What Will You Do If Formal Nights Are Discontinued?

[RevNeal]

This is a simple poll ... you're also welcome to share your thoughts regarding what you'll do on this thread. Given that some seem to be overjoyed at this rumored change, while others are not, I thought a poll would be instructive.

 

Regarding "How can one dress for formal nights if they've been discontinued"?

Cute point ... Make your own formal nights.

We're already doing that, to a degree, by continuing to dress up on those nights that are designated "Formal" but are being ignored by some.

[RevNeal]

I will continue to cruise HAL and dress for a Formal Night or two while aboard. It all depends upon the length of the cruise, etc. I will also look toward taking a few cruises on other lines, like Cunard and Crystal, etc., however I won't stop cruising HAL.

[Boytjie]

This is a simple poll ... you're also welcome to share your thoughts regarding what you'll do on this thread. Given that some seem to be overjoyed at this rumored change, while others are not, I thought a poll would be instructive.

 

Not so simple!

 

How do you 'Continue to cruise HAL and dress for Formal Night' if there is no Formal Night? :eek:

 

Also could have an option 'Life goes on'.

[RevNeal]

Not so simple!

 

How do you 'Continue to cruise HAL and dress for Formal Night' if there is no Formal Night? :eek:

 

Also could have an option 'Life goes on'.

 

Sure it is. You create your own formal night. :) You pick a sea day or two or three (or all sea days) and dress up for 'em. Think about it, Ruth! Every Sea day could be formal night for us!!! :D

 

As for the "Life goes on" option ... that's kind of assumed in all answers.

[Bill HaHa]

It makes no difference to me. If they have formal nights, I will dress according to that. If they discontue then I will dress smart casual and not pack my dress shirts and ties. It really is no big deal.

[RevNeal]

It makes no difference to me. If they have formal nights, I will dress according to that. If they discontue then I will dress smart casual and not pack my dress shirts and ties. It really is no big deal.

 

My guess is that your response is probably the attitude of quite a number of HAL cruisers.

[ncsongbird]

First, let me say that I do pack a long gown for formal nights and my husband rents a tux so we do dress up. However, we pick our cruises for the itineraries and it wouldn't matter to us if there were no such things as formal nights. We would not base our decision to cruise on a certain line just because of the formal night. Frankly, we are trying to pack lighter each trip so not having to pack formal wear would be just fine with us.

[NoNoNanette]

I dance a jig on the Topless Deck regardless of dress code.

 

I'm going to perfect that dance in 7 short days. :D

[JimVrhovac]

We will dress for formal nights until Peppy Le Pew makes us stop...

 

Ruth & Jim

[JimVrhovac]

I will vouluntter to help you practice your dance routine as long as you don't tell Ruth.....

 

Jim (without Ruth)

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Greg, while I voted "Continue to cruise HAL and dress for Formal Night " I have to say that we most likely will not always dress Formal, it will depend on the occasion. Also we will mostly still cruise HAL but may cruise another line once in a while like we are doing next May with Princess. I like HAL a lot and the dressing Formal is way at the bottom of the lists I do like about HAL. While I love HAL Formal nights, it is far from a deal breaker.

Something tells me that if we see HAL do away with Formal nights then Princess, Celebrity, RCCL and Carnival will be also doing so either right before or right after very close to each other. The only line I see that would not would be Cunard.

[RevNeal]

We will dress for formal nights until Peppy Le Pew makes us stop...

 

Ruth & Jim

 

Bless you, Ruth and Jim!!!! :) Peppy will let you!

I say let every night be formal night and Peppy's backside will have to tolerate your feet for a long time to come!!!!

[RuthC]

Sure it is. You create your own formal night. :) You pick a sea day or two or three (or all sea days) and dress up for 'em. Think about it, Ruth! Every Sea day could be formal night for us!!! :D

I don't know about this one, Greg. I have to think about it a while---probably have to see how low the adherence to the dress code goes before I go formal every night. :D

We all know that HAL can't/won't enforce the dress code now. Whatever would make us think they'll do it when the bar has been set so much lower? :confused:

Of course I still wear my informals, even though HAL doesn't have such a night anymore. Why stop wearing my pretty clothes when they're still good? And I just bought all those pretty new formals. So, I might go along with "Cruise Critic Formal". ;)

[RevNeal]

Greg, while I voted "Continue to cruise HAL and dress for Formal Night " I have to say that we most likely will not always dress Formal, it will depend on the occasion. Also we will mostly still cruise HAL but may cruise another line once in a while like we are doing next May with Princess. I like HAL a lot and the dressing Formal is way at the bottom of the lists I do like about HAL. While I love HAL Formal nights, it is far from a deal breaker.

Something tells me that if we see HAL do away with Formal nights then Princess, Celebrity, RCCL and Carnival will be also doing so either right before or right after very close to each other. The only line I see that would not would be Cunard.

 

I agree with you in your final conclusion.

And, I certainly understand your attitude regarding formal nights.

Thanks to RuthC's influence, I don't care one way or the other. I'll continue to dress up when I want in order to celebrate occasions on HAL (sea days are a special enough occasions, in my opinion!), while also enjoying other Lines -- like Cunard. Those who are inclined to gloat (as one did on another thread) can put the gloats away.

[Mary Ellen]

We won't leave HAL over the dress code, unless t-shirts and cut-offs become the attire of the evening. :rolleyes:

[RevNeal]

I don't know about this one, Greg. I have to think about it a while---probably have to see how low the adherence to the dress code goes before I go formal every night. :D

We all know that HAL can't/won't enforce the dress code now. Whatever would make us think they'll do it when the bar has been set so much lower? :confused:

Of course I still wear my informals, even though HAL doesn't have such a night anymore. Why stop wearing my pretty clothes when they're still good? And I just bought all those pretty new formals. So, I might go along with "Cruise Critic Formal". ;)

 

:)

I don't think HAL will be enforcing ANY dress code, if this happens. It'll be up to us to dress up as we wish and ignore the rest. You taught me about that, remember?

[NoNoNanette]

I will vouluntter to help you practice your dance routine as long as you don't tell Ruth.....

 

Jim (without Ruth)

 

That's going to be a helluva feat, Jim..... didn't Ruth tell you???? She's joining me on the Topless Deck on our next cruise together!

SURPRISE! :D:D

[RuthC]

:)

I don't think HAL will be enforcing ANY dress code, if this happens. It'll be up to us to dress up as we wish and ignore the rest. You taught me about that, remember?

:) :) :) Sure do.

I was on the Volendam with my older grandgirl one smart casual night. We were both dressed very nicely, to the code, when someone questioned us "Isn't it casual tonight?".

I was so proud when my granddaughter said "We like to look nice".

[Sailor Gal]

I do enjoy formal night and look forward to that part of cruising - however I would not choose a cruise line based on whether or not they had formal nights. Frankly for women it's easy to pack a slinky dress and sandals, but for men - those tuxes and suits do take up precious space - especially since the airlines are limiting our luggage now. I wonder if formal nights are a thing of the past will lobster be as well?

[RevNeal]

:) :) :) Sure do.

I was on the Volendam with my older grandgirl one smart casual night. We were both dressed very nicely, to the code, when someone questioned us "Isn't it casual tonight?".

I was so proud when my granddaughter said "We like to look nice".

 

I would have LOVED to have been there to hear and see that! Good for her ... and for you! I remember our wonderful Smart Casual nights aboard the Rotterdam this year ... how incredibly smart Karl looked in slacks, jacket, dress shirt and tie! WOW! I felt a tad under dressed in "informal" standard (slacks, button down shirt, and jacket). :) It was GREAT.

[RevNeal]

I do enjoy formal night and look forward to that part of cruising - however I would not choose a cruise line based on whether or not they had formal nights. Frankly for women it's easy to pack a slinky dress and sandals, but for men - those tuxes and suits do take up precious space - especially since the airlines are limiting our luggage now. I wonder if formal nights are a thing of the past will lobster be as well?

 

Firstly, the airlines have been limiting our luggage (number of bags, size of bags) for a long time now. They've just gotten more strict. It remains to be seen if they will manage to be as strict as they have become for very long before law suits force a change (there is one in the works already).

 

I'm reminded of something that was said on an earlier thread ... you've gotta wear something on those evenings ... if not a Tux or a suit, you'll be packing more pants and shirts and such. So, in the end, the savings in weight and space are minimal and best, and more likely neutral (after all, with a Tuxedo a man has all he needs for all formal nights, be there 2 or 10. Without formal nights, one will have to pack several pairs of pants and several more different shirts for those evenings.

 

As for lobster ... they cost money, so I'm sure those "lobster tails" will be going away, too.

[NoNoNanette]

AHOY, Bobby-Baby! (PrescottBob). :D

 

I'm sad to think of you possibly leaving HAL, honey. I was kind of hoping that somewhere down the line we'd cruise together. *pouting*

[Mary Ellen]

... you've gotta wear something on those evenings ... if not a Tux or a suit, you'll be packing more pants and shirts and such. So, in the end, the savings in weight and space are minimal and best, and more likely neutral (after all, with a Tuxedo a man has all he needs for all formal nights, be there 2 or 10. Without formal nights, one will have to pack several pairs of pants and several more different shirts for those evenings.

That's our way of thinking. The only thing we'd save on packing would be DH's formal shoes (for some reason they don't have 13Bs to rent ;) ). We just look at the cost of 'extra' bags as an increase in airfares, nothing to get all bent out of shape about. Hummm, will this put a stop to the 'sumgglers' so rampant on other forums??? I think not. They'll find it cost effective to pay for the extra luggage in order to 'smuggle', but somehow not worthwhile for clothing....

 

Now, about those "lobsters"... Since years ago they quit serving the cold water lobsters (in an earlier cost cutting move), I've given up eating them on cruise ships. What they now serve isn't worth my time to eat. :eek:

[usha]

We just look at the cost of 'extra' bags as an increase in airfares, nothing to get all bent out of shape about. Hummm, will this put a stop to the 'sumgglers' so rampant on other forums??? I think not. They'll find it cost effective to pay for the extra luggage in order to 'smuggle', but somehow not worthwhile for clothing....

Too funny, but sadly, too true.

[RevNeal]

Hummm, will this put a stop to the 'sumgglers' so rampant on other forums??? I think not. They'll find it cost effective to pay for the extra luggage in order to 'smuggle', but somehow not worthwhile for clothing....

 

OOOOOH ... that's an interesting thought regarding the luggage issue that hadn't occurred to me. What about all those people who want to smuggle booze aboard in order to "save money." How are they going to manage that if they have to restrict their luggage?? EXCELLENT question. Somehow, I think you're right ... they'll find a way.