Formal Night Attire

[AEGBRG]

Hi everyone,

 

We will be taking are first Holland America cruise this summer on the Koningsdam. We typically cruise Celebrity, but we have heard great reviews of this boat and they offer a Norwegian Fjords itinerary that Celebrity does not. On Celebrity, most men usually wear suits or even tuxes on formal nights. I was just wondering if men typically wear suits on formal nights or is it more casual on HA? My family may be in the minority, but we really enjoy dressing up on formal nights. We just want to make sure we are not the only ones!

 

Also, does anyone know how to find out how many formal nights are on your cruise? We are on a 14 night cruise.

 

Thanks in advance for your help!

[OlsSalt]

Hi everyone,

 

We will be taking are first Holland America cruise this summer on the Koningsdam. We typically cruise Celebrity, but we have heard great reviews of this boat and they offer a Norwegian Fjords itinerary that Celebrity does not. On Celebrity, most men usually wear suits or even tuxes on formal nights. I was just wondering if men typically wear suits on formal nights or is it more casual on HA? My family may be in the minority, but we really enjoy dressing up on formal nights. We just want to make sure we are not the only ones!

 

Also, does anyone know how to find out how many formal nights are on your cruise? We are on a 14 night cruise.

 

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

Welcome. You will be in the minority, but many of us still enjoy dressing up - black tie and long gowns. We have found late fixed seating dinner tends to be a little more formal than other dining options. We will see 10-30% in black tie - but most others in some sort of jacket and dress-up. However, the new Konigsdam will be setting its own traditions so I can't really say what it will be like on this ship.

 

My recommendation? Go for it, and enjoy it. A rapidly dying grand cruising tradition which we appreciate HAL tries to continue to some degree. Clue: don't be surprised if your fellow passengers are not dressed up - the new "Gala Night" guidelines are quite casual. But of late we are also hearing the main dining room is turning away passengers on "Gala Night" who have chosen to not follow even these new minimal standards. A work in progress.

 

You will probably have 3-4 "gala" nights on a 14 day cruise. Typically they are on at-sea days, or port days that have an early departure before 2pm. We also often dress up when we go to the Pinnacle restaurant for our own special occasion event, and always when it comes to an end of a very long cruise as our personal celebration which we toast to ourselves in the Pinnacle dining room on a non-Gala Night - when our cruises are 30-40 days or more. Just because. We are saying goodby to a wonderful trip, crew and ship. It needs honoring in our mind.

[serendipity1499]

HAL no longer calls them Formal Nights.. They are now called Gala nights..

 

Ties are no longer required, but some Men still dress in a Tux or Suit with a tie.. My DH normally wears a suit or sport jacket with a tie, but decided to leave his Tux home for the shorter cruises..

 

Many Ladies like me still enjoy our long skirts & dressy tops.. Although I've given up taking Chiffon's I'll still take long black or blue skirts & wear a top with bling..

 

Don't wear gowns but on longer cruises I might take something a bit more dressy..:cool:

 

Unfortunately, I can't wear heels any more so my choice of dresses & skirts is limited..:(

 

On a 14 night cruise they normally would have 4 Gala Nights..

 

P.S. I've found that on European Cruises Psgrs.

seem to wear dressier clothing..You might find more Tuxes on your cruise..Hope you have a wonderful time..

Edited June 13, 2017 by serendipity1499

[Bouff]

We were on a 16 night Panama transit cruise and had 3 Gala Nights. Being a Brit who likes dressing up I took my DJ/Tux. I was pleasantly surprised at the standard of dress on Gala Nights with quite a number of gents in DJ's/Tux's and most in suits.

 

As you are on a European itinerary I think you will find more Brits and Europeans on board and there will be a fair number dressing up.

 

Go for it - I did and didn't regret it!

[SLOTheta]

We were in a Mediterranean cruise last summer for 12 nights and I would say a good majority of the Late diners wore suits, tuxes and nice dresses for the ladies on Gala Nights. Our group of 50 went all out with tuxes and gowns. We didn't care what others wore, we all love dressing up. We were pleasantly surprised to see so many people dressed elegantly.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Krazy Kruizers]

We did a 21 day Panama cruise and there were only 3 Gala nights.

We have done this cruise quite a few times and a few years ago we were surprised to see very few men dressed in tuxedos. DH now leaves his tuxedo home and wears either a suit or jacket with a tie. Since I have to use a Rollator, I no longer wear floor length skirts -- 3/4 length for me with fancy tops.

The majority of the men wore slacks and collared shirts.

[cbr663]

We got off a 7-day Norway cruise on the K on Sunday. There were 2 Gala nights on the cruise. The first Gala night I noticed that many men wore either suits and/or jackets or collared shirt. Upon leaving the MDR, I did notice about 6 - 8 men in tuxes. The tuxes seemed out of place to me, and the men must have thought so also as I didn't see any tuxes during the second gala night.

 

Ladies also made the night a little more casual with cocktail dresses or jacket themselves. We did not see any gowns on the ladies, and while we did notice some sequins and bling, it was the exception, not the norm.

 

Gala night is one area that HAL really needs to drop once and for all. The "dress to impress" comments appear to accomplish little more than confuse many passengers.

[gentlemancruiser]

We got off a 7-day Norway cruise on the K on Sunday. There were 2 Gala nights on the cruise. The tuxes seemed out of place to me, and the men must have thought so also as I didn't see any tuxes during the second gala night.

 

 

Gala night is one area that HAL really needs to drop once and for all. The "dress to impress" comments appear to accomplish little more than confuse many passengers.

 

We saw various dress personal dress codes on Gala Nights. Very few men in Tux's. Some men with jackets & ties. Some men in collard shirts and no ties or jackets. Quite a few men in jeans in the MDR.

 

Most nights 75 % of passengers wore country club causal.

 

Only saw 2 ladies in formal gowns. Most women observed the dress code with cocktail dresses, etc. We did see one women wearing her winter coat into the MDR, she of course was following the 2 women in formal gowns.

 

The CD did mention Dress to Impress but we found that a real laugh.

 

We were open seating and mostly seated on the lower level starboard side.

[tutumomickey]

Leave for Alaska Sunday on the Oosterdam. Tux es and ballgowns packed for both Gala nights. Would not miss the oppurtunity to dress up.If HAL makes any changes, I hope it is to go back to more formal attire.

[DeeniEncinitas]

We were in a Mediterranean cruise last summer for 12 nights and I would say a good majority of the Late diners wore suits, tuxes and nice dresses for the ladies on Gala Nights. Our group of 50 went all out with tuxes and gowns. We didn't care what others wore, we all love dressing up. We were pleasantly surprised to see so many people dressed elegantly.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

SolTheta,

Loved your Med cruise thread you did from

First class photos on United to all the ports and your wonderful clothes especially your gala night gowns!!!

I remember it was your friends wedding!

Denise:)

[Lady Arwen]

Leave for Alaska Sunday on the Oosterdam. Tux es and ballgowns packed for both Gala nights. Would not miss the oppurtunity to dress up.If HAL makes any changes, I hope it is to go back to more formal attire.

I hate to burst your bubble, but it looks like all lines, including HAL, will be going more casual and away from formal all together. We come from the old cruise policy of dressing up for special evenings, but it's certainly dying off with the younger set. Celebrity used to have semi-formal evenings as well as formal. Now it's basically all country club casual, which seems to be interpreted by some as "come as you are". Sadly, the old days are gone and I doubt they'll ever come back.

[iancal]

Why not? I would not spend any time worrying about what others may or may not be wearing.

 

If this is what you like to do, then by all means dress up.

[RuthC]

On a 14-night cruise you will have 3 Gala nights. In Europe, especially in the cooler climes of Norway, you will see more formal wear (both in numbers, and in degree of formality) than you would in warmer areas, shorter cruises, or North America.

 

If this is how you enjoy dressing, then by all means, do so. You will not be the only one, and will be company for others who don't want to be the only one!

[cbr663]

We saw various dress personal dress codes on Gala Nights. Very few men in Tux's. Some men with jackets & ties. Some men in collard shirts and no ties or jackets. Quite a few men in jeans in the MDR.

 

Most nights 75 % of passengers wore country club causal.

 

Only saw 2 ladies in formal gowns. Most women observed the dress code with cocktail dresses, etc. We did see one women wearing her winter coat into the MDR, she of course was following the 2 women in formal gowns.

 

The CD did mention Dress to Impress but we found that a real laugh.

 

We were open seating and mostly seated on the lower level starboard side.

 

I am glad that we weren't the only ones who found the "dress to impress" comment comical. I agree with you that most nights were country club casual.

 

I did see lots of passengers wearing down filled jackets throughout the ship, so it wouldn't surprise me to see someone wearing one to the MDR.

[AEGBRG]

Thank you for all the responses everyone! Based on what everyone said, people dress similar to Celebrity on HA cruises for formal or "gala nights." Basically sounds like people wear anything from tuxes to suits to CC casual, or basically, whatever you are most comfortable with. As far as gala nights, I found out there are 4. I know many of you said either 3 or 4, so I calledl HA to clarify.

[GradUT]

Leave for Alaska Sunday on the Oosterdam. Tux es and ballgowns packed for both Gala nights. Would not miss the oppurtunity to dress up.If HAL makes any changes, I hope it is to go back to more formal attire.

 

Sorry, Tutumomickey, but that ship has sailed. (Pun intended.)

 

We got back a couple weeks ago from our HAL cruise to Alaska. I did not see one man in a tux nor one woman in a full-length gown. You will be in a minority, but a well-dressed minority! :)

[OlsSalt]

Sorry, Tutumomickey, but that ship has sailed. (Pun intended.)

 

We got back a couple weeks ago from our HAL cruise to Alaska. I did not see one man in a tux nor one woman in a full-length gown. You will be in a minority, but a well-dressed minority! :)

 

What time and where did you dine?

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

We have been on Celebrity a few times. Holland American is very similar to Celebrity when it comes to formal night.

[GradUT]

What time and where did you dine?

 

MDR, late seating

[OlsSalt]

MDR, late seating

 

Interesting. Zero black tie or long gowns. That is a first for me at this time and setting.

 

Just the opposite on our last Caribbean cruise when we left this attire home due to "discouraging words" for this itinerary. Instead there were plenty who were still fullly dressing up. Will look forward to more future reports for corroboration there is now a zero chance people still dress up - late seating, upper dining room.

[pengu1n]

If you want to dress up, you'll always look nice, whether anyone else has or not. I don't dress up, mainly because I don't want to carry the extra clothing when it's not required, esp. on an Alaska cruise where you have to bring heavier clothing.

[OlsSalt]

Todays lightweight fabrics for both formal dress and very adequate thermal gear make it easy to pack both, and still easily come in under airline baggage limits.

[iancal]

There is room for everyone on HAL no matter if they wish to remain casual or dress to the nines.

 

For us, airline baggage limits/rules simply do not enter our decision making process. It is all about what we want to take and how much we want to physically carry.

 

Easy care/lightweight fabrics and a 200LB baggage limit would not in any way impact what we pack for a cruise.