Who Wants an End to HAL Formal Nights Entirely?

[innlady1]

You are hereby warned. I am a traditionalist and an unrepentant cheerleading sheeple.

 

Yes, I confess I am a sucker for elegant dining at a lovely and beautifully set table. I feel pretty all dressed up, and I appreciate being part of the subset who enjoy it as well. We look marvelous, darlings.

 

It's funny. The getups I wear for formal night are very comfortable for me. I think that's because they keep me warm. I'm one of those who has on long pants and a cardigan when others are in tank tops and shorts. A girl gets chilly.

 

Ah, that word again...and to think I thought it was lost when the Westerdam thread was locked! ;)

 

How are you and your sister, Debby?

[PROCRUISE]

There are so many people who say they will eat in Lido rather than dress formal, that I wonder at what point, it's time to do away with formal nights - to go all 'elegant casual'.

 

Maybe it is mainly because of airline weight restrictions and people don't want to lug the formal clothing or maybe it is because formal is alien to their lives and they don't want to experience on vacation but it seems many folks say they don't wish to participate.

 

You want it to continue or not?

 

We're packing our tuxedos, it's part of the fun of cruising for us.

[iancal]

Sorry, poll results are grossly unscientific and therefore quite meaningless, ie you can not draw any logical conclusion about the desire of the all HAL cruise customers based on these results.

[May4]

Ah, that word again...and to think I thought it was lost when the Westerdam thread was locked! ;)

 

How are you and your sister, Debby?

 

Still sailing, thanks. I'm glad you and your husband are too.

 

Power to the People....John Lennon

 

Power to the Sheeple...the tune in my head

[skyedoggie]

DH and I would like to be counted among those who enjoy formal nights. As far as the packing goes, his tux is rented thru cruiseline formal wear, so no packing problem there and my gowns are packed in our garment bag. No problem there either. It is a special evening out for us that we won't miss.

[fayruz]

Who needs a tuxedo? How parvenu. I prefer my rrrruff.

 

Now this is fashion!

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piet_Pieterszoon_Hein

definitely yes :)

[cruznseas]

definitely yes :)

 

Nice for by the Lido pool with a baseball hat

[Hal&Rob]

Among retirees what is considered formal attire? Tied shoes.

 

[GCurry]

Thanks Taxmantoo, I guess we tux wearers do speak a different language. ;) Jonathan

Stirred not shaken Jonathan!! An amazing amount of rationalization here, but I think we are keeping formal nights.

 

As regards the shoes, I take patent dance shoes which are about half the weight of normal dress shoes and have felt or suede soles. Opera pumps are another alternative.

[innlady1]

Stirred not shaken Jonathan!! An amazing amount of rationalization here, but I think we are keeping formal nights.

 

As regards the shoes, I take patent dance shoes which are about half the weight of normal dress shoes and have felt or suede soles. Opera pumps are another alternative.

 

Ahhhhh...no wonder you and your DW glide around the dance floor so effortlessly!

[cruiserking]

Stirred not shaken Jonathan!! An amazing amount of rationalization here, but I think we are keeping formal nights.

 

 

That's right GCurry, Don't Muss with Tuxes!

See you at the Crows Nest for Martinis on Formal Night. ;)

 

Jonathan

[GCurry]

Ahhhhh...no wonder you and your DW glide around the dance floor so effortlessly!

Dance shoes and a lotta lessons Sheila we're back at it now that the cruise has ended. There's nothing like dancing ballroom in a Tux that makes even me look good. DW sez it's putting lipstick on a pig, but she enjoys dressup as well.:)

 

That's right GCurry, Don't Muss with Tuxes!

See you at the Crows Nest for Martinis on Formal Night. ;) Jonathan

We're usually in the Ocean Bar for an hour or so of dancing before second seating, but the Crow's Nest works, Bombay Sapphire with an olive for mine. !Pura Vida!

[jantoby]

Formal evenings are part of the whole cruise experience. If you don't want it - don't book it. Go NCL with others who can't be bothered.

[Hal&Rob]

Formal evenings are part of the whole cruise experience. If you don't want it - don't book it. Go NCL with others who can't be bothered.

 

Thanks! That was very pompous of you. :rolleyes:

[comcox]

This was one to the reasons we stopped cruising with HAL for the last few years (this and the smoking everywhere). We felt like prisoners in our cabin on formal nights because we did not want to dress up. I think Azamara's dress policy works very well--resort casual every night with ban on jeans, shorts, t-shirts, etc. Some people do dress up mre formally, but it's their choice, and no one looks down on you if you elect not to. It's a great choice.

[Rutland Gate]

Formal evenings are part of the whole cruise experience. If you don't want it - don't book it. Go NCL with others who can't be bothered.

 

Hear, Hear!

[fireflygal]

We do not have any formal nights to attend at home but love to dress up on our cruises. Keep the formal nights, please!

 

Fireflygal

[m steve]

you should sail on Azamara. We HAL cruisers really all dress up as if we are going to Buckingham Palace and smoke cigars and cigarettes everywhere regardless of the rules. We are just terrible people and you shouldn't have to mix with us.:D

[2buggers]

Thankfully this board doesn't express the views of the majority of those who cruise.

[kelleherdl]

This board is not supposed to represent the majority who cruise. It is the HAL board.

 

Dennis

[MATHA531]

It is the 21st century....formal nights are a pre 21st century anachronism.....they have no place in modern cruising....at least IMHO

[Opinions]

Formal evenings are part of the whole cruise experience. If you don't want it - don't book it. Go NCL with others who can't be bothered.

 

Or if you are cruising on HAL have dinner in the Lido...HAL provides dinner there for those who don't feel like dressing up...I am sure HAL would prefer that you dine in the Lido rather than book another cruiseline!

[twinkletoes4445]

Or if you are cruising on HAL have dinner in the Lido...HAL provides dinner there for those who don't feel like dressing up...I am sure HAL would prefer that you dine in the Lido rather than book another cruiseline!

 

You're right ... HAL offers choices so there is no need to go elsewhere. We LOVED dining in the Lido and plan on doing the same on our next cruise. Even if we want to go to the dining room, a couple of formal nights (where we wouldn't be able to do this dressed casually), isn't a big deal, at least not to us. :)

 

We are quite happy to dine in the Lido or in our cabin on formal nights. I know a lot of people love dressing up for formal nights, so I can't see taking that from them. If HAL didn't offer a full dinner menu for room service, or such a wonderful atmosphere in the Lido in the evening, I might feel differently, but they do and it works for us. :)

[mnbruce]

If it has to be a yes or no I'd say stop the formal nights, but in reality it's not that big of a deal to me either way. Before our recent Princess cruise my wife hinted at not bringing formal clothes but in the end we brought them. For me it's not that special of a night because really all that changes is the way you dress. The mass market cruise lines do a few little different things that night and they will add minature lobster tails but in the end it's not much different than staying at a Marriott hotel for a week and having them tell you on 2 nights you need to dress up for no reason.

[GCurry]

It is the 21st century....formal nights are a pre 21st century anachronism.....they have no place in modern cruising....at least IMHO

Interestingly enough, we were cruising in the last century as well.:) Except for the drop in the quality of crusing, more to do with cost cutting than anything else, I notice little difference especially with HAL. With the exception of the veranda next to ours, there has even been a decline in the number of smokers, but I look at that as a positive.:eek: I view formal nights as a traditional part of the cruise experience and would hope they continue as I find that I'm somewhat traditional myself.

 

This board is not supposed to represent the majority who cruise. It is the HAL board. Dennis

I would be voting the same if it were Princess, Carnival or Cunard even formal optional NCL, not that I'll repeat that mistake.

 

Perhaps it should be another thread, but I find that the more we cruise, the less we dine in the Lido. We much prefer the relaxed pace of the dining room and the opportunity to meet people from all over the world.