Formal attire

[seafun]

Wow! You called all those people pretty quickly! I hope you have an unlimited calling plan. :rolleyes:

I've just finished a refreshing glass of KoolAid (since everyone else was doing it :D )

To the OP -- we are not making fun of you -- you asked a legitimate question. It just that it's one of "those" questions that often open a can or worms, provoke vigorous and often heated discussions (dress code, babies in the dining room, tipping, should I wear my thong at the pool, etc.)

I'm afraid several of us are often guilty of having a little fun with those questions, since many of them have been asked so many times -- it's just a way to liven up an old question.

Oh, and yes, I'm a tux wearer, and I usually keep it on after dinner -- unless the thong rides up too badly. :D

[Copper10-8]

...................Oh, and yes, I'm a tux wearer, and I usually keep it on after dinner -- unless the thong rides up too badly. :D

 

Kinda like dental floss:eek: Hate it when that happens!

[Cruising Ham]

This is a touchy subject with cruises but we are going on our first HAL in 2010 on a 7 nighter. What percentage would you say actually wear tuxes? Also what percentage stay in them throughout the night, i.e. not dine then dash to change?

We just returned from 12 days on the Rotterdam and I can report my experience.

 

It was my first cruise, and I quickly realized that there's a lot of good information on these boards. I just as quickly realized there's also a lot of nonsense here. It occurred to me that some people give advice based on what makes THEM happy, not what might actually help the original questioner.

 

What I saw on our three formal nights was about 10-15 percent of men in tuxes. The overwhelming majority were in suits, while another 10 percent may have been without a tie and still allowed into the dining room on the As You Wish deck (the lower of the two dining room decks).

 

My preference was a suit, which I wore the entire evening. I personally think it's a waste of time changing out of it, but that's me. Besides, how difficult is it to wear a suit the entire evening? Your mileage may vary and feel free to let it vary.

 

On our third formal evening my wife and I went to see the movie at 10 PM and the overwhelming majority of theater goers had either changed or never dressed up in the first place. Didn't bother me at all. I'm on vacation and so are they. This isn't high school, nobody sat there snickering at anyone else.

 

But that's what I saw. Someone else on the same cruise may have seen something else, especially if they had fixed dining (we were open, which was GREAT, never more than a 5 minute wait, if that).

 

Tux or suit, go with what you like. I didn't see any fashion police on my cruise and I doubt you'll see any on yours.

[hammybee]

It occurred to me that some people give advice based on what makes THEM happy, not what might actually help the original questioner.

 

Glad you enjoyed your first HAL cruise.

 

Sometimes advice is given with the intent of influencing the outcome.

 

HAL offers more than 500 intineraries and with the Eurodam, carries well more than a million passengers a year and in excess of 9000 onboard crew who rotate in and out, all the time.

 

It is impossible to predict, with certainty, how people are going to dress or behave. What you or I noticed/experienced/liked or disliked on our cruise may not be what the next guy notices/experiences/likes or dislikes on his cruise.

[CDRMark]

This is a touchy subject with cruises but we are going on our first HAL in 2010 on a 7 nighter. What percentage would you say actually wear tuxes? Also what percentage stay in them throughout the night, i.e. not dine then dash to change?

It is not so much touchy as it is impossible to predict.

My crystal ball is busted (in the shop).

That said, of the mass market lines HAL is among the more 'formal'. (Whatever that means today, let alone 2010).

Cunard is more formal, RCI less so. NCL...well, I never have.

If you have actually booked, you have plenty of time to monitor what the trend actually is prior to final payment.

Cheers

Mark

[RevNeal]

This is a touchy subject with cruises but we are going on our first HAL in 2010 on a 7 nighter. What percentage would you say actually wear tuxes? Also what percentage stay in them throughout the night, i.e. not dine then dash to change?

 

A 7-night Canada New England Cruise ... that's a fantastic itinerary, so congratulations on a good "first pick" for HAL. Please, don't let the snide and sarcastic remarks get you down ... your question is absolutely legitimate, and the number of times we've heard it shouldn't matter.

 

As for percentages of men wearing Tuxedos ... that's a tough one. I've seen the figure range from 10% to 75%+. I've seen one cruise at 15% and the very next cruise (b2b with the first one) being 50% or better. One can also see a difference on the same cruise between the early and main seatings for dinner (i.e. early may have fewer tuxedos while later may have more, or visa versa). So, it's hard to come up with a good guesstimate, and one never can tell what it will be before you get there.

 

I dress for formal night as I always have (Tuxedo or suit and clericals) and I enjoy myself no matter what others are wearing. And I don't dress down after dinner ... I stay in formal gear until well after midnight ... usually until I retire for the evening. However, once -- on this last cruise on the Eurodam -- I went back to my cabin after 1:30 am and changed shirts so I could go back to the Northern Lights and be more comfortable while dancing up a sweat.

 

Again, one can never tell what one will get before boarding. Therefore, my best advice is to dress for formal night according to the code (as makes you comfortable) and enjoy yourself. If you want to wear your Tuxedo, do so ... you won't be alone. Or, if you prefer just a suit and tie, then do that ... again, you won't be alone. Regardless, have a blast.

[feathersandnananose]

Just finished an Alaska cruise on the Veendam. There weren't very many tuxes on the formal nights. As for staying dressed, I did the first night and went to a show - felt fine and didn't notice what others had done.

 

The second night (we had early seating), I had to change out of my good duds because of the shoes (I've had foot surgery recently), but figured I'd be OK - I wasn't going to a show, just to the Explorations Cafe to check e-mail. I felt conspicuous - all these nicely dressed people came through and there I was in my jeans! I actually enjoyed the dressing up on ship, and would have been happier had I still been in my good duds.....And I'm a jeans/sandals girl who HATES shoes and dresses up maybe twice a year.

 

Barb in so cal