First time cruising attire?

[Marcellinasfigaro]

We are first time cruisers leaving for Alaska on the Veendam 8/8/04 from Vancouver. We are wondering what to bring for everyday onboard attire. We are casual people but don't want to be too casual.

 

Thanks

Randy

[Marcellinasfigaro]

Also.....do you have to wear a tie every night at dinner??

 

Randy

[tejmar]

For suggestions on attire you can do a search here or go to the Holland America site where they have suggestions. Most cruises have formal nights where the "suggested" attire is formal wear or suits and ties. There are also informal nights where jackets are suggested and ties are optional. The rest of the time casual wear is suggested. The number of formal/informal nights depends on the length of the cruise.

[WindyCity]

Dockers and polos for men, nice pants & top for women while onboard. Jeans, windsuits, layered clothing for shore excursions. Casual nites are country club casual. Pantsuit for women, polo and nice pants for men. Informal nite sport coat and shirt, sunday dress for women. Formal nite - tux or dark suit (only time a tie is "required") formal dress or cocktail dress for women.

[dakrewser]

And don't forget rain gear! While we all hope you luck out and get sunny, warm days and nights, it nore than likely will rain on at least one day - be prepared!

 

:)

[FlorenceItaly]

Randy - Have a wonderful trip. Please post a review upon your return, as I am doing the same itinerary, Aug 22. Thanks.

 

Don't forget to bring an umbrella, binoculars, and maybe some rain ponchos. I picked up a pack of 2 at the Dollar Tree for $1. Alaska is having wonderful weather this year, so you may not even need these things, but good to be prepared. Dress in layers.

 

Refer to your Know Before You Go booklet to help with dress guidelines.

You will love HAL. I took my first HAL cruise last month and it enjoyed it so much I came home and booked this Alaska one.

 

Marie

[the2ofus]

Also, if you will be doing any glacier viewing you might want to tuck in a pair of warm gloves and a hat. It is quite cold up near the glaciers. it would be a good idea to plan to dress in layers.

[lknick]

On an Alaska cruise, for formal night, all a gentleman will need is one sport coat, one neck tie, dress shirt, pants and of course shoes and socks. Although technically not in line with formal nite dress code, you will not have any problems. For a lady, a skirt [long preferred but not required] and a dressy blouse. No stockings required.

 

All other evenings, for gentlemen collared shirt and khakis. For ladies, slacks or skirts with blouses.

 

It is rarely warm enough to wear shorts during the day. You’ll usually have more rainy days than warm days.

 

On shore, wear heavy socks. Do not wear jeans as if they get wet, they take a long time to dry. Chinos are suggested.

 

It is best to dress in layers as in August the panhandle of Alaska can be both hot and chilly. And when it’s chilly outside, you can plan on the insides being over heated.

 

And relatively low power binoculars are a must. Those wild life have a habit of displaying themselves at almost any time, usually when you least expect them. If you get something like 10x50, by the time you have them focused, the animal is gone.

 

[These comments only apply to Alaska]

[RevNeal]

On an Alaska cruise, for formal night, all a gentleman will need is one sport coat, one neck tie, dress shirt, pants and of course shoes and socks. Although technically not in line with formal nite dress code, you will not have any problems.

 

Actually, a sports jacket, dress shirt, tie, and slacks are "in line" with the formal night dress code. According to the Know Before You Go Booklet, the dress code asserts:

 

Gentlemen: Although business suits or tuxedos are suggested attire for formal evenings, they are certainly not required. You are welcome to wear a jacket and tie on formal nights.

 

And, on the daily program where it lists attire for formal night it will say "Jacket and tie required." Hence, if a man were to wear a jacket and tie (and, yes, pants, socks, undies, and shoes :D ), he would be dressed within the code's limits.

 

During the day, HAL's code states the following:

 

The right clothing can make a big difference in the enjoyment of your cruise. First and foremost, dress for comfort. Daily life aboard ship and in ports of call is laid-back and casual. We encourage you to wear whatever makes you feel most comfortable-sportswear, shorts, sundresses, slacks, and so on. Warmer climates call for clothing made of lightweight, breathable fabrics. For cooler climates we suggest casual clothes that can be layered easily and possibly a raincoat and waterproof hat or umbrella and gloves. Bring a swimsuit-all of our ships have pools and whirlpools. You may wish to bring more than one outfit for the water, if you'll be spending much time in and around it. We ask that you wear shoes and a cover-up over a bathing suit when walking through the interior of the ship.

 

In my opinion, that's fairly clear.

 

Randy, have a GREAT cruise! Alaska is a wonderful place to make a first-cruise!

[mhshapiro]

As with all vacations heed your mother's advice - take half as many clothes and twice as much money as you think you will need.

 

Seriously though, the other advice has been pretty much on the mark. I pack a dark suit with a few ties for formal nights. The suit jacket can double as a sport coat with Dockers for informal nights.

 

Alaska weather in the summer can range from cold and rainy to quite warm, so I recommend being prepared to dress in layers, adding a sweater and windbreaker as needed. And don't forget to pack an umbrella or other rain gear.

 

My wife and I usually pack one large suitcase, one small suitcase, and two small carry-on bags for most cruises. On longer cruises this means doing laundry (or having it done), but it beats the hassle of wrestling a ton of luggage through airports.

[dream cruise]

Please post your opinion on this cruise. We are planning on going in August 2005 and have not sailed on HAL before. Debating between HAL and Princess. Have a great trip. Dream Cruiiser.