Carnival ships - formal night

[beshears]

I know many things have changed over these past few years. If you have cruised within this past year does Carnival ships still have formal nights, or are there some Carnival ships where they have done away with formal night, and if so, what are the name of the ships?

[kelkel2]

2 minutes ago, beshears said:

I know many things have changed over these past few years. If you have cruised within this past year does Carnival ships still have formal nights, or are there some Carnival ships where they have done away with formal night, and if so, what are the name of the ships?

So they call it cruise elegant now you’ll see a wide range of people who really want to dress up nicely and then others who don’t want to. I don’t think there’s any ships that don’t do it at all. But you’re not required to do it. 

[hurricane0226]

formal nights are a joke now, you have many that dress up, but you have those that don't care

and go as they want, so really, do what you want, I personally get dressed up and the wife

does also, and that's the way we roll when we go on a cruise.  

[backbiter]

^^I agree. The whole atmosphere that elegant night used to generate is no more.

[jsglow]

OP, you'll see lots of editorializing about this topic.  Here's the published dress code.

 

'Cruise Elegant attire can include:                                      

Men and boys: dress slacks, dress shirts, and sport coats (suggested); some men may even choose to wear a suit and tie or tuxedo

Women and girls: dresses (party or cocktail), pantsuits, elegant skirts and blouses; some women may also wear evening gowns

Kids: Take a cue from the adult dress code, and think school dance or nice party clothes

Not permitted: jeans, men’s sleeveless shirts, shorts, t-shirts, sportswear, exercise and athletic wear, shorts, baseball hats, flip-flops and bathing suit attire 

A good rule of thumb is to dress for a special occasion.'

 

Depending on the length of one's cruise,  Cruise Elegant is between 1 and 3 evenings in the MDR. Do note that arriving wearing anything in the 'not permitted' category puts one at risk for being turned away at the door. It can and does happen.

 

I will say that most typical for guys is a pair of nice slacks and a button down shirt; for ladies, either a summer dress or a nice top with pants and dress shoes. Personally, I haven't brought a sport coat in years, mostly as a concession to packing light.

Edited May 15, 2023 by jsglow

[jimbo5544]

2 hours ago, jsglow said:

OP, you'll see lots of editorializing about this topic.  Here's the published dress code.

 

'Cruise Elegant attire can include:                                      

Men and boys: dress slacks, dress shirts, and sport coats (suggested); some men may even choose to wear a suit and tie or tuxedo

Women and girls: dresses (party or cocktail), pantsuits, elegant skirts and blouses; some women may also wear evening gowns

Kids: Take a cue from the adult dress code, and think school dance or nice party clothes

Not permitted: jeans, men’s sleeveless shirts, shorts, t-shirts, sportswear, exercise and athletic wear, shorts, baseball hats, flip-flops and bathing suit attire 

A good rule of thumb is to dress for a special occasion.'

 

Depending on the length of one's cruise,  Cruise Elegant is between 1 and 3 evenings in the MDR. Do note that arriving wearing anything in the 'not permitted' category puts one at risk for being turned away at the door. It can and does happen.

 

I will say that most typical for guys is a pair of nice slacks and a button down shirt; for ladies, either a summer dress or a nice top with pants and dress shoes. Personally, I haven't brought a sport coat in years, mostly as a concession to packing light.

BINGO we have a winner.

[Kudos2Fly]

I think things are getting more relaxed on most cruise lines. The only one I have been on were people dressed for the occasion was on Holland. I also have seen people turned away in the main dining room even for lunch. We haven't cruise since Covid, so haven't experience what is like now. 

 

We will be sailing Celebrity and Carnival this year. It will be interesting to see what happens with theses two different cruise lines. My guess people are more likely to be turned away from the paid restaurants then the free dining room. 

 

Even "land" restaurants aren't as formal as they used to be, I'm talking about the 5 star restaurants. 

[jsglow]

I certainly do a golf shirt and nice shorts every Cruise casual night and elevate that to slacks/shirt on Elegant.  What I'm not particularly remembering is if shorts were ever allowed on Princess. But that's for a different forum.

 

Anyways OP, your answer lies herein. Enjoy your upcoming cruise.

[jimbo5544]

1 hour ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

You know though Jimbo that it's all a suggestion and nobody gets turned away the majority of the time.  On the elegant nights there will be women dressed to the nines and right behind them a couple dressed down and barely wearing the minimum requirements.  

This isn't the Carnival of yesteryear.

All cruise lines are changing.  I actually HAVE seen some turned away.  All that said, we are just giving information to a poster who sails on Carnival about the Carnival experience.  

[jimbo5544]

1 hour ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

The steakhouse on the Mardi Gras had men wearing shorts the last time we were there even though it's technically against the rules.  It's same old same old with Carnival.  Even though many of the card carrying loyalists will tell you differently.

That is SPECIFICALLY where I saw people turned away.

[Eli_6]

We used to dress up in formal wear. Now we wear church clothes because post-Covid my husband and I are too fat to fit into any of our formal wear.  

[beshears]

Thanks to a couple of you that "responded" to my actual question about "Carnival" ships. In response to one of your comments, no "pops" does not mention this, as he is a home body, so it is just my 3 sons/wives and friend, and as I mentioned I do NOT ask my sons to dress up for formal night, they just enjoy making mom happy and looking exceptional nice.

Obstructedview2, I appreciate your input too.

Now that I have read your responses, I can start 'looking" at Carnival ships as well for our cruise next year. 🙂

[weezal]

https://help.goccl.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1093/