Definition of "Public Areas" for dress code?

[clementine01]

From HAL's site, this statement is under "Is there a Dress Code?":

 

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

 

Does this mean that nice shorts and shirt or blouse can't be worn to eat supper at the buffet on the Lido deck? :eek:

 

I wonder what time "evening" starts?

[Fouremco]

The full paragraph from which you have quoted provides the information you need:

 

Evening dress falls into two distinct categories: Formal or Smart Casual. Smart Casual can be defined as slacks and sports shirts or sweater for men and skirt or trousers and sweater or blouse for women. Printed T-shirts, swimsuits, tank tops and shorts are not allowed in the restaurants or public areas during the evening hours.

 

So shorts are out, but a blouse would be acceptable.

 

That's the policy. Whether it's a good one and whether it is actually applied is an entirely different question. :rolleyes:

 

I don't know what definition HAL uses, but I'd considered evening as beginning at 6:00PM.

Edited August 10, 2014 by Fouremco

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have walked through the Lido buffet at dinner on quite a few different ships.

You will see people in shorts there and many other areas like the show room..

The rules are not enforced.

[sppunk]

You can wear shorts (not swim trunks, but shorts) and any nice top anywhere except the MDR and Pinnacle during the evening. Don't worry, you won't be the only one!

 

Enjoy your cruise!

Edited August 10, 2014 by sppunk

[RuthC]

There are public rooms that are decorated in a formal fashion, and other public rooms that are not decorated in such a formal way; they are decorated in a more casual fashion.

The evening dress code does extend to the public rooms, but those that are decorated in a casual fashion really aren't included in that. Example, the Lido buffet is a casual room, as is the Lido pool area, and outside decks. Depending on the ship, the card rooms and movie theatre are more casual rooms.

[jaguarstyper]

I saw several people wearing shorts in the main dining room and every where else on the ship during smart casual evenings on my last HAL Caribbean cruise. That may be the policy, but it is not enforced. At least not on the Westerdam.

[Wakepatrol]

I saw several people wearing shorts in the main dining room and every where else on the ship during smart casual evenings on my last HAL Caribbean cruise. That may be the policy, but it is not enforced. At least not on the Westerdam.

 

Glad I missed it:)

[Linda&Vern]

I saw several people wearing shorts in the main dining room and every where else on the ship during smart casual evenings on my last HAL Caribbean cruise. That may be the policy, but it is not enforced. At least not on the Westerdam.

Interesting you said Westerdam. On our Spring 2013 cruise we saw a DRM literally take off running after someone who walked in wearing shorts. We thought he was going to tackle the fellow. Turned out the guy just wanted to tell his parents that he wasn't joining them for dinner. How things must have changed in a year.

[Skipchew]

I was on one ship where the evening attire of a large group of people sitting near us in the main dining room consisted of shorts, flip-flops, printed tank tops and caps that had some sort of clapping crab on them. They wore this outfit every night, including formal nights. And they were loud. Nobody ever said a word to them

 

The policy is enforced unevenly.

[Linda&Vern]

I was on one ship where the evening attire of a large group of people sitting near us in the main dining room consisted of shorts, flip-flops, printed tank tops and caps that had some sort of clapping crab on them. They wore this outfit every night, including formal nights. And they were loud. Nobody ever said a word to them

 

The policy is enforced unevenly.

A HAL ship? If so, I'm pretty sure it had to have been a "group cruise" with special exceptions made for the "large group."

[mollymac]

Why should the policy even need "enforced"? No one makes you cruise on a ship that has a dress policy?

[Skipchew]

It was a while ago, but I'm pretty sure it was a HAL ship- the Ryndam perhaps.

 

By "large" I mean 10 people or so.

 

I have seen similar behavior on a few lines.

[Fouremco]

Why should the policy even need "enforced"? No one makes you cruise on a ship that has a dress policy?

Like those who smuggle liquor aboard, there will always those who believe that the rules don't apply to them.

[IRL_Joanie]

From HAL's site, this statement is under "Is there a Dress Code?":

 

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

 

Does this mean that nice shorts and shirt or blouse can't be worn to eat supper at the buffet on the Lido deck? :eek:

 

I wonder what time "evening" starts?

 

............Definition of "Public Areas" for dress code

 

My definition of "Public Areas" is once you step over the threshold to leave your stateroom you are in a public area.

 

Joanie

[kakalina]

You will find casually dressed folks in shorts and tanks or printed tees in the Casino, movies, outside decks, Lido and quite often the bars and the shows. Some just don't pay attention, others just don't care. Personally, I don't give a hoot what others wear as long as they are wearing clothes.

[DrTee]

............Definition of "Public Areas" for dress code

 

My definition of "Public Areas" is once you step over the threshold to leave your stateroom you are in a public area.

 

Joanie

 

That's the part that I've always thought hadn't been thought through by HAL, and I think it's what the OP was asking. If it's formal night, but you don't want to dress formally, you're told to go to the Lido, right? But how does one do that without entering any public areas?

[Lizzie68]

............Definition of "Public Areas" for dress code

 

My definition of "Public Areas" is once you step over the threshold to leave your stateroom you are in a public area.

 

Joanie

 

.... and if you are heading to the Lido Buffet for dinner dressed casually, you need to climb the Jacob's ladder on the outside of the ship to get there so as not to contravene the dress code in public areas.:D:D

[Typhoon1]

............Definition of "Public Areas" for dress code

 

My definition of "Public Areas" is once you step over the threshold to leave your stateroom you are in a public area.

 

Joanie

 

I'd be inclined to agree, with one exception. The Lido. It seems anything goes there.

[take us away]

Fully agree with Joanie about public areas being defined as anything outside your cabin. HAL has their published policy for attire and many people cruise HAL because of their policy. If people want to be more casual, there are other cruise lines that cater to them without any issue. Our children are great examples as they prefer more casual cruising so they would never consider HAL. Family cruises are done on other cruise lines. Do not mean to offend anyone but there are so many options out there that if someone does not like the policies of one cruise line, they do have many alternatives to choose from for a cruise.

[Fouremco]

Fully agree with Joanie about public areas being defined as anything outside your cabin. HAL has their published policy for attire and many people cruise HAL because of their policy. If people want to be more casual, there are other cruise lines that cater to them without any issue. Our children are great examples as they prefer more casual cruising so they would never consider HAL. Family cruises are done on other cruise lines. Do not mean to offend anyone but there are so many options out there that if someone does not like the policies of one cruise line, they do have many alternatives to choose from for a cruise.

One might also speculate that a great many people cruise HAL in spite of the dress policy because there are many more important factors going into the decision-making process. I might add that the current HAL website and cruise docs contain information that is quite different than it was even a year ago. Consider the following from my cruise docs for an Alaska cruise next month:

 

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 usually wear a suit, cocktail dress or gown 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.

 

Missing is any reference as to where formal attire is required on Formal evenings. Based on the current wording, the policy seems to suggest that it is required ship-wide, no matter where you dine. Really? On the other hand, I was surprised to see that for gentlemen, the first suggested dress is a jacket and tie, with a tuxedo coming last. Oh, and suits for women. For a formal night?

 

So HAL's policy is changing, and there is no need for those who like to dress casually to seek out other cruise lines, as HAL's policy is sufficiently flexible to accommodate most tastes within reason.

[solocanadian]

I was on one ship where the evening attire of a large group of people sitting near us in the main dining room consisted of shorts, flip-flops, printed tank tops and caps that had some sort of clapping crab on them. They wore this outfit every night, including formal nights. And they were loud. Nobody ever said a word to them

 

The policy is enforced unevenly.

 

Glad I wasn't there. I would have asked to be moved next to more respectful people. As I've said before on this board, I am dead against men wearing any kind of hat indoors.

[solocanadian]

............Definition of "Public Areas" for dress code

 

My definition of "Public Areas" is once you step over the threshold to leave your stateroom you are in a public area.

 

Joanie

 

I agree with you 100% Joanie.

[Lizzie68]

Fully agree with Joanie about public areas being defined as anything outside your cabin. HAL has their published policy for attire and many people cruise HAL because of their policy. If people want to be more casual, there are other cruise lines that cater to them without any issue. Our children are great examples as they prefer more casual cruising so they would never consider HAL. Family cruises are done on other cruise lines. Do not mean to offend anyone but there are so many options out there that if someone does not like the policies of one cruise line, they do have many alternatives to choose from for a cruise.

 

So do tell - how is one supposed to get to and from the informal areas of the ship? HAL does NOT require you to dress formally to go to and from the Lido for dinner on formal night. Yes you have offended.

[Fouremco]

Glad I wasn't there. I would have asked to be moved next to more respectful people. As I've said before on this board, I am dead against men wearing any kind of hat indoors.

Couldn't agree more about the hats! I had a chat with my young teenage grandson a while back and now his ball cap comes off as he walk in the door. So nice to see a positive response to good manners, something sadly lacking with many adults who should know better.

[taxmantoo]

Glad I wasn't there. I would have asked to be moved next to more respectful people. As I've said before on this board, I am dead against men wearing any kind of hat indoors.

 

I would probably call the maitre d' and ask him to explain the new HAL dress code to me. It can be quite fun to see them fumbling around and come up with bad excuses as to why this was allowed to happen. :D I keep referring them to the "printed" and "web" versions and ask when they will update both.