18 years after our 1st cruise we have officially given it up. The masses have won.

[Warm Breezes]

The MDR is considered formal dining. My experience has been that most people dress decent. On these boards I see a lot talk about shirts with open collar on elegent night but I see mostly guys with jacket and tie and the gals dressed nice.

 

On Carnival :confused: The waiters sing and dance on the table....how is that considered formal?? Carnival doesn't even call its Elegant nights Formal anymore. I haven't seen anyone dressed as poorly as some claim they do on Carnival...but the trend is definately moving away from "formal".

[GRAMMYTAN]

dh wears a tux usually on our first formal night, then suit on 2nd and i dress up too.

 

i love it when dh dresses up, and we both love it when the "dressed up" clothes get undressed lol. :D :eek:

 

 

I could not have said this better myself. In fact, I have made this same statement many times.;)

[Warm Breezes]

Nothing like going to diner on "elegant" night dressed up and your tablemates wearing thier tanks, shorts, flip flops and baseball caps.

 

Have you ever seen this??? Really??? 5 Carnival Cruises and I have never seen anything close to this.

[richstowe]

Which is why I suggested that the OP look at lines that might be more suited to his tastes--and one of the many reasons I would never choose CCL or NCL.

 

Then why are you posting on a CCL board :confused:

Let me take a stab at answering that. Because no matter how you fell about Carnival the cruise line,

the Carnival board is the funniest, busiest most interesting and maddening cruise line site on CC. No contest!

Are there yahoos and loons here? You betcha - Just part of the fun.:D

[Chris41]

Just wondering what some of the people would think if the cruise lines let the waiters and waitresses dress down. I've seen them getting off the ship for a few hours of well deserved time off - they all wear jeans and tee shirts and I'm sure they wouldn't mind not getting dressed up to serve the passengers who don't care what they wear. It's only my old person opinion, but I like the idea of dressing up on formal night - making it a special occasion for my wife and me. I own a tux and take it on cruises.

 

 

Thats a good point

[Chris41]

We can all outgrow, and often do outgrow certain types of vacation. Many moons ago, I was hooked on one particular Caribbean island, and would vacation there every year, and sometimes twice or three times a year. It practically became my second home. Then as the years passed, the quaint charm of the place began to fade. Changes occurred, (what some would call progress), but I dont. After about 20 years, I stopped going there. Still miss the old place, but it just aint what it used to be. I outgrew land vacations on that particular island, and began to venture out to others, and was glad for the change. I have been cruising now for 12 years, and am certainly not done with it yet, but the shine is starting to wear off. Just me though. Perhaps you just outgrew cruisng, or need to take a rest for a bit.

Cruising still some of the best vacation deals on the go in my opinion though.:)

 

This is exactly what my wife and I did this year. Instead of cruising we did the all inclusives in Jamaica. This was done for a couple reasons one of them being to see if it truly was the changes in what cruising is today compared to a few years ago or was it us. I guess we will have to see after we cruise for New Years this year.

The other reason is with the more stringent smoking restrictions cruising is becoming less enjoyable for us due to most smoking areas have little to no entertainment. At the all inclusives there were plenty of places for a smoker to just step outside to have a quick smoke or sit far enough away from others to not offend with the cigar smoke but still enjoy the music and when we walked back in our seat would still be available.

As I said these are some of the reasons we chose to try a different type of vacation this year and enjoyed all three all inclusives that we went to.

I am looking forward to our New Years cruise and hopefully the shine will be back.

 

 

No matter what cruising is still a good deal and a fun vacation so I hope everyone enjoys their next one

[mavis2222]

I think that would make everyone happy. But you know what? still there would people that would want to eat in the wrong dinning room just because.

 

I really do think that money has a lot to do with it. Someone said "it's not the sixties any more", but that has nothing to do with manners. If you have to fly to the port and can't pay to check a suitcase maybe you can't afford to cruise :rolleyes: that's part of the price of cruising.

 

Carnival would like everyone to dress up for dinner but they also want to please all the cruisers so they try to make everyone happy and let people dress or not dress.

 

Does anyone know if there ever was a poll asking if people dressed up or down for elegant night? If not maybe someone should.

 

I really don't care how you dress for elegant night as long as I don't have to see underarm hair or bare boobs. I will still dress and feel good about it.

 

Happy cruising to all :):):)

 

I normally wear a tux when im "driving" to the port. It has all the ships pins of prevoius cruises on the collar of my jacket, fun to "show off".

 

This cruise comming up, im Flying and I don feel like paying extra for checked garment bag, so i will wear somthing else nice that will go in my one suitcase with all my other stuff. Dont worry.. im not one of those "flip flop sleevless shirts" guys.. But i do like wearing kilts in place of shorts. No problem with those in Dinning Rooms.

[echo]

I sailed the seas of Freestyle and have never seen this in the MDR. Does it really happen or is there some exaggeration here (seriously)?

 

Yes it has happened to us once. On the 2nd Elegant nite, I think it was still called formal then. The ballcap was everynight. Table for 8, none of us knew each other. Half the table was dressed everynight nicely. The other half was hit or miss. "Ballcap couple" mostly wore thier dailyclothes to the MDR.

[echo]

I have seen kilts in the dining room, I love it. If you are being serious.

 

Carnival is relaxing its stance on the MDR. And that being the case people will follow. I have no issue with that, I have relaxed my attire also. I still wear a dressy dress on elegant nites, hubby wants to still wear a suit. Other nites I take a black pair of pants and wear different tops , hubby wears dockers and a polo. There have even been times on embarkation day that we go in our shorts depending on when our luggage gets to the room. But I think the point is that some of us miss the old way, thats all. I also miss real Presidents butter, having my crumbs swept away, and alot of other things. It is what is.

[Brenna's Mom1]

I guess my question is...why is it so important to some that "tradition" be adhered to and that "everyone else" should feel the need to keep up the pretense of formal night. Thousands of people who cruise today have no way of knowing what "formal" night used to be about. These people have never worn a ballgown or owned or even rented a tux...no event in their social circle has ever called for such a wardrobe. Once upon a time a "formal" was over the elbow gloves and top hat and tails with a diamond tiara thrown into the mix. Should we bow down and follow those traditions too.

[ducklite]

Then why are you posting on a CCL board :confused:

 

I saw the post and offered the OP a potential option that might be more suited to his style and demographic. It's a public forum, which means anyone can post, by the way.

[Warm Breezes]

I truly miss it though. We really loved the old style. It's not necessarily a bad thing. We pack way less. I now wear nice shorts and flip flops to dinner in the MDR. I was truly happy to see 2 guys getting turned away with sleeveless shirts on the 1st night. When jeans started to get through it pissed me off. I happen to think a nice short with a nice shirt looks better than jeans and sneakers, but that's just me. On my first cruises I actually wore a tux twice and a Dinner Jacket once on formal night. I LOVED it. Last week, I swear to you I saw not ONE tux on our Valor cruise. So sad. Mostly everyone was dressed very nicely on Elegant nights with many suits and, of course, the women went full out. Nary a bum in the MDR. Yet my outfit of slacks and dress shirt with no tie or jacket matched every other guy. My previously every night dress has now become "elegant". Forget about formal. I, of course, realize I can still dress to the nines. I just miss the tuxes. It's really strange. In my 30's I didn't want to get dressed up and I did. And in my 50's I want to get dressed up and I don't. Pathetic. Someone bring back tuxes PLEASE. I don't want to go on a stuffy line. Our line was way fun and we still dressed up. Oh well....

 

I saw the post and offered the OP a potential option that might be more suited to his style and demographic. It's a public forum, which means anyone can post, by the way.

 

I think you missed an important line in OP's post. He doesn't want to hang out with the stuffy people the cruiselines you thought were more suited for him attract. He just wants to dress up. To the OP I say if you want to dress up then dress up. You will stand out and look lovely. But others on your fun cruise like to be more casual and that is ok too (within the dress code). How anyone else dresses shouldn't have any bearing on how you and yours dress. If you want to sail on the fun ship then you need accept the dress code is more casual...most of Carnival's passengers want it that way.

[halos]

Then why are you posting on a CCL board :confused:

 

because there are no restrictions that say he can't.

[dave_k63]

I guess my question is...why is it so important to some that "tradition" be adhered to and that "everyone else" should feel the need to keep up the pretense of formal night. Thousands of people who cruise today have no way of knowing what "formal" night used to be about. These people have never worn a ballgown or owned or even rented a tux...no event in their social circle has ever called for such a wardrobe. Once upon a time a "formal" was over the elbow gloves and top hat and tails with a diamond tiara thrown into the mix. Should we bow down and follow those traditions too.

Those that have no respect for tradition, usually have none of their own.

[dave_k63]

I have seen kilts in the dining room, I love it. If you are being serious.

 

Carnival is relaxing its stance on the MDR. And that being the case people will follow. I have no issue with that, I have relaxed my attire also. I still wear a dressy dress on elegant nites, hubby wants to still wear a suit. Other nites I take a black pair of pants and wear different tops , hubby wears dockers and a polo. There have even been times on embarkation day that we go in our shorts depending on when our luggage gets to the room. But I think the point is that some of us miss the old way, thats all. I also miss real Presidents butter, having my crumbs swept away, and alot of other things. It is what is.

I bet a dollar if Prince Charles was in an elegant dining room on Cunard he would probably wear a kilt on at least one of the formal nights

[halos]

The best looking man I ever saw in the dinning room was dressed rich texan every night. On elegant night he was dressed to a T in elegant jacket, string tie etc. even a dress cowboy hat, that he took off at the table. He looked as good if not better then the men in tux's. I hope to see him again some day in the dinning room.

 

That sounds nice to me too :)

 

 

 

I have seen kilts in the dining room, I love it.

 

I love that as well!!! :)

 

 

 

 

I think you missed an important line in OP's post. He doesn't want to hang out with the stuffy people the cruiselines you thought were more suited for him attract. He just wants to dress up. To the OP I say if you want to dress up then dress up. You will stand out and look lovely. But others on your fun cruise like to be more casual and that is ok too (within the dress code). How anyone else dresses shouldn't have any bearing on how you and yours dress. If you want to sail on the fun ship then you need accept the dress code is more casual...most of Carnival's passengers want it that way.

I agree with you 100% here.

[Warm Breezes]

because there are no restrictions that say he can't.

 

Nope there isn't. But I sure don't understand it....thus the question mark. I wouldn't even think of going over to the Cunard Line thread, let alone posting on it. Why? Because I have never sailed on Cunard and have no intention currently of sailing on a Cunard ship, so I would have nothing of value to add to that thread regarding a Cunard Cruise. Ducklite has never sailed on CCL and has no intention of ever sailing on CCL (he said so himself). So why bother with us?? Just a qestion...nothing to get offended about.

[ducklite]

I think you missed an important line in OP's post. He doesn't want to hang out with the stuffy people the cruiselines you thought were more suited for him attract. He just wants to dress up. To the OP I say if you want to dress up then dress up. You will stand out and look lovely. But others on your fun cruise like to be more casual and that is ok too (within the dress code). How anyone else dresses shouldn't have any bearing on how you and yours dress. If you want to sail on the fun ship then you need accept the dress code is more casual...most of Carnival's passengers want it that way.

 

Excuse me, I offered ONE other cruise line option and it's not at all stuffy. Maybe you need to fact check before you try to flame someone in the future.

[ducklite]

I bet a dollar if Prince Charles was in an elegant dining room on Cunard he would probably wear a kilt on at least one of the formal nights

 

I'd rather see William wearing one. ;)

[ducklite]

Nope there isn't. But I sure don't understand it....thus the question mark. I wouldn't even think of going over to the Cunard Line thread, let alone posting on it. Why? Because I have never sailed on Cunard and have no intention currently of sailing on a Cunard ship, so I would have nothing of value to add to that thread regarding a Cunard Cruise. Ducklite has never sailed on CCL and has no intention of ever sailing on CCL (he said so himself). So why bother with us?? Just a qestion...nothing to get offended about.

 

It seems like you're the one getting offended when all I was trying to do was make a valid suggestion.

[sjn911]

My first of 5 -7 cruises..I have blanked out details like this in grief ( lost my "mom"-76...Sarah - 52 recently)..can not go through some things I hope come back..was age 20 on Epirotiki leaving out of Pireaus in Greece on a appx 4,500 ton ship that was an Irish commuter ship in the 50's at the start..she was Appollon II and I have got to learn to put her up for folks who like history..a few remember her here. Ok I was 20; the ship was around 30 then..she went down in a typhoon like a lot of people feel about the dress code.

 

We were served food on this tiny ship..waiter service to your plate..FANCY...but cabins were smaller and my inside one bunk from wall I would fall off of..seasick or not. I learned on Carnival Paradise in 2009..hey..this inside 1A is as big as the outside on Costa Riviera all with Portholes.

 

It was a seven day Greece and Holy Land. I am still in shock how my life has gone that I had one day in Cairo and one Day in Jerusalem.

 

On formal night we were 1980 warmer climate second week of a land/sea budget tour ship formal...LOL..ladies were church nice or long dress that top was halter top dressy ..casual dressy and guys were basically shirt and tie..a few coats..and we all were allowed to meet the Captain...Mom was only one who believed I will ever look that good again..LOL. Mine was a navy and white Greek print heavy cloth maxi wrap around skirt with matching halter top that i bought on a street fair on the trip that the ladies said would be ok..I still have the camara strap from those ladies whom I am now their age and treasure the elegant/casual of that trip and 7 albums from studying in France to a whole summer of travel photos...my dad says i have been everywhere..lol and memories are vague and I want more LOL..sigh...

 

Grass is always greener and and at the same time it "ain't the good old days" and I am guilty of being really disappointed during/after a long awaited 5 day Spirit Easter cruise in 2012 that I wish i could take again now to recoup with the mind i have now...even with all the cons that were there this time.

 

People have said great things about being able to share the pros and cons without being pounced on...

 

I love that usually the undershirts and cutoffs got turned away recently, but we all looked great somewhat uniformally more casual..I say that or something better for cruise elegant night as it goes now with a much more casually plated served meal is ok...very ok at price we pay and hopefully Carnival will get back the food level I experienced in 2009 on Paradise.

 

I am also ok with the dressy shorts all the way up to formal in dining room..country club casual I guess on "elegant nights" on a Carnival cruise. It would be a great idea if they had a formal dinner for the nines..but they just don't; now for sure...Sarah

[Bobby_Mac]

It's a freaking vacation! Wear what you want and don't be upset if others wear what they want.

 

Some wear suites for work and they may want to dress down for their VACATION. Some people don't own a tux or a suite and don't have a need for one. People on cruises, like everything else, come from different walks of life. Let them keep walking in their life as you walk along in yours.

[sjn911]

Very true...just look at the 1950's and 1960's, people used to get dressed up to go shopping. men used to wear hats and ties. Times have evolved and will continue to change....Someday we will reflect on the good old days of today.

Love the days of hats with suits..my grandad bought a 50's look hat for a suit the day he died in 1980...:)

[sjn911]

I'd rather see William wearing one. ;)

 

LOL...second that:o:).

[crusinpsychRN]

Guys without shirts in the Lido is so gross but they don't get it.