Formal nights in Alaska

[krazy4kruisin]

How "Formal" are the formal nights in MDR on Westerdam Alaskan cruise.

DH & I have always dressed for them. What do you see gentlemen wearing these days? Our cruise is getting close.

[PathfinderEss]

Some Tuxes, more slacks, jackets and ties. It certainly seems more casual then on some other cruises we've been on. We still dress, my DH wears his tux.

[krazy4kruisin]

I bought him a new black suit. He will look so dapper :D

[PathfinderEss]

He will look great, perfect choice.:)

[Crew News]

My experience in Alaska is 10% tuxedos, around 40% suits, and 50% jackets with ties at my early MDR seatings.

 

With having to pack clothing for USA summers and layered clothing for the cool Alaska temps, most forego tuxedos to save luggage space.

 

IMHO all manner of dress coexist both at dinner and with the jeans crowd on the bars after dinner.

[MaxThrusters]

Tux for me next month on Alaska cruise, if I fit into it! Otherwise just a suit.

[B Russo]

I will have my Tux on , Enjoy the chance to use it , LOL :):)

[Krazy Kruizers]

The last time we were on an Alaskan cruise, we saw very, very few men in tuxedos.

Even DH now wears either a suit or jacket with a tie.

[Mr and Mrs CIQ]

I'll be in my tux on the Westerdam in May. The Mrs CIQ will be in her formal attire also.

[sail7seas]

HAL describes formal as jacket and tie for gentlemen; commensurate for the ladies.

 

We saw very few tuxedos on our Alaska cruise.... even fewer than Caribbean, if possible. :)

We always wore tuxedo and long dress but stopped that some few years ago. No one can actually describe

formal as jacket and tie and expect to see gentlemen in tuxedos and ladies in gowns.

 

Edited April 17, 2015 by sail7seas

[kqcallahan]

So not only are we doing a Alaskan Cruise we are doing another 8 days on a train and enjoying Banff. Because of room in our rental car after the train we can only bring 2 checked suitcases with us (for 4 of us :eek: ) How important are jackets? Like pants and nice shirt can take up room…but a jacket??

[JavaJunkie]

Shirt and tie should be just fine, especially in Alaska. I definitely wouldn't miss the main dining room because of it.

[B Russo]

I'll be in my tux on the Westerdam in May. The Mrs CIQ will be in her formal attire also.

Hi we will do the same, Besides I enjoy the old Lades that tell me how nice I look. The only problem is that I'm old also, LOL :):)

[clueless2]

I have a light weight wool black suit suitable for weddings, funerals and cruise ship formal nights. :)

Edited April 21, 2015 by clueless2

[zelker]

On our 3 Alaska cruises (two of which were on HAL, one on RCCL), we saw very few tuxes (I'd guess less than 10%). DH wore a dark suit on our first one in 2006 and since then has just worn a navy sport coat, slacks, and a tie and has felt completely comfortable on formal nights. He will be donning the same attire for our upcoming Statendam cruise this summer. We save our formal wear (tux and gowns) for Europe.

 

But this brings up an interesting question: we'll be doing a full Panama Canal transit on Amsterdam over Christmas and New Years. Normally we don't take formal wear to the Caribbean either but should we expect to see more formal wear on an 18 night cruise over the holidays?

[ithaca gal]

So not only are we doing a Alaskan Cruise we are doing another 8 days on a train and enjoying Banff. Because of room in our rental car after the train we can only bring 2 checked suitcases with us (for 4 of us :eek: ) How important are jackets? Like pants and nice shirt can take up room…but a jacket??

 

He may or may not be seated in the MDR. It depends on how strict the Dining Room Manager is on that ship AND how many people complain. Instead of putting the manager in a tough spot, just have DH wear the jacket on the plane. (That's what my DH always does.) It can be hung up during the flight.

[kqcallahan]

He may or may not be seated in the MDR. It depends on how strict the Dining Room Manager is on that ship AND how many people complain. Instead of putting the manager in a tough spot, just have DH wear the jacket on the plane. (That's what my DH always does.) It can be hung up during the flight.

 

It's my father actually and my brother. My brother has never worn a jacket in his life and I doubt he will again. We will risk it and if you are wearing a nice shirt and pants and can't get in I figure we will just never tour with them again. lol

[peaches from georgia]

It's my father actually and my brother. My brother has never worn a jacket in his life and I doubt he will again. We will risk it and if you are wearing a nice shirt and pants and can't get in I figure we will just never tour with them again. lol

He probably would have a better chance of getting in the MDR with no jacket if he put a tie on with the nice shirt. A tie takes up no room at all in a suitcase. The Dining Room Manager may have a loaner jacket he could wear, too.

Edited April 22, 2015 by peaches from georgia

[sail7seas]

kgcallahan

It's my father actually and my brother. My brother has never worn a jacket in his life and I doubt he will again. We will risk it and if you are wearing a nice shirt and pants and can't get in I figure we will just never tour with them again. lol

 

 

Why would you be angry with the cruise line and threaten to never 'tour' with them again? You know in advance what is expected, they have spelled out what they consider minimum dress for formal night and you agreed to that when you booked the cruise. If you choose to not dress according to their 'known to you' code, you have made an informed choice.

 

I really don't care what anyone wears and it means nothing to me who gets seated wearing what but it does matter to me that someone knowingly books something they don't wish to participate in and then gets angry about possibly not being seated.

I agree that no tie And no jacket is really asking to be turned away from the MDR on formal night. If he will wear a tie, he has a better chance of being seated.

 

No one can promise as it is very inconsistent enforcement.

Some Dining Room Managers are more particular than others.

Edited April 22, 2015 by sail7seas

[JPH814]

It's my father actually and my brother. My brother has never worn a jacket in his life and I doubt he will again. We will risk it and if you are wearing a nice shirt and pants and can't get in I figure we will just never tour with them again. lol

 

goodybye!

[cruisin'girl]

It's my father actually and my brother. My brother has never worn a jacket in his life and I doubt he will again. We will risk it and if you are wearing a nice shirt and pants and can't get in I figure we will just never tour with them again. lol

Would he wear a tie? How old is you brother? That could make a difference if the mdr bent the rules a little.

[nana51]

How "Formal" are the formal nights in MDR on Westerdam Alaskan cruise.

DH & I have always dressed for them. What do you see gentlemen wearing these days? Our cruise is getting close.

 

Our cruise last summer seemed to be dressier than usual. We saw a fair number of tuxes (even a whole family down to the youngest boys). There were a few ladies dressed to the nines and all the young ladies looked adorable. I can honestly say I saw no one dressed "inappropriately". We just wore our nice black slacks with fancy tops and looked nice also.

[Ricktan]

I totally understand why some people just don't want to dress up. I think that is a totally personal calll for each individual. What I don't understand is why so many people think that the rules should be different for them. If you don't want to dress according to the guidelines that are laid out and available to everyone BEFORE spending a dime on a HAL cruise and there are so many options for you even if you choose to book anyway (Lido, order room service) why complain or say you won't travel with HAL again if you decide (after ALL that knowledge) because they don't bend the rules for you?? I read these threads and iit still floors me at the number of people that complain about this! If you don't want to dress up, eat somewhere else, cruise with someone else.....but don't try to change the system. It's only one or two nights (depending on the cruise length). It's not like someone is trying to kick people out of the MDR every night of the cruise. I see so many people on here say, "on formal nights, we choose to eat in the Lido". That's reasonable. If you want what is on the menu in the MDR, order room service and have a lovely meal in your room. But why, on your vacation, would you buck the system and set yourself up to get upset, after spending all that money, just to see if you can?? I just don't understand. I spend hours trying to plan my vacation time to be relaxing (excepting the occasional uncontrolable glitch that I am determined to let roll off my back). Why go in expecting a battle??? Sorry, I'll get off my soapbox now......

 

Tanya

[zelker]

LOL.... I read it to mean that the OP wouldn't tour with her dad and brother again, not that she wouldn't go on HAL again. :p

Edited April 23, 2015 by zelker

[ithaca gal]

It's my father actually and my brother. My brother has never worn a jacket in his life and I doubt he will again. We will risk it and if you are wearing a nice shirt and pants and can't get in I figure we will just never tour with them again. lol

 

Risk it? After asking the question and being told that a "nice shirt and pants" is not appropriate and may not get you seated? Why would you want to do that on your vacation? Why put the pressure on the Dining Room Manager who would be doing his job if he turned you away?

 

Instead of risking it, dine in the Lido, or order a lovely meal to enjoy in your room -- without a jacket.

 

It is absolutely their prerogative not to dress according to the guidelines -- but please remember that it is the prerogative of the crew to see that the guidelines are followed.