Dress Code

[48traveler]

We did 14 cruises years ago  and have been away a long time.  Just an elegant night question as far as the men. Do most of you wear a jacket and tie or are just a dress shirt and slacks OK  Thank you

[teknoge3k]

You're going to get a dozen answers on this one. Some people love to get dressed up, others don't. You don't see many jackets, you will see some ties. You will see some people in shorts and t-shirts, you'll see a lot of in-betweens. I usually wear jeans and a polo with tennis shoes. Carnival isn't strict about what comes into the MDR. I would wear what you are comfortable in, and enjoy your vacation. You're there to enjoy yourself. 

[Denverdonkeys]

You asked two different questions.

1. you asked if most us wear a jacket and a tie- the answer for me is that I wear a jacket but no tie. I don't mind a jacket, but a tie I despise.

2. You then asked if "are just a dress shirt and slacks OK" and the the answer to that is yes.

 

Regardless of what you hear about #1 in these incoming replies, it doesn't matter. Teknoge3k is right, be comfortable and enjoy yourself. a jacket and a tie are not necessary.

[Organized Chaos]

I'll wear a tie, but only because I feel like putting a little extra effort into it beyond what I wear on casual nights. But I don't wear a jacket. Khakis, a dress shirt, and tie. Some guys do more, others do less. That's just what I'm comfortable with. OP, the dress code is a lot more relaxed than when you used to cruise.

[dmdiver]

Hubby has done tuxedo, suit with tie, slacks with button down shirt & black sneakers, nice jeans with polo.  Carnival is pretty relaxed.  I have seen some get away with cargo shorts, but I wouldn't rely on that happening.  It's up to the maitre d as to whether you can get away with that.

[purplephenom]

A jacket and tie are not necessary.  Some people will wear them, but I wouldn't say it is the majority. You wouldn't feel out of place in a dress shirt and slacks- you could add the tie but not the jacket if you want to get a little fancy. 

 

I will say I just got off the horizon, and it was the most dressed up cruise I've ever seen.  One day I really wasn't feeling it and went to dinner in shorts (tsk tsk I know I know) and I was the only person in shorts on that whole side of the dining room. I didn't do it again.

[BTHodgeman]

I'd say there isn't any single type of dress that most men wear. The 'average' is probably somewhere between jeans and slacks and a button-down shirt. 

 

Like others have said, you will see everything from shorts and t-shirts all the way up to full tuxes and formal wear. I personally don't like to get super dressy, so I usually go with a nice pair of jeans, button-down dress shirt, and a pair of dress shoes. For regular nights, pretty much the same except I may swap the button-down shirt for a polo or more casual shirt. 

[Organized Chaos]

5 minutes ago, purplephenom said:

I will say I just got off the horizon, and it was the most dressed up cruise I've ever seen.  One day I really wasn't feeling it and went to dinner in shorts (tsk tsk I know I know) and I was the only person in shorts on that whole side of the dining room. I didn't do it again.

 

Interesting. We'll be on Horizon for the first time next month. I almost always wear khaki shorts and a nice collared shirt on casual nights. I've never felt under-dressed, there's always been plenty of guys dressed similarly or less so. I've never worn jeans to casual nights, but I was planning on wearing a nice pair on occasion since I'd have a pair with me anyway (leaving home in cold weather). Oh well, I'll stick with what has worked for me in the past and won't let how others are dressed change that.

[purplephenom]

4 minutes ago, Organized Chaos said:

 

Interesting. We'll be on Horizon for the first time next month. I almost always wear khaki shorts and a nice collared shirt on casual nights. I've never felt under-dressed, there's always been plenty of guys dressed similarly or less so. I've never worn jeans to casual nights, but I was planning on wearing a nice pair on occasion since I'd have a pair with me anyway (leaving home in cold weather). Oh well, I'll stick with what has worked for me in the past and won't let how others are dressed change that.

 

Khaki shorts would have been a definite step up from what I was wearing.  I'm female but I tend to dress like a middle school boy unless I make the effort to get dressy.  

 

We did see people in jeans. And it was just weird, we've done the 8 day Southern route before, and we've never seen people as dressy as this cruise.  On casual nights I usually wore pants like khakis but in different colors and a blouse, and that seemed to be middle of the road.  

[Joe817]

I'm with O.C. on this. I wear a button down shirt with tie, nice slacks(that my wife got me from Sam's), dress shoes. I didn't want to take a jacket with me as it would get wrinkled, plus just more stuff to pack which I try to avoid. On casual nights, same outfit, sans tie, button down shirt exchanged for polo type shirt. One night I felt really casual and wore jeans. Never wore shorts because it was cold in MDR. 

[happylittlefamily]

Dress shirt and dress pants are perfectly fine.   

[deadmoney]

My wife likes to get pics taken on elegant night so I wear a suit and tie.

This is the only time (besides a wedding or funeral).

[Denverdonkeys]

to clarify the cruise casual dress code for men allows "long shorts" i dont know what that really means, but I believe that golf shorts (of various colors/styles) with a polo is appropriate/allowed.

[BTHodgeman]

26 minutes ago, Denverdonkeys said:

to clarify the cruise casual dress code for men allows "long shorts" i dont know what that really means, but I believe that golf shorts (of various colors/styles) with a polo is appropriate/allowed.

You'll probably find 10 different definitions, but I would consider "long shorts" to be anything that hits right at the knee or below. 

[Trueblueky]

10 hours ago, Joe817 said:

I'm with O.C. on this. I wear a button down shirt with tie, nice slacks(that my wife got me from Sam's), dress shoes. I didn't want to take a jacket with me as it would get wrinkled, plus just more stuff to pack which I try to avoid. On casual nights, same outfit, sans tie, button down shirt exchanged for polo type shirt. One night I felt really casual and wore jeans. Never wore shorts because it was cold in MDR. 

Casual nights -- polo and dress slacks

Elegant night -- button-down shirt, tie, pullover sweater

The sweater sometimes comes in handy at other times on the cruise.  Agree with this poster on never taking a jacket.

[wardamnweagle]

Casual nights: jeans or slacks, button down and jacket. Formal night: slacks, jacket, and tie. Makes for nice pics. 

[Lee Cruiser]

Here is what I wear:

Casual Nights:  Shorts and Polo Shirt

Elegant Night: *Slacks and Button Down Shirt.  In all of my cruises, I have never a jacket and only worn a tie once. 

 

* If we do elegant night.  Most of the time now on elegant night we just eat on the Lido.

[Cushing985]

I went business casual quite a few cruises ago (slacks and a dress shirt...no tie and no coat) and have never looked back.

[dave_k58]

I think pretty much anything goes as far as the dress code goes anymore. Personally - on "elegant night", I wear a jacket and tie and my wife likes to dress up a bit. I don't really care what others wear.  There are so few places to dress up for dinner, we just feel like doing it. 

[lindsay0526]

For the dress code, this is what we do-

“cruise casual”

him: a pair of chinos and a polo or short sleeved button down

me: dress, pants w/blouse, or dressy shorts w/blouse

 

“formal”

him- business casual (dress pants & button down) at a minimum all the way to a tuxedo

me- a dress that I would wear to an evening wedding. This is normally a LBD with some fun, sparkly jewelry.

 

[48traveler]

On 2/20/2020 at 8:19 AM, Denverdonkeys said:

You asked two different questions.

1. you asked if most us wear a jacket and a tie- the answer for me is that I wear a jacket but no tie. I don't mind a jacket, but a tie I despise.

2. You then asked if "are just a dress shirt and slacks OK" and the the answer to that is yes.

 

Regardless of what you hear about #1 in these incoming replies, it doesn't matter. Teknoge3k is right, be comfortable and enjoy yourself. a jacket and a tie are not necessary.

Thank you very much 

 

[48traveler]

5 hours ago, lindsay0526 said:

For the dress code, this is what we do-

“cruise casual”

him: a pair of chinos and a polo or short sleeved button down

me: dress, pants w/blouse, or dressy shorts w/blouse

 

“formal”

him- business casual (dress pants & button down) at a minimum all the way to a tuxedo

me- a dress that I would wear to an evening wedding. This is normally a LBD with some fun, sparkly jewelry.

 

Thanks very much  I know years ago when we cruised many dressed to the hilt, which is fine, I just hate packing so much extra and keeping it from getting wrinkled. Best regards

[dallasdan]

I like to wear dress shorts and polo shirt on casual nights.  For elegant night I wear dress slacks and dress shirt, not tie or jacket.  I was recently on a Celebrity Cruise and they make you wear pants every night.  I didn't like that.  I know this is a hot topic but I don't understand how what someone else is wearing affects my dinner or enjoyment of the cruise.  

[wrcjr98]

My husband NEVER dresses up on the ships, and he's not the only one. 

On casual nights, he wears golf shorts and a polo, on elegant nights, he wears golf pants and a polo shirt. 

[miataman19]

Just an FYI...No shorts in the Steakhouse.