What happened to the dress code on formal nights?

[RuthC]

I will be on a 10 night Sunfarer. I assumed some formal nights, the rest ? What are the daily meal dress expectations? Are there casual nights, and what constitutes casual for HAL?

Regardless of how you may see some people dressed, and with the possible exception of the first and last nights, HAL never has "casual" as an evening dress code. It is always at least "smart casual"; there's a big difference.

Think "Country Club casual", or "business casual". That is, think of a "put together" outfit that gives a polished, coordinated look.

[solocanadian]

I too wish the dress code was enforced on formal nights. Formal nights are a joke on Alaska cruises.:rolleyes: I love to dress up but if others are going to ignore the rules it makes me sorry bothered to pack the nice stuff.

[lovetocruise2020]

On Princess I have found that more people are willing to dress up because they make formal nights a special occasion. The champagne fountain in the lobby, people milling about the different levels of the atrium, the captain and the officers, the waiters serving champagne, etc. It is definitely a more formal and festive occasion, and people have a great time.

 

On my recent Nieuw Amsterdam cruise there were three formal nights, but except for the "formal" designation for dinner attire, there was nothing formal or special about the event. HAL needs to give people a reason to want to dress up.

 

Yes,

We had along thread about if you plan an event they will come, and its true!

You cant just up the menu a bit and expect them to abide by the rules, you must give them something to do.

[lovetocruise2020]

When you look to book a cruise, one should always look at the cruiselines' guidelines. If you do not want to dress respectively to go to the main diningroom on HA, then perhaps HA is not for you. At NO time should one be allowed in the main diningroom dressed as you have described above. The diningroom should not allow them to enter. Offer to send their formal dinner to their stateroom. It really does not take that much to look dressy. Far less than it takes to look ##@@**.

 

I agree. If you do not like the guidelines, do not book the cruise. If you are HAL, the guidelines need to be enforced.

[HamOp]

At least it helped you to make your 20th post in 2 and a half years.:rolleyes:

 

It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt.

[GeriatricNurse]

Calm down tiger. :D

 

It is not about a contest rather the disrespect towards a rule which I did not set up but the cruise line:

 

"

Evening dress falls into two distinct categories: Formal or Smart Casual. Smart Casual can be defined as slacks and collared shirts for men and casual dresses, slacks and informal evening wear for women. T-shirts, swimsuits, tank tops and shorts are not allowed in the restaurants or public areas during the evening hours. On festive Formal evenings, ladies may wear a suit, cocktail dress, gown or fancy blouse/top with slacks and gentlemen wear a jacket and tie, dark suit or tuxedo. There are approximately two formal nights per week.

In order to complement your fellow guests, Holland America Line asks that you observe the suggested dress code throughout the entire evening."

 

 

I am a very chilled out person and enjoy dressing up or down. But when it comes to manners I know how to dress and how to act. It is not about minding others peoples' business but to respect rules and making the effort. And making an effort does not cost a lot of money!

 

Otherwise it could be called "Wear whatever you like night".

 

:p

 

Do I understand the dress code correctly, such that on formal wear evenings, when I dress 'smart casual', and dine in either the Lido or Canaletto, then after dinner, I HAVE to return to my stateroom for the remainder of the evening rather than be seen in public areas on the ship?:confused:

[bradpole]

I agree. If you do not like the guidelines, do not book the cruise. If you are HAL, the guidelines need to be enforced.

 

I'm not saying ignorance of the rules is an excuse... but think about this. Not everyone who books a cruise because of formal nights. Nor do some first timers even know the concept still exists!

 

Long story short...

An executive at my bank booked their first cruise (normally all inclusive resort visitors). We went to lunch to discuss what they should expect onboard. When lunch was over I said, "I'm surprised you didn't have a question about formal night."

His response, "What's formal night? You mean I have to bring a jacket to the caribbean?"

 

Just because the obsessive cruise critic people (such as myself) read every word of every document sent by the cruise lines doesn't mean everyone else does!

[pdroth]

I agree. If you do not like the guidelines, do not book the cruise. If you are HAL, the guidelines need to be enforced.

 

No one provides you guidelines prior to booking a cruise. The cruise lines only ask for your means to pay for your trip, then send you your cruise documents AFTER you have paid in full which detail the formal nights and dress code.

 

It's a cruise, i.e vacation, not a country club. Lighten up.

[hal lover]

Well... they should read it! Not every cruise line is CARNIVAL.

Now, please NO popcorn for me. I'm outta here!

Got to go pack a few "formalish" clothes for my cruise next week.

[Randyk47]

It's a cruise, i.e vacation, not a country club. Lighten up.

 

The problem is that we liked it better when it was more like a country club. :rolleyes::D

[Typhoon1]

What dress code?

[agent_00shoe]

I agree with you, there are a lot of people in this world who owe nothing and are struggling to support their families.

 

I am not judging over people who can't afford certain things. But if you can afford a cruise you also can afford to get a decent dress, even if it is bought in a charity shop. It is about making the effort in my opinion.

Even if you add accessories in your hair or wear fashion jewellery to look just a little bit special.

 

People coming in jeans to a formal evening, sorry, but black trousers in a charity shop cost a few dollars.:cool:

 

You are SO missing the point!

 

I am very well off financially, my jeans cost several hundred dollars, and I will never wear black trousers on a cruise, because of how stuffy and boring they look! Young people prefer jeans to plain black pants, because they want to feel alive and look attractive to others their age, even (especially) on formal nights.

[sapete]

What dress code?

 

Exactly!

 

On our last cruise I was able to take the "Behind the Scenes" tour. We ended that tour with drinks in the Crow's Nest with the HD. When asked a question about the "dress code" he said (paraphrasing here), "We don't have a dress code, we make suggestions to our guests about the evening's dress...and we would never do anything to limit our guests' abilities to enjoy all of our venues in the evening." The Director of Revenue Management (our "tour guide") concurred with his statements.

 

So, a prediction (which some may not like). HAL is going to do something about the "dress code" but not in the direction that some on this thread would wish. As we have seen from other threads, HAL is appearently moving to create ancillary revenue streams.

 

I predict that we shall soon see more ancillary revenue streams in the MDR-- optional entree enhancements, etc. So to allow the maximum amount of guests to take advantage of these new "opportunities" HAL will change from "festive formal nights" to "fun-filled formal optional evenings".

[tangerinebunny]

What happened to the dress code?

 

It ended not with a bang but a whimper.

 

 

btw, I have BLACK PANTS ready for next week's cruise; please just ignore my faux pas.

[I&J Cruisers]

These discussions are pointless. The cruiselines are trying to appeal to a broader demographic. It's a business decision and there is nothing we can do about it. Personally, I used to find it easier to pack when we had formal, informal and casual nights. Those dresses always took up less room than an assortment of pants, tops, jackets and accessories. I recycled those dresses for each cruise and always felt special when I was "dressed". These days packing is more of a chore, I always end up with more than I need, and don't feel "special" because I'm always wearing the same things I wear when I go to a restaurant or movie on Saturday night. I haven't been on Princess in years but it sounds like it might be time to try them again.

[bradpole]

... "festive formal nights" ...

 

Sorry,

Besides the suggestion that men put on a tux (or dark suit) and the ladies a fancy dress what else is done to make it such a "FESTIVE" night? Especially on a short 7 night sailing.

 

Oh...that's right there's a toast from the captain just before the show....How exciting!:D

 

I have nothing against those who enjoy formal night as it currently stands. If you want to dress, great! Enjoy it!

[humingbird]

We just returned from a fantastic 11-day Caribbean Cruise on the Noordam which had three formal nights. This was our 8th HAL Cruise, and at least 40% of the men wore tuxedos. Very nice. :) We did not see anyone in jeans, but did see some cargo pants. I think the younger generation think those are appropriate wear for a nice restaurant, so why not on a cruise.

 

We also noticed a lot of guests did not keep formal dress or smart casual dress on during the evening to attend the Vista Lounge Show or in the lounges.

[lovetocruise2020]

I'm not saying ignorance of the rules is an excuse... but think about this. Not everyone who books a cruise because of formal nights. Nor do some first timers even know the concept still exists!

 

Long story short...

An executive at my bank booked their first cruise (normally all inclusive resort visitors). We went to lunch to discuss what they should expect onboard. When lunch was over I said, "I'm surprised you didn't have a question about formal night."

His response, "What's formal night? You mean I have to bring a jacket to the caribbean?"

 

Just because the obsessive cruise critic people (such as myself) read every word of every document sent by the cruise lines doesn't mean everyone else does!

 

Brad,

When booking any vacation i do a little research. Everyone i know does the same...

Its all over HALs website ( before u cruise, faq, etc)

I would not expect one to find all they need to know in cruise documents...

Just by looking at HALs sight, one has many ways of finding out.

I am sure it happens once in a while, but i doubt ignorance is the reason many cruisers do not follow the rules of the dress code.

[lovetocruise2020]

I completely agree!

 

Even Royal Caribbean does a better job trying to keep the traditions of a captain's reception.

 

I just don't see the point anymore for even calling an evening "formal"

 

I agree, RCCL does this well.

 

If you plan something for your guests, they will feel obliged to come celebrate most likely.

[lovetocruise2020]

No one provides you guidelines prior to booking a cruise. The cruise lines only ask for your means to pay for your trip, then send you your cruise documents AFTER you have paid in full which detail the formal nights and dress code.

 

It's a cruise, i.e vacation, not a country club. Lighten up.

 

The cruise lines set the rules, not me.

 

The cruise documents have nothing to do with it at all.

 

Everyone looks into the type of vacation they are spending money on regardless of what it is. Believe me, i would never give someone money unless i knew what it was for.

 

I doubt ignorance accounts for a majority of the patrons who do not follow the rules. There are plenty of places on the HAL site that tell you what to expect for your money. People just do not want to do it. Bottom line.

 

Not every line is Carnival or NCL ( i love them both) but patrons make that choice to abide or discard the guidelines.

[solocanadian]

Exactly!

 

On our last cruise I was able to take the "Behind the Scenes" tour. We ended that tour with drinks in the Crow's Nest with the HD. When asked a question about the "dress code" he said (paraphrasing here), "We don't have a dress code, we make suggestions to our guests about the evening's dress...and we would never do anything to limit our guests' abilities to enjoy all of our venues in the evening." The Director of Revenue Management (our "tour guide") concurred with his statements.

 

So, a prediction (which some may not like). HAL is going to do something about the "dress code" but not in the direction that some on this thread would wish. As we have seen from other threads, HAL is appearently moving to create ancillary revenue streams.

 

I predict that we shall soon see more ancillary revenue streams in the MDR-- optional entree enhancements, etc. So to allow the maximum amount of guests to take advantage of these new "opportunities" HAL will change from "festive formal nights" to "fun-filled formal optional evenings".

This really sucks. Oh well, a couple less outfits to pack. I am extremely disappointed HAL. :(

[pdroth]

The cruise lines set the rules, not me.

 

The cruise documents have nothing to do with it at all.

 

Everyone looks into the type of vacation they are spending money on regardless of what it is. Believe me, i would never give someone money unless i knew what it was for.

 

I doubt ignorance accounts for a majority of the patrons who do not follow the rules. There are plenty of places on the HAL site that tell you what to expect for your money. People just do not want to do it. Bottom line.

 

Not every line is Carnival or NCL ( i love them both) but patrons make that choice to abide or discard the guidelines.

 

 

You assume people do research on a website. Often they book through a travel agent or through a friend who is booking a group. Do you really think they run down all the "rules" beforehand? Not everyone is like us who come here and share their experiences and get tips long before they set sail to maximize their enjoyment. Most people you will meet on a cruise have no knowledge of this website, nor would care to.

 

So, there is a quite sizable ignorance factor. Now if you show up with cargo shorts, that's stupidity and actually rude, as that is not appropriate even at most restaurants on land except for a fast food joint.

 

If its formal night, wear what you want and let others wear what they want. Why do you care? I don't. Like I wrote earlier, the more people who choose to dress down makes me look a whole lot better when I'm wearing my best.

 

The guests all spent the same money you did and if they are most comfortable wearing jeans then who are you to say how they spend their vacation?

[lovetocruise2020]

You assume people do research on a website. Often they book through a travel agent or through a friend who is booking a group. Do you really think they run down all the "rules" beforehand? Not everyone is like us who come here and share their experiences and get tips long before they set sail to maximize their enjoyment. Most people you will meet on a cruise have no knowledge of this website, nor would care to.

 

So, there is a quite sizable ignorance factor. Now if you show up with cargo shorts, that's stupidity and actually rude, as that is not appropriate even at most restaurants on land except for a fast food joint.

 

If its formal night, wear what you want and let others wear what they want. Why do you care? I don't. Like I wrote earlier, the more people who choose to dress down makes me look a whole lot better when I'm wearing my best.

 

The guests all spent the same money you did and if they are most comfortable wearing jeans then who are you to say how they spend their vacation?

 

Why so hostile?

I do believe people pay attention to how they spend the money they worked so hard to earn. I think the ignorance factor is small... I do not think anyone would book anything without finding out a little first.

[Opinions]

Do I understand the dress code correctly, such that on formal wear evenings, when I dress 'smart casual', and dine in either the Lido or Canaletto, then after dinner, I HAVE to return to my stateroom for the remainder of the evening rather than be seen in public areas on the ship?:confused:

 

In my opinion as long as you are wearing smart casual for the Lido or Canaletto then there is no need to change in order to use the other public rooms...If you were wearing shorts, T-shirts, then you have a problem...

[ellieanne]

Do I understand the dress code correctly, such that on formal wear evenings, when I dress 'smart casual', and dine in either the Lido or Canaletto, then after dinner, I HAVE to return to my stateroom for the remainder of the evening rather than be seen in public areas on the ship?:confused:

 

One formal night a fellow passenger actually suggested that exact thing to me..well, not to me directly but in a loud enough voice that there was no mistaking as to whom the comment was directed. I was dressed well -- in a denim skirt, t-shirt and comfortable, but casual shoes, and I was walking outside on the promenade deck with a brisk wind and sea mist.

 

There was no mistaking the idea that I should have gone to my room and changed into formal wear if I wanted to be out and about on the ship, because otherwise I was not dressed properly.

 

That is exactly the kind of attitude that makes me not want to dress up. And frankly, I despise the dressed chairs. I find that my nice formal clothes stick to the chair's dresses, making the meal too much of a pain in the rear to enjoy as much as I should. So often I will skip formal nights in favour of a casual dinner in the Lido. And I sure as heck am not going to change into formal wear just to go for a walk on deck no matter what anyone says!