]

The HAL website and our documents say 3 Formals nights??? Really!

 

I believe in following the dress code to be respectful to other cruisers But,

Alaska cruises are less formal generally than other cruises. My only other Alaska cruise was on HAL several years ago.

 

I'm spoiled as my recent cruises are on Regent and Formal is optional, is HAL on Alaska itineraries really holding to the code? No I don't want to eat in my cabin or at the buffet.

 

Advice would be appreciated from regular HAL cruisers and recent Alaska HAL cruisers.

 

I can gussy up but Formal? Oh I just don't want to go there... Hubby staying home, sailing with Aunt :)

 

Leaving Westerdam Sept 13... This Saturday!

 

Thanks for advice and info...

 

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Edited September 8, 2014 by nana541

[PathfinderEss]

For formal evenings you should only have 2 for seven day cruise

This is Hals dress code

 

Evening dress falls into two distinct categories: Formal or Smart Casual. Smart Casual can be defined as slacks and sports shirts or sweater for men and skirt or trousers and sweater or blouse for women. Printed T-shirts, swimsuits, tank tops and shorts are not allowed in the restaurants or public areas during the evening hours.

 

On festive Formal evenings, ladies wear a cocktail dress or gown and gentlemen wear a suit and tie or tuxedo. Formal wear for ladies and gentlemen can be pre-ordered for your use during your cruise by calling Cruiseline Formalwear at 1-800-551-5091 or (305) 252-6565. For more information, please visit cruiselineformal.com. Your formal wear will be in your stateroom when you board. In order to complement your fellow guests, Holland America Line asks that you observe the suggested dress code throughout the entire evening.

 

Your choice for eating if you don't want to gussy up, as you put it, will either be the lido, room service or Canaletto's.

[Linda&Vern]

The HAL website and our documents say 3 Formals nights??? Really!

 

I believe in following the dress code to be respectful to other cruisers But,

Alaska cruises are less formal generally than other cruises. My only other Alaska cruise was on HAL several years ago.

 

I'm spoiled as my recent cruises are on Regent and Formal is optional, is HAL on Alaska itineraries really holding to the code? No I don't want to eat in my cabin or at the buffet.

 

Advice would be appreciated from regular HAL cruisers and recent Alaska HAL cruisers.

 

I can gussy up but Formal? Oh I just don't want to go there... Hubby staying home, sailing with Aunt :)

 

Leaving Westerdam Sept 13... This Saturday!

 

Thanks for advice and info... Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

We are cruising for 17 days in October and our Docs show 3 Formal Nights. I do not believe you will have 3 on a 7 day cruise. It has to be an error - unless you are on some kind of charter cruse. I would think you will have no more than 2 Formal Nights. HAL's website under dress code lists 2 for a 7 to 13 day cruise. I'm not sure where you read 3 on the website.

Edited September 8, 2014 by Linda&Vern

[Fouremco]

I'd be quite surprised. We are on the 7 day cruise departing Vancouver the following day, on the Oosterdam, and our express docs quite clearly state two formal nights. Looking at your itinerary, it would be difficult to hold more than two anyway.

[nana541]

I certainly know what the website says about "Formal" night but is the Alaska 7 night itineraries abit less so than the regular HAL cruises??

 

And yes my Docs indicate 3 nights but this just can't be correct. By the way I can't seem to get a straight answer from CS but I figured it was wrong.

 

If we are gussied up but not quite formal will be have issues entering the MDR.... I knew I loved Regent's dress code for a reason.

 

This is a last minute cruise and I am just not prepared for Formal but of course don't want to upset my fellow cruisers :(

 

Sorry was just hoping for less Formal expectations on this itinerary.

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Edited September 8, 2014 by nana541

[Linda&Vern]

I certainly know what the website says about "Formal" night but is the Alaska 7 night itineraries abit less so than the regular HAL cruises??

 

And yes my Docs indicate 3 nights but this just can't be correct. By the way I can't seem to get a straight answer from CS but I figured it was wrong.

 

If we are gussied up but not quite formal will be have issues entering the MDR.... I knew I loved Regent's dress code for a reason.

 

This is a last minute cruise and I am just not prepared for Formal but of course don't want to upset my fellow cruisers :(

 

Sorry was just hoping for less Formal expectations on this itinerary.

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You will not find many "gowns" on formal night. You will see cocktail dresses, little black dresses, and lots of black skirts or pants with sparkle tops or sparkle jackets. In my experience you will also see some women dressed in what I call "Sunday go to Church" attire. For the men you won't see many tux, mostly dark suits, many sport coat/slacks - with ties. Each Dining Room Manager is different as to if they let someone without jacket and tie in. Some will, some won't.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

Edited September 8, 2014 by Linda&Vern

[nana541]

Thanks All this is why I love Cruise Critic! Now back to packing :)

 

 

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[Crew News]

I certainly know what the website says about "Formal" night but is the Alaska 7 night itineraries abit less so than the regular HAL cruises??

 

And yes my Docs indicate 3 nights but this just can't be correct. By the way I can't seem to get a straight answer from CS but I figured it was wrong.

 

If we are gussied up but not quite formal will be have issues entering the MDR.... I knew I loved Regent's dress code for a reason.

 

This is a last minute cruise and I am just not prepared for Formal but of course don't want to upset my fellow cruisers :(

 

Sorry was just hoping for less Formal expectations on this itinerary.

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On the same cruise last July, we had only two formal nights (Sunday and Thursday).

 

Copied from Express Docs:

Booking/Party No: GLXJWH / 2

Number of Nights: 7

Confirmed Dining: Early, Table of 2 on request

Dress Code: 2 Formal and 5 Smart Casual Nights

 

Here are the On Locations (daily activities) for our July Westerdam cruise:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/?page_id=1643

Edited September 8, 2014 by Crew News

[nana541]

Crew News bless you heart! Your link is wonderful ..... Great info !

 

 

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[Crew News]

Crew News bless you heart! Your link is wonderful ..... Great info !

 

 

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Thank you for the compliment. Here are the menus in PDF format for both the Lido and Main Dining Room for your cruise:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/?page_id=1625

 

Here is a link for Specialty Restaurant, Wine, and Beverage menus in PDF format:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/?page_id=908

Edited September 8, 2014 by Crew News

[nana541]

Gotta love CC, members helping members!

 

 

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[missmishka]

We're on the same cruise and our signature boarding passes say 2 formal and 5 smart casual nights.

[sail7seas]

Our 7 night Alaska cruise had the expected two formal nights. You don't need to wear really formal. The LBD and sparkly tops suggested above will work fine.

 

Have a great cruise. :) Alaska is amazing.

Edited September 8, 2014 by sail7seas

[Lizzie68]

I certainly know what the website says about "Formal" night but is the Alaska 7 night itineraries abit less so than the regular HAL cruises??

 

And yes my Docs indicate 3 nights but this just can't be correct. By the way I can't seem to get a straight answer from CS but I figured it was wrong.

 

If we are gussied up but not quite formal will be have issues entering the MDR.... I knew I loved Regent's dress code for a reason.

 

This is a last minute cruise and I am just not prepared for Formal but of course don't want to upset my fellow cruisers :(

 

Sorry was just hoping for less Formal expectations on this itinerary.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

As with all other HAL cruises on formal night - as long as you turn up suitably dressed and tidy you certainly will not be turned away. I always find the Alaska cruises much more casual during the day, (jeans and t-shirts) and on non-formal nights, and on formal night most people do a little more gussying-up, but you'll see all levels of dress.;) Just go and enjoy. Oh, and there will be no more than 2 formal nights on a 7-day cruise.

[Langley BC]

On our Formal Nights us girls wore short dresses, and the guys wore slacks and a dress shirt, no tie, and that was fine.

 

My Grandmother who is in her 80's would not dres up, and just wore what she wanted, which included cotton type casual pants and a cardigan, and they didn't have anything to say about it.

 

re: Our Alaskan Cruise in May 2013

Edited September 8, 2014 by Langley BC

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have done your Westerdam cruise Alaskan cruise a couple of times. And we had only 2 formal nights.

With information on HAL's site, you may only have 1 formal night.

From HAL's site (which showed up a couple of weeks ago):

Less than 7 days

7 - 13 days

14 - 20 days

21 - 28 days

 

1 Formal evening

2 Formal evenings

3 Formal evenings

4 Formal evenings

 

 

 

The number of Formal evenings on voyages longer than 28 days will vary based on the activities and cruise schedule.

[nana541]

Back in the near past, before Regent relaxed and did away with ALL Formal nites, after 6pm anywhere in the ship if you did not have FULL formal attire (lady's and gents) you would be sent back to your room to change or you got room service for dinner, if you did not want to dress. Saw it happen many times.....boy was I glad when I no longer needed to haul fancy duds, but hubby sure looked wonderful in his Tux!

 

Just think it is considerate of all passengers to follow the Dress Code so as to not diminish the cruise experience and expectations for others on board. So Formal it is! (She says in panic mode racing to see what is in the closet).

 

 

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[I_r_a]

>On festive Formal evenings, ladies wear a cocktail dress or gown and gentlemen wear a suit and tie or tuxedo. <

 

Another example of the general lessening of standards.

 

A cocktail dress and a tie, respectively, are not "formal" in the sense of being over 40.

 

Don't worry about it. A jacket and a shirt with a collar for the men, and something sexy for the women is all that is needed, especially for AK.

[Fouremco]

>On festive Formal evenings, ladies wear a cocktail dress or gown and gentlemen wear a suit and tie or tuxedo. <

 

Another example of the general lessening of standards.

 

A cocktail dress and a tie, respectively, are not "formal" in the sense of being over 40.

 

Don't worry about it. A jacket and a shirt with a collar for the men, and something sexy for the women is all that is needed, especially for AK.

Speaking of a lessening of standards, since when did "something sexy" equate to formal wear?

[Koali]

We were on this cruise last week and it was 2 formal nights. They also changed up the menu a bit. It seems like everything is still there, but they consolidated the apps, soups and salads. Instead of a separate page for the "all the time" menu items, they just added them to the entrée list. My husband suspects they did this so that you would not order as many dishes :)

 

Formal night seemed really varied (as smart casual was even more so). I saw a few tux and long cocktail dresses. Most men wore dark suits and most women had on dresses that I would consider wearing to weddings.

[CowPrincess]

The quote feature isn't working for me, so here's the best I can manage

 

Formal night seemed really varied (as smart casual was even more so). I saw a few tux and long cocktail dresses. Most men wore dark suits and most women had on dresses that I would consider wearing to weddings.

 

On my Alaska cruise this season I noticed similar. I truly did not see any true "formal" wear on formal nights. As a matter of fact, several people commented on how "dressed up" my friends and I were, in cocktail dresses.

 

OP, I hope you have a wonderful cruise. I hope I can afjord to do a B2B next year. For me, a 7-day Alaska cruise is no longer long enough. Am booked for one week, and hoping the price drops on either the prior or subsequent week.

[nana541]

Thanks all! We are very excited, Saturday will be here so fast :)

 

 

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