HAL no longer requires formal dress

[Beejay4016]

I didn't realize that spiffing up once or twice a cruise was such an imposition. I'm a casual guy after years of working in a coat and tie, but I look too good in a tux to not want to wear it once or twice a cruise!!

 

Ah, if some men only realised - as you do - how good they look dressed up, more would do it.

 

:)

[Beejay4016]

Oops.

Edited August 10, 2015 by Beejay4016

[Hal&Rob]

"Gala Nights evoke the grand traditions of cruising as guests dress to impress for special events on board, including a five-course gourmet dinner in the Dining Room. For gentlemen, jacket and tie are appropriate, collared shirt and slacks are required in all restaurants except those on Lido Deck which permit jeans, shorts and T-shirts."

[JPH814]

As one who enjoys wearing black tie and seeing my wife have an opportunity to wear her nicest dresses, I lament the passing of one of the last places where this is appropriate. A highlight of my cruises is now gone.

 

Any semblance of a dress code is virtually gone. What a shame.

 

I know that HAL has not had a true "formal" requirement for years now, since they lowered the standard to suit and tie for men. This - while also regrettable - at least attempted to keep a modicum of class. People act differently when they are dressed up. Everything slows down, voices are lowered, people act more civil. Now this too is gone. Gone because HAL allowed it to go.

 

As an aside - but a similar parallel: When our kids were young, dinners were typical what you might expect with 6 and 8 year olds- noisy, rushed, hectic. We decided one night a week to turn off the lights and have candles lit during dinner. It is amazing the difference those nights. Voices were quieter, everyone slowed down, we had much calmer conversations with the kids. We dined, not just ate.

 

I think this is also what happens when people are dressed well for dinner - in a room full of people similarly dressed.

 

For those who say "wear it anyway", you miss the point. A formal dinner is one where everyone is in formal attire. It is where the attendees are as much a part of the ambiance of the evening as the china, glassware, table linens and music. Sitting at a table with someone next to me in a golf shirt and khakis is not the same experience.

 

To those who say "it is my vacation, I can dress as I wish" - you now have HAL's permission to do so. I am sure it will not be long before the same people who said "what is the difference between Black Tie and a Business Suit and Tie?" will say:

" why long pants? why not shorts?"

" Why a shirt with a collar? why not a tee shirt?"

"The airlines will only allow me to bring tank tops".

 

Thank a lot.

[lidojohnny]

AHHH. It appears the envelope pushers have finally won! They have at last

created the death spiral they wanted to any formality or taste. I guess their

next course of action will be shorts and flip flops all the time anytime. I will

be looking forward to the stylish "Eat at Joe's" or "I love the Bowery"

T-shirts in the MDR. Who knows, they may press the Senior staff to do

the same, no uniforms at night would be de rigueur for all. I can now

see a Captain, with a T-Shirt "I love my engines" walking down the promenade, with the lounge chair people saying how hip he looks.:D

[luvtwotrvl]

Close, but here is the back of one of Tom's shirts [emoji6]

Although in all honesty his Alaska attire is one of the many Hal sweatshirts with a Hal ship on it, then he wears a collared shirt underneath. [ATTACH]358552[/ATTACH]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Lisa,

I love Tom's shirt. Very nice indeed!

 

David

[qsuzi]

Deleted.

Edited August 10, 2015 by qsuzi

[pris993]

I doubt they will ban formal wear and I suspect there will be some people who will continue to 'dress' for dinner and they certainly should if that is what they wish.....

 

IMO

 

 

We will still pack our formal wear... dress as we wish, we are on Cunard in September for 14 nights, they have 4 formal nights. Enjoy the atmosphere when everyone is dress up, too bad for HAL.

[Wakepatrol]

Well I guess the schleppers finally made us say "Uncle"

 

HAL- just have a separate dining room for people that want to dress. Charge people an extra $100 per cruise to eat in there. Have bigger shrimp,more lobster,and better cuts of meat.

 

You'll have people lined up with a jacket to get in there (it's always about the food) you can even get into selling jackets on the ship. Order a bunch,they'll go like hotcakes.

[sppunk]

"Gala Nights evoke the grand traditions of cruising as guests dress to impress for special events on board, including a five-course gourmet dinner in the Dining Room. For gentlemen, jacket and tie are appropriate, collared shirt and slacks are required in all restaurants except those on Lido Deck which permit jeans, shorts and T-shirts."

 

That spells it out as plainly as can be that a jacket or tie are not required. You can't get more clear really.

 

Appropriate /= required

[serendipity1499]

On my recent NCL cruise, I brought a little black dress and heels, just in case. I never wore it and that pleased me no end. :) I am a firm convert to Freestyle, country club casual after a great many years of loving formal nights.

 

Until/unless something more changes with HAL's wishy washy language regarding Gala Night dress code, I will do the same. I will bring one little black dress, just in case, and hope to not have to wear it. :)

 

They need to be clear and definite in expressing what they expect. Sitting on the fence and making us guess is serving no one.

 

I mean really....... In the past, suggested dress was vague enough but now 'preferred'........ what in the world does that mean?

 

 

 

This will be my plan too. I normally take 2 dresses, one long and one short. I bring several dressy scarves/jackets to go with it. I think I'll take my long dress, 2 dressy scarves and then something that's a little more dressy than smart casual. That way I should be ok and I'll take a bit less formal clothes.

 

Hate giving up my formal clothes as don't have the occasion to wear them living in Fla..:( Love scarves, but haven't been able to wear them well as I'm very short & they seem to overpower me.. Still going to take my long black dress & wear less formal jackets with it.. Instead of chiffon palazzo pants & chiffon skirt with very dressy tops will take a couple of long or mid calf length (not dressy) skirts & slacks with several tops & jackets which I do wear to dinner in Florida..

[idiebabe]

As one who enjoys wearing black tie and seeing my wife have an opportunity to wear her nicest dresses, I lament the passing of one of the last places where this is appropriate. A highlight of my cruises is now gone.

 

Any semblance of a dress code is virtually gone. What a shame.

 

I know that HAL has not had a true "formal" requirement for years now, since they lowered the standard to suit and tie for men. This - while also regrettable - at least attempted to keep a modicum of class. People act differently when they are dressed up. Everything slows down, voices are lowered, people act more civil. Now this too is gone. Gone because HAL allowed it to go.

 

As an aside - but a similar parallel: When our kids were young, dinners were typical what you might expect with 6 and 8 year olds- noisy, rushed, hectic. We decided one night a week to turn off the lights and have candles lit during dinner. It is amazing the difference those nights. Voices were quieter, everyone slowed down, we had much calmer conversations with the kids. We dined, not just ate.

 

I think this is also what happens when people are dressed well for dinner - in a room full of people similarly dressed.

 

For those who say "wear it anyway", you miss the point. A formal dinner is one where everyone is in formal attire. It is where the attendees are as much a part of the ambiance of the evening as the china, glassware, table linens and music. Sitting at a table with someone next to me in a golf shirt and khakis is not the same experience.

 

To those who say "it is my vacation, I can dress as I wish" - you now have HAL's permission to do so. I am sure it will not be long before the same people who said "what is the difference between Black Tie and a Business Suit and Tie?" will say:

" why long pants? why not shorts?"

" Why a shirt with a collar? why not a tee shirt?"

"The airlines will only allow me to bring tank tops".

 

Thank a lot.

 

Very well said and we totally agree! So many of us experienced this on other Cruise Lines with the "give 'em an inch, and they'll take a mile" and this is exactly the direction that HAL is now heading! By next year people will be wearing to dinner what they wore by the Pool all day!!!

 

Very sad to see another aspect of Traditional Cruising gone!!! I enjoy seeing my Husband dressed up and looking nice and vice versa! We also enjoy the ambience of the Formal Nights!

 

As OP stated probably no need for the covered chairs now. I guess the Black and White Ball will also be a thing of the past, too!

 

Some of the nice "touches" that made HAL will all disappear!

 

Sad, very sad!!!

[JPH814]

I would like to suggest the following wording for HAL's dress code.

" Please dress however you want, whenever you want, wherever you want. We would like to have at least one or two nights a week where guests dressed up. In fact, we wish we could go back to the old requirements. But unfortunately, we know that a certain segment will ignore even the most basic of requirements and we are tired of having our maitre d act like an assistant principal in junior high school. So we will piss off fewer people this way. "

Edited August 10, 2015 by JPH814

[JPH814]

I would like to suggest the following new wording for HAL's dress code.

" Please dress however you want, whenever you want, wherever you want. We would like to have at least one or two nights a week where guests dressed up. In fact, we wish we could go back to the old requirements. But unfortunately, we know that a certain segment will ignore even the most basic of requirements and we are tired of having our maitre d act like an assistant principal in junior high school. So we will piss off fewer people this way. "

[3rdGenCunarder]

I would like to suggest the following wording for HAL's dress code.

" Please dress however you want, whenever you want, wherever you want. We would like to have at least one or two nights a week where guests dressed up. In fact, we wish we could go back to the old requirements. But unfortunately, we know that a certain segment will ignore even the most basic of requirements and we are tired of having our maitre d act like an assistant principal in junior high school. So we will piss off fewer people this way. "

 

No, they're just pissing off a different part of their clientele.

 

So maybe now instead of formal/gala we'll have theme nights. How about bathrobe night? (I forget, do all cabins get bathrobes? I don't want to have anyone barred from the MDR for theme infractions because HAL didn't give them a robe.)

Edited August 10, 2015 by 3rdGenCunarder

[iancal]

Celebrity maintains jacket/tie on formal nights but the optional dining venues remain optional. So does Princess and RCI.

 

We have been on a number of Celebrity, RCI and Princess cruises. We have not noticed that they have sunk to the depths of depravity with this policy.

 

Why not give this a little time to shake out instead of immediately decrying that the sky is falling?

 

If the new policy does not work for you then simply do what we do when we are not happy with a cruise line or a ship....vote with your feet and with your wallets. There are options out there for everyone.

 

The change does not really impact us as we pass on MDR on formal nights. We were actually surprised. We would have thought that if HAL made any change, they would modify their archaic smoking policy. Go figure.

[DaveOKC]

Maybe what HAL should do is to require jackets and ties in the Pinnacle - that way those who want a more "refined" environment can dine there.

 

Personally, I like the formal nights as they were and am a bit sad to hear of the change.

[taxmantoo]

Baseball hats in the MDR? I think HAL needs a few more Tony's as Dining Room Managers to resolve the issue ;) Wish I had the nerve to this !

 

[Dasbeak]

I will wear a coat and tie when "appropriate". If my favorite outfit was shorts and a T-shirt when dining out, I would book a 4 day Bahamas cruise...

[RedneckBob]

Can someone please explain to me what is all the fuss about !

 

Why is discussions about what we wear on these boats more popular then ship itself or ports of call ?

[qsuzi]

Celebrity maintains jacket/tie on formal nights but the optional dining venues remain optional. So does Princess and RCI.

 

We have been on a number of Celebrity, RCI and Princess cruises. We have not noticed that they have sunk to the depths of depravity with this policy.

 

Why not give this a little time to shake out instead of immediately decrying that the sky is falling?

 

If the new policy does not work for you then simply do what we do when we are not happy with a cruise line or a ship....vote with your feet and with your wallets. There are options out there for everyone.

 

The change does not really impact us as we pass on MDR on formal nights. We were actually surprised. We would have thought that if HAL made any change, they would modify their archaic smoking policy. Go figure.

 

The voice of reason. Thanks! We are not going to allow this change or any loss in tradition change our enjoyment of cruising. We are sailing the Westerdam soon and are eager to enjoy so much good it has to offer.

Edited August 10, 2015 by qsuzi

[JPH814]

Can someone please explain to me what is all the fuss about !

 

 

 

Why is discussions about what we wear on these boats more popular then ship itself or ports of call ?

 

 

If you have to ask, there is no point explaining it to you.

[Topsham]

 

It is pointless giving someone a lecture on what clothing to buy when you can only buy it online from overseas and then not ever wear it at home.

 

QUOTE]

 

 

I bought a nice tux down at a tailor in Double Bay and then a business suit and an also n nice sports jacket from another shop in Sydney... all for cruising attire. Normal work clothes for me... shorts. Nothing else... no shoes either and once in a while a T if it gets cool.

 

Last white formal tux jacket.... Singapore. Took two days.

 

The point now is that HAL have changed the game... so why bother. Saga still enforces the rules. They tried to change on the Spirit of Adventure to do the casual and the passengers demanded back to casual, informal and formal nights.

 

One or the other... but not both!

[Wakepatrol]

As one who enjoys wearing black tie and seeing my wife have an opportunity to wear her nicest dresses, I lament the passing of one of the last places where this is appropriate. A highlight of my cruises is now gone.

 

Any semblance of a dress code is virtually gone. What a shame.

 

I know that HAL has not had a true "formal" requirement for years now, since they lowered the standard to suit and tie for men. This - while also regrettable - at least attempted to keep a modicum of class. People act differently when they are dressed up. Everything slows down, voices are lowered, people act more civil. Now this too is gone. Gone because HAL allowed it to go.

 

As an aside - but a similar parallel: When our kids were young, dinners were typical what you might expect with 6 and 8 year olds- noisy, rushed, hectic. We decided one night a week to turn off the lights and have candles lit during dinner. It is amazing the difference those nights. Voices were quieter, everyone slowed down, we had much calmer conversations with the kids. We dined, not just ate.

 

I think this is also what happens when people are dressed well for dinner - in a room full of people similarly dressed.

 

For those who say "wear it anyway", you miss the point. A formal dinner is one where everyone is in formal attire. It is where the attendees are as much a part of the ambiance of the evening as the china, glassware, table linens and music. Sitting at a table with someone next to me in a golf shirt and khakis is not the same experience.

 

To those who say "it is my vacation, I can dress as I wish" - you now have HAL's permission to do so. I am sure it will not be long before the same people who said "what is the difference between Black Tie and a Business Suit and Tie?" will say:

" why long pants? why not shorts?"

" Why a shirt with a collar? why not a tee shirt?"

"The airlines will only allow me to bring tank tops".

 

Thank a lot.

 

 

Great post- I couldn't agree more. I'm in Florida, everyone walks around in Crocs and cargo shorts. Why bother going on vacation if it's no different than being home? I saw a guy in flannel pajamas on my last cruise in the dining room. It wasn't formal night it was the last night of the cruise.

 

$50 bucks say he also slept in them ,then flew on his plane with them too.

 

The sky isn't falling but there's too many clueless people walking around,if you have to ask if a golf shirt and dockers is considered formal,you're pretty much clueless. Soon "People On Cruise Ships" will replace "People Of Walmart"

 

Hey -at least we'll get some laughs.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Maybe what HAL should do is to require jackets and ties in the Pinnacle - that way those who want a more "refined" environment can dine there.

 

Personally, I like the formal nights as they were and am a bit sad to hear of the change.

 

I like your idea. DH wears a jacket and tie to Pinnacle, regardless of the night's dress code.

 

A friend who sails with RC said that on the new ship (Allure?) it's all separate restaurants, no MDR. She said that on their cruise last winter the restaurant that requires "formal" wear (I think jacket and tie counts) is the one that sold out first.