A Word About Formal Night Appearance

[Boytjie]

[quote name='WhansaMi']There are lots of reasons to chose a particular ship at a particular time:
itinerary
ease of travel, or access to method of travel, to the ship
size of ship
enjoyment of special programs on the ship

I could go on and on. For some, the dress code is a salient feature. For others, it not.[/quote]

Agreed. But isn't there a bit of give-and-take involved? I want to really go on this cruise line even though its style doesn't match mine, but I will make a little effort to go along with their style.

[tuckmics]

WhansaMi,

We are on the 8 Aug Alaska cruise, sailing on the Zueiderdam. Would love to cruise with you.

I am going to be very clear on this...Don't judge us...the fact is that we are on VACATION!!! We are going to do what we want and on a HAL vessel because it fits our needs. NO, we are not going to wear shorts and tank tops (I've never worn a tank top in my life). We are going to wear comfortable clothing and steer clear of the dining room.

Hope you all can deal...looking forward to the trip!!:):)

[AZjohn]

[quote name='Boytjie']Why can I not inquire as to why they chose HAL rather than a more casual cruise line that would match their vacation style?l[/quote]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3]Peter, you just go ahead and inquire all you want:rolleyes:. Have a feeling your not asking why and making an effort to understand or empathize, just making a statement that they (or I) are not the same as you and should go sail somewhere else:([/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3]But as I said, you just continue to "inquire"[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3]John[/SIZE][/FONT]

[RevNeal]

[IMG]http://www.revneal.org/Resources/yawn.jpg[/IMG]

Sometimes the Dress Code Thread fails to entice. :D ;)

[Copper10-8]

[quote name='RevNeal'][IMG]http://www.revneal.org/Resources/yawn.jpg[/IMG]

Sometimes the Dress Code Thread fails to entice. :D ;)[/quote]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=navy]Sometimes?;)[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3] [/SIZE][/FONT]

[pipedreams62]

[IMG]http://pipedreams62.eaph2.com/share/afunstuff/yawnthumb1.jpg[/IMG]

[kryos]

[quote name='lettienets']Whether he gets gruff or not from somebody is not the issue, he has a job to do and gets paid for it , so he should just do his job.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, I agree ... but he does have to walk a fine line ... send one person packing, and he'd better send anyone not dressed properly packing. Send too many people packing, and he's gonna catch h*ll from somebody ... the front desk people who have to listen to all the complaints ... the Lido manager who gets clobbered with all these extra people, etc.

So, I would imagine he's in a tough spot. Are a lot of people technically against "code?" If so, I'd better be real careful in determining just how far out of code people have to be before I send them up to the Lido. Nice shirt and tie or open collar shirt and a jacket ... I'll let it slide. Shorts and a tee-shirt, maybe a baseball cap? Lido.

Blue skies ...

--rita

[Cruiz'nBaers]

[quote name='Hollyday']We play by the rules the best we can but past experience has taught me my DH is uncomfortably hot in a suit on a crowded ship. He doesn't mind dressing for dinner (I know he just does it for me) but he will change clothes immediately after. I don't change so I'm sure we're a odd sight to some. We''re not there to please anyone but us so we just don't care what they think. Of course, if someone stares, I look them straight in the eye and tap my nose with my finger a couple times indicating they have something on their nose. They immediately start brushing at their nose and look at me questioningly for any indication that whatever was there is gone. I always get a giggle doing that.

I figure the men that stare and have attitudes are jelous that their significant other made them dress up and you didn't have to. The women that stare are just snobs. Obviously, they all need to brush up on their manner - were they not ever told staring is rude. I wonder if a woman would want to dress formal if she had to wear a hot suit and a choking tie. For formal night maybe it should be manatory for women to wear panty hose. Oh yeah, that would go over well......not.[/quote]

Noticed that you are sailing off in a day and a few hours. We just got off the Eurodam April 2 and I'm missing it already. Happy cruising, wish I were coming along.

Linda

[Boytjie]

[quote name='AZjohn'][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3]Peter, you just go ahead and inquire all you want:rolleyes:. Have a feeling your not asking why and making an effort to understand or empathize, just making a statement that they (or I) are not the same as you and should go sail somewhere else:([/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3]But as I said, you just continue to "inquire"[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3]John[/SIZE][/FONT][/quote]

You are assuming that I think I am better than you or other cruisers. You couldn't be further from the truth.

[AZjohn]

[quote name='Boytjie']You are assuming that I think I am better than you or other cruisers. You couldn't be further from the truth.[/quote]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3]OK, my fault and don't assume that any more. In fact, by your aviator photo and other details from your posting we have a lot of things in common.[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3]I appoligize and guess I was in a pissy mood last night. I need to leave these kinds of threads alone.[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3]John[/SIZE][/FONT]

[RevNeal]

[quote name='Copper10-8'][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=navy]Sometimes?;)[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3] [/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE]

Precisely ... sometimes. :)
Every once and a while someone will say something which will catch my interest or pique my ire beyond the barest minimum with regard to those who either wear less than the barest minimum or those who supposedly stare down their noses at those who are wearing less than the barest minimum, in which case I'll stick my own toe in to the barest minimum for a minimally entertaining few posts. :D

Thus far, this thread has been minimally constituted of the barest minimum of controversy ... not enough to entice me to do more than be silly on the thread. Besides ... it's Holy Week.

[lettienets]

[quote name='RevNeal']Precisely ... sometimes. :)
..........[/quote]
Hi Rev, to go along with your yawn, I captured one of your cartoons from way back when

[IMG]http://s662.photobucket.com/albums/uu350/lettienets/th_beatdeadhorse.gif[/IMG]

[tokyo]

formal nights and can't see why the dress code on formal nights should not be observed. After saying that, I would not complain about anyone not in a tux, but would think to myself that they are letting the side down.

My cruise in August will be my first time with HAL, all my other cruises have been with PandO and Cunard. During last years cruise on the Artimis very few people failed to observe the dress code on formal nights. I was sitting in a bar in shorts and tee shirt and was invited to leave the bar as it had gone 6pm and it was a formal night :eek:

Each to his own, but as I said, I love formal nights.

[singlecruiser70]

After reading this whole thread, I think I won't know how to dress or act while onboard ship. Maybe I should just stay home dressed in my Levis, tee shirt and ball cap, and eat potato chips and mow the grass and drink beer.:(

Have a nice day
Dick

[srlafleur]

First, let me preface my response by saying that we do dress for dinner. Not a tux, but a black suit, white shirt, tie, appropriate shoes for Hubby, cocktail dress or gown for me.
I appreciate the requirement to "dress for dinner", no tank tops, shorts, jeans, ball caps, etc. and to be honest, except for a few, I've never really noticed that many people, particularly on formal night, dressed like that on any of my cruises. Then again, I'm not there to see what everyone is wearing, but to enjoy my own dinner.
My question is, how many sequins = formal? Why is a pantsuit on a woman (with a lace tank and nice wrap as a previous poster mentioned) not formal enough? A suit's good enough for a man! If we really want to go there - why is a very skimpy formal dress OK, but fancy shorts, or even capris a no-no? What if the shorts were "formal" rhinestone-incrusted or velvet? I'm just sayin'...
I brought my 80 yo mother on a cruise and we did not go out and buy her a "formal" dress. She just packed the nicest skirt outfit she already had to wear for formal night in the MDR. Should she have missed the experience of formal dining on this, her very first and, who knows, possibly last cruise, just because it's very hard for her to find appropriate, inexpensive formal wear that fits and which she would never wear anywhere again?

[ViolaSwamp]

My personal opinion on women's pantsuits are that they belong in the board room and should not count as acceptable formal night wear. In my (not so) humble opinion, men should wear suits or tuxedos, and women should wear dresses on formal nights. Period. Honestly, I think women's pantsuits are nowhere near "formal" in the least. I cannot understand why others feel that they are formal wear. I don't find ANY women's pantsuits to be anywhere NEAR fancy or formal. But whatever, that's just me... :p

[Petronillus]

Rev. Neal indicated that these formal-dress threads are wearisome. But then he chalked it up to the stress of his job: [quote]Besides ... it's Holy Week.[/quote]Let me join in wishing all a happy and blessed Easter. And for those who celebrate liberation from bondage at Passover: Maazel tov! Next year in Jerusalem!

Now to get back on topic: I'm still pretty new to CC and this board, and so haven't yet been exposed to this area of recurring controversy. Consequently, I would benefit from some enlightenment. Is it expected on formal evenings that we wear our tuxes (or gowns, as the case may be) not only for the evening meal but also for the other on-board activities (shows, dancing, socializing outside one's own cabin)? If so, I find myself once again indebted to this board: I would have been caught unawares. Nothing against non-conformity. But, as Rev. Neal would point out from the Good Book: As for me and my house, we will get with the program!

[srlafleur]

[quote name='ViolaSwamp'] women should wear dresses on formal nights. Period. :p[/quote]

There are women I know who don't own, never wear, have never worn dresses (maybe when they were 3 or 4). They wore beautiful white suits to their wedding.

[michmike]

but DW has a 35 yr long nasty habit of thinkin' she WEARS the pants in our house.....

[Copper10-8]

[quote name='RevNeal']Precisely ... sometimes. :)
Every once and a while someone will say something which will catch my interest or pique my ire beyond the barest minimum with regard to those who either wear less than the barest minimum or those who supposedly stare down their noses at those who are wearing less than the barest minimum, in which case I'll stick my own toe in to the barest minimum for a minimally entertaining few posts. :D

Thus far, this thread has been minimally constituted of the barest minimum of controversy ... not enough to entice me to do more than be silly on the thread. Besides ... it's Holy Week.[/quote]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=navy][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=navy][FONT=Verdana][SIZE=2][COLOR=#000000][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=navy]Happy Easter! What I was trying to say in not enough words:[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][U]All[/U] dress code threads eventually come down to the same arguments for and against, the arrival on scene shortly after, of the usual suspects (some new ones, not yet identified) to present their case and/or offer their suggestions, the same battle lines are drawn, and eventually, the same end result appears; no changes of opinion. The thread slowly fades away in the sunset, the poor pony is finally assisted out its misery and then we all wait for the next one to appear over the horizon so everything can start over again. But wait.................I'm preaching to the choir, I mean, the reverend;) [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[RuthC]

Now to get back on topic: I'm still pretty new to CC and this board, and so haven't yet been exposed to this area of recurring controversy. Consequently, I would benefit from some enlightenment. Is it expected on formal evenings that we wear our tuxes (or gowns, as the case may be) not only for the evening meal but also for the other on-board activities (shows, dancing, socializing outside one's own cabin)? If so, I find myself once again indebted to this board: I would have been caught unawares. Nothing against non-conformity. But, as Rev. Neal would point out from the Good Book: As for me and my house, we will get with the program!

Yes, Petronillus, that's exactly what the expectation is.

 

People who do not wish to dress for the evening, or to change after dinner, are welcome on outside decks, and the Lido Deck.

But the show lounge, other lounges, casino, are all areas where the dress code continues until it's time to retire for the night.

[pipedreams62]

We've mentioned pantsuits,sequins,

 

Oh Yeah

 

We haven't mentioned turtleneck and sportcoat guy,

 

Unfortunately.... If your name isn't "Bullitt" it won't fly.

 

 

[fridayeyes]

After turtleneck guy, we need to hit tab collar dude and "Why is my Mexican wedding shirt not formal on the ship when it's formal in Mexico?"

 

I think after that, we're allowed to discuss the wearing of cowboy boots and/or hats with a suit/tux, then women who wear so little that two sequins and a cork pass for formal wear.

 

We have a schedule to keep folks. *taps clipboard*

 

*tongue firmly in cheek*

[pipedreams62]

After reading this whole thread, I think I won't know how to dress or act while onboard ship. Maybe I should just stay home dressed in my Levis, tee shirt and ball cap, and eat potato chips and mow the grass and drink beer.:(

 

Have a nice day

Dick

 

 

 

[Copper10-8]

Reuters; Rotterdam, April 1, 2009: HAL president and CEO Stein Kruse announced today the creation of a new position aboard all of Holland Amerika Lijn's thirty four vessels. The position, formally unveiled today in Rotterdam as the 'tuxedo police', will fall under the Environmental Friendly Department and its personnel will, as such, report directly to the onboard Environmental Officer. Kruse explained that it will be the Tuxedo police's primary responsibility to enforce the dress code onboard ships. He continued by stating that members of the tuxedo police will position themselves at the entrances to the ship's restaurants at all dinner seatings on formal nights where they will cast a critical eye at the compliance, or lack thereof, of the line's dress codes.

 

"Enough is enough" said Kruse, "We will no longer allow our guests to get away with murder when it comes to properly dressing for dinner on formal night". "Leisure suits, obscenely mismatched color and style combinations, torn blue jeans and/or those recently utlized to change the engine oil in one's automobile, crocodile and/or other amphibian/reptile-based shoes, top garments informally referred to as 'wifebeaters", excessive tatoos, body piercings, male and female pit hair and, above anything else, the public display of male boobs, will be dealt with by the tuxedo police forthwith and with iron fist". "Passengers discovered to be in violation of the "code" will first be asked to return to their respective staterooms to remove said violating garment(s), hair, boobs, tattoo(s) and/or piercing(s)". "If there is no compliance after the first official warning from the tuxedo police, those guests will be given a choice to: a) be quarantined in their stateroom for the remainder of the cruise or: b) be separated from the vessel and their respective cruise without compensation, and deposited at the first sight of land in close proximity, be it Pitcairn Island, Belgium, or the Sandwich Islands.

 

"It is our hope that our guests who do violate the dress code on formal night will seize and desist this activity at their earliest possible opportunity" Kruse continued " It is our goal, fleet-wide, to nip this problem in the butt, Bob, expeditiously with exrtreme prejudice and without added trauma to our guests who do comply in a humanely and orderly manner". When asked if additional rulings to violators commonly referred to as "chair hogs", "hot tub diaper babies", and "beer smugglers" are forthcoming, Kruse winked but would not elaborate!

 

 

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