Formal Night Dilemma

[MajMom96]

We embark Volendam in a few weeks, however will only be aboard for 3 nights as we leave the ship in Skagway for our 9-day HAL land tour. We are restricted as to the amount of luggage we can bring on the land tour and as a result will not travel with a sport coat. Slacks and collared shirts will be as dressy as it gets. On the one gala night should we avoid the MDR? I’m not a fan of dinner in the Lido, preferring a restaurant instead. Would Canaletto be an acceptable choice? I’m not keen on walking past tables of people gasping and whispering at our attire!

 

 

 

As one who laments the loss of the “formal” nights I appreciate that you cared enough to ask. Having said that, the previous posts are correct. The only attire that still gets turned away is shorts, torn or faded jeans, swimwear, and T-shirt’s. You’ll be fine in slacks and a collared shirt. Enjoy!

 

 

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[sail7seas]

B Y ALL MEANS, pugt on your collared shirt and jacket, go t o MDR and have a lovely dinner Formal ighf really is no longer ' formal. There may ba smattering of tuxedos but they will b e in the minority.

 

 

 

 

Don't worry about wardrobe, go on your land trip and cruise and enjoy !! :)

Edited July 9, 2018 by sail7seas

[HMSDingy]

Just off the Konigsdam and saw everything from jeans to black tie on Gala nights. Maybe 2 or 3 black tie with the rest business casual or worse. You are severely overestimating the importance of attire.

 

We are sailing on the Konigsdam next June for a cruise to the Greek Islands. This will be our first with HAL and for all of my last cruises except for one, I've worn a tux. I don't own one, I rent mostly because of the baggage restrictions. I'v been told that for HAL cruises in Europe, most pax tend to dress up for Gala nights. Comments?

[sail7seas]

I always dressed formal and my dh always in tuxedo.

 

 

I would not dream of packing a formal dress anymore. I am so done with that. A cock tail dress is as 'dressed up' as I get now, on the ships.

[HMSDingy]

I always dressed formal and my dh always in tuxedo.

 

 

I would not dream of packing a formal dress anymore. I am so done with that. A cock tail dress is as 'dressed up' as I get now, on the ships.

 

DW does the cocktail dress as well but still like to wear a tux and the different styles offered, some are just suits unless you go the classic look.

[RuthC]

I'v been told that for HAL cruises in Europe, most pax tend to dress up for Gala nights. Comments?

In general, I have found that to be the case. More people dress up to a greater extent than smart casual nights, as compared to cruises in other areas.

Also, I find the longer the cruise (which European cruises tend to be) are a bit dressier than shorter 7-day cruises.

 

This is not to say that no one meets the lowest level of the dress code (or lower :eek:), but it is a smaller percentage of the passengers.

[MajMom96]

DW does the cocktail dress as well but still like to wear a tux and the different styles offered, some are just suits unless you go the classic look.

 

 

 

If you like a tux, by all means, wear one! You won’t feel out of place as many still wear them for Gala night. But most will do a suit, a sport jacket and tie, and a good many just wear the collared shirt with slacks.

 

 

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[iancal]

A tie is not required. A jacket is not required.

 

Spend your time in anticipation of a great cruise instead of worrying about your attire.

 

Formal/Gala nights are not what they used to be a few years ago. Food quality, menu selections, and service is not what it was. The only thing that seems to have stayed constant is the place settings and the hyperbole employed to describe the menu items.

 

If you do decide to skip Gala night in the MDR you will not be missing out on very much IMHO.

[bEwAbG]

This is what I reported on another thread after my Alaska cruise in May:

 

I took a sport jacket and tie and felt way overdressed on the first night. Pants/jacket were both black so it looked like a black suit. Most men in the area around us were just in long sleeves and slacks with a few others in sport jackets as well. On the second Gala night, I kept the jacket on but didn't wear a tie & had on lighter-colored pants. I saw no more than a handful of tuxedos around the ship on either night. And 1 of those looked like a theatrical costume (ridiculous lapel & very old style).

 

There was a larger range of attire on the women. Saw a smattering of gowns but most were not that formal. Lots of cocktail dresses. Even more "dressy" tops matched with skirts or pants. Everyone looked nice.

 

I had a great vantage point on both nights. Table on an aisle facing the door on the first night, so anyone entering one side of the anytime dining section walked past our table for the hour or so we were there. On the second, I was seated in the set dining time level about 15 minutes before everyone else arrived (not sure why they were putting anytime diners in the set dining time section, but they did). So that means I got to see the parade of practically everyone coming in for the late set dining time. I was only paying attention because I like to see how people interpret the various dress codes, but it didn't change the taste of the food.

 

I only dined in the main dining room on the two Gala nights and went to specialty restaurants the rest of the time. Dress around the ship tended towards the casual.

[OlsSalt]

This is what I reported on another thread after my Alaska cruise in May:

 

I took a sport jacket and tie and felt way overdressed on the first night. Pants/jacket were both black so it looked like a black suit. Most men in the area around us were just in long sleeves and slacks with a few others in sport jackets as well. On the second Gala night, I kept the jacket on but didn't wear a tie & had on lighter-colored pants. I saw no more than a handful of tuxedos around the ship on either night. And 1 of those looked like a theatrical costume (ridiculous lapel & very old style).

 

There was a larger range of attire on the women. Saw a smattering of gowns but most were not that formal. Lots of cocktail dresses. Even more "dressy" tops matched with skirts or pants. Everyone looked nice.

 

I had a great vantage point on both nights. Table on an aisle facing the door on the first night, so anyone entering one side of the anytime dining section walked past our table for the hour or so we were there. On the second, I was seated in the set dining time level about 15 minutes before everyone else arrived (not sure why they were putting anytime diners in the set dining time section, but they did). So that means I got to see the parade of practically everyone coming in for the late set dining time. I was only paying attention because I like to see how people interpret the various dress codes, but it didn't change the taste of the food.

 

I only dined in the main dining room on the two Gala nights and went to specialty restaurants the rest of the time. Dress around the ship tended towards the casual.

 

Our Alaska cruise in May (Zaandam) had 90% of the men in dark suits - 10% tuxes. Late seating upper dining room. I was surprised how uniform it looked across the room considering the new mantra is no one even bothers with a sport coat or tie.

[Fouremco]

!00% wore a dark suit or tux? Amazing! Even more so for an Alaskan cruise.

[Dancing Shoes]

This is what I reported on another thread after my Alaska cruise in May:

 

And 1 of those looked like a theatrical costume (ridiculous lapel & very old style)

 

 

Maybe it was or the person does not have to be "in" style. :eek:

[OlsSalt]

!00% wore a dark suit or tux? Amazing! Even more so for an Alaskan cruise.

 

LOL. Thanks for the observation and opportunity to clarify - 90% had dark suits, of which 10% were tuxes. We were surprised which is why identity of ship, dining time and location helps answering this oft-repeated question versus its ongoing and perhaps subjective mythology.

[iancal]

The thing is we don't really care what 90 percent of the people happen to be wearing as long as we are dressed to the particular dress code. Most especially on the Alaska run.

 

We simply do not concern ourselves with it or fret about it in the least. We have no control over it. We base our attire on how we travel and, in the case of cruise ships, what the dress code suggestions are . We now fit well within the HAL gala attire guidelines with no changes to our usual packing and travel regimen whatsoever. It seems for the past few years we were well ahead of the curve so to speak. So if we don't want to go to the Lido early, we now can dine comfortably in the MDR on formal nights if we so wish.

Edited July 9, 2018 by iancal

[sail7seas]

DW does the cocktail dress as well but still like to wear a tux and the different styles offered, some are just suits unless you go the classic look.

 

 

The days of a large number of ladies in long g owns and lots of tuxedos are gone and over, IMO Everyone should l dress as they wish keeping in mind the minimum dress code requested Basic minimum s are sufficient. IMO

[sail7seas]

!00% wore a dark suit or tux? Amazing! Even more so for an Alaskan cruise.

 

 

Indeed, very surprising and not the 'norm.' But there are often exceptions to any rule. ;)

[Fouremco]

LOL. Thanks for the observation and opportunity to clarify - 90% had dark suits, of which 10% were tuxes. We were surprised which is why identity of ship, dining time and location helps answering this oft-repeated question versus its ongoing and perhaps subjective mythology.

Ah, got it. :)

[ASIWISH]

The days of a large number of ladies in long g owns and lots of tuxedos are gone and over, IMO Everyone should l dress as they wish keeping in mind the minimum dress code requested Basic minimum s are sufficient. IMO

 

Sigh... too bad