What to wear the first night?

[mcdevitt83]

A lot of posts have said the first night to just wear what you have worn onto the ship. Is the dress code different for that night, from what is posted on Carnival's web site about dress codes

 

Thanks

[DukeFamily]

The dress code first night is always casual. Sometimes people don't receive their luggage in time to change for dinner, so you tend to see some diners in their shorts. Best bet is to wear at embarkation something you wouldn't mind wearing to dinner if you must.

[cruiser82]

I agree with DukeFamily. I've always been lucky enough to get my luggage well before dinner time but on Embarkation day I always make sure to wear something I wouldn't feel uncomfortable wearing to dinner in case my luggage arrives late.

[suezyq50]

I will agree too. It is very casual.

[RI-Sailor]

I managed to squish a crinkle-rayon sundress and sandals into my carry-on so I could change for the first dinner on my cruise! I was casual, but felt a bit more dressed up than the sweater and slacks I wore for travel.

[Ehpride]

I always board wearing something I could wear to dinner just because I like to dress up a little for embarkation. But I also take another outfit to change into before dinner. By the time dinner comes around, I'm usually hot and sweaty and want to freshen up for the night.

[Happy ks]

Although it is a casual night, I prefer to change out of what I've had on all day. We typically will spend the night at our embarkation port city and aren't traveling that day, but I still feel like my clothes are "tired" by dinner.

 

To date we've never had our luggage arrive too late to change for dinner, even for early seating. We board much later than the crowds, preferring to get onboard after 2 pm. The last 4 cruises, our bags have arrived within a half hour of boarding.

[Jane110]

Yes, the first night is casual to allow for late boaders, as well as undelivered luggage. However, a dining room is a dining room and showing up in shorts and sneakers, even on the first night is gross looking. I always bring a fresh change of clothes in my carry-on just in case of late luggage.

 

That said, I've never had my luggage not show up in time for a change. I couldn't imagine going to dinner without a shower and fresh clothes that don't look so daytime.

[meldam]

My DH isn't a slob but his casual attire usually consists of a nice t-shirt or polo shirt and nice jeans maybe some khakis. Will that be too underdressed for dinner? I'm already gonna be forcing him into a dress shirt and slacks for formal nights so, I hope this won't be a faux pas for him on casual nights?

 

Any excuse to dress up is great for me. I'm just worried the DH will be cranky. Thanks for the assist.

 

-Cheers,

Meldam

[krystalkruzer]

My DH isn't a slob but his casual attire usually consists of a nice t-shirt or polo shirt and nice jeans maybe some khakis. Will that be too underdressed for dinner? I'm already gonna be forcing him into a dress shirt and slacks for formal nights so, I hope this won't be a faux pas for him on casual nights?

 

Any excuse to dress up is great for me. I'm just worried the DH will be cranky. Thanks for the assist.

 

-Cheers,

Meldam

 

The polo shirt and jeans or khakis will be fine for casual nights.

[monn_a]

I have always gotten my luggage long before dinner, but I'm always prepared not to have it so I carry a sundress(and shower things)to change into the first night, just in case. The first night you can usually slide in casual wear in the dining room.

[cruisergal 1]

We always do the 2nd seating for dinner. So we always get our luggage in time to change into something fresh. Most of the time on the first night, I will wear capris, and a nice casual top, same idea for the last night, and I feel very comfortable. You don't have to get dressed up at all the first night.

[Jane110]

My DH isn't a slob but his casual attire usually consists of a nice t-shirt or polo shirt and nice jeans maybe some khakis. Will that be too underdressed for dinner? I'm already gonna be forcing him into a dress shirt and slacks for formal nights so, I hope this won't be a faux pas for him on casual nights?

 

Any excuse to dress up is great for me. I'm just worried the DH will be cranky. Thanks for the assist.

 

-Cheers,

Meldam

 

Polo shirt and khaki's is fine for 1st night. However, dress shirt and pants for formal night is very underdressed and that level of attire will be worn by most men on most other nights.

[smoothdancer]

Even on Carnival? Did I read somewhere that Carnival is now formal optional? It has been a few years since we sailed Carnival, and even on the last short cruise we did on Carnival at our table 2 men were in a tux, one man in a dark suit. I actually see more of a variance in the ladies where the majority wear cocktail dresses instead of a full length gown.

 

Yes, myself I plan what I will wear to dinner on the first night, just like every other night. It makes no difference to me that this is our first night on the ship. But we do choose a second seating and have never had luggage issues or lack of time to dress for dinner.

[Jane110]

Even on Carnival? Did I read somewhere that Carnival is now formal optional? It has been a few years since we sailed Carnival, and even on the last short cruise we did on Carnival at our table 2 men were in a tux, one man in a dark suit.

 

 

.

 

Yes, but the OP was saying that her husband would wear a shirt and pair of pants on formal night, not a suit or even a sports coat.

 

I've not cruised on Carnival, and I know that formal is now optional, but I don't think a man would go into the dining room on even formal/optonal night with just a shirt. I thought formal optional meant that casually dressed people would have dinner at other dining options like casual restaurants or the buffet?

[smoothdancer]

Jane,

I can tell that you have never been on a formal optional cruise!

 

Formal optional means that shipwide the suggested attire is not formal but a night will be designated as formal for any who wish to partipicate. This dress code is carried out in all of the dining rooms so yes it is quite common to see men in polo shirt with no jacket on this evening. We sailed NCL, which uses this concept and I would say about only 25% will dress formal, or for the men, wear a jacket in the dining rooms.

 

NCL however clearly advertises/markets this dresscode for all of thier fleet while I am not sure that Carnival has yet taken it to this extent. I would be interested to hear.

[Jane110]

Jane,

I can tell that you have never been on a formal optional cruise!

 

Formal optional means that shipwide the suggested attire is not formal but a night will be designated as formal for any who wish to partipicate. This dress code is carried out in all of the dining rooms so yes it is quite common to see men in polo shirt with no jacket on this evening. We sailed NCL, which uses this concept and I would say about only 25% will dress formal, or for the men, wear a jacket in the dining rooms.

 

NCL however clearly advertises/markets this dresscode for all of thier fleet while I am not sure that Carnival has yet taken it to this extent. I would be interested to hear.

 

You're right.

It's a silly wording and kinda says nothing, as in reality, any night is formal optional then, isn't it? On one cruise it was our anniversary and DH and I dressed up a little more on a non-formal night. I was in a long black dress (not pouffy or sparkly) and he was in a dark suit. We weren't formal in a sea of polo shirts, but other men were in sports coats and women in casual dresses or nice pants with pretty "not-daytime" tops. So while we were dressed up a little more, we weren't out of place. But on a formal night, our outfits would have fit in as well, but we would have been on the less formal side of the fashion meter.

 

So on one of these "special" nights, a table of 10 people could have some in tuxes, dark suits, gowns and cocktails dresses and then some in polo's and khaki's? Ugh!

 

I thought that on NCL the dining rooms were separated so that those in formal attire could dine at one and those in casual clothes could dine at another. No?

[Chigirlcruzin]

The dining room on the first night is a little more casual, but the truth is, the vast majority of people get their luggage before sailaway. In any case, I always pack something in my carry-on to wear to dinner the first night. I have all my make-up, toiletries, bathing suit, and an outfit for dinner the first night in my carry-on.

 

As for formal night on Carnival, I just got back from 4 day and 5 day back to back cruises. While Carnival has changed formal night to "elegant" night, I didn't notice much of a difference. I only saw a few tuxes, same as when it was formal night. Most women wear cocktail dresses. I did not see any men without ties or jackets. So while it's not the traditional sense of formal, people do get dressed up.

[ecpc1302]

Once on Celebrity, we have had our bags delivered too late for dinner despite boarding early so we wore our embarkation clothes to the dining room for dinner. We were younger and naive then.

 

Another cruise on Carnival we met some people (in the laundry room) who's bags caught up with the ship a few days into the cruise and on Costa one man that we met checked his bag with the porter at the port and didn't see it until day 14 or so of a 16 day cruise.

 

From now on, I pack at least one casual outfit, swimsuit, extra shoes and a dressy outfit, in my carryon.

 

Elsie:cool:

[Happy ks]

Even on Carnival? Did I read somewhere that Carnival is now formal optional? It has been a few years since we sailed Carnival, and even on the last short cruise we did on Carnival at our table 2 men were in a tux, one man in a dark suit. I actually see more of a variance in the ladies where the majority wear cocktail dresses instead of a full length gown.

 

Yes, myself I plan what I will wear to dinner on the first night, just like every other night. It makes no difference to me that this is our first night on the ship. But we do choose a second seating and have never had luggage issues or lack of time to dress for dinner.

 

 

I thought it was called "elegant" night :confused: Shirtsleeves without a tie isn't elegant at all to me, it's just another word replacing the word formal.

 

I'm the type who would prefer every night to be semi-formal with the only exception to be the first night, in case luggage is not delivered. Lost or waylaid luggage is the only excuse for not dressing well, after all you still have to put clothes on, why not wear nice looking ones :)

 

To ecpc1302: I don't know if it is a fluke, but we seem to get our luggage delivered to our cabin a lot sooner if we don't board early. Our bags have beaten us to the cabin a couple of times, or been there within 20 minutes when we have boarded at 3pm. My own personal theory is that the early boarding bags are in the bottom of the bins and delivered last.

[dreadpirate3]

I would wear something versatile. We didn't visit the pool the first day, we explored the ship instead. Our cabin was ready at 2, so we went there as well. We boarded our first cruise in October at 1 and had our luggage by 3. I wore a black and white patterned top and black silk capris that I would have not felt uncomfortable in at dinner. My husband only wore a suit on formal night and dress pants with a silk Tommy Bahamas shirt two nights and a linen Tommy Bahamas shirt the last night. I did not see anyone in denim or shorts in the dining room any night. We never wore t-shirts on anything but excursions. This next cruise is only 3 nights, but I am wearing a floor length periwinkle formal gown with a matching wrap. I love to dress up and cruises are one of the opportunites for me. I have two dressy dresses for the other nights. My son and my husband will be in dress shirts and dress pants for the two non-formal nights and suits on the formal nights. Have fun no matter what!