holland america formal nights

[iancal]

+1 .   Anytime dining and alternate dining venues (other than the buffet).

[Copper10-8]

On 12/27/2018 at 12:03 PM, Swice said:

.....................................................

Because of parking constraints, most will wear sneakers each day and a second pair of  non-sneakers to wear each night.    But yes, you will see some in sneakers in the dining room.

 

 

Slip of the pen? You meant "packing" constraints, yes? 

[Copper10-8]

2 hours ago, bUU said:

 

More or less. I'm sure that there was a time, before I arrived here, that it wasn't a significant topic, but it became one. However, even the threads changed over time. .................

 

I remember you and a certain reverend going at it pretty good back then 

[bUU]

Neal was an interesting character, for sure.

[Swice]

3 minutes ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

Slip of the pen? You meant "packing" constraints, yes? 

Thanks...  I noticed later and couldn't figure out how to "edit."

[SetAnOpenCourse]

4 hours ago, bUU said:

 

More or less. I'm sure that there was a time, before I arrived here, that it wasn't a significant topic, but it became one. However, even the threads changed over time. I think Anytime Dining has had the most impact on this: The first formal night threads I remember were before that, and the scale was pitched way over on the formal side. I remember a question I asked about whether a specific type of formal shirt was acceptable for the MDR's formal attire standards. (The consensus was that it was acceptable, though there were predictable naysayers.) Once Anytime Dining started taking hold, that began moving. Now, with Anytime Dining predominating on so many cruises, people are generally viewing the MDR as a they would a land-based restaurant rather than as specific artifact of traveling on a cruise ship, and so people are generally unwilling to allow cruise-traditionalism to trump the argument. Instead, what prevails at sea must be a reasonable expectation on land as well.

That’s an interesting point.  I can imagine that with fixed dining at a specific table, especially if it would include strangers, people would not risk packing clothes only casual clothes.

[onthelake]

We got off the Rotterdam last Sunday.  My son flew to Tampa directly from university and forget his dress shoes.  I was worried he would not be welcome in the dining room on formal nights.  Well, as you all realize, not a problem.

[KroozNut]

1 hour ago, onthelake said:

We got off the Rotterdam last Sunday.  My son flew to Tampa directly from university and forget his dress shoes.  I was worried he would not be welcome in the dining room on formal nights.  Well, as you all realize, not a problem.

 

In all honesty, he probably could have showed up barefoot without a problem..

[Princeandstella]

On 7/15/2017 at 12:35 AM, pcur said:

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.

 

I wanted to share what I do as its been so helpful not just for formal wear but for all my clothing as we always have to fly to meet our cruise ships.  I call it 'Magic Spray' and never travel without it now.  I'm sure I learnt about it off a cruise critic post years ago so want to pass it on.  It is one part fabric softener to three parts water and I make it up in a spray bottle, it makes wrinkles drop out and your clothes smell wonderful.  It works on most fabrics.

 

Ok onto the topic of this thread.  My husband doesn't like to dress up but does so on formal nights (we usually sail with Princess) simply because the menu is usually better and formal night has Lobster.  We are leaving for our first Hal cruise in two weeks and I'm wondering if the food is any better on the Gala Nights?  Does Hal have a Lobster night?  If the dress code is no different on Gala Night what makes it different from any other dinner?

[kazu]

6 hours ago, Princeandstella said:

Does Hal have a Lobster night?  I

 

Yes they do.  Usually on the 2nd Gala night IIRC.

[mcrcruiser]

On our recent  Mexican Riviera cruise on Eurodam ,on Gala nights  I wore a nice Hawaiian print shirt ,dark slacks & my dark sneakers  ;which  blend in   .I also wore my dark sweater . I love the more casual atmosphere of dress now  acceptable .

 

  If we were flying to any cruise ,it makes packing easier,lighter & less luggage at check in with using the foregoing attire 

[Despegue]

Formal nights come from the tradition during Ocean Crossings, which were voyages, and often, especially in First Class, Networking opportunities. One would dress-up to the nines, trying to impress those needed to impress.

but let us be honest, nowadays, in modern society, we are vacationing and cruising to get away from the daily stress, the competitive atmosphere at work or school, the Class-society, judging you on which car you drive, what you wear, how much you spent on your home etc etc...

Formal nights, in their strict sense , do not belong on a holiday, but an elegant night, where one is encouraged, not obliged, to dress a bit more chique and create an elegant atmosphere onboard does, reminding of a passé tradition of formality while sailing the 7 Seas.

Edited December 30, 2018 by Despegue

[RuthC]

44 minutes ago, Despegue said:

...but let us be honest, nowadays, in modern society, we are vacationing and cruising to get away from the daily stress, the competitive atmosphere at work or school, the Class-society, judging you on which car you drive, what you wear, how much you spent on your home etc etc...

That may be why you're cruising, but you don't speak for all of us. Some of us have very different reasons for cruising than you listed out.

[Despegue]

RuthC, that is why by far most people are cruising. No one cruises to experience a Class-seperated environment I hope, no one cruises to get stressed, I hope nobody cruises to be able to show-off. 

[kazu]

13 hours ago, mcrcruiser said:

On our recent  Mexican Riviera cruise on Eurodam ,on Gala nights  I wore a nice Hawaiian print shirt ,dark slacks & my dark sneakers  ;which  blend in   .I also wore my dark sweater . I love the more casual atmosphere of dress now  acceptable .

 

  If we were flying to any cruise ,it makes packing easier,lighter & less luggage at check in with using the foregoing attire 

 

We have to fly to any cruise we are going to.  I don't care what others wear in the MDR but DH always has a sportsjacket (you can wear that on the plane in decent weather) and usually a suit packed.  No sneakers for him ever in the dining room 😉. 

Whatever works for everyone is good but some still like to dress up a bit.

 

 

54 minutes ago, Despegue said:

Formal nights come from the tradition during Ocean Crossings, which were voyages, and often, especially in First Class, Networking opportunities. One would dress-up to the nines, trying to impress those needed to impress.

but let us be honest, nowadays, in modern society, we are vacationing and cruising to get away from the daily stress

 

I've been cruising for 30 years and that's never been my impression but each to their own 😉

 

those that choose to dress do it for their own reasons, not to impress nor network.  We have no need to do either and like to dress appropriately for the evening.

[Despegue]

1 minute ago, kazu said:

 

We have to fly to any cruise we are going to.  I don't care what others where in the MDR but DH always has a sportsjacket (you can wear that on the plane in decent weather) and usually a suit packed.  No sneakers for him ever in the dining room 😉. 

Whatever works for everyone is good but some still like to dress up a bit.

 

 

 

I've been cruising for 30 years and that's never been my impression but each to their own 😉

 

those that choose to dress do it for their own reasons, not to impress nor network.  We have no need to do either and like to dress appropriately for the evening.

I was talking about Ocean crossings of the Liners Kazu 😉

[ninjatoes]

I was on Eurodam last week. I saw a man in jeans and a polo shirt turned away on gala night. I only saw one tux, and most men seemed to have on a tie or jacket, if not both. The few without either were generally wearing slacks and a long sleeved button down shirt. I did see more fancy dress women than men, including many evening gowns, cocktail dresses, and sparkles galore, but many were also dressed the way you would in a business casual office - nice, but not glitzy. That's what I did, and I did not feel out of place.

[kazu]

1 hour ago, Despegue said:

I was talking about Ocean crossings of the Liners Kazu 😉

 

I've done plenty of Ocean crossings 😉. There is only one line where I saw the "urge to show status".  We may well be talking about the same one 😉 

[RuthC]

1 hour ago, Despegue said:

RuthC, that is why by far most people are cruising. No one cruises to experience a Class-seperated environment I hope, no one cruises to get stressed, I hope nobody cruises to be able to show-off. 

You don't seem to comprehend that not every passenger on the ship is in vacation, trying to get away from stress, competition, or a class conscious society. That's not part of their life on land.
Nor do you seem to understand there are people who like to dress up simply because they like how they feel, and they don't get that chance at home.

[POA1]

On 12/28/2018 at 5:27 PM, iancal said:

+1 .   Anytime dining and alternate dining venues (other than the buffet).

 

You don't have to post +1 anymore. There's been a "Like" option for about 2 1/2 months now. There is a little gray heart in the lower right corner of the message box. Click on it to express your approval. (Unless you are going for a retro feel, in which case, carry on.)  

[AncientWanderer]

It's interesting reading people's thoughts on how the whole "dress up thing" evolved.  I never, ever thought it came particularly from people trying to impress.  I've always considered formal nights to be an "activity," just like other shipboard activities.  Particularly on long ocean crossings, things can get boring, and there are a limited number of things one can do on a ship, so the special nights just break up the monotony.  Same as "themed dinners" can do, or anything else a cruise director can cook up.  

 

Maybe with the big-screen TVs and elaborate shows, folks don't need to amuse themselves as much as in days past.  I still think it's fun to dress up, though.

[ithaca gal]

Gala Night on Zuiderdam this week:  MDR was full ... late seating. Counted just six men without jackets.   Not every has embraced the more casual dress code.  

[RocketMan275]

On 12/28/2018 at 10:45 PM, Princeandstella said:

Ok onto the topic of this thread.  My husband doesn't like to dress up but does so on formal nights (we usually sail with Princess) simply because the menu is usually better and formal night has Lobster.  We are leaving for our first Hal cruise in two weeks and I'm wondering if the food is any better on the Gala Nights?  Does Hal have a Lobster night?  If the dress code is no different on Gala Night what makes it different from any other dinner?

You can usually find the same 'special items' on the buffet.  Lobster included.  No need to do the Gala night thing just to get lobster.

[Despegue]

5 hours ago, RuthC said:

You don't seem to comprehend that not every passenger on the ship is in vacation, trying to get away from stress, competition, or a class conscious society. That's not part of their life on land.
Nor do you seem to understand there are people who like to dress up simply because they like how they feel, and they don't get that chance at home.

I do understand Ruth, and as I said in my post, I find it a good thing that elegant nights encourage people to dress-up. I always do, my wife very much so, she is one of the only ones wearing formal  long dresses nowadays.

Look, just disregard my post. My point has not come over as intended and I certainly do not wish to offend anybody ( so easily done by me it seems). 

 

Kazu, I am talking about the crossings before the age of Jetliners...😉 

[bUU]

11 hours ago, Despegue said:

RuthC, that is why by far most people are cruising. No one cruises to experience a Class-seperated environment I hope, no one cruises to get stressed, I hope nobody cruises to be able to show-off. 

 

Good point. Of course there are still some traditionalists, but what seems very obvious now is that they're far outnumbered by those who look at cruising just another vacation option - as a way to take land-based vacations to sea. The main reason why we still see these elements of traditionalism aboard today's cruise ships is that it the cruise lines recognize their advantage in terms of controlling the message by making changes gradually over time.

 

Going back to those threads with Rev. Neal, it was often a difference of perspective between what had "always" been (on his part) and what will eventually, invariably be (on my part). If you would have come into those threads back then and told me - me, not him - how much cruising will change between then and now, I wouldn't have believed you. I don't think anyone back then figured that traditionalism would be swept aside as fast as it has been. I won't even guess when vestiges of the class-separated environment and other vestiges of traditionalism will be gone, because if the last decade and a half has proven anything is that even those of us with the most progressive eye on the future tend to speculate that things will change far slower than they actually will change. The market is a far stronger force than the traditionalists. The cruise lines will change to attract the broader market just as fast as they possibly can do so while maintaining control over the message. 

Edited December 30, 2018 by bUU