Dress Code Offenders

[RichGuy]

I think I have the solution:

 

Nude Dinners instead of Formal Nights.

 

Good idea?? Maybe I'll start a poll......

[ryansmemom]

Yes

 

Yes

 

Yes

 

As far as the people who say they paid for their vacations therefore they should be able to do as they please, we all paid for our vacations. We also have the right to expect the vacations we paid for. The vacations we paid for included "X" number of formal evenings. HAL really should enforce this portion of the contract they have entered into with us.

 

We do have a right to get what we paid for. It is just that simple. I have asked for an explaination of this in the past. Why would someone purchase something they know they will be dissatisfied with? HAL is known to be a more "formal" cruiseline. If a casual cruise is that important to someone, why purchase a cruise on a line that has a reputation for being more formal. Why not purchase a cruise on a more casual line?

 

I use a travel agent and she steers me in the right direction. This board is very useful in steering people in the right direction. Why not find a cruiseline that suits your style instead of trying to buck the system on one that does not?

 

I am not trying to start an argument. I am really trying to understand why people do this. I chose to sail with HAL because I like their style. I do not sail with other lines because they do not sell a product I am interested in purchasing even though they sell cruises.

 

Please educate me.:confused:

 

Linda

[RevNeal]

Oh, boy ... looks like yet yet another can-o-worms that I never seem to be able to resist opening.

 

 

 

In answer to the OP's question:

 

Da

Ja

Si

 

... for the international set. :)

[RevNeal]

I WANT TO GO BACK AND CIRCLE HAWAII AGAIN !!

 

Hey, ryansmemom ... join the CC Group Cruise on the Zaandam to Hawaii in October 2006 and you WILL get to circile Hawaii again. :)

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/interests/groups.cfm?ID=71

[SantaAna,CA]

Okay, I'm with the shooing out of people with baseball caps, flip flops, etc. on formal night and all, but let's talk how we go about it, shall we?...what do you think is the proper punishment for those who refuse to follow the rules???

 

-- water cannon

-- towel animal pelting

-- keel hauling

-- walking the plank

 

I vote for #2....it will give that other thread a reason to join this one :p

[RuthC]

In answer to the question: of course X 3.

 

And not just in the dining room, either! After all, the dress code is for the evening, not the dinner. There are greeters outside the show lounge; they, too, should be turning people away.

When people don't know how to behave by showing respect for their host and other passengers, they need to be told.

Sometimes I wish we could return to the days when there were no casual evenings, and people knew how to dress!

Now, where did I put my Opera Glasses?

[Copper10-8]

Boy, this is another hot tamale subject.

 

Like the guy said on Police Acadamy: "Lighten up, Frances!"

 

 

Hi RichGuy

 

No big deal either but that famous quote was from Sergeant Hulka in "Stripes" with Bill Murray

 

Take care and be safe

 

John

[Sailure]

I blame HAL for the problem. They should make it MANDATORY to dress formally on formal nights instead of SUGGESTING what attire should be worn.

Evening dress falls into three distinct categories. Each night a daily program will be delivered to your stateroom announcing the suggested dress for the following evening. Comfortable, relaxed clothing is fine for evenings designated as casual; however, T-shirts, jeans, swimsuits, tank tops and shorts are not allowed in the dining room, Lido restaurant, or public areas during the evening hours. During informal nights, dresses or pantsuits for women and jackets (tie optional) for men are standard.

 

On festive formal evenings, women usually wear cocktail dresses or gowns and men usually wear business suits or tuxedos. There are approximately two formal nights per week. (Gentlemen: Although business suits or tuxedos are suggested attire for formal evenings, they are certainly not required. You are welcome to wear a jacket and tie on formal nights.) Formalwear for ladies and gentlemen can be pre-ordered for your use for the duration of your cruise. Just call Cruise Line Formalwear at 800-551-5091 to reserve and it will be ready in your stateroom when you board.

 

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

[djvand]

I agree with Michmike. Personally, I follow the rules, becuase that is the type of person that I am. I, however, do realize that some people are not aware of the rules, or simply choose the "it's my vacation and I will do what I want" rule.

My problem comes with enforcement. It is never done consistently. In order to be fair I suggest we all wear uniforms! I think wooden shoes would be a hoot on the Promonade deck!

[RevNeal]

It's time to resurrect from the dim, misty recesses of the past my "Proposed Alternative Dress Code for the Holland America Line." I actually sent it in to HAL-HQ a year or so ago. Apparently they don't have much of a sense of humor (could it be the Dutch-Reformed influence) because I received a response in the form of a Form Letter thanking me for my suggestions. :)

 

Suggested New HAL Dress Code:

 

Evening dress falls into three distinct categories. Each night a daily program will be delivered to your stateroom announcing the REQUIRED dress for the following evening. Comfortable, relaxed clothing is fine for evenings designated as casual; however, T-shirts, jeans, swimsuits, tank tops and shorts are not allowed in the dining room, Lido restaurant, or public areas during the evening hours. All violators will be catapulted overboard just prior to the second-seating's show. During informal nights, dresses or pantsuits for women and jackets (tie optional) for men are expected. (Gentlemen: You may NOT be out and about without a jacket. Any violation of this standard will result in a public flogging, administered by the Captain, on the sports deck at 9:45 pm.)

 

On festive formal evenings, women shall wear cocktail dresses or gowns and men shall wear business suits or tuxedos. There are only approximately two formal nights per week, so stop whining. (Ladies and Gentlemen: the penalty for failing to abide by our dress code will be the deduction of 10 Mariner days for each infraction. If the infractions exceed the number of days any given passenger has accumilated they will be immediately "debarked."

 

If you're a poor slob and don't own the proper attire for Formal Night, appropriate Formalwear for ladies and gentlemen can be pre-ordered for your use for the duration of your cruise. Just call Cruise Line Formalwear at 800-551-5091 to reserve and it will be ready in your inside, N-catagory stateroom when you board. If you don't own the proper clothing for informal night, you're out of luck and probably won't even be happy on any of our dam ships anyway.

[RuthC]

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

And now you must translate "literal" English into "polite" English. Suggested=Expected.

[HeatherInFlorida]

Yes

Yes.

Yes.

Absolutely ... no question. And for all the naysayers (and I could have named them without even looking at their responses:D , here's the deal:

There are many cruises and vacations you can go on and not bring a single solitary piece of formal wear. There are vacations and cruises you can go on and be barefoot the entire time. And if you choose nudity, there are vacations for that, too. So there's plenty out there for everyone.

But if you choose a vacation with a dress code, follow it!!! It's that simple. There really can be no argument or discussion. If you don't like the code, don't get on the ship.

[tumeroll]

Glad to see the vast majority of HAL guests still prefer to stay with the elegance of cruisung vs the mass market ships where anything goes. I agree that those who prefer to wear jeans and baseball caps to dinner should find a different cruise line. Perhaps the Staen Island Ferry on a Saturday as the dress code for the weekdays is a bit too formal for them.

 

I can not understand why some one would want to cruise on a fine ship with all of its well set tables, uniformed service staff and the likes only to make an effort to bring down the tone with their own sloppy attire. Part of the cruise is the overall atmosphere including the other passengers. If I want to look at baseball hats and jeans, I can catch the MT. Washington out of Wolfeboro, NH anyday during the summer and have a nice casual cruise on water. To be sure the food comes on paper plates and the flatware is plastic and the crew is in jeans but it is relaxed and laid back. I am sure there are similar cruises in almost every state in the country where such laid back vacations are possible.

 

If you are just using the ship as a way to get to the islands etc and you do not wish to partake of the rest of the atmosphere, hop a flight.

[RevNeal]

And now you must translate "literal" English into "polite" English. Suggested=Expected.

 

Correct, Ruth. The proof of your linguistic observation can be found in the fact that, in this supposedly "suggested" Dress Code, the words "not allowed" appear when referencing "T-shirts, jeans, swimsuits, tank tops and shorts" relative to evening wear. :) How can "not allowed" be found in a merely "suggested" Dress Code? It can't, unless what is suggested is the wearing of a Tuxedo or a business suit on formal night. What is NOT suggested is the wearing of a jacket and a tie ... those are "standard." Anything less is "sub-standard."

 

Websters provides, as one of the relevant definitions of "standard" in its adjectival formation: "Acceptable but of less than top quality." This is its precise meaning as used in the Dress Code. Since it is listed in this way, it can reasonably be inferred that this is the minimal standard.

[RevNeal]

And if you choose nudity, there are vacations for that, too. So there's plenty out there for everyone.

 

The un-purchased photographs taken by the ship's photographers on those nudists cruises probably go for a pretty penny once the cruise is over. So ... unless you want to see scanned-in photos of yourself in your birthday suit on the internet ... better buy 'em!!! :)

[RuthC]

Greg, you and Adele and Vic and I (and many others, too, I'm sure) are going to look so goood on the Voyage of the Spammed!

[TexEm]

It wasn't until just before my 4th cruise that I found CruiseCritic. Until then I really didn't know a lot about the dress code issue--I read the materials from the cruise lines, but they weren't very precise ("suggested" really doesn't mean mandatory). My only experience with cruising was from the LoveBoat on tv, and I knew they dressed up for dinner! So that's what I did, and what I made my family (husband and 2 sons) do. I'm always afraid of being under-dressed, not over-dressed.

 

Now that I've found CruiseCritic, I've learned so much about the different cruise lines. I know that there are some lines and some ships that are more formal than others--I know about traditional vs. freestyle dining--I can select a cruise that in general will provide the ambience (was it RuthC who used that word?) that I prefer.

 

I think a lot of cruisers still don't have a clue, they don't come on these boards, they rely on their TAs, who sometimes just aren't too knowledgeable about these issues. For instance, we had 2 honeymoon couples on our transatlantic Prinsendam cruise recently--their TAs never told them a thing about how old the average passenger would be (most passengers could've been their grandparents if not great-grandparents), or anything at all, it seemed, other than selling them the ticket.

 

I'm in favor of giving these inappropriately-dressed people the benefit of the doubt--just presume they're all first time cruisers, and they'll learn for the next cruise.

 

BTW, could our hosts on these boards limit threads to just one at a time about "dress code"--right now it seems like there's a lot of threads about this!

 

Mary

[HeatherInFlorida]

..............

BTW, could our hosts on these boards limit threads to just one at a time about "dress code"--right now it seems like there's a lot of threads about this!

 

Mary

 

LOL, Mary! While that's a fantastic idea, it will never happen. There are certain subjects that rear their ugly heads periodically on this board. People debate, disagree, often get nasty and it finally stops. Then the subject goes away for awhile. Then it comes back and it usually blossums into several threads on the same subject and so it goes. It's kind like the circle of life here:D

[Oceanwench]

I think of it as more like the tide ... it ebbs and flows.

Some days it's liquor smuggling, some days it's appropriate dress ...

[Tomm]

Yes. Absolutely.Formal means formal and I think it's part of the fun and why spoil it for the rest of us?

[dakrewser]

Yes³

 

 

One mark of a true gentleman or lady is that they do not take notice of others who happen to be under-dressed. Neither, however, do they emulate or excuse that behavior. Instead, they choose to associate with like-minded people. Should HAL see fit to allow large numbers of it's passengers to ignore dress codes and other regulations, then those who believe in following those customs will - of necessity - have to move on to other lines. It will be a sad day.

[Tomm]

To General Max - you know what's expected before you board - it's part of the whole cruising experience. Yes, your on vacation , but so are we, and we know we were expected to dress up before we booked. What is your problem? I'm glad I booked on Princess where the rules are inforced. You should book on Slob Cruise Lines and come to dinner in your butt stained scivvies. I understand they have a big troft and just pour the food in.

[Oceanwench]

To General Max - you know what's expected before you board - it's part of the whole cruising experience. Yes, your on vacation , but so are we, and we know we were expected to dress up before we booked. What is your problem? I'm glad I booked on Princess where the rules are inforced. You should book on Slob Cruise Lines and come to dinner in your butt stained scivvies. I understand they have a big troft and just pour the food in.

 

 

Um ... weren't we just talking about gentlemanly behavior? That includes language.

And the visual isn't too pretty, either.

[Tomm]

Hop a flight or a raft on the Mississippi river and you can go bare foot and you can pick your teeth with a catfish bone and have burping contests for volume and duration. I understand there's a green teeth contest as well as a "find your butt with both hands" contest. Paper plates, plastic dinnerware and plastic cups, and just throw the bones on the floor. Oh happy happy. You'll be in hog heaven. And I realize how hard it is to wear shoes and underwear - I feel your pain brother, but I'll tell you what by God, I swear to you that putting on a Tux is slicker than deer guts on on doorknob, and you might even get some, if you give her that last piece of hog fat and brush your tooth.

[Copper10-8]

To General Max - you know what's expected before you board - it's part of the whole cruising experience. Yes, your on vacation , but so are we, and we know we were expected to dress up before we booked. What is your problem? I'm glad I booked on Princess where the rules are inforced. You should book on Slob Cruise Lines and come to dinner in your butt stained scivvies. I understand they have a big troft and just pour the food in.

 

Allthough I agree with those here that adhere to dress codes on board ships, let's not get out of control with visualizations that include stained scivvies. I still have to consume my dinner tonight and, maybe, Oceanwench does too:(

 

Take care and be safe!

 

John