CHANGE in dress code?

[fann1sh]

Hi, all. Long time no see.

 

And yes, I know, everyone will hate me for returning with this thread. *sigh* But, I'm not merely stirring the pot.

 

I give advice on another board these days. This morning I got a query about whether jacket and tie would suffice on formal night, since suit and tie or tuxedo are required.

 

Knowing that was wrong, I went to the HAL website. Where I found:

 

"On festive Formal evenings, ladies wear a cocktail dress or gown and gentlemen wear a suit and tie or tuxedo."

 

WHAT? What happened to "jacket"?

 

Is this a change - a glitch - or something that's been long settled, and I just foolishly missed because I haven't cruised this year?

 

My Dad has been having a lot of health challenges and he wants land trips to Florida instead of cruises, because he feels close to my late Mom in the vacation home we all shared.

[Krazy Kruizers]

My DH wore slacks, dress shirt, jacket and tie on our last cruises in November and no one said anything to him.

[fann1sh]

You are always so quick to be helpful, KK. I appreciate it. If there is no actual change in on the ships, could you kindly tell me when the wording changed? If you know?

 

Thanks, as always.

[VMax1700]

i was on the Zuiderdam in January (last month!) and I asked the As you Wish Dining Manager what was the current Formal night rules (for men). His response was that Jacket or tie was required.

 

Of course different ships/different managers/different rules!

[CowPrincess]

Fann1sh, nice to "see" you. The last time the dress code was quoted (which I can't find right now, but it was quite recently) I am sure it said "jacket and tie". If you can, try searching and see if you can find that. At least that would be a starting point to figure out when the wording may have been changed.

[lindaler]

Didn't the lady's wear also change? I thought it used to say something that allowed fancy pant suits. I always wear a dress or skirt and fancy top and husband a suit but it seems that HAL is tightening the definition of what is formal and what isn't.

 

I know that everyone will says what they got away with or what was allowed on each cruise but every cruise is slightly different. We have found that a lot is overlooked on the shorter cruises.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I so wish HAL would change their dress code, there is absolutely only ONE thing that I am dreading so much on our upcoming Volendam cruise... and that is Formal Night :o :( I honestly cannot tell you how much better it has been the last two cruises packing for our NCL cruises and not worrying about having formal nights. Of course Tom feels the exact same way. We always dress nicely for dinner but the thought of putting on formal wear just makes me want to cry yet I do not want to be deprived of dining in the Main Dining Room. So do not tell me I need to dine in my cabin :mad: I guess part of my problem is I have gained a lot of weight and dressing up is just not fun any more it is actually a big pain to even think about it. I recently purchased a Vintage Laurence Kazar Sequined top that yes is formal and I plan to wear with slacks rather than a skirt. But it is quite heavy in weight. So packing will be an issue as well taking the extra items and flying to Vancouver......sigh... if was not for wanting to see some friends on board for the week I definitely would be sailing a ship that has no formal night requirements.

 

Sorry I know the only reason this thread was start was question what HAL's web site worded about formal night but just hoped if HAL is reading they will see that some would rather give their money to another line that does not have Formal nights.

[lindaler]

I just checked both the website in FAQ and then what was said on our boarding pass and there is a slight difference. Here is what our passes say for formal night:

 

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 usually wear a suit, cocktail dress or gown and gentlemen wear a

jacket and tie, dark suit or tuxedo.

 

So HAL is still using the old wording allowing jackets on current cruises. We don't sail for over 30 days and since that is on our boarding passes on page ten of eleven.

[kazu]

I can't see how HAL can tell women not to wear dressy pants. There are a lot of nice ones out there. JMO.

[catl331]

Hi Patricia--Haven't seen many tuxedos but if someone owns one, use it. J wears a suit but jackets, ties and nice pants seem to get people in. Don't really see fancy dresses for ladies either. A long skirt and a few glittery tops always work for me. I even gave up on heels and wear glittery sandals.

 

On our N Amsterdam cruise in Dec. many people weren't wearing dress up clothes around the ship after dinner and I always thought it was "formal" dress for the whole ship that night. HAL is slowly getting less formal.

 

Nice to see that your Dad still wants to come to Florida. Carol

[take us away]

Didn't the lady's wear also change? I thought it used to say something that allowed fancy pant suits. I always wear a dress or skirt and fancy top and husband a suit but it seems that HAL is tightening the definition of what is formal and what isn't.

 

I know that everyone will says what they got away with or what was allowed on each cruise but every cruise is slightly different. We have found that a lot is overlooked on the shorter cruises.

 

You will be fine with what you usually wear. I often wear dress, silk slacks with a fancy top and have never had any comments by staff or passengers.

[sail7seas]

I seriously doubt anyone would turn away from formal night in MDR a gentleman wearing neat trousers, sports jacket, shirt and tie. (shoes are assumed :D )

Edited February 15, 2015 by sail7seas

[sail7seas]

I'd be more than fine if HAL gave up on formal night. It is such a watered down definition of what is formal that I see it as silly to call it formal. No way a sports jacket ever meets the definition of formal. Be done with it HAL..... Any semblance to 'real formal night' went by the wayside years ago.

Edited February 15, 2015 by sail7seas

[tommui987]

Maybe we should just change the word "formal" to dress up night.

 

I do not carry a tux with me - baggage limitations - so I wear a dark suit, tie, regular shoes into the MDR.

[Randyk47]

I'd be more than fine if HAL gave up on formal night. It is such a watered down definition of what is formal that I see it as silly to call it formal. No way a sports jacket ever meets the definition of formal. Be done with it HAL..... Any semblance to 'real formal night' went by the wayside years ago.

 

I reluctantly agree. Either have a formal night or don't but don't go with some watered down version with "wink and nod" enforcement. We like formal nights always have but even as supportive as we are we've made adjustments. My tux has been replaced with a lighter weight but nice black suit with assorted ties, Mrs. K ditched the gowns and has gone to easier to pack "formal" tops and black or white/cream long skirts/pants. It works for us and right now we're cruising a line that does indeed enforce dress codes.

[Jalex63]

Just returned today from a weeks cruise aboard the MS Ryndam. Now there were two things to note about this cruise. One, jeans are now allowed in the dining room on all except "Formal" nights and as some have suggested formal is anything but formal anymore. I wore nice suit with tie as I have on several other HAL ships in the last two years. Second thing to take note of, at least on the Ryndam is that the dining room menu's have totally changed. There is no longer a section listed as "available every day", although most of those items are now just added into the remainder of the menu. Dessert menu was no longer enclosed in a cover and was simply a sheet of paper handed to us.

[igraf]

Be careful what you ask for. HAL may then decide that we don't need evening entertainment or tasty food anymore, either.

 

A successful cruise requires some effort from both HAL and the passsengers. It really is no bother for me to put on a suit in exchange for an extra nice dinner. It is the same effort to pack a suit jacket as a sports jacket, and suit pants take up very little space in my suitcase.

 

igraf

 

 

 

 

 

I'd be more than fine if HAL gave up on formal night. It is such a watered down definition of what is formal that I see it as silly to call it formal. No way a sports jacket ever meets the definition of formal. Be done with it HAL..... Any semblance to 'real formal night' went by the wayside years ago.

[PathfinderEss]

Hi, all. Long time no see.

 

And yes, I know, everyone will hate me for returning with this thread. *sigh* But, I'm not merely stirring the pot.

 

I give advice on another board these days. This morning I got a query about whether jacket and tie would suffice on formal night, since suit and tie or tuxedo are required.

 

Knowing that was wrong, I went to the HAL website. Where I found:

 

"On festive Formal evenings, ladies wear a cocktail dress or gown and gentlemen wear a suit and tie or tuxedo."

 

WHAT? What happened to "jacket"?

 

Is this a change - a glitch - or something that's been long settled, and I just foolishly missed because I haven't cruised this year?

 

My Dad has been having a lot of health challenges and he wants land trips to Florida instead of cruises, because he feels close to my late Mom in the vacation home we all shared.

 

No, no change, the definition of a 'suit' is 'pants and jacket'.

[sail7seas]

Be careful what you ask for. HAL may then decide that we don't need evening entertainment or tasty food anymore, either.

 

A successful cruise requires some effort from both HAL and the passsengers. It really is no bother for me to put on a suit in exchange for an extra nice dinner. It is the same effort to pack a suit jacket as a sports jacket, and suit pants take up very little space in my suitcase.

 

igraf

 

You are preaching to the choir. :)

 

My DH wore tuxedo for 20+ years on HAL ships and we loved it. I always wore long gowns and if there were four formal nights on our cruise, I brought four dresses. We were among the last to look around the dining room and realize we were among about maybe 10-15% of people still 'dressing' and on HAL cruise about #78 or so for us, we stopped dressing formal. My DH's last cruises, he wore suit and a few times sports jacket and I switched to cocktail dresses.

 

When we saw how few were 'dressing', we chose to stop as well.

I promise you neither DH or I ever entered any dining room anywhere in the world where we were not appropriately dressed.

 

[sail7seas]

No, no change, the definition of a 'suit' is 'pants and jacket'.

 

Well.......... sort of :D

 

A suit would be same material though perhaps different pattern as a ladies suit may have a solid skirt but perhaps patterned jacket. Most gentlemen's suits are same fabric trousers and jacket and if a vest.

 

A sports jacket and trousers would not necessarily be same.

 

[sammiedawg]

Be careful what you ask for. HAL may then decide that we don't need evening entertainment or tasty food anymore, either.

 

A successful cruise requires some effort from both HAL and the passsengers. It really is no bother for me to put on a suit in exchange for an extra nice dinner. It is the same effort to pack a suit jacket as a sports jacket, and suit pants take up very little space in my suitcase.

 

igraf

 

Cruisers look perfectly fine in smart casual clothes, call it country club casual if you want. Please don't come back and talk about people wearing flip flops and t shirts if formal night goes away. Perfectly civilized , affluent, refined people don't want to bother with Formal night rules . People are going on vacation, it is an expensive bother to lug formal clothes, accessories on planes, trains and automobiles. We paid for meals on board, should not have to make an extra effort to get what we paid for. I don't need formal wear to make it a successful cruise.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Cruisers look perfectly fine in smart casual clothes, call it country club casual if you want. Please don't come back and talk about people wearing flip flops and t shirts if formal night goes away. Perfectly civilized , affluent, refined people don't want to bother with Formal night rules . People are going on vacation, it is an expensive bother to lug formal clothes, accessories on planes, trains and automobiles. We paid for meals on board, should not have to make an extra effort to get what we paid for. I don't need formal wear to make it a successful cruise.

Totally agree!! We were on NCL Jewel in November and I cannot believe how many smartly dressed people there were out and about every evening. Times have changed and it is time HAL changed.

[PathfinderEss]

Well.......... sort of :D

 

A suit would be same material though perhaps different pattern as a ladies suit may have a solid skirt but perhaps patterned jacket. Most gentlemen's suits are same fabric trousers and jacket and if a vest.

 

A sports jacket and trousers would not necessarily be same.

 

Thanks Sails, I should have said of the same material, and yes a sports jacket and trousers would not be the same.:D

Edited February 15, 2015 by PathfinderEss

[pollux]

Formal night used to be easy you took as many clothing as you could.

The air bags on international flight used to be 2 with the limit off 70lb each.

Now its only 1 bag 50lb and if you over weight 2 lb they charge a extra 50 dollar.

That's why dressing up has changed.

[RMLincoln]

Always dressed up for formal night - DH in sharp dark suit, dress shoes, crisp white shirt, special tie... me in a gown with wrap.

 

Now we are combining our cruises with travel abroad. European, Australian, New Zealand flights now have very severe limits on carry on - 8 kg on some (our shoulder totes barely make that), extra fees for checked luggage.

 

Plus I don't want to have more luggage than I can carry up a flight of stairs or lift onto a bus or train. One roll-aboard (20") plus a shoulder tote is all I can manage. DH can manage a slightly bigger suitcase but his size 14 dress shoes are no longer coming with us.

 

He used to wear his suit coat on the planes but on our last trip we needed cold-weather jackets... so he packed a black cardigan sweater and nice tie, dress shirt. We were admitted to the MDR but we didn't meet the jacket and tie suggestion. I've changed the gown for a black crepe shirt, simple shiny shell with a burn-out or sparkly topper and gold sandals.

 

I hope we won't have to feel like we are cheating but with the number of formal nights reduced to 3 on our 21 night transatlantic cruise it was too little to justify the cost and struggle of taking more luggage.

 

It made me think that maybe formal night is more for the ship to be formal for us to enjoy! The dining room chairs covered, decorations, live dinner music, special menus are what make formal night formal. Not what shoes my husband wears. And guests dress nicely, as they do on ships that don't have dress codes.

 

And there will be some who get away with something that someone thinks is not dressy enough... which happens now anyway. m--