Gala Night Attire

[patsylll]

Good day all and thank you in advance for your guidance.  It has been three years since hubby and I have been on a cruise but will be jumping back in later this month.  I wanted to gather thoughts from frequent cruisers on appropriate dress attire on gala nights.  In the past, hubby has always worn a dark suit and I have worn a nice dress.  On this cruise, we are not going with friends so it won't be a big to do but rather us just relaxing together.  I started laying out clothes and those suits are just so big and bulky.  All in, I don't want to offend any other guest and I don't want my hubby to feel uncomfortable but.... is a nice Hawaiian shirt or even a long sleeve button down without a tie or jacket in line and acceptable.  I decided to leave my high heels all together and opted for one pair of black sandals and took a more casual cocktail dress.  I welcome thoughts and advice.  

[senorjim]

Jacket and/or tie are not required. for men. A shirt with a collar and pants that aren't jeans.

I'm not qualified to comment on dresses and shoes! Enjoy your cruise.

Jim

[Djb4CC]

For dressy nights, I have stopped bringing a sports coat (always too hot plus this covid weight 🙁), but always wear a tie with long sleeved button up shirt (usually a solid coloured shirt and a brighter patterned tie).  I usually save my black slacks for dressy night, saving my tan and navy for casual evenings.  Same pair of black shoes for every evening.
 

Can’t speak to your husbands uncomfortableness level, but *I* don’t think a Hawaiian shirt is dressy enough and I would feel under-dressed on a dressy night.  That said, you will see others around the ship in daytime casual wear on dressy nights, so won’t be the only one.

[MarKandi]

I go with Business Casual. I’ve worn Jeans with no issues, only been turned away wearing shorts. I would not worry about offending others by dressing down, you have enough to pack and bag drag to the ship. It’s your cruise, you paid for it so unless someone else wants to pitching $$$ to supplement your cruise fair, I’m taking it casual. This used to be a VERY heated subject but has cooled down in recent years ( thank god).

[Djb4CC]

I stand by what I said above about how I dress for formal nights, but just to see what HAL says, when you click on the “How should I pack” link in Navigator, it takes you to this q&a on the HAL faq.

 

 

[mcrcruiser]

I wear  slacks  ,my beautiful Hawaiian shirts  ,that is all I own  & my sweater over the shirt . when seated & if temp is comfortable I take off my sweater

 

We have done 87 past cruises & now 8 new bookings  .I want to carry less clothes on board  & candidly if I am comfortable that is really all that matters ,especially now that we are  in our mid 80s  .Yes there was the day that a blue suit with white shirt & tie or a tux  was the code but no more .Thank God 

 

 

 Others do what they want  & that is their business 

 

 

[dchip]

Hubby wore his tropical shirts 3 out of our 6 gala nights. No issues at all. You will find folks dressed up or down. 

[DaveOKC]

I have decided to just go with business casual and have never felt out of place.  Not worth it to pack a suit just for a couple of hours perhaps twice on a cruise.

 

[albingirl]

I tend to dress for dinner, gala or no. It's special to be cruising and my attire reflects that. It would be embarrassing to be a slobby American. Personally, I  really don't care what other people do as long as they stay out of my lane.

[mightycruisequeen]

3 hours ago, patsylll said:

Good day all and thank you in advance for your guidance.  It has been three years since hubby and I have been on a cruise but will be jumping back in later this month.  I wanted to gather thoughts from frequent cruisers on appropriate dress attire on gala nights.  In the past, hubby has always worn a dark suit and I have worn a nice dress.  On this cruise, we are not going with friends so it won't be a big to do but rather us just relaxing together.  I started laying out clothes and those suits are just so big and bulky.  All in, I don't want to offend any other guest and I don't want my hubby to feel uncomfortable but.... is a nice Hawaiian shirt or even a long sleeve button down without a tie or jacket in line and acceptable.  I decided to leave my high heels all together and opted for one pair of black sandals and took a more casual cocktail dress.  I welcome thoughts and advice.  

My thoughts are that you are good to go, and you don't need advice!

Have a great cruise!

[Torquer]

After reading cruise critic, this past summer on a European cruise I went with business casual for all nights in the MDR.  Unfortunately, I felt very under-dressed on the gala nights, since most men had a tie and/or jacket on.  Probably only 10% of men were dressed as I was.  So I will dress better on our next cruise in February. 

 

But as others have mentioned, it also likely depends on the particular cruise.  If the cruise is to tropical islands, it may be less formal than a European cruise.

[DaveOKC]

22 minutes ago, Torquer said:

After reading cruise critic, this past summer on a European cruise I went with business casual for all nights in the MDR.  Unfortunately, I felt very under-dressed on the gala nights, since most men had a tie and/or jacket on.  Probably only 10% of men were dressed as I was.  So I will dress better on our next cruise in February. 

 

But as others have mentioned, it also likely depends on the particular cruise.  If the cruise is to tropical islands, it may be less formal than a European cruise.

True and less formal to Alaska.

[oaktreerb]

Ladies can always add some “bling” with jewelry on “dressy nights”.  Easy to pack and no added weight if you are flying.  

[mcrcruiser]

The problem today for us older folk ,mid 80s is the suit case  weight & size   .so the less we  take in clothes the better  ;however  still manage  to have to take  2 smaller bags but ,having trouble taking my bottles of wine ;which is the most important LOL

[The-Inside-Cabin]

5 hours ago, patsylll said:

Good day all and thank you in advance for your guidance.  It has been three years since hubby and I have been on a cruise but will be jumping back in later this month.  I wanted to gather thoughts from frequent cruisers on appropriate dress attire on gala nights.  In the past, hubby has always worn a dark suit and I have worn a nice dress.  On this cruise, we are not going with friends so it won't be a big to do but rather us just relaxing together.  I started laying out clothes and those suits are just so big and bulky.  All in, I don't want to offend any other guest and I don't want my hubby to feel uncomfortable but.... is a nice Hawaiian shirt or even a long sleeve button down without a tie or jacket in line and acceptable.  I decided to leave my high heels all together and opted for one pair of black sandals and took a more casual cocktail dress.  I welcome thoughts and advice.  

Here is how you can cover all your bases.   Take a sport coat jacket - have your husband wear it on the plane and then put it in the overhead.   Put a tie in the pocket.   On your gala night - wear the sport coat with a shirt and tie - if you feel "overdressed" the tie can disappear in seconds.   If the jacket is still too much, you can drape it on the back of your chair.  Your husband can transform in seconds based on his mood.

 

This is a path that will take up zero room in a suitcase and give you plenty of options.

 

Would you rather have brought the jacket and not needed it ?  Or left the jacket at home and wish you had brought it?  

 

"is a nice Hawaiian shirt or even a long sleeve button down without a tie or jacket in line and acceptable"

 

Yes - anything with a collar is acceptable - no jeans or shorts.

[Florida_gal_50]

Please don't put jackets in the overhead bins.  They are stuffed full already.  I put mine inside my carry on or wear it.  

 

I think its going to depend on how long and where the cruise is.  On my 2 - 7 day cruises on the konginsdam hal had completely thrown the towel in on any standard.  Shorts were no problem which I had never seen happen on a cruise with hal ever and I've sailed a lot with them.  If you wear a colored shirt and pants you'll be more than fine.

[VACruiser123]

Just off the Nieuw Amsterdam Sunday. If anybody wore a tux, I did not see it. Very few ties as well. At this point Formal Night is dead and gone as far as I can tell (and I do own my tux but leave it at home). As a guy, nice pants and shoes are what will "dress" the look up somewhat. I carry a linen sport coat and no ties.

[crystalspin]

My husband will wear a long-sleeved guayabera, aka Mexican wedding shirt. I plan sparkly top and shiny leggings.

 

When we had family on a 7-day Alaska, one night the men all wore Hawaiian type shirts and the other Gala, gag ties. Yes I did orchestrate them having them along!

[lindaler]

I have found that on ten day or less the standards aren't as enforced. But for the longer 21 days or more the tradition of dressing up still seems to stand. I saw 80% dressy, formal wear for dinner in the MDR. And I tend to cruise around the holidays so that many be why the 80%. 

 

[FlaMariner]

Just off two weeks on the Nieuw Statendam.....("milk run" 7 day jaunts to the Caribbean)

 

It's called "Dressy" night. Not "gala" anymore.

There is no need for a jacket, tie or much less a suit or tux....unless you want to wear one.

 

I saw it all in the MDR at dinner.....including shorts, tux, Hawaiian shirts, polo shirts, sports coats, long sleeve dress shirts and on and on.

 

......on dressy night and casual night....it seemed to not matter much anymore.  

 

My advice is wear what you want as long as you meet the HAL minimum standards and have fun......do try to get out of the shorts for dinner....even though that is not acceptable it was.

 

 

[no1talks]

7 hours ago, albingirl said:

"It's special to be cruising and my attire reflects that."

 

 

[patsylll]

Thank you all for sharing.

 

[CruisingGrandmaW]

I think it depends on where & for how long you are cruising.

It's true that majority of cruises - passengers are going not as dressy anymore on gala nights.

However, I find if you are doing a Grand World Voyage OR a Grand Voyage - that more of the passengers do dress up - some men even in Tuxedos - but a sports coat at least.

 

Also if you're taking a Mediterranean Cruise - Europeans do still dress up for Gala/Dressy Night.

 

But bottom-line is how YOU & Hubby will feel.  Sounds like you're conscious of dress -- so I would say if doing a Grand Voyage or Mediterranean I would dress up.

[Wakepatrol]

Hawaiian shirts are now dressy, gala, formal😂😂😂

[tartanmom]

I've always brought high heels for formal nights but seem to be jinxed with rough weather on those nights. No fun to try to navigate in heels around a rocking ship so this year the heels are staying home and I'm just bringing fancy flats and blingy sandal to wear with my dresses.