Not Another Dress Code Topic

[cruz chic]

When you see the diningroom packed on formal nights, are people dressed appropriately or are they there for the better food choices?

 

I don't think the food is that much better. You could easily order anything off the MDR menu as room service so I would say it's because they want to dress up.

[mightycruisequeen]

We still like to dress for formal nights.

That said, we don't get our knickers in a knot over whether or not others observe the suggest attire for the evening.

:) Life is short.

[Marigold252]

We still like to dress for formal nights.

That said, we don't get our knickers in a knot over whether or not others observe the suggest attire for the evening.

:) Life is short.

 

Well said!

We were on the Ryndam for the 14 day Southern Caribbean cruise and ate in the Rotterdam 12 dinners, three of which were formal. Not once did I see anyone dressed inappropriately. Certainly there were outfits I wouldn't wear, but that is just a matter of taste! With the luggage limitations now imposed by the airlines more careful planning is needed but IMO shouldn't be made an excuse to eliminate formal/smart casual dress in the main dining room.

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Forums mobile app

[sppunk]

I can't wait until they officially go formal optional like virtually every other upscale line. So many feelings will be saved.

 

Shorts aren't cool but I couldn't care less what someone else seas.

[LMaxwell]

A policy that is not enforced is worthless and creates I'll will. Since they won't enforce it just get rid of it. Then no one can be upset.

[iancal]

The ice pack is receding at a faster rate than HAL makes changes to meet changing customer desires..

Edited January 9, 2015 by iancal

[RMLincoln]

I was surprised to see only 3 formal nights on our last 21 night cruise. To me, that makes it all the more difficult to justify packing bulky gentleman's formal attire, especially DH's size 14 dress shoes.

 

But that's a choice we have to weigh against our itinerary, how much stuff we can schlep and the benefit of having it for just 3 nights (last trip had 3 formal nights on HAL out of 65 nights total on our multi-faceted European tour, so no jacket.... needed a warm coat instead for the arctic). We can eat "in" or go to the buffet. Lots of options. m--

[Bubba54]

While I have always complied with the suggested attire for dress in the dining rooms, I have never concerned myself with what others choose to wear. I guess that I am just too busy enjoying my vacation and minding my own business.

 

I could not agree more.:cool:

[buckirj1]

Every brochure says something like this, which is from the ReadySetSail cruise catalog: "The two-tier main Dining Room with its sea views, white linens, sparkling crystal, and Rosenthal china, elevates each dining occasion."

 

Except it isn't an "elevated dining occasion," according to many long-time HAL posters, whose opinions I trust. Does HAL expect white linens, sparkling crystal and Rosenthal china to make up for the reported cutbacks that have resulted in mediocre food and service?

[ETinCA]

My opinion is that On a formal night shorts should not be permitted. Other that that nice pants and nice shirt would be acceptable if one doesn't want to wear a tie and coat. Again, I could care less really what other do though. It's my vacation. I'm not there to police others attire.

 

 

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[navybankerteacher]

HAL might be more successful if the actually provided a reasonable alternative dining venue on formal nights. Not room service, not a very early closing Lido.

 

Cruisers want choice...reasonable choice. It is an example of what is pushing us away from HAL

 

Of course a number of cruisers choose HAL because they like the idea of a formal night. They too "...want choice...reasonable choice." but that aspect is denied them. Why should others expect a "reasonable alternative dining venue on formal nights" if they reject the idea of a formal night?

[iancal]

I am in no way suggesting that HAL abolish formal nights.

 

Quite the opposite in fact.

 

I would like to see HAL wake up and smell the coffee similar to Celebrity and Princess. By that I mean continue with formal in the MDR and provide a reasonable alternative dining venue such as Pinnacle or some other flavour of it. When we cruise on either of these lines we usually select formal nights to attend since both of these cruise lines offer good casual dining alternatives on formal evenings.....unlike HAL.

 

It seems like just good business to me to provide two good options.

Edited January 9, 2015 by iancal

[donaldsc]

From the HAL website ...

 

"Pack as you would for any resort. Cruise vacations are casual by day, whether you're on the ship or ashore. The suggested attire for most evenings is resort casual; slacks and collared shirts for men, and casual dresses, slacks and informal evening-wear for women. On formal nights women usually wear a suit, cocktail dress or gown and men wear a jacket and tie, dark suit, or tuxedo."

 

I wear a tuxedo to formal nights and also wish that people would, at a minimum, observe the suggestion. But it does remain a "SUGGESTION" and you cannot enforce compliance to a suggestion.

 

So what they are saying on their WEB site with the multiple use of the weasel word "suggested" and "usually" is essentially that they would like you to dress appropriately but when it comes down to it, paint splattered jeans and a t-shirt are OK.

 

Why not change the wording on their WEB site to "wear whatever you want to for evening dinner" since that is what their verbiage comes down to.

 

DON

[GeriatricNurse]

So what they are saying on their WEB site with the multiple use of the weasel word "suggested" and "usually" is essentially that they would like you to dress appropriately but when it comes down to it, paint splattered jeans and a t-shirt are OK.

 

Why not change the wording on their WEB site to "wear whatever you want to for evening dinner" since that is what their verbiage comes down to.

 

DON

 

I agree! :):):)

Edited January 9, 2015 by GeriatricNurse

[Folk Singer]

I am so sorry to read that there seems to be a turn for people dressing as they wish.

I guess this will spread through the fleet.

Very sad.

 

 

Agree. It is nice to wear Formal attire on occasion. It is part of the Cruising Culture that we enjoy so much.

[Folk Singer]

I could not agree more.:cool:

 

 

Agree. I will continue to dress in my Tux as it is part of the whole experience for us and it is our vacation to enjoy.

[LMaxwell]

Why should others expect a "reasonable alternative dining venue on formal nights" if they reject the idea of a formal night?

 

Why shouldn't they? If people who enjoy formal night are annoyed at the presence of those that don't dress up, give those that don't want to participate another venue to go to. That way everyone is happy.

[BarryW]

On the Westerdam 12/20 I and two others were turned away in the MDR the first night for shorts and nice collared shirt. Flame away, but I don't like it one bit.

[DirtyDawg]

My DW and I were looking at a HAL cruise as an alternative to Celebrity. Are there alternative specialty restaurants on the Westerdam that are cruise casual on Formal Nights? (Just in case I don't feel like bringing a dark suit just to dine in the Caribbean in April.)

[kelleherdl]

Men's jackets were at the door for the first formal night on 15-22 Dec Noordam Western Caribbean. I was actually surprised by the high level of dress by the diners at Late Fixed, given that this was a close to holiday Caribbean cruise. The demographic on this cruise was decidedly younger than your run-of-the-mill HAL cruise. There were not that many families, just a lot of 20/30- somethings. A good number of tuxes and largely the rest in 'suit'; not just jacket and tie. So as long as it is difficult to predict the decline of dress by Western Civilization I will continue to lug my tux, send it out for pressing, and get it dry-cleaned while on board.

 

Dennis

[VTcruisenut]

Society, in general. When I went to church as a girl, we wore white gloves and a head covering of some sort. Now, they wear jeans. I think it's a sign of the times and not such a big deal anymore if people don't want to dress up. We enjoy wearing decent clothing on formal nights, or on any other night, for that matter, but it seem to me that more and more people are heading to Lido to avoid the matter entirely. We were very surprised that on the 42 Maasdam, the dining room was deserted by 7 or a bit later. We also saw men in jeans dining during that time.

 

so true! On a cruise we were on in 2007 - our second- we were another couple who never went to the MDR because they "didn't want to dress up" and he couldn't wear his cowboy hat and boots! We live in Vermont, it is not like this guy is a Texan and those are every day attire! They missed out on some wonderful dining room conversations, great food and excellent service! My DH & I go to the MDR every night as we feel like it is a "special" treat for us! He will celebrate his birthday on our upcoming cruise and I will order him a cake for that night and I know our table steward will make his day special! HAL has a reputation for excellence- too bad the passengers are trying to change that wonderful atmosphere by their laziness, poor manners and under dressing. there, my rant is over!

[taxmantoo]

On the Westerdam 12/20 I and two others were turned away in the MDR the first night for shorts and nice collared shirt. Flame away, but I don't like it one bit.

 

Wish they would insert this into the Maitre d's training manual ...

 

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a5df28b3127ccee84752b9613800000030O00AcNWzZk4auWwPbz4c/cC/f%3D0/ls%3D00609582665820150109154502165.JPG/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/

Edited January 9, 2015 by taxmantoo
Picture size

[Viesczy]

Honestly, what is worse the folks wearing shorts/jeans/t-shirts that fit to the dining room on formal night or the folks wearing their formal wear that was last in style when Nixon was president and they last fit into the formal wear when Kennedy was president?

 

Me, I always dress up because I love colors, but to really get your noses out of joint about the choices of others... is this jr. high?

[poutanen]

I don't dress up for others, I dress up for myself. I wear a suit or tux on formal nights because it makes ME feel good. If I worried what everybody else was wearing, I guess I wouldn't be having as much fun on the boat?

 

When we first cruised, I brought button up shirts and slacks with me. Seeing how everyone was dressed early in the evening, I chose to rent a tux for the duration of the cruise. Why? Because I wanted to look good!

 

Why do people wear shorts on formal nights? Because they don't care. For them it's not about the glitz and glitter, they just want to relax on a boat. Start imposing rules and what you have are people upset. Generally speaking, if they're not harming anybody, live and let live... :D

[POA1]

Yeah, I think what he meant to say is that he is to lazy to enforce it. People were pretty well dressed on my Caribbean cruise (Nov) so I don't know if there were problems. On my panama cruise in April they were loaning jackets to people at the door to gain entrance. If they are not going to enforce it then just end it.

They were enforcing the jacket requirement on the Nieuw Amsterdam last month. We saw people turned away. We also saw a fair number of people in loaner jackets.