We are cruising to Alaska in August of '03 aboard a HAL ship. It will be difficult to get my husband into a tie for the two formal dinners. Are there other places to dine on the Zaandam besides room service??? Thanks.

Informal dining is provided on the Ledo from breakfast to dinner.

Will it really kill him to put a tie and jacket on for a couple of hours? You will be missing some fantastic meals. <BR>Why not threaten to go to dinner yourself and let him eat by himself.

Why make someone do something they don't want to or risk ruining a good time by making an issue out of it - esspecially while on vacation?

I just had a similar situation! I recently went on a cruise with my brother and sister-in-law. My brother didn't want to dress up. We brought along the tux and tie anyway. Thank goodness we had late seating! When he saw all the other men dressed up, he wanted to "fit in".<BR><BR>We were on the Carnival Pride. They had a buffet dinner on the Lido deck that was very popular with kids and teens and adults who didn't want to dress up. But the quality of the food was not the same as in the dining room. <BR><BR>Tell your husband it is only for two hours. He only has to wear a simple coat and tie, and a little "suffering" is worth getting superior service and cuisine.

J Corea,<BR><BR>Hubby is the one making an issue of it, not Heather. <BR><BR>I agree with Cathy. Pack a tie and jacket anyway. He might change his mind.

Hi Heather,<BR><BR>You really shouldn't eat in the buffet for both formal nights. Maybe once. You will miss the dining room meals, they are the best.<BR><BR>Paul

Starfish - I guess I should have been more clear. My comment was in response to your recommendation that Heather threaten to ditch her husband for the evenning if he doesn't dress up. I don't know about other families, but in my family, threats, guilt treatments, and the like don't go over all that well. Also, we view vacations as times to relax and if someone isn't comfortable doing something, then I don't feel that person should be guilted into doing it. Just my 2 cents.

Hi all!<BR>I have a few months to "work" on the issue!! Thanks for your input. I look forward to a wonderful cruise.<BR>Heather

J Correa,<BR><BR>This is a 2 way street. I don't see why Heather should have to miss out on the 2 best nights in the dining room because Hubby does not want to put on a tie and jacket. <BR>If hubby chooses not to put on a tie and jacket he can eat in the Lido, but Heather should not have to miss the two best nights. He can eat in the Lido and she can eat in the dining room. It is her vactaion also.<BR><BR>My husband does not always choose to do what I what. Fine with me, he sits in the Sports bar and I go see the show. He also does the "I want to relax" when we get into port occasionally. I still get off the ship and he stays on board, relaxing.<BR>It is his vacation too and I have no problem with this.<BR>We always have a wonderfull cruise.

Starfish - I didn't mean to start an agruement. Different things work for different people. If you believe the formal nights are the best nights and you and your husband have agreed to spend some time apart while on a cruise, then that is great. Whatever works for you. I guess I was just commenting about the recommendation that a woman "threaten" to go to dinner by herself if her husband doesn't do what she wants him to. I just don't think that power trips have any place on a vacation. If the couple talks about it and agrees to spend the evenning seperately, then great.

Marriage is compromise. She's not asking him to don a bra and be in the scavenger hunt(as mine did!) He can wear a tie for the duration of dinner. Maybe he's a control freak who has to get his own way. After all the years and sacrifices of marriage, is it really a big deal to dress up for your wife a couple of times? Shame on him.....he could earn big brownie points by looking superb and acting appropriately. And men wonder why women don't fall all over them at night.......

Or maybe the man wears a suit and tie every day to the office and doesn't want to tie a noose around his neck while on vacation. Who knows.

Yes there are plenty of people that do not wish to get dressed up when on vacation. To them I say sail Norwegian. You can wear shorts, halter tops and t'shirts. And don't forget your cap.<BR><BR>Paul

J Correa,<BR><BR>How about we use the word "tell" instead of "threaten"?

If you are sailing a HAL ship you really should dress for dinner. You only have to suffer for a couple of hours and then you can change out of your stuffy outfit. HAL advises you not to, but times are changing on HAL.<BR><BR>Paul

And our experience is that the food is better in the main dining room on HAL than in the Lido -- so put on a suite and enjoy!

The simple answer is YES

GOT A SUIT, LOOKS LIKE A TUX!!!!...READY TO GO. WOW ALL THIS DISCUSSION OVER A SIMPLE QUESTION. IT WAS INTERESTING. HAPPY SAILING TO ALL. WILL LET YOU KNOW RE: CRUISE COMPARISON. lEAVE ON NORWEGIAN LINES (SKY) END OF JANUARY FOR SOUTHERN CARRIBEAN.