Formal Nights outside of the dinning room??

[jenga123]

I have read many comments on the board that on formal nights, formal attire is require not just in the public dinning room. Realisticly how true is this?

 

After Dinner and maybe pictures, I plan on changing out of my suit and tie to something more comfortable like jeans or shorts. On the formal nights can I enter the lounges, theatres, bars, casino, shops, deck areas in comfortable casual clothing. I'll be on an Alaskan cruise if that makes any difference.

[unklez]

I have read many comments on the board that on formal nights, formal attire is require not just in the public dinning room. Realisticly how true is this?

 

After Dinner and maybe pictures, I plan on changing out of my suit and tie to something more comfortable like jeans or shorts. On the formal nights can I enter the lounges, theatres, bars, casino, shops, deck areas in comfortable casual clothing. I'll be on an Alaskan cruise if that makes any difference.

 

It's ok after dinner and pictures to change. The cruise line wants you dressed up only for pictures :D

[mudscraper]

It's ok after dinner and pictures to change. The cruise line wants you dressed up only for pictures :D

What pictures?

Nobody said anything about pictures.

 

 

Rich

[Copper10-8]

What pictures?

Nobody said anything about pictures.

 

 

Rich

 

No, he meant badges, you know, like the Federales, the mounted police!

[unklez]

What pictures?

Nobody said anything about pictures.

 

 

Rich

 

Yea rite!!!

[English_in_Spain]

Here is what HAL say on their website

 

"In order to complement your fellow guests, Holland America Line asks that you observe the suggested dress code throughout the entire evening"

 

They ask but they do not insist so it is not 'required'.

 

Many people eat in the Lido on formal night so that they do not have to dress up so these people will be dressed casually around the ship.

[unklez]

Here is what HAL say on their website

 

"In order to complement your fellow guests, Holland America Line asks that you observe the suggested dress code throughout the entire evening"

 

They ask but they do not insist so it is not 'required'.

 

Many people eat in the Lido on formal night so that they do not have to dress up so these people will be dressed casually around the ship.

 

That quote out of their website is baaaaaaaloooooooooni. They just want your money for the pics.

[RevNeal]

Here is HAL's evening Dress Code from the website and the "Know Before You Go" booklet:

 

Evening dress falls into two distinct categories: Formal or Smart Casual. Smart Casual can be defined as slacks and collared shirts for men and casual dresses, slacks and informal evening wear for women. T-shirts, swimsuits, tank tops and shorts are not allowed in the restaurants or public areas during the evening hours. On festive Formal evenings, ladies usually wear a suit, cocktail dress or gown and gentlemen wear a jacket and tie, dark suit or tuxedo. There are approximately two formal nights per week.

In order to complement your fellow guests, Holland America Line asks that you observe the suggested dress code throughout the entire evening.

 

How one interprets this will vary from person to person, taste to taste, wish to wish, and even delusion to delusion. Some -- a great many people on most cruises, actually -- will dress according to the code and stay so-dressed for the evening so long as they're "out and about" in public areas of the ship (other than on the Lido deck). Others will dress to the code for dinner and then return to their cabins to change clothing. How many will do this will vary from ship to ship, itinerary to itinerary, and even cruise to cruise. I've been on some cruises where the vast majority of the people stayed dressed in the evening's code the entire evening, with only a very conspicuous few dressing down after dinner. I've been on other cruises -- even on the same itinerary and the same ship, just a different sailing -- where a large percentage (nearing or surpassing 50%) of the passengers either dressed down after dinner or never even dressed up to begin with. Dress Code compliance can and does vary greatly from cruise to cruise, and one can never -- with assurance -- project what it will be prior to going, and the degree to which the Line will even attempt to enforce the code will be "up-for-grabs."

 

If I may be so bold, however, to offer up a request: the dress code contains one, and only one, point of prohibition with regarding to clothing during he evening hours:

 

T-shirts, swimsuits, tank tops and shorts are not allowed in the restaurants or public areas during the evening hours. (emphasis added)

 

Now, the code says it ... and the Line will sometimes enforce this one piece even when they ignore everything else. Its enforcement, on that one point, can and does even sometimes extend to the bars and lounges around the ship, with bartenders refusing to serve people who are in shorts and tank tops, for instance, on formal nights. It's rare, but it has been known to happen. However, the opposite is more-often the case.

 

So ... HAL's own "enforcement," even of the one area which appears to be "hard and fast" in it's own code, is inconsistent. Nevertheless, I can say from personal experinece in more than 20 cruises, that the numbers of people "out and about" in shorts on a formal night are exceedingly tiny; and particularly-so in Alaska. Indeed, I have only been on one cruise where those in shorts and other forms of day-time casual wear rivaled or even outnumbered those who stayed dressed according to the code. So, if you're going to dress down after dinner on formal night, please consider long pants of some kind -- jeans or slacks -- rather than shorts and t-shirts. Thanks.

[iancal]

When we dress down after dinner, assuming that we did bring our formal clothes, we go with business casual. As a friend of mine said....call up HAL, tell them you do not intend to dress formal or that you intend to dress down after dinner, and then go to the show or to the casino. His guess was that HAL will still book your suite and take your credit card in a New York minute.

[unklez]

When we dress down after dinner, assuming that we did bring our formal clothes, we go with business casual. As a friend of mine said....call up HAL, tell them you do not intend to dress formal or that you intend to dress down after dinner, and then go to the show or to the casino. His guess was that HAL will still book your suite and take your credit card in a New York minute.

 

Absolutely. They will tell you though that shorts are not allowed in the evening. :D

[Brown Eyed Gurl]

I think it is rude & disrespectful to passengers and the cruise line, especially since they state you "observe the suggested dress code throughout the entire evening."

In my experiences I have only seen 2 people on formal nights in lounges who were not dressed up and they stood out like a sore thumb.

If you don't like the rules or atmosphere, why not stay in the Lido or your room (as the cruise line asks), or even try another line that falls in line with your comfort level?

Shorts & jeans have their place on excursions, but not during evening activities on formal nights.

[CDRMark]

No, he meant badges, you know, like the Federales, the mounted police!

Cheers

Mark

[iancal]

I certainly did NOT say that I would ever consider wearing shorts or Tshirts on a formal night because I would not. My point was that even if I was, and mentioned this to HAL, they may read the rules but they would DEFINATELY sell me a stateroom reservation. HAL speaks form both sides of it's corporate mouth but revenue remains king.

[Pokeynose]

We will dress on formal night for dinner but afterwards will change to something appropriate since we ususally like to go to the casino and I don't want our formal clothes to smell of cig. smoke and I won't seclude myself in our suite or the Lido because we change our clothes. That's just plain stupid especially for the $$$ we spent for our cruise. I'll follow the rules, no shorts, tees, etc but I think a nice pair of slacks and top for DH and I should suffice. This is what we have done on our other cruises.:D

[RevNeal]

I certainly did NOT say that I would ever consider wearing shorts or Tshirts on a formal night because I would not. My point was that even if I was, and mentioned this to HAL, they may read the rules but they would DEFINATELY sell me a stateroom reservation. HAL speaks form both sides of it's corporate mouth but revenue remains king.

 

Of course they would sell you the cruise. What rules ;) on HAL is the Almighty Dollar.

[Copper10-8]

Affirmative Houston, we've got a dress code thread!:)

Here's a simple one: If HAL designates the Lido restaurant as a 'casual dinner experience' which they do, guess what? You're going to see nice folks dressed in.............wait for it........it's coming........casual clothes on formal night:eek:.

To expect those folks to somehow travel between their respective cabin(s) and the Lido restaurant by means of climbing rope ladders and later rapelling down public decks back to their cabins in fear of being spotted by those of us dressed in their formals is somewhat unreasonable, n'est pas, my dear Watson?;)

Anyone who has cruised the dam ships, has seen/will see fellow pax 'dressed down' on formal night(s). You will see them in the showroom, in the casino, in the bars and in the lounges.

Thanks for the link, Cdr Mark!;)

[esther e]

I think it is rude & disrespectful to passengers and the cruise line, especially since they state you "observe the suggested dress code throughout the entire evening."

In my experiences I have only seen 2 people on formal nights in lounges who were not dressed up and they stood out like a sore thumb.

If you don't like the rules or atmosphere, why not stay in the Lido or your room (as the cruise line asks), or even try another line that falls in line with your comfort level?

Shorts & jeans have their place on excursions, but not during evening activities on formal nights.

 

Well said; agree.:) If I were going to leave the dining room and go back to the stateroom and take my clothes off, I would put on my nightgown and go to bed!

[usha]

Even if you're allowed into the show lounge and bars wearing shorts or jeans after dinner on formal night,

you still run the very real risk of being written up by the fashion police.

[Pokeynose]

Well said; agree.:) If I were going to leave the dining room and go back to the stateroom and take my clothes off, I would put on my nightgown and go to bed!

 

And what if you're not ready for bed? I guess I could put on my nightgown and head to the casino, boy would that turn heads and when I get back I wouldn't have to change clothes again.;) I hope you all take this as a joke, just trying to lighten up the post.

[babyher]

Even if you're allowed into the show lounge and bars wearing shorts or jeans after dinner on formal night,

you still run the very real risk of being written up by the fashion police.

 

 

WOW!!!!!!

 

 

Makes a guy want to walk into a lounge wearing a bathing suit under a pair of cut offs and a wife beater just for the strip search alone. *LOL*

[Pokeynose]

uote=usha;20063712]Even if you're allowed into the show lounge and bars wearing shorts or jeans after dinner on formal night,

you still run the very real risk of being written up by the fashion police.

 

If I had a body like this, who cares.:D Those days are waaay over.

[RevNeal]

Affirmative Houston, we've got a dress code thread!:)

 

I suppose that, ever since the board monitors performed the thread-ectomy on the tray thread, things had gotten a little too quiet around here ... eh? :D ;)

 

Here's a simple one: If HAL designates the Lido restaurant as a 'casual dinner experience' which they do, guess what? You're going to see nice folks dressed in.............wait for it........it's coming........casual clothes on formal night:eek:.

To expect those folks to somehow travel between their respective cabin(s) and the Lido restaurant by means of climbing rope ladders and later rapelling down public decks back to their cabins in fear of being spotted by those of us dressed in their formals is somewhat unreasonable, n'est pas, my dear Watson?;)

 

I don't know, Officer John ... that sounds like a real neat-o activity you've come up with! HAL could even charge for the use of the ropes and repelling gear. RCCL has rock climbing walls ... HAL has "Ropes and Ladders" with the "Chutes" being reserved for those who are caught on the decks in-between in less than code. ;)

[RevNeal]

Even if you're allowed into the show lounge and bars wearing shorts or jeans after dinner on formal night,

you still run the very real risk of being written up by the fashion police.

 

LOL!

If only the dress code police looked that her! :D

Wow! What a sultry look.

Note her thumb on the hand-cuffs???

 

And I see Copper's car over to the left!!!!! :D

[esther e]

And what if you're not ready for bed? I guess I could put on my nightgown and head to the casino, boy would that turn heads and when I get back I wouldn't have to change clothes again.;) I hope you all take this as a joke, just trying to lighten up the post.

 

I'm old. I'm always ready for sleeping!:D

[esther e]

I suppose that, ever since the board monitors performed the thread-ectomy on the tray thread, things had gotten a little too quiet around here ... eh? :D ;)

 

 

 

I don't know, Officer John ... that sounds like a real neat-o activity you've come up with! HAL could even charge for the use of the ropes and repelling gear. RCCL has rock climbing walls ... HAL has "Ropes and Ladders" with the "Chutes" being reserved for those who are caught on the decks in-between in less than code. ;)

 

Gee, are you sure, Rev? I heard the brig is where the culprits of the not-dressed-for dress code get put. And there they stay with bread and water till the ship docks at disembarkation point.