Yet another dress code question.

[kazu]

Jacqui, since we've never met I have no idea what your wardrobe looks like. But based on your self-evaluation of "dress decently", you have nothing to worry about on Oceania. Women dress in what could be termed "evening casual", which would be a put-together, coordinated outfit. They look like they took a little care, and time, getting dressed for the evening.

On HAL, I see some women who don't get changed out of what they wore all day.

 

Thank you RuthC . I am feeling better. :) much appreciated. :)

[RMLincoln]

We're packing very light for our 60 day European tour, which includes a HAL transatlantic cruise of 21 nights, probably 6 formal nights. We won't have room for a suit coat.

 

Last time we went to Europe with just carry-on size bags it was September/Oct and DH wore his suit coat on the planes. But our Oct/Nov/Dec trip this year includes Iceland and Norway and will be cold enough that he is wearing cold weather clothes including a black cardigan.

 

So what to do on formal nights? Black cardigan with dress shirt and tie. We'll have open dining and reserve a table for 2 (so we don't offend anyone). If turned away at the MDR door we'll dine in the Lido that night and for the other formal nights we'll dine in our room.

 

I looked at renting formal wear and decided to use the money to get DH a more comfortable pair of all black walking shoes that he can wear all over Europe and to the MDR - no more lugging size 14 dress shoes around the world and having them take up 20% of the suitcase.

 

I wish HAL would make formal dress optional as other lines have done so those who want to dress fancier can and those who don't want to or can't for practicality aren't relegated to the buffet. The 6 formal dinners will be 10% of our 60+ day trip and I want to enjoy them as much as possible but packing in a carry-on size suitcase so we can carry them onto trains and buses and up flights of stairs in old-style hotels has to come first.

 

I love dining in the MDR and if I only get to do it 15 nights it will dampen my cruise experience a bit but not ruin it. HAL had a ship returning to the US in Dec and we booked it for timing, and glad for it. We could have found a Costa cruise but much prefer HAL even with a few buffet or room service dinners! m--

[Randyk47]

For the first time in 20 years I did not take my tux on our Med cruise this past May. Between being gone for 24 days and only two formal nights out of 18 cruise days it just didn't seem worth it. Now that didn't mean we gave up totally and I actually took a black suit that was lighter weight and required less accessories. A change of ties, a pocket square here or there, and we felt quite "formal". Have to say, and I understand this might not be universally accepted, but we actually like formal nights, enjoy dressing for dinner, and the dress code. The switch to a black suit was a workable compromise.

[Vineyard View]

Has anyone rented one of the suits from HAL? We are traveling both prior and after - when sports coat will not be used. Thinking about suitcase room....so wondering how that worked....thank you

[Vict0riann]

I have heard that men arriving at the MDR on formal nights without a jacket will be offered a "loaner" - why not just accept that? It's only for a couple of hours, if it's not a good fit, just take it off at the table and put it over the back of your chair!:)

[Vineyard View]

I have heard that jackets are not always available. I honestly do not know if that is true. But we would want to have basis covered. Thank you for the suggestion. I will dig further!

[Tante Amalie]

On our Alaska cruise this summer, it was very informal. It seemed to me that just about anything was possible. Some men wore polo shirts and khakis. I'm not sure anyone is enforcing any dress code at all. I don't think you'll have a problem no matter what. It didn't seem the other passengers cared either. I was surprised because I haven't cruised in a while, but I guess getting dressed up is a thing of the past.

[POA1]

I have heard that jackets are not always available. I honestly do not know if that is true. But we would want to have basis covered. Thank you for the suggestion. I will dig further!

I think it will depend on when you get there and how many of the loaner jackets are out when you arrive. I usually take a sport coat on the plane with me. If I'm not sitting where the flight attendants will hang it for me, I'll either fold it and keep it on my lap, or I'll pop it, folded, into a plastic grocery bag an stow it in the overhead just before they're closing the door. I'm with you 100% on keeping the bases covered.

[Tante Amalie]

I also heard that you don't have to wear a jacket if you don't want to. I think you can just put it on the back of your chair after you sit down. I guess it doesn't matter if the loaner fits or not. That doesn't make a lot of sense. Why do you have to have a jacket if you don't have to wear it? Seems kind of silly.

[Stratheden]

I have heard that men arriving at the MDR on formal nights without a jacket will be offered a "loaner" - why not just accept that? It's only for a couple of hours, if it's not a good fit, just take it off at the table and put it over the back of your chair!:)

 

Are you saying that although they insist on you wearing a jacket to dinner, even going so far as to loan you one, it is ok to take it off and put it on the back of a chair?

[take us away]

We're packing very light for our 60 day European tour, which includes a HAL transatlantic cruise of 21 nights, probably 6 formal nights. We won't have room for a suit coat.

 

Last time we went to Europe with just carry-on size bags it was September/Oct and DH wore his suit coat on the planes. But our Oct/Nov/Dec trip this year includes Iceland and Norway and will be cold enough that he is wearing cold weather clothes including a black cardigan.

 

So what to do on formal nights? Black cardigan with dress shirt and tie. We'll have open dining and reserve a table for 2 (so we don't offend anyone). If turned away at the MDR door we'll dine in the Lido that night and for the other formal nights we'll dine in our room.

 

I looked at renting formal wear and decided to use the money to get DH a more comfortable pair of all black walking shoes that he can wear all over Europe and to the MDR - no more lugging size 14 dress shoes around the world and having them take up 20% of the suitcase.

 

I wish HAL would make formal dress optional as other lines have done so those who want to dress fancier can and those who don't want to or can't for practicality aren't relegated to the buffet. The 6 formal dinners will be 10% of our 60+ day trip and I want to enjoy them as much as possible but packing in a carry-on size suitcase so we can carry them onto trains and buses and up flights of stairs in old-style hotels has to come first.

 

I love dining in the MDR and if I only get to do it 15 nights it will dampen my cruise experience a bit but not ruin it. HAL had a ship returning to the US in Dec and we booked it for timing, and glad for it. We could have found a Costa cruise but much prefer HAL even with a few buffet or room service dinners! m--

 

You should be just fine with the a shirt, tie along with your black cardigan and black walking shoes.

[Tante Amalie]

I don't know if putting your jacket on the chair is the official policy, but it seemed like a lot of men were doing it.

 

Before our cruise, I was reading these boards to see what the dress code is and I convinced my husband to wear a jacket. It seemed like Holland was pretty formal. After the trip we realized its very casual and you shouldn't worry about it. I didn't see any shorts in the dining room, but there were jeans and hats. As far as I could tell, none of the passengers or staff cared one way or the other.

[Vineyard View]

Thank you for all the input! Seems like it varies quite a bit.

[tootielove2cruise]

nevermind

Edited July 24, 2014 by tootielove2cruise

[mikeange]

When I read these dress code threads I always wonder why no solution is put forth short of eliminating formal night or the implicit suggestion of a TSA-like fashion police force enforcing, enforcing, enforcing.

 

I used to love formal nights. I would bring suits, tuxes, dinner jackets, etc. As time has worn on I just don't want to do it anymore. And aside from a very vocal and determined minority, most cruisers don't seem to want to either. With the packing issues and airline policies, it is just not worth it. I mean to offend no one.

 

I stopped with the tuxes because of cost as well as the consistent mistakes with the on-board services. I was forced to "alter" too many tuxe sleeve and pant hem with duct tape and/or staples I was also dismayed with most passengers simply trying to meet the absolute, absolute minimum necessary to meet the official dress code. You all know what I am talking about; the couple showing up he in his Kohl's navy blazer, khaki dockers, and boat shoes while she is in a pair of black knit pants that can be rolled up in a ball along with some kind of a sparkly top equally rollable, multiple scarves or pins for multiple formal nights, and strappy little casual shoes. This is hardly the formal night that would have come to mind years ago. Times change.

 

But anyway, my suggestion is very simple and would accommodate everyone. Just like there is traditional fixed seating dining in one MDR and non-traditional "as-you-wish" dining in the other. Simply have a traditional ball gown/cocktail dress and tuxes formal night in the "traditional" dining room and a resort casual dining experience in the other MDR that has "as-you-wish" dining.

 

This would accommodate everyone. These tedious dress code threads would simply go away because everyone would be accommodated. And before someone says that the existing formal attire dress code is expected to be maintained for entire evening, we all know that is not the case.

 

Those who demand compliance with a formal dining experience would not need to suggest that those who do not want to comply should go on Carnival or some other less formal line. Those who want a less formal experience would not need to suggest the formal folks migrate to Cunard.

 

Everyone could enjoy HAL and their wonderful MDR and get along!

[taxmantoo]

But anyway, my suggestion is very simple and would accommodate everyone. Just like there is traditional fixed seating dining in one MDR and non-traditional "as-you-wish" dining in the other. Simply have a traditional ball gown/cocktail dress and tuxes formal night in the "traditional" dining room and a resort casual dining experience in the other MDR that has "as-you-wish" dining.

 

This would accommodate everyone.

 

Everyone but the poor person handling dinner reservations :eek: Some people in fixed seating would request changes to any time for that night and people in any time would want to go to fixed for that night! A real administrative fiasco waiting to happen :eek:

[mikeange]

And if there was a mass movement from dining room to dining room on those nights, HAL would clearly be able to see exactly what their passengers want because there would be a preponderance of passengers moving to or from a particular dining room.

 

Additionally, just like now, changes from fixed to/from as-you-wish are limited by availability.

[RuthC]

... just like now, changes from fixed to/from as-you-wish are limited by availability.

:confused::confused::confused: "Fixed" IS "as you wish".

[sppunk]

Drop set times all together, allow standing reservations, and be done with it.

 

Upstairs formal, downstairs smart casual.

[Tante Amalie]

That is an excellent suggestion. Why force people to dress up if they don't want to?

[Linda&Vern]

After reading various "formal dress code" threads the last couple of years ... I have come to the conclusion that my DH and I have never been on a cruise with very many of the posters here on CC. We've cruised with HAL 7 times - the most recent 4 months ago.

 

On formal evenings we have never seen anyone enter the MDR who was not dressed to HAL's formal code. Well yes, there was ONCE. Also, one time a fellow in shorts entered and headed toward the back of the MDR. He was almost tackled by the MDR Manager. Turned out the fellow was looking for his parents to tell them some of their party were eating in the Lido that evening instead of the MDR.

 

The only exception - was on our first cruise. Christmas Eve in the MDR there was a large table that looked to be a multi-generational family. The MDR Manager was involved in a couple of discussions with the table at the beginning of dinner. One family member left the table and returned with "Grandpa?" ... dressed in his red plaid flannel shirt and his bid overalls. I was happy the family got to dine together. I'm sure some other HAL cruisers were not so happy.

 

I'm the first to admit HAL's formal code is not "formal" ... but I just haven't witnessed the casual attire others are reporting they saw on formal night.

 

Disclaimer: All dinners were early fixed, upper dining room.

[jagger16]

Has anyone rented one of the suits from HAL? We are traveling both prior and after - when sports coat will not be used. Thinking about suitcase room....so wondering how that worked....thank you

 

My husband and I are wondering about this as well. Packing a suit and dress shoes take up a lot of room so he is considering the rental. If anyone has rented before can you tell us a little about the experience and the tux?

 

Would the tux pass as a dark suit without the cummerbund and bow tie? He's just not a tux guy but usually brings his own dark suit, shirt, tie and pocket square. For us the issue isn't about dressing up but packing a suit and dress shoes when the space can be used for something else.

 

And personally I love this idea of the two separate areas of the MDR based on how you dress. I would gladly give up my table and scheduled time on formal nights to be a part of the festivities.

[RuthC]

That is an excellent suggestion. Why force people to dress up if they don't want to?

No one is "forced" to dress up if he/she doesn't want to. There are at least three options HAL offers so no one has to do what they don't want. Those options were started for just that reason. HAL even offers the same food in the Lido and room service as offered in the dining room!

Take your pick: dress for dinner and go to the dining room, or, don't dress for dinner and dine elsewhere.

[iancal]

It is really a very poor alternative compared to other lines such as Celebrity where the optional restaurants remain casual on formal evenings.

 

But it is an option.

 

At the very least one would think that HAL could extend the Lido hours, or at least not start closing down the steam tables by 7 (and sometimes earlier). I have often wondered why the big rush to close down the Lido. These are some of the things that add up for us to make HAL less attractive as time passes.

Edited July 25, 2014 by iancal

[mikeange]

No one is "forced" to dress up if he/she doesn't want to. There are at least three options HAL offers so no one has to do what they don't want. Those options were started for just that reason. HAL even offers the same food in the Lido and room service as offered in the dining room!

Take your pick: dress for dinner and go to the dining room, or, don't dress for dinner and dine elsewhere.

 

The food in the Lido on formal nights is close, but not exactly what is served in the MDR. On our 19day western Med cruise last fall, you were not going to find the lobster, the veal chops, or the same desserts as in the MDR on the Lido buffet. So if you want the FULL MDR menu, you are, in effect, forced to go to the MDR or eat in your stateroom, and unless one has a grand stateroom how pleasant a dining experience that would be.

 

My proposed solution eliminates any forcing or coercion. One dining room is formal, the other resort/dressy casual...not cutoffs and baseball caps. If formal night is as popular as these threads would suggest, the formal dining room will be overwhelmed and HAL will be walking diners down to the underutilized "dressy casual" dining room. There will be no need for any Maitre'd to enforce, enforce, enforce. There will be no reason to exile people elsewhere.