Holland America Formal Night Dress Code

[navybankerteacher]

My better half has the following question:

Are men allowed in the dining room on formal nights wearing only a shirt and tie in addition to pants, shoes and socks? No suit coat or sport coat?

 

He likes formal nights, but doesn't want to drag a coat with him.

 

What does he like about formal nights?

 

That the people around him look as though they give a d**n? Or because formal nights give him the chance to "be himself" and not be told what to wear on his vacation?

[cruiseman_tx]

I would have him wear a sport jacket (navy blazer, etc.) on the plane...therefore, it doesn't need to be packed...that's what my DH does. He no longer brings a suit but wears a navy blazer and dress pants instead.

 

That's what I've taken to doing. Packed a tux for several years, but gave it up when all the extra luggage fees started. If the cruise lines went to resort casual full time, id be perfectly ok with that.

[Lady Chew]

Approaching my Holland cruise with a feeling of unease... I have cruised on Royal Caribbean and never once saw a ball cap worn in the dining room' date=' and dress code was enforced. It sounds like Holland is way more lax.[/quote']

 

I've had about 150 nights on various HAL ships and I can't recall ever seeing a ball cap worn in any of the MDRs.

 

Don't think I've ever seen one the MDR on a Royal ship, either.

 

Never seen a man wearing a tank top in the MDR ... for dinner, on any ship. Or overalls.

 

I have seen shorts at dinner on both lines, but once seated, you can't see them.

[Hoon]

Actually, Bill, you are probably right - it's like serving up a meal on fine dinnerware and wine in a lovely crystal glass; it's bound to taste better than having the same meal served up on a paper plate and the wine in a plastic mug. There is no way they will taste the same.

 

You’ve got to be kidding me. If food is good, tastes good, it doesn’t matter if it in a pail it will still taste good. But I guess you also think presentation ( piling food on top of other food) also makes it taste better.

To the original poster if your husband doesn’t want to wear a sport coat, don’t make him. Order room service and eat on the balcony or go to the Lido. You’re on vacation, have fun. Dress as you like. If you don’t want to play “Country Club” don’t.

[Hoon]

Dark suit and tie is fine.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

It is fine, But it is not Formal.

[navybankerteacher]

You’ve got to be kidding me. If food is good, tastes good, it doesn’t matter if it in a pail it will still taste good. But I guess you also think presentation ( piling food on top of other food) also makes it taste better.

To the original poster if your husband doesn’t want to wear a sport coat, don’t make him. Order room service and eat on the balcony or go to the Lido. You’re on vacation, have fun. Dress as you like. If you don’t want to play “Country Club” don’t.

 

Of course food will not change its taste to reflect the quality of the China on which it is served, or the background music, or the general decor. But dining can be more than just filling your mouth - a lot of people like the idea of an occasional formal night because of the entirety of the surroundings - which includes what people wear.

 

It's not a matter of "playing country club" - it is taking a break from the every day routine. However, if that is your understanding of what is involved in making a meal special, we'll call it that. Nobody should be forced to "play country club", but if they are in a situation where everyone else wants to "play country club" it is simply common courtesy to either go along or stay away.

[Wakepatrol]

Play country club? I thought it was about formal? Everybody yearned for country club,now we're whining about that? Let me know when we reach the "Clampett" code so I can just stay home and eat at Pei Wei at the mall.

Edited June 10, 2014 by Wakepatrol

[Lizzie68]

Play country club? I thought it was about formal? Everybody yearned for country club,now we're whining about that? Let me know when we reach the "Clampett" code so I can just stay home and eat at Pei Wei at the mall.

 

We might be already there - someone in another thread mentioned wearing hiking boots on formal night. Pei Wei here you come!:D

[jwm51]

Cruise lines are slowly getting away from strict dress codes. They have a

paying customer paying big money to cruise and if that person doesn't want to

wear a tie they most likely won't address this issue……just saying

 

I certainly would agree, but the sirens are VERY distracting!:eek::D

 

I swear Thurston & Lovie have them on speed dial!;)

[utahtea]

Originally Posted by winste View Post

Dark suit and tie is fine.

 

It is fine, But it is not Formal.

 

According to the Holland America website it's considered formal and that's all that matters to me.

 

http://www.hollandamerica.com/cruise-vacation-planning/PlanningAndAdvice.action?tabName=Shipboard+Life&WT.ac=pnav_FBG_ShipLife#

 

Under "New To Cruising" then "What to Pack"

 

"On formal nights women usually wear a suit, cocktail dress or gown and men wear a jacket and tie, dark suit, or tuxedo."

 

Utahtea

[G&G]

You are correct about Alaska, Carol. Many of them look like slobs, c/w their ball caps, that should be eating in a Denny's.

 

HAL refers to this Dress Code as Rural Night :eek: !

[allisonfamily]

So to summarize:

 

If you want to eat in the Main Dining Room/Pinnacle on Formal Nights, the dress code requires both a coat and a tie. (Tie alone, not enough; coat alone, not enough; yes even on Alaska cruises.)

 

If you don't want to bring a coat and tie, then on Formal Nights you can still eat (the same food choices) in the Lido, or of course order room service. You could also eat at the Canaletto or Terrace Grill without a coat and tie.

 

Do I have that right?

[POA1]

So to summarize:

 

If you want to eat in the Main Dining Room/Pinnacle on Formal Nights, the dress code requires both a coat and a tie. (Tie alone, not enough; coat alone, not enough; yes even on Alaska cruises.)

 

If you don't want to bring a coat and tie, then on Formal Nights you can still eat (the same food choices) in the Lido, or of course order room service. You could also eat at the Canaletto or Terrace Grill without a coat and tie.

 

Do I have that right?

 

That pretty much nails it. Of course I'm sure someone will beg to differ. ;)

[silvercruiser]

On my recent cruise on Amsterdam many people disembarked in San Diego after the Panama Canal portion and several hundred new folks got on for the 4-day cruise to Vancouver. Formal night found three guys at my table wearing blue jeans and t-shirts. Sure didn't have the nice formal night atmosphere. I've toned down my formal wear look considerably over the years, but hate to feel like I'm overdressed when I really just look appropriate.

 

810 days at sea....39 ships.....7 continents

Princess ELITE.......... HAL 4*

[Theodorable]

I just got off the Zaandam last Friday after a cruise to Alaska and I have to admit I saw very few tuxes. Lots and lots of people in jeans or certainly in comfortable attire after dinner on formal night walking around the shop. Not sure if Alaska is less formal or not but all I wore was a simple wrap dress and I felt very appropriately dressed. Saw only a very few people dressed to the nines!

[utahtea]

I've toned down my formal wear look considerably over the years, but hate to feel like I'm overdressed when I really just look appropriate.

 

810 days at sea....39 ships.....7 continents

Princess ELITE.......... HAL 4*

 

I'm pretty new to cruising but if I feel like getting dressed up, I don't worry about what others are wearing. I've worn my formal dress on non formal nights and I really like doing it on the last night of the cruise just because I feel like getting dressed up.

[allisonfamily]

So to summarize:

 

If you want to eat in the Main Dining Room/Pinnacle on Formal Nights, the dress code requires both a coat and a tie. (Tie alone, not enough; coat alone, not enough; yes even on Alaska cruises.)

 

If you don't want to bring a coat and tie, then on Formal Nights you can still eat (the same food choices) in the Lido, or of course order room service. You could also eat at the Canaletto or Terrace Grill without a coat and tie.

 

Do I have that right?

 

Well, we're back from our cruise (Volendam, Alaska Inside Passage out of Vancouver) and it was great. The above summary is right.

 

• We saw a man turned away because he wasn't wearing a jacket. They offered him a jacket, but he said he had one in his stateroom so he went back to get his own.
  
• Almost no one wore jeans, but I did see a couple people wearing those zip-away shorts/trousers things. But they were black, not dirty, and looked fine. Black sneakers worked fine as well. Again, not dirty. No one was wearing shorts. *Everyone* wore a jacket. All but two or three wore a tie. No one wore a tuxedo.
  
• Women, on the other hand, were dressed to the nines. LOTS of long gowns. Lots of cocktail dresses. And almost everyone was in a dress or skirt of some kind ... no jeans at all and only one or two wearing slacks. TONS of jewelry. (We know who formal night is for.)
  
• Children were incredibly cute! I have no idea what they were wearing, but the handful of tables with kids ... oh man. The boys in their often-matching ties, and the girls dressed in their best cruise dress-ups ... cute, cute, cute!
  
• In the ship's store they sell ties at yard-sale prices. So very non-HAL of them. I don't think you could buy a refrigerator magnet for the price of a tie.
  
• And yes, the Caneletto does not enforce formal night. As it turned out, the only night we could get dinner in the Caneletto was the same night as formal night. We did not dress "formal" ... and neither did anyone else. (By the way, the Caneletto was very nice and I'm glad we went. But the most memorable meal on the ship was in the Pinnacle.)
  

That's our report ... hope it helps!

Edited August 15, 2014 by allisonfamily

[kazu]

I've had about 150 nights on various HAL ships and I can't recall ever seeing a ball cap worn in any of the MDRs.

 

Don't think I've ever seen one the MDR on a Royal ship, either.

 

Never seen a man wearing a tank top in the MDR ... for dinner, on any ship. Or overalls.

 

I have seen shorts at dinner on both lines, but once seated, you can't see them.

 

I have seen overalls on NCL and a few other things.

 

However, like you we tend to do more European cruises and on those I find that people are quite respectful on the code. I am actually rethinking my Alaska cruise with what I am reading. I don't care what someone else wears usually, but flagrant could even get on my nerves - and I have no connection with the fashion police ;)

 

You’ve got to be kidding me. If food is good, tastes good, it doesn’t matter if it in a pail it will still taste good. But I guess you also think presentation ( piling food on top of other food) also makes it taste better.

To the original poster if your husband doesn’t want to wear a sport coat, don’t make him. Order room service and eat on the balcony or go to the Lido. You’re on vacation, have fun. Dress as you like. If you don’t want to play “Country Club” don’t.

 

absolutely correct. there are a ton of alternatives.

 

As to presentation, food might taste good out of a pail, but I think that when it is served on a nice plate it gives a better overall first impression. Frankly I don't like eating out of pails or paper plates and avoid it as much as possible for my company. I still think that is why they think the food is good:p

[harrodsfan]

Last week on the Zuiderdam "inside passage" there were many men without coats and no one did or said a thing.

Very few tuxes. Lots of sport coats.

 

 

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[3rdGenCunarder]

Well, we're back from our cruise (Volendam, Alaska Inside Passage out of Vancouver) and it was great. The above summary is right.

 

[*]We saw a man turned away because he wasn't wearing a jacket. They offered him a jacket, but he said he had one in his stateroom so he went back to get his own.

 

I do not understand this. I've seen comments like this on a few threads recently. Most people who don't want to dress for formal night say the problem is carrying the extra clothing. So why, after lugging all that 'extra stuff' did that man (and others I've read about) not bother to put on the jacket? That makes no sense to me.

 

[*]Almost no one wore jeans, but I did see a couple people wearing those zip-away shorts/trousers things. But they were black, not dirty, and looked fine. Black sneakers worked fine as well. Again, not dirty. No one was wearing shorts.

*Everyone* wore a jacket. All but two or three wore a tie. No one wore a tuxedo.

 

[*]Women, on the other hand, were dressed to the nines. LOTS of long gowns. Lots of cocktail dresses. And almost everyone was in a dress or skirt of some kind ... no jeans at all and only one or two wearing slacks. TONS of jewelry. (We know who formal night is for.)

 

[*]Children were incredibly cute! I have no idea what they were wearing, but the handful of tables with kids ... oh man. The boys in their often-matching ties, and the girls dressed in their best cruise dress-ups ... cute, cute, cute!

 

I know what you mean. It's so nice to see children exposed to "proper" dining out, as opposed to fast food. And the family pictures in the photo gallery are always adorable.

 

(additional text deleted)

[iancal]

Our children have very much been exposed to 'proper dining out' but that did not necessarily mean suit, tie, jacket, dress, whatever. Not certain why this concept should be tied to formal dress in the MDR??

 

It meant dining at an upscale restaurant, understanding the place settings/cutlery, the menu, how to eat/what utensils to use for certain apps or entrees, expected behavior, including the proper wine glasses etc since we always allowed them to have a little wine by the time they reached their teens. By the time they were 12 or 13 they did not want to eat with the fossils...preferring to eat with new found friends at the buffet, etc.

 

And no, they did not wear tshirts, hats, or ripped clothing.

Edited August 17, 2014 by iancal

[SargassoPirate]

She Who Must Be Obeyed and I are seasoned cruisers, and, well, seasoned in just about every respect. Anymore we tend to book transAtlantic or transPacific cruises and build in several weeks of land-based touring before or after the crossing. Our ground transportation ranges from rental cars, buses, to trains.

 

The last thing we want to do is lug formal attire around with us.

 

We've found that skipping the MDR and eating in the buffet on formal nights works out to some very pleasant dining. We don't "ruin" anybody's cruise by violating the dress code and the buffets are much, much quieter than the MDR.

[iancal]

We are the same. Just arranged the bookend of a seven week Med Sept/Oct land vacation-a cruise.

 

We do carry on. Not a snowball's chance in hades that we will be attending formal night MDR on that ship nor will we be hiding in our cabin. And even if we did not do carry on bags, we still would not be there. Hardly worth the effort for a few hours, two days, on an eight week vacation. And DW does not want to pack or carry extra shoes, shoes, shoes that she will seldom or never wear.

Edited August 19, 2014 by iancal

[utahtea]

Last week on the Zuiderdam "inside passage" there were many men without coats and no one did or said a thing.

Very few tuxes. Lots of sport coats.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

We were on the 14 Day Alaska cruise on the Amsterdam in June this year. Maybe because it was a longer cruise and had 4 formal nights, but I saw a lot of tuxes and I saw one gentleman without a jacket. For the most part everyone was pretty dressed up in the MDR.

 

Utahtea

[Stratheden]

We are the same. Just arranged the bookend of a seven week Med Sept/Oct land vacation-a cruise.

 

We do carry on. Not a snowball's chance in hades that we will be attending formal night MDR on that ship nor will we be hiding in our cabin. And even if we did not do carry on bags, we still would not be there. Hardly worth the effort for a few hours, two days, on an eight week vacation. And DW does not want to pack or carry extra shoes, shoes, shoes that she will seldom or never wear.

 

Couldn't agree more. We don't just travel to cruise, we are usually away 7-10 weeks. No way would we add extra clothing for 2 nights.