what is the evening dress code as of now???

[Marie50]

Noordam 10 day, how many of each different type of dress catagories???

 

Thanks

[alfiemom]

New dress code doesn't start until early May.

[RuthC]

When I did the Noordam 10-day cruise it was 3-formal, 2-informal, and 5-casual. This was about a year ago.

Your documents will list out the planned numbers of each style for your cruise.

[mamaofami]

On the 2/7 cruise, the new dress code was in effect. Ten days, three formal(one was formal or semi formal,optional but I understand they've changed that now) and the rest casual. So, informal has been eliminated on the Noordam.

[mamaofami]

Ruth, wasn't that you posting live from the Noordam in January? Hot tub, if I remember.

[RuthC]

Ruth, wasn't that you posting live from the Noordam in January? Hot tub, if I remember.

'Twas I. :o

That was the Noordam 11-day cruise; my second on this ship in 10 months. :D And that was also the second time my girlfriend called me, said she booked and I was coming! There were to be no arguments about it and that was that.

What could I do but go? ;)

[innlady1]

When I did the Noordam 10-day cruise it was 3-formal, 2-informal, and 5-casual. This was about a year ago.

Your documents will list out the planned numbers of each style for your cruise.

 

When we did the Noordam 10 day cruise in early to mid February, the dress code was 2 formal, one formal/informal (your choice), and 7 casual.

[innlady1]

Sorry, Carol! I jumped the gun....I didn't see that you'd already replied!

[Trail46]

It appears that lately documents say one thing and the reality is something else - that is, three formal, 2 informal, 6 casual for an 11 day in documents, then you get on board and the informals have been eliminated. Am I the only one who finds that really annoying? There's nothing worse than saying one thing, doing another!

[Len3]

Our docs say: 2 nights formal, 1 night informal, and 7 nights casual. Right now it looks as if HAL is all over the place on the dress code.

[kletskop]

Why doesn't HAL, or other lines, enforce the dress code? Seems that every post I read someone always writes that they saw jeans or other attire that is not supposed to be worn on any particular night.

 

Why have a dress code if it is not strictly enforced??:confused:

JW

[Len3]

Recently, on NCL, which is "freestyle" cruising, the dress code was strictly inforced. To our happy amazement, many people in jeans were turned away from the dining rooms. HAL should be doing the same.

[alfiemom]

Trail46:

I totally agree and so does my travel agent. We leave on 4/11. Someone on our thread mentioned the new dress code. Said he talked with HAL and they said 2 formal and the rest casual for the 10 day of NY. Asked my TA to check that and I called, too. I was told by ships services that the informals weren't dropped until May. First email from TA, said 2 formals - rest casual. Asked to check again and another TA there was told 3 formal, with informals and some casual. Now I read here that Noordam has been eliminating the informal nights for a while now. This is totally unacceptable. Why should we have to pack and carry more clothes than we'll need? Why can't they get it together?

[alfiemom]

Well, I thought I would check once again with HAL, directly. I spoke with Customer Service who connected me to Ships Services....again. The fellow I spoke with told me that there is a "new form" that they are using and gave me a day by day break down for our 4/11 cruise. Still not happy since it's a 3rd rendition of the dress code.

[RevNeal]

It appears that lately documents say one thing and the reality is something else - that is, three formal, 2 informal, 6 casual for an 11 day in documents, then you get on board and the informals have been eliminated. Am I the only one who finds that really annoying? There's nothing worse than saying one thing, doing another!

 

Yes, I find it annoying. and especially since I'm packing for a 10 day on the Ryndam right now. I shot an e-mail to a friend of mine in Ships Services to find out if the new dress code had gone into effect on the Ryndam. His reply back contained the list of the phase in dates and that the ship should still be with the old dress code, same as my documents. But ... we'll see, won't we? It won't change how I dress, anyway ... I'll still dress formal on informal, and a little better than code on casual nights. :)

 

I have a feeling that the ships have "jumped the gun" on the transition.

[burny]

:( Are there really no other subjects then dresscodes these day's?

I don't understand the problems.Read the site from HAL and there is the answer and if you receive your docs ,it is al written in there too!

I always take care that at least 2 of my "casuals "are pretty enough for an informal so i don't need an extra suitcase. Problem solved!

[luvnorway]

To put my comments in perspective, they're based on experience on having taken many longer HAL Europe and South Pacific/Hawaii cruises - haven't done a Caribbean on HAL in years. As experienced HAL cruisers are aware, these these itineraries tend to attract passengers whose average age is older than in the Caribbean. I'm stating this only because my opinion may not be relevant to many readers.

 

Informal nights are more of a hassle for men than women. With airline luggage allowances decreasing, there's an advantage to not taking any more clothes than are necessary. This is particularly true if you're doing a land vacation and flying internally in Europe pre/post cruise.

 

Women can easily wear their "dressiest" casual outfit, or "least dressy" formal outfit on informal nights and look fine without having to drag along any uniquely designated "informal" outfit. This doesn't mean you shouldn't bring specific clothes just to be worn on informal nights, but it isn't essential.

Furthermore, as anyone who has travelled on HAL must have noticed, you'll see women wearing anything and everything no matter what the official dress code of the evening is!

 

If they choose to bring a tux for formal nights, men are more inconvenienced by having to have another outfit for 'informal' nights. Yes, I know men don't need to take a tux and can easily wear the same suit (or even sports jacket) on both formal and informal nights and also that probably more men than women dislike "dressing up" and welcome this solution.

However, some men, like my husband, enjoy dressing in a tux with all the accessories including formal shoes to really finish off the outfit. As a result, he has always also had to lug along another pair of dress shoes, jacket and dress pants just to wear on informal nights. And, BTW, these add a lot more weight to the luggage and take up a lot more space than a light 'informal' outfit of mine would.

 

Bottom line - we are very happy to see the end of informal nights and glad to hear that, at least on some ships, the reality is preceding the scheduled demise.

Even though our next cruise will be before our ship is scheduled to abolish informal nights, my husband, with my full support, is not taking a jacket. He will be going to the dining room in 'casual' attire on informal nights (if they actually appear on the program) and, if refused admittance, will reappear wearing his tux jacket to walk in the door and then will immediately drape it over his chair when seated (which he has to do on most formal nights anyway because the dining rooms on HAL are usually too warm - but that's another issue).

[RevNeal]

If they choose to bring a tux for formal nights, men are more inconvenienced by having to have another outfit for 'informal' nights. Yes, I know men don't need to take a tux and can easily wear the same suit (or even sports jacket) on both formal and informal nights and also that probably more men than women dislike "dressing up" and welcome this solution.

However, some men, like my husband, enjoy dressing in a tux with all the accessories including formal shoes to really finish off the outfit. As a result, he has always also had to lug along another pair of dress shoes, jacket and dress pants just to wear on informal nights. And, BTW, these add a lot more weight to the luggage and take up a lot more space than a light 'informal' outfit of mine would.

 

I agree. I enjoy packing my tux and wearing it on formal nights. And it is easy to make that one tuxedo and two tux shirts with multiple ties, vests, cummerbunds, etc., do multiple duty on all formal nights of a long cruise. I've sometimes taken a suit too, and worn that on one formal night and on the informal nights as well, but I've recently stopped doing this as it just adds too much weight to the bags.

 

However, a guy does NOT have to actually "pack" his informal night wear ... he can WEAR IT to the ship. When traveling in the Northern Hemisphere's winter months (and in spring and fall!) to ports of departure this has the added advantage of taking care of the cold weather between home and airport and airport and ship by NOT requiring one to lug around coats and such that one would not wear at any other time on the cruise. This is what I do all the time. I wear a nice pair of slacks -- dockers or true dress slacks -- my black or grey jacket, a casual shirt or dress shirt and tie or clerics, and a pair of nice dress shoes in transit. This way I transport to the ship one set of informal night clothing without having to PACK IT.

[luvnorway]

Revneal - appreciate your suggestion re wearing 'informal' clothes in transit - I'm sure it will be useful to some readers.

Also, thanks for the verification that 'some men like to dress formally' - some women appreciate being accompanied by a well dressed man when they're all dressed up themselves - really adds to the atmosphere and enjoyment of the evening, making it a 'special' occasion and gives you the feeling that you're living a life of luxury ;-)

 

Unfortunately, travelling in a jacket and pants suitable for 'informal' attire isn't an option that would work for us because most of our cruises are in Europe and we choose to fly across on an overnight flight and arrive on embarkation day = wearing the same clothes for 24hrs+. For this reason and because we also find planes very, very uncomfortably hot, both of us travel in light pants (with elasticized waist) and short sleeved shirts (don't know how some people can travel on these flights in tight jeans and heavy sweaters!) - never a problem re warmth on the way to the airport, even in winter - just wear the sweatshirt or light jacket we're taking with us on the cruise.

[caribbean girl]

Another dress code thread...here we go!:rolleyes:

[RevNeal]

Unfortunately, travelling in a jacket and pants suitable for 'informal' attire isn't an option that would work for us because most of our cruises are in Europe and we choose to fly across on an overnight flight and arrive on embarkation day = wearing the same clothes for 24hrs+. For this reason and because we also find planes very, very uncomfortably hot, both of us travel in light pants (with elasticized waist) and short sleeved shirts (don't know how some people can travel on these flights in tight jeans and heavy sweaters!) - never a problem re warmth on the way to the airport, even in winter - just wear the sweatshirt or light jacket we're taking with us on the cruise.

 

Oh, I understand that. I'm always uncomfortably hot on airplanes ... hence, I take the jacket off and fold it and put it in the overhead compartment on top of my carry-on. For pants I wear a nice (new) pair of dockers; for shirt, either a casual sport shirt or a blue button-down dress shirt or clergy shirt. This is fairly much how I dress for travel all the time ... both for domestic flights and for international flights. But ... that's just me. I fully understand that people are different and have different likes and dislikes in the clothing for travel department.

[luv2cruz4fun]

Just back from the Noordam 10 night and we only had 2 formal the rest were casual. Documents said 3 formal 2 informal and 5 casual. :confused: