More Newbie Questions

[cruisekitty22]

How formal is "formal" night?   Is there one on a 4 day cruise?  We hate to dress up at all.  Can we still eat in the dining room or a specialty restaurant if we don't dress up on formal night? Or are we stuck with the buffet?

[IntrepidFromDC]

Polo shirt for men is fine.  Read the policy and avoid any of the DON'T DO's (e.g., no tank tops for men) and you'll be fine.  I have gotten away with open toe sandals 100% of the time, I think because I wear linen off-white trousers with a crease, lol.  Good thing they come out of the dryer that way.

[Jasonsterling]

Ha ha ha- it's not. Typically in this day I wear an open collared button up and slacks- if I'm going really dressy I wear a shirt with cuff links and I mostly feel overdressed- although some few people still really dress up so it's not unheard of. I've never seen anyone turned away on formal night, though I'd definitely not wear shorts and a t-shirt. Maybe dockers and polo style shirt as a guy would more than suffice. As a woman simply black slacks/skirt and a simple blouse would do it well. I go out of Galveston a lot, so clean, in good repair jeans work too-lol. 

[firefly333]

19 minutes ago, cruisekitty22 said:

How formal is "formal" night?   Is there one on a 4 day cruise?  We hate to dress up at all.  Can we still eat in the dining room or a specialty restaurant if we don't dress up on formal night? Or are we stuck with the buffet?

The maitre d' made a announcement no backwards caps or wife beater tee shirts one carnival cruise for MDR. Totally ignored though was a regular night. 

 

Men dont seem to know you shouldn't wear a hat in the Mdr.. I feel old. 

 

Dress up means nice long pants, a shirt with sleeves for men. Women pants and a nice shirt. Most anything goes. I think cargo shorts ok on other nights. Longer shorts. No bathing suits in Mdr. 

 

I did see a maitre d on rcl on formal night make a kid turn his cap around. 

[skrufy]

1 hour ago, cruisekitty22 said:

How formal is "formal" night?   Is there one on a 4 day cruise?  We hate to dress up at all.  Can we still eat in the dining room or a specialty restaurant if we don't dress up on formal night? Or are we stuck with the buffet?

You do not have to dress up for formal night, just arrive dressed neatly. Store away the tee shirts, shorts,  athletic shoes and sandals for one night. Same for the specialty dining, especially the steakhouse. 

[firefly333]

2 hours ago, cruisekitty22 said:

How formal is "formal" night?   Is there one on a 4 day cruise?  We hate to dress up at all.  Can we still eat in the dining room or a specialty restaurant if we don't dress up on formal night? Or are we stuck with the buffet?

Not that it makes a lot of difference but carnival doesnt call it formal night anymore. Cant remember when they changed it to elegant night. 

 

The word formal was dropped. ..though doesnt change anything. 

[firefly333]

Brrrr cc double post again. Its cc not me.

Edited April 25, 2021 by firefly333

[SNJCruisers]

2 hours ago, cruisekitty22 said:

 Is there one on a 4 day cruise? 

Yes.  And others in the thread have covered what clothes are appropriate.

[Floriduh]

Never been to one. I've never packed a pair of long pants of an ocean cruise. Getting away from dress codes is part of the reason I take vacations. 

 

That being said, there is the Lido Buffet, Pizza, room service, etc. to get through dinner.

 

Then we go hang out on the Promenade Deck and watch the couples fight because the guys don't like dressing up and want to change back to shorts. The ladies don't want it to end.

 

Dinner and a show.

[dbrucern]

I remember our first number of cruises, I wore sequin dresses and my husband even wore a tux that he rented on the ship, thankful that is not the norm any more I usually wear what I would if I was going out to an evening dinner with friends at a nice restaurant and my husband wears Khakis and a pollo shirt or one of his thousands of Tommy Bahama shirts

[sanmarcosman]

Carnival stopped calling it formal night and changed it to cruise elegant about 10 years ago. Business casual seems to work for most.

[JMAE]

When CCL changed to cruise elegant nights it became casual attire.  For a four night cruise that you book, I would pack on the light side for dinners, you will be on the deck enjoy the fun and sun more.  

 

Have fun!!! 

[SNJCruisers]

6 hours ago, Floriduh said:

Never been to one. I've never packed a pair of long pants of an ocean cruise. Getting away from dress codes is part of the reason I take vacations. 

 

That being said, there is the Lido Buffet, Pizza, room service, etc. to get through dinner.

 

Then we go hang out on the Promenade Deck and watch the couples fight because the guys don't like dressing up and want to change back to shorts. The ladies don't want it to end.

 

Dinner and a show.

Cruise on NCL.  Whatever you wish to wear is ok in their MDR.