How do you really feel about formal nights?

[RevNeal]

DW is thinking about dusting off her 'Sunday' beads for our upcoming cruise. I will wear my very best T-shirt, will try not eat with my hands and remember not to wipe my hands on the tablecloth.

 

:D

And I will try to remember to not stuff my napkin in my neck collar to protect my tux shirt front. :D

[JustMom]

I can't believe that I'm getting back into this. A cruise is a "special time"???

Puh-lease-- a cruise is a vacation that most of us take 2, maybe 3, or even 4 or more times a year. And to the cruiser that said that formal clothes need not be expensive-- well that's pretty evident from watching the formal night parade. Just because some people go to Walmart and buy a long dress does not mean it's formal.

As for the days of old-- steamer trunks and all-- We cannot afford to have a cabin for the help anymore-- so therefore, my dresser etc cannot accompnay us on our cruises. Nice formal wear is wasted on the majority of the masses who have come lately to cruising. Just because one can rent a tux for the formal evening shouldn't mean that one can go back to polyester the next evening.

Cruises are now part of our lives-- and let's face it-- most people I know think that cruisers are amongst the lower classes-- after all-- a cheap vacation is a cheap vacation.

Don't get me wrong-- we enjoy cruising because it is very reasonably priced, you only unpack once, we don't have to fly and the people watching is priceless. We will continue to cruise and if we don't feel like wasting the needlepoint cumberbund on the masses, we shall happily have room service!

 

WOW!! THAT seemed like a slam on a number of people/issues:eek:

 

Did I read it wrong?:confused:

[jocelysue]

My, oh my, what one does find out about oneself on this board! There is another thread on this board which talks abot what the hook about cruising is. Maybe I should have replied to that thread but had not yet figured out which was THE answer. Now I have it. It's formal nights. And this is the thead that appeals to me for this particular answer.

 

I love cruising because it gives me the chance to play dressup. Other Canadians on this board will relate to Mr. Dressup ( a Canadian Mr. Rogers type albeit he was a US citizen) who was the top babysitter of all time. I have come to realize that one of the main reasons I cruise is that it gives me the chance to put on formal duds. I simply LOVE dressing up. And DH does too (although I truly doubt that's one of his main reasons for cruising ) . When I was in the work force I had to go to lots of formal parties and enjoyed almost every moment. Had so much fun choosing gowns.

 

However, after DH and I both retired, we didn't go to as many official events (out of sight, out of mind?). We travelled around quite a bit but did come to the conclusion that cruising was athe way for us to go to feed our formal attire junkie habit.

 

So, others can dress as they please even though we do delight in seeing others play the same dressup game we do. That won't hinder or impede us from schlepping our formal attire with us even if that means we have to give up our daytime jeans. Cruising is for pleasure and enjoyment.

 

Hopefully, most persons choose the cruise line which most satisfies their innermost cravings-- or least which they hope will. Hopefully, most persons accept that mistakes may and will be made. So those who choose HAL know, at least to a certain extent, that there is a subtle tendency toward more formal wear than on some other lines. If they don't, or won't comply, so be it. DH and I will continue to blissfully enjoy ourselves. I will wear glitzty clothes, if I so choose, and be happy doing so.

 

On the other hand, if someone else prefers a minidress, so be it. Their money is as good as ours. And their taste is as good as ours, even if it is different , provided they remain within the widest of HAL'S proposedguidelines.

 

Happy cruising all.

[gbamber]

I'm 100% against Formal Nights because I am disabled and can't participate. I don't begrudge anyone who likes them.

[bUU]

Anyone so foolish as to believe a poll on Cruise Critic really proves anything will ignore what it proves if they disagree anyhow ...

Agreed! :)

[bUU]

I'm not surprised that bicker felt it incumbent upon him to lecture on the science of polling.

It wasn't a lecture. It was an explanation, and given how some folks read what they see online and believe it, very necessary. Mike's note was very much the case: Reading meaning into any of these poll results is foolish fun, at best.

 

By a similar act of addition (making similar assumptions about what people do based upon what they say they like), it would appear that 92.43% of those who voted on this poll DO dress up.

The results can also be read as to say that almost 78% of the people wouldn't stop cruising a cruise line if the cruise line relaxed the dress code more. FWIW.

[Harry1954]

For me, formal nights are an important part of the tradition of cruising and should continue. In our increasingly informal society there are fewer and fewer opportunities to have a really elegant formal evening.

The cruise lines have provided well for those who do not wish to dress for dinner by serving an informal, but usually quite nice, dinner in the restaurant located on Lido deck.

I just don't understand what all the fuss is about. Seems to me everyone is being adequately served.

 

I am with you on this one.

 

Further, I love to see my wife dressed up as all the years raising 5 children, she didn't have much time to - and she looks gorgeous. For me, the dang tux is a bother, but for the reward of seeing her excitement in buying dresses and SHOES now when she did not over the years is great.

 

harry

[Cruising-along]

 

I love cruising because it gives me the chance to play dressup. Other Canadians on this board will relate to Mr. Dressup ( a Canadian Mr. Rogers type albeit he was a US citizen) who was the top babysitter of all time.

 

Hello "ma petite" cheerleader :)

I'm not Canadian, but I sure DO remember Mr. Dressup! DS LOVED watching his program (and to this day he loves to dress up too) :) I just wish DH liked it as much. I could enjoy formal nights much more if DH enjoyed it more. He hates hauling everything along in the garment bags, especially on long-distance flights. :( So for him it's more the problem of packing/bringing along than the actual wearing of formal wear. He won't rent a tux, so that's out of the question. :( It's so much easier for women, with all the beautiful easy-pack nice long skirts and tops that won't wrinkle. I have lots of long gowns from our Navy days, but most of them aren't easy to pack either.

[Cruising-along]

(duplicate post)

[SarasMommy]

I hate shopping for clothes. I hate deciding which dresses to take since I don’t want to take more than I have to, but being a woman we sometimes change six times before leaving the house. So I get into a big debate with myself about whether I’m sure I’ll feel like wearing a particular dress once formal night rolls around. I hate dressing up for work so I never do. I also hate cutting short whatever activity I’m doing in order to rush back to my cabin to start getting ready for formal night. Plus there’s the worry of whether my clothes will arrive all wrinkled, if my luggage gets lost, etc. My husband is a big guy, so once he packs his formal clothes his suitcase weighs a ton, and he always has to pay a surcharge for extra weight to the airlines. He has to dress up every day for work, so he always complains about having to dress up on vacation, too. We spend the entire two hours before formal nights tripping over each other in our cabin while trying to get ready on time.

Having said all that…

Once we get to the captain’s reception, all those feelings vanish. We really enjoy the opportunity to dress up because we don’t get the occasion very often at home. Also, seeing everyone else looking so nice and polished is a pleasure as well. It doesn’t last forever, it’s only a few hours, and it’s the least we can do when requested to by the cruise line. Again, it’s like other cruise activities – if you don’t want to participate, there are other options like the Lido or room service. I think some people need to learn to pick their battles and not get so offended over formal nights. Nobody is trying to infringe on people’s rights, just trying to set up something nice for people to enjoy.

My mother went on a cruise down the Nile in 1990, and one night they had a galabeya night, which is the traditional dress of Egypt. Over half of the passengers wore them that night. Since this obviously was not part of the mostly North American passengers’ normal attire, most people bought their galabeyas during the trip. Nobody complained, just enjoyed the experience.

[MercedMike]

::trying valiantly once more to drag the thread back to the original purpose::

::you don't want to post on a cruise board without a porpoise::

 

But DO you think HAL is more formal than other cruise lines? What do those who have cruised several lines think? Does the poll prove it? Who is the frontrunner for president in 2012??

 

>:-)

[NoNoNanette]

The results can also be read as to say that almost 78% of the people wouldn't stop cruising a cruise line if the cruise line relaxed the dress code more. FWIW.

 

You beat me to it, Bicker! :) A WHOPPING 78% of CRUISE CRITIC MEMBERS ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES!

 

Having spent years in newspaper display advertising/public relations/marketing, I was able to come to the same conclusion! I became very proficient at juggling numbers to present a desired result! :D

 

BTW: Some people see any difference of opinion as a "lecture". It's a persecution complex, my friend. Your post made perfect sense to the majority of posters and wasn't the least bit offensive. ;)

 

Have a pleasant weekend!

[cp556]

I do think HAL is more formal than the mass-market lines ... esp in the evenings. Simply, the demographics of the passengers are different. And the cruise lengths are different ... 3 & 4 night cruises tend to have more of a "party" atmosphere.

But HAL's not stuffy, either.

That's what makes HAL special to me. When I was 22 I might not have enjoyed the line as much as I do at .... (age deleted....lol).

 

The frontrunner for president in 2012, IMHO, is this guy from Merced California named Mike ....

 

Carol in SC

 

 

 

::trying valiantly once more to drag the thread back to the original purpose::

::you don't want to post on a cruise board without a porpoise::

 

But DO you think HAL is more formal than other cruise lines? What do those who have cruised several lines think? Does the poll prove it? Who is the frontrunner for president in 2012??

 

>:-)

[SarasMommy]

[quote=MercedMike;11356445

::you don't want to post on a cruise board without a porpoise::

 

>:-)

 

Never boarded a cruise with a porpoise - but we did see a big whale in the Mediterranean. He was very underdressed for the occasion...;)

[RevNeal]

My husband is a big guy, so once he packs his formal clothes his suitcase weighs a ton, and he always has to pay a surcharge for extra weight to the airlines. He has to dress up every day for work, so he always complains about having to dress up on vacation, too. We spend the entire two hours before formal nights tripping over each other in our cabin while trying to get ready on time.

 

I'm also a big guy. Why does packing formal clothing make his suitcase weigh a ton? I'm sure you're being hyperbolic here (in the US a "short ton" is 2000 pounds), but a single suit (a Tux or a business suit), a dress shirt, tie, and dress shoes don't really weigh that much more than the equivalent casual clothing for such nights would weigh. Yes, for big guys they do take up more space and weigh a bit more, but they're not THAT much heavier. For a cruise of 10+ days I always pack two bags and have only once gone over the maximum weight on a bag (and that was for a 21 day cruise). Usually, I can balance the bags weight and not have a problem.

 

Perhaps consider splitting his luggage into two bags?

[lkmamom]

I think that it is really interesting....on our cruise last week I only noticed two couples that were not dressed to the nines on formal night.One couple wore jeans and the other couple sweat pants. Not a soul said a word to them and it did not ruin anyone's evening. Before I get flamed, I was not taking notes because it would offend me, it was more for all of those that seem to have a problem with formal night, almost everyone seems to try to abide with what is asked of them, even down to the very youngest of cruisers (they looked darling).

 

I know that it is a pain sometimes to pack the extra things that are needed for formal night. For me, it is a part of cruising that sets a cruise vacation apart from any land vacation. It is a part of the tradition of cruising. On our last cruise I happened to walk by the main dining room before formal night and the guys and gals were in there very early setting the tables and polishing the silver and putting special coverings on the chairs. It is special and if they go to all of the work to make it special, I think that out of respect cruisers should abide with what is asked of them (IMHO of course:) ). The beauty of cruising now is that there are otheroptions available. I thought that it was wonderful that the Lido offered for the most part the exact same menu as the Rembrandt dining room each evening. they also put very nice table cloths on the tables. I think that the cruiselines really try to keep things as easy for their guests as they can and yet maintain that tradition of "special" cruise evenings.

I hope that HAL never does away with the formal evenings, I love them!

One does not have to go to a lot of extremes or expense to look special.

Linda

[SarasMommy]

I'm also a big guy. Why does packing formal clothing make his suitcase weigh a ton? I'm sure you're being hyperbolic here (in the US a "short ton" is 2000 pounds), but a single suit (a Tux or a business suit), a dress shirt, tie, and dress shoes don't really weigh that much more than the equivalent casual clothing for such nights would weigh. Yes, for big guys they do take up more space and weigh a bit more, but they're not THAT much heavier. For a cruise of 10+ days I always pack two bags and have only once gone over the maximum weight on a bag (and that was for a 21 day cruise). Usually, I can balance the bags weight and not have a problem.

 

Perhaps consider splitting his luggage into two bags?

 

Well, I've never physically compared the actual weight of his dress clothes to his casual clothes, which is why I used a ridiculous term such as a "ton". All I can tell you is that when packing he puts those in last, and by then he has to let out the last expander on the case. He also uses a garment bag for them, which I'm sure doesn't help with the weight. Plus if he wore casual clothes instead, he could probably get away with wearing other clothes twice (after a visit to the laundromat, of course!).

 

Regarding splitting his luggage, we always cruise with my 75-year-old mother, who can't walk very well and certainly can't carry her own luggage. Unfortunately after dealing with all of that, we are out of hands!

 

Believe me, I love the formal nights. I have never once considered dressing casual and going to the Lido instead.

[RevNeal]

Well, I've never physically compared the actual weight of his dress clothes to his casual clothes, which is why I used a ridiculous term such as a "ton". All I can tell you is that when packing he puts those in last, and by then he has to let out the last expander on the case. He also uses a garment bag for them, which I'm sure doesn't help with the weight. Plus if he wore casual clothes instead, he could probably get away with wearing other clothes twice (after a visit to the laundromat, of course!).

 

Does he use a packing list to help in selection of clothing for a cruise? I have often discovered that when I try to pack without a list I end up packing way too much, some of which I don't wear (not even once). When I use a list, I coordinate my clothing with the number of days/nights, etc., I find that I end up packing fewer pair of slacks, fewer shirts, etc. I also pack the heavy/harder to pack things FIRST. I put the suit, in a dry-cleaner bag, at the very base of the garment bag. I hang the dress shirt(s) right next to it, and a couple pair of slacks along with them. I don't hang many other things in a large rolling garment bag, however, because the wire hangers end up taking up unneeded weight and space. Rather, I lay the bag flat and fold clothing and start arranging them around the ends of the bag, spreading toward the middle. Yes, sometimes I get the bag too filled and I have to cutting items or spreading them to another bag. But, generally, it works.

 

As for wearing clothing twice ... I always do. Sometimes, on long cruises, I wear outfits more than twice (with laundry/dry cleaning, of course). With regard to formal clothing, one will wear a tux or a suit more than once on nearly any HAL cruise. I usually take 2 suits (a tux and a business suit) for a cruise of 14+ days, but I could easily get by with just a tux or just a suit. The extra suit is a luxury I don't need, and can do without, on any cruise of less-than 20 days length.

 

Regarding splitting his luggage, we always cruise with my 75-year-old mother, who can't walk very well and certainly can't carry her own luggage. Unfortunately after dealing with all of that, we are out of hands!

 

I understand. Though, to distribute the weight more evenly you might consider cross-packing between your husband, yourself, and your mother. When I've traveled with just my mother I often discover that her bags are quite a bit under the weight limit ... so, we cross pack some of my stuff into her bags and some of her stuff into my bags. This makes her rolling bag heavier (but, big deal ... it's rolling and I lift it for her when it needs lifting), and it makes my rolling bags lighter.

 

Have you given thought to rolling luggage? Have you given thought to luggage that can be attached to other luggage? That's what I do. I have a large up-right that has wheels. To it I can hang/attach up to three bag (stacked) and then just roll the stack of bags behind me. I don't CARRY them, that's for sure. My mother uses a medium-sized rolling upright and a smaller rolling upright for cosmetics and such. She hangs one from the other and rolls them (usually) ahead of her.

 

Believe me, I love the formal nights. I have never once considered dressing casual and going to the Lido instead.

 

Oh, I do believe you. No question there. One doesn't go to the trouble that we go to with packing and carrying such finery if we don't truly love the occasions and want to dress for them. All I am suggesting is a bit of creativity in packing and cross packing.

 

I once got a black suit to a cruise by WEARING IT in transit to the ship. I was serving as chaplain aboard for that cruise, and therefore it made sense to come dressed that way, but it cut down on the weight of my bags by wearing my black suit rather than packing it. I've been giving thought to doing that for my next chaplain-service cruise, but that will be quite a long-range flight and I don't think I want to be dressed up for an 18 hour transit. :)

[LuvsDamships]

I think that it is really interesting....on our cruise last week I only noticed two couples that were not dressed to the nines on formal night.One couple wore jeans and the other couple sweat pants. Not a soul said a word to them and it did not ruin anyone's evening. Before I get flamed, I was not taking notes because it would offend me, it was more for all of those that seem to have a problem with formal night, almost everyone seems to try to abide with what is asked of them, even down to the very youngest of cruisers (they looked darling).

 

That is my opinion, as well. Most people seem to try and take part. Its seldom that I notice anyone not dressed rightly.

[LuvsDamships]

Have you given thought to rolling luggage? Have you given thought to luggage that can be attached to other luggage? That's what I do. I have a large up-right that has wheels. To it I can hang/attach up to three bag (stacked) and then just roll the stack of bags behind me. I don't CARRY them, that's for sure. My mother uses a medium-sized rolling upright and a smaller rolling upright for cosmetics and such. She hangs one from the other and rolls them (usually) ahead of her.

 

What kind of rolling bags do you suggest, Rev. I'm in need of some new luggage, and was thinking about a rolling upright, but can 't make up my mind.

[sapper1]

My husband and I choose Holland America because most of the passengers do respect the formal nights and dress for the occasion. We love the elegance and the ambience associated with those special evenings and would not consider spending money on a cruise line where the passengers do not respect the dress code. It seems to be quite simple. If one is not interested in dressing for dinner then one should be quite happy on one of the lines favoured by the younger, and perhaps more casual, crowd. Why go on HAL and stand out like a sore thumb in your jeans on formal night?? I am not trying to be nasty---just can't understand why people go on HAL and then complain about having to dress.

[Lynne Myrna]

WOW!! THAT seemed like a slam on a number of people/issues:eek:

 

Did I read it wrong?:confused:

 

JustMom....you didn't read it wrong....this is a poll, not a lecture on what the masses wear, whether expensive clothing, or clothing from Wal*Mart, as Debi stated. These threads are to help people, not to put them down, making them feel bad:(

 

Lynne:)

[bepsf]

What kind of rolling bags do you suggest, Rev. I'm in need of some new luggage, and was thinking about a rolling upright, but can 't make up my mind.

 

David--

It's time for Tumi...

http://www.tumi.com/index.cfm?sub_site_id=13

[NoNoNanette]

If one is not interested in dressing for dinner then one should be quite happy on one of the lines favoured by the younger, and perhaps more casual, crowd. Why go on HAL and stand out like a sore thumb in your jeans on formal night?? I am not trying to be nasty---just can't understand why people go on HAL and then complain about having to dress.

 

I find that mindset to be a rather presumptuous. Perhaps you should be quite happy on one of the lines favored by an older, and perhaps dressier crowd. :)

 

And WHO is advocating wearing "jeans on formal night??" :confused:

 

HAL's prices have become extremely competitive, thus the demographics of the passengers have changed.

[sapper1]

I find that mindset to be a rather presumptuous. Perhaps you should be quite happy on one of the lines favored by an older, and perhaps dressier crowd. :)

 

I believe that was my point---I am older--in my 60's and I prefer an older, dressier crowd.