Any Recent Westerdammers?

[Pather]

Going on Westerdam in July. There's been mention that jeans are allowed in dining room. Just looked at HAL site and it says no jeans, tank tops, etc., in dining room. Are the ships being more lax? Would bring fewer pants if I could wear jeans in dining room. Any recent experiences, especially Westerdam folks?

[suse]

We were in December. No jeans in dining room. I don't think you'd feel comfortable, even if it were allowed. I mean, it's a pretty formal feel to the dining room and I would feel very out of place in jeans. You could probably wear jeans in the Lido. I just don't bring jeans to cruises. I like to dress up!:D

[jtl513]

Going on Westerdam in July. There's been mention that jeans are allowed in dining room. Just looked at HAL site and it says no jeans, tank tops, etc., in dining room. Are the ships being more lax? Would bring fewer pants if I could wear jeans in dining room. Any recent experiences, especially Westerdam folks?

Where on the HAL site did you see this? This is what I find:

PLANNING & ADVICE

Clothing & Dress Code

Evening dress falls into two distinct categories: Formal or Smart Casual. Smart Casual can be defined as slacks and collared shirts for men and casual dresses, slacks and informal evening wear for women. T-shirts, swimsuits, tank tops and shorts are not allowed in the restaurants or public areas during the evening hours. On festive Formal evenings, ladies usually wear a suit, cocktail dress or gown and gentlemen wear a jacket and tie, dark suit or tuxedo. There are approximately two formal nights per week.

 

I did not edit that, and there is no mention of jeans. Jeans are now allowed in the dining room at night.

[TazzMann]

My wife and I were on the Westerdam May 31 - June 7. We didn't see any jeans in the Dining Room. I'm not saying that there were NO jeans. We just didn't notice if there were or not. We were too busy enjoying our cruise to worry about others.

 

TazzMann

[pms4104]

Where on the HAL site did you see this? This is what I find:

 

PLANNING & ADVICE

 

Clothing & Dress Code

 

Evening dress falls into two distinct categories: Formal or Smart Casual. Smart Casual can be defined as slacks and collared shirts for men and casual dresses, slacks and informal evening wear for women. T-shirts, swimsuits, tank tops and shorts are not allowed in the restaurants or public areas during the evening hours. On festive Formal evenings, ladies usually wear a suit, cocktail dress or gown and gentlemen wear a jacket and tie, dark suit or tuxedo. There are approximately two formal nights per week.

 

I did not edit that, and there is no mention of jeans. Jeans are now allowed in the dining room at night.

Following is from HAL's Packing for Alaska area:

Dinner Dress

There are three smart casual and two formal evenings on every seven-day cruise. Please note, informal wear or formal wear is recommended at the Pinnacle Grill at all times.

Informal nights - sport jackets for men and dress slacks, casual dresses or skirts for women

Formal nights - jacket and tie required or tuxedo suggested for men, cocktail dress or gown for women

Please note: Your daily program will contain a notice of the dress for each evening. Jeans, t-shirts, hats, shorts, tank tops, swimwear and workout attire are not permitted in the dining room or Pinnacle Grill at any time, but are allowed in the Lido restaurant.

Sadly, the inconsistency likely is due to poor website proofreading rather than an actual difference in dress code based on itinerary. Altho there is mention of Smart Casual, there is no indication as to what might be appropriate. Also, if there are Smart Casual nights and a mention of Informal attire ... yep, the proofreaders aren't on the ball.

[dandro]

We just got off the Westerdam a few days ago, didn't notice any jeans in the dining room (not that I really paid a whole lot of attention). On the smart formal night, most people dressed similarly to what they would wear to an office job or church. On formal nights, most people were dressed formally.

 

Just because the dress code on the HAL website does not mention that jeans are forbidden doesn't mean that they are acceptable. It does state "slacks" which rules out jeans.

 

So, therefore, jeans are NOT acceptable attire in the dining room. They do not fall into the category of smart casual.

 

Afterthought: Jeans take more room in suitcases than slacks/dockers, so I would suggest bringing a couple pairs of jeans and couple pairs of slacks. Change the tops, and you have enough outfits for a 7 day cruise.

[Pather]

John is correct. I swear I checked that same FAQ area just recently and jeans were listed with tank tops, etc.. I thought the sentence said dining room, no reference to evening. Wonder if they just changed it. I was thinking more of wearing jeans for lunch in the dining room when open. I'd prefer slacks for dinner.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

OK not that I was noticing but there were a LOT of people with jeans on. Even our first formal night there were 2 couples I would place them in their late 20's to early 30's that came into the dining room and sat not far from us that were wearing jeans and hoodies on yes Formal night. I have to admit I even wore jeans on the day of Glacier Bay with a nice sweater in the evening to the dining room and no one said a word.(my jeans were dressy not faded and dark in color) While I would never wear jeans on a Caribbean or Mexican Riviera cruiseat night in the dining room, in Alaska you will find far more people that do not dress up and it has an over all more relaxed feel. Also the first Formal night tends to be the night they test to see how dressed up people will get and save their best clothes for the 2nd formal night ;)

[TravelSavvyInc]

Going on Westerdam in July. There's been mention that jeans are allowed in dining room. Just looked at HAL site and it says no jeans, tank tops, etc., in dining room. Are the ships being more lax? Would bring fewer pants if I could wear jeans in dining room. Any recent experiences, especially Westerdam folks?

I dislike jeans in dining rooms. Cruising is a luxurious experience and jeans dumb it down a bit.

 

I suggest that you complain to HAL. They take every complaint into account.

[Greg LaRose]

I go on a cruise to relax and I go to the dinnig room for the food and the service not to watch who is wearing jeans I could careless, there are far worst things in life.

[TibbieMom]

I dislike jeans in dining rooms. Cruising is a luxurious experience and jeans dumb it down a bit.

 

It sounds to me like you're a bit too judgmental to be considered objective. Jeans are not "dumb," they're comfy and practical. If you don't like them, that's one thing, but to criticize is another. I hope I'm never on a cruise with you. :)

[YeaYeaYea]

I dislike jeans in dining rooms. Cruising is a luxurious experience and jeans dumb it down a bit.

 

I suggest that you complain to HAL. They take every complaint into account.

 

I was on a cruise and it was a HAL ship and a man came in on formal night with dockers sneakers t-shirt some kind of jacket and to top it off he had the Paper with him, it made my dinner feel like we were at someones backyard party. I was almost to the point of saying somthing but :confused: when I looked at the guy he must of had 9 drinks with dinner and was kind of sad looking, all wasted..............I like the dressup part of formal night it's what you pay for and when walking the shops at night it have a .....FEEL.... all its own !!!

[Krazy Kruizers]

I dislike jeans in dining rooms. Cruising is a luxurious experience and jeans dumb it down a bit.

 

I suggest that you complain to HAL. They take every complaint into account.

 

I am with you on this one!!

I also dislike jeans -- period!!

Don't own any and definately do not feel that they should be on a cruise.

Where we come from -- jeans belong on the farm!!

JMO

[mrsltg]

It sounds to me like you're a bit too judgmental to be considered objective. Jeans are not "dumb," they're comfy and practical. If you don't like them, that's one thing, but to criticize is another. I hope I'm never on a cruise with you. :)

 

She didn't say jeans were dumb. She said they dumb down the appearance referring specifically to the dining room ambiance. I couldn't agree more. Jeans are wonderful for certain times and places. A more formal cruise dining room is not one of those places. Isn't hoping you're never on a cruise with the poster a little judgmental? You've decided this poster is not worth your time because they are not in favor of jeans in a dining room?

 

I'll freely admit I'm judgmental based upon how a person is dressed in a given situation. Dressing to a standard shows respect for the other people (you know, the ones who aren't YOU!) around you. Of course people lose luggage and other things happen. However, a group showing up dressed in jeans to a formal dinner is essentially giving the entire dining room the finger. I don't appreciate it, and I was raised better.

[TibbieMom]

She didn't say jeans were dumb. She said they dumb down the appearance referring specifically to the dining room ambiance. I couldn't agree more. Jeans are wonderful for certain times and places. A more formal cruise dining room is not one of those places. Isn't hoping you're never on a cruise with the poster a little judgmental? You've decided this poster is not worth your time because they are not in favor of jeans in a dining room?

 

I'll freely admit I'm judgmental based upon how a person is dressed in a given situation. Dressing to a standard shows respect for the other people (you know, the ones who aren't YOU!) around you. Of course people lose luggage and other things happen. However, a group showing up dressed in jeans to a formal dinner is essentially giving the entire dining room the finger. I don't appreciate it, and I was raised better.

 

My comment was made to a specific person. Hers was to the general public. There's a difference.

 

I'm really surprised by the huge amount of concern/judgment over what others are wearing. Really, I'm almost shocked. Is your good time really ruined by some guy wearing jeans in the dining room? You should be having enough fun on your own without worrying about trivial things like this. I couldn't care less what anyone else wears (unless they were in their underwear). It doesn't affect me in any way. My food will taste the same regardless of whether someone is wearing jeans in the dining room.

 

These dress formality "rules" are carry-overs from years ago. Love it or hate it, the US in general is becoming more relaxed when it comes to dress codes. No matter what someone's wearing, their money all spends the same. I think the younger generations will put the nails in the coffins on rules like these, and frankly, they have my blessing, even tho I'm not one of them.:D

[IRL_Joanie]

My comment was made to a specific person. Hers was to the general public. There's a difference.

 

I'm really surprised by the huge amount of concern/judgment over what others are wearing. Really, I'm almost shocked. Is your good time really ruined by some guy wearing jeans in the dining room? You should be having enough fun on your own without worrying about trivial things like this. I couldn't care less what anyone else wears (unless they were in their underwear). It doesn't affect me in any way. My food will taste the same regardless of whether someone is wearing jeans in the dining room.

 

These dress formality "rules" are carry-overs from years ago. Love it or hate it, the US in general is becoming more relaxed when it comes to dress codes. No matter what someone's wearing, their money all spends the same. I think the younger generations will put the nails in the coffins on rules like these, and frankly, they have my blessing, even tho I'm not one of them.:D

 

 

IF I wanted to see someone or be in jeans in the main dining room I'd go on a Disney cruise or one that does not care how dressed a person is in their 3, 4 or 5 star restaurants.

 

When I am on a HAL ship I EXPECT a person to dress according to the rules/standards of the Cruise Line.

 

Let's make a small comparison. You have a very formal wedding, you expect all of your guests to dress as if they are coming to a semi formal affair, i.e., women dressed like they are in their Sunday best. Men dressed in nice Dockers or suit (tie optional.) Instead you get a guest or 2 that come to the wedding dressed in blue jeans or tatty shorts and T-Shirts... Hmmm. What kind of memories would you have of that event?? CRAPPY!!! You'd ALWAYS remember the guest who came as not caring enough about you and or the event instead of a 100% happy event with nothing to distract from it.

 

Basically it comes down to class or lack of caring. You want to wear jeans for dinner, go to another cruise line. I want the class I choose!!!

[TibbieMom]

Let's make a small comparison. You have a very formal wedding, you expect all of your guests to dress as if they are coming to a semi formal affair, i.e., women dressed like they are in their Sunday best. Men dressed in nice Dockers or suit (tie optional.) Instead you get a guest or 2 that come to the wedding dressed in blue jeans or tatty shorts and T-Shirts... Hmmm. What kind of memories would you have of that event?? CRAPPY!!! You'd ALWAYS remember the guest who came as not caring enough about you and or the event instead of a 100% happy event with nothing to distract from it.

 

Basically it comes down to class or lack of caring. You want to wear jeans for dinner, go to another cruise line. I want the class I choose!!!

 

You couldn't have said it any better than that, and I was waiting for it.

 

"Basically it comes down to class or lack of caring."

 

Having "class" (or the lack thereof) isn't related to lack of caring. Having "class" is basically saying "I'm better than you are," or "I'm of a higher social status than you are." Who assigns that? You? A bigger question is, "Who cares anymore?" Paris Hilton wears designer clothes, but you can rest assured she doesn't have any "class." As the saying goes, "Money does not make the man."

 

A lack of caring, in this case, is just that. It's not caring what anyone of ANY social "class" thinks of the way you dress. There are way more important things in life to concern yourself with.

 

"What kind of memories would you have of that event?? CRAPPY!!! You'd ALWAYS remember the guest who came as not caring enough about you and or the event instead of a 100% happy event with nothing to distract from it."

 

And about the wedding you mentioned... If the people you referred to were people I personally invited to my wedding, I'd be way happier to see them than I would be caring about what they were wearing. IN NO WAY would they affect my memories of the day, except for the fact that they were THERE.

 

..."the guest who came as not caring enough about you...."

 

My perspective of this is 180 degrees different than yours. The fact that this guest CAME to my wedding would show they cared about me. Whatever they're wearing is irrelevant.

 

One last thing. Something in your earlier post keeps going through my mind.

 

"I don't appreciate it, and I was raised better."

 

So, what you're saying is that you were raised to judge people by what they wear, rather than by who or what they are as a person. If it were me, I wouldn't be bragging about something like that. Seriously.

[Willsot]

On my July cruise on the Eurodam we experienced lost luggage. For formal nights, HAL was nice enough to provide complimentary formal wear. On most other nights I had to wear my jeans in the dining room. They were a khaki color vs. blue and I wore different polo shirts that I purchased in ports, but I personally felt out of place wearing jeans in the dining room. It was a European cruise and the majority of passengers were from the UK and dressed very nicely. I did not purchase slacks because we expected our luggage to arrive at each port. (Fortunately, my DW received her suitcase on day six. I did not receive mine until our final port).

[fun_seeker]

This thread is in serious danger of disintegrating into personal attacks, which is not a good thing. Let's calm down people, please.

[jtl513]

Whether you agree or disagree, the simple fact is that jeans are allowed in the dining room on non-formal nights, and you may see them on occasion.

[IRL_Joanie]

You couldn't have said it any better than that, and I was waiting for it.

 

Thank you for this!

 

One last thing. Something in your earlier post keeps going through my mind.

 

"I don't appreciate it, and I was raised better."

 

So, what you're saying is that you were raised to judge people by what they wear, rather than by who or what they are as a person. If it were me, I wouldn't be bragging about something like that. Seriously.

 

I did not say that, that was Post#14

 

BUT I do agree with that post and could not agree more.

 

Now, since I do not wish to cause anymore controversy, I am not saying another word on this subject. My statement stands for itself and i will stick to it and leave subject alone.

[RuthC]

A thread over two and a half months old got resurrected to start a fight??? Very poor form, TibbieMom. Very poor. :rolleyes:

[Willsot]

[

So, what you're saying is that you were raised to judge people by what they wear, rather than by who or what they are as a person. If it were me, I wouldn't be bragging about something like that. Seriously.

 

You have every right to your opinion, but I'm not sure that this is completely fair. With this line of thinking, do you believe that there should be no dress code? Would it also be wrong to question somebody choosing to wear shorts and tank tops in the dining room? What about swimwear or workout clothing right from the fitness center? A swimsuit covered by a HAL robe? If I were to disagree, I would be accused of judging a person by what they wear, rather than who or what they are as a person, correct?

 

You "couldn't care less what anyone else wears (unless they were in their underwear)." Seriously?

 

The published dress code for 21 Club in Manhattan: "Jeans and sneakers are not permitted. Jackets are necessary for gentlemen with ties preferred at dinner."

Why do you think that they (and other restaurants) choose to perpetuate such archaic ways of thinking?

[TibbieMom]

Whether you agree or disagree, the simple fact is that jeans are allowed in the dining room on non-formal nights, and you may see them on occasion.

 

Thank you! :D

[TibbieMom]

A thread over two and a half months old got resurrected to start a fight??? Very poor form, TibbieMom. Very poor. :rolleyes:

 

You're entitled to your opinion, as I am entitled to mine. Your post didn't exactly contribute to the discussion, now did it?