Formal wear for 12 year old and deck question

[doubleduty]

Our 12 year old grandson will be on our cruise on the Nieuw Amsterdam in July. For the formal nights, will he be required to wear a jacket or can he get by with a dress shirt and tie?

 

Also, we are in a VB cabin on deck 5. Is this good or bad? I looked at the deck plan and I don't see any issues but was curious about this deck as to what might now be obvious from just looking at a deck plan. Also, even though I have read that the differences between VA, VB, VC, etc. are mostly about location, I was wondering if there are any other differences. We could have gotten a VD on deck 7 for a few hundred dollars less and now I am wondering whether I made the right decision to go with a VB. But, no matter what, we will love every minute of our cruise.

[jhannah]

Since Holland American asks for a jacket for formal evenings, it would be nice if he could get a jacket. This is a special occasion for him to cruise with his grandparents, and he would look extra handsome, I'm sure, with a jacket.

 

The differences in V category cabins is primarily location. I don't see any obvious issues with a VD on deck 7 other than the more forward location of the cabin might cause you to feel a bit more motion of the ocean if seas are high.

[ZSandy25]

I think a little sports jacket would be nice. Special time with grandparents make for special dressing:) He will be fine on smart casual nites with just a shirt with a collar. I envy you this time with your grandsons. It is my dream to include my two grandsons someday on a cruise but know that my daughter would remind me she is an only child and want to go along:)

[sail7seas]

Formal dress as HAL defines it really is for all. There are so many sources of inexpensive jackets for young men. What a special opportunity to sail with grandparents and to look handsome in a jacket and tie. A great teaching opportunity. :) Hope you have a wonderful cruise and make some lovely memories. Maybe get a photo done with all of you dressed for dinner?

[1of4]

Our son, not yet 11, has always worn a suit or full dress kilt on formal nights.

[momatibm]

My grandson -- plays in multiple orchestras -- he wore his tux for the formal nights. He loves dressing 'up'. It was interesting on one of the formal nights when we were in the Ocean Bar before dinner. There was a threesome that came in in in 'daisy dukes and ripped jeans'. My grandson, who usually dresses in 'smart casual' for school quietly asked why they were dressed by that. I explained later. If your grandson/son dresses with a sports jacket he will be fine.

[serendipity1499]

I agree that you can get inexpensive jackets for Young men.. If you don't want to purchase a jacket for him, as boys that age can be hard to fit, especially in the sleeves..

 

A suggestion would be to consider a special long sleeve shirt & tie with a dress vest for your Grandson..

 

Burlington Coat Factory sells lots of vests for Boys as dresswear.... Many of our young men here in Fla wear the vests to church.. They look lovely on them.

 

http://www.burlingtoncoatfactory.com/burlingtoncoatfactory/Boys/Dresswear-58960.aspx?h=58023

 

Scroll down on this same site to see lots of blazers in the $40 range for teenagers..

 

Enjoy your cruise with your Grandson..

Edited March 23, 2015 by serendipity1499

[sail7seas]

 

<snip>

 

The differences in V category cabins is primarily location. I don't see any obvious issues with a VD on deck 7 other than the more forward location of the cabin might cause you to feel a bit more motion of the ocean if seas are high.

 

Jim (or anyone).....

 

I don't recall but aren't some of those verandahs solid steel vs plexiglass on others?

 

[cccole]

Our sons started cruising at age 4 and I always had a jacket for them. Sometimes there are some great finds at thrift stores. Unfortunately your grandson is not old enough to invest in the tux that he can use for proms. I did this when our sons were older. I used to loan our jackets out to friends who were cruising and needed them for formal nights, possibly you could find a friend that you could borrow a jacket from. I'm sure, as others have said, he will enjoy dressing up with you, and the pictures will be fabulous. Cherie

[jtl513]

Our 12 year old grandson will be on our cruise on the Nieuw Amsterdam in July. For the formal nights, will he be required to wear a jacket or can he get by with a dress shirt and tie?

I believe he would not be refused admission without a jacket, but if he does not own one (and you don't want to buy one) I would suggest a cardigan sweater.

Also, we are in a VB cabin on deck 5. Is this good or bad? I looked at the deck plan and I don't see any issues but was curious about this deck as to what might now be obvious from just looking at a deck plan. Also, even though I have read that the differences between VA, VB, VC, etc. are mostly about location, I was wondering if there are any other differences. We could have gotten a VD on deck 7 for a few hundred dollars less and now I am wondering whether I made the right decision to go with a VB. But, no matter what, we will love every minute of our cruise.

Besides the differences in location, a major difference between Vx on the NA is the balcony depth which ranges from 4.5 ft (deck 10 and 11 VQ, and deck 5 V) to 7.5 ft (deck 4 side VB and VC). In your case both the deck 5 VB and deck 7 VD have 6 ft deep balconies, so the the major difference is that you would get more motion on deck 7 in rough seas.

 

Jim (or anyone).....

 

I don't recall but aren't some of those verandahs solid steel vs plexiglass on others?

 

Yes, the deck 4 VH, VE, and VF have steel-wall railings. The deck 10 SQ 10005 and 10006 have mainly steel wall railings with just a small plexiglass section.

.

Edited March 24, 2015 by jtl513

[jtl513]

Besides the differences in location, a major difference between Vx on the NA is the balcony depth which ranges from 4.5 ft (deck 10 and 11 VQ, and deck 5 V) to 7.5 ft (deck 4 side VB and VC).

I forgot to mention four special case balconies on the NA and Eurodam: 4053, 4054, 4129, and 4132 all have balconies that are about 14 feet deep. :)

[take us away]

Jim (or anyone).....

 

I don't recall but aren't some of those verandahs solid steel vs plexiglass on others?

 

 

Sail - you are correct. The 1st few cabins way up front usually have steel because of waves, etc.

[luxurysailer]

Judging from the dress that many grown men wear to the MDR on formal nights, I cannot imagine a child neatly dressed and wearing a sport coat being turned away. However, my DIL used to buy tuxes on one of the online auction websites (can't remember the name of it) where people list things they want to sell. She'd usually buy a nice kid's tux for $20 or thereabouts which is probably less than the price of a cheap jacket at a retail store. My grandsons always looked so spiffy and really proud to be dressed in their tuxes.

[Boytjie]

Jim (or anyone).....

 

I don't recall but aren't some of those verandahs solid steel vs plexiglass on others?

 

 

Sail - you are correct. The 1st few cabins way up front usually have steel because of waves, etc.

 

Just for further clarification: the steel railings are only on Deck 4 and the two SQ cabins on deck 10 (all towards the frond)

[visagrunt]

Given age and stage, investing in a jacket or suit is just asking for him to grow out of it. Another option is to rent. All formal wear rental shops stock boys' sizes.

[doubleduty]

Thanks all for the advice and info. I think we will invest in a jacket; even if he grows out of it soon after the cruise, I think it will be worth it for his very first cruise. Will make it even more special, I think, for him to really dress up.