Formal nights on Carnival - how formal?

[Caracarn2]

My wife and I are cruising for the first time.  We stayed away from Holland America as my parents pointed out their formal nights are tux our suit and gown for women, not our style at all, even for "fancy" at home let alone when trying to pack light for a cruise.

 

Being the "fun" ships hoping Carnival is a LOT lower than that.   Would prefer jeans and a polo, but would nice khakis and a collared shirt count for men on Carnival?  Also my wife is not even looking to pack a dress, so capris and a nice blouse?   Or will that not cut it and we just have to eat somewhere else those nights?   We are doing the Your Time seating versus the set time so not sure if maybe they are also more lax in that space?   Given more kids on the Carnival line just hoping we can not have to miss what I assume is some nicer meals (I've heard those are lobster nights, but not sure if that applies to Carnival or not), but just figuring things out.  We are not sailing until the end of March so a lot of time to learn.

[Eli_6]

Anything goes. Literally.  In general, most people wear "sunday" or "church" clothes.  You see a few dressed to the nines and a few in jeans, but most are in suits or nice slacks/collared shirt (for men) and dresses/pant suit (for women). 

Edited September 9, 2022 by Eli_6

[Illbcruzn4life]

2 minutes ago, Caracarn2 said:

My wife and I are cruising for the first time.  We stayed away from Holland America as my parents pointed out their formal nights are tux our suit and gown for women, not our style at all, even for "fancy" at home let alone when trying to pack light for a cruise.

 

Being the "fun" ships hoping Carnival is a LOT lower than that.   Would prefer jeans and a polo, but would nice khakis and a collared shirt count for men on Carnival?  Also my wife is not even looking to pack a dress, so capris and a nice blouse?   Or will that not cut it and we just have to eat somewhere else those nights?   We are doing the Your Time seating versus the set time so not sure if maybe they are also more lax in that space?   Given more kids on the Carnival line just hoping we can not have to miss what I assume is some nicer meals (I've heard those are lobster nights, but not sure if that applies to Carnival or not), but just figuring things out.  We are not sailing until the end of March so a lot of time to learn.

What you are hoping for elegant nights on CCL is spot on. You’d be fine with khakis and a polo and wife with capris and nice top is perfect.

 

if you are on a cruise of 6 days or longer lobster will be served on the first elegant night.

 

[S&LMom]

You will be fine in that attire. 

[cruisingguy007]

Pants and a button up of some kind is sufficient. A lot of folks went all out on the miracle cruise last week and it was a bit surprising, hadn't seen that before on past cruises, I actually felt under dressed in a dress shirt and chino "kinda" type pants lol. Pretty much as long as you have pants on you are good but some go big on formal night and dress to the nines. 

[mz-s]

You'll see anything from Dollar General to Brooks Brothers on elegant night on Carnival. I'm sure if they didn't sell so many pictures to the families that did dress up they would have done away with Cruise Elegant night years ago.

[kelkel2]

Khakis are fine. You’ll see some who are more formal. My husband wore a suit and I wore a cocktail dress a few years ago. Mainly because I wanted to because I wear scrubs every day and we never really dress up. But you will be absolutely fine in business casual attire! 

[sgttami]

It's a definite mix for elegant/formal night.  You will still see tuxes and gowns, suits and cocktail dresses, khaki's and polo shirts.  

 

I travel solo and wear a nice pair of black dressy pants and tops that pack easily.  I only do carry on so the days of gowns and heels are over for me.

 

  I've never felt under dressed  on Carnival.

 

 

[kwokpot]

No need for a jacket or tie. Khakis and a button shirt or a nice polo shirt fine. 

[crystalspin]

3 hours ago, Caracarn2 said:

My wife and I are cruising for the first time.  We stayed away from Holland America as my parents pointed out their formal nights are tux our suit and gown for women, not our style at all, even for "fancy" at home let alone when trying to pack light for a cruise.

...would nice khakis and a collared shirt count for men on Carnival?  Also my wife is not even looking to pack a dress, so capris and a nice blouse?   

Glad you found your way here, but feel the need to pop in and comment that HAL is NOT tux and gown for most people. The "collared shirt and chinos" that I quoted to you when I sent you here from New Cruisers, is in fact the HAL minimum requirement for newly christened "dressy" nights (formerly Gala and formerly Formal). I think the only formal formal dress requirements left in the industry are Cunard. Even the Luxury lines that I know of have a Smart Casual dresscode for all nights.

[notplatinum]

3 hours ago, Caracarn2 said:

My wife and I are cruising for the first time.  We stayed away from Holland America as my parents pointed out their formal nights are tux our suit and gown for women, not our style at all, even for "fancy" at home let alone when trying to pack light for a cruise.

 

Being the "fun" ships hoping Carnival is a LOT lower than that.   Would prefer jeans and a polo, but would nice khakis and a collared shirt count for men on Carnival?  Also my wife is not even looking to pack a dress, so capris and a nice blouse?   Or will that not cut it and we just have to eat somewhere else those nights?   We are doing the Your Time seating versus the set time so not sure if maybe they are also more lax in that space?   Given more kids on the Carnival line just hoping we can not have to miss what I assume is some nicer meals (I've heard those are lobster nights, but not sure if that applies to Carnival or not), but just figuring things out.  We are not sailing until the end of March so a lot of time to learn.

It’s your cruise.  Dress. How you see fit. Nobody will say anything

[vicky3vicky]

On the first formal night of the cruise, everyone in our group dresses up "a little bit." For me that means a cocktail dress, small heels, doing something with my hair and applying a bit of makeup.

 

Second formal night, I wear a simple and loose sundress, flat sandals, throw a scrunchie in my frizzy "cruise hair" [to avoid scaring anyone] and no makeup. I check the rest of the group to make sure no one is wearing flip-flops, muscle shirts, t-shirts or cut-offs and we're good to go.

 

You'll be fine.

[DrSea]

Wow. I am surprised that this thread hasn't devolved yet.

 

I have seen people wear shorts and flip flops on elegant night. 

 

C’est la vie

[tweakes]

59 minutes ago, DrSea said:

Wow. I am surprised that this thread hasn't devolved yet.

 

I have seen people wear shorts and flip flops on elegant night. 

 

C’est la vie

I absolutely hate when people dressing comfortably makes me have such a terrible time on my vacation! My lobster tail just doesn't taste as good when I see someone across the MDR in shorts. Such a shame. 

[Cushing985]

Formal dress for me means wearing shorts that are not frayed.

[ldubs]

10 hours ago, DrSea said:

Wow. I am surprised that this thread hasn't devolved yet.

 

I have seen people wear shorts and flip flops on elegant night. 

 

C’est la vie

 

Yep, our Carnival cruise this past may I would say a large number of folks were in jeans & polo shirts.  Shorts were not uncommon.   The MDR atmosphere was friendly and fun I would say.  

[DrSea]

1 minute ago, ldubs said:

 

Yep, our Carnival cruise this past may I would say a large number of folks were in jeans & polo shirts.  Shorts were not uncommon.   The MDR atmosphere was friendly and fun I would say.  

Yeah it doesn't bother me. It's all good. 

[mz-s]

1 hour ago, Cushing985 said:

Formal dress for me means wearing shorts that are not frayed.

 

Wow I haven't seen cut off jeans in probably 30 years.

[teknoge3k]

I used to wear jeans and a polo with tennis shoes for years. Over the past 4-5 years, I've slowly evolved to just shorts and a polo with my sandals. On casual nights, it's cargo shorts and a t-shirt. Carnival dropped "formal" years ago. 

[ldubs]

12 minutes ago, teknoge3k said:

I used to wear jeans and a polo with tennis shoes for years. Over the past 4-5 years, I've slowly evolved to just shorts and a polo with my sandals. On casual nights, it's cargo shorts and a t-shirt. Carnival dropped "formal" years ago. 

 

Going off on a slight tangent here.  I've not understood the difference between "dressy" shorts and other kinds of shorts.   😀

[Joe817]

8 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

Going off on a slight tangent here.  I've not understood the difference between "dressy" shorts and other kinds of shorts.   😀

Just google 'dress shorts" and you'll see the difference. Kind of like golf shorts. Longer at the knees, etc. Not like cargo shorts, or camping shorts, or gym shorts, etc. 

[Caracarn2]

36 minutes ago, mz-s said:

 

Wow I haven't seen cut off jeans in probably 30 years.

I'm sure they meant the jeans you buy brand new that are all chopped open.

Edited September 9, 2022 by Caracarn2

[ldubs]

7 minutes ago, Joe817 said:

Just google 'dress shorts" and you'll see the difference. Kind of like golf shorts. Longer at the knees, etc. Not like cargo shorts, or camping shorts, or gym shorts, etc. 

 

Thanks.  I still don't see a huge difference.  Don't get me wrong.  I like Bermuda shorts.  I would kind of like to see the knee high socks becoming popular!   

[ldubs]

40 minutes ago, mz-s said:

 

Wow I haven't seen cut off jeans in probably 30 years.

 

I think more like 50+ years!   Cut offs used to be considered about the coolest things.   

[guxu]

I wore a pair of dress pants and a button shirt (no tie) on my last Carnival cruise. And I felt overdressed.