How to tell if there's a "formal" night on the cruise?

[mdl70]

My wife and I booked an Alaskan cruise for June 4th through the 11th and we made one reservation (so far) for dinner at the Pinnacle Grill the first sea day.  Is there any way to tell if that night is a formal night?

 

We travel with a carry-on bag each and were only planning on bringing jeans and a pair of slacks.  We're not into getting dressed up on vacation and want to skip the formal/dressy stuff.  

 

Is there some listing somewhere that notes when the dress codes changes to formal for the various restaurants?  Either on some general info site or noted in our itinerary so we can plan around it? 

 

Thanks!

 

 

[DaveOKC]

Formal Night is now called Dressy Night and is in place for ALL dining venues except for the Lido buffet.  However, people have really dressed down from previously for this evening and mens slacks and collared shirt is fine.

The first sea day on your cruise very likely will be a "dressy/formal" evening.

[mdl70]

Ok, thanks for the reply. 

 

Is there a listing anywhere that would give a definitive answer or are first nights at sea always formal/dressy and people just know this based on experience?

 

Thanks again!

[DaveOKC]

I have never seen a published program for the evenings, but if you can find someone who has done the same cruise you are taking, they should be able to tell you as the ships that run the same routes weekly pretty much keep to a fixed schedule on this.  Check on trip reports by people who just came back from the same route cruise.

 

Also, after 30 plus cruises I have never seen a formal night on the sailing evening (not very practical for everyone involved plus the Spa likes to get a full day of people getting "prepped").  Not everyone will have their luggage unpacked by early dining time!

 

Same goes for the final evening of your cruise - no formal dining.  People are packing up and attending to last minute details I think.

 

As to the other evenings, HAL does not do formal dining on port days, unless the port departure is fairly early (say 2 PM or earlier), again so that people have time to get prepped.

 

Thus HAL generally does formal nights on the first full sea day of a 7 day cruise.  On your cruise I would bet on June 5 and June 9.

Edited January 5, 2023 by DaveOKC

[SilvertoGold]

It used to say on your boarding pass how many "Formal/Dress" night there would be on your cruise.  Our last cruise in October 2022 did not have this info. Has anyone actually had it noted on the boarding passes lately?

[BetsyS.]

When I was on the Niew Statendam in August for 24 days, I was at the Photographers'

Gallery.  I asked the photographer when the next dressy night would be. She didn't 

tell me when all of them would be, but she told me when the next one would be a few days in advance when I asked. 

         I agree with others who said it's usually on a sea day and never the first night

or last night.

[DaveOKC]

11 minutes ago, SilvertoGold said:

It used to say on your boarding pass how many "Formal/Dress" night there would be on your cruise.  Our last cruise in October 2022 did not have this info. Has anyone actually had it noted on the boarding passes lately?

Not on our late Oct Panama Canal cruise.  Used to in the past though.

 

[mdl70]

9 minutes ago, DaveOKC said:

Thus HAL generally does formal nights on the first full sea day of a 7 day cruise.  On your cruise I would bet on June 5 and June 9.

 

Thanks for the reply.  I must have looked at the itinerary incorrectly, it looks like the first two days are "cruising only", so you're likely correct.

 

 

The reservations in question were on the 6th.

 

Thanks again for the help!

[POA1]

You'll never see a "formal / gala / dressy / c'mon, man! please wear long pants for crying out loud" night on the first day or last day. Luggage delays and packing are the reason.

[paulvdb1]

3 hours ago, mdl70 said:

My wife and I booked an Alaskan cruise for June 4th through the 11th and we made one reservation (so far) for dinner at the Pinnacle Grill the first sea day.  Is there any way to tell if that night is a formal night?

 

We travel with a carry-on bag each and were only planning on bringing jeans and a pair of slacks.  We're not into getting dressed up on vacation and want to skip the formal/dressy stuff.  

 

Is there some listing somewhere that notes when the dress codes changes to formal for the various restaurants?  Either on some general info site or noted in our itinerary so we can plan around it? 

 

Thanks!

 

 

The Navigator app gets gradually more detailed in the week prior to travel. The Itinerary and Events section then updates to say either casual or dressy for each day. As noted by others day 1 is casual. That said, casual means long pants for men in MDR/restaurants.  

[POA1]

We have been on cruises where we have had a formal or gala night on a port day. It was never on a late night, 11 pm port call day. If you are on a repeating itinerary, look for the people who post in the weeks leading up to your sailing as the routine is usually fixed.

 

Whomever posted about asking the photographers gives sage advice. The photographers have to do extra duty on those special days so they are probably aware in advance.

[Colorado Klutch]

So how does the ship inform guests of a dressy night? 

[DaveOKC]

24 minutes ago, Colorado Klutch said:

So how does the ship inform guests of a dressy night? 

One way is on the daily schedule you receive in your cabin each evening (the night before of course).  It should also be on the Navigator app.

 

[Colorado Klutch]

54 minutes ago, DaveOKC said:

One way is on the daily schedule you receive in your cabin each evening (the night before of course).  It should also be on the Navigator app.

 

 

Thank you. I feel like such a biscuit and I really appreciate the people on this board helping me out. 

[iflyrc5]

They Dressy nights won't show up on the Navigator App until a couple hours after you board then ship and then you should be able to see them for the entire cruise.

[Dutchman48]

On 1/5/2023 at 1:59 PM, SilvertoGold said:

It used to say on your boarding pass how many "Formal/Dress" night there would be on your cruise.  Our last cruise in October 2022 did not have this info. Has anyone actually had it noted on the boarding passes lately?

Was on my boarding pass for our last two trips. For our 7-day Alaska cruise this past June we had two.

Like most people said it is never the first night out as people are trying to settle in, or last night as people are packing. Usually a sea day, but have had one on a day we left port early (before 2:00)

Have had mixed results using the Navigator app. One cruise it showed up early and one not till after boarding.

Your packing light should work fine. The Alaskan cruise is casual. On Gala nights I wore a Blazer and tie but saw the mix from slacks and dress shirt to tuxes. About all HAL asks is no shorts, beat up jeans, or tee shirts in MDR on Gala nights. For the Pinnacle Grill I nixed the Blaser and wore a sweater and open collar shirt.  So, my recommendation is relax, enjoy and have a great cruise.

[highscar]

Don’t board until Jan. 14. But the dressy nights were on the itinerary 10 days before cruise in navigator.  

[mdl70]

15 hours ago, highscar said:

Don’t board until Jan. 14. But the dressy nights were on the itinerary 10 days before cruise in navigator.  

 

Thanks.  

 

Seems odd they really don't mention this stuff (at least that I've seen) and you have to stumble around for answers.  It was just chance someone we know asked us about a formal night on the ship and we had no idea as we do not take cruises regularly.

 

I think it's easier for planning purposes to let this stuff be known as far in advance as possible so folks can choose where to have dinner that night and get reservations well before 10 days prior to boarding. 

[Colorado Klutch]

39 minutes ago, mdl70 said:

 

Thanks.  

 

Seems odd they really don't mention this stuff (at least that I've seen) and you have to stumble around for answers.  It was just chance someone we know asked us about a formal night on the ship and we had no idea as we do not take cruises regularly.

 

I think it's easier for planning purposes to let this stuff be known as far in advance as possible so folks can choose where to have dinner that night and get reservations well before 10 days prior to boarding. 

 

 I used to follow a Disney blogger in Florida. He booked a Disney cruise and had no idea Formal Night was a thing. He posted a picture of him wearing shorts and a T-shirt at dinner while everyone else was dressed up. I'm surprised they let him in, but he just didn't know. 

Edited January 8, 2023 by Colorado Klutch

[mdl70]

22 hours ago, Colorado Klutch said:

 

 I used to follow a Disney blogger in Florida. He booked a Disney cruise and had no idea Formal Night was a thing. He posted a picture of him wearing shorts and a T-shirt at dinner while everyone else was dressed up. I'm surprised they let him in, but he just didn't know. 

 

Oh man.  We'd have been in the same position on this cruise if someone hadn't told us. 

 

The only other cruise we've taken didn't have one.

[LMaxwell]

HAL makes a distinction between "Dressy" and "Formal". Formal nights are exceedingly rare on 7 day cruises since restart but do expect 2 Dressy nights.  Never, ever first night 

[KroozNut]

On 1/6/2023 at 7:19 AM, Colorado Klutch said:

 

I feel like such a biscuit. 

Is that with butter, or southern white sausage gravy? 🤔

[Colorado Klutch]

2 minutes ago, KroozNut said:

Is that with butter, or southern white sausage gravy? 🤔

 

Rasberry jam!

[Sir PMP]

It's a 'formal' night when you see less bathing suits in the dining room: