Do YOU always participate on formal nights?

[Yvonne]

We just got back from a 5-night Carnival Paradise cruise. No, we don't really "dress up" for "elegant night" anymore. When we first started cruising I wore a long dress and DH wore a suit/tie. Now he wears khaki slacks and a polo shirt, and I wear black slacks and a dressy top. We are comfortable with that. And that's the type of clothing we saw the most in the main dining room on this cruise. Some even wore less dressy stuff, jeans and t-shirts. I wouldn't, but I didn't look down my nose at them. And some dressed in suits, dresses, but not many.

 

And please, OP, don't listen to those who say if you don't want to dress up "that's what the buffet is for." They don't have the right to tell you to skip the dining room. You go to the dining room if you want to. It really doesn't matter what the fashion police think. :) It's up to the Carnival staff what they will allow and not allow. I even saw men in shorts and baseball caps and those are supposed to be "not permitted" in the dining room.

[pauleydm]

Yes, we dress up for the first formal night, get our picture taken and the usually have dinner at the steakhouse. On the second formal night, we dress up just to have more pictures taken and then we change back into our casual clothes and eat dinner on the lido deck.

[beshears]

Cruising Manaic, well you dressing along to match your wife, sounds like my pastor and wife, as well as a few other couples in our church. I really think it is neat looking.

 

My husband won't fly, so I always go with a girlfriend, and I love, love, love, to dress to the "9's," as I always get compliments for a lady who just (most people do not believe it) turne 72 years YOUNG. :)

[czechmate001]

It was not a matter of getting dressed up I just don't like long dinners, I do not like to sit for an hour and a half and that's about how long it takes to go through all 3 courses. Just got off the Ecstasy this morning, They offered prime rib in the buffet line, on elegant night, they do not serve the chocolate lava cakes in the buffet line that everyone raves about, but they are not a favorite of mine so it does not matter to me, there are plenty of desserts to choose from. There is always enough of a variety on the buffet line, and quite frankly unless you are eating in the specialty restaurants, I do not think that food is all that great, its not bad, but it is massed produced which happens when you are feeding 2000 people or more on a ship. We find our selves eating in the main dining rooms less and less with each cruise, when we sign up for dinner times, we choose anytime dining so we never have to sit through the waiters singing during dinner, now I know some people enjoy that but I just find it silly, if you choose anytime dining they do not do that, or if they do I have missed it on the last 3 cruises. Carnival guests do not really go all out, for elegant night, I have seen a few men in shorts and baseball caps on Elegant nights. They do say no jeans but I watched a guy go into the dining room with dark jeans and a sport coat on Elegant night.

[DocF]

When I die, I want my obituary to include the line: "He was the last passenger to wear a tuxedo aboard a Carnival cruise on 'Cruise Elegant' night." Society has become well beyond casual to absolutely slovenly. When Dear Wife and I were in a very expensive steak house, the tables on either side of us were occupied by people wearing blue jeans and muscle shirts on one side and track suits on the other. I will not lower myself to this level.

[sjn911]

When I die, I want my obituary to include the line: "He was the last passenger to wear a tuxedo aboard a Carnival cruise on 'Cruise Elegant' night." Society has become well beyond casual to absolutely slovenly. When Dear Wife and I were in a very expensive steak house, the tables on either side of us were occupied by people wearing blue jeans and muscle shirts on one side and track suits on the other. I will not lower myself to this level.

 

In the spirit of the elegant fantasies of many....thank you. It just says something when the man WANTS to dress up and while my folks did not have that many cruises..they had a day to day..even going out for a drive thing about looking nice..asking each other what they were going to wear and looking GREAT together...I want to see that continue too...Sarah

[mowrider]

Took 3 weeks looking on eBay to get all of the tuxedo "stuff" (because of being a "small") Cost: $105 for everything! The only chance to dress up now is on a cruise, I enjoy it, don't care about what others wear. Besides, I make a tuxedo look ............................ Good ! Always do the main dining room and try for a large table ( I like meeting new tablemates, all have been really good on 14 cruises) #15 is April 26th. on the Dream If you see me, just keep drinking till I start to look good !:cool:

[NOLArobyn]

I LOVE to dress up & miss the days of wearing a long gown. In 26 days, I will happily wear my super sparkly cocktail dress to elegant night!!

[makeda]

First, we always dress for dinner in the MDR, just as we would for any nice restaurant. On "elegant/formal" nites, we dress a little better and make sure we get the formal family portrait. Some folks evidently don't even go to church anymore, as church clothes should fit the bill. Just because people try to make it their way whatever, we always make sure our children know class and classy.

[Insel]

I wear a nice cocktail dress and dh wears a nice shirt and tie.

He's decided not to bring suits or a jacket. That said, often times we feel overdressed compared to some cruisers. I get people are on vacation but I wish Carnival was a bit more strict on Elegant nights.

[cutiepiefred]

I have looked into it! The last check however it was not available to Canadians. :(

 

have you tried southwest? we never fly with any but them and 2 bags per person fly free.

[dmet0225]

I'm on vacation. I'm not packing a suit and my wife isn't packing a formal dress for dinner. I wear Dockers pants and a golf shirt and my wife wears a summer dress to dinner. I really don't notice what others are wearing around me, and if I did, it wouldn't matter to me one way or another.

[Runaway Parent]

90% of the time we do dress up-- tux and formal dress. For us, that's part of the fun of cruising. However, there are times we do go more casual. In the long run, it doesn't matter what anyone else does! Everyone should do as they like within the guidelines.

[beshears]

Makeda, you are right. If a person goes to church, "normally" the clothes you wear to church would be just fine for the MDR table.:)

 

Now I have seen some people wear shorts to church, but I don't believe that should be worn at the dinner table, especially in the evening.

[beshears]

Yes that's one thing about flying Southwest, your two bags are FREE.:)

[Jenhem31]

I've never participated in elegant night. I don't want to pack the extra stuff and am usually too wiped out from the day to care about getting all gussied up. I don't need lobster that bad.

 

There's the buffet, room service, and other venues you can eat at. I've never regretted skipping.

[jeniceglassman]

DH wears dress shirt, & Tie ..I just go basic with Black & White. We really don't want to lug around extra clothing to enjoy our cruise!

[Sage Cruises]

We have always gone dressed up to the elegant nights...we particularly like getting photos taken on those nights :-)

Edited March 6, 2015 by Sage Cruises

[figdu]

Black or white jeans and a starched short sleeved shirt.

[CraftyScribbles]

I'm participating for my first cruise. I'll wear cocktail wear but nothing more formal than that. I want the experience at least once.

[beshears]

This is just my "2 cents" worth. I like the elegant dressing/dining time. That is why we always have the "late" seating. This way we don't have to "hurry" from any port/island, and can take a shower, and maybe a quickie nap, and still enjoy the evening.

[nissach]

Nope, never!!

[Firewife1031]

My husband and I wear uniforms for work and on our days off we're in jeans and t-shirts. Whenever we go on a cruise we always participate in at least one of the "formal nights". It's always nice to get dolled up and take great pictures. Cruises are the only way I can get him to wear a tux LOL. That being said, its all up to you. If you don't want to dress up to the 9's and only want to go casual, then do it. This is your cruise, no one can tell you what to do. The great thing about cruising is that there are tons of options! have fun with it!