Gala nights

[bUU]

Style. Comfort. Price.

 

Choose two.

[SetAnOpenCourse]

You get full marks for clealiness and being within the suggested guidelines ... but absolutely 0 marks for style :p

Full marks for wisdom too.(y) Even as proponent of formal nights I draw the line when it comes to shoes. I hate to see anyone messing their feet up.

[taxmantoo]

Style. Comfort. Price.

 

Choose two.

I don't mind paying for style and comfort. ;)

[bUU]

I don't mind paying for style and comfort. ;)

That's great but the matter we're discussing is whether you mind other people NOT paying for style and comfort, i.e., them choosing price and comfort instead of choosing style and comfort like you. Hint: You shouldn't mind, or care, or even give it a thought.

[AV8rix]

If someone decides to exclude himself by refusing to participate in an activity, they are doing it to themselves.

 

If everyone has the option to participate in an event , the event is egalitarian. If an event can be changed by the whim of someone who only wants to have it his way - that person has impacted the rights of everyone else.

 

if the "exclusionary rules" which seem to bother you are applied uniformly to everyone they are, by definition, egalitarian. It is simply absurd to suggest that the only way a situation can be egalitarian is if there are no rules.

 

+1 :D:D

Can't imagine where some folks get their supply of nits to pick. But the same semantics wranglings play over and over again EVERY time there is a posting with "gala" in the subject line.

[iancal]

We certainly have no issue with the cruise line if we decide to remain casual and then are precluded from eating in a certain dining room. Our decision. As long as the cruise line has an alternate dining venue we really do not feel disadvantaged or cheated in any way.

 

The only silly thing was at one time HAL wanted us to remain in our cabin, or at least not visit public areas, during formal night. Somewhat difficult to get to the Lido if we followed this silly guideline.

 

Of course we did not, just as those who changed from formal to casual after dinner. Revenue comes first....the cruise lines don't want to give up bar, casino, and retail revenue over a small issue like casual attire on formal nights. This was our experience.

[bUU]

Can't imagine where some folks get their supply of nits to pick.

Correcting the attempt to pass off elitism as egalitarianism is not picking a nit. It's keeping things honest and keeping the discussion even-keeled.

 

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[sandbag7]

Correcting the attempt to pass off elitism as egalitarianism is not picking a nit. It's keeping things honest and keeping the discussion even-keeled.

 

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Agreed; one post extolling the virtues of tuxes admitted that they are uniforms; that's an army I have no intention of enlisting in.

[navybankerteacher]

You are working too hard to rationalize a corrupt perspective. Egalitarian means people come as they are and they are accepted as they are.

 

 

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I think you are confusing egalitarianism with anarchy. Being egalitarian means treating everyone equally - it does not mandate that there can be no rules.

 

Your over-reach:

 

"people come as they are and they are accepted as they are"

 

- would mandate treating thieves the same as philanthropists.

[SetAnOpenCourse]

Agreed; one post extolling the virtues of tuxes admitted that they are uniforms; that's an army I have no intention of enlisting in.

 

"Admitted"? 🤔 I think that post was simply trying to give an alternate perspective showing the practical side of having a tux.

 

I think I'll throw in the towel. I was the one who suggested the egalitarian aspect of cruise formal nights. Perhaps my post was a bit vague, or at least not grasped by all. But I'll stand with those who want to keep these special nights on cruises, and I think the thread shows that if there is an "elite" side on this issue, it seems not to be compromised by those of us that like the tradition!

[satie37]

We did a 14 day Baltic cruise on the Prinsendam. Very few men wore a tux and most wore slacks, suit jacket and tie for the gala nights. I didn't see any women in full formal dresses. I personally wore black dress slacks and a nice blouse and jacket. I think things have toned down a lot from the past formal gala nights.

 

 

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[taxmantoo]

I think I'll throw in the towel. I was the one who suggested the egalitarian aspect of cruise formal nights. Perhaps my post was a bit vague, or at least not grasped by all. But I'll stand with those who want to keep these special nights on cruises, and I think the thread shows that if there is an "elite" side on this issue, it seems not to be compromised by those of us that like the tradition!

If you will allow me, I think I will leave on your same towel. I certainly understand your feelings and your posts on this topic. We will continue to dress as formally as we can for as long as we can. This thread has reminded of a quote I have often seen. In this particular thread, both sides could equally lay claim to it as it seems the issue will never be really resolved ... "For those who understand, no explanation is needed. For those who do not understand, no explanation is possible."

Stay Calm and Keep On Cruising !

[bUU]

I think you are confusing egalitarianism with anarchy.

No. You're confusing egalitarianism with "navybankerteacher's thinking is good; anyone who doesn't agree is bad."

 

Your over-reach: "people come as they are and they are accepted as they are" - would mandate treating thieves the same as philanthropists.

Insinuating that dressing in a collared shirt and slacks on formal night on a cruise ship is a crime demonstrates how badly corrupt the perspective you expressed is. Let me throw up a mirror for you: You'll never understand why the perspective you expressed is corrupt until you can see that your binary thinking is fallacious.

 

This thread has reminded of a quote I have often seen. In this particular thread, both sides could equally lay claim to it as it seems the issue will never be really resolved ... "For those who understand, no explanation is needed. For those who do not understand, no explanation is possible."

Which is really code for, "For those who agree, no defense is needed. For those who disagree, they can go to hell." As was navybankerteacher's, your comment also suffers from binary thinking, i.e., that your perspective is correct and everyone else's is ignorant. Again, binary thinking is fallacious.

 

The reality is that everyone's perspective is equally correct, even though they might be quite different from each other, as long as they are in compliance with the contract we all agreed to when we booked passage, i.e., are consistent with the actual requirements set forth in the dress code, collared shirt and slacks. It is the cruise ship's "house" - so their rules apply, not your own.

 

We are all cruising on these ships together. We're not going to all get exactly what we want. Ascribing disparaging characterizations to people because they don't like what you like feeds an unnecessarily adversarial relationship between different passengers.

[cruisetheworld67]

Really? Yet another thread on how some people are dressed on Gala Nights?

 

It all boils down to this. HAL sets the rules. Not the passengers. If someone is truly not

dressed "appropriately" ; it is up to the MDR Manager to intervene. I certainly will not allow another passenger's wardrobe influence whether or not I will enjoy my meal.

 

I wore a suit and tie for 30 years at work. Did it because I had to...not because I wanted to.

When the Gala nights were formal nights; I would wear a jacket and tie and the first thing I would do when I sat down is loosen the tie and take off the jacket. Found it very uncomfortable to eat a full meal wearing a jacket. Now I wear a polo shirt and slacks.....Gala nights;non Gala nights, PG. So much more comfortable.....especially on Caribbean cruises.

 

And for those reminiscing about what it was like 20 plus years ago; I suggest cruising some of the smaller lines.such.. as Regent or Silverseas where I believe they still adhere to a strict dress code. You will be much happier! ( And so will the rest of us)!:p

[navybankerteacher]

...

 

The reality is that everyone's perspective is equally correct, even though they might be quite different from each other, as long as they are in compliance with the contract we all agreed to when we booked passage, i.e., are consistent with the actual requirements set forth in the dress code, collared shirt and slacks. It is the cruise ship's "house" - so their rules apply, not your own.

 

We are all cruising on these ships together. We're not going to all get exactly what we want. Ascribing disparaging characterizations to people because they don't like what you like feeds an unnecessarily adversarial relationship between different passengers.

 

Your own petard.

[RJ2002]

And for those reminiscing about what it was like 20 plus years ago; I suggest cruising some of the smaller lines.such.. as Regent or Silverseas where I believe they still adhere to a strict dress code. You will be much happier! ( And so will the rest of us)!:p

 

We are sailing on Regent in a few months. It is "elegant casual" all the time, with optional formal/semi-formal nights on longer voyages. No jeans/shorts/t-shirts in the evenings for dinner.

 

I believe Silverseas is a bit more restrictive. Don't have any plans to sail them. ;)

[slidergirl]

I wonder if the posters who want to rigidly adhere to the old "Formal Night" rules of tux and gown attack the "as long as it's within the new Gala guideline" posters because they know they cannot change the Corporate mindset of moving forward and instead can only attack the cruisers who agree and embrace the new guidelines where anything from pants and a collared shirt for men and dresses/pants/blouses for women to tux for men and gown for women are EQUALLY welcome in the MDRs...

 

There is a tone-deafness, it seems. If someone does not like (or "have their dinner ruined") by someone who is wearing something within the guidelines but not wearing tux/gown, perhaps it is time for them to either switch to Cunard or charter a yacht where they can dress in tux/gown all day long if they choose. Until HAL decides to go back to the old days, please stop criticizing/demeaning/bullying people who follow the new guidelines.

[bUU]

I wonder if the posters who want to rigidly adhere to the old "Formal Night" rules of tux and gown attack the "as long as it's within the new Gala guideline" posters because they know they cannot change the Corporate mindset of moving forward and instead can only attack the cruisers who agree and embrace the new guidelines where anything from pants and a collared shirt for men and dresses/pants/blouses for women to tux for men and gown for women are EQUALLY welcome in the MDRs...

That makes a lot of sense.

[navybankerteacher]

I have not seen many advocates of going back to the overly formal dress codes of the past on these threads.

 

What I have seen, and tend to agree with, are views that passengers should comply with whatever dress code is in place on whatever ship they choose to sail.

 

I have also seen posts questioning the appropriateness of there being any dress code - and, particularly, the notion of it being enforced.

[Flamencacha]

Wife and I are 4 star mariners, and we still choose to dress up on Gala nights. I frankly do not understand what is the big deal on wearing formal or other dressy clothing! Most nights are informal so what is the big fuss in getting dressed up a few times? I have worn suits and ties throughout my career, and although I enjoy wearing informal clothing, I have no objection in adhering to guidelines which prohibit informal clothing on the few gala nights. I used to even wear on a tux with tails on some cruises, but I stopped wearing that tux when someone came up to me as I was walking into the MDR and asked me to get him a glass of cabernet since I was obviously a wine steward. Will continue to wear a regular tux on gala nights but I realize that the world is becoming more casual. Very different from former days when we cruised on the old Rotterdam with brass and teak and danced in the ship's grand Ritz Carlton Ballroom with a full orchestra.

 

 

 

[emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]. I have only been cruising a few years. My first was a Carnival Ship in the Caribbean 2013 and people were dressed and happy. I have cruised several lines since then and it seems that most are getting away from formal/Gala nights. For me it's really Sad☹️.

 

 

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[kazu]

I really don't understand the fuss.

 

The current dress code lets those of us who choose to dress up do so and the remainder who prefer the more smart casual look can do so. As long as you are following the guidelines, all is good.

[beaniele]

I really don't understand the fuss.

 

The current dress code lets those of us who choose to dress up do so and the remainder who prefer the more smart casual look can do so. As long as you are following the guidelines, all is good.

Agree.

 

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[bUU]

I really don't understand the fuss. The current dress code lets those of us who choose to dress up do so and the remainder who prefer the more smart casual look can do so. As long as you are following the guidelines, all is good.

How much other folks dress up shouldn't matter to anyone, as long as they satisfy the cruise line's stated minimum requirement.

[kazu]

How much other folks dress up shouldn't matter to anyone, as long as they satisfy the cruise line's stated minimum requirement.

 

 

I thought I just said that?

[bUU]

I thought I just said that?

Shocked that we agree? :)