Review of Formal Nights

[RuthC]

Okay. That made me laugh out loud - and I don't do that often.

So early in the morning, too! :D

[The-Inside-Cabin]

They could mix the rooms for open+fixed seating though. Reserved tables (fixed) and nightly assigned tables (open) should be able to exist on the same floor without much problem.

 

 

As reasonable as that sounds originally, it would soon start threads like this:

 

"My family is at the formal table in the Kings Room (we love the idea of a separate area for formal dress) and everyone likes wearing tuxes except Uncle Fred. Would it be OK if he wore a really NICE t shirt so he could sit with us? It is strange that he worked in a bank for 50 years and seemed capable of easily wearing a tie then, but since this is HIS vacation he would rather not make any special effort to dress up or follow rules he disagrees with. Since his sitting at our table won't bother us, why should it bother anyone. Plus airlines charge money for bags (and for travel) and spending an extra $100 dollars on baggage fees or tux rental, would bankrupt us since we are already spending $10K on this vacation. I know we could go to an all inclusive on land and wear swim trunks for the week - but we all love cruising!"

Edited August 6, 2015 by Pete and Judy

[cruz chic]

As reasonable as that sounds originally, it would soon start threads like this:

 

"My family is at the formal table in the Kings Room (we love the idea of a separate area for formal dress) and everyone likes wearing tuxes except Uncle Fred. Would it be OK if he wore a really NICE t shirt so he could sit with us? It is strange that he worked in a bank for 50 years and seemed capable of easily wearing a tie then, but since this is HIS vacation he would rather not make any special effort to dress up or follow rules he disagrees with. Since his sitting at our table won't bother us, why should it bother anyone. Plus airlines charge money for bags (and for travel) and spending an extra $100 dollars on baggage fees or tux rental, would bankrupt us since we are already spending $10K on this vacation. I know we could go to an all inclusive on land and wear swim trunks for the week - but we all love cruising!"

Too funny :D but all to true.

[3rdGenCunarder]

As reasonable as that sounds originally, it would soon start threads like this:

 

"My family is at the formal table in the Kings Room (we love the idea of a separate area for formal dress) and everyone likes wearing tuxes except Uncle Fred. Would it be OK if he wore a really NICE t shirt so he could sit with us? It is strange that he worked in a bank for 50 years and seemed capable of easily wearing a tie then, but since this is HIS vacation he would rather not make any special effort to dress up or follow rules he disagrees with. Since his sitting at our table won't bother us, why should it bother anyone. Plus airlines charge money for bags (and for travel) and spending an extra $100 dollars on baggage fees or tux rental, would bankrupt us since we are already spending $10K on this vacation. I know we could go to an all inclusive on land and wear swim trunks for the week - but we all love cruising!"

 

That is beyond brilliant!!!! :D

[POA1]

We would be very happy if HAL followed some other similar cruise lines and provided an optional, casual attire on gala nights, pay dining venue. Not the Caneletto in a roped off section of the buffet but a 'real' venue.

 

This might go part way to satisfying some people. We have no issue in paying for this as long as the food and service is appropriate to the upcharge. We, and many others, do exactly this on RCI, Princess, and Celebrity.

But wouldn't that remove some of what differentiates the various cruise lines? I'd hate for every cruise line to be homogeneous, just because some people picked a cruise without knowing what they were getting into. I'm sure that there are parents with children who'd love to see character greeting areas on Holland America. It's not our fault, nor is it our responsibility that they got on the wrong ship. NCL has been pretty casual for years, as has RCCL, and Carnival. If you know that there are cruise lines that offer what you want, and you book with one that doesn't, that's on you. There are plenty of people who sail on HAL - or Disney for that matter - who choose that particular line because it offers what they want. If we booked a Disney Cruise and were suddenly annoyed because there were (Gasp!) children everywhere, that'd be our own fault. If someone books with Holland America and wants to be 100% casual, tough. (Steps down off soapbox. Exits - stage right.)

[RuthC]

As reasonable as that sounds originally, it would soon start threads like this:

 

"My family is at the formal table in the Kings Room (we love the idea of a separate area for formal dress) and everyone likes wearing tuxes except Uncle Fred. Would it be OK if he wore a really NICE t shirt so he could sit with us? It is strange that he worked in a bank for 50 years and seemed capable of easily wearing a tie then, but since this is HIS vacation he would rather not make any special effort to dress up or follow rules he disagrees with. Since his sitting at our table won't bother us, why should it bother anyone. Plus airlines charge money for bags (and for travel) and spending an extra $100 dollars on baggage fees or tux rental, would bankrupt us since we are already spending $10K on this vacation. I know we could go to an all inclusive on land and wear swim trunks for the week - but we all love cruising!"

And so it goes.

This was perfect.

[dbsb3233]

Not "logical" at all. There will always be people who want to sit in the area "assigned" to the other group.

There is no solution that is happy for all on this. There are only solutions which some accept while others don't---one of which has been instituted.

That's what reserved tables are for, and the host would know not to sit "open" seating customers at reserved tables.

 

But moreover, my comment was qualified with "If they were to do that" (split the MDR seating somehow to allow both formal and smart casual). I was commenting within the parameters of the other poster's idea. But I don't really expect they'd do it as a split, but rather will eventually just allow either throughout the MDR.

[3rdGenCunarder]

That's what reserved tables are for, and the host would know not to sit "open" seating customers at reserved tables.

 

But moreover, my comment was qualified with "If they were to do that" (split the MDR seating somehow to allow both formal and smart casual). I was commenting within the parameters of the other poster's idea. But I don't really expect they'd do it as a split, but rather will eventually just allow either throughout the MDR.

 

So your plan would have a mix of open and fixed dining times throughout the MDR. Then how would you split the formal and not formal? Suppose I have a fixed dining table in the part of the dining room that will be "formal," and I don't want to dress "formal?" What do I do on formal nights, give up my assigned table? Do I then go to open dining in the non-formal part of the MDR? That will leave my usual seat empty while I occupy another seat.

 

It won't work.

[dbsb3233]

As reasonable as that sounds originally, it would soon start threads like this:

 

"My family is at the formal table in the Kings Room (we love the idea of a separate area for formal dress) and everyone likes wearing tuxes except Uncle Fred. Would it be OK if he wore a really NICE t shirt so he could sit with us? It is strange that he worked in a bank for 50 years and seemed capable of easily wearing a tie then, but since this is HIS vacation he would rather not make any special effort to dress up or follow rules he disagrees with. Since his sitting at our table won't bother us, why should it bother anyone. Plus airlines charge money for bags (and for travel) and spending an extra $100 dollars on baggage fees or tux rental, would bankrupt us since we are already spending $10K on this vacation. I know we could go to an all inclusive on land and wear swim trunks for the week - but we all love cruising!"

The easy solution to that would be to use a "lowest common denominator" rule - i.e. if the whole party doesn't meet the formal requirement, then they simply get seated in the non-formal section instead. Which would be possible if they had a non-formal section.

 

But as I said above, I don't really expect they'll do it that way. I was just talking about how it could work within the other poster's suggestion that they split the MDR somehow. I doubt they'll do it as a split MDR.

[RuthC]

The easy solution to that would be to use a "lowest common denominator" rule -

All this problem solving, with additional solutions to the problems created by the previous solution, ad nauseum, wouldn't be necessary if people accepted that a solution has been implemented, and if HAL would enforce that solution.

Edited August 6, 2015 by RuthC

[dbsb3233]

So your plan would have a mix of open and fixed dining times throughout the MDR. Then how would you split the formal and not formal? Suppose I have a fixed dining table in the part of the dining room that will be "formal," and I don't want to dress "formal?" What do I do on formal nights, give up my assigned table? Do I then go to open dining in the non-formal part of the MDR? That will leave my usual seat empty while I occupy another seat.

 

It won't work.

That's what happens a lot now - people that are on fixed dining, but vacate the seat at their table on formal nights, and they eat somewhere that doesn't have the formal requirement. This would be no different than that, except they'd still be able to eat in different section of the MDR.

 

Although again, I don't expect they'll really split the MDR by dress code anyway (it was just a follow-up to the other poster's suggestion.)

Edited August 6, 2015 by dbsb3233

[Vict0riann]

All this problem solving, with additional solutions to the problems created by the previous solution, ad nauseum, wouldn't be necessary if people accepted that a solution has been implemented, and if HAL would enforce that solution.

 

Absolutely - if they don't enforce it, it's not a rule, but just a suggestion!

[dbsb3233]

All this problem solving, with additional solutions to the problems created by the previous solution, ad nauseum, wouldn't be necessary if people accepted that a solution has been implemented, and if HAL would enforce that solution.

Yes, I picked up on the fact that you don't want it to ever change. Some people feel that way, others don't, which is why it's a topic of discussion.

 

If no one ever wanted to offer suggestions or share opinions on things they liked and didn't like and wished the cruiselines would change, these forums wouldn't exist.

[dakrewser]

Good news, then! HAL has already set aside separate dining facilities for those who dress for dinner, and those who prefer not to.

They are called the "dining room" and the "Lido".

 

Sorry, Ruth, but I don't cruise so I can eat dinner in a cafeteria.

 

Besides, if the MDR was only open to those dressed "formally", it would be over 2/3rds empty!

 

Anyway, you can dress in your "glad rags" any night of the week. No one will complain.

[RuthC]

Anyway, you can dress in your "glad rags" any night of the week. No one will complain.

Oh, don't talk foolish. It's just as incorrect to be overdressed as it is to be underdressed.

[Vict0riann]

It's not just the dining room, though. On our last cruise a man appeared at the Captain's greeting in torn shorts and a ratty old t-shirt. I was flabbergasted. He got away with it! I felt he shouldn't have been allowed in.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

I have been perusing other cruise line boards and regardless of where the cruise line defines the dress code line, someone asks if it is ok, to wear something "nice" (always nice - whatever that means) that is just on the other side of the line. I read somewhere that a casual line started to allow "nice shorts" in the MDR and before long it was "anything goes".

 

The cruise line decides the rules and they should be the fashion police. People who throw a tantrum at the MDR door should be shown off at the next port...1 % will grouse, while 99 % will silently cheer.

 

If they decide people are avoiding the cruise line due to dress code then they should change the rules, as they have been slowly changing over the years.

 

These boards are interesting diversions, but alas, we all represent an enthusiastic minority - mass market lines will all slowly bend to the increasing trend of casual dress clearly desired by the -sigh- mass markets.....

 

If I am still cruising 20 years from now, wearing a tux will bring on the whispering approval you see today when someone walks into the MDR, looking fantastic, in their formal kilt......until then, I will be "shaken, not stirred"

[dakrewser]

It's not just the dining room, though. On our last cruise a man appeared at the Captain's greeting in torn shorts and a ratty old t-shirt. I was flabbergasted. He got away with it! I felt he shouldn't have been allowed in.

 

It's a cattle call with cheap carbonated wine. His dress matched the "quality" of the occasion.

[Vict0riann]

It's a cattle call with cheap carbonated wine. His dress matched the "quality" of the occasion.

 

That may be your opinion, but I felt he was being very disrespectful of the Captain.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

That may be your opinion, but I felt he was being very disrespectful of the Captain.

 

 

And disrespecting his fellow passengers.

[summer slope]

And disrespecting his fellow passengers.

Totally

[Dasbeak]

Prior to our first cruise, I got caught up in the idea of formal night. Bought a white tux. On formal night I put on the tux in our cabin and looked in the mirror. Looked at DW and I said "this in not me!". Took it off and replaced it with a fitted black suit and tie. DW wore an evening gown and we felt great and had a fun time. Doing that ever since and love it. That reminds me I need list that tux on eBay...

[Vict0riann]

Prior to our first cruise, I got caught up in the idea of formal night. Bought a white tux. On formal night I put on the tux in our cabin and looked in the mirror. Looked at DW and I said "this in not me!". Took it off and replaced it with a fitted black suit and tie. DW wore an evening gown and we felt great and had a fun time. Doing that ever since and love it. That reminds me I need list that tux on eBay...

 

Haha! I have finally persuaded my DH (I think) to break out his white dinner jacket for our next cruise (Hawaii and French Polynesia), but he's going to take his blazer as well, just in case people think he's the head waiter!

[kazu]

Haha! I have finally persuaded my DH (I think) to break out his white dinner jacket for our next cruise (Hawaii and French Polynesia), but he's going to take his blazer as well, just in case people think he's the head waiter!

 

good :) I will see if DH will take the one I bought him (after he asked) a few years ago. More of a stone / white colour but close enough :) Must take another look at it . I'm sure he will also take his other jacket (groan).

[Vict0riann]

good :) I will see if DH will take the one I bought him (after he asked) a few years ago. More of a stone / white colour but close enough :) Must take another look at it . I'm sure he will also take his other jacket (groan).

 

:D They can be head waiters together!