Formal nights

[addicted cruiser]

It’s been 16 years since I was on Holland America and formal nights were pretty glitzy with long gowns and fancy cocktail dresses and tux for men.  I’m going on the Rotterdam on April 10th and as wondering what the dress apparel is for these nights.  Is it more business casual?

can women wear capris and blouses in the dining room on most nights?

 

thanks for your replies

[Crew News]

3 hours ago, addicted cruiser said:

It’s been 16 years since I was on Holland America and formal nights were pretty glitzy with long gowns and fancy cocktail dresses and tux for men.  I’m going on the Rotterdam on April 10th and as wondering what the dress apparel is for these nights.  Is it more business casual?

can women wear capris and blouses in the dining room on most nights?

 

thanks for your replies

On my last two Caribbean cruises in 2021, I have had a "live" thread on the HAL Forum and one of my topics was the Gala Night tuxedo count.  On both cruises, four formal nights, the most tuxedos on any one night I have seen is 12.  To help, I have asked my MDR waiters to give me their count. Even fewer long gowns. 

 

50% of men are in suits w/ties, 20% sport jackets no/tie, and 30% just polo shirts would be my attire estimates.  Numerous sneakers for men.  Lots of slacks and tops for women.

[fkfad]

Yes, capris and blouses for women are perfect for the MDR!  Men, however, must have long pants and proper shoes, or they will be sent back to their cabin to change.  Note that jeans are an acceptable option for long pants, as long as they are not torn and frayed.  🙂  Have a wonderful cruise!!

[grest]

In my experience, most women dress up a little on formal nights in the mdr......pants suits, long skirts, some cocktail dresses, business clothes.

[lupaglupa]

We just got back for a 7 day in the Caribbean on Nieuw Amsterdam. Most people dressed up on formal night. I saw few tuxedos or really formal long gowns. Most men had a suit or sport coat. Most women had dressy outfits of skirts or pants with dressy blouses - lots more jewelry than on regular nights. It really did seem like the big change for women was adding sequins!

[AncientWanderer]

57 minutes ago, lupaglupa said:

We just got back for a 7 day in the Caribbean on Nieuw Amsterdam. Most people dressed up on formal night. I saw few tuxedos or really formal long gowns. Most men had a suit or sport coat. Most women had dressy outfits of skirts or pants with dressy blouses - lots more jewelry than on regular nights. It really did seem like the big change for women was adding sequins!

 

We saw lots of sequins on our Mexico cruise as well.  Sequins are definitely back in style.  I'd forgotten how pretty they look with all the reflective light on a cruise ship.

Nice!

[VTcruisenut]

Our first cruise in 2005 I did the black formal/sequins and my husband had a sport coat/tie, etc.  I have found in the past few years, the guidelines have relaxed A LOT, for a number of reasons.  Other cruise lines are less formal and HAL wants to follow suit and attract a younger demographic as their loyal clientele can't cruise any longer, and also because people aren't willing to give up suitcase real estate for the formal wear and have to check more bags when they fly.

[0106]

Just got off the Zuiderdam 14 day Panama Canal cruise. 

 

My husband does not like to dress up.  He has one suit for weddings and funerals that he did not take on the cruise.  He took a black pair f dress pants and a pair of khakis.  On smart casual nights he wore the khakis and a Hawaiian type shirt.  Some of the men were very casual.  On gala nights he wore the black pants a long sleeved dress shirt and a tie.  Did not see a tux, some suits; I felt he was dressed appropriately. 

 

I love to dress up and wore a dress and heels every night; fancier dress for gala nights, never a long dress.    Many of the women were very casually dressed on smart casual night.

[iancal]

We gave it up years ago.  I had a closet full of suits.  Wore them every day.  The last thing I wanted was to wear a suit on vacation, let alone drag one along for a few hours on two or three nights.  

 

DW felt the same.  In fact it was mid cruise as we were preparing to dress for a formal night that she suggested we give up the pretense,  remain casual, and dine in an alternate venue.  We have been strictly casual ever since.    Not a sacrifice for us to skip those nights in the MDR in favor of an alternate venue.

 

Now retired, cruises my take up 10-21 days of a nine week land vacation.   Same issue, absolutely no desire to carry clothing about that we seldom will use. 

 

We do like to see people dressed up.   I hope that the new relaxed dress recommendations do no dissuade anyone who wants to dress up from doing so.  It is part of their enjoyment of the cruise. 

 

There should be room to accommodate everyone on a cruise.  After all...that is what mass market implies.

Edited March 3, 2022 by iancal