HAL dress

[momofmeg]

Over all I found my Westerdam cruise to be a traditionial cruise. Everyone dressed nicely for the most part. On casual nights almost everyone dressed in nice casual clothing-no sloppy casual.

 

I did see jeans the first night, but not after that. We did notice, (we had late dinner), that after late dinner, many were in shorts etc. even on formal night. I know the first formal night we were in the piano bar, and the singer complimented my hubby for wearing his tux and staying in his tux.

 

But still, the overall atmosphere was very "classy" and had the feel of our very first cruise of 10 years ago, which, even though this was a 4 day Carnival cruise on an old garbage ship, everyone dressed up.

 

Oh I did see one pair of "dress shorts". This gal had on wool, knee length shorts with hose and heels and a nice dressy blouse. She did not look sloppy at all, but I could not help but feel that those wool shorts must have been stifling. Now I saw her around ship, not at dinner.

 

Meg was with us and she enjoyed karoke and the disco late every night. There were plenty in her age group on ship, so she was able to have a good time also.

 

I am sure another cruise on a HAL vista class ship is in our future.

[Jane110]

Welcome home!

 

Glad you had a great cruise.

 

Sad to hear that people put on shorts after dinner, even on formal night. ugh!

[Kristin7701]

I was coming here to post a question about how people dress on HAL, so it sounds like you can help. My friends, two women in their mid-30s, are going to be on their first cruise on HAL. They're on the 12-night round trip Venice itinerary on Zuiderdam.

 

I've cruised on Princess, Celebrity and Royal Caribbean, so I told them I'd do a little research and give them some advice. If you know, can you give me an idea of how HAL would differ from these lines? Any tips to pass along? How many formal nights on a 12-night cruise?

 

Thanks!

[momofmeg]

I was coming here to post a question about how people dress on HAL, so it sounds like you can help. My friends, two women in their mid-30s, are going to be on their first cruise on HAL. They're on the 12-night round trip Venice itinerary on Zuiderdam.

 

I've cruised on Princess, Celebrity and Royal Caribbean, so I told them I'd do a little research and give them some advice. If you know, can you give me an idea of how HAL would differ from these lines? Any tips to pass along? How many formal nights on a 12-night cruise?

 

Thanks!

 

I am willing to bet you would not see shorts even late on formal night in the med.

 

Just tell them to bring nice pantsuits for casual nights and maybe a cocktail dress for formal nights that they could change the look by jewelry and wraps. If they pick a color like black, navy, or chocolate brown, they could wear the same dress all three formal nights, so less packing.

 

I would think sundresses and capris would be nice for the daytime, as my guess is it will be hot.

 

Hopefully caviergal will post to you. She has done the med several times, and she will be home in a couple of days I think, she is on the ship I was on last week.

 

Happy KS is doing the med this fall. She has a thread "Italy in October", you could post to her there. I am sure she can give you some pointers also, as she has been researching for some time.

 

Maybe Jane will post to you too. I think Jane had done the med on Oceania.

 

One thing for sure, I would rather be overdressed then underdressed. Also, HaL is more like Celebrity, then princess, much dressier then RCI.

[Hoyaheel]

I am 34 and did an 11 day on HAL last year. Did 7 day Alaska on Princess this year. Dress pretty much the same in terms of formality/casual level :p For a 12 day there will be 3 formal nights. You will see people doing separates for formal nights, and by the 3rd night--not so very "formal". Still nicely dressed. On our 11 day, I actually did wear 3 different dresses (whereas in Alaska I wore the same evening jacket & shell with different bottoms--needed the luggage space for other things that trip;) )

[Kristin7701]

So far, so good. Our only RC cruise was the Med last fall, and I'd say it was pretty dressy. DH was in a tux, and he was in good company. I chose full length formal dresses, only because a gal doesn't get enough chances to wear them, IMHO. I never noticed jeans in the dining room but I also realized that I don't pay much attention to what others wear. I just saw some underdressed people at the buffet during lunch, but that's inevitable.

[momofmeg]

So far, so good. Our only RC cruise was the Med last fall, and I'd say it was pretty dressy. DH was in a tux, and he was in good company. I chose full length formal dresses, only because a gal doesn't get enough chances to wear them, IMHO. I never noticed jeans in the dining room but I also realized that I don't pay much attention to what others wear. I just saw some underdressed people at the buffet during lunch, but that's inevitable.

 

Kristin, I have heard the med is VERY formal, no matter the line. Many say Europeans are not as sloppy as Amercians. Although I beg to differ from my day in Versailles on my cruise last fall. I took alot of pains to be dressed nicely that day as I had heard the French dress very "smart" and I did not want to stick out as a "sloppy Amercian". Well, low and behold, the day we were there was the day that French citizens got into museums for free. I saw LOTS of sloppy French people that day.