The demise of formal night

[Beagle2]

We travel light. It is nice, very nice. We each have a 20 inch carry on, no checking baggage, no waiting for bags, no luggage hassel at getting off, first off the ship. We can go for a month that way.;)

 

Also, we take clothes we are not crazy about. At the end, we leave them, the crew guys are poor, very poor, they will use the shoes, the clothes no matter what. They can even use an old suitcase.

 

Never check a bag and never wear a tux. Slax and a light sport coat, maybe a nice shirt. That is it. So often, workers and people want to know "where is your baggage". We have it right there.

 

So many cruisers at the last night, at dinner table, people laughing, "I have to go pack all the clothes I did not wear". How sad.:rolleyes:

 

We can pack in 5 minutes, try it, you may like it.:)

[HALFans]

I don't own a formal outfit. But I do own nice, neat clothes that I've always worn in the dining room. I "pass," because I am dressed as though I cared how I looked, and that is all that is necessary. Show that you took the time and trouble to make a decent appearance. That has always worked for me on HAL and I have NEVER been turned away at the dining room or been refused service in a lounge on formal night.

 

More's the pity. You SHOULD have been turned away, and that's the problem. I have seen people turned away from the Rotterdam dining room on formal nights, and believe it should happen more often.

 

Just because you didn't actually HEAR the words "You Sir, are an insensitive boor" doesn't mean that they weren't being constantly 'beamed' at you from 360 degrees. Because we're too polite to point out your rudeness you also pretend it hasn't happened, and you continue to perpetuate it? <SIGH>

 

Probably you actually take much better care in dressing than you suggest in your post. At least wearing a dark blazer, tie & white shirt I'll bet.

 

Perhaps it is time that some cruise lines reinstate 'Class' areas. Honestly, people pay a HUGE disparity for certain staterooms, and they should be entitled to a traditional 'Cruise Experience' when choosing a 'Traditional' line such as Holland America - a company that helped pioneer the vacation Cruise industry.

 

Leave the Jeans & Polo nights to the Celebrity, Disney & Carnival lines. Let us more traditional cruisers enjoy a more traditional cruise experience - Including formal nights!

[mudscraper]

Look out for flyin`lead.

 

 

Rich

[WhansaMi]

Not anymore, I don't. It's SOP on the dress code threads.

 

What I find ironic, though, is that those who claim not to notice what others wear, post offense that others do.

 

It really isn't ironic if you understand that some of us believe that what people post is a much better measure of the content of someone's character than what they wear to dinner.

 

My first HAL cruise was a 12-day Baltic cruise this summer. As bought clothes for the trip I looked at several factors, primary among them being how well they traveled, and how comfortable I would be in them. In a nod to the traditional, I took one very sparkly, very formal, dress. Otherwise, I dressed more casually -- still nice things, but in jersey or other forgiving fabrics. (I did have a good laugh one night when I was talking with another lady in a very fancy dress, and I realized my Rachel Pally jersey dress was $50 more expensive than her very formal attire!)

 

Did I notice that some were more dressed up than I was? Sure. There were also some who were less dressed up. (And both were at our table for ten!) Ultimately, however, what I remember was the conversations we had and the laughs we all shared. I hope that is what they all remember, as well.

 

Sheila

[barbon2]

When I started this post I was just making an observation about my recent formal night experience. The point I was trying to make was that most people did not appear in formal attire. At no point did I state that the passengers were in shorts, jeans, etc., there just was not an abudance of strictly formal clothing.

Even if HAL were to relax the formal night clothing dress code, I do think that the type of passenger that HAL attracts would still dress respectfully in the evening. On non-formal/casusal dress evenings, everyone was dressed appropriately, I saw very very few in shorts, etc. My point of this post was not to state that people want to wear their pj's to dinner, I just think society in general is less formal and people are dressing less formally.

As another poster stated, even most top rated restaurants in big cities (I live outside of Philly), have relaxed their dress codes.

I do not think if formal attire were an option it would berate HAL in any way shape for form. HAL still attracts a certain niche, however, with the aging to their passengers I think the line is trying to attract new pax and will try to accomodate the lifestyle of a different generation.

Barbara

[DFD1]

Plenty of formal shirts around here. Here being the ultimate fly-over country.

 

As for formal on board, the airlines are taking care of that with the new baggage restrictions.

 

It may not matter on cruises long enough for HAL to ship your luggage to the ship as part of your cruise price, but on the others, the clock is ticking and formal night in the original sense of the words is going away pretty fast.

 

That's the reason the formal rental shops on board have sprung up in the last few years. The cruise lines are trying to turn a disadvantage into a profit center.

 

IMO, only

[tompeter]

Hi HALFANS, just FYI, I'm pretty sure KRYOS is female.;)

[HALFans]

Hi HALFANS, just FYI, I'm pretty sure KRYOS is female.;)

 

Well, that's a horse of a different color!

 

There are more degrees to women's clothing than there are on ANY thermometer...

 

and no Gentleman EVER disparages what a Lady wears.

[altosax]

<delete>

[twinkletoes4445]

When I started this post I was just making an observation about my recent formal night experience. The point I was trying to make was that most people did not appear in formal attire. At no point did I state that the passengers were in shorts, jeans, etc., there just was not an abudance of strictly formal clothing.

 

This is exactly what we noticed on our first HAL cruise. We saw very few tuxes and gowns on formal nights. We saw lots of suits, jackets/ties, dresses, nicer slacks outfits, etc.

 

For the casual evenings, we saw even more casual attire than I expected. Lots of Capri sets and Hawaiian shirts/Dockers.

[Boytjie]

Good deals on homes also? One-stop shopping?:)

 

No, not the same Century 21. :D

[Copper10-8]

Now then......................are we having fun yet? :rolleyes:

[Copper10-8]

No, not the same Century 21. :D

 

Got ya!;)

[pipedreams62]

Now then......................are we having fun yet? :rolleyes:

 

 

 

[Pam in CA]

Yeah, but they're "suggesting" less and less formality these days ... and even when they do, many people are ignoring the "suggestion." Many other cruise lines have already stopped formal nights, and only make them "optional" formal nights now.

 

Society's mores are changing ... and the cruise lines, including HAL, will change too. I think the only reason Cunard still holds fast to tradition is because they are a British line and the formality is a part of their overall heritage. Since many of their regular passengers are Europeans, and overall more formal anyway, Cunard will probably be the last line to ever ease up on the formal traditions.

In general, I agree with you but I believe that it's Americans who are pushing for the change and who have become a nation of "casual Friday" every day of the week fans. If you go on a ship that has a majority of European cruisers, for instance (and it doesn't have to be Cunard), you'll find a more formal standard of dress, even on Smart Casual evenings.

 

I don't own a formal outfit. But I do own nice, neat clothes that I've always worn in the dining room. I "pass," because I am dressed as though I cared how I looked, and that is all that is necessary. Show that you took the time and trouble to make a decent appearance. That has always worked for me on HAL and I have NEVER been turned away at the dining room or been refused service in a lounge on formal night.

I agree with you completely. While I do have formal, beaded gowns that I used to bring on cruises, I haven't done so in several years and leave them gathering dust in my closet. Instead, I wear a long black dress with a beaded or lacy shawl. I don't feel underdressed or that I'm not abiding by the guidelines.

 

On my recent Prinsendam cruise, there were quite a few people who wore casual clothes on formal night and were not turned away. One couple was sitting at the table next to us and they were way underdressed by any standard. I suspect they thought that As You Wish dining meant that they didn't have to dress formally. On Princess, there's a lot of confusion and TAs telling passengers that if they choose Anytime, they don't have to dress up so I'm guessing that the same is happening on HAL.

[fuzzywuzzy]

This is exactly what we noticed on our first HAL cruise. We saw very few tuxes and gowns on formal nights. We saw lots of suits, jackets/ties, dresses, nicer slacks outfits, etc.

 

For the casual evenings, we saw even more casual attire than I expected. Lots of Capri sets and Hawaiian shirts/Dockers.

 

I thought the exact opposite. We saw many people in formal dress, long dresses, tux's, dark suits on our last HAL cruise this year. It was very nice. Now I don't know how anyone can say "most" people because I'm sure we don't see mostly all the passengers in one formal night but just by seeing those in the diningroom and having photos taken, etc., there seemed to be quite a few that were dressed formally. No one really knows how many as a percentage of the whole. I guess it varies from ship to ship. We enjoy dressing up but I also don't judge those who do not. To each his own.

[twinkletoes4445]

I thought the exact opposite. We saw many people in formal dress, long dresses, tux's, dark suits on our last HAL cruise this year. It was very nice. Now I don't know how anyone can say "most" people because I'm sure we don't see mostly all the passengers in one formal night but just by seeing those in the diningroom and having photos taken, etc., there seemed to be quite a few that were dressed formally. No one really knows how many as a percentage of the whole. I guess it varies from ship to ship. We enjoy dressing up but I also don't judge those who do not. To each his own.

 

Well, this is my observation from our cruise. We were on the top level, right at the railing and we saw very few tuxes and long dresses (either on our level or below). We also noticed this when we were out and about after dinner. People weren't dressed up nearly as much as I thought they would be. In fact, hubby commented that he was glad he didn't bring a tux as he would have felt out of place. And not that those few that were wearing tuxes felt out of place, to each his own, this was just how my hubby felt.

 

I was also so happy that I'd brought along more casual clothes because the clothing I had planned on wearing for casual evenings was way too dressy.

 

I personally believe that formal nights are on the way out, or will become optional. I personally don't care what others do. If you like to dress, go for it. We're not taking along any formal wear, however, we do abide by the dress code. We'll dine in our cabin or in the Lido on formal nights. This isn't really an issue for us, nor are we trying to encourage HAL to discontinue formal nights.

 

Like you say, to each his own. :)

[RevNeal]

Well, that's a horse of a different color!

 

There are more degrees to women's clothing than there are on ANY thermometer...

 

and no Gentleman EVER disparages what a Lady wears.

 

I'll refrain from comment ... other than to point out that she signs her posts "Rita."

The last time I looked, Rita wasn't usually used by guys. :)

[TMJplus1]

We travel light. It is nice, very nice. We each have a 20 inch carry on, no checking baggage, no waiting for bags, no luggage hassel at getting off, first off the ship. We can go for a month that way.;)

:)

 

That is incredible - I would love to see your packing list if you wouldn't mind sharing! I have always enjoyed purposely overpacking for cruises; just because it's always been my time with DH away from our busy life with 3 kids where I basically wear jeans and sneakers every day, and bringing all those clothes and shoes makes me feel extravagant. But with all those airline fees - plus (as you mentioned) the hassle of re-packing everything on the final night of the cruise - I am determined to pack a lot more lightly for our next cruise. Still not sure if I could fit it all in a 20" carry-on, though!

[RevNeal]

We travel light. It is nice, very nice. We each have a 20 inch carry on, no checking baggage, no waiting for bags, no luggage hassel at getting off, first off the ship. We can go for a month that way.;)

 

Also, we take clothes we are not crazy about. At the end, we leave them, the crew guys are poor, very poor, they will use the shoes, the clothes no matter what. They can even use an old suitcase.

 

Never check a bag and never wear a tux. Slax and a light sport coat, maybe a nice shirt. That is it. So often, workers and people want to know "where is your baggage". We have it right there.

 

So many cruisers at the last night, at dinner table, people laughing, "I have to go pack all the clothes I did not wear". How sad.:rolleyes:

 

We can pack in 5 minutes, try it, you may like it.:)

 

I assume you use the laundry frequently? I also assume you don't take camera equipment, a book or two to read, a lap top, or several medications. What do you do if your cruise has 2 or 3 different climate changes, demanding different kinds of clothing just for that? Or ... are you the type of people who would wear shorts outdoors in Antarctica?

[TMJplus1]

I personally believe that formal nights are on the way out, or will become optional. I personally don't care what others do. If you like to dress, go for it.

 

Excellent post! DH and I have a tradition of wearing our formal wear on the last night of the cruise and we always get a few startled looks but we don't care - we just do it because we love to dress up and feel like royalty on that last night before we go home and the formal wear goes back into the closet for another year (or 2 or 3)!

[RevNeal]

It really isn't ironic if you understand that some of us believe that what people post is a much better measure of the content of someone's character than what they wear to dinner.

 

I don't know about anyone else, but I don't consider the dress code, and how people dress relative to that code, a means for measuring the content of someone's character.

[altosax]

I'll refrain from comment ... other than to point out that she signs her posts "Rita."

The last time I looked, Rita wasn't usually used by guys. :)

 

Ah Reverend, your restraint is inspirational, indeed. :) Popcorn? Cognac?

[Jade13]

In general, I agree with you but I believe that it's Americans who are pushing for the change and who have become a nation of "casual Friday" every day of the week fans. If you go on a ship that has a majority of European cruisers, for instance (and it doesn't have to be Cunard), you'll find a more formal standard of dress, even on Smart Casual evenings. .

 

 

I have been saying this for months. If you travel on HAL in Europe you will find the Europeans much better dressed overall than Americans.

[Boytjie]

I have been saying this for months. If you travel on HAL in Europe you will find the Europeans much better dressed overall than Americans.

 

European tourists in the streets of New York are also better dressed (tourist-casual) than American tourists. :)