Is HAL too formal for me?

[MsSoCalCruiser]

Would they allow jeans with a nice top in the MDR on a regular night?

[RocketMan275]

I suppose I have to concede that specific point: one particular adult can have the opinion that tee shirt, cargo shorts and a backwards baseball cap represent sufficient attire in a dining room where it is suggested (but not strongly enforced) that collared shirts and long trousers should be worn.

 

Yes, he does have a different opinion. However, the fact remains that all opinions are not equally appropriate in all environments.

 

The only opinion as to the appropriateness of any specific attire is that of the cruise line. If they allow admittance, then that must be accepted regardless of personal opinions.

[N 2 Sun]

Background: we usually avoid the Main Dining Room. We find it too crowded, too noisy, and somewhat pretentious. (Just like all cruise lines.)

I wear cargo pants and polo shirts at night on HAL. No need to bring a sports coat or a tie.

As others have noted, HAL will deliver through room service any thing on the dining room menu.

The 'special menu items' for Gala Night were also available on the buffet.

HAL is more relaxed on board than you might think based upon this forum.

 

 

 

Rocket man,

 

We are with you on avoiding the MDR. For me, dinner there simply takes too long and HA almost always includes the dining room choices in the buffet along with many other excellent selections. Last April we ate at the buffet every night of the entire cruise and loved it.

 

Two other pluses for HA over other cruise lines.....HA has the very best in-room TV entertainment and, at least on the Koningsdam, there real real doors in the bathroom showers.....simple pleasures can be the best. Lol.

 

Marilyn

[travkesa]

Background: we usually avoid the Main Dining Room. We find it too crowded, too noisy, and somewhat pretentious. (Just like all cruise lines.)

I wear cargo pants and polo shirts at night on HAL. No need to bring a sports coat or a tie.

As others have noted, HAL will deliver through room service any thing on the dining room menu.

The 'special menu items' for Gala Night were also available on the buffet.

HAL is more relaxed on board than you might think based upon this forum.

 

This is what my friend and I did...we ate in the MDR only one Gala night and one other night besides that, and nothing particularly formal was needed. Service was far too slow for us and we found we could order anything off the MDR menu to our room between certain hours (I don't remember the exact times), plus we enjoyed trying out all the different foods available on the Lido deck.

[SetAnOpenCourse]

I think formally dressed people are more accepting of slow service. HAL had better speed up the service or stop the trend toward casual dress dead in its tracks (or even reverse it).

[RocketMan275]

In that case, I honestly think THIS dining room manager would have still requested that he change or dine elsewhere. We talked to him later and he said that they had to turn away a lot of people in shorts on the Bermuda cruise -- I'm GUESSING this manager sticks to the guidelines. I can't swear to it, but I know some do and some don't.

 

That may well be true, but it is just a guess.

I truly sympathize with the cruise line. I suspect they get approximately equal amounts of criticism from those who prefer a more formal experience and from those who do not. It's very difficult to discern individual crew member preferences since they often will tell passengers what they think the passengers want to hear.

[RocketMan275]

Rocket man,

 

We are with you on avoiding the MDR. For me, dinner there simply takes too long and HA almost always includes the dining room choices in the buffet along with many other excellent selections. Last April we ate at the buffet every night of the entire cruise and loved it.

 

Marilyn

 

This is what my friend and I did...we ate in the MDR only one Gala night and one other night besides that, and nothing particularly formal was needed. Service was far too slow for us and we found we could order anything off the MDR menu to our room between certain hours (I don't remember the exact times), plus we enjoyed trying out all the different foods available on the Lido deck.

 

We also think the MDR is vastly over-rated. It's not as upscale a dining experience some would want you to believe. Is it better than Olive Garden? Perhaps, but not a lot. Does the experience there justify bring special clothes for a two hour dinner? Not for us.

 

Many people do think that dress up does contribute to the dining experience. I just don't see that obligates those who do not think so to dress to other peoples expectation.

 

I understand that dressing for dinner in the MDR is a big attraction for some and I have no desire to deprive them of that experience. I wish the cruise line would adopt policies that accommodates both. For example, the cruise line could segregate the dining rooms in a manner that, at least partially, satisfied both.

 

For example: cruise ships with multiple dining rooms could designate one or more as more formal and the others as more casual. Or, upstairs is more formal and down stairs is more casual. As You Wish Dining could be more casual and Traditional as more formal. Early or late seating could also work. Passengers would indicate their preference at the time of booking just as passengers do now for AWD or TD.

 

Part of the problem is that some think a more formal dress requirement greatly enhances the dining experience and requires minimal effort, ie, just wear your dress coat on the plane. There are other opinions.

 

The one thing I do believe is that neither side should have exclusive access to the MDR. I also think it is quite rude to dismiss those who disagree with "Go To The Lido If You Don't Like It."

[Cruising-along]

Would they allow jeans with a nice top in the MDR on a regular night?

 

Yes, no problem on non-Gala nights.

[fredflint]

Thanks for all the replies. I agree with the choices makes everyone happy. We are looking at booking a cruise we just need to fit it into our schedule. We pretty much just do TAS and have done 3 going West so were thinking of an eastbound. 2018 is out for us so it will be 2019.

 

Sent from my VS995 using Forums mobile app

[OlsSalt]

Gala Nights are pretty and fun. They offer a brief opportunity to harken back to the former days of traditional cruising. Enjoy them in the lovely HAL main dining rooms at least a few times per cruise.

[dogo88]

Wouldn't relaxed be not wearing a hat and coming in your comfy pajamas?

 

Hmmm, I guess it would.

But Jammies in the MDR? Well that's just tacky.

[JRG]

For me GALA nights are a chance to eat lobster and maybe get a good portrait as a couple. No more suits or tuxes, just nice dress shirts slacks and maybe a cocktail or long dress for the lady.

 

We always check the MDR menu ahead of time, and there are just nights when we do the Lido thing and build a meal around a nice slice of whatever is being carved.

 

I think the OP will be fine as described.

[OlsSalt]

Hmmm, I guess it would.

But Jammies in the MDR? Well that's just tacky.

 

Stop imposing your dress standards on others. Just stop, stop, stop. ;p

[KroozNut]

Gala Nights are pretty and fun. They offer a brief opportunity to harken back to the former days of traditional cruising. Enjoy them in the lovely HAL main dining rooms at least a few times per cruise.

This! :)

[Florida_gal_50]

Gala Nights are pretty and fun. They offer a brief opportunity to harken back to the former days of traditional cruising. Enjoy them in the lovely HAL main dining rooms at least a few times per cruise.

Maybe they used to be but it doesn't feel that way to me anymore. When hal admits people to the MDR with distressed jeans and yoga pants on gala nights I don't feel that makes the evening pretty and fun. Ymmv.

[OlsSalt]

Maybe they used to be but it doesn't feel that way to me anymore. When hal admits people to the MDR with distressed jeans and yoga pants on gala nights I don't feel that makes the evening pretty and fun. Ymmv.

 

As they say, dress up for yourself and enjoy this splendid opportunity to take it up a notch on your own cruise. The more the merrier. Love the way the room takes on a special glow these nights ...still. Thank you all for continuing the tradition.

[Florida_gal_50]

As they say, dress up for yourself and enjoy this splendid opportunity to take it up a notch on your own cruise. The more the merrier. Love the way the room takes on a special glow these nights ...still. Thank you all for continuing the tradition.

I wear a long dress for gala nights but I'm getting less and less interested in doing that.

[JimAOk1945]

On our Maasdam cruise, we were sitting near the entrance to the MDR and saw some couples wearing shorts and T-shirts turned away on Gala Night.

 

My wife and I enjoy dressing up on Gala Nights. I wear a suit and she wears long dresses. We have seen some similarly dressed as well a few in tuxes, but have noticed most men wear slacks and collared shirts and women in cocktail dresses or nice dresses with a wrap.

[KroozNut]

On our Maasdam cruise, we were sitting near the entrance to the MDR and saw some couples wearing shorts and T-shirts turned away on Gala Night.

 

Good!!!:D

 

My wife and I enjoy dressing up on Gala Nights. I wear a suit and she wears long dresses.

 

We do too!;):)

[Big_G_111]

I did a whole cruise on Koningsdam with nothing but jeans & collared buttoned shirts. Now, I didn't crash the MDR on Gala Night dressed like that, but aside from having to eat at the buffet or elsewhere on those nights, you should be fine.

 

In other words, HAL is *not* too formal for you.

[KroozNut]

I wear a long dress for gala nights but I'm getting less and less interested in doing that.

 

Why though, that's what I don't understand. :confused:

[Florida_gal_50]

Why though, that's what I don't understand. :confused:

 

It's pretty simple. It should be easy to understand :o.

[SetAnOpenCourse]

As they say, dress up for yourself and enjoy this splendid opportunity to take it up a notch on your own cruise. The more the merrier. Love the way the room takes on a special glow these nights ...still. Thank you all for continuing the tradition.

 

 

Count me in!

[SetAnOpenCourse]

Gala Nights are pretty and fun. They offer a brief opportunity to harken back to the former days of traditional cruising. Enjoy them in the lovely HAL main dining rooms at least a few times per cruise.

 

👍🏻

Or a couple of times for those of us on 7 night cruises.

[LMaxwell]

Unless you can't. In other words, don't count on it. On the Eurodam last month, a couple walked into the MDR and the man was wearing jeans and a baseball cap. The maitre'd asked them to dine elsewhere. SOME dining room managers enforce the dress code. Why gamble when you get wear long pants and a collared shirt and be guaranteed service?

 

Are jeans against MDR rules on non gala night?