How formal is formal?

[yvr49]

We will be cruising on the Noordam in Australia and New Zealand next April.  We are new to HAL but not new to cruising, having done some Oceania and many Princess cruises.    I'm wondering what is appropriate for men the dining room.on formal nights?  Is  a jacket necessary or is just a white shirt and tie acceptable?   Our experience on Princess has been that you see everything from Hawaiian shirts to tuxedos!

[Blackduck59]

I think you will find pretty much the same on HAL as you described on Princess. I didn't have a tie or jacket packed if I wanted to wear them, let alone a Tuxedo. I certainly won't be taking my Tuxedo when we do a similar cruise as yours on Westerdam in 2025. I won't be making room in our luggage for something I may wear once or twice in a trip that will have us away from home for 5 or 6 weeks.

[Laminator]

51 minutes ago, yvr49 said:

We will be cruising on the Noordam in Australia and New Zealand next April.  We are new to HAL but not new to cruising, having done some Oceania and many Princess cruises.    I'm wondering what is appropriate for men the dining room.on formal nights?  Is  a jacket necessary or is just a white shirt and tie acceptable?   Our experience on Princess has been that you see everything from Hawaiian shirts to tuxedos!

There are no more formal nights. They are referred to as dressy now. Nice pants and a shirt with a collar. 

[FlaMariner]

7 hours ago, yvr49 said:

I'm wondering what is appropriate for men the dining room.on formal nights?  Is  a jacket necessary or is just a white shirt and tie acceptable?

 

I wear kaki pants and a long sleeve dress shirt and I meet the requirements and am comfortable and love it!

 

(No coat or tie is necessary....but certainly fine if that is the way you want to roll)

 

[DE Solo]

The clothing worn on dressy nights runs the gamut from jeans and t shirts to tuxedos and suits. A jacket is no longer required, and you will blend in nicely if you wear a pair of dress slacks or khakis (yes, there is an h in the word!) along with a collared shirt of some type. 

[X-elite]

Attached is from HAL website. No more formal nights....

[0106]

8 minutes ago, DE Solo said:

The clothing worn on dressy nights runs the gamut from jeans and t shirts to tuxedos and suits.

FYI- i just returned from a TA on the Rotterdam.  A man was turned away from the MDR for wearing jeans and a t-shirt on dressy night.  
 

My DH wears a shirt & tie with khakis and fits right in with the variety of outfits on dressy night.

[DE Solo]

1 minute ago, 0106 said:

FYI- i just returned from a TA on the Rotterdam.  A man was turned away from the MDR for wearing jeans and a t-shirt on dressy night.  
 

My DH wears a shirt & tie with khakis and fits right in with the variety of outfits on dressy night.

Sounds to me like your husband was appropriately dressed for the occasion. Unfortunately enforcement of any sort of dress code is inconsistent. On my six cruises since the restart after the pandemic, I have seen passengers wearing clothing that was more appropriate for cutting their lawns, along with the always irritating baseball cap.

[Banditswife]

I usually throw in a sports coat/jacket for hubby.  He prefers not to wear it & sometimes it stays in the closet on the ship.  But he does wear a pair of dress slacks with collared shirt for dressy nights & nice jeans/slacks with a polo or tropical print type shirt on casual evenings.  But they don't seem to enforce the rules, too often we see shorts & t-shirts.  This makes it difficult for the wives who want their spouse to dress up a bit.  

For me, I enjoy wearing a dress or nice slacks.  So that is what I wear every night.

[OlsSalt]

Whatever you want it to be. Many use this night to have special photos taken. So they often really do dress up for the occasion. More people seem to dress up if they have chosen late fixed dining, than in general. But today, anything goes. Enjoy the extra sparkle other people bring to this evening, even if you choose not to participate yourself. 

[yvr49]

Thanks everyone!  My husband will be leaving his suit jacket at home so there is more room in the suitcase for snorkel and fins lol.

[2inTul]

3 hours ago, yvr49 said:

Thanks everyone!  My husband will be leaving his suit jacket at home so there is more room in the suitcase for snorkel and fins lol.

I don't think snorkel and fins would be allowed in the MDR!  😁

[yvr49]

56 minutes ago, 2inTul said:

I don't think snorkel and fins would be allowed in the MDR!  😁

Hahaha ha probably not.

[AroundWithMAPTravels]

8 hours ago, DE Solo said:, I have seen passengers wearing clothing that was more appropriate for cutting their lawns, along with the always irritating baseball cap.

I know it’s not a cruise… we were just at the Greenbrier hotel…. They specifically ban baseball caps from MDR (jacket/tie required).   Perhaps that may need to be specifically singled out on cruises too.

[Sea42]

1 hour ago, 2inTul said:

I don't think snorkel and fins would be allowed in the MDR!  😁

Well, they're not expressly forbidden...

🤔

[retird]

I will be on same cruise as you.   I wear slacks and long sleeve collared shirt to the dining room.  I used to take khaki pants but they can be bulky fo packing depending on brand.  I now take very light weight no iron dress pants for my visits to the dining room.   Moores mens wear has a good selection.   I haven’t taken a tie  or jacket on a cruise for past five years.   

[RuthC]

How formal is formal? 

On HAL it isn't. Even on 'Dressy' nights, the standard is casual. Not even evening casual, but good old-fashioned daytime casual will get you into the dining room. 

[POA1]

From the WayBack Machine - There was a couple who donned flippers, masks &  snorkels - and formal wear on what were formerly called formal nights

 

We sailed with them in the early 2000s. Surely someone remembers them besides me.

[terrydtx]

Since I retired in 2020 all of my suits, jackets and ties have gone to Goodwill. We cruise 3 to 4 times a year and tend to be gone for 2-6 weeks for each and we are learning to pack better and lighter. As someone above said the traditional jeans and khaki pants tend to be heavy and bulky for packing. I now have several pairs of lightweight golf pants that stretch and never wrinkle and are good in hot and cold weather and very comfortable.  I have Tommy Bahama shirts both prints and solid colors that button up and are very wrinkle resistant that I can wear every night on a cruise, including the "dressy" nights. Sometimes I may also wear a nice golf or polo shirt with a collar for the normal non-dressy nights.

Edited October 28, 2023 by terrydtx

[Lakesregion]

Happy to see that HAL pasengers agree that one may wear pretty much what they care to wear on board. That makes me more comfortable with my plans for a full blazer jacket, dress shirt and scarve with dress slacks and shoes every evening at sea or coming off a port. 30 days of dressing up will be a joy as I live where the homeless look better than the residents.

[RuthC]

1 hour ago, Lakesregion said:

Happy to see that HAL pasengers agree that one may wear pretty much what they care to wear on board. That makes me more comfortable with my plans for a full blazer jacket, dress shirt and scarve with dress slacks and shoes every evening at sea or coming off a port. 30 days of dressing up will be a joy as I live where the homeless look better than the residents.

Sounds like a very smart look. You will likely get a few looks of admiration. 

[OlsSalt]

My final word on formal night: