POH-formal night, other questions...

[lomillerin]

I have read that formal night is Thursday and is also lobster night. We don't like lobster so thought we would eat in Cagney's that night. We were thinking of dressing up a little that night, but if we eat at Cagney's would it be silly to dress up on formal night?

 

Also, I have read that there is one formal night on most threads but a few have said there is 2. Can anyone confirm either way?

[NCLcruisefan]

I have read that formal night is Thursday and is also lobster night. We don't like lobster so thought we would eat in Cagney's that night. We were thinking of dressing up a little that night, but if we eat at Cagney's would it be silly to dress up on formal night?

 

Also, I have read that there is one formal night on most threads but a few have said there is 2. Can anyone confirm either way?

 

The Freestyle Daily says Thursday is Formal optional. And it is the only night listed as such.

[lomillerin]

How long should we plan for eating each evening?

We want to go the nightly shows. I think I read they are at 7:00 and 9:30???

 

If this is correct, we would go to the 9:30 show. So, what time should we eat?

[KeystoneCruiser]

All formal nights on NCL ships are Optional. On Hawaii cruises, about 30% will dress up (ranging from tuxes to shirt/tie), 30% will dress in Hawaiian attire and the other 40% will be in resort casual. (polo shirts, etc.)

 

People will be dressed up (and dressed down) in all restaurants, so do the Freestyle thing and dress as YOU want to!!! You won't feel out of place regardless of venue or dress.

 

Shows are at 7:30 or 9:30 if there are two in a night. If there is only one, which they sometimes do with special guests, it will be at 8:30. I would leave 90 minutes to two hours to eat to be safe and I would plan on arriving to the show at least 15-20 minutes early. The busiest times in the main restaurants are from 6:15-8:00 p.m. and during those times you may experience a short wait (20 minutes). If you go before 6:15, you shouldn't have a wait. You could also go to the early show at 7:30, (less crowded than the 9:30), and then go eat at 8:30 after the show.

 

Of course, you could just make reservations for the specialty restaurants at whatever time you want!! (their service is also a little quicker) 7:30 would be the absolute latest that I would go and eat in order to make a 9:30 show.

[smarterman64]

what kind of shows are on board? And are there shows when the ship is in port such as the two overnights?

[lomillerin]

All formal nights on NCL ships are Optional. On Hawaii cruises, about 30% will dress up (ranging from tuxes to shirt/tie), 30% will dress in Hawaiian attire and the other 40% will be in resort casual. (polo shirts, etc.)

 

People will be dressed up (and dressed down) in all restaurants, so do the Freestyle thing and dress as YOU want to!!! You won't feel out of place regardless of venue or dress.

 

Shows are at 7:30 or 9:30 if there are two in a night. If there is only one, which they sometimes do with special guests, it will be at 8:30. I would leave 90 minutes to two hours to eat to be safe and I would plan on arriving to the show at least 15-20 minutes early. The busiest times in the main restaurants are from 6:15-8:00 p.m. and during those times you may experience a short wait (20 minutes). If you go before 6:15, you shouldn't have a wait. You could also go to the early show at 7:30, (less crowded than the 9:30), and then go eat at 8:30 after the show.

 

Of course, you could just make reservations for the specialty restaurants at whatever time you want!! (their service is also a little quicker) 7:30 would be the absolute latest that I would go and eat in order to make a 9:30 show.

Thanks! This is exactly the info. I needed.

[ashleynona]

Someone above said that we can dress as we want to, but I noticed that in the "rules" regarding information about what can be worn in the dining rooms is no blue jeans. So many jeans these days are VERY dressy and where I live (Miami) this is standard for any nice restaurant or venue. Will wearing dressy jeans in the dining rooms pose a problem?

[NCLcruisefan]

Someone above said that we can dress as we want to, but I noticed that in the "rules" regarding information about what can be worn in the dining rooms is no blue jeans. So many jeans these days are VERY dressy and where I live (Miami) this is standard for any nice restaurant or venue. Will wearing dressy jeans in the dining rooms pose a problem?

 

Yes they will not allow you in in jeans or shorts or flip flops. Capris are ok if they are past the knee and other dressy pants. NCL only allows jeans to be worn when you are in Texas or on Texan night on a cruise out of Texas. I am glad. But they said it is b/c of the Texas way of dressing is mostly jeans. :confused: Well I don't know, maybe. Either way we do wear a lot of jeans and dressy jeans here in Texas

[KeystoneCruiser]

Someone above said that we can dress as we want to, but I noticed that in the "rules" regarding information about what can be worn in the dining rooms is no blue jeans. So many jeans these days are VERY dressy and where I live (Miami) this is standard for any nice restaurant or venue. Will wearing dressy jeans in the dining rooms pose a problem?

 

There have been some exceptions to the jeans rules, it appears especially on the Alaska runs. (as I noticed last year several times, even on formal night.) They are also a little lienent the first night since not everyone will have their luggage yet. But for the most part, they do enforce the no jeans rules. I did however see a teenage boy in a baseball cap and t-shirt at dinner a couple of weeks ago on the Dawn, but it was the only incident on that ship.

[Cruising Aussie Mum]

Thank you for the information on this thread! I too am trying to work out coordinating dinner times and shows. It sounds like it would be difficult to plan on the early show unless you are happy to eat really early (5 or 5:30) or quite late (8:30 or 9).

Do the shows usually last about 1 hour?

What do people suggest for sailaway night? Do most people try to squeeze dinner in before sailaway at 8pm, or leave it until after? How long do the sailaway festivities last?

One more question, what time is the sail by the flowing volcano?

Thanks! Again, this info is so helpful for we compulsive planners!;)

[electricron]

I have read that formal night is Thursday and is also lobster night. We don't like lobster so thought we would eat in Cagney's that night. We were thinking of dressing up a little that night, but if we eat at Cagney's would it be silly to dress up on formal night?

Also, I have read that there is one formal night on most threads but a few have said there is 2. Can anyone confirm either way?

 

Most NCL cruises are one week or less, and have just one optional formal night. Cruises of two weeks or more have two.

 

Many dress up at every restaurant on optional formal night. I've seen tuxedoes in the buffet/cafeteria on non optional formal night.

 

Never-the-less, only between 30% to 50% actually dress to the nines on optional formal night, much less on the other nights.

 

 

As for jeans, why pack those heavy pants. Slacks weigh much less.

[KeystoneCruiser]

Thank you for the information on this thread! I too am trying to work out coordinating dinner times and shows. It sounds like it would be difficult to plan on the early show unless you are happy to eat really early (5 or 5:30) or quite late (8:30 or 9).

Do the shows usually last about 1 hour?

What do people suggest for sailaway night? Do most people try to squeeze dinner in before sailaway at 8pm, or leave it until after? How long do the sailaway festivities last?

One more question, what time is the sail by the flowing volcano?

Thanks! Again, this info is so helpful for we compulsive planners!;)

 

The shows are usually 45 minutes to an hour in length.

 

I was on the POA in 2004 and we sailed by the lava at like midnight. (this could be different now.) My daughter, who was 7 at the time, did not want to miss the lava, so she went to bed at 9 and we woke her up at midnight.

 

When we sailed at 8:00 in 2002, we went and ate about 5:30 and were done in time for the sailaway. Remember that the sailaway is sometimes delayed and also, if you want to see Waikiki as you sailaway, you will be tied up for up to an hour.

 

Finally, we always chose to eat early for one main reason: never having to wait. If you get to the dining rooms by 6:00 p.m., you most likely will have no wait time at all for a table. If you get there at 6:15 or later, you can find yourself waiting 20-30 minutes for a table. There are usually lines when the restaurants open at 5:30, but those are quickly taken care of. Those people seated at 5:30 will then still be eating if you arrive at 6:15-7:00 and so tables will be limited.

[Cruising Aussie Mum]

Thanks Keystone Cruiser. Very helpful planning information.:)

[NCLcruisefan]

You cruise by the lava at 9:45 pm.

[wwleader]

We had thought there was only one Formal night on POH; there were 2; but my husband wore his tux and I my gown THursday night; not everbody dressed up but we didn't care...the 2nd one we wore casual slacks but were not out of place...they had recommended that we make dinner reservations in Grand Pacific since it was lobster(not great) night...we ate most nights around 8:00; that way we could lounge around the pool and have some sushi from the buffet at 5:30...

[lomillerin]

What else did they have on the menu on Lobster night besides Lobster. I can't eat seafood, but everyone else wants to go for Lobster.

[TikiMeekie]

have some sushi from the buffet at 5:30...

 

There was sushi on the buffet? What kind and how was it?

Any other memories about what foods were on the buffet?

[KeystoneCruiser]

What else did they have on the menu on Lobster night besides Lobster. I can't eat seafood, but everyone else wants to go for Lobster.

 

 

Generally the NCL menus each night include one beef/pork/lamb dish, one chicken dish, one seafood dish and a vegetarian dish in the entree section so you can get something different.

 

I do not like seafood and have never had a problem finding something else.

 

They also have a strip steak, grilled chicken breast, baked potatoe and ceasar salad and house salad available every night. (not always listed, but always available.)