Very First Cruise-Dress Code Help, Please

I am thrilled to say we have booked our very first cruise. We're taking a HAL cruise in Alaska, June 2018. I asked my travel agent to explain the dress code but wound up a bit confused. She said there is no formal night but that one night is the Captains dinner and men should wear suits/women cocktail dress.

Well, to be honest, we don't want to bring dress clothes to Alaska. Are there alternative places to eat on the night when people dress up? And for the typical dining night, are nice jeans okay? Three members of our party are in their 20s and would need notice if we expected them to dress up beyond that for dinner. What about lunch and breakfast? Are jeans and t-shirt okay for that?

Thanks in advance for the help!

Your TA gave you bum information. There are typically two gala nights and the minimum dress code is a collared shirt and slacks for men. A polo or golf shirt and khakis would work. Women have more flexibility. Do a Google search for Holland America Know Before You Go and you'll find a PDF with more detailed information.

You will see people who are more dressed up, but it's not required. Alaska tends to be more casual because people's suitcases are filled with fleece and warm clothes.

For breakfast and lunch, casual is fine. If people don't want to even bring a collared shirt, there's always the Lido. They will usually have the same dinner items as the main dining room.

Just bring a cute outfit and slacks and a nice shirt for your hubby. Think about what you might wear to a really nice restaurant. No suits, tuxes or long gowns. Just dress up a bit!

Alaska cruises are very very casual.

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On Gala nights many ladies wear slacks or a skirt and a shiny top or a shell with a scarf or a burn-out shirt jacket, something a little bit fancy-ish. I try to pack light, so a thin wrap/wide scarf does duty for several uses including over a shell top with black slacks or skirt. i wear gold sandals, some ladies pack light with a pair of "jeweled" slides. You're inside for the evening so you needn't have to dress warm. When I pack, I stuff my evening sandals inside my husbands shoes to save a bit of room.

Most men in the main dining room on Gala nights will have on slacks and a button-down shirt, maybe a tie, some will have a jacket but not all. Lately my husband has been taking a black cardigan which doubles as a warm layer under a windbreaker/rain jacket on cool days. Some men will wear a vest. Jeans are not accepted in the Main Dining Room on Gala nights; nice jeans are acceptable on non-Gala nights.

If you really want to stay in jeans and t-shirts even on a Gala night, you can and it's your vacation! You can have dinner in the Lido buffet or order room service, including ordering selections from the Main Dining Room menu (which is posted in the afternoon), but they will deliver all your courses together so if you want ice cream for dessert you might want to eat dessert first :) If you are ordering room service from the MDR menu you may have place your order during the first hour the dining room is open although they will deliver your meal at your requested time.

So lots of options! Have a great time planning your cruise. m--

If that's the info you are getting from your travel agent, you better double-check everything he/she tells you by posting here or by searching the HAL website. There is a wealth of information on that website, including the dress code.

The three 20's might want to wear their steampunk for gala nights! What a great opportunity to be dapper!

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HAL has changed quite a bit over the last few years.

And Alaska is even more casual than some other itineraries.

The majority of the men will wear slacks and a collared shirt -- like you see golf players wear. The ladies wear nice slacks or skirts with a nice top or a dress. This is for what HAL now calls Gala Nights.

Smart casual dress nights -- same type of clothing as I just described.

And this is for even the specialty restaurants.

Thank you all so much!

Your TA gave you bum information. There are typically two gala nights and the minimum dress code is a collared shirt and slacks for men. A polo or golf shirt and khakis would work. Women have more flexibility. Do a Google search for Holland America Know Before You Go and you'll find a PDF with more detailed information.

 

You will see people who are more dressed up, but it's not required. Alaska tends to be more casual because people's suitcases are filled with fleece and warm clothes.

Very well said, I usually don't wair a tie on Elegant night.

Turned away from the dining room in dress jeans and a banded collar shirt on gala night. However one man in a dress shirt and windsuit pants made it in.

The tables are set with silver and white linens, The waiters are in special uniforms. The lights are low, flowers on the table. The menu is intended to be a bit more opulent. Many of your fellow diners will use that night to dress more formally for the occasion, as in the tradition of ocean liners of yore. It is just a few nights on every cruise that ask for something a little more special than the normal nights attire.

Wear whatever makes you comfortable. If the special setting or being your fellow passengers who chose to honor that special night does not encourage you to also respond in kind, then pay no attention and do what works best for you. After all, it is all about you. It is your vacation.

The tables are set with silver and white linens, The waiters are in special uniforms. The lights are low, flowers on the table. The menu is intended to be a bit more opulent. Many of your fellow diners will use that night to dress more formally for the occasion, as in the tradition of ocean liners of yore. It is just a few nights on every cruise that ask for something a little more special than the normal nights attire.

 

Wear whatever makes you comfortable. If the special setting or being your fellow passengers who chose to honor that special night does not encourage you to also respond in kind, then pay no attention and do what works best for you. After all, it is all about you. It is your vacation.

Low lighting on gala night? I can't say I have ever noticed that. And the menu seems to be tending to more ordinary these days, though I must admit the surf & turf is usually good on the evening they offer that. Many have relaxed their dress code in accordance with HAL's guidelines, but most will still dress up a little more than on other evenings, as we do. However, I think that HAL itself has dumbed down formal nights and it is way less "special" than it used to be.

The tables are set with silver and white linens, The waiters are in special uniforms. The lights are low, flowers on the table. The menu is intended to be a bit more opulent. Many of your fellow diners will use that night to dress more formally for the occasion, as in the tradition of ocean liners of yore. It is just a few nights on every cruise that ask for something a little more special than the normal nights attire.

 

Wear whatever makes you comfortable. If the special setting or being your fellow passengers who chose to honor that special night does not encourage you to also respond in kind, then pay no attention and do what works best for you. After all, it is all about you. It is your vacation.

Many passengers do not feel that Gala Nights are special and they dress accordingly. If the cruise lines want to be "honored" by their paying passengers, the cruise line should create a special dining experience.

Right now, Gala Nights are simply buffet food served on better plates. Why should passengers pretend that Gala Nights are special when they can get the same food in the Lido?

I'm not trying to skirt the dress code but I have lost about 35 pounds and will be buying all new clothes to go on my Alaska cruise. Since I am continuing to lose weight, what I buy may or may not work by the time fall rolls around. I don't work outside the home and currently live in yoga pants. I have a family of 5 and will be traveling in a group of 14 so locking myself in my room with room service is not an option.

So... I'm trying I'm trying to be deliberate and as minimal in my purchases as possible. I'm planning on buying two knit dresses for the Gala nights. Knit is forgiving and will last longer. For non gala nights, how distressed are jeans that are too distressed for regular dinners. Do they mean ripped or faded as well? When people say "just wear slacks" what does that mean for women? Are leggings and tunics acceptable? What about capris? Are there any rules about tops for women on nights that aren't gala? My wardrobe has been all V-neck tees.

I'm not trying to skirt the dress code but I have lost about 35 pounds and will be buying all new clothes to go on my Alaska cruise. Since I am continuing to lose weight, what I buy may or may not work by the time fall rolls around. I don't work outside the home and currently live in yoga pants. I have a family of 5 and will be traveling in a group of 14 so locking myself in my room with room service is not an option.

 

So... I'm trying I'm trying to be deliberate and as minimal in my purchases as possible. I'm planning on buying two knit dresses for the Gala nights. Knit is forgiving and will last longer. For non gala nights, how distressed are jeans that are too distressed for regular dinners. Do they mean ripped or faded as well? When people say "just wear slacks" what does that mean for women? Are leggings and tunics acceptable? What about capris? Are there any rules about tops for women on nights that aren't gala? My wardrobe has been all V-neck tees.

First, my sincere congratulations on your weight loss. That is very impressive.

Second, The one thing I would suggest for your situation is to avoid the trap that you have to have a completely different outfit for every night in the MDR. Minimize the number of outfits and you can minimize the costs.

I'm not trying to skirt the dress code but I have lost about 35 pounds and.... ...I am continuing to lose weight, ....

Have you considered secondhand shops? Since you are continuing to lose weight, and need clothes on the way down anyway, they can be an excellent source for something to wear, but not get a lot of wear out of. Very easy on the pocketbook.

I have gotten some lovely things for as little as $8. Heck, at that price, it's not even worth packing them to bring home!

Have you considered secondhand shops? Since you are continuing to lose weight, and need clothes on the way down anyway, they can be an excellent source for something to wear, but not get a lot of wear out of. Very easy on the pocketbook.

 

I have gotten some lovely things for as little as $8. Heck, at that price, it's not even worth packing them to bring home!

I've gone to charity shops thinking if it's cheap enough, I can leave it behind. Twice I've bought jackets like that--one a lightweight knit and one a wool blazer--and after wearing them a few times I liked them so much I kept them.

Moparop, I second RocketMan's congratulations and also the suggestion that you don't need a new outfit every night. Ripped jeans are "distressed." I don't know about faded. If you're buying new clothes for Alaska, buy a pair of jeans that isn't ripped or faded. You'll want jeans for daytime anyway. As for "slacks," to me that means pants that aren't jeans or yoga pants. I don't know about leggings and tunics. Can't remember seeing them at dinner, but that doesn't mean that somebody wasn't wearing them.

I don't see why a v-neck tee would be a problem. Tees aren't supposed to be graphic (nothing printed on them), but that's the only restriction I've read about. As part of your shopping, pick up a black or tan t-shirt to use as a neutral. You can add a scarf or different jewelry and change the look for a few wearings.

I've gone to charity shops thinking if it's cheap enough, I can leave it behind. Twice I've bought jackets like that--one a lightweight knit and one a wool blazer--and after wearing them a few times I liked them so much I kept them.

 

 

 

Moparop, I second RocketMan's congratulations and also the suggestion that you don't need a new outfit every night. Ripped jeans are "distressed." I don't know about faded. If you're buying new clothes for Alaska, buy a pair of jeans that isn't ripped or faded. You'll want jeans for daytime anyway. As for "slacks," to me that means pants that aren't jeans or yoga pants. I don't know about leggings and tunics. Can't remember seeing them at dinner, but that doesn't mean that somebody wasn't wearing them.

 

 

 

I don't see why a v-neck tee would be a problem. Tees aren't supposed to be graphic (nothing printed on them), but that's the only restriction I've read about. As part of your shopping, pick up a black or tan t-shirt to use as a neutral. You can add a scarf or different jewelry and change the look for a few wearings.

I am a definite thrift store junkie but the pickings are pretty slim in larger sizes. I'll continue to look!

Thanks for the help so far!

I am a definite thrift store junkie but the pickings are pretty slim in larger sizes. I'll continue to look!

 

Thanks for the help so far!

I am an eBay junkie for cruise clothes. I found a few brands I like and now know my size with them, so I just stay in permanent prowl mode to see what comes up at the right price for me to fill in any missing pieces. Or to just get some fun sparkle tops. Pretty wide size range on eBay. I personally like Talbots, Eileen Fisher and Alex Evenings. Some really great deals, not as good as the early days of eBay, but with some patience one still finds good rewards.

Turned away from the dining room in dress jeans and a banded collar shirt on gala night. However one man in a dress shirt and windsuit pants made it in.

That's just plain negligence on the part of the maitre d'. A maitre d' who fails to recognize the difference between a banded collar shirt and a rolled collar shirt, or fails to recognize a banded collar shirt as in compliance with the dress code, is either ignorant or just being rudely pretentious.

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Turned away from the dining room in dress jeans and a banded collar shirt on gala night. However one man in a dress shirt and windsuit pants made it in.

Please help me out and tell me what 'dress jeans' are.. I'm honestly confused, and actually quite curious. For example, do my recently purchased $14.99 Costco Wrangler jeans qualify?:confused:

Right now, Gala Nights are simply buffet food served on better plates.

Hyperbole at its finest! Why do folks feel the need to do this? :confused::o

After all, it is all about you. It is your vacation.

IMHO you copped out when you said that.

Please help me out and tell me what 'dress jeans' are.. I'm honestly confused, and actually quite curious. For example, do my recently purchased $14.99 Costco Wrangler jeans qualify?:confused:

You do realize that you are quoting someone from over 4 months ago, right?

It didn't seem to matter what people were wearing on my last cruise. People wearing distressed jeans, tshirts and yoga pants were admitted to the dining room on gala night. When I asked if these items were acceptable for gala nights I was asked how many people were admitted that way. Does it matter? I was also told it was because they were busy. I've never seen a gala night that wasn't busy. To answer your question I would guess $14.99 Costco wranglers would qualify ;p.