Trying to guess which nights are Gala nights on NYE cruise

[Euby]

I'm trying to plan out what nights to go to the Specialty restaurants for my cruise at the end of the year 12/27-1/7.  It's an 11-day cruise, so I'm guessing that there is supposed to be 3 Gala (dressy/formal) nights.  The itinerary is below.  I would think that New Year's Eve would be a Gala night, but it is a port day.  Then again, the holiday does lend itself to being a formal night.  Would I be safe in guessing that 12/28 and 1/5 would be the other formal nights?

12/27 - Embarkation Day
12/28 - Sea Day

12/29 - Sea Day

12/30 - Sint Maarten
12/31 - Saint Lucia

1/1 - Barbados

1/2 - Martinique

1/3 - St. Kitts

1/4 - St. Thomas

1/5 - Sea Day

1/6 - Half Moon Cay
1/7 - Disembarkation Day

[crystalspin]

8 hours ago, Euby said:

 the holiday does lend itself to being a formal night.  Would I be safe in guessing that 12/28 and 1/5 would be the other formal nights?

They would be my guess. Whether or not NYE is an official Gala night, there will be special menus in the MDR and probably the Pinnacle Grill.

[CruiserBruce]

Yep, 28th and 5th for sure. Are you leaving port early any day? Maybe 12/31, but can't be sure.

[rkacruiser]

5 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

Yep, 28th and 5th for sure. Are you leaving port early any day? Maybe 12/31, but can't be sure.

 

Agree.  And, based on my experience, New Year's Eve will be a Gala night.  New Year's Day:  no.  It would be a smart casual night.  

[Crew News]

I checked my last 11-day cruise When & Where brochures on this same itinerary and noted only two Gala Nights:  first and last sea days.  Of course NYE will be a Gala Night but not serving the regular Gala Night menus.

[oakridger]

Dressy night here on Nieuw Amsterdam for our Panama Canal cruise has had pretty uninspiring menus so far, in my opinion. No lobster, rack of lamb  or shrimp or really anything I have seen pre shutdown. Sad. I hope that at least New Years Eve and Christmas will be better.  Other than that I’m having a great cruise!     ~ Nancy 

[Sharon in AZ]

15 hours ago, Euby said:

I'm trying to plan out what nights to go to the Specialty restaurants for my cruise at the end of the year 12/27-1/7.  It's an 11-day cruise, so I'm guessing that there is supposed to be 3 Gala (dressy/formal) nights.  The itinerary is below.  I would think that New Year's Eve would be a Gala night, but it is a port day.  Then again, the holiday does lend itself to being a formal night.  Would I be safe in guessing that 12/28 and 1/5 would be the other formal nights?

12/27 - Embarkation Day
12/28 - Sea Day

12/29 - Sea Day

12/30 - Sint Maarten
12/31 - Saint Lucia

1/1 - Barbados

1/2 - Martinique

1/3 - St. Kitts

1/4 - St. Thomas

1/5 - Sea Day

1/6 - Half Moon Cay
1/7 - Disembarkation Day

Most definitely those dates. The third will depend upon what time all aboard is and my best guess is New Year’s Eve. We did the special New Year’s Eve dinner at the Pinnacle Grill and I remember it being a dressy night. 

[canadarocks]

3 hours ago, Crew News said:

I checked my last 11-day cruise When & Where brochures on this same itinerary and noted only two Gala Nights:  first and last sea days.  Of course NYE will be a Gala Night but not serving the regular Gala Night menus.

I think you are right. We have an 11-day cruise in February and there are only two Gala Nights noted. 

[Euby]

11 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

Yep, 28th and 5th for sure. Are you leaving port early any day? Maybe 12/31, but can't be sure.

 

All port days (except HMC) leave at 4:00pm.

I'll plan on 12/28 & 1/5 as Gala nights.  If I need to adjust later, I'll deal with it then.

Thanks for all of the help everyone!  @Crew News I don't suppose you could share those When & Where from last year with me, could you?

 

[Crew News]

22 minutes ago, Euby said:

@Crew News I don't suppose you could share those When & Where from last year with me, could you?

Not the same itinerary but here is a link to my When & Wheres from last year Caribbean as requested:

Nieuw Statendam 2021 Caribbean 7-Day

 

When & Wheres for same itinerary as yours from 2018: 

Koningsdam 11-Day Caribbean When & Where

 

See the link in the lower right corner of my signature for more info.

Edited October 21, 2022 by Crew News

[rkacruiser]

I wonder which is more important to cruisers asking when Gala Nights will be on cruises that include Christmas and New Year's holidays:  the menu for the night or the atmosphere/attire for the night?  Gala Night menus are sometimes inferior to what the MDR menus.  

[Tradestock]

The planning for the attire is more important.  I like to know if I need two elegant dresses or three, before I board the ship.  For us, NYE falls on a port day, too. New Year's Day is the sea day.  I have no control over the dining menu, so I don't worry about it.

[Florida_gal_50]

43 minutes ago, Tradestock said:

The planning for the attire is more important.  I like to know if I need two elegant dresses or three, before I board the ship.  For us, NYE falls on a port day, too. New Year's Day is the sea day.  I have no control over the dining menu, so I don't worry about it.

You could always wear one twice.  I used to bring a LOT of clothes.  I still bring plenty.  I wear things multiple times now unless I spill on it (which happens a lot).

[rkacruiser]

40 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

You could always wear one twice.

 

Agree.  Who cares; who remembers?  When I wear my tux, I will have at least two different ties for my formal shirt.  Used to bring/wear a vest that matched the ties, but, the vest makes me too warm when I wear it.  Same with a cummerbund.  The fashion police may disagree, but the days of the formal vest and cummerbund are past.  

[Euby]

7 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

I wonder which is more important to cruisers asking when Gala Nights will be on cruises that include Christmas and New Year's holidays:  the menu for the night or the atmosphere/attire for the night?  Gala Night menus are sometimes inferior to what the MDR menus.  

Personally, I was asking more from the menu side of things.  I wanted to go ahead and book my Specialty Dining options from the HIA package.  Aside from the special NYE Dinner at Pinnacle, the other specialty restaurants don't seem to have anything on offer.  I splurged this trip and got Club Orange (primarily for the cabin upgrade), so I'll be there on the Gala nights.  I purchased the Laundry Package, so I'll be wearing the same outfit all 3 gala nights (*GASP*).  LOL

[silversneakers]

On 10/20/2022 at 5:26 AM, Euby said:

I'm trying to plan out what nights to go to the Specialty restaurants for my cruise at the end of the year 12/27-1/7.  It's an 11-day cruise, so I'm guessing that there is supposed to be 3 Gala (dressy/formal) nights.  The itinerary is below.  I would think that New Year's Eve would be a Gala night, but it is a port day.  Then again, the holiday does lend itself to being a formal night.  Would I be safe in guessing that 12/28 and 1/5 would be the other formal nights?

12/27 - Embarkation Day
12/28 - Sea Day

12/29 - Sea Day

12/30 - Sint Maarten
12/31 - Saint Lucia

1/1 - Barbados

1/2 - Martinique

1/3 - St. Kitts

1/4 - St. Thomas

1/5 - Sea Day

1/6 - Half Moon Cay
1/7 - Disembarkation Day

I believe they no longer call them "Gala Nights" but dressy nights. The cruise I just returned from had them on sea days.