Are coats necessary

[frac]

Hi, I no longer carry a coat and tie on cruises. Always dress smart casual in the evening. Are there alternative dining area on formal nights where smart casual would be acceptable? On Princess for instance I would eat the evening meal in the Horizon Grill.

[FRANKIEDNYC]

:) Yes Lido, room service If you eat very early you could also hit the outdoor burger place

[frac]

Thanks. Good to know. Been retired so long I'm not sure my ties still fit. :-)

[Krazy Kruizers]

Besides the Lido and cabin service, you can also dine in the Canaletto -- $10 per person.

[sail7seas]

Jacket and tie is HAL's minimum definition of formal for gentlemen but it is not consistently enforced. Sometimes the Dining Room Manager will be more casual about enforcement than other times. You might be able to be seated without your jacket. Bring a tie. :)

[peug]

DH always has a jacket along because he gets cold easily. He can no longer wear a tie that looks nice due to posture issues. That said I was concerned about formal night without a tie so I bought him a clip on at Walmart that he carried in his pocket in case he needed it. There was never an issue. We were greeted at the door and treated very nicely by everyone. Our friend dining with us cannot wear a suit jacket so wears a nice vest with a ties. No problems there also. They no longer require a dark suit or tux because of airline luggage issues - at least that is what we were told.

[RuthC]

They no longer require a dark suit or tux because of airline luggage issues - at least that is what we were told.

The lowering of the sartorial bar happened long before amount of luggage, and weight restrictions, started. Long before.

Edited July 10, 2014 by RuthC

[OCruisers]

The bar for what is allowed to be worn in the MDR for Formal Nights is like the "Limbo Stick" ... keeps getting lower! :D

LuLu

[RuthC]

The bar for what is allowed to be worn in the MDR for Formal Nights is like the "Limbo Stick" ... keeps getting lower! :D

LuLu

Thanks a lot---now I have an earworm:

Chubby Checker is singing "How low can you go?" ;)

[Watson's aunt]

Hi

 

On my last cruise Amsterdam 6/22-7/6 to Alaska. late seting. Formal night. I saw a lot in tux's and i did not see one man without a jacket and tie. everyone was dressed.

 

 

Mary

[Linda&Vern]

The lowering of the sartorial bar happened long before amount of luggage, and weight restrictions, started. Long before.

 

The bar for what is allowed to be worn in the MDR for Formal Nights is like the "Limbo Stick" ... keeps getting lower! :D

LuLu

 

I have to honestly report ... I have never seen anyone on a HAL formal night NOT dressed according to "requested attire." The last few cruises I have seen a sign at the MDR entrance (upstairs) saying something to the effect that tonight is formal night and jacket/tie required. We eat early fixed on all our cruises. I will also say that DH in his tux has never felt out of place. I do realize others have reported completely different experiences.

Edited July 10, 2014 by Linda&Vern

[hawkeye3d]

The problem with this “policy” is its subject to the whims of the dining room management and can vary all over the place.

 

On a recent cruise we were offered a jacket in Pinnacle while other guests were seated with just a dress shirt and tie, no jacket. We got the impression from the manager that tie was the minimum acceptable. They were gracious to us and we reciprocated and enjoyed our dinner.

 

For my two cents if you are going to have a “policy: then enforce it or change it, which HAL seems incapable of :mad:

 

Bob

[SF49erfan]

The problem with this “policy” is its subject to the whims of the dining room management and can vary all over the place.

 

For my two cents if you are going to have a “policy: then enforce it or change it, which HAL seems incapable of :mad:

 

Bob

 

I totally agree. On our last Veendam cruise (Canada/New England 5/31-6/14/2014) we saw people in shorts and tees on formal night. DH brings a jacket and tie (cruises are the only time he wears one!:D and I was in a long dress. There were so few people that kept to the dress code that I felt out of place. I'm not sure about our upcoming Alaska cruise. Oh well - to each their own

 

Terry

[RuthC]

I have to honestly report ... I have never seen anyone on a HAL formal night NOT dressed according to "requested attire."

"Requested attire" is the bar that is falling lower and lower as time goes on.

 

"Formal" night used to be tux/dinner jacket for men, then "dark suit" was added for those men who did not have a tux. But there were complaints that the standard was too high, and needed to accommodate men who didn't have (or didn't want to wear) a suit. So the bar was again lowered to the "jacket & tie" level. Now there are people who ask "can I 'get away with'" something lower still.

 

And the beat goes on....

[Fouremco]

Thanks a lot---now I have an earworm:

Chubby Checker is singing "How low can you go?" ;)

Only on the HAL board would the majority of readers not only understand the reference but be able to sing along!

[rajkr74]

On our 14 day Amsterdam cruise to Alaska on 6-22-14 Formal has become very Informal. There were very few men who wore tuxes and generally suit and ties were the norm. There were a number of sport jackets and ties also. However, on the 4 formal nights I saw numerous men with just a jacket and no ties seated. I even saw a few men with business casual seated. We were in As You Wish dining and I did not take a walk thru the full dinning room or upstairs to the fixed dinning to take a poll on the attire in those spaces. But it appears there was a lessening of the dress code.

[chaperonemom]

The more posts on the formal nights, the more anxious I am getting about our AK cruise! If I read previous posts correctly, don't the more special meals take place on formal nights? I would not want to be embarrassed by being turned away from a special dinner with my sweetie! He's a tall boy, so his extra long clothes take a lot of luggage space. I may try a space bag and keep my fingers crossed it doesn't come out looking like he slept in it! See, I told you I was anxious! =)

[sail7seas]

Only on the HAL board would the majority of readers not only understand the reference but be able to sing along!

 

 

 

I'm not sure that is true but it would be a fun experiment to find out. :D

 

Maybe would be interesting to post it on Princess and Celebrity Forums and see if there is a reaction? I'm guessing many there also will 'get it'. :D

 

[sail7seas]

DH and I were always 'rule followers' and I wore long dresses for years and DH always had a tuxedo with him. Then I switched to cocktail dresses, then he switched to dark suits and finally our last cruise together he wore only sport jacket and tie. He was ill by then and that was the best he could manage but even then he did not feel out of place. There were many men wearing blazers and ties and officially met HAL's description of acceptable for formal night.

 

[Augie's mom]

The more posts on the formal nights, the more anxious I am getting about our AK cruise! If I read previous posts correctly, don't the more special meals take place on formal nights? I would not want to be embarrassed by being turned away from a special dinner with my sweetie! He's a tall boy, so his extra long clothes take a lot of luggage space. I may try a space bag and keep my fingers crossed it doesn't come out looking like he slept in it! See, I told you I was anxious! =)

If the clothes are too wrinkled you can have them pressed on board. There is a fee, but worth ridding you of worries. Enjoy your cruise, relax and cherish the time.

[RJ2002]

On our last cruise (Zuiderdam), we had open seating, and most gentlemen had the minimum attire: sport coat and tie. After dinner, we always took a stroll on the promenade deck. We noticed several tables in the late fixed seating where gentlemen did not have a jacket.

 

Agree with others, I think it really depends on who is watching the door at the dining room on any given night.

[eandj]

We too used to "dress" more for formal nights. Actually we remember well when there was casual, semi formal and formal nights. :eek:

 

Now DH sometimes just takes a navy blazer, charcoal dress pants and ties for formal nights. I either wear a short cocktail dress or black crepe pants and nice top. And I repeat outfits on formal nights to keep it simpler. We are neither over or under-dressed and fit in fine. No matter what itinerary or length on ANY of the mainstream cruiselines.

 

I DO notice men without jackets or ties. They DO stand out. But I ignore. Funny.. women are never criticized for some of their casual outfits (I have seen tan dockers with a sweater and walking shoes etc.) The poor men are the ones that get attacked by the fashion police. ;)

[eandj]

I would not want to be embarrassed by being turned away from a special dinner with my sweetie! He's a tall boy, so his extra long clothes take a lot of luggage space. I may try a space bag and keep my fingers crossed it doesn't come out looking like he slept in it! See, I told you I was anxious! =)

 

 

I wouldn't sweat it. IF he takes a sport coat, he can just wear it or carry it on the plane. Lots do that. But as you read, a dress shirt and tie would most likely get him in on an AK cruise. I have seen some with just a vest, shirt and tie too. Dresses things up a bit more.

 

Be careful of space bags. Altho they save space, they can cause folks to OVER PACK and then your bag will be over the limit. I had to train myself NOT to fill my suitcase. It's pretty big and when I fill it, it is over weight.

[magandab]

Thanks a lot---now I have an earworm:

Chubby Checker is singing "How low can you go?" ;)

 

I hear that chocolate will cure that.

[RuthC]

I hear that chocolate will cure that.

 

Good thought! :D