Formal nights-the truth how I saw it

[Palmetto Lady]

I think Equal tastes better than Splenda.

[PCruzer]

I really do not understand what the big deal is. If you want to dress casually on formal evenings then eat in the Lido or get room service. If you want to dress up then eat in the MDR or Pinnacle. The food in the MDR on formal nights is not that much different than on non formal nights, with perhaps the exception of the usually tough and overcooked lobster or crab (as it is on most cruise lines). If we are dressed accordingly in the MDR on formal evenings we really do not care if others are dressed casually but others do not share that opinion. We often skip formal evenings in the MDR as we are fairly light packers and dressing up does not do it for us.

Everyone has a different view of what formal attire means. As stated in previous posts, some men wear a tux, others a suit, and yet others a sports jacket & tie. As for the women, some prefer gowns, or sparkly dresses, yet others choose black pants and a dressy top. The way I see it, any of the above is more than acceptable in the MDR on a formal night. And while HAL offers dinner in the Lido for those not wanting to get dressed up, there are those passengers who feel that being relegated to the Lido on formal night isn't what they paid for. On our last cruise, we were on a shore excursion with a woman who "boasted" to everyone that they "don't do formal nights, and don't eat in the Lido." She felt that paying her cruise fare entitled her to come to dinner in the MDR dressed any way she wanted, even on a formal night. Somewhere at the beginning of this thread, someone mentioned that they look forward to the food and the ambiance in the MDR. Well, if you get a lot of people who think like this woman did, there won't be any ambiance left!

[Richie2pies]

Why do the "fashion police" get so up-tight about how others dress? I could care less about how others choose to dress as long as they're clean, neat, and don't smell bad. I suppose some people just live in the past instead of now.

[PCruzer]

Why do the "fashion police" get so up-tight about how others dress? I could care less about how others choose to dress as long as they're clean, neat, and don't smell bad. I suppose some people just live in the past instead of now.

Not quite understanding what you mean by "living in the past instead of now." It is in the present time that HAL has formal nights. Like I said, formal means different things to different people. Some go all out, others are more subdued. The Lido is available for those who don't want to participate in formal night. That's fine. When someone does not want to *dress up* on a designated formal night but still insists on eating in the MDR, it spoils the atmosphere and the ambiance for everyone else.

[off2ctheworld]

Isn't it amazing how we all have such varied thoughts on the clothing subject. Life is great that we can discuss this. Yes, I have beautiful formal dresses. Yes, we need to fly to get to cruise ports. Yes, I have worn formal dresses on cruises and Yes, I've worn black slacks and glittery tops on cruises.

 

Best part of all these yes answers... Yes we will continue to enjoy HAL and other lines, and go on cruises and yes, I will continue to wear something on formal night that will be acceptable to that cruise and cruiseline. Many cruisers will do the same.

 

No nudist cruises for me :)

[Richie2pies]

In this day and age, people are less and less choosing to dress formally. I live in Florida and even in the best restaurants, people don't wear a suit and tie. The MDR's are certainly not comparable to a 5 star restaurant and even the 5 stars are not requiring formal dress. Living in the past is what the people who insist on formal dress on a ship are doing. They look back on how things USED to be, instead of facing reality on how things have changed. You see less and less people dressing formally on a ship and that's why the ships SUGGEST a dress mode and don't insist on it. In a short time, you'll see most of the lines emulate NCL and do away with formal nights. If it pleases you to dress up, fine; don't insist that others do. Why should other people's dress bother you? CHILL!!

[cruz chic]

In this day and age, people are less and less choosing to dress formally. I live in Florida and even in the best restaurants, people don't wear a suit and tie. The MDR's are certainly not comparable to a 5 star restaurant and even the 5 stars are not requiring formal dress. Living in the past is what the people who insist on formal dress on a ship are doing. They look back on how things USED to be, instead of facing reality on how things have changed. You see less and less people dressing formally on a ship and that's why the ships SUGGEST a dress mode and don't insist on it. In a short time, you'll see most of the lines emulate NCL and do away with formal nights. If it pleases you to dress up, fine; don't insist that others do. Why should other people's dress bother you? CHILL!!

About 3 - 4 years ago people predicted they end of formal nights within the year. That didn't happen. I don't think NCL is really a cruise line HAL should mirror itself after.

[startwin]

Not quite understanding what you mean by "living in the past instead of now." It is in the present time that HAL has formal nights. Like I said, formal means different things to different people. Some go all out, others are more subdued. The Lido is available for those who don't want to participate in formal night. That's fine. When someone does not want to *dress up* on a designated formal night but still insists on eating in the MDR, it spoils the atmosphere and the ambiance for everyone else.

 

It doesn't spoil it for me. I don't care what anyone else wears, just what I'm wearing.

[tip]

Why do the "fashion police" get so up-tight about how others dress? I could care less about how others choose to dress as long as they're clean, neat, and don't smell bad. I suppose some people just live in the past instead of now.

 

Well said!

[Down-Unders]

Just back from a 17 day Panama Canal cruise. There is so much posted about formal nights on these boards, and I just wanted to share my experience. I agonize about packing and really do not like or want to pack formal clothes and with the luggage restrictions with the airlines these days, it is really a pain. There are those here on CC who defend the guidelines on the HAL site, how many times have we had it copied and pasted, we get it, however no where does it say "mandatory" only a suggestion as to what is "usually seen". My observations on this cruise, was that most passengers, although dressed nicely on formal nights, saw very few gowns and tuxes, a great number of men in just shirts and ties and women in pants and a little bling around their neck. No big deal, no one refused entry in the MDR, no one that I heard, huffing and puffing about what others are wearing or not wearing. Times have changed, like it or not, we are a more casual society, look at what people are wearing to church. My advice, to those who are worried about formal nights, no need to stress, gentlemen, take a tie, ladies, add some bling and enjoy!

 

 

Airline restrictions is no excuse for not dressing for formal nights. What's next?

[iancal]

No excuse whatsoever and none is required. It is simply that formal evenings have absolutely no appeal to us -especially on our usual Caribbean cruises.

[ROZO'SBEAU]

Black Tuxedo's and White Dinner Jackets forever !!!

There are plenty of WALMART OF THE SEAS cruise lines out there.

[cruz chic]

Airline restrictions is no excuse for not dressing for formal nights. What's next?

You hear this argument all the time. People use the excuse of the airline restrictions. On my last cruise I was at a table with nine people at it. 3 of us dressed for formal night, the other 6 did not. Later in the cruise one of the ladies said she brought 5 suitcases for a 7 day cruise. While I can never be accused of packing light, I thought that was excessive. One formal night she was dressed in what I would call a smart casual outfit. The luggage restriction is just a convenient excuse for some.

[Floridiana]

My advice, to those who are worried about formal nights, no need to stress, gentlemen, take a tie, ladies, add some bling and enjoy!

 

Good to see this. On our recent Princess cruise, similar attire. Lots of black for the above 40 ladies - which means: almost all of the female passengers on this particular cruise.

By the way, some women think that flip-flops with bling glued on are formal. :-)

[DRWhit]

Why do the "fashion police" get so up-tight about how others dress? I could care less about how others choose to dress as long as they're clean, neat, and don't smell bad. I suppose some people just live in the past instead of now.

Why should I eat in the Lido just because my clothes are not clean and I am not neat. I really don't see how its any of your business how I dress. As long as my smell doesn't reach your table, why do you care? In today's world there are lots of dirty messy smelly people. You must be living in the past. :p

[PCruzer]

Why should I eat in the Lido just because my clothes are not clean and I am not neat. I really don't see how its any of your business how I dress. As long as my smell doesn't reach your table, why do you care? In today's world there are lots of dirty messy smelly people. You must be living in the past. :p

DR Whit -

 

LOL! You are too funny! Love your sense of humor!

Seriously though, this whole formal night attire discussion always gets people all riled up. The ship determines that a particular evening is to be a "formal night." They offer an alternative dining venue for those who don't want to dress in formal attire. I guess the problem is when people don't want to eat in the Lido on a formal night and can't see why they should be turned away from the dining room. (BTW, I've seen this happen on many occasions on HAL...mostly men w/o jackets.) If it's a formal night, I feel that people should try to comply with the dress code. Airline baggage restrictions is not a very good excuse, and it has nothing to do with "living in the past," as one poster put it. Nobody is saying that your "formal attire" has to be a heavy, beaded gown or a tuxedo. How much weight does a pair of black slacks and sparkly top add to your luggage ladies? And gents...a sports jacket doesn't add a lot of weight. Formal nights are elegant and special. Do you really want a McDonalds atmosphere in the MDR? Hey, maybe they could set up some counters and we could come in from our shore excursion, place our orders, and walk away with our bag of food...Hey, maybe we would even get a tray! But that's a whole 'nother thread!!!

[taxmantoo]

Why should I eat in the Lido just because my clothes are not clean and I am not neat. I really don't see how its any of your business how I dress. As long as my smell doesn't reach your table, why do you care? In today's world there are lots of dirty messy smelly people. You must be living in the past. :p

 

And that is why we always request a table for 2 ;)

[PCruzer]

and that is why we always request a table for 2 ;)

lol!