Switching to X from HAL

[Ken the cruiser]

I'll just say this, we are in our late 60s and used to sail with HAL quite a bit (see below signature). But over the last 3-4 years they have just gotten too "relaxed" for us. But, once we started sailing with X these past few years, they have become our new go-to cruise line along with Princess when we feel like going on one of their longer more unique 3-5 week cruises.

Edited March 28, 2021 by Ken the cruiser

[DrKoob]

23 hours ago, ScottC4746 said:

Still miss the old days of cruising but seems like X tries to hang on to it to an extent.  It seems people still dress up to go out in the evening, may not be old school formal black tie, but seems X enforces the dress code at night.

 

Opinions, comments?

 

Please don't be thinking that this is actually true. X has pretty much abandoned enforcing any kind of dress code. This is something I wrote in my CC review of our last Alaska cruise on Solstice: 

 

"Lastly we had a VERY disconcerting thing happen in the main dining room on the last "evening chic" night. As I mentioned above, our party had chosen to dress up in tuxes and nice dresses for the ladies (group of 16 seated together). We were fine with the fact that others did not. What we were NOT fine with was the fact that as we were finishing up our dinners a party was escorted to the next table dressed in their cabin's bathrobes. Yes, they had clothes on under them, but when they were next to our table they made some very obnoxious remarks about how did we like their formal dress? The very idea that the maître d' seated this bunch dressed in bathrobes defies our experience with Celebrity. This should NEVER happen. We were insulted by the fact that Celebrity would let it happen."

 

On our subsequent voyages on X, we have  seen shorts, jeans and tank tops in the MDR on numerous occasions on "evening chic" nights. It's sad. While we agree with you about HAL (we only sail them to Alaska when outdoor space is not that important), we are done with X for this and numerous other reasons. 

 

Jim

[peanut head]

My husband and I like to dress semi-formal for chic night and dress well the other nights.  What others do or not do is their business.  We have found other passengers who also dress up on those special evening.  Albeit, we tend to eat only in Luminae and Specialty Restaurants.  You will not feel out of place however you choose to dress.  Enjoy!

[LGW59]

1 hour ago, DrKoob said:

 

Please don't be thinking that this is actually true. X has pretty much abandoned enforcing any kind of dress code. This is something I wrote in my CC review of our last Alaska cruise on Solstice: 

 

"Lastly we had a VERY disconcerting thing happen in the main dining room on the last "evening chic" night. As I mentioned above, our party had chosen to dress up in tuxes and nice dresses for the ladies (group of 16 seated together). We were fine with the fact that others did not. What we were NOT fine with was the fact that as we were finishing up our dinners a party was escorted to the next table dressed in their cabin's bathrobes. Yes, they had clothes on under them, but when they were next to our table they made some very obnoxious remarks about how did we like their formal dress? The very idea that the maître d' seated this bunch dressed in bathrobes defies our experience with Celebrity. This should NEVER happen. We were insulted by the fact that Celebrity would let it happen."

 

On our subsequent voyages on X, we have  seen shorts, jeans and tank tops in the MDR on numerous occasions on "evening chic" nights. It's sad. While we agree with you about HAL (we only sail them to Alaska when outdoor space is not that important), we are done with X for this and numerous other reasons. 

 

Jim

The way another person dresses has zero impact on me and would be the very last of any "concern" I had related to my personal enjoyment, life is short, live it wide.

[ECCruise]

1 hour ago, LGW59 said:

The way another person dresses has zero impact on me and would be the very last of any "concern" I had related to my personal enjoyment, life is short, live it wide.

Totally agree.  Who knows why this couple was dressed in their bathrobes?  A bet?   A dare?   I would think it more humorous than anything else. 

I know that when we sailed Oceania (ostensibly more "upscale" than Celebrity) they had a "white bathrobe breakfast" where they encouraged pax to wear their bathrobes to breakfast throughout the ship.  It was cute and funny and a break from the same-same.

 

[PTC DAWG]

3 hours ago, DrKoob said:

 

Please don't be thinking that this is actually true. X has pretty much abandoned enforcing any kind of dress code. This is something I wrote in my CC review of our last Alaska cruise on Solstice: 

 

"Lastly we had a VERY disconcerting thing happen in the main dining room on the last "evening chic" night. As I mentioned above, our party had chosen to dress up in tuxes and nice dresses for the ladies (group of 16 seated together). We were fine with the fact that others did not. What we were NOT fine with was the fact that as we were finishing up our dinners a party was escorted to the next table dressed in their cabin's bathrobes. Yes, they had clothes on under them, but when they were next to our table they made some very obnoxious remarks about how did we like their formal dress? The very idea that the maître d' seated this bunch dressed in bathrobes defies our experience with Celebrity. This should NEVER happen. We were insulted by the fact that Celebrity would let it happen."

 

On our subsequent voyages on X, we have  seen shorts, jeans and tank tops in the MDR on numerous occasions on "evening chic" nights. It's sad. While we agree with you about HAL (we only sail them to Alaska when outdoor space is not that important), we are done with X for this and numerous other reasons. 

 

Jim

You think Celebrity did that on purpose?  They can’t control a guests comments...I wouldn’t have batted an eye at the clowns in the bathrobes...now I see your point if your point was they shouldn’t have been allowed in the MDR dressed like clowns, unless it was clown night...

[TeaBag]

You said they had clothes on underneath the bathrobes.  Do you think they had dressed appropriately and just wore the robes on top as a spoof and that is why they were allowed into the dining room.  It just doesn't make sense to me that any Maitre'D would allow such into the MDR if it wasn't a spoof. We liked it when everyone dressed up for the evening and don't really like the new chic way of doing things.  What is chic to one is not to another.

[LGW59]

8 minutes ago, TeaBag said:

You said they had clothes on underneath the bathrobes.  Do you think they had dressed appropriately and just wore the robes on top as a spoof and that is why they were allowed into the dining room.  It just doesn't make sense to me that any Maitre'D would allow such into the MDR if it wasn't a spoof. We liked it when everyone dressed up for the evening and don't really like the new chic way of doing things.  What is chic to one is not to another.

I love to dress up, my birthday suit is so nice, albeit a few wrinkles here and there but it still looks good in any MDR and Luminae too.

[davekathy]

1 hour ago, LGW59 said:

I love to dress up, my birthday suit is so nice, albeit a few wrinkles here and there but it still looks good in any MDR and Luminae too.

That's your opinion and one I personally hope I never have to prove you differently on. 🤣🍷

[Germancruiser]

For almost 20 years I sailed almost exclusivly with X with occasional voyage on boad Cunard ships. Twice we tried HAL. The first was on board the Zuiderdam- which liked very much. After a few years in between we tried in 2019 the Niew Statendam- then a brand new ship that was still doing it´s inaugural season.

Indeed we did feel boxed in, as one so aptly mentioned,  on board the newer ship. I really was very very underimpressed on the New Statendam. To much glizz and to less light and air.

So it differs from ship to ship- but the airy and lofty feeling on board X- Ships is hard to beat.

 

[LGW59]

46 minutes ago, davekathy said:

That's your opinion and one I personally hope I never have to prove you differently on. 🤣🍷

What, you don't like wrinkles?  I am aghast, I refuse to work on my vacation so no ironing for me

Edited March 30, 2021 by LGW59

[George C]

On 3/28/2021 at 1:50 PM, ipeeinthepool said:

 

Don't give up on 2021.  We'll be able to cruise in November or December

We are booked on Celebrity in July but need to fly to St Maarten.

[davekathy]

1 hour ago, LGW59 said:

What, you don't like wrinkles?  I am aghast, I refuse to work on my vacation so no ironing for me

No problem. Ask your stateroom attendant. They are really good at handling small issues. 😉

[trivia addict]

Would these same people have gone out to a local restaurant in their bathrobes? I think not.
I’m sorry but unless you are sick, robes don’t belong at the dinner table while dining with other people.

Celebrity was wrong on allowing this.

[davekathy]

2 minutes ago, trivia addict said:

Would these same people have gone out to a local restaurant in their bathrobes? I think not.
I’m sorry but unless you are sick, robes don’t belong at the dinner table while dining with other people.

Celebrity was wrong on allowing this.

I'm sorry, but if your sick you shouldn't be dining with other people no matter how you are dressed. 

[trivia addict]

Agree totally, but was only warding off the replies of those who claim they come to dinner at home in their robes when they have a cold.

[PTC DAWG]

Re the X to HAL comparison...I have an older friend who cruises/cruised HAL a good bit, he jokes that they have one party a year.  New Years Eve.  🙂

Edited March 30, 2021 by PTC DAWG

[LGW59]

4 hours ago, trivia addict said:

Would these same people have gone out to a local restaurant in their bathrobes? I think not.
I’m sorry but unless you are sick, robes don’t belong at the dinner table while dining with other people.

Celebrity was wrong on allowing this.

If they came in the restaurant in robes, how would it impact you?

[NMTraveller]

37 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

If they came in the restaurant in robes, how would it impact you?

I would have second guessed the cruise and thought that I was on a Carnival ship.

[Lisah101]

I've cruised HAL before and loved the product but I think the dinner dress is more influenced by the cruise location than the cruise line.  Caribbean cruises, spring break, 7 day, etc.  you won't see dress up.  Do a longer European cruise and a lot more folks are dressed up.  Transatlantics feel like something in between to me.  If you cruise A LOT - the perks on Celebrity are much better.  HAL doesn't give elite cruisers near the perks that X does.

[El Crucero]

5 hours ago, LGW59 said:

If they came in the restaurant in robes, how would it impact you?

It is not the "Premium Cruise Line" that I prefer.

[trivia addict]

It would offend me, aggravate me, and and long for the days when people had social norms which make us a civilized society.

[AstoriaPreppy]

To everyone griping about dress codes, I implore you to ditch Celebrity and move to Cunard. On formal nights, men without tuxes and women without gowns are restricted to a single bar and the buffet. On non-formal nights, men are at a minimum expected to wear a sport coat and collared shirt in the evening. 
 

All of you would love it.

[KWW88]

27 minutes ago, trivia addict said:

It would offend me, aggravate me, and and long for the days when people had social norms which make us a civilized society.

Not quite sure how the way a person chooses to dress, makes us civilized or not.  Clearly your choice to not like it, I respect that, but has nothing to do with being civilized, IMO.

[lyndarra]

1 hour ago, AstoriaPreppy said:

To everyone griping about dress codes, I implore you to ditch Celebrity and move to Cunard. On formal nights, men without tuxes and women without gowns are restricted to a single bar and the buffet. On non-formal nights, men are at a minimum expected to wear a sport coat and collared shirt in the evening. 
 

All of you would love it.

I guess I wont be doing any Cunard cruises.