What Will You Do If Formal Nights Are Discontinued?

[kryos]

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

Now you're talking!

 

It's YOUR cruise that you paid for with YOUR money. If you want formal nights, then you should have them. If you don't, well, that's okay too. Of course, HAL needs to ensure dress doesn't degrade too badly ... there should be some standards maintained (I personally say resort or country club casual), but other than that, everyone should be free to dress in the manner they feel most comfortable.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kakalina]

I do wish you had put in an option for " I would make no changes ". We would continue to sail at our regular pace and in truth it would make little difference to us in the long run what HAL decides. We dress in a manner and style that we are comfortable in and I've never cared what others thought. I learned a long time ago, follow the given rules, if there are no rules then make your own.

[RuthC]

Of course, HAL needs to ensure dress doesn't degrade too badly ... there should be some standards maintained (I personally say resort or country club casual),

And what has HAL done that anyone should have confidence they would maintain "some standards"---resort casual or otherwise?

They haven't maintained the standards they've set thus far. Do you really believe that lowering the bar will result in any difference on their part? I don't.

[May4]

I will pack dresses, my best slacks outfits, dressy but comfortable shoes. I will even pack the pantyhose. I enjoy looking nice. It's really no trouble. The clothing I pack weighs much less than jeans or large t-shirts.

 

When I walk through the doorway of the elegantly furnished dining room for a lovely late evening dinner, I would rather look my best. I promise I won't try to persuade anyone else to pack dressy outfits.

 

I even make sure to wear something nice when I have breakfast or lunch in the dining room. That's just me. Please feel quite sincerely free to ignore me:p

[cf_chuck]

In the past until the last cruise, I've found the advantage of formal nights being the opportunity to get some nice pics with various views of the ship's settings. The last cruise, however, put this into a different perspective (I didn't like the compositions or the new "sheet" format). It was nice to see my fellow passengers gussied up, but not something I paid much attention to. I typically wear a jacket (blazer) to dinner, so whether I dress "up" by putting on a suit, tie and solid shirt isn't a big deal (not going the tux route).

[scopewest]

I would have voted dance a jig but where's the topless deck on HAL ships?

[Mary Ellen]

I would have voted dance a jig but where's the topless deck on HAL ships?

There isn't one. Now there are some who don't care about the rules....

[NoNoNanette]

I would have voted dance a jig but where's the topless deck on HAL ships?

 

As far forward and as high as you can go. I don't know the "real" name of the deck.... it'll be above the Crow's Nest. :)

[marle7]

I picked we would continue to dress formal and cruise other lines. We are doing a cruise on the QM2 in November just because we are looking forward to the unique experience of dressing up every night.

[jn99]

Oddly enough, one of the things I did not like and was not looking forward to for our first cruise was the idea of formal night. Then a funny thing happened. My wife and I enjoyed dressing up! Now I wore a suit and tie, not a tux and she wore nice dresses, not gowns so we weren't extremely formal as such and we just ended up enjoying it.

 

I think I'd still prefer there be no formal nights but at the same time prefer HAL actually enforced a smart casual dress code. I hated seeing guys in jeans, tee shirts, and yes even caps in the dining room on smart casual night. One guy had a hunting t-shirt and hat, nicely bent around his forehead and no doubt tabacco stained - lovely. Didn't these people ever learn to remove their hats when going indoors, or at the very least when eating dinner :confused:

 

I saw a guy in a mis-matched sweatsuit, and other folks in jeans, sweatshirts, flip-flops, etc. Why doesn't HAL just kindly direct these folks to the Lido deck?

[RevNeal]

Now you're talking!

 

It's YOUR cruise that you paid for with YOUR money. If you want formal nights, then you should have them. If you don't, well, that's okay too.

 

Thanks. :) I'm trying to be positive, here. Someone's narcissistic gloating pushed me to it, but now I'm happy I did.

 

Of course, HAL needs to ensure dress doesn't degrade too badly ... there should be some standards maintained (I personally say resort or country club casual), but other than that, everyone should be free to dress in the manner they feel most comfortable.

 

In frank honesty, Rita ... why? Why should there be a minimal standard at all? I'm being serious, not sarcastic. If the important thing is people being comfortable, why any kind of minimal code at all?

[pipedreams62]

Oddly enough, one of the things I did not like and was not looking forward to for our first cruise was the idea of formal night. Then a funny thing happened. My wife and I enjoyed dressing up! Now I wore a suit and tie, not a tux and she wore nice dresses, not gowns so we weren't extremely formal as such and we just ended up enjoying it.

 

I think I'd still prefer there be no formal nights but at the same time prefer HAL actually enforced a smart casual dress code. I hated seeing guys in jeans, tee shirts, and yes even caps in the dining room on smart casual night. One guy had a hunting t-shirt and hat, nicely bent around his forehead and no doubt tabacco stained - lovely. Didn't these people ever learn to remove their hats when going indoors, or at the very least when eating dinner :confused:

 

I saw a guy in a mis-matched sweatsuit, and other folks in jeans, sweatshirts, flip-flops, etc. Why doesn't HAL just kindly direct these folks to the Lido deck?

 

 

This would be more help

 

[Copper10-8]

And what has HAL done that anyone should have confidence they would maintain "some standards"---resort casual or otherwise?

 

They haven't maintained the standards they've set thus far. Do you really believe that lowering the bar will result in any difference on their part? I don't.

 

Bingo! Plus that would mean "enforcing a dress code" for resort or country club casual:eek:

As far forward and as high as you can go. I don't know the "real" name of the deck.... it'll be above the Crow's Nest. :)

 

It's officially called the Observation Deck

[RevNeal]

I do wish you had put in an option for " I would make no changes ". We would continue to sail at our regular pace and in truth it would make little difference to us in the long run what HAL decides. We dress in a manner and style that we are comfortable in and I've never cared what others thought. I learned a long time ago, follow the given rules, if there are no rules then make your own.

 

Ah, ok! Well, that kind of fits with option 2, doesn't it? Or, does it better fit with option 6?

 

But, I understand. Perhaps I should have included more options in the Poll. I was just trying to limit the responses to how people would respond, assuming they would respond one way or another. You responded with option 2, so ... perhaps it's not that far off target?

[RevNeal]

I would have voted dance a jig but where's the topless deck on HAL ships?

 

There isn't one. Now there are some who don't care about the rules....

 

Well ... in theory there IS a "topless" deck. It's the one without a deck above it. On most HAL ship deck plans it called the "Sky Deck."

[RuthC]

It's officially called the Observation Deck

Which, when you come to think about it, is quite apropos. ;)

[Sage]

Sadly, I voted for another cruise line. Crystal here we come if formal nights are a thing of the past.

[cf_chuck]

And what has HAL done that anyone should have confidence they would maintain "some standards"---resort casual or otherwise?

 

They haven't maintained the standards they've set thus far. Do you really believe that lowering the bar will result in any difference on their part? I don't.

 

 

I've seen specific instances recently where a clear violation of the dress code has resulted in someone being refused seating in the main dining room. But this seems to me to be something that depends on who's on duty, the time and the nature of the violation. Enforcement of dress code in the Lido seems really lax, which is not a surprise since there's nobody on duty of any significant stature to enforce it. The code, to the extent it exists, depends on individual interpretation in many cases. The point is that, no matter what the minimum standard that is set, somebody will figure out a way to adhere to the letter but not the intent. I know I did for a number of years working for a company that had a dress code that required a tie and jacket. Being a lab rat, neither were useful or necessary in getting the job done. But rules are rules and I found a way to comply, although the results were often garrish.

[RevNeal]

It's officially called the Observation Deck

 

On the S and R ships the deck above the Crows nest is called the Sky Deck. On the Vista ships it's called the "Sports Deck" although that area is called the "Observation Deck" ... which is confusing, because the "Observation Deck" on the Vistas is actually Deck 10, not Deck 11.

[world~citizen]

One of the major concerns I have had is that the less enriched the dining venue becomes, the less enriched the dining menu will be. There is nothing more those clever guys at HAL would like to do than find some way to turn evening dining into a revenue generating proposition. If it were possible to scale down the dining experience to come as you are - casual, the four-course dinner would be out of place. Who knows what the main (free or no additional cost) dining room could become. With newer, alternate dining venues, four course dinners could still be offered, but at a price. The formal dining experience could be preserved for those who wish it enough to pay for it.

 

If HAL is not heading in this direction, they are making a pretty good impression of it. Formal dining times are being broken up. "Formal optional" is creeping in, and already the food in the main dining room falls short of the quality in the alternate venues.

 

Can HAL turn the main dining room away from the 4 course dining experience that it now is, and still keep disgruntled pax happy with formal dining venues that they enjoy - on a revenue generating basis? That job becomes a lot easier with people apparently clamouring for a casual dining experience. In doing so, I wonder if they realize they may be putting an important part of the cruise experience they love on the chopping block?

 

HAL's ability to do that will determine the future loyalty of their pax who still enjoy the amenities from the golden age of ocean liners.

 

Loyal HAL pax will never leave Holland America, but Holland America could well leave them.

 

I think cruise line companies have hired people clever enough to walk that tightrope and pull it off.

 

In short, I think all of us here will stay with HAL. Elegant/formal venues will always be provided.

[Krazy Kruizers]

My choice isn't listed - learn to live with it.

[RedmondCruiser]

I agree with KK. Go with the flow and live with it. We do like to dress up and I would have to mothball my three tuxes but so goes the war. My wife likes to dress up more than I do and I have not poled her on this subject. With the change in baggage fees, and progressively more casual attire I think that it is a for gone conclusion that formal night will go the way of the Dutch dinner.

[Boytjie]

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.

 

It must be an airline/cruise line plot!

[Copper10-8]

On the S and R ships the deck above the Crows nest is called the Sky Deck. On the Vista ships it's called the "Sports Deck" although that area is called the "Observation Deck" ... which is confusing, because the "Observation Deck" on the Vistas is actually Deck 10, not Deck 11.

 

So it's the Sky/Sports/Observation/Topless/Doing the horizontal Mambo at Night Deck

[meterman2]

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.

 

I agree. With the key words being "dressed accordingly". I would have no heartburn in losing "formal nights" but I would hate to see shorts, tees, flip flops, etc become the standard.