New to NCL....formal night? Capt's cocktail party?

Just wondering if NCL has a Captain's Cocktail Party prior to dinner on formal night? and if so, do you have to dress to the nines in order to attend and is the party just for those who are "gussied up" for the formal night? We are on a five night sailing (Pacific Coastal) in May and have one more question...is there even a formal night on a short cruise such as the 5 nighter? What is done during this evening that makes this night special? ...ie: free cocktails, or appetizers? special entertainment or shows? Cocktail party? Lobster? Thanks so much for any help. I did try calling NCL and got no where ..no one seemed to know.

Sheesh! Thanks for any help!

Debbie

Just wondering if NCL has a Captain's Cocktail Party prior to dinner on formal night? and if so, do you have to dress to the nines in order to attend and is the party just for those who are "gussied up" for the formal night? We are on a five night sailing (Pacific Coastal) in May and have one more question...is there even a formal night on a short cruise such as the 5 nighter? What is done during this evening that makes this night special? ...ie: free cocktails, or appetizers? special entertainment or shows? Cocktail party? Lobster? Thanks so much for any help. I did try calling NCL and got no where ..no one seemed to know.

Sheesh! Thanks for any help!

 

Debbie

The captain's cocktail party is held in public areas (ie the atrium areas and other places where they are doing the portraits for the evening). Most people who are having their pictures done are dressed formally, but it is not rerquired in any way. You can still have a free champagne or cocktail and hors d'ouevres no matter how you are dressed, and the Captain will be happy to meet you regardless. Basically there will be waiters cruising the portatrait areas with trays of drinks and appetizers and there will be a line to meet and/or have your picture taken with the Captain and some of his staff.

The dinner theme for the evening is usually the Captain's Gala and it always includes lobster tails in all the main restaurants, and last time on the Star (03/05/2005 sailing), the tails were added FREE to any meal in the specialty restaurants as well. Usually there is an additional charge in most specialty restaurants for lobster except on this evening.

No special entertainment was added that I can see, other than what was regularly scheduled.

The length of the cruise is probably not a factor, I would count on the Captain's Gala especially if you have a day at sea.

I agree with everything that Cliffd64 said but we have never found free champagne or cocktail and hors d'ouevres. We could have just not been in the right spot at the right time though. On our 5 day sailing there was a formal night which was first day at sea.

I agree with everything that Cliffd64 said but we have never found free champagne or cocktail and hors d'ouevres. We could have just not been in the right spot at the right time though. On our 5 day sailing there was a formal night which was first day at sea.

The free champagne etc coincides with the beginning of the times listed in the freestyle daily.. (usually around 7:00 PM or so..) we have never managed to miss it... we always seem to walk right into it :) It's kind of funny, because my wife hates champagne :) She always gets handed a glass as we are passing through :)