formal nights-dressing for dinner?

[navybankerteacher]

 

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And cruise ships are anything but "just transportation". As a matter of fact, for most itineraries, they're pretty poor as transportation. You're often far better going from place to place on an airplane, driving, or a combination of the two.

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Actually, very many cruisers specifically seek port-intensive itineraries: say a half dozen or Caribbean islands or many Mediterranean ports, or coastal Alaska --- all of which would be exhausting and incredibly expensive to visit by flying from place to place - and essentially impossible driving.

[iancal]

We like cruising, don't get me wrong. But one thing we find about cruise ships is that they are very sterile. You miss out on a lot of the local colour and culture.

 

For us, sometimes it is like going to a foreign country, staying in a Marriott chain every night, and eating North American food in North American style every night. We enjoy it, but for only so long., Sometimes we felt that we wanted to stay in port rather than getting back on the ship. So we now do far less cruising and much more independent travel. Almost always our cruises are bookended with longer land travel.

[bUU]

Actually, very many cruisers specifically seek port-intensive itineraries

We do. That doesn't make cruise ships into "just transportation". That preposterous claim is simply nonsense.

 

We like cruising, don't get me wrong. But one thing we find about cruise ships is that they are very sterile. You miss out on a lot of the local colour and culture.

One could even say that you're insulated from experiencing the places you visit due to the limited time frame of a port call. For some, that's exactly what is sought, and there is nothing wrong with that. However, there is no doubt that there is a vast difference between a port call during which you've got a scheduled van taking you to a pristine, private beach for the day, on the one hand, and spending five nights at an airbnb in Potters Village, Antigua, taking in local culture and intermixing with the daily life of the island, with a bicycle as your main transport, on the other hand.

[Tananda]

Not passing judgment at all on jeans, but you might want to reconsider them for Alaska. With all the rain, wet jeans are a miserable experience.

 

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[cruise_alot123]

I always have to look good "dress nicely" going to a sit down dinner. As for gala night, always put on a suit because it make you look stand out and of course, you can always wear jean and sneakers for gala night too does that make you comfortable when you are surrounded with people with suit and ties?

[iancal]

We have passed on formal nights for many years. Skipped the MDR but certainly did not hide in our cabin all night.

 

We did not wear jeans, just business casual attire. Did it bother us that many on the ship were dressed in suits, tux, long gowns? Absolutely not. Especially since many appeared to change after dinner to attend the show or hit the casino.

 

There were some people who actually suggested that we do room service and hide in our cabin all night. Not sure what makes people think that this would have been a reasonable approach.

 

I think it comes down to conformity. Some people seem to feel an urgent need to conform or are insecure, others not so much. Besides, times change. We feel exactly the same way about someone who wants to dress up when others are dressing down. Good for them for doing what makes them feel good. No harm to anyone.

 

I do not think that comments about attire really make a difference in how anyone decides to dress on a cruise. We had enough clothing constraints in our working lives. We were not about to carry them forward to our vacation time. We think that HAL's new Gala night makes a great deal of sense. It was long overdue and I suspect that the take rate will prove this over time.

Edited May 13, 2018 by iancal

[LobstersLass]

DH will continue to bring black tie, even to Alaska. So there you have it - the full range of "Gala Night" choices.

 

My husband will pack his tux too and will look marvellous in it. I love getting dressed up in a gown and look forward to the gala nights.

[bUU]

There were some people who actually suggested that we do room service and hide in our cabin all night. Not sure what makes people think that this would have been a reasonable approach.

An excessive sense of entitlement, perhaps.

 

I think it comes down to conformity. Some people seem to feel an urgent need to conform or are insecure, others not so much.

I think a lot of people actually do like wearing that clothing.

 

Besides, times change.

And always has. Just do a search for images of tuxedos throughout the 20th century - even tuxedos themselves have changed, before we even talk about how their popularity had plummeted.

 

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[SLOTheta]

My husband will pack his tux too and will look marvellous in it. I love getting dressed up in a gown and look forward to the gala nights.

 

Mine, too! I love it when my hubby wears his tux and I have an excuse to wear(buy) a pretty gown. [emoji51]

 

 

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[seapointer]

I am all for the easing of dress requirements, having found it a waste of suitcase space to pack a tux or suit for just 2 or 3 nights. Having said that, casual does not mean sloppy or in disregard of what is requested or required. You can be just as comfortable in a buttoned shirt as in a T shirt, and you won't be disrespectful of the other guests.

[bUU]

You can be just as comfortable in a buttoned shirt as in a T shirt, and you won't be disrespectful of the other guests.

... Or of your host.

 

 

 

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