A Word About Formal Night Appearance

[tuckmics]

[FONT=Calibri][SIZE=3]Rita,[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Calibri][SIZE=3]I absolutely agree. I don’t want to seem like some bohemian…I would never wear shorts and flip flops anywhere, including the Lido (or for that matter, most places I go at home). And not withstanding HALs (or any cruise line’s) need to bring in the $$$, I really believe that the dress code needs to reflect the cruise. Alaska (and the NW in general) is a more casual place. While I agree that on formal nights , folks should wear appropriate clothes TO THE DINING ROOM; since we will forgo that experience, I don’t think we should be relegated to our cabin. Having said that, if we were sailing the Med, then yes, I would comply with the much more formal expectations. And make no mistake, if we were planning on eating in the dining room, we would certainly dress the part. But we are taking this cruise for relaxation and to decompress…my mother passed away last month…so we don’t want to be bothered with dressing up, dealing with party people, kids, noise, etc. HAL seemed like the best option. We will certainly refrain from embarrassing ourselves and fellow passengers.:)[/SIZE][/FONT]

[kryos]

[quote name='RuthC'][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=royalblue]HAL still makes that request. It's compliance and enforcement that is lacking. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE]
LOL ... remember ... cha ching!

Blue skies ...

--rita

[kryos]

[quote name='skayebs']Why go on vacation and have to dress formally for dinner? No reason to do so unless you want to.[/QUOTE]
Let me tell you, I discovered the absolute joys of the Lido on my last cruise. The dining room was way too slow for me ... and while I realize that some people enjoy lingering over a meal, I just am not one of them. To me, an hour is more than enough time for dinner, dessert, coffee, etc. I have other things I want to do in the evenings. Not sit in a dining room. The Lido served my needs absolutely perfectly, and I thoroughly enjoyed eating there ... and probably ate there about 75 to 80% of my dinners, with the other 20% being divided between the dining room (casual nights) and the Pinnacle Grill.

On this cruise coming up, and the one next year, I plan to bring just about NOTHING that's formal, other than perhaps my famous "reinstone-studded" tee-shirt and a pair of velvet pants. Other than that, it's all nice casual wear for me, and Lido dining at its finest!

Blue skies ...

--rita

[Copper10-8]

[quote name='Harry1954']I...................Americans use to believe in the rule of law and justice prevailing. Unfortunately for some, this is out the window and it is every person for themselves .. it is the themselves crowd that is the [U]problem[/U] and yes, Copper, it is a problem - not one that I intend to attempt to police - but still one anyway. For when rules are allowed to be broken anarchy reigns. Hence, the dining room manager should attempt to properly enforce the rules or else GET RID of them.

.........................harry[/quote]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=navy]I hear ya, Harry! Lookie here, people wil be people, very hard to change that! Some will dress to the max, some will compensate, some don't like dressing but still book HAL. To each his/her own, what's mamma gonna do?:eek: The problem with it (those who don't abide - for whatever reason - by the suggested dress code) being a problem for 'some' others that do is that HAL is not consistent with enforcing that same dress code they put out. The examples given here, observed by many in person, are that, on formal nights, they (the DR managers/asst drm/area sups) either will send fine folks back to their respective room(s) to retrieve a jacket and/or tie and then come on back and try it again, prety please, OR they will allow fine folks wearing jeans/t-shirts/wife beaters, you name it, in that mother of all dining rooms dressed as such to partake in a five course dinner. Problemas? Si Senor![/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=navy][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=navy]'Cause.............doing that, being inconsistent, creates confusion, gives fine folks the impression that "no one told me anything so I'm good to go wearing whatever and I'll just do that again next time, thank you very much, can I have another". Until HAL decides to enforce their "code", we all here, can talk about it until all the cows come home, ain't gonna change a thing. When this thread closes, we'll just wait for the next one![/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=navy][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=navy]Now, why doesn't HAL enforce 'da code' and/or provide consistent back-up for their managers/sups who do do? Because HAL, like any other cruise line, doesn't want/like/prefer confrontations with pax that will, no doubt, follow when some fine folk are told "plesae go back to where you came from, and try again, Charlie". Confrontations lead to bad feelings/shouting matches at the front office/'wait 'till I get home'/who do you think you are? I paid for this trip, you know", etc. and bad feelings lead to "I'm going to Crystal next time"[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=navy][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=navy]So, that puts us back at square one! Next! :) [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[notree]

[quote name='FNSIII']Copper... I am 10-7, 10-42. Retired Highway Patrol[/QUOTE]

Texas DPS

[Copper10-8]

[quote name='notree']Texas DPS[/quote]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=navy]Them guys with those funny hats and those red shoulder muh patches that talk about stuff like "I'm fixing to write you a ticket for runnin' that dire stop sign yonder by the Diree Queen, y'ear?;)[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=navy] [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[pipedreams62]

[quote name='Copper10-8'][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=navy]Until HAL decides to enforce their "code", we all here, can talk about it until all the cows come home, ain't gonna change a thing. When this thread closes, we'll just wait for the next one![/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[/quote]


Let's invent a "Countdown Clock" till the next dress code thread.

[DizzyDallasDi]

[quote name='Copper10-8'][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=navy]Them guys with those funny hats and those red shoulder muh patches that talk about stuff like "I'm fixing to write you a ticket for runnin' that dire stop sign yonder by the Diree Queen, y'ear?;)[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[/quote]

LOL...I can hear that like it was yesterday. Oh my, it WAS yesterday. :D

Diane (lives in Texas)

[Down-Unders]

If your luggage is missing hire a suit, stay in your cabin or use the lido.



:):):):):)

[coffeeclutch1]

The cruiseline misplaced my husband's luggage, and RCC gave him a complimentary tux. They also gave free laundry vouchers but he decided he didn't want to streak around the ship till clothes were returned. Finally found his bag in crew's luggage.:)

[lettienets]

[quote name='kryos']But he said ... regardless of how he handles it, he gets some gruff from someone, and it's always a losing battle for him since someone will always complain no matter how he chooses to handle it.
Blue skies ...
--rita[/quote]
Whether he gets gruff or not from somebody is not the issue, he has a job to do and gets paid for it , so he should just do his job.

[velotaco]

We have also had late luggage and have learned a few tricks to packing. My wife is four foot nine and less then a hundred pounds, so if she loses her luggage, there is no way she is going to find something that fits her on board. Well, mabe a kids T-shirt:)

We now pack a basic array of clothes in our carry-on to include something that would not get too frowned upon in the MDR.

We split all are clothes amongst all suit cases so that if any one goes missing, we still both have something to wear.

Always arrive a day or so before the cruise. We do this more to explore the city we will be leaving from, but it also gives a little leeway in case your luggage is late, or you need to buy a few things.

Travel wearing what we would wear on the ship.

[cruisinjudy]

[quote name='fridayeyes']LOL!! OMG, don't get me started. I have a kid in grade school right now.

"Teacher, teacher! He's holding a book in line." I kid you not. My child was spoken to for holding/reading a book. Can't let 'em read books in school, you know. It might lead to independent thinking and then where would we be??[/quote]

As a past teacher, I can see where this could be a rule. When we left the library with library books the rule was to hold your books a certain way. This was to avoid such things as first graders walking along "reading " their book and running into a pole. Yes it has happened. Also it was to teach the proper way to carry a book while walking. Young children tend to think of many things as play things. They would use the book to hit the child ahead of them , try to hold the book by a few pages, anything they could think of, Instead of going through all the things they shouldn't do with the book while walking it is easier for them to understand a simple way to hold the book. When we got back to the classroom it was time to read the book. So please consider what the circumstances were before you question your child being asked to not read in line.

[fridayeyes]

[quote name='cruisinjudy']As a past teacher, I can see where this could be a rule. When we left the library with library books the rule was to hold your books a certain way. This was to avoid such things as first graders walking along "reading " their book and running into a pole. Yes it has happened. Also it was to teach the proper way to carry a book while walking. Young children tend to think of many things as play things. They would use the book to hit the child ahead of them , try to hold the book by a few pages, anything they could think of, Instead of going through all the things they shouldn't do with the book while walking it is easier for them to understand a simple way to hold the book. When we got back to the classroom it was time to read the book. So please consider what the circumstances were before you question your child being asked to not read in line.[/QUOTE]

It's off topic to go into it further, really, but I'm a once and future teacher myself. As much as I like to support my colleagues, and as valid as your point is, there are indeed times when a particular child and a particular teacher just don't mesh well. This was one of those cases, and when my son was moved to a different room the problems disappeared.

Re: walking into a pole - I've done something very similar myself, and as an adult. ;)

[Nancyquilts]

[quote name='michmike']laffin.. well I'm a 12 yr old trapped in a 61 yr old's body, so wasn't too impressed when I was in the library a month or so ago and this 7 yr old girl was patiently waiting as her mom looked thru the video rental ring binder and the little girl tugged on mom and exclaimed.. "Mom! That old man has 7 books!"

I sulked the rest of the day.[/quote]
I hate to be the one to tell you, but it gets worse.:D Eventually you'll be much older and trapped in a 61 yr old's body. But it beats the alternative.

[Nancyquilts]

[quote name='Copper10-8'][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=navy]Confrontations lead to bad feelings/shouting matches at the front office/'wait 'till I get home'/who do you think you are? I paid for this trip, you know", etc. and bad feelings lead to "I'm going to Crystal next time"[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=navy] :) [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/quote]
I like that, John. I don't know if there's a Lido there open at night, so Crystal would probably refuse to let them eat anywhere except their cabin.:D

[cruisinjudy]

[quote name='fridayeyes'] As much as I like to support my colleagues, and as valid as your point is, there are indeed times when a particular child and a particular teacher just don't mesh well. This was one of those cases, and when my son was moved to a different room the problems disappeared.

Re: walking into a pole - I've done something very similar myself, and as an adult. ;)[/quote]


Yes okay gotcha.
And I too have walked into a pole!

[WhansaMi]

[quote name='tuckmics']First, I want to say that the reason we are sailing on HAL to Alaska is because it is highly recommended and meets our vacation needs (quiet, relaxing, possibly older clientele and less families/children, great service, etc). We had decided early on that we were not going to eat in the dining room on Formal Nights (and possibly not any other night). We don't want to carry formal attire on board. I'm sure I will be flamed for this, but will say it anyway. Comments by some seem to infer that if you don't want to "dress up" then you should sail on another cruise line. Well, sorry but we can sail on any cruise line we want. It isn't anyone's business. We certainly will have "appropriate" attire for the Smart Casual nights and will possibly eat in the dining room. However, as many have stated here, the discussion of Formal Night seems to revolve around the dining room but you see others discussing any public area of the ship. This is a vacation, not a Catholic School and the idea of these stringent dress codes are antiquated at best. No, I won't be wearing cut offs and baseball caps, but I am not going to be brow beaten into wearing tuxs or suits when I am strolling the deck or sitting in the lounge. I wouldn't dress that way at home and certainly won't be doing so on vacation. Folks need to realize that the world is more casual than it was in 1850 and we need to move along. In particular, the Pacific NW is more casual and you will rarely see people wearing tuxs and evening gowns to even the most "formal" events (and let me tell you that I have been to plenty). I realize that people, particularly from other parts of the country/world may not agree with that, but that is the way it is. For those who want to dress to the nines, please do, but do not place judgement on me.[/QUOTE]

Hear, hear!

You can cruise with me anytime... I'll even save you a seat at my, yes, dining room table on formal night!

[Boytjie]

[quote name='kryos']No, it most certainly isn't ... and even I ... a formal night "renegade" ... would not try that ... on either a formal OR a casual night. Simply put, it's over the top. But then, I would like to assume, the person walking into the dining room so dressed wouldn't make it past the matre 'd podium. It's his job to tell them they are not appropriately dressed, and I would imagine in a case such as this, he would.

Blue skies ...

--rita[/quote]

See, by going over the top what I was trying to point out is that everyone draws a line... the question is just where it is drawn. Those that draw the line at the actual dress code of the ship are quickly shot down here. Funny, isn't that? :confused:

[Boytjie]

[quote name='kryos'] Yes, it used to be that HAL requested you stay off the public decks on formal nights if you did not choose to dress formally, but today that no longer applies.[/quote]

Currently on HAL's website:
[INDENT][COLOR=Black]In order to complement your fellow guests, Holland America Line asks that you observe the suggested dress code throughout the entire evening.[/COLOR]
[/INDENT]


[quote]The Lido manager would kill the dining room manager if all of a sudden he had this huge influx of passengers showing up to eat ... people he is not staffed to handle ... all because the dining room manager sent them all packing. So, even as to the main dining room ... it's gonna depend on the cruise and how the majority of your fellow passengers decide to come dressed that evening.[/quote]

They monitor the various dining rooms and adjust servers if needed. On the first night of our cruise on the Eurodam I noticed waiters from Canaletto working in the dining room. When I later asked the Executive Culinary Officer about it he said they would redeploy waiters from one area to another as needed.

[WhansaMi]

[quote name='Down-Unders']If your luggage is missing hire a suit, stay in your cabin or use the lido.



:):):):):)[/QUOTE]

Stay in your cabin? Are you suggesting that the damage done to you by having to <gasp> SEE someone in a less than perfectly coiffed and attired state is more important than another passengers enjoyment of a dinner, or even a trip around the ship?

Wow.

I cruised on HAL last year. Longish European cruise. There were lots of things l loved about it and lots of things I would change. Primarily among the things I would change was the snobbishness I encountered on this board, and from a rare few on the ship.


My age was probably 20 years or so younger that the average, so maybe they were kinder to me because if that. I was also with a group that had chartered the boat, so that might also have contributed to it.


I work nice clothes for formal night, but wasn't dressed to the nines. A couple of the other nights, I didn't even change before dinner--- we hadnt been doing anything strenuous, so why not?

No one seemed to came.

And, those that need something to grouse about, well, I provided them with joy.


I did remember one old stalwart here before I left for the cruise, grousing and grumping about people who wear their robes to and from the spa. It came to mind because, one morning, as I went to get into our shower, I realized I had no water. An hour to our tour, and no way of showering.

So, I call to the purser's desk, where they suggest I go to the gym/spa. So, carrying all my toiletries, I do. Forgot my key, however. :-O After I was done, I had to walk in only my robe, hair up in towel, to the purser's desk to get a new key.

I hoped, THE WHOLE WAY DOWN and THE WHOLE WAY BACK that I'd run into that "nice" CruiseCritics guy. I figured this would have given him something to complain about for DAYS.

[Boytjie]

[quote name='skayebs']Why go on vacation and have to dress formally for dinner? No reason to do so unless you want to.[/quote]

Why then choose a cruise line that does not hide the fact that it has formal nights, rather that go with a causal cruise line that fits your vacation style? Do you go to that local restaurant with a dress code or do you go elsewhere?

[AZjohn]

[quote name='Boytjie']Why then choose a cruise line that does not hide the fact that it has formal nights, rather that go with a causal cruise line that fits your vacation style?[/quote]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3]HAL does offer casual dinning options every night now. There is no reason to tell someone to go to another cruise line:([/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3]John[/SIZE][/FONT]

[WhansaMi]

[quote name='Boytjie']Why then choose a cruise line that does not hide the fact that it has formal nights, rather that go with a causal cruise line that fits your vacation style? Do you go to that local restaurant with a dress code or do you go elsewhere?[/QUOTE]

There are lots of reasons to chose a particular ship at a particular time:
itinerary
ease of travel, or access to method of travel, to the ship
size of ship
enjoyment of special programs on the ship

I could go on and on. For some, the dress code is a salient feature. For others, it not.

[Boytjie]

[quote name='AZjohn'][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3]HAL does offer casual dinning options every night now. There is no reason to tell someone to go to another cruise line:([/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3]John[/SIZE][/FONT][/quote]

The poster was not complaining about formal dress code in the dining room (they ate in the Lido) but was unhappy with the more formal atmosphere on the ship. The poster also mentioned a desire for a more casual vacation. Why can I not inquire as to why they chose HAL rather than a more casual cruise line that would match their vacation style?

And I did not tell them to go to another cruise line, I asked why they chose one when it doesn't match their style.