Noordan Dress Code clarification please!

[RevNeal]

Common sense needs to prevail. If I have an 8:00 dinner time, and wish to visit the Thermal Suite at 6:30, I am probably not going to wear my tuxedo there and back. Drop into the Neptune (if you're lucky enough) at 6:30 and you will see the same (bathrobes no less). God forbid, there may be some people still in the pool wearing swimsuits. If the Lido is casual, I think it can be pulled off on the B'Ball court also. Sorry Rev, no disrespect, but you're a little off on this one.

 

I never said that anyone should wear a Tuxedo to the Thermal Suite. Indeed, the Lido Deck seems to be exempt from formal night wear.

 

And, since I don't book Suites I'm not welcome in the Neptune.

[RevNeal]

A little common sense goes a long way: generally one should dress appropriately to the occasion. If, on a formal night, you are in the dining room, casino, theatre or one of the lounges, reasonable deference to your fellow passengers who (presumably) chose HAL because they like its atmosphere would indicate that you remain "formal". Because the hot tubs, and basketball area are open in the evening, it should be assumed that people in those areas - and going to and from - should be appropriately dressed. It does not take rocket science, just a willingness to observe the civilized norms of living among people.

 

Excellent! Thank you for your clarity.

[RevNeal]

Also, I seem to have gotten too small for one of my three formal gowns (I swim in it now)! I'm trying to find a friend who has one I can borrow in 3 days :) I really want to "Match" what Keaka is wearing, and I don't think a coctail (although VERY classy and dressy) would match Keaka's Tux.

 

Your husband is a handsome man, and you are a lovely woman. You will make a FANTASTIC-looking couple in your formal wear!

[AlohaPride]

Your husband is a handsome man, and you are a lovely woman. You will make a FANTASTIC-looking couple in your formal wear!

 

Aww, gee, thanks :D

[sail7seas]

...... He always dresses for dinner in the dining room "according to the dress code" as do we.. He is still in high school and I can't imagine a group of teenagers hanging out in their shirts and ties..

 

This is a vacation....we are there to have fun and relax. We are neat and clean and dress respectably..We don't wear t-shirts with offensive or stupid sayings on them.That doesn't mean I won't put on a pair of jeans myself! To each his own...

 

Actually, it is imaginable a group of teenagers hang out in their shirts and ties. We have seen it time and time again. What a great 'teaching time' this is for Mom and Dad to enforce to their young man that there are times in life we do things out of respect for others. Comfort first does not always have to the deciding factor. It won't hurt a young man to have a neat shirt and tie on for a full evening. I've seen any number of teen guys in their ties because the teen girls are looking lovely in their cocktail dresses. The peacocks want to be noticed. ;)

 

 

 

Hope you have a great cruise.

[AlohaPride]

The peacocks want to be noticed. ;)

 

 

 

Hope you have a great cruise.

 

LOL! I LOVE it!!

[ekerr19]

Actually, it is imaginable a group of teenagers hang out in their shirts and ties. We have seen it time and time again.

 

 

 

Sail is correct. Our kids do. Our son is now 18-yrs old and has been wearing a tux since his first cruise many years ago.... the teenage girls? Eeeh gad! :eek: Our daughter is now 14 and she goes all out. One formal night she has her hair done in an "updo" and now has about 6-8 gowns she must choose from to bring along with us.

 

You will be very surprised if you think the kids don't dress up. All the friends our kids meet are also dressed for the evening. We've even got a few formal pictures with the group of kids dressed up.

[Copper10-8]

.. I have an 18 year old son going with us in March and I know that he will probably change into his shorts or jeans once dinner is over. Will that be OK? He will wander the ship and probably wind up on the basketball court....

 

Looks like the games have already begun;) Yes, this is a hot-button topic!

Two cents: if he's going to the basketball court after dinner to work off that tiramasu by shooting some hoops, wearing a tux with patent leathers is definitely going to screw up his free throw technique so, by all means, have him wear his shorts or jeans. On second thought, jeans will more than likely hamper his behind the back and through the legs dribble so better not wear those either!

If, on the other hand, he's going to the court to "hang out", my guess is he'll be bored stiff in about one minute and seventeen seconds because there is absolutely nothing to do there except, you guessed it, "play basketball". There is not even a place to sit except on your behind. On third thought, maybe I don't know a darn thing and the basketball court is the place to hang at night (Always thought it was the sun deck).

My advice: read the cruise line guidelines and, more importantly, use common sense! Enjoy your cruise!:)

[AirGorilla]

Quote:

Its HAL - not Crystal or Seabourn......

 

 

Why should that matter when one enjoys dressing up? "

 

It's all about what's appropriate......certainly people do not dress the same on Carnival compared to HAL & the same goes HAL vs Crystal & Seabourn....

Actually, THIS person does dress the same when he is on HAL or Crystal. Crystal probably has more informal nights than HAL, but I wear the same garb on both lines for the respective evenings:

Formal -- Tuxedo

Informal -- Sport Coat/Blazer and Tie

Casual -- No tie, slacks, shirt, sometimes a sport coat.

[mugiber]

Boy reading this post makes me feel HAL is more for the conservative elderly than anyone else. The original post:

 

I realize that you must dress for dinner...no problems there! My question is for the rest of the evening after dinner.. I have an 18 year old son going with us in March and I know that he will probably change into his shorts or jeans once dinner is over. Will that be OK? He will wander the ship and probably wind up on the basketball court....

 

This will be his 4th cruise in 3 years and we never had this issue come up before..but this is our first time with HAL. I would appreciate hearing from others that have cruised the Noordam with teens..

 

She says she has been on 3 cruises with no problems. She has the insight to ask what is acceptable. She even kindly replys after being lambasted. Makes me sort of angry at you CCers. Don't tell a mother of an 18 year old that this is an opportunity to "teach" her child about being an adult. This is vacation for heavens sake. At the end of the day these are not rules but guidelines. I know, I know, HAL may want them to be rules but no one will be arrested or thrown in the brig for not following them. If they can stand your sneers, they can dress how they want anyway. Why not try to kindly respond with out your over the top, harsh language. I expected so much more from a group of usually helpful, considerate CCers. Let me know what the other hot button issues are so I do not read the links. No need for this!

[RevNeal]

She says she has been on 3 cruises with no problems. She has the insight to ask what is acceptable. She even kindly replys after being lambasted.

 

I hadn't noticed that she was lambasted. We conservative elderly people really have a problem with that, eh? ;)

 

Makes me sort of angry at you CCers.

 

Gee, I'm sorry that what you believe was said/done to someone else has somehow made you "sort of angry" at us. Nosey, aren't you?

 

Don't tell a mother of an 18 year old that this is an opportunity to "teach" her child about being an adult.

 

Excellent point. The last time I checked an 18 year old is considered an adult already. If an 18 year old "child" isn't an adult yet, s/he probably isn't going to be one before age 40.

 

This is vacation for heavens sake.

 

Oh, that's right ... mental and social education is suspended on holiday journeys! How silly of us to think about learning at such a time! Yes ... and how conservatively elderly of us, too! :eek:

 

At the end of the day these are not rules but guidelines. I know, I know, HAL may want them to be rules but no one will be arrested or thrown in the brig for not following them. If they can stand your sneers, they can dress how they want anyway.

 

Tell that to the Matre D when you're barred from the main dining room while trying to wear shorts and a t-shirt on Formal night. Granted, you might not be thrown into the brig, but you won't be served in the Main Dining room. The OP didn't indicate that such would be the case, so the subject wasn't brought up, but it does happen.

 

Why not try to kindly respond with out your over the top, harsh language. I expected so much more from a group of usually helpful, considerate CCers. Let me know what the other hot button issues are so I do not read the links. No need for this!

 

Pot, meet Kettle.

WHAT, pray tell, was the "harsh" and "over the top" language that we Elderly, conservative people used?

[AlohaPride]

Boy reading this post makes me feel HAL is more for the conservative elderly than anyone else.

 

Well, if 24 is elderly what ever happened to the phrase "50 is the new 30"?

 

Oh God! I'm almost a quarter of a century old! I'm ancient!!

[sail7seas]

Can't speak for anyone else or their parents but my mother was definitely still teaching me when I was 18. I didn't know it all......yet!!! :)

 

Of course, I NOW know it all and don't mind expressing my opinion about everything/anything. ;) One of my opinions is that I never tell someone else what they may write/say either here on this Board as long as it doesn't violate the rules or in the world at large. Sure I/you can disagree with others but that doesn't mean we bar them from stating their viewpoint.

 

I see nothing wrong with pointing out teaching opportunities.

 

If there are 18 year olds out there who have no need of more teaching from dear Mom.........I have not yet met them.

 

[RevNeal]

Can't speak for anyone else or their parents but my mother was definitely still teaching me when I was 18. I didn't know it all......yet!!! :)

 

For that Matter, Sail, I'm STILL learning ... and I'm WAY over 18. :) WWWAAAYYYY over.

 

Of course, I NOW know it all and don't mind expressing my opinion about everything/anything. ;) One of my opinions is that I never tell someone else what they may write/say either here on this Board as long as it doesn't violate the rules or in the world at large. Sure I/you can disagree with others but that doesn't mean we bar them from stating their viewpoint.

 

Absolutely!

[Opinions]

Secondly, the Line "asks" that HAL passengers remain dressed according to the evening code for the EVENING, not just for dinner. It is formal NIGHT, not formal dinner. Again, some people will dress down on the formal and informal nights ... why, I have never understood, but some will do it. In so-doing, they are not doing what their host, the cruise Line, "asks" of us.

 

.

 

If one desires to eat at the Buffet on formal nights what does HAL "ask" of us to wear?...Does the dress code apply to the buffet area?...If not, doesn't HAL have to revise it's dress code.

[dakrewser]

If one desires to eat at the Buffet on formal nights what does HAL "ask" of us to wear?...Does the dress code apply to the buffet area?...If not, doesn't HAL have to revise it's dress code.

 

The Lido restaurant is always under a casual dress code

[hammybee]

If one desires to eat at the Buffet on formal nights what does HAL "ask" of us to wear?...Does the dress code apply to the buffet area?...If not, doesn't HAL have to revise it's dress code.

 

In the spirit of sailing, we are all asked to observe the dress code of the evening while we are out of our cabins. To do so while eating in the Lido however, defeats the purpose of choosing to dine in a more casual enviornment. I think so long as you make an effort to clean up and wear something decently casual, no one in the LIDO is going to have a problem with you and if the truth be told, everyone else is going to be dressed more casually than if they ate in the dining room.

 

Where it gets tricky is after dinner, partaking in the various entertainment venues. Some passengers seem to get offended if they come across others not dressed as specified. This is a loosing battle and the masses will prevail.

A woman in a black top and pant or a man in a collered **** and sports jacket are different than people roaming public areas in their bathrobes or shorts and t-shirts, during the formal evening. In other words, just make an effort and you will be OK dining in the Lido and enjoying the evening.

 

As for me, I enjoy formal nights and stay formal throughout the night but certainly understand those who prefer a more casual enviornment.

[RevNeal]

If one desires to eat at the Buffet on formal nights what does HAL "ask" of us to wear?...Does the dress code apply to the buffet area?...If not, doesn't HAL have to revise it's dress code.

 

Others have answered regarding what one should wear in the Lido. And, as I've also said above, the Lido Deck is pretty much exempt from most of the evening Dress Code regulations (though "No Shoes/No Shirt/No Service" still applies).

 

As for HAL needing to revise their Dress Code ... YES, they do. Long ago I wrote up the following Dress Code for HALHQ's consideration. I understand it produced some chuckles from middle-management, but a few of the higher-ups were not amused (they must need humor transplants).

 

A Proposed, New Dress Code For HAL:

Evening dress falls into three distinct categories. Each night a daily program will be delivered to your stateroom announcing the REQUIRED dress for the following evening. Comfortable, relaxed clothing is fine for evenings designated as casual; however, T-shirts, jeans, swimsuits, tank tops and shorts are not allowed in the dining room, Lido restaurant, or public areas during the evening hours. All violators will be catapulted overboard just prior to the second-seating's show. During informal nights, dresses or pantsuits for women and jackets (tie optional) for men are expected. (Gentlemen: You may NOT be out and about without a jacket. Any violation of this standard will result in a public flogging, administered by the Captain, on the sports deck at 9:45 pm.)

 

On festive formal evenings, women shall wear cocktail dresses or gowns and men shall wear business suits or tuxedos. There are only approximately two formal nights per week, so stop whining. (Ladies and Gentlemen: the penalty for failing to abide by our dress code will be the deduction of 10 Mariner days for each infraction. If the infractions exceed the number of days any given passenger has accumilated they will be immediately "debarked.")

 

If you're a poor slob and don't own the proper attire for Formal Night, appropriate Formalwear for ladies and gentlemen can be pre-ordered for your use for the duration of your cruise. Just call Cruise Line Formalwear at 800-551-5091 to reserve and it will be ready in your inside, N-catagory stateroom when you board. If you don't own the proper clothing for informal night, you're out of luck and probably won't even be happy on any of our ships anyway.

[mugiber]

Tell that to the Matre D when you're barred from the main dining room while trying to wear shorts and a t-shirt on Formal night. Granted, you might not be thrown into the brig, but you won't be served in the Main Dining room. The OP didn't indicate that such would be the case, so the subject wasn't brought up, but it does happen.RevNeal

This is a weak argument as we both know that this is more an issue after dinner in the "public areas" and not in the dining room. Let me know if El Capitan is going to do something for the shorts in the lounge?

Oh, that's right ... mental and social education is suspended on holiday journeys! RevNeal

 

You are such an inflamer!

I hadn't noticed that she was lambasted. RevNeal mugiber

WHAT, pray tell, was the "harsh" and "over the top" language that we Elderly, conservative people used? RevNeal

This is a lambasting or at least crude! This is not the way you talk to a fellow adult. You are not the societal experts nor do you set the standards. Suggestions are welcome but not statements like these...

Your son is 18 ... it's time for the long pants. RevNeal

At 18 - your son should know better than to wear shorts in the evening…but certainly a blazer & khakis will carry him through Rotterdam

yeah rev-------------i applaud your saying what you did about the dress code

You don't seem to care about the word NIGHT in the term "formal night." RevNeal

Now as for RevNeal's approach, maybe it is the approach that is the issue. I am not sure if this is a way of stimulating conversation that you have learned to be an effective audience grabber. This reminds me of these people that telling you that you are doomed because you have a particular belief system and to quickly change to avoid damnation. You can bully a lot of people into seeing your point of view this way, but at the end of the day, they resent it. As for being nosey...

Nosey, aren't you? RevNeal

This is a board. I hope you do not think your post are only being read by the original poster. Try instant messaging if that is what you are looking for. However you also seem to have no end to your expertice and willingness to teach/proselytize.(no problem sticking your nose in it)...

Khaki slacks, sports jacket/blazer, white dress shirt and tie should be perfectly fine for formal nights. For informal nights he can just ditch the tie and, if he likes, he can wear a more casual button down or silk shirt under his jacket. For casual nights the khaki slacks and nice print or silk shirts would be "hot." RevNeal

You even tried to rewrite the HAL guidelines.

In addition you love to inflame the situation. Your word choice has flammer written all over it!

This is practically the same thing you said in your original post on this thread. I have to wonder why (if you were already decided about what you were going to allow your son to wear) you would even start this thread. This is obviously a hot button topic on this board, and I believe the answer about not allowing jeans on formal night was answered. RevNeal

In case you did not understand my last point, if you are not trying to lambast and inflame than perhaps leave out the "even"s and the pejoratives..."I have to wonder why..." Come on, you know and I know that you are not approaching the OP with a kind, well meaning response, but wanted to get something off your chest.

As for the others...

Actually, it is imaginable a group of teenagers hang out in their shirts and ties. We have seen it time and time again.

What a great 'teaching time' this is for Mom and Dad to enforce to their young man that there are times in life we do things out of respect for others. Sail7seas

I see nothing wrong with pointing out teaching opportunities.sail7seas

On this board, for the most part you are dealing with adults, most well educated. No need to be snooty. Perhaps at Phillips Andover they wear shirts and ties to "hang out" but in the other 99% of the USA kids, boys especially do not like to dress up.

 

[3Generations]

coming from a 20 year old girl here, all i have to say is, they might not like to dress up, but they should.because it is what is asked by HAL and they should respect it.

 

-Christine

[Copper10-8]

coming from a 20 year old girl here, all i have to say is, they might not like to dress up, but they should.because it is what is asked by HAL and they should respect it.

 

-Christine

 

Christine, you get the price for the answer with the most common sense! Awesome job, young lady! :) You take care!

[dakrewser]

In case you did not understand my last point, if you are not trying to lambast and inflame than perhaps leave out the "even"s and the pejoratives..."I have to wonder why..." Come on, you know and I know that you are not approaching the OP with a kind, well meaning response, but wanted to get something off your chest.

 

Well, the kind, well meaning responses didn't seem to work, did they?

[RevNeal]

mugiber:

 

Please take greater care in attributing your citations. At least one of the statements which you attributed to me I did not write.

 

Now ... to the point.

 

I am sorry that you perceive me to be flaming and lambasting the OP, and others (you, in particular) in the way that I write and in the content of my posts. Be that as it may, may I humbly suggest that you take a long, hard, honest, and soul-searching look in the proverbial mirror? Your latest post does absolutely nothing but take me to task for the way that I write, lecturing me as to how I should post and what I should say and not say. If anyone is lambasting anybody, being inappropriate, and treating others as if they were not adults ... it's you.

 

I am sorry you don't like my style, or perceive me to be crude and uncaring in my posts. I will admit that there are times when a post or two of mine can be a bit cutting and/or a bit sarcastic ... and I DO know how to post a "smack down" when I need to ;) ... but, despite how you have interpreted my words, you have not seen such in my approach to the OP. You HAVE seen it in my responses (and in this response) to you ... but that is because you have been asking for it by your fallacious criticisms of what I, and others, have posted.

 

Rather than actually contributing anything to the topic of this thread, you have seen fit to criticize not only what we have said but how we have said it. And, as if it's not enough that you disagree with our writing style and opinions, in the process of so-doing you have had the unmitigated gall to judge and insult us by applying to us such pejorative epithets as "conservative" and "elderly" and "snooty" and "crude." In my earliest posts to you I was trying to point out what you did in a somewhat humorous and, I will admit, sarcastic way. Apparently, it went right over your head. Perhaps I should have been more direct? No ... I don't think the result would have been any better. You entered this thread with criticism of us. That was your purpose in posting here, so calling you on your hypocrisy wouldn't have helped matters any ... then or now.

[enymarsh]

Others have answered regarding what one should wear in the Lido. And, as I've also said above, the Lido Deck is pretty much exempt from most of the evening Dress Code regulations (though "No Shoes/No Shirt/No Service" still applies).

 

I am thinking of returning to HAL after many years away and am also wondering about this ... after eating in the Lido for dinner on a formal night would you feel it would be inappropriate for a couple to then go to a show dressed in an informal manner? I think I would be a bit uncomfortable while waiting for the show to start if I felt that my fellow passengers thought I was acting in a disrespectful way because of my clothes. Just curious... not sure if we would want to miss formal night or not... just in the thinking stages. Thanks for your reply.

[RuthC]

... after eating in the Lido for dinner on a formal night would you feel it would be inappropriate for a couple to then go to a show dressed in an informal manner?

Yes. HAL's dress code is for the public areas for the entire evening.

It's one thing to be on the outside decks or Lido, but in the lounges, show lounge, casino, etc the code should be followed.