First time cruiser - a couple of questions

[bender123]

Hi
My family is planning a holiday to Italy next year and we thought a cruise might be a fun thing to do.

We live in Australia and my dad is from a farming background and never really had much. I was wondering whether HAL is the right cruise line. I've heard there is a dress code in the formal dining room.

My dad has black slacks but refuses to wear a suit jacket. Just wondering if they would kick us out if my dad wore nice pants, long sleeve business shirt and tie, but no jacket.

Has any men ever attended a formal night dinner and not worn a jacket?

I'd really appreciate your help. thanks

[Navy_Chief]

Well there are alternatives to eating in the dining room on formal as well as informal nights (informal nights require a jacket as well, only casual nights are "Jacket Free"). The Lido serves the same foods you will find in the dining room. Of course, your going to find that the Dress Code is a lively topic on this board. Batten down the hatches for heavy seas shipmate! :D

[Bramcruiser]

Oh the infamous dress code! Not again! he he he

Personally, I understand your predicament bender123. I wouldn't have a big problem with you and your dad at our table. However, it seems that some who frequent lines with the classy motif - namely Celebrity, Cunard and HAL - tend to get riled up by defending the dress code and thus there will be those offended by a non-conformist. I think the issue is more or less whether you dad will look presentable enough and I am sure he will. Ultimately, the decision on allowing anyone into the dining room will be the maitre 'd and that is subjective. One can turn a blind eye or enforce the rules in a ****-like manner. You never know until you get there.

Navy Chief is correct in that the Lido deck is an alternate but it would be a shame for you having to miss out in the dining room. I think you'll have to ultimately decide whether taking the chance is worth it, how to arrange meals on the ship or look at another carrier. I hate to have you not to decide to go with HAL because I really think HAL is the best but your question may just be the issue.

Actually what I find is funny is that he refused to wear a jacket. For most men its the tie that is the deal breaker. Rethinking the above, maybe the tie will be exactly what will get him in! he hehe

Good luck with whatever you do. Enjoy the trip!

[jhannah]

Your dad would be conspicuously out of place without a coat on formal night. I'd encourage him to branch out and see what getting gussied up like city folk is like. ;) I know of others who have balked at wearing jackets, but did anyway and ended up enjoying the experience of dressing like they normally don't. I hope he'll give it a try.

[flashdog_1]

Had you chosen HAL because its particular itinerary that you liked? If so, abide by the above, eat in cabin, lido, catch as catch can.

If you have not picked an itinerary, check Princess and NCL for their anytime & freestyle dining choices. Go the boards for those lines and see what you read. check out their websites, too, of course.

[sailroscoe]

If your father doesn`t own a jacket, he could always rent a tux from the cruise line

[Krazy Kruizers]

We just got home from the Amsterdam.

The area captains did turn men away who were not properly dressed for the formal and informal evenings in the dining room.

[lougee1043]

We just got home from the Amsterdam.
The area captains did turn men away who were not properly dressed for the formal and informal evenings in the dining room.

good for them --- i personally wish that they would do that more often on more ships -------------there i said it now flame me

[RuthC]

You also need to understand that the evening dress code on HAL is exactly that---an evening dress code. It is requested that guests show respect to their fellow guests by remaining dressed while in the public areas, such as show lounge, other lounges, casino.

If your father would not be comfortable wearing a tux/dinner jacket, suit, or sport coat (with tie) on the formal evenings, and a sport coat on the informal evenings perhaps HAL and he aren't the best match.
People tend to respect the dress code on European cruises.

[Marialivia]

Hi Ruth!

Just dropping by to say how much I enjoy your many posts -- you are a regular celebrity on these boards!

I lived in Warwick for nearly 30 years, moving to Connecticut in the fall of 2003! Is the ********* Bridge Project complete?

ML:)

[RuthC]

Is the ********* Bridge Project complete?

ML:)
That was so nice to read! Thank you.

Now---about that bridge. :confused:
If you mean the one that goes from Jamestown to Newport---that bridge has been done and left alone for lots of year now. So I doubt that's the one that got bleeped out.
If you mean the one from North Kingstown to Jamestown---the new one is up for quite some time now. The old one hasn't been torn down yet, but there are plans to start that project. Is it an election year?
If you mean the one from Providence to East Providence---they've started building a new bridge to carry I-195. The old Washington Bridge will be no more.

Now---let's see if any of that gets bleeped out! ;)

[longtimecruiser]

This is quoted directly from a page in the "Know Before You Go" booklet that comes as part of your documents from HAL...

Formal - Men usually wear business suits or tuxedos. Although this is suggested attire, they are certainly not required. You are welcome to wear a JACKET AND TIE on formal nights.

Hopefully, this clears up any questions about what the proper attire is on a formal night for HAL. Any man would definitely look out of place without a jacket on for a formal night.

Have a good trip! :cool:

[the2ofus]

Have you asked your Dad if he'd be willing to wear a jacket along with shirt and tie in the evening at least 3 out of 10 days of a cruise, if he can be casual the rest of the time? You might be surprised at his answer.

My DH grew up on a farm, but did manage to get scrubbed up for church on Sunday. He wore a suit only to church and funerals. Then, we started ballroom dancing and later cruising. He discovered he looked, and felt, really good in a tux and after that I never had a problem getting him to dress up when the occasion demanded. (Plus, seeing him dressed up like that and strolling the deck together in the evening was sooo romantic.;) A win-win all around.)

[Aussie Gal]

Hi Bender123,

Welcome to the Boards and it is great to have another Aussie on board so to speak!

I can understand what you are saying as I have relatives that live in the country and they also are not happy about "dressing up" so to speak.

If I were you, I would look at another cruise line such as Princess or RCL where there is anytime dining and therefore you do not need to dress formally. There is also Oceania which does not have formal evenings but I do think they like the men to wear a jacket.

Did you pick HAL because of the itineraries or because you had heard good reports about the line? If it were for the itinerary I would certainly look for something similar elsewhere as I feel that your father would look out of place without a jacket.

My DH always brings his formal gear on every cruise even though we have to travel so far and even though it is a hassle that is what we like about cruising on HAL and similar lines. We love the idea of wearing our finer clothes and feeling as though we are dining somewhere special.

I know that country Australia is so different from the city and I can appreciate your concern regarding your Dad. Please do not make him change his way of life, just find a different cruise line.

Jennie

[noblepa]

I'll put on my Nomex flame-resistant suit and dive in here.

I've heard mixed stories about how strictly the dress code is enforced. A previous poster said they saw un-jacketed men being turned away from the dining room on formal night. I don't doubt that. Personally, I like the dress code, but I'm not a real fanatic about it.

However, on our seven day cruise on the Veendam last year, there were men at the table next to us on formal night, wearing jeans and a polo shirt. I thought that they looked out of place, but it didn't seem to bother them. More to the point, no one asked them to leave or go to their cabin and put on a jacket.

So, it seems to be a crapshoot, whether you can get away with not wearing a jacket on formal night. Some maitres'd will enforce the rule, some will not.

Paul Noble

[RuthC]

Paul, the issue isn't whether or not the dress code is enforced. The issue is whether or not failing to meet it is appropriate. It isn't.
This should never be a question of "what can I get away with?" Not in polite society, anyway.

[kakalina]

Bender123:

Here is what I can tell you from personal experience. DH will NOT wear a jacket or tie. I love to "dress to the nines" here is what we do. On all nights he eats in the Lido or the room. On semi-formal and formal nights I eat in the dining room. Other nights we eat together. It works out well for us. We even make certain that we book the Pinnacle Grill on a casual night. He never feels out of place and rarely has anyone commented on his dress or lack of it. Not that he goes around undressed :eek: you know what I mean!! He doesn't feel as if he's missed a speck of the wonderful things to do on a cruise. So, everyone is happy. it works for us.

[NORTHSHOREPAIR]

We sailed the Oosterdam in January 2006. First cruise.
I had wanted to go on the cruise with my step-dad, his first year alone since my mom died and they'd been together for 26 years. When I mentioned it to my husband, he told me to check into it. Well, I booked it. Needless to say, my husband wasn't going into this with an "I really want to go attitude".
The more I researched cruise ships I found out about formal night. Great for me....not good for him. My husband does not wear a tie to work and his favorite garb is sweatpants at home or a pair of jeans on the weekend.
The more he heard about dress code, the more he backed away from the cruise idea.
I had decided that if he didn't want to participate in "dress codes" - he didn't have to. I bought my formals and told him how happy I'd be to wear them. I planned to wear them with my step-dad and be his companion for the evening while my husband and son had dinner in the Lido.
About 2 weeks before our cruise, my husband told me to order him a tux. At that point, my 14 year old wanted one too because he didn't want to be "dressed down" in just dress pants, shirt and tie. (I think my husband saw how much it would have meant to his mother if on their cruise a few years previous that his dad had dressed for formal night).
It was wonderful. The pictures we purchased of all of us dressed formally will always be a treasured keepsake. My husband and son actually enjoyed it. One of the few things they were asked to do on the cruise. My husband tells anyone who's thinking of a cruise to rent the tux and have it in your stateroom. For some reason, this made it so easy for him. Hey, whatever works!
Formal nights are really special. I always thought that if someone at our table didn't feel like dressing formal - that would be OK. It still would be OK except that it's so much more special when everyone is "dressed". It's a whole new magical time. I'll have to say that on our first formal night I did feel a little off by the man sitting behind me in shorts while we watched the show.
It's sort of like when you have Christmas, Thanksgiving or Easter. Everyone is dressed in Sunday best...then there's that one relative that shows up in jeans carrying his 6 pack of beer.
I don't feel I have the right to tell people how they dress. You are on vacation. By the same token, the cruiselines have a "suggested dress".
It's a good idea.
I don't think HAL would kick anyone out of a diningroom on formal night if they showed up neatly dressed, even if a tie wasn't there. They're more in to serving the paying passanger rather than what you're wearing. If you really want to be all out there, put a little eyebrow pencil under his adam's apple and smudge it. If anyone question's the lack of tie just say "I haven't been able to wear one since my traceotomy". That will shut them up. Although the passengers are very good at dealing with other passengers that have disabilities - not all crew members do. Be ready for stupid questions if you try something like that.
Yes, the lines do have their suggested dress code. Would it stop me from going on a cruise - no. Would it stop me from befriending you on a cruise - no. Am I going to abide the code - yes (only because this is the type of vacation I want).
The one thing you will find with HAL is that the people that sail on their ships are wonderful. No matter what their status is in life, they tend to be very genuine people. I only saw one jerk on board who thought he was better than everyone else. He ordered people around in the Lido at breakfast and seemed to have a complaint about everything. If there had been an organized blanket party I would have joined. On the other hand, we had a man in front of us at check in who had purchased 12 cabins for his family. He was very adament that he wanted all charges on board to be billed to him. I thought he would be a jerk on board but he was actually the nicest person.
You can't go wrong sailing with HAL. My husband won't sail with anyone else now....I've created a Monster.

[psychboss]

good for them --- i personally wish that they would do that more often on more ships -------------there i said it now flame me

I will Never flame you - I agree completely. Rules are for everyone or don't have the rules.

[fizzy]

I am also a first time "cruiser" Who can help me answer: Travel on Prinsendam this summer and am b eing charged $800.+ for insurance . What for? How come? Is it per person or what?

[dakrewser]

I am also a first time "cruiser" Who can help me answer: Travel on Prinsendam this summer and am b eing charged $800.+ for insurance . What for? How come? Is it per person or what?

Is this thru HAL or thru your travel agent? Most likely it is "trip cancellation" insurance. Do you have the name of the insurance company? Any other info?