Cruise Fashion Observations

[Liner]

I've just returned from a Western Caribbean cruise on the HAL Veendam. My DH and I were some of the youngest passengers on the ship and had a great time!

 

Clothing/Fashion observations:

Daytime: Shorts, polos, skirts, swimsuits, coverups, sneakers, sandals, flip-flops, various tops from t-shirts to button-downs. Also saw many shirts with sport team, city and cruise ship names on them. That was fun and a conversation starter!!

 

Evening: Formal night: Men: tuxedos and dark suits. Women: Long dresses, skirts and pant/skirt combos with dressy tops. Everyone looked very festive. Shoes ranged from low healed sandals to high heeled stilletos. Many had formal shawls--myself included-- but it was warmish in the public rooms and really weren't needed...more for the 'look'.

 

Casual nights: Men in khakis or dark slacks with polos or dress shirts. I didn't see any jeans in the dining rooms at all. Women: Many were dressy---like you would wear to a nice restaurant at home. I didn't see too many capri-style pants. Hopefully that style is dying out!!

 

Colors: did see lots of white. Looked appropriate for the climate. We were also in Florida for a few days..saw lots of white there also. Another 'rule' hopefully gone! Black was still the main color for the evening wear with a smattering of other colors.

 

Special note: There was a gentleman (probably in his 80's) that had a white tux with turquoise cummerbund and tie. He looked very handsome and I went up to him and told him so! He was blushing!! His wife had on a beautiful black, white and turquoise brocade jacket....she said they didn't plan it that way. I just excused them of being married a very long time. We had a good laugh over that one! :D

[AlohaPride]

Carolyn,

 

You did a GREAT job with your review. It sounds exactly what I'm expecting on our HAL cruise this December (except a little more formal because of the home port and the Christmas season).

 

Thanks a BUNCH!!

[Hoyaheel]

Someone (who was on my cruise, actually) posted that he didn't see a lot of tuxedos on formal nights. I saw a TON of tuxedos (including on my very handsome husband:D ) on the Maasdam, 10/28/06 11-day in the Southern Caribbean. I think it's what you look for, personally. Though he was at the early seating and I was at the late seating--I can't imagine a couple of hours completely changed the attire? Anyway, I agree and saw the same things on our HAL cruise! I very rarely saw jeans at all. I don't know that I saw as much white as you say, but again--maybe I wasn't "looking" for it (I don't wear much white, so I don't tend to look at white outfits the way I do other outfits--to see if it would look good on me;) )

[GORDONCHICK]

Someone (who was on my cruise, actually) posted that he didn't see a lot of tuxedos on formal nights. I saw a TON of tuxedos (including on my very handsome husband:D ) on the Maasdam, 10/28/06 11-day in the Southern Caribbean. I think it's what you look for, personally. Though he was at the early seating and I was at the late seating--I can't imagine a couple of hours completely changed the attire? Anyway, I agree and saw the same things on our HAL cruise! I very rarely saw jeans at all. I don't know that I saw as much white as you say, but again--maybe I wasn't "looking" for it (I don't wear much white, so I don't tend to look at white outfits the way I do other outfits--to see if it would look good on me;) )

 

You know, I think the late seatings are a little dressier over all. I think most unseasoned cruisers wind up at the earlier seatings and many don't understand or simply choose not to abide by the dress code. I have not seen people at the late seating ever be under dressed. Just my observation.

[Hoyaheel]

Carmen--that's funny--we ended up at the late seating because we booked so late:p But it was our first cruise in 10-20 years.....So we're pretty "unseasoned". But we followed the dress code;)

 

Of course, we rarely went out after dinner, so I didn't have many chances to see how people who might have been at other seatings were dressed, or if people changed to go to the shows or bars. The times we did go to the lounges/bars after dinner, people were dressed the same as at dinner....(we never did make it to the theater for a show....:rolleyes: )