What to wear on formal nights

[AncientWanderer]

We find that the majority of HAL cruisers look festive on formal night. More so than some other cruise lines we've experienced. And we love that.

 

I'm sympathetic to changing rules with luggage. We used to pack the kitchen sink. Now I carry a pair of multi-purpose black heels that I can wear for dress up or just any night to dinner. DH has turned in the tux for a nice black suit with tie. His shoes are no longer the patent leather, but a multi-purpose pair of black shoes.

 

Yes, we've changed with "the new informality," but I don't think we have ever brought down the tone of the room. It's party time! It's fun to get the party swerve going! And NOT expensive. Plus, cruising is addictive. If you start building a cruise wardrobe, you'll have to use it again!

:)

Edited July 11, 2015 by AncientWanderer

[innlady1]

Lol...isn't that the truth, Ruth!?!

[cruz chic]

That's a very nasty comment.

Looking nice is in the eye of the beholder.

 

Really? I thought it was spot on. 1960 is calling and it wants its suit back. That "suit" is ugly. No other way to describe it. Just because something is designer doesn't mean it's nice.

Edited July 11, 2015 by cruz chic

[cruz chic]

We find that the majority of HAL cruisers look festive on formal night. More so than some other cruise lines we've experienced. And we love that.

 

I'm sympathetic to changing rules with luggage. We used to pack the kitchen sink. Now I carry a pair of multi-purpose black heels that I can wear for dress up or just any night to dinner. DH has turned in the tux for a nice black suit with tie. His shoes are no longer the patent leather, but a multi-purpose pair of black shoes.

 

Yes, we've changed with "the new informality," but I don't think we have ever brought down the tone of the room. It's party time! It's fun to get the party swerve going! And NOT expensive. Plus, cruising is addictive. If you start building a cruise wardrobe, you'll have to use it again!

:)

 

There is no doubt about it. It's hard to keep it under 50. I used to bring 2 suitcases on a 14 day cruise plus a tiny carry on. That all changed when my luggage got lost. Now I take one suitcase and a roller board but I manage to take formal clothes and not a sparkly top and pants. I find for some it's just an excuse not to do formal. I appreciate when posters man/woman up and just say I'm not doing formal because I don't want to. There is nothing wrong with that.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

You can rent formal clothes online and they will be waiting for you in you cabin. I will do that on shorter cruises.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

I am taking my first HAL cruise next month to Alaska on the Amsterdam and wanted to get a feel for what HAL and other cruisers consider "formal" wear. I'm in my 30's and am very fashion forward. I tend to purchase higher end clothing and ties don't often make an appearance in runway shows anymore - sport coats and tuxedos might as well be a death sentence for a designer. For formal night, would this suit featured at fashion week in Milan from Fendi for their spring/summer collection be fine for the MDR?

 

 

HAL dress code requires a jacket/ tie....so that design would not be acceptable but I would be surprised if they turned you away if you wore that outfit..

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Just printed out my boarding passes for my cruise next week.....it still calls them formal nights on the boarding pass.....

Edited July 12, 2015 by Pete and Judy

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Just rented my tux for next week...$85.00.....$15 more for shoes if you want them.......no need to pack anything or worry about what will be acceptable .....when you stack this cost against the price of your vacation.....pretty small percentage wise.

[ellieanne]

Just rented my tux for next week...$85.00.....$15 more for shoes if you want them.......no need to pack anything or worry about what will be acceptable .....when you stack this cost against the price of your vacation.....pretty small percentage wise.

 

That's $28.34 per night's wear if you have 3 formal nights, $42.50 per night's wear if you have 2.

 

That's more than double the Hotel Service Charge or 3/4 average alcohol-based drinks per night's wear. Working with my budget, that's not really economical for clothes you can't keep. I'd rather pack my own non-formal but still nice clothes than waste $42.50/night. But each to their own.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

That's $28.34 per night's wear if you have 3 formal nights, $42.50 per night's wear if you have 2.

 

 

 

That's more than double the Hotel Service Charge or 3/4 average alcohol-based drinks per night's wear. Working with my budget, that's not really economical for clothes you can't keep. I'd rather pack my own non-formal but still nice clothes than waste $42.50/night. But each to their own.[/

 

I don't waste money on alcohol so I guess it all evens out......

[dbsb3233]

That's $28.34 per night's wear if you have 3 formal nights, $42.50 per night's wear if you have 2.

 

That's more than double the Hotel Service Charge or 3/4 average alcohol-based drinks per night's wear. Working with my budget, that's not really economical for clothes you can't keep. I'd rather pack my own non-formal but still nice clothes than waste $42.50/night. But each to their own.

Yep. It's all relative. For some people it's an expense that's well worth it to them for the convenience.

 

For others, it's a "nickel and dimed to death" thing. By the time you add the cruise fare and the airfare and the transfers and the taxes/port fees and the gratuities and a drink package and excursions/tours, etc. etc. etc., it starts adding up to real money. Any one item may not seem like much when looked at in isolation, but the total really adds up.

 

So there really is no universal "it's worth it" for everyone. Even if one can afford it, they many not feel that it's worth it. That's the way I personally look at it. We like to cruise a lot. Every dollar I can save on previous cruises means more money available to apply to an extra cruise in the future. But other people are fine paying for the convenience of formal rentals and onboard laundry and other such extras. To each his own.

[chefestelle]

I am taking my first HAL cruise next month to Alaska on the Amsterdam and wanted to get a feel for what HAL and other cruisers consider "formal" wear. I'm in my 30's and am very fashion forward. I tend to purchase higher end clothing and ties don't often make an appearance in runway shows anymore - sport coats and tuxedos might as well be a death sentence for a designer. For formal night, would this suit featured at fashion week in Milan from Fendi for their spring/summer collection be fine for the MDR?

 

 

Well, I'm older than you so my vote is no. But you must do what makes you comfortable and your vote is the only one that counts (and the man at the door but the experts say you'd get in). Dolce and Gabbana apparently missed the memos about ties and tuxes so you can get a gorgeous tux from the 2015 collection for about $2000 right now. They do make lovely suits. Truthfully, though, you could even wear your grandpa's tux and still look stunning. That's what a tux does.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Here is a tux by some guy named Armani....

 

http://cdn.yoox.biz/49/49133366fv_13_n_f.jpg

[chefestelle]

Barneys and Saks both have lovely collections but no Fendi

[DocF]

Many men may want to follow my example and buy a serviceable tuxedo from these people. Most of these are the tuxedos that rental services purchase. http://uniformalwearhouse.com/

[chefestelle]

Many men may want to follow my example and buy a serviceable tuxedo from these people. Most of these are the tuxedos that rental services purchase. http://uniformalwearhouse.com/

 

 

And pay for your tux in two formal nights. Or buy one literally anywhere and pay for it in 5 to 10 formal nights. Based on the rental, of course. Tuxes look so nice it's hard to tell a Givenchy from a no name. And most people are just delighted to see them ,regardless of their season!

[POA1]

Barneys and Saks both have lovely collections but no Fendi

Fendi last made tuxedos in 2011, I think. If someone wants a label, there's Ralph Lauren, Brioni, Givenchy, Zegna, YSL, Etro, Alexander McQueen, Gucci, Armani, Burberry, and Lanvin - to name just a few design houses that still make tuxedos. I'm reasonably sure that having a tuxedo in the line isn't the death knell post #20 thinks it is. :)

[MisterFidgetpants]

Slacks/Button up/Sport coat alright or is a tuxedo a requirement?

[RuthC]

Slacks/Button up/Sport coat alright or is a tuxedo a requirement?

Add in a tie and you will be dressed all right.

A tuxedo is not required.

[MisterFidgetpants]

Add in a tie and you will be dressed all right.

A tuxedo is not required.

 

Tie is no problem. I get uncomfortable eating while wearing a jacket so it may be relegated to dressing the chair once I sit.

 

Still looking for a blow out winter deal.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Slacks/Button up/Sport coat alright or is a tuxedo a requirement?

 

 

Jacket and tie is minimum standard expected.. You may see 5 -10 tuxedos TOTAL on a good night any more....vast majority wear jacket and tie.....very few people attempt entry to MDR In less.......but...YMMV depending on who is at the MDR door .....and what they have been told by the Bosses....no way to tell in advance what the lowest acceptable standard is on any particular cruise....

 

Get a jacket that fits......wearing the one from 10 years ago is always too small

 

bring a jacket and tie and cruise worry free

[POA1]

Jacket and tie is minimum standard expected.. You may see 5 -10 tuxedos TOTAL on a good night any more....vast majority wear jacket and tie.....very few people attempt entry to MDR In less.......but...YMMV depending on who is at the MDR door .....and what they have been told by the Bosses....no way to tell in advance what the lowest acceptable standard is on any particular cruise....

 

Get a jacket that fits......wearing the one from 10 years ago is always too small

 

bring a jacket and tie and cruise worry free

On our first cruise on the Nieuw Amsterdam last November, the tuxedo percentage was between 20% & 25% of the male passengers. Quite literally in the hundreds. It was the dressiest cruise we've seen in years. I posted about it in my live from.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=44826819&postcount=234

 

There was a pretty big compliment of European passengers and you saw a fair number of ties and a lot of jackets, even on smart casual nights. The only way we would have seen only 5-10 tuxes would have been to close our eyes a few minutes after leaving the cabin. :)

 

We sailed on the NA a few weeks later. It wasn't as dressy, but it was still a pretty good percentage. Perhaps we just end up on more formal ships, but I've never seen just 5-10 guys in tuxedos.

 

On both those cruises, the majority of men wore suits, but most everyone else looked nice as well. Also, they were enforcing the dress code at the MDR and Pinnacle Grill doors. There were people from CC on all three of the weeks, so there's corroboration if you really need it beyond what I put in my two live from reports.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

On our first cruise on the Nieuw Amsterdam last November, the tuxedo percentage was between 20% & 25% of the male passengers. Quite literally in the hundreds. It was the dressiest cruise we've seen in years. I posted about it in my live from.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=44826819&postcount=234

 

There was a pretty big compliment of European passengers and you saw a fair number of ties and a lot of jackets, even on smart casual nights. The only way we would have seen only 5-10 tuxes would have been to close our eyes a few minutes after leaving the cabin. :)

 

We sailed on the NA a few weeks later. It wasn't as dressy, but it was still a pretty good percentage. Perhaps we just end up on more formal ships, but I've never seen just 5-10 guys in tuxedos.

 

On both those cruises, the majority of men wore suits, but most everyone else looked nice as well. Also, they were enforcing the dress code at the MDR and Pinnacle Grill doors. There were people from CC on all three of the weeks, so there's corroboration if you really need it beyond what I put in my two live from reports.

 

 

Glad to here you saw that many tuxes....my experience in last 12 months was Hawaii and New England....maybe not the best cruises fir more tuxes. I will be in Alaska soon...will let you know what I see there...

[POA1]

Glad to here you saw that many tuxes....my experience in last 12 months was Hawaii and New England....maybe not the best cruises fir more tuxes. I will be in Alaska soon...will let you know what I see there...

Alaska wasn't nearly as dressy as the Caribbean in our experience. You have a little more room in your luggage when you aren't packing jeans, sweaters, and fleece.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Alaska wasn't nearly as dressy as the Caribbean in our experience. You have a little more room in your luggage when you aren't packing jeans, sweaters, and fleece.

 

 

Interesting, I have never done a Caribbean cruise - I would have expected them to be less formal, with everyone wearing shorts and swimwear all day...