Formal nights - Carnival Spirit

[Misskittycruise]

How formal are these nights? Tuxedo and full length dress or just suit and cocktail dress? Can you take a suit bag onboard aa part of your luggage? Everything would get crushed in a suit bag! But then do we have to struggle around with it until our bags arrivein the cabin?

Thanks for your replies,

C

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[cruise love]

How formal are these nights? Tuxedo and full length dress or just suit and cocktail dress? Can you take a suit bag onboard aa part of your luggage? Everything would get crushed in a suit bag! But then do we have to struggle around with it until our bags arrivein the cabin?

Thanks for your replies,

C

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

I was on the Spirit in July - A cocktail dress would be fine and a suit for your husband. My husband always takes a suit bag but it is like a suitcase and he packs all his clothing in it.

 

we get it delivered with our other bags although when we boarded it was raining very heavily and some of the clothing was a little damp . We heard of other whose clothes were very wet and Carnival paid for them to be dried and pressed

[mtn_couple]

A dress you would wear to a nice restaurant would be fine. My hubby didnt take a suit jacket (flight luggage restrictions). He just had suit pants, a nice shirt and a tie.

[NSWP]

A dress you would wear to a nice restaurant would be fine. My hubby didnt take a suit jacket (flight luggage restrictions). He just had suit pants, a nice shirt and a tie.

What? No tuxedo or dark suit required for men on formal nights on Carnival Spirit? The Cunarders and P&O UK pax would have a heart attack.

 

I recollect being onboard Carnival Spirit in Alaska in 2005, a jacket and tie was required then, in fact most wore tuxedos, but the ship was carrying mostly North Americans then.

 

It would appear Carnival has adopted a more casual dress code since Spirit became 'Australianised.'

 

Don't get me wrong, I am all for casual dress on the ships and NO formal nights, it is 2013, not 1913. LOL.

[mtn_couple]

What? No tuxedo or dark suit required for men on formal nights on Carnival Spirit? The Cunarders and P&O UK pax would have a heart attack.

 

I recollect being onboard Carnival Spirit in Alaska in 2005, a jacket and tie was required then, in fact most wore tuxedos, but the ship was carrying mostly North Americans then.

 

It would appear Carnival has adopted a more casual dress code since Spirit became 'Australianised.'

 

Don't get me wrong, I am all for casual dress on the ships and NO formal nights, it is 2013, not 1913. LOL.

 

Nope.... I don't thinks saw a single person in a tuxedo. Some didnt even have ties, just dress shirts. Btw they call them elegant nights too, not formal nights....

[tassie cruiser]

As said above they call them elegant nights and for men, dress pants and shirt fine. Nothing too fancy. :p

[NSWP]

As said above they call them elegant nights and for men, dress pants and shirt fine. Nothing too fancy. :p

Cheers, sounds like Carnival is quite laid back these days. Like their sea days are called 'Fun Day at Sea.' I like that. Carnival 'The Fun Ships.'

[KarateMan]

According to the Douglas Ward reviews in Berlitz editions (who claims to be the worlds foremost authority on cruising) it simply states that a clean pair of jeans and an ironed t-shirt is more than sufficient for a formal night on a Carnival Cruise. The book then goes on to state that in most cases the crew are better dressed than the passengers.

[Misskittycruise]

Thanks everyone!

 

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[Jamocall]

How formal are these nights? Tuxedo and full length dress or just suit and cocktail dress? Can you take a suit bag onboard aa part of your luggage? Everything would get crushed in a suit bag! But then do we have to struggle around with it until our bags arrivein the cabin?

Thanks for your replies,

C

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

We were on the Spirit last year when she was still a US ship and the two elegant nights were great. If you wanted to go all out with full length dresses and tuxedos that was excellent. If you wanted to go cocktail dress and suit that was also excellent. If you wanted to go dress pants, shirt, tie and sports jacket and dressy frock that was also excellent. That's what I love about Carnival, they give you the choices to be comfortable in your own skin with a bit of flexibility. I'm sure you will be fine whatever you choose, Misskittycruise. Just the fact that you're thinking about it being a bit special shows you're in the right frame of mind. Have fun!!! J :D

[Charliewool]

I'd suggest not to go to ANY trouble (as we did).. Compared to other cruise line formal evenings, Carnival Spirit excels in catering to "bogans".. And preferably foul mouthed drunken ones at that!

Reminded me of the Fairstar 30yrs ago

[Misskittycruise]

Charliewool. Thanks for your 'opinion' & your negative perceptions to yourself. I didnt find our post helpful

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[Charliewool]

My apologies for the negativity, but honestly, this is NOT an elegant cruise..

We've never felt more like fish out of water than myself suiting up and my wife in a gorgeous cocktail number amid the throng of singleted and board shorted yobbos on what was supposed "elegant" themed evenings.

For their other theme nights, remembering that your cruising around the South Pacific, you'd presume to pack your trusty Hawaiian shirt and ladies a sarong? Wrong!

The Carnival Spirit hails from the States.. Try a Mexican night.. And a pirate night.. Both complete flops, possibly due to total disinterest from the passengers and crew, as well as the complete lack of atmosphere!

If you really want to dress to impress on any of their theme nights, just wear a tatty straw hat like Stu.. He seemed to think he had it nailed.

[Jamocall]

My apologies for the negativity, but honestly, this is NOT an elegant cruise..

We've never felt more like fish out of water than myself suiting up and my wife in a gorgeous cocktail number amid the throng of singleted and board shorted yobbos on what was supposed "elegant" themed evenings.

For their other theme nights, remembering that your cruising around the South Pacific, you'd presume to pack your trusty Hawaiian shirt and ladies a sarong? Wrong!

The Carnival Spirit hails from the States.. Try a Mexican night.. And a pirate night.. Both complete flops, possibly due to total disinterest from the passengers and crew, as well as the complete lack of atmosphere!

If you really want to dress to impress on any of their theme nights, just wear a tatty straw hat like Stu.. He seemed to think he had it nailed.

 

We felt elegant on our elegant nights. We took extra care with clothes, makeup and hair and enjoyed all the night had to offer. There were NO singlets and boardies anywhere to be seen in the MDR on elegant night.

 

Enjoy yourself Misskittycruise, don't let yourself become jaded and grumpy. Hope you have a ball!!

[KarateMan]

Charliewool. Thanks for your 'opinion' & your negative perceptions to yourself. I didnt find our post helpful

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

No offence to you but if you want opinions you have to read and take in all and then come to an opinion. Even negative ones are helpful as it points out faults and flaws that others may not bring up and you get a better picture of the overall situation.

 

Dress code is a controversial issue. In all the many cruises I have been on and the many lines I have tried I can honestly say that on some cruises that passengers have been made and told they are not welcome around the ship after 6pm if they did not get dressed up. One recent cruise that I did last year that involved many Australians getting cheap deals the cruise director made lengthy announcements each morning spelling out that passengers no dressed up will not be welcome in (he then listed all the ships public rooms) and advised that they will not be welcome in the main restaurant and even made the point of saying they will not be welcome in the buffet with no shoes, or if they just have a towel wrapped around them. This is serious stuff and international passengers will complain about us Australians if they do not follow the basic minimum standard.

[Jamocall]

No offence to you but if you want opinions you have to read and take in all and then come to an opinion. Even negative ones are helpful as it points out faults and flaws that others may not bring up and you get a better picture of the overall situation.

 

Dress code is a controversial issue. In all the many cruises I have been on and the many lines I have tried I can honestly say that on some cruises that passengers have been made and told they are not welcome around the ship after 6pm if they did not get dressed up. One recent cruise that I did last year that involved many Australians getting cheap deals the cruise director made lengthy announcements each morning spelling out that passengers no dressed up will not be welcome in (he then listed all the ships public rooms) and advised that they will not be welcome in the main restaurant and even made the point of saying they will not be welcome in the buffet with no shoes, or if they just have a towel wrapped around them. This is serious stuff and international passengers will complain about us Australians if they do not follow the basic minimum standard.

 

I'm sorry, but I've yet to see an Aussie try to eat in the MDR if he/she's not dressed for it. They know what's expected and if that's the case they will eat on Lido deck. It's not just Aussies that resent dressing for dinner.

 

But to each their own. They're on holidays and they will enjoy at the level possible.

[KarateMan]

I'm sorry, but I've yet to see an Aussie try to eat in the MDR if he/she's not dressed for it. They know what's expected and if that's the case they will eat on Lido deck. It's not just Aussies that resent dressing for dinner.

 

But to each their own. They're on holidays and they will enjoy at the level possible.

 

 

I certainly have and so has who can probably explain a thing or two about what he has witnessed on P&O UK.

 

NSWPQuote:

Originally Posted by mtn_couple

A dress you would wear to a nice restaurant would be fine. My hubby didnt take a suit jacket (flight luggage restrictions). He just had suit pants, a nice shirt and a tie.

 

What? No tuxedo or dark suit required for men on formal nights on Carnival Spirit? The Cunarders and P&O UK pax would have a heart attack.

 

I recollect being onboard Carnival Spirit in Alaska in 2005, a jacket and tie was required then, in fact most wore tuxedos, but the ship was carrying mostly North Americans then.

 

It would appear Carnival has adopted a more casual dress code since Spirit became 'Australianised.'

 

Don't get me wrong, I am all for casual dress on the ships and NO formal nights, it is 2013, not 1913. LOL.

[bazzaw]

I am not greatly interested in what "should" or "shouldn't " be when considering dress onboard cruiseships -- but prefer to find out what "is".

 

It seems to me that most Aussie men would never in their normal lives wear Tuxedos (maybe apart from the Groom/Groomsmen at a wedding or a bunch of footballers at their annual awards ceremony :) ) I think this "fact" is evident with the relative difficulty in even buying Tuxes here in Australia. The same thing cannot be said for the UK -- where you can buy Tuxes just about anywhere, even at ASDA (the UK equivalent of Woolworths food store :)

 

Having cruised with US and UK lines in recent years, I became accustomed to the high dress standards on those ships -- but earlier this year cruised on VOS out of Sydney. It was plainlly obvious that most Aussie men consider dressing "up" or dressing "formal" involved putting on a tie :) I believe that some believe it only involves putting on a long sleeved shirt :)

 

Anyway -- that's how it is cruising down under -- anybody who wants more (or a different cruising experience) need to cruise from foreign ports :(

 

Barry

[gek]

I believe that some believe it only involves putting on a long sleeved shirt :)

 

You are correct in this belief, sir :)

 

You may also find that for some people being dressed up means wearing a brand new t-shirt purchased that day in port.

 

Here's a question: of the following two passengers who is making the most effort to dress-up?

a) A bogan in a brand new denim jacket and tie

or

b) A lawyer wearing the same Armani suit he wears every day to work.

 

It's all relative.

[bazzaw]

 

Here's a question: of the following two passengers who is making the most effort to dress-up?

a) A bogan in a brand new denim jacket and tie

or

b) A lawyer wearing the same Armani suit he wears every day to work.

 

.

 

Hmm -- difficult question to answer. I haven't seen any lawyers wearing Armani suits on any ship that I have sailed out of Oz :) Can't really say that I have seen a lawyer in an Armani suit anywhere that I hangout :)

 

Barry

[NSWP]

Following on from KarateMan and Bazzaw. Here is an example of P&O UK ' passengers attitude to those not conforming to daily dress requirements on board Arcadia last year, Sydney to Southampton. Now the ship had around 1700 Brits on board and 300 Aussies.

 

Scene: Crows Nest Lounge on a Formal night. Males in Tuxedos, around 100, which was 99.9 of the male presence, inc me. Just a couple of business suits. So a bloke and his wife/partner enter the Lounge, the bloke is dressed in a smart shirt (no jacket/tie) and strides, his partner is well dressed. Next minute all the eyes go up and a very audible 'Ooooooo, he can't come in here, he is not dressed.' Plus a few Ahhhhs and Sighs. Next minute two tuxedo attired men get up, go to the barman and have words. Next minute, one of the barman and a waiter escort the bloke in his non formal dress out of the room, his partner follows.

 

Just an example of the type of dress the Brits on P&O UK expect. Now the bloke who got chucked out of the lounge was an Australian, I had met him one day at Breakfast.

 

Another example, one night we had one of the 'fly in entertainers' put on our table. It was not a formal night, just 'smart casual.' He was telling us he was refused entry to the MDR to join our table the previous night as he had no jacket and tie. The Restaurant Manager telling him 'You are not entering my restaurant without formal attire.' So he went to the buffet. He should have known better I suppose, having entertained on many ships.

 

Sorry to bore you !! But them's the rules on P&O UK.

I have done many cruises and have never seen so many tuxedo wearing gents on a ship until I was on Arcadia last year. A couple of the nice English gents on our dinner table doing the whole world cruise actually brought 3 Tuxedo outfits with them and their wives brought a dozen formal dresses. Many pax on board had half a dozen big suit cases, some more, on arrival in Southampton there were more suitcases than you could poke a stick at. One bloke on our table from Cheshire had his company truck come down to pick up his and his wife's 10 cases. Fair Dinkum !

 

So you mob boarding P&O UK ships, dress to the policy or the Brits will hammer you and embarrass you.

[bazzaw]

the bloke is dressed in a smart shirt (no jacket/tie) and strides

.

 

Hi Les

 

Do you mean like a shirt and strides we would wear to our local RSL's ?? :) Hardly formal, I would say ! :)

 

Actually, I believe that now on P&O UK, they don't have a "formal "nights - but actually call them "Black Tie" nights. Although how they can call them that when you can still wear a normal business suit, I don't know :)

 

Anyway - to each their own -- what others wear won't spoil my cruises. I nearly said "or don't wear" as well -- but I have seen some things that have indeed almost spoiled my cruise :) -at a certain stage of life, there are just some things that should not be shown to the general public !!! :)

 

Barry

[NSWP]

Hi Les

 

Do you mean like a shirt and strides we would wear to our local RSL's ?? :) Hardly formal, I would say ! :)

 

Actually, I believe that now on P&O UK, they don't have a "formal "nights - but actually call them "Black Tie" nights. Although how they can call them that when you can still wear a normal business suit, I don't know :)

 

Anyway - to each their own -- what others wear won't spoil my cruises. I nearly said "or don't wear" as well -- but I have seen some things that have indeed almost spoiled my cruise :) -at a certain stage of life, there are just some things that should not be shown to the general public !!! :)

 

Barry

Black Tie night, you could be right Baz, I will have to check my daily itinerary for Arcadia next year. I have a nice new dark grey suit to wear on Formals for Golden Princess and 'Black Tie Night' on Arcadia. No doubt I will get a few sneers from the poms, although I feel a Med cruise on P&O UK will not be as formal as the pom World Cruises, perhaps a younger passenger list. But then who knows?

[bazzaw]

I feel a Med cruise on P&O UK will not be as formal as the pom World Cruises, perhaps a younger passenger list.

 

I think you may be right there

 

Barry

[NSWP]

I think you may be right there

 

Barry

A few Chavs on board Arcadia in the Med (J402) Baz.. Chavs= Aussie Bogans. LOL.