Dress code in MDR?

[GeriatricNurse]

Even though I conform to suggested dress code I cannot find anywhere on the HAL web site the Dress Code Rule. It seems that these suggestion are misinterpreted as a rule.

 

From HAL Web Site.

http://www.hollandamerica.com/cruise-vacation-planning/PlanningAndAdvice.action?tabName=New+to+Cruising#

look under what should I pack

The suggested attire for most evenings is resort casual; slacks and collared shirts for men, and casual dresses, slacks and informal evening-wear for women. On formal nights women usually wear a suit, cocktail dress or gown and men wear a jacket and tie, dark suit, or tuxedo.

 

Yes, it would appear that the so-called HAL 'dress code' is only a 'suggested attire! ;)

[jaguarstyper]

Even though I conform to suggested dress code I cannot find anywhere on the HAL web site the Dress Code Rule. It seems that these suggestion are misinterpreted as a rule.

Maybe I'm missing something here, but the following sounds a lot more like a rule than a suggestion to me.

 

T-shirts, swimsuits, tank tops and shorts are not allowed in the restaurants or public areas during the evening hours.

 

Their suggestions are for what to wear, but the above reads to me as being a rule stating what you are not allowed to wear. HAL states this but does not even loosely enforce it. So, in my eyes, stating it is rather pointless if its not enforced. Personally, it doesn't matter to me at all, casual, smart casual, formal, whatever. I'll adhere to the rule for dress. But, if they dont have any intention of enforcing it, they should just let it go and let people wear what they are comfortable with. Stopping one man at the door with shorts while allowing many others in with shorts is no way to do it.

[GeriatricNurse]

frankly, folks, if you read other threads, hal is sinking fast into the lower mass market segment of the cruise industry. yet, 'while rome burns,' a hot (pardon) topic continues to be the dress code and enforcement thereof in the mdr. no dress code or 'suggestion' will ever save hal; if that were true, i'd don a tux every night on my may 13 cruise. hal cannot have it both ways: enforce or not, period. otherwise just leave the issue alone; it is not consequential. the op only reported an incident and was not upset. but why make the issue a 'crap shoot?' up to who's managing the mdr? hal: make the dress 'suggestions' an enforceable code or stop publishing them. i'll make it work either way; so will most of us.

 

And how would HAL 'enforce' a 'suggestion', related to dining attire? :confused:

[Wakepatrol]

And how would HAL 'enforce' a 'suggestion', related to dining attire? :confused:

 

 

The same way it used to always be handled.

 

"You Can't Come In Here Dressed Like That"

 

easy peasy

 

any more questions?:)

[Relax@Sea]

Maybe I'm missing something here, but the following sounds a lot more like a rule than a suggestion to me.

 

T-shirts, swimsuits, tank tops and shorts are not allowed in the restaurants or public areas during the evening hours.

 

Their suggestions are for what to wear, but the above reads to me as being a rule stating what you are not allowed to wear. HAL states this but does not even loosely enforce it. So, in my eyes, stating it is rather pointless if its not enforced. Personally, it doesn't matter to me at all, casual, smart casual, formal, whatever. I'll adhere to the rule for dress. But, if they dont have any intention of enforcing it, they should just let it go and let people wear what they are comfortable with. Stopping one man at the door with shorts while allowing many others in with shorts is no way to do it.

 

Could you give the link to that info.

 

Thanx

[jaguarstyper]

Could you give the link to that info.

 

Thanx

Here you go: http://www.hollandamerica.com/cruise-vacation-planning/PlanningAndAdvice.action?tabName=Cruise+Preparation&contentMenu=Baggage,+Packing+%26+Dress+Code&contentSubMenu=Is+There+A+Dress+Code%3F

 

Second paragraph.

[Tampa Girl]

And how would HAL 'enforce' a 'suggestion', related to dining attire? :confused:

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.

 

 

What is there about "not allowed" that constitutes a suggestion?

[Relax@Sea]

Here you go: http://www.hollandamerica.com/cruise-vacation-planning/PlanningAndAdvice.action?tabName=Cruise+Preparation&contentMenu=Baggage,+Packing+%26+Dress+Code&contentSubMenu=Is+There+A+Dress+Code%3F

 

Second paragraph.

 

Thank you for the link.

[peaches from georgia]

I think the quality of the food in the MDR is a bigger problem than what people are wearing to dinner.

[jaguarstyper]

I think the quality of the food in the MDR is a bigger problem than what people are wearing to dinner.

Thank you!

[lvz2cruz]

We were on Eurodam a couple weeks ago with open seating.

The first formal night while we were in line to check in a few people were turned away. The HAL people seemed to be observing people as they arrived to the line and would go to them and explain the dress policy.

It happened again the second formal night to less people as we were in line and on casual nights a couple were turned away in shorts.

I also overheard a few men in shirts and jackets being told they should have a tie but they were seated.

In the MDR someone had apparently been lent a jacket to go with a golf polo. It was draped over the chair the entire meal--to me that is senseless. Why give a jacket to adorn a chair?

I was relieved for the crew that all left and no one seemed to fuss about the rules at the check in desk.

[Wakepatrol]

In the MDR someone had apparently been lent a jacket to go with a golf polo. It was draped over the chair the entire meal--to me that is senseless. Why give a jacket to adorn a chair?.

 

 

They should've given the guy a jacket 4x too big and made him wear it the entire night:p

[bradpole]

Always sail on the cruise line that fits your dress code...don't try to change the dress code of the cruise line. It will be easier on you and you will be happier. Just my opinion.

 

Seriously? There is nothing else that seperates HAL from Carnival, RCL, X, NCL, Princess, etc than the dress code?

 

I've always thought there was so much more that seperates the cruise lines from one another; the smiling crew, the ship size, the food, the onboard amenties, the entertainment, etc... than just the dress code. :)

 

I always knew Carnival Corp reused the same basic hull design across several of their brands. I just didn't know the cruise experience was the same across all the brands as well except the dress code. Good to know :):p

 

Sorry, but there are a growing number of cruisers out there that just don't care about formal nights anymore! With the plethora of ships out there, and the low costs, people take are taking more and more cruises. Formal nights aren't the "special" occasions they used to be.

 

I'll never violate a dress code, if I book a cruise that has them I will make the effort to conform, but I will continue to wish that they go away!

[iancal]

Dress code is certainly not the first attribute that we consider when selecting a cruise.

 

I suspect that HAL management would never discourage anyone from cruising on one of their ships simply because of dress requirements.

 

Besides, since when has HAL ever enforced their guidelines with any noticeable degree of consistency? This in itself speaks volumes to me.

 

The challenge is opinion. Jeans are permitted but there is a huge space between greasy work clothes and high end denim slacks.

[iancal]

Delete

[Beejay4016]

Just wondering, do the people who care strongly about the standard of dress and how well HAL staff enforce the dress code, particularly on formal evenings, actually complain to HAL or simply on these threads? I know many of you are long time HAL cruisers, so surely a united front presented to HAL on these matters would draw at least some acknowledgement.

 

We're about to take our first ever cruise together, on the Volendam leaving Singapore on Monday, and I have had a wonderful time this morning trying on my various outfits. I have three long gowns for the three formal nights, a couple of cocktail dresses for a couple of special evenings in the PG, and other lovely dressy dresses for the other nights. I'm sure there will be a couple of nights when we just want to relax on our verandah and have in-room dining, or perhaps a pizza by the pool. I am so excited at the prospect of dressing up in my finery, perhaps having my hair done at the salon on board, seeing my man looking absolutely spiffing in his dinner suit with his Christmas gift cufflinks, and while the outfits of those seated around us won't put me off my food at all or give me cause to throw myself into the deep blue sea, I do hope that I can look around the MDR and see lots of beautifully dressed people enjoying themselves; it will add a sense of occasion.

 

Having said all that, every so often in fashion magazines you do see popping up dinner suits with shorts for tropical countries. Yes, you did read correctly: a dinner/tuxedo jacket (sometimes lovely tropical white) worn with a traditional shirt and bowtie but with shorts (complete with silk stripe down the side) and long socks. I have to wonder, thought, whether if some famous fashionista - Tom Ford perhaps - decided that it was THE outfit for the emerging man, would shorts still be unacceptable? And what about men who like to don kilts if they are actually entitled to do so?

[iancal]

We are noticing two very distinct trends on the ships that we have sailed on over the past few years.

 

The first is a major move towards anytime, select dining, ie going to the MDR at any time with no set seating. So many in fact that the Maitre d' on our TA decided to start select dining at 5:30 instead of six in an attempt to accommodate those who wanted to switch from set dining times.

 

The second is the move away from formal wear. We saw very few tux and gowns on our recent TA-fewer than we expected. We noticed the same on our Med cruise. We continue to see and meet people in our age bracke-late fifties/early sixties who no longer want to bother with formal attire. We really do not care one way or the other about formal evenings. All the the ships that we sail on provide good alternatives if we do not want to dress up for dinner on those evenings.

[jaguarstyper]

Having said all that, every so often in fashion magazines you do see popping up dinner suits with shorts for tropical countries. Yes, you did read correctly: a dinner/tuxedo jacket (sometimes lovely tropical white) worn with a traditional shirt and bowtie but with shorts (complete with silk stripe down the side) and long socks. I have to wonder, thought, whether if some famous fashionista - Tom Ford perhaps - decided that it was THE outfit for the emerging man, would shorts still be unacceptable? And what about men who like to don kilts if they are actually entitled to do so?

In Bermuda, men's shorts with a jacket and tie are perfectly acceptable business attire. I wonder if you would be allowed into the MDR on formal night dressed like this.

 

[Wakepatrol]

In Bermuda, men's shorts with a jacket and tie are perfectly acceptable business attire. I wonder if you would be allowed into the MDR on formal night dressed like this.

 

 

 

Looks good to me, by the way,there's a whole world of fashion out there. There's a fashion board on here that's 9 million pages long,with beauty tips,women being excited about shoes,dresses for their cruise,posting pics of their dresses. Most women want to dress and look good,they most likely want their partner to look good as well,if not (that's what the pull out couch is for)

 

Yes some women wear 1 tracksuit all cruise,but not most.

[jaguarstyper]

women being excited about shoes

Inconceivable! :eek: :p

[kazu]

In Bermuda, men's shorts with a jacket and tie are perfectly acceptable business attire. I wonder if you would be allowed into the MDR on formal night dressed like this.

 

 

Actually - one of my friends was many years ago!!! He followed the Bermuda fashion to a T (it was meant as a joke and he was prepared to go back and put on long pants). THE Matire D' (back then that's what they were) gave him a pat on the back and led us to our table:):):):) DH would never do it - but I have seen it since and it can be done with great grace:D

[Boytjie]

In Bermuda, men's shorts with a jacket and tie are perfectly acceptable business attire. I wonder if you would be allowed into the MDR on formal night dressed like this.

 

I don't believe that outfit is considered formal in Bermuda. ;)

[jaguarstyper]

I don't believe that outfit is considered formal in Bermuda. ;)

I don't believe a dark suit or a sport coat and dress trousers are considered formal anywhere, but they have become an accepted normal on HAL's "formal" dress nights.

[Wakepatrol]

Yes it's called 'Dumbing Down" or "Grading On A Curve"

[iancal]

It is also called meeting your customer's preferences and desires.