What happened to the dress code on formal nights?

We returned earlier this month from a cruise on HAL and in comparison to Princess I thought a lot of people did not make the effort to dress up. Many were dressed in smart casual or even casual which made us stand out wearing a suit and a long elegant dress.

On Princess I felt men and women made the effort to look special and this reflected in the atmosphere on the evening. Or maybe our understanding of formal nights in Europe is a different one? I saw one lady in her 80's and she really was dressed up lovely, I complimented her and thought if she can do it, why can't others?

I wished HAL would enforce the dress code more. Sorry if I offended people with this post but what is the point in having a formal evening if people think they can dress in no matter what?

Andrea

I agree with you -- HAL needs to address the dress code.

We also like to dress up.

DH still takes his tuxedo with him. Since I use a walker/rollator I can no longer wear floor length dresses/skirts. But I do have 3/4 length fancy skirts.

I agree with you -- HAL needs to address the dress code.

 

We also like to dress up.

 

DH still takes his tuxedo with him. Since I use a walker/rollator I can no longer wear floor length dresses/skirts. But I do have 3/4 length fancy skirts.

I pull my hat off to you!! :)

Thank you.

When we worked we had quite a few occassions where we had to dress formally. So we are used to it and enjoy dressing up.

Sadly we see too many people who own nothing but jeans, etc. Even when we go to a funeral home there will be a few people who show up in jeans. It's becoming a different world culturally.

I agree with you, there are a lot of people in this world who owe nothing and are struggling to support their families.

I am not judging over people who can't afford certain things. But if you can afford a cruise you also can afford to get a decent dress, even if it is bought in a charity shop. It is about making the effort in my opinion.

Even if you add accessories in your hair or wear fashion jewellery to look just a little bit special.

People coming in jeans to a formal evening, sorry, but black trousers in a charity shop cost a few dollars.:cool:

In our earlier days of cruising we would dress "to the nines" on formal nights. Now though, we do not. On the formal nights we tend to lay low, just smart casual in the Lido.

I feel that HA should keep to their formal night rules. To see the passsengers dressed so elegently is awesome! To allow jeans is not keeping up. On the smart casual evening, if one wishes to wear nice jeans (no rips) and a nice top with jewelry then that should be okay.

It really is about being respectful to your fellow passengers.

My post here is not meant to offend anyone. Just my opinion.

I think "dressing up" everywhere has gone downhill. It used to be hat and gloves for church; now jeans and sometimes much less in summer.

I feel funny in the elegant dining rooms of HAL seeing people dressed casually. Some say it cost more for their extra suitcases/or it cost too much for clothes one never wears often. If you hav a tux, you should get use out of it. One doesn't have to wear a elegant long dress, but a sparkling top with a long black skirt is easy enough to pack. Who cares if you wear it twice on a cruise. I see pics of voyages where it seems people have many outfits for formal nights.

Even though schools seem to have dress codes, the students (and faculty) are looking more casual every year. Codes just don't seem to get enforced at school or on the ship. (the ship doesn't want to lose $$$ or E's.

I notice that Europeans still dress up to go shopping or to dinner on land.

Oh boy...yet another dress code thread. :rolleyes:

Who's making popcorn?

People don't go on cruises to dress up. That's a fact.

Some of us wear a suit every day, and would rather leave it behind, along with our work, when we go on vacation. That's not to say I would condone shorts and t-shirts in the dining room (I do not), but appropriate attire varies from one region to another, along with income class.

You may say that if people can afford a cruise they can afford a nice suit - well, I disagree. I personally know someone who won a trip and could barely afford to get to the boat. I'm sure they packed the best of what they had to their name, and went and had a great time anyhow.

Personally, I wear my suit on one formal night, and if I don't spill too much on it from having too much fun I might wear it the second. If not, I'll manage somehow.

If the others around me choose to dress down it just makes you look a whole lot better anyway. I don't mind what others wear, beacuse I mind my business. It's a vacation, not a contest. Some people only vacation once every few years, and perhaps cruise once in a lifetime, they don't need me or anyone else giving them the 3rd degree for not dressing up in a suit.

Oh boy...yet another dress code thread. :rolleyes:

 

Who's making popcorn?

At least it helped you to make your 20th post in 2 and a half years.:rolleyes:

I agree with you -- HAL needs to address the dress code.

 

We also like to dress up.

 

DH still takes his tuxedo with him. Since I use a walker/rollator I can no longer wear floor length dresses/skirts. But I do have 3/4 length fancy skirts.

Have to agree. One of the things we actually enjoyed on our Silversea's cruise this past March was the dress code. Indeed they enforce it, gently and politely, but it is enforced.

At least it helped you to make your 20th post in 2 and a half years.:rolleyes:

Sorry that I'm not that concerned about post counts mr/ms 50th since March.

On Princess I have found that more people are willing to dress up because they make formal nights a special occasion. The champagne fountain in the lobby, people milling about the different levels of the atrium, the captain and the officers, the waiters serving champagne, etc. It is definitely a more formal and festive occasion, and people have a great time.

On my recent Nieuw Amsterdam cruise there were three formal nights, but except for the "formal" designation for dinner attire, there was nothing formal or special about the event. HAL needs to give people a reason to want to dress up.

People don't go on cruises to dress up. That's a fact.

 

Some of us wear a suit every day, and would rather leave it behind, along with our work, when we go on vacation. That's not to say I would condone shorts and t-shirts in the dining room (I do not), but appropriate attire varies from one region to another, along with income class.

 

You may say that if people can afford a cruise they can afford a nice suit - well, I disagree. I personally know someone who won a trip and could barely afford to get to the boat. I'm sure they packed the best of what they had to their name, and went and had a great time anyhow.

 

Personally, I wear my suit on one formal night, and if I don't spill too much on it from having too much fun I might wear it the second. If not, I'll manage somehow.

 

If the others around me choose to dress down it just makes you look a whole lot better anyway. I don't mind what others wear, beacuse I mind my business. It's a vacation, not a contest. Some people only vacation once every few years, and perhaps cruise once in a lifetime, they don't need me or anyone else giving them the 3rd degree for not dressing up in a suit.

Calm down tiger. :D

It is not about a contest rather the disrespect towards a rule which I did not set up but the cruise line:

"

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 may wear a suit, cocktail dress, gown or fancy blouse/top with slacks 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."

I am a very chilled out person and enjoy dressing up or down. But when it comes to manners I know how to dress and how to act. It is not about minding others peoples' business but to respect rules and making the effort. And making an effort does not cost a lot of money!

Otherwise it could be called "Wear whatever you like night".

:p

On Princess I have found that more people are willing to dress up because they make formal nights a special occasion. The champagne fountain in the lobby, people milling about the different levels of the atrium, the captain and the officers, the waiters serving champagne, etc. It is definitely a more formal and festive occasion, and people have a great time.

 

On my recent Nieuw Amsterdam cruise there were three formal nights, but except for the "formal" designation for dinner attire, there was nothing formal or special about the event. HAL needs to give people a reason to want to dress up.

I agree with you there, if HAL would give a special reason it might change the incentive to dress up. :)

I have actually not seen much about the dress code. I will be on a 10 night Sunfarer. I assumed some formal nights, the rest ? What are the daily meal dress expectations? Are there casual nights, and what constitutes casual for HAL?

I have actually not seen much about the dress code. I will be on a 10 night Sunfarer. I assumed some formal nights, the rest ? What are the daily meal dress expectations? Are there casual nights, and what constitutes casual for HAL?

From the HAL FAQ:

The right clothing can make a big difference in the enjoyment of your cruise. First and foremost, dress for comfort. Daily life aboard ship and in ports of call is relaxed and casual. Warmer climates call for clothing made of lightweight, breathable fabrics. For cooler climates, we suggest casual clothes that can be layered easily and possibly a raincoat and waterproof hat or umbrella and gloves. Certain shore excursions may require particular attention to clothing. For example, certain churches or other places of worship may not allow tank tops or short pants. Bring a swimsuit as all of our ships have pools and whirlpools. You may wish to bring more than one outfit for the water. We ask that you wear shoes and a cover-up over a bathing suit when walking through the interior of the ship. If you would like to jog on the sports deck or work out in the fitness center, bring workout gear. Footwear should include comfortable walking shoes for visits ashore and sandals or rubber-soled shoes for strolling on deck.

 

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 may wear a suit, cocktail dress, gown or fancy blouse/top with slacks 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.

 

Formalwear for ladies and gentlemen can be pre-ordered on select cruises by calling Cruiseline Formalwear at 800-551-5091 or make your reservations online. Your formalwear will be in your stateroom when you board.

 

Andrea, as you know, we were on the same cruise and we always choose 8PM Upper Fixed and there were two guys and a woman and every night the guys came in tattered jeans with some big holes in the legs and knees and never had a jacket. The MDR gave one guy a jacket to walk in with and the other one had no jacket and the jacket immediately came off. They were not offensive sitting behind us but I agree, why have Formal if not enforced. I have heard other occasions where they have enforced it so I guess it's hit or miss.

Bob

Andrea, as you know, we were on the same cruise and we always choose 8PM Upper Fixed and there were two guys and a woman and every night the guys came in tattered jeans with some big holes in the legs and knees and never had a jacket. The MDR gave one guy a jacket to walk in with and the other one had no jacket and the jacket immediately came off. They were not offensive sitting behind us but I agree, why have Formal if not enforced. I have heard other occasions where they have enforced it so I guess it's hit or miss.

 

Bob

Lol Bob, I am almost certain I know who you mean. :D

Andrea, as you know, we were on the same cruise and we always choose 8PM Upper Fixed and there were two guys and a woman and every night the guys came in tattered jeans with some big holes in the legs and knees and never had a jacket. The MDR gave one guy a jacket to walk in with and the other one had no jacket and the jacket immediately came off. They were not offensive sitting behind us but I agree, why have Formal if not enforced. I have heard other occasions where they have enforced it so I guess it's hit or miss.

 

Bob

When you look to book a cruise, one should always look at the cruiselines' guidelines. If you do not want to dress respectively to go to the main diningroom on HA, then perhaps HA is not for you. At NO time should one be allowed in the main diningroom dressed as you have described above. The diningroom should not allow them to enter. Offer to send their formal dinner to their stateroom. It really does not take that much to look dressy. Far less than it takes to look ##@@**.

I am not judging over people who can't afford certain things. But if you can afford a cruise you also can afford to get a decent dress, even if it is bought in a charity shop. It is about making the effort in my opinion.

Even if you add accessories in your hair or wear fashion jewellery to look just a little bit special.

I've scored some very nice outfits at thrift stores and eBay. :)

IIRC, on formal nights the chairs in the MDR are covered in white and the waitstaff is also dressed in their formal attire. I think HAL does try to make formal nights special.

Oh boy...yet another dress code thread. :rolleyes:

 

Who's making popcorn?

+ 1,000,000,000,000!

My $.02 is that a lot of folks aren't losing luggage space to outfits to formal outfits (we men don't wear outfits though! :rolleyes: ) worn a few times with airlines bleeding folks dry of money with more fees than there are ants on our planet and then cooking their books so it looks like their making no profit.

We just off the Westy's 30 day Hawaii/South Pacific cruise. There were 7 formal nights, we dressed for everyone and the MDR didn't have any wife beater/shorts wearing folks. There were a few gents with only a shirt and tie and sneakers! I was crazily jealous! :D

Honestly, I didn't care what the folks were wearing and I didn't mind "losing" the space in my luggage as brought 2 suits, my 3 piece purple (my slim suit) and my green suit (not as slim). Like I said, we hit every formal night, I kept true to my diet/body composition and didn't grow out of my 3 piece purple suit.

Derek

On Princess I have found that more people are willing to dress up because they make formal nights a special occasion. The champagne fountain in the lobby, people milling about the different levels of the atrium, the captain and the officers, the waiters serving champagne, etc. It is definitely a more formal and festive occasion, and people have a great time.

 

On my recent Nieuw Amsterdam cruise there were three formal nights, but except for the "formal" designation for dinner attire, there was nothing formal or special about the event. HAL needs to give people a reason to want to dress up.

I completely agree!

Even Royal Caribbean does a better job trying to keep the traditions of a captain's reception.

I just don't see the point anymore for even calling an evening "formal"

I thinks dressing down is more a statement of today's society. After all, the passenger list on most cruise lines is a cross-section of our society. Personally, I'll still pack a tux while cruising aboard HAL, but I won't pack it while aboard NCL.:rolleyes:

On Princess I have found that more people are willing to dress up because they make formal nights a special occasion. The champagne fountain in the lobby, people milling about the different levels of the atrium, the captain and the officers, the waiters serving champagne, etc. It is definitely a more formal and festive occasion, and people have a great time.

 

On my recent Nieuw Amsterdam cruise there were three formal nights, but except for the "formal" designation for dinner attire, there was nothing formal or special about the event. HAL needs to give people a reason to want to dress up.

You make a great point. We're just off the Zuiderdam, and in 4 HAL cruises I have never seen so few men dressed formally - literally only a handful. From HAL's perspective, "formal night" seems only to be an opportunity to take and sell pictures - that's all. Nothing else special about it. One "gentleman" ahead of me on the first "formal night" was dressed in jeans, a collarless shirt, carrying a beer bottle, wearing pink sneakers, over which was a kind of ratty blue windbreaker, which seemed to meet HAL's dress code for formal night. (His apparently long-suffering wife was very nicely dressed.)

On non-"formal" nights, the working definition of "smart casual" seemed to include farmer jeans and galluses, zippered hoodies, and whatever. Don't know what was going on.