Dates of Formal nights?

[Karen13]

We are on the 7 night roundtrip cruise to Alaska out of Vancouver next year. The HAl website says there are two formal nights. Does anyone who has done this cruise know when they are to assist me with booking alternative restaurants for other days if we wish?

[Crew News]

This year on the Noordam out of Vancouver, Formal Nights were Sunday (enroute to Juneau) and Thursday (Ketchikan). This itinerary will be on the Nieuw Amsterdam next year.

 

Here are the daily activities (On Locations) we had in May 2015 that will be similar to the NA next year:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/travel-2/alaska-2015-noordam-on-location-daily-activities/

Edited August 14, 2015 by Crew News

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Formal night is usually the first full sea day and then the second to last day....

[Krazy Kruizers]

What ship will you be on?

[hawkeye3d]

Formal night has been replaced by "gala night". There are several multi page threads about this. The long and short is you can wear pretty much anything from a tux down to a colored shirt and slacks.

 

Bob

[Lizzie68]

Formal night has been replaced by "gala night". There are several multi page threads about this. The long and short is you can wear pretty much anything from a tux down to a colored shirt and slacks.

 

Bob

 

Did you read the OP's question? It was nothing to do with dress.

[Fouremco]

Formal nights have been rebranded "Gala" nights and the dress code has been modified, but there has been no indication that the nights have changed. These would probably be the first sea day and the second-last night.

 

Bear in mind that on HAL, unlike some other lines, the dress requirements on Gala nights also apply to the specialty restaurants.

[Karen13]

We are on the Nieuw Amsterdam. Thanks everyone for the replies, very helpful for our planning as I assume from past cruises we have taken (not HAL) that the experience in the MDR will be more memorable on the gala nights hence if we want to book the speciality restaurants we will do so on non-gala nights.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I looked at your Itinerary.

It appears that your Gala nights will be the sea day after you leave Vancouver.

I also see that you stay in Ketchikan until 6 PM and Open Seating dinner starts at 5:15 and early fixed dinner usually starts at 5:30 -- so that evening will probably not be an option for the second Gala night.

It may very well be the evening when you leave Glacier Bay.

[Crew News]

We are on the Nieuw Amsterdam. Thanks everyone for the replies, very helpful for our planning as I assume from past cruises we have taken (not HAL) that the experience in the MDR will be more memorable on the gala nights hence if we want to book the speciality restaurants we will do so on non-gala nights.

 

We are booked on the Nieuw Amsterdam for two weeks next April and I will be posting all of the menus (food and beverage), Specialty Restaurant menus, the daily activities (On Locations), as well as a daily "Live From" that should give you a good foundation of what to expect. I will also be answering questions from future cruisers. Stay tuned.

 

Make sure that you join your CC Roll Call.

[sapper1]

We are booked on the Nieuw Amsterdam for two weeks next April and I will be posting all of the menus (food and beverage), Specialty Restaurant menus, the daily activities (On Locations), as well as a daily "Live From" that should give you a good foundation of what to expect. I will also be answering questions from future cruisers. Stay tuned.

 

Make sure that you join your CC Roll Call.

 

My goodness, when will you find the time to enjoy your cruise?

 

We will be onboard for your second week starting May 7th, so I will anxiously follow your live report for menus and suggestions on how to amuse ourselves.

[Lizzie68]

Our roll call for.the second week has agreed to do a Sailaway gang Live From also and I may be on the first week also so will try to do some.reports.

[cruz chic]

We are on the Nieuw Amsterdam. Thanks everyone for the replies, very helpful for our planning as I assume from past cruises we have taken (not HAL) that the experience in the MDR will be more memorable on the gala nights hence if we want to book the speciality restaurants we will do so on non-gala nights.

 

Gala/formal nights used to be more special. Now, it's the weakest menu of the week.

[Lizzie68]

Gala/formal nights used to be more special. Now, it's the weakest menu of the week.

 

I tend to agree with you. Possibly the surf and turf night are OK (usually the 2nd formal on a 7-day cruise, if I recall correctly.) Our last cruise was 3 weeks, and the food on formal nights wasn't that special.

[Host Walt]

Here's Karen13's original post. Please stay on topic. Thanks.

 

We are on the 7 night roundtrip cruise to Alaska out of Vancouver next year. The HAl website says there are two formal nights. Does anyone who has done this cruise know when they are to assist me with booking alternative restaurants for other days if we wish?

[POA1]

Here's Karen13's original post. Please stay on topic. Thanks.

Sorry if my post about doing a live from on the first Nieuw Amsterdam sailing of the season was off topic. I thought it would be helpful to other people here. Thanks for saving me the time and money.

[CowPrincess]

Interesting that some posters report Ketchikan as a "formal/gala/dress up or not" night on the 7 day RT Vancouver route. Any 7 day RT Vancouver cruise I've done has had the 1st night on the first sea day, and the 2nd on whatever glacier cruising day. Mind you, I haven't been on a Vista class on that itinerary, which might explain the difference.

[Fouremco]

Interesting that some posters report Ketchikan as a "formal/gala/dress up or not" night on the 7 day RT Vancouver route. Any 7 day RT Vancouver cruise I've done has had the 1st night on the first sea day, and the 2nd on whatever glacier cruising day. Mind you, I haven't been on a Vista class on that itinerary, which might explain the difference.

I can't remember which night was our 2nd formal dinner on the Oosterdam during the one Alaska Vancouver RT we've taken, but I'm curious as to why the class of ship might make a difference.

[CowPrincess]

I can't remember which night was our 2nd formal dinner on the Oosterdam during the one Alaska Vancouver RT we've taken, but I'm curious as to why the class of ship might make a difference.

 

Class of ship is the only differentiator that I can see. I've only been on R and S class to Alaska, the other posters were on Vista class. That's why I mentioned it.

[Fouremco]

Class of ship is the only differentiator that I can see. I've only been on R and S class to Alaska, the other posters were on Vista class. That's why I mentioned it.

Ah, I see what you are getting at. Thanks. :)

[Snowesha]

This year on the Noordam out of Vancouver, Formal Nights were Sunday (enroute to Juneau) and Thursday (Ketchikan). This itinerary will be on the Nieuw Amsterdam next year.

 

Here are the daily activities (On Locations) we had in May 2015 that will be similar to the NA next year:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/travel-2/alaska-2015-noordam-on-location-daily-activities/

 

Sorry to highjack but Roger you always have such great information. I'm wondering if you have been on the Mexican Riviera cruise out of San Diego and might have scanned the menus to share. Thanks!

[Crew News]

Sorry to highjack but Roger you always have such great information. I'm wondering if you have been on the Mexican Riviera cruise out of San Diego and might have scanned the menus to share. Thanks!

 

Sorry but I don't have those menus but stay tuned for the Caribbean menus in November 2015.

[dakrewser]

Formal night has been replaced by "gala night". There are several multi page threads about this. The long and short is you can wear pretty much anything from a tux down to a colored shirt and slacks.

 

Bob

 

But that wasn't the question...

[Lizzie68]

Sorry to highjack but Roger you always have such great information. I'm wondering if you have been on the Mexican Riviera cruise out of San Diego and might have scanned the menus to share. Thanks!

 

You could try googling HAL + cabins and you will get a site contributed to by HAL cruisers with all kinds of information under the General tab. Not sure if the Mexican Riviera cruise menus is on there but you could try.

When we did the Mexican Riviera as part of a longer cruise, the menu was pretty much as usual with few variations.

[chengkgoingalaska]

Thank you very much for kindly posting your Noordam activities. They are incredibly valuable to us as we are going to take our first ever cruise on Noordam next year. :):):)

 

 

This year on the Noordam out of Vancouver, Formal Nights were Sunday (enroute to Juneau) and Thursday (Ketchikan). This itinerary will be on the Nieuw Amsterdam next year.

 

Here are the daily activities (On Locations) we had in May 2015 that will be similar to the NA next year:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/travel-2/alaska-2015-noordam-on-location-daily-activities/

Edited September 9, 2015 by chengkgoingalaska