Elegant Night Dinner Options If Not In MDR

[IMKTDQT810]

We sail Magic next June and we are trying different things. Like the My Time Dining rather then the assigned table seating. Another "different thing" will be to not "dress up" on elegant night. Unless the guys bring and want to wear khaki's (which to me ISN'T dressing up so we shouldn't be IN the MDR). But in the past they HATED to "dress fancy" and I'm giving them a break this time. Is it true we can get the same menu in the MDR as room service that night? Or is there anything special on the Buffet that night? Just wondering since we have never done it before. Thanks! 

[TexasBrit]

Yes.

Also you can go to the Italian restaurant for a small extra fee. Well worth it, really good selections and totally delicious. Don't have to dress up for it.

[lazydayz]

I think khaki's or jeans with a polo shirt are fine for the MDR on "elegant" nights.  There really isn't much left of the dress code on Carnival.  But if we want to skip the fanfare, we just book a specialty restaurant for that evening.  Sorry I can't answer your specific questions as we are not big on room service or the buffet.  

[LatinaInTexas]

We always change clothes for dinner the MDR each night. One night we didn't feel like it so went to try the buffet for dinner for the first time ever.

While basically everything was the same as what was being served in the MDR it just didn't look appealing sitting there all dried out and not plated prettily. We ended up going to the MDR after all in our casual clothes lol.

[nlktx49]

No, the MDR menu is not available on Room Service. The buffet is a poor substitution for MDR on any night. Elegant night is no longer very elegant. My husband - and most men - wear casual slacks like Dockers and a collared shirt, I wear black pants and a nice top, or maybe a casual dress. It's no big deal. You're not likely to see any man in a tuxedo or even a suit, and certainly not a woman in a long formal gown. When we started cruising in 2008 that type of dress was the norm for about a quarter of passengers. A lot of women wore cocktail dresses, men wore suits. Others less formal - women with black pants and a very dressy top, men in dress shirts, slacks and tie. Now it's more business casual. You have the options of Steak House, Cucina del Capitano, Ji Ji Asian, and Bonsai Sushi. We just returned Saturday from a 7 day cruise on Vista, on elegant night the MDR was only about half full. We have been doing  Your Time Dining for the last 3 or 4 years, like it much better than assigned time. Now you register all in your party on the HUB shortly before you want to eat, you get a message on how long a wait you have, then you are notified when your table is ready. We never waited more than 5 minutes! We cruise out of Galveston, so may be a more casual vibe than other ships, but I think overall Carnival is more relaxed, less formal, as I think that's what most cruisers want. Those who want more formality should cruise on the high-dollar lines! Hope you enjoy your cruise, no matter where you eat on elegant nights.😉

[cruisinpips]

 

 

I pack one pair of “dress khakis” and wear them to the steakhouse with a polo shirt on elegant nights. They do not allow shorts in the steakhouse. We opted out of dress up many cruises ago, I wear nice shorts to dinner every other night if we go. We were on Horizon in September and never went to the dining room once. Too many other options. We were on Horizon in July also, wore the same pants to dining room one night and steakhouse on the second elegant night. We always book the steakhouse on elegant nights because we do not particularly like dressing up for dinner. After dinner I go back and change into comfortable shorts and nicer flip flops to enjoy the rest of the evening around the ship. The Magic out of Galveston is one of our favorites because most people are very casual. Enjoy your cruise and don’t let other people’s opinions about your dress worry you. You wont be disappointed with the steakhouse or Cucina on both elegant nights. 

[staceyglow]

It has been our experience on our 3 post-pandemic cruises that anything goes right now on Elegant Night. Once, I even saw a woman come onboard after a day at the beach and show up in the MDR an hour later wearing the same outfit.

 

[satxdiver]

Elegant night is a misnomer these days.  You will see people in formal wear to suits/party dresses to open collar shirts/pant suits to tshirts and jeans with the majority tending towards the less dressed.  This is particularly true when one is going to the Caribbean or to the Mexican Riviera. 

[ober134]

Just off Horizon couple weeks ago. Never set foot in MDR. Specialty restaurants 2 nights. One night got Guys burger just before it closed at 6. Other nights we ate at buffet, which we found surprisingly good.

[jsglow]

I'm always interested in folks dinner choices because they very so much.  We switched over to YTD many years ago.  Simply prefer a table for 2 at dinner.  Typically, we'll request a wait staff we've come to like.  Causal night for me includes nice shorts and a polo.  On elegant, that get's upped to 'business casual' attire to include long pants and a nice Tommy Bahama.  Haven't brought a jacket in at least 5-7 years.

 

In all our years of cruising, we have never skipped the MDR except for an upgraded pay option, typically about once in a 7 day cruise.  In many ways, it's our favorite part of the day.

[Duanerice1]

Have never worn shorts to the dining room, not sure I'd feel comfortable at dinner.  But I don't get dressed up either.  Elegant night now is work pants and a collared shirt.  Nothing fancy.  Stopped taking a suit or tux many years ago. 

 

Go and enjoy, true elegant nights are pretty much over.....

[hurricane0226]

On 11/3/2021 at 6:50 PM, nlktx49 said:

No, the MDR menu is not available on Room Service. The buffet is a poor substitution for MDR on any night. Elegant night is no longer very elegant. My husband - and most men - wear casual slacks like Dockers and a collared shirt, I wear black pants and a nice top, or maybe a casual dress. It's no big deal. You're not likely to see any man in a tuxedo or even a suit, and certainly not a woman in a long formal gown. When we started cruising in 2008 that type of dress was the norm for about a quarter of passengers. A lot of women wore cocktail dresses, men wore suits. Others less formal - women with black pants and a very dressy top, men in dress shirts, slacks and tie. Now it's more business casual. You have the options of Steak House, Cucina del Capitano, Ji Ji Asian, and Bonsai Sushi. We just returned Saturday from a 7 day cruise on Vista, on elegant night the MDR was only about half full. We have been doing  Your Time Dining for the last 3 or 4 years, like it much better than assigned time. Now you register all in your party on the HUB shortly before you want to eat, you get a message on how long a wait you have, then you are notified when your table is ready. We never waited more than 5 minutes! We cruise out of Galveston, so may be a more casual vibe than other ships, but I think overall Carnival is more relaxed, less formal, as I think that's what most cruisers want. Those who want more formality should cruise on the high-dollar lines! Hope you enjoy your cruise, no matter where you eat on elegant nights.😉

Was on the Mardi Gras last week and saw tux in the MDR, but also saw flip flops and gym

shorts, fwiw.

[IMKTDQT810]

Thank you to everyone for their comments. I'm starting to think I might not want to pass up the extra fancy food on "Elegant Night" and just have the guys dress in business casual! At least you all are putting my mind at ease on what you all see in the dining room these days! THANK YOU! 

[kicia]

We still do the tux and long gown. There were quite a few on the Mardi Gras.   The dress code for the specialty restaurants is the same as for the MDR.