dress for special "parties"

[NoobCruise]

I realize since this is our first HAL cruise, we may not be invited to any of these events - no biggie, but IF we are, should we dress up for them or is smart casual ok?

 

1 star mariner: embarkation lunch

 

1 star mariner: captain's champagne brunch

 

suite guest : cocktail party with ship's officers

[sail7seas]

Dress of the day is what is expected. I always make a little extra effort if we are going to a 'special event'. If I were debating what to wear, I would always choose the nicer outfit. Dress up a bit more rather than down. :)

 

What you mention as Captain's Champagne Brunch is actually Mariners Brunch. Captain sometimes hosts a table and there is assigned seating at that table but often he does not. Same for Hotel Manager. Obviously if for some reason you were to be seated there, which would be surprsing as it is normally people with a great many days, you would pay more attention to what you are wearing.

 

[NoobCruise]

Dress of the day is what is expected. I always make a little extra effort if we are going to a 'special event'. If I were debating what to wear, I would always choose the nicer outfit. Dress up a bit more rather than down. :)

 

What you mention as Captain's Champagne Brunch is actually Mariners Brunch. Captain sometimes hosts a table and there is assigned seating at that table but often he does not. Same for Hotel Manager. Obviously if for some reason you were to be seated there, which would be surprsing as it is normally people with a great many days, you would pay more attention to what you are wearing.

 

 

The email I received about mariner status listed the mariner's embarkation lunch and the captain's champagne brunch as separate events. Then the cocktail party with ships officers is listed under the deluxe verandah suite room amenities. This whole thing is confusing with what HAL says on their site and what various people experience lol

 

I'm going to assume we won't be invited to any of them so there won't be any disappointment there :) BUT if we DO get invited, I want to have packed appropriate clothes ;)

[Boytjie]

If you are a one star mariner (it is, you sailed on another cruise line that is part of Carnival Corporation) you can go to teh embarkation lunch in the Main Dining Room. Dresses as you are when embarking should be fine, i wouldn't worry about that one.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Embarkation lunch in the dining room from Noon until 1:30 is suppose to be for all Mariners. But some ships do limit who attends -- sometimes only 4 star Mariners. No telling what your ship will do.

Mariner's brunch -- held later in the cruise. This is for all Mariners as well as for people who have sailed on Princess, Cunard, etc. This is why nearly every ship and itinerary have 2 brunches. There are so many people invited.

If you are staying in Deluxe Verandah cabin - PS, S, SA, SB and SC you will receive an invitation to attend a suite cocktail party held usually the first evening of the cruise from 7:15 - 8. Sometimes it is held in the Neptune Lounge or in the Crow's Nest or the MIX -- each ship does their own thing.

[PathfinderEss]

I'm going to assume we won't be invited to any of them so there won't be any disappointment there :) BUT if we DO get invited, I want to have packed appropriate clothes ;)

I think what your assuming is correct.

[PathfinderEss]

I'm going to assume we won't be invited to any of them so there won't be any disappointment there :) BUT if we DO get invited, I want to have packed appropriate clothes ;)

I think what your assuming is correct. As a first time cruiser on Hal you probably don't have to worry about going to these functions.

[NoobCruise]

I think what your assuming is correct. As a first time cruiser on Hal you probably don't have to worry about going to these functions.

 

It's too bad they advertise differently between what their website says and what was emailed to me. They lead you to believe you will automatically be invited. I'm glad CC can tell us what to realistically expect so no disappointment :)

[Krazy Kruizers]

It's too bad they advertise differently between what their website says and what was emailed to me. They lead you to believe you will automatically be invited. I'm glad CC can tell us what to realistically expect so no disappointment :)

 

Are you in a PS, SA, SB or SC cabin -- then you will get invited to a Suite Welcome Aboard party -- where you will meet the captain and various other officers.

Have you sailed on Princess, Cunard, etc?? If so you will be invited to the Mariner's Brunch held during the cruise.

 

[NoobCruise]

Are you in a PS, SA, SB or SC cabin -- then you will get invited to a Suite Welcome Aboard party -- where you will meet the captain and various other officers.

Have you sailed on Princess, Cunard, etc?? If so you will be invited to the Mariner's Brunch held during the cruise.

 

 

We will be in one of the aft wrap-around balconies which is SB and we have sailed on Carnival

 

I'm laughing reading through the responses here. It's no wonder there's so much confusion on this topic because the answers range from "you won't be invited to any" to "you'll be invited to all" lol guess we'll find out when we go lol

[Krazy Kruizers]

SB -- yes you will be invited to the Suite cocktail party held the first evening usually from 7:15 - 8 -- the invitation will either be in your mailbox or in your cabin on embarkation day.

Only once were we on a ship when they didn't even the Suite cocktail party -- but that was a rare.

[sail7seas]

Every time we sailed Eurodam they had the Suite Welcome Aboard Party (Suite cocktail party) and also had a Suite Farewell Party in Pinnacle Bar. We loved those farewell parties. By then you've met other guests and Officers etc and it's a really fun party. We have had it a few times on other ships but it is rare.

 

They did not have it either of our cruises on Nieuw Amsterdam.

[twinkletoes4445]

I realize since this is our first HAL cruise, we may not be invited to any of these events - no biggie, but IF we are, should we dress up for them or is smart casual ok?

 

1 star mariner: embarkation lunch

 

1 star mariner: captain's champagne brunch

 

suite guest : cocktail party with ship's officers

 

Smart casual. :)

 

On the Zuiderdam the Suite Welcome Party was held the first night in the Neptune Lounge (we missed it because we had free dinners in the PG, which was yummy!), but in the past we've always worn smart casual to all of these events.

 

The suite luncheon was held in the Pinnacle Grill on our last sea day. On the invitation it said, "smart casual." In the past, at least for us, this was held in the Crow's Nest. The invitation didn't say it was the "Suite Luncheon" like it had in the past, but I asked the concierge in the NL and she said that's what it is. (Hello Odessa and Ivy! If you're reading here!! Thank you for everything!!).

 

This time we were invited to the cocktail party with the Captain De Vries (really a nice guy and very easy to talk with), and Hotel Manager Zivkovic (same with the HM - very easy to talk with) and the rest of the department heads. I suspect this had to do with our AMEX booking, but not sure, but we were happy to be included and had a wonderful time. It was held on our 5th day of the cruise. I was worried if we were invited that it would be held on a formal night and we wouldn't be able to attend (we don't do the formal nights - we eat in the Lido or do room service), so I was happy that it was on a smart casual night. There weren't too many guests there, but the ones that we sat and chatted with were all dress like we were ... smart casual.

 

Have fun on your cruise!!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Smart casual. :)

 

On the Zuiderdam the Suite Welcome Party was held the first night in the Neptune Lounge (we missed it because we had free dinners in the PG, which was yummy!), but in the past we've always worn smart casual to all of these events.

 

The suite luncheon was held in the Pinnacle Grill on our last sea day. On the invitation it said, "smart casual." In the past, at least for us, this was held in the Crow's Nest. The invitation didn't say it was the "Suite Luncheon" like it had in the past, but I asked the concierge in the NL and she said that's what it is. (Hello Odessa and Ivy! If you're reading here!! Thank you for everything!!).

 

This time we were invited to the cocktail party with the Captain De Vries (really a nice guy and very easy to talk with), and Hotel Manager Zivkovic (same with the HM - very easy to talk with) and the rest of the department heads. I suspect this had to do with our AMEX booking, but not sure, but we were happy to be included and had a wonderful time. It was held on our 5th day of the cruise. I was worried if we were invited that it would be held on a formal night and we wouldn't be able to attend (we don't do the formal nights - we eat in the Lido or do room service), so I was happy that it was on a smart casual night. There weren't too many guests there, but the ones that we sat and chatted with were all dress like we were ... smart casual.

 

Have fun on your cruise!!

 

We always book and pay for our cruises using our AMEX Plat card -- and we have not always been invited to the VIP parties.

[twinkletoes4445]

We always book and pay for our cruises using our AMEX Plat card -- and we have not always been invited to the VIP parties.

 

Hmmm ... Well, so much for that idea. Now I have no clue. It was our first and we did enjoy the evening. We also enjoyed the free PG dinner. Our first time in the PG for dinner. It was very relaxing and the food and service were very good. I wasn't sure how we'd like doing the PG the first night (had to miss the shindig in the NL because of this), but it turned to be so relaxing. This was only our 4th cruise (3rd on HAL) so we're still pretty new at all this. Learn a lot from posters here on CC. :)