holland america formal nights

[czech]

Hi,can anyone please tell me the formal night dress code on the westedam,we are travelling on her in febuary next year,we have only cruised on English ships previously and I was wandering can I wear a suite or do I need my tuxedo,thankyou

[bUU]

Please review the answer to your question in this recent thread: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2457522

 

 

There are no dress rules any longer, just an opportunity to have a few special nights dedicated for those who want to dress up a bit more in the traditional way. But the doors remain open for any manner of dress, including some of the allegedly "prohibited" items according to some posters here: baseball caps and tank tops.

 

Last Caribbean cruise on the Nieuw Amsterdam, which we expected had become much more casual on Gala night, still had a good number of tuxes and long formal gowns - very special. Most men were in dark suits and women in something dressy or sparkly.

 

This was a surprise for us since we had heard this itinerary segment would most likely be not "Gala" at all. We left the tux and long gown at home this time, and were sorry after all because there was plenty of dress up company on that cruise. (Late, fixed seating dining)

 

Bottomline: dress for your own comfort level.

[Krazy Kruizers]

HAL no longer has formal nights -- they are now called Gala nights.

The majority of the people treat Gala nights like smart casual nights. Many of the men wear nice slacks and a collared shirt on Gala nights as well as smart casual nights -- no jackets and/or ties are required.

On our last couple of cruises we saw only a handful of suits and tuxedos. One of them was a 21 day repositioning cruise which we had done several times and were quite surprised to see so few people dressed up this time.

For the specialty restaurants, again, only a few men wear suits.

[SetAnOpenCourse]

I don't have a suit so I bring two of my best sport coats, ties, dress shirts and slacks, along with shoes that are formal enough. I think one suit would be fine.

[blizzardboy]

Hi,can anyone please tell me the formal night dress code on the westedam,we are travelling on her in febuary next year,we have only cruised on English ships previously and I was wandering can I wear a suite or do I need my tuxedo,thankyou

Anymore, it's pretty much up to you. I still wear a tux, but I also bring a suit and sport coat. I still like to wear a coat to dinner, although I seldom wear a tie, except with my tux. You will see all manner of dress on formal nights, so go with what makes you feel good.

[POA1]

In December 2016, on a 7 day Eurodam sailing, there were only a handful of tuxedos, including me. Suits and sport coats were common, although not necessarily with ties. There were also some men is dress shirts and slacks - both with and without ties.

 

I would pack a sport coat at a minimum if you have room in your suitcase. I wear every sports jacket most nights, but I am in the minority, with perhaps 20% on non-gala nights.

[MaisonRose]

In December 2016, on a 7 day Eurodam sailing...

 

I would pack a sport coat at a minimum if you have room in your suitcase. I wear every sports jacket most nights, but I am in the minority, with perhaps 20% on non-gala nights.

 

My SO just wears his good navy blazer on the flight, we leave the tux at home now. We thank the airlines luggage policies for dumbing down cruise wear.

[bUU]

We thank the airlines luggage policies for dumbing down cruise wear.

I think that's part of it. I'll pack a sport jacket but it goes in my luggage, so rest assured it'll come out so rumpled that some would question whether it would be more formal to not wear it. As such, you can also credit the cost of pressing a jacket on board along with the lower probability that one would get the pressed jacket back in time for a formal night on the second night of a cruise.

 

I think you can also credit the industry's work to make cruise vacations more affordable to a greater portion of Americans. Formal dining, itself, has a wealth bias. As cruises themselves become more affordable to those who previously could not afford to cruise, the population of cruise passengers experiences a rising percentage of those for whom formal attire is not a preference. As those who prefer formal attire become a minority due to greater affordability of cruising, it is only irrational wealth privilege that would foster an expectation that formal attire would not, itself, experience a decline.

 

Finally, I think you can also credit time, itself. Formal dining also has a generational bias. As younger generations become a greater portion of Americans, the population of cruise passengers again experiences a rising percentage of those for whom formal attire is not a preference. In this regard, as those who prefer formal attire become a minority due to generational progression, it is only irrational elder privilege that would foster an expectation that formal attire would not, itself, experience a decline.

[Swice]

On the Westerdam last month-- Most men (not all) wore a jacket of some type. Of those, about half were suits and half were sport coats. While a majority wore a tie, there were plenty who did not. I have a tux and always used to take it, but I now leave it at home because a tux is so out of place on HAL.

 

I also note that in the not to distant past, the cruise director wore a tux on formal nights. NOT on this cruise. He wore a beige suit (maybe light gray?) with an orange tie. The waiters also used to wear a different uniform on formal nights, but dining room staff wore the same jackets they wore on all of the other nights - a white dinner jacket with a black and white stripe lapel.

[geoherb]

I think that's part of it. I'll pack a sport jacket but it goes in my luggage, so rest assured it'll come out so rumpled that some would question whether it would be more formal to not wear it.

I pack my sports coat wrapped in the plastic from the dry cleaners. Doing it that way reduces wrinkles. Putting it on a clothes hanger in a steamy bathroom gets rid of the few wrinkles it gets.

[navybankerteacher]

For men, a blazer and tie - or just a blazer - with non-jeans trousers is more than sufficient. To save packing space, as well as to have pockets to carry things, I always wear a blazer while traveling.

[bUU]

I pack my sports coat wrapped in the plastic from the dry cleaners. Doing it that way reduces wrinkles.

I follow these directions. Rumpling is still inevitable no matter what you do.

 

[RocketMan275]

I think that's part of it. I'll pack a sport jacket but it goes in my luggage, so rest assured it'll come out so rumpled that some would question whether it would be more formal to not wear it. As such, you can also credit the cost of pressing a jacket on board along with the lower probability that one would get the pressed jacket back in time for a formal night on the second night of a cruise.

 

I think you can also credit the industry's work to make cruise vacations more affordable to a greater portion of Americans. Formal dining, itself, has a wealth bias. As cruises themselves become more affordable to those who previously could not afford to cruise, the population of cruise passengers experiences a rising percentage of those for whom formal attire is not a preference. As those who prefer formal attire become a minority due to greater affordability of cruising, it is only irrational wealth privilege that would foster an expectation that formal attire would not, itself, experience a decline.

 

Finally, I think you can also credit time, itself. Formal dining also has a generational bias. As younger generations become a greater portion of Americans, the population of cruise passengers again experiences a rising percentage of those for whom formal attire is not a preference. In this regard, as those who prefer formal attire become a minority due to generational progression, it is only irrational elder privilege that would foster an expectation that formal attire would not, itself, experience a decline.

 

Well stated.

However, there is one other aspect. As the population ages, the preferences of the population changes. I remember when I loved dinning out in a suit or even wearing a suit to take a flight. Now, dressing up has lost it's appeal. Dressing up is no longer fun and exciting, it's just a pain. This is more than a change of generations, it is a change within generations as well.

Still, your points were well made.

[iancal]

We meet an increasing number of people who are combining land travel with cruising. Like us, they are reluctant to pack and carry clothing that only gets worn for a few hours out of an extended vacation period.

 

Either that, or like me prior to retirement, the very last thing that I wanted to do on a Caribbean cruise was bring/wear a suit and tie. We simply skipped the MDR on those evenings.

[bUU]

Well stated.

However, there is one other aspect. As the population ages, the preferences of the population changes. I remember when I loved dinning out in a suit or even wearing a suit to take a flight. Now, dressing up has lost it's appeal. Dressing up is no longer fun and exciting, it's just a pain. This is more than a change of generations, it is a change within generations as well.

Still, your points were well made.

Thanks. And to be even clearer, the opposite used to be true: Claims about the times changing because the younger generations is a certain way and the older generations will die off were in the past effectively rebutted based on the understanding that as people got older they tended to become more conservative, and thereby aged into something similar to the perspectives and proclivities of their parents. As you've rightly pointed out, above, that's not happening anymore: As folks are getting older there are as many of them becoming less conservative as becoming more conservative, if not more.

[RocketMan275]

Thanks. And to be even clearer, the opposite used to be true: Claims about the times changing because the younger generations is a certain way and the older generations will die off were in the past effectively rebutted based on the understanding that as people got older they tended to become more conservative, and thereby aged into something similar to the perspectives and proclivities of their parents. As you've rightly pointed out, above, that's not happening anymore: As folks are getting older there are as many of them becoming less conservative as becoming more conservative, if not more.

 

I'm not sure I would equate preferences for formal dress with a broad term like "conservative". I certainly have become more conservative as I have aged but I've also become more casual in my dress preferences.

 

I used to have five or six suits, dress blues, a tuxedo, and five or six sports coats. I've "outgrown" them all and I've replaced none of them. (Someone got a good deal at GoodWill.) I'm much more interested in being comfortable than in impressing others. BTW, that's another issue. The Baby Boomers have "Blossomed" in size and just don't feel as comfortable in suits and tuxedos as they might have 30 years ago.

[POA1]

My SO just wears his good navy blazer on the flight, we leave the tux at home now. We thank the airlines luggage policies for dumbing down cruise wear.

We're fortunate in that we live mere miles from Port Everglades. That allows us to go heavy on the clothes, and in my wife's case, shoes.

[pcur]

My husband takes a sports jacket. I take a small empty spray bottle, and spray it with water when I unpack it. Smooth it with my hands and hang it up. When I'm done unpacking the extra moisture in the closet causes all the wrinkles in all our clothes to fall out. By gala/formal night, his jacket looks freshly pressed.

[roses313]

On our Veendam Bermuda cruise last month, my husband decided not to even take a sports jacket. He was definitely in the majority, even on gala nights. Much to my surprise, there were a few men in tuxes. Guess they are the lucky cruisers who do not have to contend with the airlines. It is not only the airline hassle that is a turn-off, but also if you combine the cruise with a pre or post cruise land trip. Packing extra clothes for only a few hours wear just can't be justified. When packing I'm always conscience of the weight of a garment.. also apply that rule to my own clothes. It all works out and we always have a great cruise, even if we are dressed down.

[zlato]

Have always worn a tux on formal (Gala) nights and will continue to do so although I know I will be a member of a shrinking minority. Simply, my wife and I enjoy "dressing up"; i.e., it is not a matter of trying to impress anyone. There are those who prefer informality; I am simply not one of them. Anyway, the tux looks better on me then on a hanger in the closet!

[hamrag]

......I think you can also credit the industry's work to make cruise vacations more affordable to a greater portion of Americans. Formal dining, itself, has a wealth bias. As cruises themselves become more affordable to those who previously could not afford to cruise, the population of cruise passengers experiences a rising percentage of those for whom formal attire is not a preference.

 

Formal dining also has a generational bias. As younger generations become a greater portion of Americans, the population of cruise passengers again experiences a rising percentage of those for whom formal attire is not a preference.....

 

Are we to assume that cruising is now only for Americans, if so I missed that announcement!

Or, are you suggesting that Americans could not previously afford to cruise?

 

You may not know this, but lots of non-americans are still cruising on every cruise I have been fortunate enough to sail on!;)

[bUU]

Are we to assume that cruising is now only for Americans

Not at all. The American specific comments have only the level of impact on the North American cruise market as Americans have. To the extent that non-Americans are following the same trends as Americans are following, then those non-Americans will have the same impact on the market in proportion to how many non-Americans cruise cruises in the North American market.

 

Or, are you suggesting that Americans could not previously afford to cruise?

Many could not, and many of those now can.

 

 

 

 

This message may have been entered via voice recognition. Please excuse any typos.

[hamrag]

Not at all. The American specific comments have only the level of impact on the North American cruise market as Americans have. To the extent that non-Americans are following the same trends as Americans are following, then those non-Americans will have the same impact on the market in proportion to how many non-Americans cruise cruises in the North American market.

 

:confused:, but I'll let it rest!!

[Copper10-8]

We're fortunate in that we live mere miles from Port Everglades. That allows us to go heavy on the clothes, and in my wife's case, shoes.

 

You sure it's even a mile to that main gate off 17th Street Causeway? ;)

[iancal]

I believe that vocation and normal environment is also a cause. I wore a suit and tie/jacket at work and had occasion to attend events and entertain customers/clients.

 

On vacation, the very last thing I wanted to do was dress up or have a rubber chicken dinner. I can well understand that for some whose work or life routine was different that dressing up would be considered a special event.

 

 

Fortunately DW felt the same way. For us a cruise was about getting away, getting casual, and spending quality time with each other. Everything else was just noise level. After 4-5 years of retirement we are even more disposed to casual. We often meet others who are in exactly the same space as it were.