Cruises before dates for No Informal

[Jemima]

We're on an April transatlantic which is before HAL officially drops informal. We have multiple legs returning and are trying to cut our luggage by one bag. Not taking informal outfits would help except that we do enjoy informal.

If any of you do cruise reviews in the next few weeks, it would be helpful to state if there were informal nights.

(Our cruise states 3 formal, 2 informal, 9 casual which is 14 days and ours is an 18 day cruise. It would be nice if HAL gave accurate information in the documents.)

[jtl513]

We're on an April transatlantic which is before HAL officially drops informal. We have multiple legs returning and are trying to cut our luggage by one bag. Not taking informal outfits would help except that we do enjoy informal.

If any of you do cruise reviews in the next few weeks, it would be helpful to state if there were informal nights.

(Our cruise states 3 formal, 2 informal, 9 casual which is 14 days and ours is an 18 day cruise. It would be nice if HAL gave accurate information in the documents.)

For the Veendam in Dec our docs said 2 formal, 1 informal, and 4 casual, but it turned out to be 2 f and 5 c. They might do the same on your cruise, so I would just jump the gun and make it all-but-3 casual myself.

[minitor]

If that is the Westerdam Transatlantic on its way to dry dock, they did not have informal nights on our recent 7 day cruise. You may consider calling ships services and asking.

[RuthC]

People do tend to meet the dress code on trans-At's. Once you contact HAL and confirm that informal is planned for your cruise you can make plans for it.

Is the gentleman bringing a suit for formal night? He can just wear it with a different shirt, possibly go without a tie, for informal. No need for much extra that way. Bring something for yourself that's on the dressy side of casual and it can do double duty on another casual night.

In 18 nights there's certainly no need for 18 different outfits! (I don't think I own that many. :rolleyes: ) Recycle.

[Len3]

We're on the Vol, March 13th - before the official date in dress code change - how formal do we have to get? I understand the tux deal, but the long gowns? How many women really have long gowns, let alone 3 for a 10 night cruise?

[debsjc]

Double post

[debsjc]

I find a smart pair of black pants and lots of different pretty tops is a good bet for the casual nights.

The floaty chiffon type blouses are great for not taking up much space in the suitcase, and then I use some of those with an evening skirt for the informals.

[jtl513]

We're on the Vol, March 13th - before the official date in dress code change - how formal do we have to get? I understand the tux deal, but the long gowns? How many women really have long gowns, let alone 3 for a 10 night cruise?

The change doesn't affect the formal nights, it just eliminates the informal nights.

 

We've only been on 4 HAL cruises, but from what we've seen the majority of the ladies do not wear long gowns.

[Navy_Chief]

This is just another reason why I rent a tux so I don't have to pack it. For informal, I only need to bring a sports coat and that doesn't add that much weight. Most airlines allow two bags at 50 lbs each so when I travel, I put as much of my slacks and dressy types of stuff in a garment bag as one piece and all the rest in the other suitcase. My carry on tends to get stuffed up rather well to cover the rest.

[mamaofami]

On our recent Noordam cruise, I didn't see any formal gowns. I did see dressy pants or long skirts with different kinds of dressy tops. Some people wore beaded jackets or dressy sweater sets. There were many men in tuxes, but most seemed to be in suits. It's not hard to take a pair of dressy pants and a few different 'formal" tops to wear with them. remember, you only wear an evening outfit for a few hours, not all day.

 

We were supposed to have some informal nights, but they were all changed to casual. Some men wore jackets, some wore long sleeve shirts and no jackets. Some women wore capri's and some had on nice summer weight pants and tops.Some were wearing pretty skirts and tops and there was a scattering of really casual, but no shorts. Casual is described as country club casual. But to me, if I were to go to dinner in a country club, I think the men would wear jackets. :confused:

 

Keep in mind, that this change to all casual came after we were packed and on the ship. We expected several informal nights.

[debsjc]

How dissapointing to hear not very many ladies are wearing dresses on the formal night. I didn't expect to see many ball gowns, but I thought most ladies would at least be in evening/cocktail dresses. :confused:

 

I'm still going to take two dresses with me on the Noordam next month, I think it's lovely to really dress up for a change :)

[mamaofami]

Sorry if I left the wrong impression. There were some short cocktail dresses and some long skirts, just not formal gowns.

[luvnorway]

Jemima

 

- FWIW, we will be on Veendam for the 2nd and 3rd last cruises before Informal nights are abolished and, discussing it yesterday, we decided that there is no way my husband is going to take all the extra wardrobe (jacket, tie, shirts and shoes) to conform to traditional 'Informal' dress. Given the weight restrictions on plane luggage, it just isn't worth it. Carrying his tux etc. and formal shoes adds enough extra.

 

I read on another thread on this board that many men are already 'jumping the gun' and limiting themselves to formal and casual dress (and, as frequent HAL cruisers can't help but have noticed, some have never conformed). I'm certain that this will increase the closer we get to the end of Informals and, especially in Europe since it's such a hassle to have extra luggage if you're doing any land travel after the cruise.

 

My husband will likely go into the dining room without a jacket, and, if refused admittance, will go to the cabin and put on his tux jacket to enter, and then hang it over the back of his chair after he is seated. The dining rooms are often so warm that he's had to take his tux jacket off to enjoy his dinner on formal nights many times, so this isn't any different.

 

I'm focusing my reply on my husband's (lack of) Informal dress simply because for women, there really isn't any problem. Personally, I just wear the dressiest of the casual clothes I have brought or the least dressy of the formal ones - have never brought special clothes to wear on Informal nights only. Also, again, as we have all probably noticed, women wear everything on HAL from what my mother would have called "house dresses" to "mother of the bride" outfits. Sometimes it makes you wonder what they have in their closets at home if this is what they chose to bring!

 

Enough said - couldn't resist the rant. Here's one vote for "Glad to See the Informal Nights Gone"!

[jtl513]

We're on the Vol, March 13th - before the official date in dress code change - how formal do we have to get? I understand the tux deal, but the long gowns? How many women really have long gowns, let alone 3 for a 10 night cruise?

Just look at what HAL offers for formal rental for the ladies: two long black skirts (one velvet, one crepe) and three dressy blouses. :)

[gizmo]

How dissapointing to hear not very many ladies are wearing dresses on the formal night. I didn't expect to see many ball gowns, but I thought most ladies would at least be in evening/cocktail dresses. :confused:

 

I'm still going to take two dresses with me on the Noordam next month, I think it's lovely to really dress up for a change :)

 

I disagree with some of the comments made about ladies gowns and dresses.

On all my cruises including the one this past Dec, most wore long dresses (some refer to as gowns)/skirts/palazzeo type pants with fancy tops. I saw very few that were not dressed formal.

 

I have no idea what mamaofi meant by no "formal gowns". If by gowns, it was meant those "Gone with the Wind" style gowns, they have been out of fashion for years and have Gone with the Wind.......:rolleyes:

[debsjc]

No problem - I think it's probably just different peoples opinion of a what is classed as a 'gown'

 

Thanks to both of you for the information :)