EATING IN THE STEAKHOUSE FOR FORMAL NIGHT?

[diesteldorf]

I booked a 5-day cruise in 2020 that Carnival rescheduled, due to Covid, and gave me a lot of onboard credit to keep the booking.

 

I am planning to eat in the steakhouse 4 of the 5 nights, and was able to book at the current $42.00 rate.

 

I decided not to book on formal night, Tuesday, since I figured the MDR may offer elevated food options, even in spite of the cutbacks.

 

However, does anyone know if the steakhouse also offers elevated food options on formal night?

 

Has anyone booked on formal night to provide a data point?

 

[Sailin_Pirate]

Unless things have changed the steak house menu is the same.

 

 

The only difference I know for mdr is lobster and that's only on 6+ days cruises.

[Bostwick girl]

On the 5 day cruise, prime rib is on the menu for formal night. Don’t remember the rest of the items. Be aware you can order a couple of steakhouse items in the MDR any night for a $20 upcharge.  Also remember the steakhouse menu does not ever change, so you’ll not have a lot of variety if you eat in there every night. I think I could find a better way to spend my on board credit!

 

[mz-s]

On a 5 day cruise you'll typically have two cruise elegant nights, one will offer prime rib the other will offer jumbo shrimp and often times beef tenderloin.

 

My advice - if you still have OBC and have prepaid tips, cancel that for a refund and let Carnival pay for your tips with OBC.

[bar1068]

2 hours ago, diesteldorf said:

I booked a 5-day cruise in 2020 that Carnival rescheduled, due to Covid, and gave me a lot of onboard credit to keep the booking.

 

I am planning to eat in the steakhouse 4 of the 5 nights, and was able to book at the current $42.00 rate.

 

I decided not to book on formal night, Tuesday, since I figured the MDR may offer elevated food options, even in spite of the cutbacks.

 

However, does anyone know if the steakhouse also offers elevated food options on formal night?

 

Has anyone booked on formal night to provide a data point?

 

When did you book to still get the $42 rate? We tried booking last night and only saw the higher $48 rate. The email that went out yesterday, which I didn't get, said you could book through tomorrow and still get the lower rate.

 

As for booking the steakhouse on formal night, we do that "routinely" now. Less crowded, they usually offer the "free bottle of wine", I get it's not the greatest, but we're ok with that. For us the steakhouse beats anything served in the MDR. Menu in the steakhouse seems the same as any other night from our experience. 

[diesteldorf]

1 hour ago, mz-s said:

On a 5 day cruise you'll typically have two cruise elegant nights, one will offer prime rib the other will offer jumbo shrimp and often times beef tenderloin.

 

My advice - if you still have OBC and have prepaid tips, cancel that for a refund and let Carnival pay for your tips with OBC.

Thanks for the advice.

[diesteldorf]

1 hour ago, bar1068 said:

When did you book to still get the $42 rate? We tried booking last night and only saw the higher $48 rate. The email that went out yesterday, which I didn't get, said you could book through tomorrow and still get the lower rate.

 

As for booking the steakhouse on formal night, we do that "routinely" now. Less crowded, they usually offer the "free bottle of wine", I get it's not the greatest, but we're ok with that. For us the steakhouse beats anything served in the MDR. Menu in the steakhouse seems the same as any other night from our experience. 

I actually made the initial reservations at around 11:30 PM Pacific Time last night.  However, I decided to take your advice and try booking a reservation for the remaining (formal) 5th night, and I was able to access the $42 rate.

 

I am sailing in about 3 weeks on the Valor.

 

I'm not a drinker and buy few souvenirs, so I'll enjoy treating myself to some good food.

[bar1068]

50 minutes ago, diesteldorf said:

I actually made the initial reservations at around 11:30 PM Pacific Time last night.  However, I decided to take your advice and try booking a reservation for the remaining (formal) 5th night, and I was able to access the $42 rate.

 

I am sailing in about 3 weeks on the Valor.

 

I'm not a drinker and buy few souvenirs, so I'll enjoy treating myself to some good food.

Whoa…you booked the sh last night and tonight for the lower $42 rate?!?!?!?

[gopackgo21]

Also, the Steakhouse is much more “strict” about the dress code on formal night than the MDR. We were comped a steakhouse dinner from the cruise and had to reschedule for a different night because my husband didn’t have the appropriate clothing. He had black pants and a button up, but not a tie or jacket. 

[Illbcruzn4life]

5 hours ago, mz-s said:

On a 5 day cruise you'll typically have two cruise elegant nights, one will offer prime rib the other will offer jumbo shrimp and often times beef tenderloin.

 

My advice - if you still have OBC and have prepaid tips, cancel that for a refund and let Carnival pay for your tips with OBC.

Isn't there just one elegant night on a 5 day cruise?

[MMfan14]

The steakhouse is not "strict" on wearing formal attire. Just off a cruise and a gentleman was wearing shorts and a polo shirt. The days of wearing what the appropriate attire is gone.

[ProgRockCruiser]

8 hours ago, gopackgo21 said:

Also, the Steakhouse is much more “strict” about the dress code on formal night than the MDR. We were comped a steakhouse dinner from the cruise and had to reschedule for a different night because my husband didn’t have the appropriate clothing. He had black pants and a button up, but not a tie or jacket. 

I cannot recall ever going to the Steakhouse, or even looking in, on Elegant night.  But that perhaps is not surprising.

1 hour ago, MMfan14 said:

The steakhouse is not "strict" on wearing formal attire. Just off a cruise and a gentleman was wearing shorts and a polo shirt. The days of wearing what the appropriate attire is gone.

Most nights, I agree.  But perhaps they get a bit more strict on Elegant nights?

[ProgRockCruiser]

6 hours ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

Isn't there just one elegant night on a 5 day cruise?

Yes, just one.

[Schoifmom]

13 hours ago, mz-s said:

On a 5 day cruise you'll typically have two cruise elegant nights, one will offer prime rib the other will offer jumbo shrimp and often times beef tenderloin.

 

My advice - if you still have OBC and have prepaid tips, cancel that for a refund and let Carnival pay for your tips with OBC.

 

8 hours ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

Isn't there just one elegant night on a 5 day cruise?

 

There is only one cruise elegant night on a 5 day.  It is at the 6 day mark where you see the second one.

[mz-s]

4 minutes ago, Schoifmom said:

 

 

There is only one cruise elegant night on a 5 day.  It is at the 6 day mark where you see the second one.

 

My mistake, thank you.

[hapytobehr]

8 hours ago, MMfan14 said:

The steakhouse is not "strict" on wearing formal attire. Just off a cruise and a gentleman was wearing shorts and a polo shirt. The days of wearing what the appropriate attire is gone.

Not always true.  My husband had to go back and change from shorts to long pants at the steakhouse and it wasn't elegant night.

[urbanhawk]

16 hours ago, bar1068 said:

Whoa…you booked the sh last night and tonight for the lower $42 rate?!?!?!?

I have a cruise booked on the Panorama departing on 12-10-22.  I just booked  the steakhouse for my birthday on Dec. 13th, for $42, using obc.. Thanks to all for the reminders about the deadline to book before the rate increase.

[urbanhawk]

10 minutes ago, hapytobehr said:

Not always true.  My husband had to go back and change from shorts to long pants at the steakhouse and it wasn't elegant night.

Since I'm booked for my birthday, can I just wear my  birthday suit?!😬😉

[cruisinpips]

We always book the steakhouse on elegant nights, we have never been asked to dress elegantly. The only requirement is men must wear pants. Like another comment said, we have seen staff ask men to change into pants before being seated. I have never worn anythinig except pants and polo shirt to the steakhouse. Last cruise, I forgot dress shoes and wore flip flops, not a word was said. 

[diesteldorf]

51 minutes ago, cruisinpips said:

We always book the steakhouse on elegant nights, we have never been asked to dress elegantly. The only requirement is men must wear pants. Like another comment said, we have seen staff ask men to change into pants before being seated. I have never worn anythinig except pants and polo shirt to the steakhouse. Last cruise, I forgot dress shoes and wore flip flops, not a word was said. 

 

Thanks for that info.  I rarely wear sport coats anymore, and was actually browsing Amazon last night for jackets, and contemplating a personal discussion with the maitre d to see if they would make an exception.

 

I will definitely remember to wear pants!

Edited November 4, 2022 by diesteldorf

[groundloop]

On 11/3/2022 at 4:49 PM, diesteldorf said:

I booked a 5-day cruise in 2020 that Carnival rescheduled, due to Covid, and gave me a lot of onboard credit to keep the booking.

 

I am planning to eat in the steakhouse 4 of the 5 nights, and was able to book at the current $42.00 rate.

 

 

 

In case you find yourself getting bored with the steakhouse night after night you could always use your OBC to purchase gift cards at Cherry On Top to help finance a future cruise.

[Eli_6]

The menu stays the same at the Steakhouse. I personally would not eat there for 4 nights.  If you really don't want to do the MDR, I would do the Chef's Table one night, the Italian place, and JiJi's....or one of the other specialty places if you are on MG. 

[Eli_6]

5 hours ago, groundloop said:

 

In case you find yourself getting bored with the steakhouse night after night you could always use your OBC to purchase gift cards at Cherry On Top to help finance a future cruise.

Have you done this?  Did it work?

[groundloop]

2 hours ago, Eli_6 said:

Have you done this?  Did it work?

 

Yes, absolutely.  

[diesteldorf]

4 hours ago, groundloop said:

 

Yes, absolutely.  

That's a great idea.  A few months ago, I was getting a bunch of Chase offers for $35 off $100 at Carnival, that I used to purchase Internet. Cruise Cash, and make a deposit on a future cruise.  I don't really want to get refunds on those prior purchases and risk upsetting Chase or American Express, who previously gave me 15,000 points on a $700+ booking.

 

I  have an identical cruise booked for 2023.  If I use my remaining onboard credit to purchase gift cards at Cherry On Top, would I be able to use those gift cards to purchase things from the Fun Shops for my 2023 booking?