Why is Dress Code Only Adhered To In The Dining Room...???

[Oceanwench]

Some people want everyone else to follow rules to the letter and will even become a vigilante to keep other pax in line, but of course they themselves feel free to do as they please if they don't like some policy.

 

Isn't that the truth!!!! :eek:

 

It makes me think of a recent thread or two here ...

[RuthC]

With a 50 lb. restriction for just one bag on an international flight there's just not enough room for more than one formal dress and matching shoes.

That statement just doesn't hold water.

Recent 21-day cruise; itinerary required heavy day clothes, such as sweatshirts, jacket, and gloves. I had three formal dresses, w/shoes and two evening bags, as well as other dresses for smart casual nights.

All fit into one checked suitcase which weighed in at 42 lbs.

It's a matter of buying lightweight, attractive, comfortable clothes that fit well.

[Richie2pies]

I drive to the port and can bring all the luggage I want. I would not even think of bringing formal clothes. I live in SW Florida and even the finest restaurants do not require a suit and tie. I'm on vacation on a cruise and do not feel like dressing up just to please some dinosaurs who want to live in the past. On formal nights I will eat in the Lido and do not feel bad when going elsewhere after dinner. I can't see how someone dresses affects anyone. As long as a person is neat and groomed, a person should have to option to dress as they see fit, despite the "fashion police."

[cruisemom42]

Isn't that the truth!!!! :eek:

 

It makes me think of a recent thread or two here ...

 

Amen to that! :D

[piscesgal223]

I always manage to stay well under the 50 pound limit(we fly on Southwest almost exclusively), but I guarantee that having to pack a bunch of formal clothes would mess that up.So I'll just pack a few dressy skirts/separates and a dress and I'm ready to cruise!

[SwissMyst]

My husband hasn't found an easy pack tux yet.

 

DH packs his the same way he would pack a dark suit for formal night. Found that men can take a lot fewer changes of clothes and shoes than woman often do, so he always has more room in his suitcase than I do when it comes time to weighing them for that magic 50 pound limit.

[SwissMyst]

I'm on vacation on a cruise and do not feel like dressing up just to please some dinosaurs who want to live in the past.

 

On formal nights I will eat in the Lido and do not feel bad when going elsewhere after dinner.

 

I can't see how someone dresses affects anyone. As long as a person is neat and groomed, a person should have to option to dress as they see fit, despite the "fashion police."

 

Thank your for honoring HAL formal dress guidelines for the main dining room on Formal Night. It is appreciated.

[SwissMyst]

I always manage to stay well under the 50 pound limit(we fly on Southwest almost exclusively), but I guarantee that having to pack a bunch of formal clothes would mess that up.So I'll just pack a few dressy skirts/separates and a dress and I'm ready to cruise!

 

I think there is general agreement that "formal clothes" can be covered with "dressy skirts/separates and a dress" so that easily looks likeyou are good to go. :) I personally love my long black, lightweight, non-crushable velvet dress and it is one of the easiest items I have to pack. Same black silk shoes that goes with most of the other dinner outfits. Finally seeing daylight on this whole cruise packing thing.

[skydancing]

I am packing a couple of things that in my opinion will do for formal nights but please people remember that some of us who have to stay within the luggage guidelines for flights over very long distances are packing differently as we are going to be away for a total of 7 weeks - not just for the 20 day cruise in our case.f

 

We have chosen to pack gifts for our grandson and family who we will probably not see again after this etc.

 

So packing becomes an art form in itself and I have to admit we are 6 weeks out from the holiday and I have packed and repacked 3 times so far but need my husband to do the same (which he wont yet) so that I know just how much room I have.

 

Doesn't help when you are asked to pack 3 bottles of expensive NZ wine into your case for loving son who pleaded with his father to bring it with him lol. (which son is paying for)

 

If only we were flying just the once to the cruise it would be different but we are going to be going through 4 different airports/airline companies before we get to the cruise and one of those actually only allows 15kgs!!

[piscesgal223]

Swissmyst: Dressy tops/ skirts are about all I feel comfortable wearing(that came out wrong but you get what I'm trying to say!) on formal nights.

[SwissMyst]

I am packing a couple of things that in my opinion will do for formal nights but please people remember that some of us who have to stay within the luggage guidelines for flights over very long distances are packing differently as we are going to be away for a total of 7 weeks - not just for the 20 day cruise in our case.f

 

We have chosen to pack gifts for our grandson and family who we will probably not see again after this etc.

 

So packing becomes an art form in itself and I have to admit we are 6 weeks out from the holiday and I have packed and repacked 3 times so far but need my husband to do the same (which he wont yet) so that I know just how much room I have.

 

Doesn't help when you are asked to pack 3 bottles of expensive NZ wine into your case for loving son who pleaded with his father to bring it with him lol. (which son is paying for)

 

If only we were flying just the once to the cruise it would be different but we are going to be going through 4 different airports/airline companies before we get to the cruise and one of those actually only allows 15kgs!!

 

You are a good candidate for the simple Little Black Dress and some of the colorful shawls in the ship shops for $10 each and some of their equally well priced dressy costume jewelry sets. On a 20 day cruise that takes care of about four Formal nights with a single dress. Plus ports often have some interesting tops, shawls and cover-ups for only a few dollars because they too understand the packing limitations and are there to meet cruise ship needs.

 

Chiffon tops, metallic thread yarns, or "church jackets" take up zero space and weight and can really stretch that dress up feeling these days. No longer is formal boned corsets and taffeta ruffles. it is sleek and just a bit more sparkle for what promises always to be a special evening.

 

HAL shops do try to make it easy for passengers to honor the Formal Night dress codes. And with relatives close by, some passengers send some of their cruise clothes ahead of time to avoid the airline baggage limitations.

[cwn]

One person's cocktail dress for the women/sportcoat and slacks for the men(typically how my parents and I dress on formal night) is another person's tux and ballgown.

 

 

So ture!

 

At best, it can be said that HAL has formal optional nigths since the dress code is only a suggestion of dress for the formal nights. No where, do they require that men wear a tux or even a suit or that women wear cocktail/long gowns.

 

A sports coat and slacks for men and silky pants/long skirts and tops with a bit of bling for women are not formal wear, but HAL considers them as such and therefore are perfectly accepptable in the MDR on "formal Nights. Given the fact that in the last 10 years, we have seem more and more men with out even a jacket in the MDR on formal night and very few tux or long gowns it really is formal optional on HAL. Add to that, the lido is casual dress on those nights, so it is rather silly to expect that most passengers in the louges and theater will be dressed formally after dinner.

 

This is actually the same as Regent and Seabourn where country club casual and formal wear are both OK for their Formal Optional nights.

 

If you like to dress formally do so, if you idea of formal is what use to called "church clothes" go for it and enjoy the MDR...you will fit in with at least 50% of the others in the MDR.

 

Remember that people posting here are less than 5% of the people who sail on HAL or any cruise line.

[piscesgal223]

My "formal" clothes are the same thing I would wear to a wedding or what have you.

 

Church clothes....for me that's a t-shirt and shorts,pretty much year round. *waits for bolt of lightning* :P

[ellieanne]

There are a good number of people who dress for dinner and change back into casual later prior to going to show, casino, etc.

 

This is what I do.

 

If I am planning on attending an organized event -- trivia, sing-along, or some after-dinner activity, I'll stay formal -- to respect the dress code for the evening. But if I am planning on heading up to the Lido, the library or Crow's Nest with my book and a hot cocoa, I am not going to stay in fancy, often uncomfortable formal wear. I want to be relaxed and comfortable after a large meal, and I see no need to stay hiding in my cabin, when I can change clothes to find a window seat and watch the sea go by with my book and a drink.

[skydancing]

Yes I have a little black dress and will dress it up with costume/bling jewellery that I actually make it as I don't have much of the "real" stuff.

 

But all is fun and I will be fine and I am sure I will not upset too many people. Well i hope not anyway.

 

By the way I am a pisces as well as you piscesgal and if you are like me you hate wearing shoes. I am sure I was meant to have fins not feet!!!

 

Do you think a shorter skirt with blingy top and black pantyhose with heeled shoes will be okay rather than a long skirt? My shorter skirts are easier to pack and wear than long ones!

[nannygoatjunction]

We love dressing up - doesn't bother us that others don't altho I do think it is a shame....

Mainly because we spend our normal lives in working farm clothes.

 

We are always overwieght with our luggage, usually blamed on my obssession with shoes to match my frocks, but just accept it as part of our holiday costs.

[1 HappyCruiser]

This is what I do.

 

If I am planning on attending an organized event -- trivia, sing-along, or some after-dinner activity, I'll stay formal -- to respect the dress code for the evening. But if I am planning on heading up to the Lido, the library or Crow's Nest with my book and a hot cocoa, I am not going to stay in fancy, often uncomfortable formal wear. I want to be relaxed and comfortable after a large meal, and I see no need to stay hiding in my cabin, when I can change clothes to find a window seat and watch the sea go by with my book and a drink.

 

That is exactly what most people dislike about the formal clothing even if it it does fit well, it can't possibly be as comfortable as casual clothing. A vacation to me is going someplace where I can enjoy myself & casual dressing with good food in the dining room do just that.

[3rdGenCunarder]

That is exactly what most people dislike about the formal clothing even if it it does fit well, it can't possibly be as comfortable as casual clothing. A vacation to me is going someplace where I can enjoy myself & casual dressing with good food in the dining room do just that.

 

I disagree. My gowns and long-skirt/beaded top outfits are comfortable, as are my high heels. If a dress needs complicated "underpinnings," I don't buy it. If the shoes don't fit well, I don't buy them, no matter who the designer is or how gorgeous they are. And I'm not all that easy to fit, especially where shoes are concerned. But I shop carefully, and buy things that are comfortable and packable.

 

For a long trip that included a formal cruise and a lot of casual land travel, I shipped a sturdy garment bag to the ship. It contained DH's tux, suit my gowns, some shoes. Yes, it was expensive, but it made the rest of the trip easier. Like nannygoatjunction, I consider it part of the cost of travel.

[babyher]

That is exactly what most people dislike about the formal clothing even if it it does fit well, it can't possibly be as comfortable as casual clothing. A vacation to me is going someplace where I can enjoy myself & casual dressing with good food in the dining room do just that.

 

I am with you on that :)

 

Even if it is a well fitting suit , a long sleeve shirt with a jacket and tie is not comfortable in the balmy Carribbean.

 

The formal lovers immediately think "casual wear" is a pair of shorts, a wife beater , and apair of sandals.

 

That is simply noty the case.

 

You can be casual and comfortable and still look nice.

[1 HappyCruiser]

I disagree. My gowns and long-skirt/beaded top outfits are comfortable, as are my high heels. If a dress needs complicated "underpinnings," I don't buy it. If the shoes don't fit well, I don't buy them, no matter who the designer is or how gorgeous they are. And I'm not all that easy to fit, especially where shoes are concerned. But I shop carefully, and buy things that are comfortable and packable.

 

For a long trip that included a formal cruise and a lot of casual land travel, I shipped a sturdy garment bag to the ship. It contained DH's tux, suit my gowns, some shoes. Yes, it was expensive, but it made the rest of the trip easier. Like nannygoatjunction, I consider it part of the cost of travel.

 

Try explaining that to my wife who used to bring her beaded dresses for formal nights long ago. According to her they're the most uncomfortable thing to sit in during a show ( and to heavy for my taste to carry) . A simple pair of dress slacks & loose top is so much better.

[3rdGenCunarder]

I am with you on that :)

 

Even if it is a well fitting suit , a long sleeve shirt with a jacket and tie is not comfortable in the balmy Carribbean.

 

The dining room and the bars are air conditioned. Take your jacket off if you go out on deck, although on most cruises, the ship is sailing by dinner time and it isn't all that hot out on deck.

 

The formal lovers immediately think "casual wear" is a pair of shorts, a wife beater , and apair of sandals.

 

That is simply noty the case.

 

That isn't my image of casual wear. That's my image of someone who is too lazy to change for dinner. I suspect most of us "formal lovers" have seen that look and, unfortunately, the extreme is what sticks in your memory. I've seen "formal lovers" called stuffy, snobby, stuck-up, and worse on CC for simply speaking in favor of an existing dress code, usualy by the "It's my ****** vacation and I'm gonna wear what the ***** I want, and I don't care about any ***** dress code" posters. (And no, I do not mean you!)

 

You can be casual and comfortable and still look nice.

 

That's true. But if you take the time to change from daytime shorts or jeans into "resort casual," or whatever HAL calls it, you can change into clothing that fits their description of formal. It's a pretty loose definition.

[SwissMyst]

......A vacation to me is going someplace where I can enjoy myself & casual dressing with good food in the dining room do just that.

 

Best idea is to pick a cruise line that allows and even encourages you to do exactly that. Lessens the stress of the whole thing trying to force your demands on a ship that suggests just the opposite.

[babyher]

The dining room and the bars are air conditioned. Take your jacket off if you go out on deck, although on most cruises, the ship is sailing by dinner time and it isn't all that hot out on deck.

 

 

 

That isn't my image of casual wear. That's my image of someone who is too lazy to change for dinner. I suspect most of us "formal lovers" have seen that look and, unfortunately, the extreme is what sticks in your memory. I've seen "formal lovers" called stuffy, snobby, stuck-up, and worse on CC for simply speaking in favor of an existing dress code, usualy by the "It's my ****** vacation and I'm gonna wear what the ***** I want, and I don't care about any ***** dress code" posters. (And no, I do not mean you!)

 

 

 

That's true. But if you take the time to change from daytime shorts or jeans into "resort casual," or whatever HAL calls it, you can change into clothing that fits their description of formal. It's a pretty loose definition.

 

I understand what you are saying.. (my comments about Formal lovers were not addressed to you wither :)) in fact even I a "Casual Lover" find it very inappropriate to wear the shorts and sandals etc in the MDR.

 

I'm a "Hot Italian" . I am always warm. I wear short sleeves in the dead of winter :)

 

 

I never think people are snobby or stuck up because of what they wear . Its their attitude and what they say . Again absolutely NOT directed at yourself :)

[SwissMyst]

.......

Even if it is a well fitting suit , a long sleeve shirt with a jacket and tie is not comfortable in the balmy Carribbean.

 

......

You can be casual and comfortable and still look nice.

 

The main dining room is air conditioned. If you want to leave the A/C main dining room to stroll outside in the balmy Caribbean air, that is a fine time to take off the jacket.

 

Main dining room waiters like a comfortable working temperature which often feels cool to diners just sitting there. Jackets for passengers in the main dining room are even recommended to accommodate the ambient A/C chill, as shown by a recent NCL dress guidelines reference.

 

You can be formal and comfortable and for sure look quite nice.

[1 HappyCruiser]

Best idea is to pick a cruise line that allows and even encourages you to do exactly that. Lessens the stress of the whole thing trying to force your demands on a ship that suggests just the opposite.

 

That's true but encouraging a cruise line to relax their dress requirements by speaking up makes it a better vacation value in my eyes and in no way keeps the formalists from dressing if they so desire.

In my lifetime of cruising various line I've seen food improvements in the buffet, smoking restrictions throughout the ships and even some dress code relaxations, all changes brought about by the ships passengers being voicetress about the subjects.