New to HAL. Family trip for 18 people, aged 17-76. Many questions. Please help.

[ChiBearsSuperFan]

Hello eveyone. I am new to Holland America but not new to cruising in general. We have a family tripped planned on the Volendam in August of 2015 to Alaska from Vancouver. There are 18 of us going, aged from 17-76. Eight (8) members of the group are under 25. I have designated myself as the group liaison for questions about the trip. If anyone can help me with some guidance, it will be greatly appreciated.

 

Dress code - Formal. I've read on the HAL website about the dress codes for Formal and Casual nights in the dining room. How strictly are the dress codes enforced? Are a suit and tie required or can a male get away with a pair of Dockers or slacks and a nice polo or button up shirt for Formal night? It also says cocktail dress or gown for the ladies? Again, can a female get away with just a nice dress or nice pants outfit?

 

Dress code - Casual. Are denim pants in good repair and condition considered acceptable in the dining room on Casual dining nights or is everyone required to wear slacks, Dockers or a skirt of some kind? Would a polo shirt or button front shirt be considered acceptable for these evenings?

 

Activities - Is there much going on, or to do, on the ship to entertain the chunk of our group that are younger? I see there is a kids program but nobody in our group would qualify for those activities. Might there be a dance club or gather places more suited to a younger crowd? I've looked around on the HAL site but information is a little spotty.

 

Drinking and gambling age - I presume the answer to both of these is 21 but if that could be clarified I would appreciate it. I forgot to look at the HAL policy and I think I saw some conflicting information for the state of Alaska and their drinking age.

 

Alcohol prices - Is there anywhere I can find a drink menu for the lounges and bars on the ship? Id like to share that kind of information with the group so they can budget accordingly.

 

I appreciate any information that you can share with me. I reserve the right to ask many more questions as time goes on and I hope everyone will bear with me and offer up some advice!

 

Thanks

Steven

[Crew News]

Dress code - Formal. I've read on the HAL website about the dress codes for Formal and Casual nights in the dining room. How strictly are the dress codes enforced? Are a suit and tie required or can a male get away with a pair of Dockers or slacks and a nice polo or button up shirt for Formal night? It also says cocktail dress or gown for the ladies? Again, can a female get away with just a nice dress or nice pants outfit?

 

Dress code - Casual. Are denim pants in good repair and condition considered acceptable in the dining room on Casual dining nights or is everyone required to wear slacks, Dockers or a skirt of some kind? Would a polo shirt or button front shirt be considered acceptable for these evenings?

 

Activities - Is there much going on, or to do, on the ship to entertain the chunk of our group that are younger? I see there is a kids program but nobody in our group would qualify for those activities. Might there be a dance club or gather places more suited to a younger crowd? I've looked around on the HAL site but information is a little spotty.

 

Drinking and gambling age - I presume the answer to both of these is 21 but if that could be clarified I would appreciate it. I forgot to look at the HAL policy and I think I saw some conflicting information for the state of Alaska and their drinking age.

 

Alcohol prices - Is there anywhere I can find a drink menu for the lounges and bars on the ship? Id like to share that kind of information with the group so they can budget accordingly.

 

I appreciate any information that you can share with me. I reserve the right to ask many more questions as time goes on and I hope everyone will bear with me and offer up some advice!

 

Thanks

Steven

 

Welcome to HAL.

 

Formal Nights require a jacket and tie so dockers and jacket with tie are fine to get you through the doorway. Some remove their jackets once they are seated.

 

Casual evenings allow decent jeans in the Main Dining Room and of course polo shirts.

 

Here are the Specialty Restaurant, Beverage, and 24/7 Room Service menus in PDF format:

 

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

 

Here are the On Locations (daily activities) we had in Alaska last year to give you an idea of what to expect:

 

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

 

Feel free to ask lots of questions and make sure you join your roll call.

Edited January 22, 2015 by Crew News

[janmcn]

Jacket is definitely needed in DR on Formal Night. They had jackets to "borrow" but the one my husband had to take was about 6 sizes too large and was an old tux jacket. He really would have looked better in just his shirt and tie…took the jacket off and put it on the back of his seat…what diff did that make? ;-)

[kazu]

Hello eveyone. I am new to Holland America but not new to cruising in general. We have a family tripped planned on the Volendam in August of 2015 to Alaska from Vancouver. There are 18 of us going, aged from 17-76. Eight (8) members of the group are under 25. I have designated myself as the group liaison for questions about the trip. If anyone can help me with some guidance, it will be greatly appreciated.

 

Dress code - Formal. I've read on the HAL website about the dress codes for Formal and Casual nights in the dining room. How strictly are the dress codes enforced? Are a suit and tie required or can a male get away with a pair of Dockers or slacks and a nice polo or button up shirt for Formal night? It also says cocktail dress or gown for the ladies? Again, can a female get away with just a nice dress or nice pants outfit?

 

A lady can easily wear a nice dress or pants outfit. The idea is to dress nicely. For a gentleman, a jacket and tie and a nice pair of pants. I am no expert on dockers, but I don't think they qualify. that doesn't mean you won't get away with it though, but I don't think they meet the standard.

 

Dress code - Casual. Are denim pants in good repair and condition considered acceptable in the dining room on Casual dining nights or is everyone required to wear slacks, Dockers or a skirt of some kind? Would a polo shirt or button front shirt be considered acceptable for these evenings?

 

yes, yes and yes. all fine for smart casual night.

 

Activities - Is there much going on, or to do, on the ship to entertain the chunk of our group that are younger? I see there is a kids program but nobody in our group would qualify for those activities. Might there be a dance club or gather places more suited to a younger crowd? I've looked around on the HAL site but information is a little spotty.

 

The younger crowd tends to find themselves and have fun. There is the Loft for teens but I think it cuts off at 16. Sorry, I can't remember that.

 

Drinking and gambling age - I presume the answer to both of these is 21 but if that could be clarified I would appreciate it. I forgot to look at the HAL policy and I think I saw some conflicting information for the state of Alaska and their drinking age.

 

Alcohol prices - Is there anywhere I can find a drink menu for the lounges and bars on the ship? Id like to share that kind of information with the group so they can budget accordingly.

 

Of course, just visit http://www.halfacts.com - it's a website created by Cruise Critic members thanks to contributions by Cruise Critic members that have been on the ships. If you go to the General Info tab, you will find everything from menus, Beverage prices, On Locations and just about anything else you might be looking for.

 

I appreciate any information that you can share with me. I reserve the right to ask many more questions as time goes on and I hope everyone will bear with me and offer up some advice!

 

Thanks

Steven

 

I answered you above in red - hope it helps a bit and enjoy your cruise:D

[Bobby2Dogs]

On my last couple HAL trips, it seemed like most people wore tuxedoes on formal night (including my two grade school kids). I don't remember anyone, at least in the lower dining room, in just a sport coat and tie (but there were many in suits and ties). We usually wore sport coats and sometimes tires on non-formal nights in the main dinning room.

 

From a "what will get me in the door" standpoint, a sport coat and tie is fine I think. However, you may be more comfortable being a bit more dressed up on the formal nights.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Floridiana]

Long South America cruise on a HAL ship: I think I could count the tuxedos on one hand. Jackets and ties, yes. Ladies wore everything from evening gowns (not many) to black pants with some kind of fancy top.

[sail7seas]

On my last couple HAL trips, it seemed like most people wore tuxedoes on formal night (including my two grade school kids). I don't remember anyone, at least in the lower dining room, in just a sport coat and tie (but there were many in suits and ties). We usually wore sport coats and sometimes tires on non-formal nights in the main dinning room.

 

From a "what will get me in the door" standpoint, a sport coat and tie is fine I think. However, you may be more comfortable being a bit more dressed up on the formal nights.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

Was your last HAL cruise some long time ago?

I can't remember the last time I saw more than maybe 30% tuxedos on formal nights. It used to be 90% + but no longer. Sport coat and tie meet HAL's definition of formal. HAL no longer has Informal nights as they used to term the evenings between casual and formal.

 

Certainly any gentleman who wishes to wear a tux by all means should but except for maybe World Cruise/Grand Cruise, he will not be the majority.

 

[Bobby2Dogs]

Sounds like a lot has changed in the last 4 years. Disappointing. :(

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[take us away]

Looks like all questions have been answered but did not see 1 answer.

 

HAL ships have a 21 age requirement for gambling and drinking.

[catl331]

Enforcement of the formal night "jacket and tie" rule varies widely from ship to ship or cruise to cruise. Some MDR managers will allow men in with one or the other missing, and some won't. Some may even let you in with both missing, especially if most of the men in a group are wearing them, and/or those without are younger. :)

Edited January 23, 2015 by catl331

[RMLincoln]

As others have said and you have read, jacket and tie are the suggested dress for men on formal nights for the MDR.

Recently we cruised home from Europe, 9 week trip for us with 21 night transatlantic on HAL. There were 3 formal nights. We did not carry a suit and size 14 dress shoes all over Europe for 3 nights on the ship. DH wore black slacks, black walking shoes, dress shirt with tie and a black cardigan. We ran the risk of being turned away at the dining room door to go to the buffet or eat in our room with room service. But we were seated at our unobtrusive table for two; we went quite early at 5 or 5:15 and there were no comments made to us but we did not feel entirely comfortable.

 

They do rent dinner jackets and I think if we do it again we may take that option. The formal nights are lovely. On Maasdam the dining room chairs were all dressed in white coverslips and the food was the best.

[CowPrincess]

>SNIP<

 

From a "what will get me in the door" standpoint, a sport coat and tie is fine I think. However, you may be more comfortable being a bit more dressed up on the formal nights.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

This. :) We usually sit at a table for 6. The minimum we have seen is a dark suit (with tie) on each gentleman at the table. Maybe that is because we take traditional 8 pm fixed dining, so are surrounded by like-minded traditionalists. But we have never seen dockers and sport coat, nor have any of our table mates just draped their jacket over the chair. Though I will admit, on the last cruise DH and I took together, one of the women was absolutely incensed that someone was permitted into the dining room wearing bib-type denim overalls. I didn't see that, I am reporting what she said, and she was not happy about it ;)

[kazu]

This. :) We usually sit at a table for 6. The minimum we have seen is a dark suit (with tie) on each gentleman at the table. Maybe that is because we take traditional 8 pm fixed dining, so are surrounded by like-minded traditionalists. But we have never seen dockers and sport coat, nor have any of our table mates just draped their jacket over the chair. Though I will admit, on the last cruise DH and I took together, one of the women was absolutely incensed that someone was permitted into the dining room wearing bib-type denim overalls. I didn't see that, I am reporting what she said, and she was not happy about it ;)

 

DH has been know to wear a sports jacket on some nights with smashing shirts and fabulous ties and very nice dress pants. I nearly prefer him in that sometimes than his suits or tux. ;) Dockers - never would he wear those - but that is his preference. I have not seen any on formal nights. But that does not mean they are never there;):p:D

[HealthyTouch101]

Is there a lot for younger folks to do? Yes.

 

They would be very welcome in the games held during the day, which cost nothing. I imagine they may enjoy trivia, which has made a recent comeback in college towns. Also, there are many opportunities to play with all ages in pool games (like pool volleyball) or sporting games, organized or on their own. There is shuffleboard and ping pong (cheesy but bet your family could have a tournament amongst yourselves) and then basketball and tennis. I have played volleyball on the sports deck with all ages and everyone seems to welcome one another, despite age/ability.

 

You can also borrow all kinds of board games from the library.

 

Have a great time!

[oofroggie]

Yes drinking age is 21

[ithaca gal]

It is impossible to guess if the Formal Night dress code will be strictly enforced in the MDR, so it is best to either pack accordingly or plan to skip dining in that venue on those nights.

 

On our last three cruises, the Assistant Dining Room Manager (and others) politely asked guests if they had a jacket with them (in which case they were asked to go back to their room to retrieve it). If they did not, they were loaned a jacket if one was available when they arrived in the MDR.

 

Remember, you can always have a Family Night in the Lido on Formal Nights. If it is important to you to have dinner in the MDR or a specialty restaurant, make room for a jacket in your suitcase -- or just wear it on the plane.

 

Ladies have a little more latitude in the "formal dress" department. A pair of velvet slacks and a velvet top can be dressed up with a little jewelry (costume or otherwise). Dressy slacks and a flowing top can be made to look formal, too.

 

Have a wonderful time, regardless of what you decide to do!

[RMLincoln]

I should have mentioned before: For formal: Dockers and a sport coat, dress shirt and tie would be absolutely fine. Gentlemen don't have to wear a suit or even a tux. For casual: Good denim is acceptable as is a polo shirt. You will see most men wearing a button-down dress shirt to the main dining room but a polo is perfectly acceptable.

 

For the younger set: We had teenagers on HAL to Alaska and they didn't get bored. First of all they loved the scenery and watching for wildlife, the pool is probably their biggest memory, the gym was a new fun world for them, and they seemed to eat almost constantly at the terrace grill or the Lido. They played active games, did stuff in the spa - there are daily presentations, went to culinary demonstrations, listened to the naturalists, checked out DVD movies and really enjoyed being with family, a benefit not to be overlooked on a multi-generational vacation. They tried basketball, tennis, ping pong, the giant chess set, but they loved being pampered with room service at any hour, pizza, French fries, and even a couple of afternoon teas with the adults.

 

For those who can't do without electronic games there is a video parlor too but our grandkids found plenty of other types of activities.

 

Hope this helps a bit. m--

[catl331]

The Alaskan cruises are port/glacier intensive. We always try to see quite a bit in the ports and tire out after 10. Young adults will find suitable music etc. at night on these cruises but after 12 it gets quiet. So if you are going to party or drink heavily, oh well. There is so much to see and do in Alaska during day times. If HAL notices a younger under 40 crowd they will add programs accordingly.