I am feeling so liberated!

[adaptabl]

Same here. I have a few dresses and skirts, but am leaving the "fancy" dresses and high heels at home. I like to dress up for dinner, but that usually means a light weight dress or nice capri's and a blouse and strappy sandals or blinged out flip flops (not beach flip flops). More like the business casual that I wear to work. Unfortunately, I always seem to over pack because I like having options and I never know what kind of "dress" mood I will be in. :rolleyes:

 

My wife still brings the 6" heels but not for the dinning room.

[Karysa]

One really does have to be careful when reading others post not to include our own tone to a statement. How one expresses oneself online is so different than in person. We cannot hear the tone that was intended or was not intended. We should not read something into a statement that was never meant to be implied.

 

The :rolleyes: and ;) and :mad: do however help convey our message though.:)

[lovecarnivalcruises]

Unfortunately, most of us cannot read minds so what's written is all we have to go on. It's really up to the writer to make sure his/her intended meaning is clear.

 

As Nathanial Hawthorne said; "Easy reading is damned hard writing."

 

 

True

[Karysa]

hey Karysa I didn't meant to hijack your thread. My apologies. I am far from a snob. But thanks for clarifying. I have seen people ripped on this board before. Guess today was my turn. Guess my first post came out wrong. We've chosen not to change clothes at all for dinner and just didn't bother to going to the MDR. That's all I meant. But I get your point. Thanks.

 

No worries. :)

[lovecarnivalcruises]

The :rolleyes: and ;) and :mad: do however help convey our message though.:)

 

 

lol, yes, these would help a lot.

[Josher61]

My wife still brings the 6" heels but not for the dinning room.

 

 

ROTFLMAO!!!

 

Now thats the bests post on here :D:D:D

[Spaniel Lover]

One of the things I love most about Carnival is that I can take a totally informal cruise, if I choose to. Sometimes I do a "regular" cruise where I bring along some nice clothes so that I can eat dinners in the MDR... but other times I do a totally casual cruise where I pack nothing fancier than a pair of jeans. It's fun to just skip the MDR for the entire cruise... eat solely in the buffet... and just not have to worry about dressing up at all during the entire cruise.

 

Cruises are so informal during the daytime hours that it just feels odd sometimes to switch gears at night and get all dressed up. So it's fun to just go casual during an entire cruise sometimes. Not every cruise, but on some of them.

 

Now here's my question...

I'm fairly sure that the same strategy (staying 100% casual all week, and simply eating every meal in the buffet) could be done on Royal Caribbean and on Norwegian. Are there other cruise lines where this would be possible? HAL, for example? Celebrity? How about any of the more upper-crust brands such as Seabourn or Silversea?

 

I wouldn't mind trying a more luxury cruise some time, but having dinner in a suit & tie at a table shared with a bunch of strangers wouldn't be my thing. If I knew I could just wear a pair of dockers and a Caribbean shirt at dinner in the buffet of some luxury ship... I'd be more open to trying something new.

[Florings]

10 dresses! What more could you need?

[Karysa]

10 dresses! What more could you need?

 

Shoes!! Got them packed!:). No formal shoes or splashy, shiney jewelery any where near my luggage this time though. I LOVE dresses just not taking any formal ones with me this time which is a first for me.:)

[Buffalofirsttimer4]

No I follow the dress code in the MDR for dinner, because that is what they ask. I don't have an issue with whatever anyone chooses to wear. But I do think that IF you choose NOT to dress up for formal night, that you should eat elsewhere. You can be dressed without dressing to the nines. There's alot of room in between a tuxedo and shorts. I'll eat wherever I want. So will you. So long as you aren't asked to leave. That's not my problem. I was giving my opinion, which I have a right to. If you don't want to follow the dress code, then don't. But don't try to have it both ways. You don't have to agree or like my opinion. That's why we all have one. And I don't believe I said I was "upset." But apparently you are.

 

OK, I think we are getting a little ahead of our selves since Carnival doesn't call it formal night anymore, it is actually called Cruise Elegant Night- even according to Cruise Critics own article:

 

Carnival Cruise Line

The Code: Carnival's evening dress code is typically “cruise casual,” but one or two nights during the voyage, “cruise elegant” eveningwear is suggested. On "cruise casual" nights, the line recommends sport slacks, khakis, jeans (no cut-offs), long dress shorts and collared sport shirts for men, and casual dresses, casual skirts or pants and blouses, summer dresses, capri pants, dress shorts and jeans (no cut-offs) for women. Cruise elegant dress means dress slacks, dress shirts and sport coat (suggested not required) for men and cocktail dresses, pantsuits, elegant skirts and blouses for women. On elegant nights, passengers may choose to dress more formally in suits and ties, tuxedos or evening gowns, but this level of dress is not required.

Number of Formal Nights: There are two elegant nights per seven-night cruise, one on shorter cruises.

 

Nightly Casual Option: For those not wanting to dress up, the Lido restaurants are open nightly and have a casual dress code.

 

Written Restrictions and Jeans: Shorts (including gym and basketball shorts), beach flip-flops, bathing suit attire, cut-off jeans, sleeveless shirts for men and caps are the only items of clothing never permitted in the dining room during dinner.

 

With all this being said-wear what you like as long as its presentable to you-if it isn't up to par with Carnival staff in the MDR I am sure they will advise you-doesn't matter what others say here- just what the person at the door of the MDR thinks.

 

Happy Sailing!!!

[skyeman27]

My formal (elegant) nights used to be suit, tie and polished shoes, then nice slacks, shirt, tie and dockers, now its nice slacks,shirt and dockers. Somehow the food tastes better to me being dressed down and more comfortable...

[Florings]

Shoes!! Got them packed!:). No formal shoes or splashy, shiney jewelery any where near my luggage this time though. I LOVE dresses just not taking any formal ones with me this time which is a first for me.:)

 

Yay! Shoes....I always bring lots of those. And earrings and bracelets. I think you're all set to eat anywhere!

[cruizinisthebest]

OK, I think we are getting a little ahead of our selves since Carnival doesn't call it formal night anymore, it is actually called Cruise Elegant Night- even according to Cruise Critics own article:

 

Carnival Cruise Line

The Code: Carnival's evening dress code is typically “cruise casual,” but one or two nights during the voyage, “cruise elegant” eveningwear is suggested. On "cruise casual" nights, the line recommends sport slacks, khakis, jeans (no cut-offs), long dress shorts and collared sport shirts for men, and casual dresses, casual skirts or pants and blouses, summer dresses, capri pants, dress shorts and jeans (no cut-offs) for women. Cruise elegant dress means dress slacks, dress shirts and sport coat (suggested not required) for men and cocktail dresses, pantsuits, elegant skirts and blouses for women. On elegant nights, passengers may choose to dress more formally in suits and ties, tuxedos or evening gowns, but this level of dress is not required.

 

Number of Formal Nights: There are two elegant nights per seven-night cruise, one on shorter cruises.

 

Nightly Casual Option: For those not wanting to dress up, the Lido restaurants are open nightly and have a casual dress code.

 

Written Restrictions and Jeans: Shorts (including gym and basketball shorts), beach flip-flops, bathing suit attire, cut-off jeans, sleeveless shirts for men and caps are the only items of clothing never permitted in the dining room during dinner.

 

With all this being said-wear what you like as long as its presentable to you-if it isn't up to par with Carnival staff in the MDR I am sure they will advise you-doesn't matter what others say here- just what the person at the door of the MDR thinks.

 

Happy Sailing!!!

 

great post. thanks for clarifying!

[DirtyDawg]

Now here's my question...

I'm fairly sure that the same strategy (staying 100% casual all week, and simply eating every meal in the buffet) could be done on Royal Caribbean and on Norwegian. Are there other cruise lines where this would be possible? HAL, for example? Celebrity? How about any of the more upper-crust brands such as Seabourn or Silversea?

 

I wouldn't mind trying a more luxury cruise some time, but having dinner in a suit & tie at a table shared with a bunch of strangers wouldn't be my thing. If I knew I could just wear a pair of dockers and a Caribbean shirt at dinner in the buffet of some luxury ship... I'd be more open to trying something new.

 

We've traveled on the tree mainline brands and Royal is a bit more formal than Carnival and Norwegian. We happen to like dinning in the MDR or specialty restaurants so I will bring some Dockers and nice shirts (upgraded with a sport coat for Royal - sometimes). This spring we sailed on Celebrity and I actually brought a dark suit for Formal night - mostly from reading stuff on the X area on CC about how I might be considered ill mannered or even sub-human if I dared to show up in the MDR in anything less.:D Quite frankly, it was only a bit more formal than Royal.

 

As for other areas on the ship it was always cruise casual, so right after dinner on Formal night I was back in my shorts, sandals and casual shirt for my (ill mannered) evening activities.:D

[DirtyDawg]

My formal (elegant) nights used to be suit, tie and polished shoes, then nice slacks, shirt, tie and dockers, now its nice slacks,shirt and dockers. Somehow the food tastes better to me being dressed down and more comfortable...

 

I'm convinced that doing up that top button, combined with that tight tie around your neck, reeks havoc on your taste buds. And those olfactory perception cells go right down to your neck too! It's a medical fact - honest.

[sjcruiser]

For the first time in a dozen cruises I have not packed formal wear and it feels so good. :D. I have like 10 dresses packed because I like dresses but nothing formal because I didn't want DH to feel he needed to pack a jacket and dress shoes. I should have done this years ago. Anybody else change things up recently and if so are you glad that you did?:)

 

Wooohooo, welcome to the club, although I'm giving up my membership for this cruise since a lot of family and friends are going.

[dunn48]

We used to do the "formal nights", but on our last Carnival cruise decided not too. I wore nice slacks with a sparkly top and DH wore dockers and a nice shirt. Never felt out of place in the MDR. Going on another Carnival cruise in September and won't back formal wear again. Takes up a lot less room.

 

My opinion is you should wear whatever you are comfortable wearing.

[jsfromsc]

We're not packing "formal wear" either for our Baltic cruise in 2 weeks. Since it's a 12 day, I'm already going to have to resign myself to having to do some laundry. I'm going to bring one dress and one dressy top to wear with slacks. I have found on previous formal nights that I usually dress for dinner, get a few pics taken, and then after dinner change into something more comfortable for the rest of the evening anyway. I'm more concerned with my comfort than impressing my table mates with my wardrobe these days.

[Florings]

Ha! Another thread talking about shopping at the thrift stores, so I'm going to shop there and find a real sparkly dressy dress! I'm formal this time for the first time ever!!

[Lovefuninthesun]

We still "dress up" -- at least compared to the norm here in Florida, which is very casual -- but not really to the formal degree.

 

Years ago, DH used to wear a tux; now he wears a jacket and tie, maybe even a suit, on elegant night. I usually wear palazzo pants and "jazzy" top.

[Lovefuninthesun]

Several months ago, some enraged pax wrote John Heald about the abomination of sandals in the MDR! (The horror!:eek:) She insisted decorum demanded closed-toe dress shoes for ladies and men.

 

It made me laugh -- I live in Florida -- I don't even own a pair of closed-toe shoes!:D

[Florings]

Even my dressy shoes are all "sandals" / open toed shoes! Although I do like boots in the "winter" here in Florida.

[tkportersat]

I stopped packing formal wear years ago and I feel fine :)

I work in banking and dress up everyday in hose/heels and on vacation I want to be comfortable. I used to really love dressing up but I'm over it.

Enjoy your more comfortable less restrictive cruise.;)

 

For the first time in a dozen cruises I have not packed formal wear and it feels so good. :D. I have like 10 dresses packed because I like dresses but nothing formal because I didn't want DH to feel he needed to pack a jacket and dress shoes. I should have done this years ago. Anybody else change things up recently and if so are you glad that you did?:)

[babyher]

Several months ago, some enraged pax wrote John Heald about the abomination of sandals in the MDR! (The horror!:eek:) She insisted decorum demanded closed-toe dress shoes for ladies and men.

 

It made me laugh -- I live in Florida -- I don't even own a pair of closed-toe shoes!:D

 

 

 

*LOL* See people like that, you just want to show up at their house wearing white after Labor Day and see them hold a crucifix up to you and sprinkle you with Holy Water hoping that you will melt *LOL*

[Ours91]

We don't attend formal night either. My boyfriend doesn't like to dress up , plus we prefer the buffet.