Koningsdam this March - which nights are Gala nights?

[LinVirginia]

just checking for specialty restaurant bookings. Thank you.

[CruiserBruce]

As mentioned here frequently, look for sea days, and secondarily, short port days.

[LinVirginia]

I hoped for specific days for Gala Nights from someone who has been on the 10-day Koningsdam Southern Route.

 

I have been on 20+ cruises and understand the general policies. This time I was looking for specifics!

[CruiserBruce]

When we were on this route last March, It was the first sea day, and the next to last sea day. Hard to give you specifics when you don't specify the route. "Koningsdam this March" doesn't tell us much. But given the standard procedures, you could do a good job figuring it out, without telling us what route you are on.

[sofietucker]

Bruce has it right. We just did Dec 9-20th, the ABCs, Dominican Republic & Turks & Caicos (plus HMC). Galas were the second sea day (the first 2 days were both sea days, so it was technically the second full day after boarding), and the next-to-last night (Turks & Caicos, which was a short day, set sail at 2 pm).

FYI, this gala-night timing for 10-14 day cruises--second full day and next-to-last day-- seems to be the HAL pattern regardless of location. So last Oct when we cruised the Westerdam in the Med, it was the second full day (Malta) and the next-to-last night in Slovenia. hope this helps!

[sofietucker]

Lots of folks make reservations for alternative restaurants on the formal nights. I believe you can also get the same MDR menu for free in the Lido, except possibly the escargot...You can also order off the menu for room service, including the snails, which we did once when one of us was ill.

 

But when we first started cruising almost 20 years ago, the formal nights were significant affairs and always took place on sea days (itineraries tended to be less port-intensive back then). That way, time was allowed so that the ladies could get their updos and man-pedis in the salon--which was fully booked for the day! Had to make appt immediately upon boarding--and the gents could get their tuxes pressed and shoes shined... The last few years or so, I've occasionally been to the salon on a gala day and the gals have been sitting around with nothing to do. It's so much less of a big deal now.

 

 

Even the formal-night introduction of the kitchen staff in the MDR is much less of a production. We remember napkin waving, songs, hoisted Baked Alaskas with sparklers--one time they turned out all the lights and the BAs were lit with glowsticks!

Oh well, saves a bunch of packing without all the etxra clothes--though when we do a transatlantic, there should be enough gala nights to justify bringing along fancy wear again.