Should Carnival Enforce Formal Night Attire?

[dforeigner]

Thanks, hstry for saying a lot more clearly what I was trying to get across. Everyone has a different threshold of what is acceptable and forms an opinion of others when first seeing them, even if it is totally in their subconscious. On a cruise ship the cruiseline tries to set a standard as to what is acceptable, and the standrds really aren't that high on Carnival when compared to other ships.

 

The table next to ours on our last cruise had quite a few members wearing shorts and at least one in a ballcap. I also found them to be loud and obnoxious, but can't help wondering if their clothing affected my perception of how loud and obnoxious they were. I know it doesn't make sense, and who knows maybe if they were dressed appropriately I still would have found them to be loud... but why start out with strikes against you?

 

It could be worse:

 

[thefish]

sorry, double post

[irishgirl]

I have never noticed what other people are wearing on any of my cruises. I honestly don't remember if someone wore jeans or a tuxedo in the dining room. I can say, it doesn't matter to me what someone else wears. I don't look at their feet either to see whether they are wearing flip flops or sandals or stilletos.

 

When I cruise, I do it to relax and have a good time. What someone else wears to dinner isn't going to matter to me unless it affects me personally. Which I can't see as it ever will.

 

I wear slacks and a dressy top to formal night, and I change the top for the second formal night. But, I can say this, as soon as dinner is over, I run to my cabin and change into shorts and a t-shirt and sandals.

[Calicruiser101]

OK, I'm confused. Is it that you object to hairy armpits as a general concept, but you don't object to the wearing of tanktops? So, if a man shaves off those portions of his body hair that you find disgusting, then it would be ok to wear a tanktop? Or do you object to tanktops being worn during dinner? Frankly, I've never seen someone come into the dining room wearing what my children told me are called "wifebeaters".

 

As for taking the time and effort to dress properly, I can certainly appreciate that. Were formal truly enforced on Carnival, I too would take the time and effort to pack our formal clothes . But they simply don't, and "formal" has a broad definition under the existing rules, AND are really treated by Carnival as "guidelines" which are not fast and true. Therefore the ambience that many seek for a formal evening, simply does not exist and has never existed on Carnival.

 

However, the bottom line is humans are primates, and all of us have body hair in places that are inconvenient, esp. as we age, such as our ears. However, most body hair, sparce as it is, does serve several purposes in aiding our skin in thermal regulation. This is why I object when grown men decide to become smoothies.

 

But what I really want to know, and maybe I should start a poll, is how many people find hairy armpits disgusting?

Should Carnival simply ban hairy armpits? Should those hirsute individuals be banned from the Lido Deck, except when they announce the hairy man contest?

 

Once the poll is completed, I'll get ahold of my Gillette five blader with the vibrating head and scrape away if I have to, because I certainly don't want to offend anyone, or heaven forbid have them throw up in the dining room as the result of observing unwanted body hair.

 

BnB

I think I can answer something for you, at least the part about hairy armpits and men turning themselves into "smoothies." As a female swimmer myself I dont have to worry about body hair, but men do. Many male swimmers remove their unwanted hair in order increase their speed and glide through the water. This is also true for surfers as well, so perhaps some of these "smoothies" do so for other reasons.

As far as tank-tops in the dining room, no for males and for women it depends. I would not wear a typical ribbed tank-top from the Gap, but I would and will wear ones that I have purchased at Macy's. These are made of different material and have beading on them, completely different look.

[Walyo]

When you put a couple of thousand folks from all walks of life on a cruise ship, you are never going to get everyone to "get with the program." And, that is o.k. by me as there are other places for those who choose not to go formal or even semi-formal to eat on formal nights.

 

Shorts, jeans, ball caps etc, on formal night are just a symptom of some folks lack of respect for those other passengers who wish to dress up for the night. I only wonder if these folks would attend the funeral of a parent or the wedding of one of their children dressed in the same manner.

 

On the other hand, sometimes this issue can lead to some amusing moments. recently, I was in the Lobby Bar of the Carnival Legend on the second formal night. I was in a dark business suit and there were a surprising number of men dressed in tuxedos and a few ultra formal in white dinner jackets. In the midst of this sea of dark dress and ties comes a fellow who just didn't get the message. He and his wife came up to the bar to order a cocktail, he in a speedo and she in a bikini. Neither had any kind of cover-up. It was one of those times where I was angry with myself that I did not have a camera with me as it would have made a really funny picture.

 

To each their own. I do believe that coming to formal dinner in non-formal clothing "just to show them" is a bit immature and self-centered.

[jessemon]

When you put a couple of thousand folks from all walks of life on a cruise ship, you are never going to get everyone to "get with the program." And, that is o.k. by me as there are other places for those who choose not to go formal or even semi-formal to eat on formal nights.

 

Shorts, jeans, ball caps etc, on formal night are just a symptom of some folks lack of respect for those other passengers who wish to dress up for the night. I only wonder if these folks would attend the funeral of a parent or the wedding of one of their children dressed in the same manner.

 

On the other hand, sometimes this issue can lead to some amusing moments. recently, I was in the Lobby Bar of the Carnival Legend on the second formal night. I was in a dark business suit and there were a surprising number of men dressed in tuxedos and a few ultra formal in white dinner jackets. In the midst of this sea of dark dress and ties comes a fellow who just didn't get the message. He and his wife came up to the bar to order a cocktail, he in a speedo and she in a bikini. Neither had any kind of cover-up. It was one of those times where I was angry with myself that I did not have a camera with me as it would have made a really funny picture.

 

To each their own. I do believe that coming to formal dinner in non-formal clothing "just to show them" is a bit immature and self-centered.

Oh well...as the old saying goes...."Sometimes you just have to bow to the upserd"....They though might been dining later or just decided to have cocktails for dinner......Pizza to follow......;)

[Kurbanfan]

:o Sorry! Didn't mean to confuse the newbies.

Not you silly:p You always give the right info:)

[Kurbanfan]

Dressing appropriately and wanting others to do so is not being judgmental... it is having certain expectations in a civilized society. Would you not be put off by someone who picked their nose in public? Smoked in a non-smoking section? Reeked because they didn't bathe or wear deodorant? How about someone who wears a Tshirt that says FVCK OFF while walking down a public street where there are children? How about a woman walking topless in a public park? None of these acts are illegal (at least here in NY) however most would be affected when confronted with them.... it is the same principal when dressing appropriately for an event.

 

Well yes I believe if you walked topless in a public park I think that would be illegal...

And again people do dress appropriately on formal night:)

[Kurbanfan]

Oh well...as the old saying goes...."Sometimes you just have to bow to the upserd"....They though might been dining later or just decided to have cocktails for dinner......Pizza to follow......;)

 

I think that was me and my old man:confused: Not... because he does not wear speedos:eek:

just goes to show how people judge:cool:

[vjmatty]

Well yes I believe if you walked topless in a public park I think that would be illegal...

And again people do dress appropriately on formal night:)

 

Here in NY its been legal since 1993.... of course none of us actually do it, but the Court of Appeals held that it was discrimination to prohibit women from being topless if men were allowed to do so.

 

Yes I agree people do tend to dress appropriately formal night.

[Kurbanfan]

Many if not all of my clients dress in denim. However, in my office, denim is not acceptable as business casual nor has it been at any job I've had in my lifetime.

 

Well welcome to S. California. Where denim is acceptable in the office.

And this has been my experience since the 70's.

[Cruisetrio]

Well welcome to S. California. Where denim is acceptable in the office.

And this has been my experience since the 70's.

 

Same in our office....in CA.

[Sargent_Schultz]

The table next to ours on our last cruise had quite a few members wearing shorts and at least one in a ballcap. I also found them to be loud and obnoxious, but can't help wondering if their clothing affected my perception of how loud and obnoxious they were.

 

There is difference between appearance and behavior. If they were truly loud and obnoxious, whatever the clothing, I would have explained the situation to the matre d' along with a request to be moved to a different location.

If another table was not available, I would accept that at face value, but then explain that my expectation would be that either the matre d' or security keep the monkey butts under control, but the status quo is unacceptable.

[vjmatty]

There is difference between appearance and behavior. If they were truly loud and obnoxious, whatever the clothing, I would have explained the situation to the matre d' along with a request to be moved to a different location.

If another table was not available, I would accept that at face value, but then explain that my expectation would be that either the matre d' or security keep the monkey butts under control, but the status quo is unacceptable.

 

I understand the difference between appearance and behavior, but what I am saying is that their appearance may very well have affected my perception of their behavior, KWIM? For example, if you see a man in a suit reach into his jacket, you may think nothing of it, but if you see someone in gang clothing doing the same thing you may have a different perception. They have done psychological studies on how people react to other people depending on how they are dressed with all ohter circumstances including behavior being totally equal... it does have an effect.

[Kurbanfan]

I understand the difference between appearance and behavior, but what I am saying is that their appearance may very well have affected my perception of their behavior, KWIM? For example, if you see a man in a suit reach into his jacket, you may think nothing of it, but if you see someone in gang clothing doing the same thing you may have a different perception. They have done psychological studies on how people react to other people depending on how they are dressed with all ohter circumstances including behavior being totally equal... it does have an effect.

 

So you are saying if those people were dressed in a tux acting like a hole that would be ok:confused:

[Kurbanfan]

Same in our office....in CA.

 

Yep that's how we are in Calif. I guess we are more casual then other states.......

[vjmatty]

So you are saying if those people were dressed in a tux acting like a hole that would be ok:confused:

 

Not a total a hole, and no it wouldn't be ok, but the a hole meter might be affected by what one is wearing... kind of like the threshold gets changed. A tux might make one seem less rowdy than say, a toga ;) (kidding) or shorts.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Well yes I believe if you walked topless in a public park I think that would be illegal...

And again people do dress appropriately on formal night:)

 

I keep seeing your post this. Are you saying there is 100% compliance with the dress code? If not not could you elaborate further.

 

Bill

[cruisin07family]

So I know I am about to open a new can of worms here....but....

 

Most teens (my 15 yr old DD) wear jeans 99% of the time. Normally after dinner, she heads right to the teen disco. I told her that the first night of our next cruise she is to wear a sundress or skirt to dinner....however, if there are teens wearing denim, that she could also wear it on non-formal nights (she knows better than denim on the formal nights). But with a nice dressy shirt, not a tanktop or tee.

 

My daughter attends an all girls catholic school 10 months of the year and wears skirt/blouse/cardigan...she is also on vacation and if it offends anyone that she is wearing very nice denim to dinner, my apology in advance.

 

Sorry, but that is my plan....feel free to bash away!

 

Not bashing but I've read this "nice denim" a few times. Can someone include pictures? My 3 sons like jeans as well and I refuse to buy the insanely expensive ones that come with premade holes and look like they'd be refused by any decent second-hand store; however, they are still just jeans.

 

I'm sure this has been posted already in this thread, from Carnival.com:

 

Is there a dress code for the dining room?

 

Depending on the length of the cruise, either formal dress or casual resort wear is required in the Dining Room. The dress requirement for children is the same. For those not wanting to dress up, the Lido restaurants are open nightly (with the exception of the last evening of the cruise), and have a casual dress code. Formal Wear: tuxedo (optional); suit and tie; sport coat, tie and slacks; evening gown; cocktail dress; pantsuit Casual Resort Wear: sport shirts and slacks; dresses; skirts; pantsuit NOTE: Shorts, t-shirts and bathing attire are not permitted in the Dining Room during dinner.

[vjmatty]

I keep seeing your post this. Are you saying there is 100% compliance with the dress code? If not not could you elaborate further.

 

Bill

 

Nothing is 100% Bill, but I would probably say there is 90-95% compliance with the dress code on formal night. It is closer to 60-70% on resort casual nights.

[Calicruiser101]

I teach and jeans are not allowed unless it is Friday or if you teach P.E. you can wear sweats all week. My husband's office is suit and tie and sometimes on Friday they can wear twill or Docker type pants. This is in N. California:D

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Nothing is 100% Bill, but I would probably say there is 90-95% compliance with the dress code on formal night. It is closer to 60-70% on resort casual nights.

 

I guess it can vary week to week and ship to ship. I wasn't scoping out the dining room on our Liberty cruise 2 weeks ago but from what I saw I'd say the percentages were probably lower. Maybe because the non conformist were right next to us and it was in my face that has me thinking this way.

 

Bill

[jessemon]

I think that was me and my old man:confused: Not... because he does not wear speedos:eek:

just goes to show how people judge:cool:

Can we get an "AMEN" on that.........:D

Please anyone wanting to comment...checkout what I said first......Judge not lest Ye be.....how does the rest of that go...??????

[Kurbanfan]

Can we get an "AMEN" on that.........:D

Please anyone wanting to comment...checkout what I said first......Judge not lest Ye be.....how does the rest of that go...??????

 

 

Amen!

[Kurbanfan]

I keep seeing your post this. Are you saying there is 100% compliance with the dress code? If not not could you elaborate further.

 

Bill

 

 

No I'm not saying a 100%. I am saying the majority do dress according to the dress code.:) You have to remember you are cruising with 3,000 people. There are going to be differences......