Why is everyone hating on formal nights?

Is it really that bad? Wow you have to put on some cloths and try to look decent for a few hours while you eat and maybe get a picture taken. after that you can schlep back to your cabin but your bathrobe and flip-flops back on. It seems the majority of posters about formal nights are always asking questions about how can they get out of it, or even more refusing to participate at all and see if anyone tells them no, you can't come to the MDR or Pinnacle looking like that.

I'm by no means a conservative, wealthy, classist or old. But I guess I'm a traditionalist and feel formal night is one of things you should try to celebrate and enjoy, like going to a wedding, or midnight mass on X-mas eve, or watching the band perform at halftime of a college football game, or singing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" during the 7th inning stretch.

But to hear some CC'ers talk about it you think they were being tortured beyond the Geneva Conventions by having to put on a coat and tie and eat some fine food.

Man-up and dress-up you land loving, whining Applebee's types.

-Paul

Not everyone is. Just a vocal minority.

I just don't see that with the majority of posters on here. Most advocate wearing something nice - but you don't have to wear a tux or long gown - and enjoying formal night. Then there are those who insist that they see people wearing scruffy jeans and tank tops and ballcaps to the MDR on formal night - but I don't think most of us have seen that. So, no problem.:D

Because everyone has opinions. No one is right, no one is wrong.

Is it really that bad? Wow you have to put on some cloths and try to look decent for a few hours while you eat and maybe get a picture taken. after that you can schlep back to your cabin but your bathrobe and flip-flops back on. It seems the majority of posters about formal nights are always asking questions about how can they get out of it, or even more refusing to participate at all and see if anyone tells them no, you can't come to the MDR or Pinnacle looking like that.

 

I'm by no means a conservative, wealthy, classist or old. But I guess I'm a traditionalist and feel formal night is one of things you should try to celebrate and enjoy, like going to a wedding, or midnight mass on X-mas eve, or watching the band perform at halftime of a college football game, or singing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" during the 7th inning stretch.

 

But to hear some CC'ers talk about it you think they were being tortured beyond the Geneva Conventions by having to put on a coat and tie and eat some fine food.

 

Man-up and dress-up you land loving, whining Applebee's types.

 

-Paul

I agree with you. A coat and tie for a few hours while you enjoy a wonderful meal is really

Not too much to expect or ask of passengers.

I vote for formal night to stay forever onHAL cruises.

Not everyone is. Just a vocal minority.

You're right. Folks who like Formal Nights most likely would never respond.

A friend of mine sure doesn't like Formal Nights, but he does take his golf clubs along every year on his flight to Europe for their vacation. However, he hates to "lug" his suit, dress shirt and the rest of the accessories on a cruise. He lives 30 miles from Port Everglades where they take cruises at least 8-10 times or more a year.

I for one am excited about the formal night. I have a casual workplace and don't get to dress up very often. I don't have any "gowns" but I have dresses I look forward to wearing!

Certainly not everyone, the bride loves it, it's only time she gets to put the glad rags on and as I wear a suit every day and indeed will have the dinner suit on this week it doesn't bother me at all.

I find it funny that some men will do up the top button but complain about a tie, a properly adjusted tie should be no different.

I really like formal nights. On our last 14 day cruise there were 3 formal nights. Yeah! I think the minimum dress should be jacket with tie and cocktail dresses. Now if there are extenuating circumstances then that would be different, but those would be very few.

I don't get it either, how hard is it to put on a pair of nice pants and a sparkly top versa a pair of jeans and a tee shirt. Maybe some people just object to being told they have to wear some nice or maybe it's they just don't like be told anything.

Hi

I love formal nights I have bought a few gowns over the last 4 years. I also like to put something nice on for casual smart dinner. Its the only time I get all dressed up.

Mary

You're right. Folks who like Formal Nights most likely would never respond.

 

A friend of mine sure doesn't like Formal Nights, but he does take his golf clubs along every year on his flight to Europe for their vacation. However, he hates to "lug" his suit, dress shirt and the rest of the accessories on a cruise. He lives 30 miles from Port Everglades where they take cruises at least 8-10 times or more a year.

And I understand your friend . I will lug my golf clubs from here to Timbuktu before I lug a suit on a cruise ship. Why? because I enjoy playing golf more than I do dressing up on vacation.

I would also lug my golf clubs all over before I ever even laid a finger on a pair of skis ...because I enjoy playing golf and have no desire to ski.

When you enjoy something lugging, or planning , or doing is not a chore.

Now by not dressing up I am in no way saying I would wear shorts, cutoffs, wife beaters, bathing suits , flip flops or any of the other horrors people think of when they hear "Not formal"

I will be clean, and nicely dressed in the same "Smart', Resort", Business" whatever you want to call it ,casual as I would any other night of the cruise.

There are people who just don't get the same thrill out of dining in a tux, gown, suit , tie , cocktail dress , as others do. To each their own .

I'm part of a divided family on this issue. I love the occasion to dress up, as I never do otherwise, living in the PNW where basically everything is casual. However DH hates it. He calls neckties "nooses" and says he was glad to retire and never have to wear one again. On shorter (week) cruises he generally gives in to me, griping the entire time we're getting ready, but then settling in. On a longer cruise we've compromised, dressing for two nights, and staying in our cabin with room service and a movie the 3rd one. That way we were both happy. Not having formal nights wouldn't keep me from cruising, and I really enjoy it.

I hate formal nights because I hate the dressed chairs! The covers make it hard to move the chairs close to/away from the table, your clothes (even if they're not formal) stick to them uncomfortably. If the person at the early seating had glitter on their formal wear, it's highly likely I'll get their leftover glitter on my non-glittery formal wear, which is nearly impossible to get off!

If they would stop dressing the chairs I'd be much, much happier to dress up. Furniture does not need clothes!!!!!

Certainly not everyone, the bride loves it, it's only time she gets to put the glad rags on and as I wear a suit every day and indeed will have the dinner suit on this week it doesn't bother me at all.

 

I find it funny that some men will do up the top button but complain about a tie, a properly adjusted tie should be no different.

That's what my husband always says. We both enjoy dressing up for formal nights.

Is it really that bad? Wow you have to put on some cloths and try to look decent for a few hours while you eat and maybe get a picture taken. after that you can schlep back to your cabin but your bathrobe and flip-flops back on. It seems the majority of posters about formal nights are always asking questions about how can they get out of it, or even more refusing to participate at all and see if anyone tells them no, you can't come to the MDR or Pinnacle looking like that.

 

I'm by no means a conservative, wealthy, classist or old. But I guess I'm a traditionalist and feel formal night is one of things you should try to celebrate and enjoy, like going to a wedding, or midnight mass on X-mas eve, or watching the band perform at halftime of a college football game, or singing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" during the 7th inning stretch.

 

But to hear some CC'ers talk about it you think they were being tortured beyond the Geneva Conventions by having to put on a coat and tie and eat some fine food.

 

Man-up and dress-up you land loving, whining Applebee's types.

 

-Paul

The last wedding I attended was on the beach. I wore board shorts and a tank top. I've never worn formal wear to a college football game. Same for the baseball game, wore my team's jersey during the 7th inning stretch. I do like Applebee's, especially during a college halftime show or a 7th inning stretch.

I enjoy the formal nights. I also enjoy having photos taken, even though I know my wife will be dropping $$$ on photos at the end of the cruise. Hmm, I think there may be a connection there...

We live in Sydney Australia and our last cruise was in the Med. We visited friends in Dubai on the way over, toured in Italy and flew to London afterwards to stay with our daughter. We were away eight weeks and that is a pretty typical Aussie holiday. We had to pack for weather ranging from 45 Celsius in Dubai to potential snow in London. So having to pack and carry formal clothes was a bit of a chore even though I do enjoy the formal nights. Also we do not particularly like buffets, being the alternative.

If we were to just go on a cruise, especially if it started in Sydney, we would be a lot more positive about it. Even though we get the 20k baggage allowance on the long segments we often have a short segment with a budget airline and too much luggage is even more of a pest.

I know we could hire, but the reason we can afford to travel is partly a result of DH's tight disposition about many things!

I lie formal nights but I have to admit that DH goes & peruses the menu & then decides if what is on offer is worth 'putting on shoes & socks'

Is it really that bad? Wow you have to put on some cloths and try to look decent for a few hours while you eat and maybe get a picture taken. after that you can schlep back to your cabin but your bathrobe and flip-flops back on. It seems the majority of posters about formal nights are always asking questions about how can they get out of it, or even more refusing to participate at all and see if anyone tells them no, you can't come to the MDR or Pinnacle looking like that.

 

I'm by no means a conservative, wealthy, classist or old. But I guess I'm a traditionalist and feel formal night is one of things you should try to celebrate and enjoy, like going to a wedding, or midnight mass on X-mas eve, or watching the band perform at halftime of a college football game, or singing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" during the 7th inning stretch.

 

But to hear some CC'ers talk about it you think they were being tortured beyond the Geneva Conventions by having to put on a coat and tie and eat some fine food.

 

Man-up and dress-up you land loving, whining Applebee's types.

 

-Paul

I recently asked about formal nights simply to try and figure out if HAL is for us. I am not looking to have the cruise line bend their rules when the majority wants the formal nights, nor am I looking to offend passengers with our attire.

What I found perplexing was the description on HAL's website that guests should not be in public areas of the ship during formal nights unless in formal attire for the evening, not just dinner. I don't imagine there is formal attire police roaming around the ship on formal night sending those taking a stroll on deck sans suit and tie or tux to their rooms but it is a description that made me leery of booking. I assume that "public areas of the ship" that HAL is referring to are perhaps the casino, bars, areas around the formal dining venues and perhaps the evening shows? That is fine with me as long as we can walk in some areas of the ship at some point in the evening on formal night.

My husband and I don't eat at applebees, nor would we show up at a four or five star dining venue or country club dinner in flip flops and a bathing suit.

Only a handful of restaurants require a suit and tie for men. Even 21 restaurant in NYC ditched their suit and tie requirement several years ago. If it was still that popular then I think more than a handful of restaurants in the entire country would mandate it, thus surly you can understand the new HAL cruiser questioning the other dining options available if they choose not to wear a suit and tie or tux to formal night.

Formal nights must be very well received on HAL thus the reason for continuing them despite what the rest of the fine dining world has switched to. I think it sounds fun and am not knocking it at all. I'm also glad to hear that HAL offers alternative venues on those nights for those who don't wish to partake in the festivities without being a, "land loving, whining Applebee's type." :)

Dressing up formally is a rare event in the normal course of events for me, and thus I look forward to formal nights and enjoy dressing up a few nights on a cruise. And since I own a tux I always take it with me, it's no more to pack that packing a suit. If I didn't own a tux I'd pack a suit or sport jacket and good slacks with a nice tie and still enjoy formal nights.

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Well said Littlelulu01. We have dressed up on formal nights on some cruises commemorating special occasions like renewing our vows on our 25th anniversary. However, neither of us is a big fan of dressing up that formally. I would rather use the suitcase space for my hiking boots and rain gear for Alaska or an extra bathing suit and cover-up for warmer climates. We usually have to fly somewhere to cruise so try to minimize the number of suitcases we have lug and/or pay to check. We have generally had dinner in the lido on formal nights though room service is looking better and better given some of the posts here. We really enjoy walking the deck especially in the evenings and do so on formal nights in our casual attire. (Can't imagine trying to walk our usual 2 miles in heels!!) I think that your original question was related to walking around the ship in you casual attire and alternate venues for dining

. Feel free to walk the deck and enjoy your cruise. We love HAL for its great service and food, smaller ships and unique itineraries. We leave the formal nights for those that chose HAL for that reason.

I don't plan to take a jacket on my next cruise (or rather, ocean liner voyage) of 22 days. My wife and I are getting off the ship in Chile and going to Easter Island and then back up to Peru to spend a week in the Sacred Valley before going home, all unescorted independent travel. Have no space or weight allowance for formal attire as we're going to have to haul our own bags once off the ship.

If those who don't like it, all I can say is tough. I'll wear a shirt, nice pants and tie but no jacket because I have no room/weigh allowance for one.

My wife? She's been shopping at thrift stores for a formal-ish outfit and shoes she can ditch once the cruise is over.

And yes, we're flying Delta Business ELite & domestic First heading home.

I don't enjoy formal nights and, out of respect for those who do like them, I usually choose to dine in another venue. Personally, I don't enjoy the MDR that much because I don't like spending 2 hours each night on dinner. That's just me, though. Others like it and that's their choice. Cruising has loosened up a bit in the past few years so that it appeals to many different people. I used to have to bring a suitcase and a garment bag on cruises. Now, I don't want to pay extra for more luggage on flights, so I ditched the garment bag and formal wear. I'll bring something semi-nice, but it's not true formal clothes. Once in a while I have gone to formal night in my semi-nice clothes and no gasped in horror when they saw me.