I’m confused - difference between dressy and gala attire??

[iancal]

The mass market lines are going where the vast majority of the public is going.  More casual, more family, larger ships.

 

Cruises on these lines are no longer the purview of the wealthy. 

 

Late booking 7 day Alaska cruises on HAL(Eurodam/Westerdam) are today selling for a low  $499/449 and Princess (Discovery/Royal) for $399 according to one very popular late booking TA site.

 

It is just business.   There are more expensive, higher end altermate cruise lines that do have, and enforce, a more formal dress requirement.

Edited July 25, 2022 by iancal

[carlmm]

9 minutes ago, iancal said:

The mass market lines are going where the vast majority of the public is going.  More casual, more family, larger 

 

9 minutes ago, iancal said:

 

It is just business.

One still wonders if some of the inderlying assumptions aren't just not thought through enough.

I am not just taking HAL but the cruise industry.

Why shouldn't families enjoy to cruise in more style? On one of my last pre-covid cruises I was positively surprised about the high number of teens totally dressed up, the young men in tuxes, the ladies in beautiful dresses/gowns. 

Smaller children eg in Italy or Spain appear always to be dressed up in  the evening.

Even if the the mayority should want something else, why not offer at least a number of ships with this level?

Why the lowerst denominator?

I know people who have not sailed HAL

since the dimissal of formal night.

[LMaxwell]

2 hours ago, carlmm said:

 

 

Why shouldn't families enjoy to cruise in more style?

Even if the the mayority should want something else, why not offer at least a number of ships with this level?

Why the lowerst denominator?

Every ship offers this.  People are free to dress to the 9's every single night.  Their choice. 

[carlmm]

2 minutes ago, LMaxwell said:

Every ship offers this.  People are free to dress to the 9's every single night.  Their choice. 

Yeah. 

One is free to dress up at McDonalds and when watching a football game.

You know exactly what I am talking about.

[LMaxwell]

3 minutes ago, carlmm said:

Yeah. 

One is free to dress up at McDonalds and when watching a football game.

You know exactly what I am talking about.

 

No, sorry, I don't entirely follow.  If you mean the regality of a formal night; cruise lines have stopped having pretty much anything other than green screen/Titanic staircase photo backgrounds.  There used to be Formal Night-adjacent activities around the ships in evening, but no more. This is across mass market lines broadly. People still have a choice. If a whole themed formal evening were important to them, the cruise lines would incorporate it.  I agree with you in the sense that things are a bit "hollow".  for one the MDR is now just the "included" food, down to a denominator if you'll allow borrowing of a phrase. It is no longer the best food or service on the ship, and there's not pagentry to go along with it. So I see why it becomes a conundrum. But I don't want to assume that's your meaning. 

 

I don't know the last time you have been in a McDonald's or on a cruise ship, but they are vastly different environments and broad generalizations typically don't fly. 

Edited July 25, 2022 by LMaxwell

[Wakepatrol]

On 7/7/2022 at 12:41 PM, VMax1700 said:

On a recent Oosterdam cruise there was one guy who ate lunch each day in the Lido, wearing his bathrobe.  After a couple of days I mentioned to DW that it was not a nice thing to do.

She just asked if I would rather he took it off and just wore his speedos ?🤐

Please be easy on him, he had recently escaped from an insane asylum 

[iancal]

It seems to me that there are many different cruise lines.  Why moan and groan about something that does not please you when there are other cruise vendors that offer exactly what you want?

 

In our early 70's and OK with a mixed environment on a cruise.  Casual-formal is fine for us.  And we have no issue with children on board.  Basketball court is also fine with us as is music by the pool.  Live (preferable) or canned. 1800-2700 is fine for us as it provides multiple  dining venues.  Any larger no thanks.  

 

We accept that the cruise line is not marketing specifically to us.   Good thing, because many have different preferences that we do. 

 

If we did not like any or all of those attributes we would shop for a different type of cruise line or ship.   

 

It is all about choice.  Why choose strawberry if you really want butterscotch ripple?

 

 

 

 

Edited July 25, 2022 by iancal

[Wakepatrol]

What cracks me up is all these tales

”People Don’t Dress Up In Alaska”

“The Caribbean Is More Casual”

They Dress Up More on Europe

Cruises. Where are you people 

pulling this stuff out of? 
( I Know) 

I just took an el cheapo 7 day cruise on the Caribbean Princess 

and was stunned at all the people  that were dressed and taking pictures and buying photos etc.

 

No it wasn’t Tuxes and gowns

it was people who prior to arriving to the dining room looked in the mirror and said

”It’s Formal Night, I ‘m Going To Make An Effort”

 

There’s a vibe out and about heading to dinner, families getting group pictures taken, people dressed nicely

 

Here comes sweatpants and crocs guy wearing a Lenny’s Clam Shack tee shirt to kill the whole thing 

 

[HamOp]

37 minutes ago, Wakepatrol said:

What cracks me up is all these tales

”People Don’t Dress Up In Alaska”

“The Caribbean Is More Casual”

They Dress Up More on Europe

 

 

Here comes sweatpants and crocs guy wearing a Lenny’s Clam Shack tee shirt to kill the whole thing 

 

Hey, don't you pick on Lenny's.  It's one of the best "clam shack's" in CT.

[LMaxwell]

3 hours ago, Wakepatrol said:

Here comes sweatpants and crocs guy wearing a Lenny’s Clam Shack tee shirt to kill the whole thing 

 

Things that never happened for $800, Alex. 

[Wakepatrol]

14 minutes ago, LMaxwell said:

Things that never happened for $800, Alex. 

Did I strike a nerve?

[LMaxwell]

2 minutes ago, Wakepatrol said:

Did I strike a nerve?

 Yes, my funny bone.  lol.  😅😁

[aeraen]

I think we are all forgetting the biggest killer of formal night: baggage fees.   Back in the day, airlines allowed 2 full bags each.  That allowed for at least one garment bag per couple, which kept our nice suites and dresses unwrinkled.  These days, with a single suitcase costing up to $60 each direction,  dressing up like we're at a Hollywood premier is far too expensive.   A nice sweater and slacks travel better than beaded gowns. 

[no1talks]

53 minutes ago, aeraen said:

one garment bag per couple

I use a high capacity garment bag for both our dress-up clothes. I put dry cleaner's bags on each individual hanger AND garment to decrease friction. My tux shoes and two pair of her shoes are in cloth bags and left loose in the bottom of the bag.

 

With odds & ends in the bag's many pockets, that makes my carry-on bag. 

 

I simply ask the flight attendant at the door of the plane if I may hang the garment bag in the closet.

 

Works like a charm.

[iancal]

2 hours ago, aeraen said:

I think we are all forgetting the biggest killer of formal night: baggage fees.   Back in the day, airlines allowed 2 full bags each.  That allowed for at least one garment bag per couple, which kept our nice suites and dresses unwrinkled.  These days, with a single suitcase costing up to $60 each direction,  dressing up like we're at a Hollywood premier is far too expensive.   A nice sweater and slacks travel better than beaded gowns. 

Cost of checking bags was not an issue, not even on our radar, when we decided to go casual years ago and forgo dinner in the MDR on formal nights.

 

It all seemed so incredibly artificial to us.  Since retiring, we have absolutely zero inclination to drag along Mr. and Mrs. Dress Up clothing for five of six weeks of pre or post cruise independent travel.

 

Besides.....from what we started to experience formal nights have been going downhill for years. From the food through to the service and the entertainment.   IF the cruise line no longer puts any effort into it why do they expect their customers to do so?

 

If formal nights were important to us and if part of that was expecting everyone to conform or those who do not to stay in their respective cabins for the evening we would not be selecting a mass market cruise line. 

 

  This is precisely  why they are called mass market cruise lines! 

Edited July 29, 2022 by iancal

[SilvertoGold]

1 hour ago, no1talks said:

I use a high capacity garment bag for both our dress-up clothes. I put dry cleaner's bags on each individual hanger AND garment to decrease friction. My tux shoes and two pair of her shoes are in cloth bags and left loose in the bottom of the bag.

 

With odds & ends in the bag's many pockets, that makes my carry-on bag. 

 

I simply ask the flight attendant at the door of the plane if I may hang the garment bag in the closet.

 

Works like a charm.

We have a really excellent , older garment bag and would use it is if didn't end up being so heavy!  No wheels, very uncomfortable to carry any distance.  Great that your bag works for you!

[RuthC]

Women's formal wear, at least, doesn't have to be at all heavy. It can weigh less than the sweater and slacks mentioned above. Chiffon is light as a feather, and cancels out the extra weight a man's formal wear might add to what he has to bring to wear instead anyway. 

Now, the jewels a woman needs just MIGHT add a significant amount of weight, but those will be in her carry-on. 😉

[no1talks]

2 hours ago, SilvertoGold said:

No wheels, very uncomfortable to carry any distance.

Happily, for those who wish to refresh their luggage, there are wheeled garment bags with collapsible handles that can be unfolded and hung like a regular garment bag. Very handy for those who are disinclined to shoulder the load. 😃