Nieuw Amsterdam Dress up nights on Alaska cruises

[motravelerken]

Trying to make a final decision on my Alaska cruise for 2023. Debating between Nieuw Amsterdam Northbound (or Southbound) from Vancouver to Whittier (or vice versa) or Norwegian Jewel Northbound from Vancouver to Seward. I have cruised NCL before but have never cruised HAL. Itinerary is pretty much the same. I really enjoyed my NCL Mediterranean cruise in 2018. However, The HAL Alaska cruises get great reviews and I am leaning toward HAL. It will be my wife and I and my brother and his wife. We are all in our 50's. One of my main questions is how strict HAL is with the dress up nights. We are not super "fancy" people. Would likely just prefer to wear khakis and a collared shirt at most on the dress up nights. It is not like we will look like bums or anything. We understand the need to look presentable at dinner time, we just would prefer not to wear a suit jacket and tie. How "out of place" would we be on an HAL cruise if we did not wear a jacket and tie on those nights? I know that NCL is fairly casual. Just trying to make that final decision and every aspect counts. 

[CruiserBruce]

Not strict at all. What you are proposing is fine.

[PACD_JG]

I’m on the Koningsdam in Alaska now.  I packed 2 long-sleeved button up shirts and 2 pairs of slacks.  I was in the middle of the road as far as dressing up, and because I had the laundry package, I just wore the same thing on both gala nights because it is on Sunday and Wednesday.  Wished I packed another pair of shorts and another t-shirt instead as one pair of slacks and one button-up shirt is plenty.

Edited July 2, 2022 by PACD_JG

[CupKayke]

I agree.  Casual is really the dress code in Alaska. 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

I would say that the average attire will be jacket no tie - but a wide variation.   You'll be fine.

[crystalspin]

My husband HATES to change his clothes once dressed for the day. I check the dinner suggestion the night before and set out dark [cargo] pants and a plain white Ex Officio type shirt on "Gala Night" morning. Then he puts on a dark V-neck Grampa cardigan as a jacket stand-in for dinner. We are neither the best nor the worst dressed! (PS I tend to wear leggings and a tunic-sweater in AK, maybe a sparkly tunic for other HAL destinations.)

 

Like @PACD_JG, I would not hestitate to pack one outfit for multiple dressier nights, especially if you only put it on for dinner! There is always the ship's laundry if you spill your melted butter...

 

PPS, Oh, another thing the male members of my family have done on Alaska cruises, is ALL wear Hawaiian shirts! They tend to pack real small...

Edited July 10, 2022 by crystalspin

[Balliett]

Just back from the Nieuw Amsterdam 7-3 to 7-10.   At the dressy dinners there were zero tuxes, maybe 5% suits,  40% sport coat and tie (me) and at least two gentlemen who wore their baseball caps.  Note, the staff who wear ties wear spitty knit orange ones.  I tried to buy one in the gift shop but none to be had.

[Boatdrill]

Just did a 7 day roundtrip from Vancouver on the Zuiderdam. 

While Gala Night was a mixed bag as far as allowed attire in the Main Dining Room (baseball caps, etc. )  the attire on non-dressy nights was still dressy in the Pinnacle Grill. It was nice to see people treating the PG as a fine dining restaurant; it truly added to the ambiance.   Also have found that passengers on roundtrip cruises from Vancouver tend to dress less casually than those on cruises departing from Seattle.       

Edited July 13, 2022 by Boatdrill

[ScottishMaid]

On the NA in May my husband took dark pants and a blue and a white/blue stripe button up shirt and one tie. No jacket. Fine for Dressy Night and the Pinnacle but he was cold some nights without a jacket. I took dark pants and two or three nice blouses.

[LJProk]

Just did HAL last month for Alaska. Even on a gala night I saw a guy in jeans, a hoodie and a baseball cap in the MDR. My husband typically hates the MDR, doesn't want to change and dress up. This cruise he wore mostly jeans and a golf shirt, even a tshirt with hoodie one night. So much more relaxed. Even gala night two he wore nice jeans and a golf shirt. I typically wore nice jeans and a cute top.