How do you dress for formal night(s)?

My husband used to wear a suit or a sports coat, tie, dress pants etc. He took the jackets off as soon as he arrived in the dining room as he was always warm. He then changed to just wearing a dress shirt, dress pants etc. but no tie.

 

After that I started wearing dress slacks and a fancy top along with some dress shoes and jewelry. I stay in those clothes all night, but on Carnival many times DH went back to the cabin and changed into shorts and a golf shirt.

 

If people want to dress to the nines, that's fine with me. I just don't think that on Carnival it's necessary and I guess I have cruised enough that I don't feel I need to get pictures taken so I don't feel I have to dress up that much.

 

Having lived in FL for many years, the casual life is far more to my liking.

We live in Michigan and feel the same way :). You just described us and how our cruising elegant night dress has changed over the years only I wear sun and maxi dresses instead of the dress slacks and fancy tops.

On formal nights I usually start with underwear.........after that it depends if I have been enjoying too many drinks of the day.

So what is it? Underwear...or Depends?:)

Will they really allow someone to enter the DR on elegant night in a string bikini or bathing suit and wife beater t-shirt as suggested in this thread? I find this very offensive and would be talking to the Maitre'd immediately

I had to look this up, here is what it says:

Cruise Elegant Dress Code

Men: dress slacks, dress shirts, and we also suggest a sport coat; men may also wish to wear a suit and tie or tuxedo

Women: Cocktail dresses, pantsuits, elegant skirts and blouses; ladies may also wish to wear an evening gown

Not permitted for both men and women: Jeans, men’s sleeveless shirts, shorts, t-shirts, sportswear, baseball hats, flip-flops and bathing suit attire

Now, do they enforce this?

I will wear cocktail dresses on the two formal nights, the other 5 nights I will wear dresses that would be appropriate for a charity event, so semi-formal. I never change dresses, sometimes my heels get shorter. But I have one of the few jobs left that require a suit. So a dress is casual for me.

The DH and I have been cruising together since we met back in 1971 in FL. For "elegant" nights we used to get more dressed up than we do now. The DH used to wear a suit and tie and I used to wear fancy cocktail dresses. I loved getting dressed up! Flash forward to 2015 and the DH now wears a nice pair of slacks and shirt (no tie) and I wear anything from a nice palazzo pant and dressy top to a nice dress or maxi skirt and top. As in the last ten years or so the cruising industry has changed and people now dress more casually, especially on lines like NCL and Carnival, we no longer feel the need, or care, to dress up more than we do.

What we wear is the "norm" these days so we never feel over or under dressed. Yes, there are some people who dress up in "formal" wear and I love seeing them around the ship and at dinner. As far as people dressing as slobs...I'm sorry, but in all the years we have cruised...I have NEVER seen anyone dress that way on "elegant" or whatever you want to call it...nights. Yes, I've seen people dress like mega-slobs on casual nights...but NEVER on the dress-up or not nights. I just haven't.

Basically we follow the suggested dress code at any place we frequent for dining...either aboard ship or on land. If we were to sail on a ship that required true "formal" wear...we would dress appropriately. However, it just isn't the case these days. It's a casual world and we just accept it and go with the flow. However, we would not dress anymore casual than what we do now...Dress up more...yes! Dress down more...No! JMHO. :)

 

Hi Ladylyn :)

 

After more than a few decades of cruising my wife & I continue to treat elegant / formal evenings and specialty restaurants on cruise ships as if we are going to a wedding.

 

A night out on the town, so to speak, with dinner, dancing, a show, comedy club, piano bar, etc, etc...

 

My wife wears gowns, I wear a suit. We stay in our clothing all evening.

 

Since I am merely her fashion accessory (hahaha!:)) I always match my shirt or tie to her gown.

 

I rarely take notice what attire others are wearing. I'm too focused on my holiday and my wife.

 

Your vacation is what you make of it, and never about what others are making of theirs.

 

Have a terrific day!

 

 

:)

I think I love you!

I usually wear dockers and a polo shirt for elegant night. For casual night, it's shorts and polo shirt.

We like to dress up a bit on elegant nights, he wears a dark suit and tie and I wear a long skirt and a blingy top. It just makes the cruise seem special and I dislike that so many want to change it to casual wear. I'm on a cruise not in a neighborhood restaurant but that's how things are nowadays and nothing is going to change it.

So sorry, but I treat formal nights like a funeral. I dress up, a suit, a sign of respect for the deceased. I know many people show up in shorts and a wife beater t-shirt, but not me.

 

On Carnival, many dress in shorts for formal night, but I believe you should show respect and dress. So a tux is my attire for the evening, and that means all evening.

 

Does it bother me when someone shows up for a funeral dressed as above, Yes! Does it affect my reverence at the funeral? YES. For others it may not, but when the shorts on the pall bearers hang to show a plumbers crack, I think think it is disrespectful.

 

On a cruise I know people dress as they like, and I know so many people think a dress code should not matter. But I guarantee you, when you take your children (under 14, boys especially) and a buxom woman sits next to you in a string bikini, they will all complain.

 

So it is all about where do you draw the line? You cannot realistically say there should be NO DRESS CODE, you just have to reach that happy medium where most will agree, which is actually impossible.

 

Read these boards and you will see many people concerned with having nude cruises. NOBODY wants a nude couple at AT ANY TIME on their cruise, so please agree, some standard is necessary.

On the Glory last June, we sat by the entrance way and saw them turn away two people for wearing shorts. (At different times from different tables) The one argued that they were dress shorts, but they politely said he could eat at the buffet or go and change. Also saw the Matiradee himself ask a man to remove his hat.

Why do all "how do you dress for elegant night" threads always denigrate into "if you do not want to dress up go to the buffet" attacks? Regardless of anything everyone has a different definition of being dressed up...right down to being dressed up if you wear something on your feet. Not "dressing up" has no correlation to being a "slob". A pair of slacks and a pressed cotton shirt does not equate to being a slob for either men or women...

 

For us, since we live a very, very casual lifestyle and don't wear formals, cocktail dresses, tuxes, suits, ties, sparkly tops, bling in our regular lives off of a ship we aren't about to purchase these to sail on a cruise ship. Slacks and a pressed shirt for men something other than beach wear for gals are our typical choices.

Good point, SDG! I usually wear a dress shirt and a tie on the first night and the same shirt with a different tie on the second night. With the cost of baggage for airfare, dragging along a tux or suit just does not make sense. I hope that wearing the above does not make me a slob.

Here's how we dress on formal night...

And yes, we stay in those outfits for the evening. If you own them, you might as well wear them!!

.

That is beautiful!! We normally dress for dinner but no where near that nicely. I think I might make the family do it this year so I can have a picture like yours. I'm very jealous.

I wore slacks and a dress shirt both elegant nights and the same to the steakhouse on the glory last month. I wore dress shorts and a tommy Bahama type shirt the other nights

We dressed up formally 1 cruise and 1 cruise only~after I fell out of my shoes I vowed to be dressed elegant casual for ever more!! My hubby wears a dress shirt and slacks every night, my 2 dds always look wonderful in beautiful dresses and I wear capris and a dressy top every night. Oh and flat sandals!!! I do love to look at the outfits on elegant night and wonder how they walk in those heels! LOL Happy Cruising!:p

I bring one pair of slacks and 2 dress shirts if there are 2 formal nights.

No suit or tie, too much work to take them as we dont take formal pics

Then sometimes at night its back into shorts and a tee shirt

Great pic Trip. Loved your review also.

Nowadays, I stick with cruise elegant guidelines, either cocktail dress, or dress pants with dressy top. Just even five years ago, I wore a long gown, but it the hem of the dress kept getting caught up with the heels of my high heel shoes, and I ended up stumbling and looking foolish, not to mention ripping out the hem of my nice dress. Since then, just shorter cocktail dresses, lower heels, or dress pant with dressy top, again lower heels.

I will wear a maxi dress and a short black sweater and a pair of silvery sandals. Hubby is wearing black dress pants, white long sleeve shirt and a tie. He no longer takes a suit or even a sport coat.

I remember when we first started cruising, hubby wore a tux and I wore a long gown. Too much trouble packing all the stuff that goes with those clothes.

Great pic Trip. Loved your review also.

I thank you very much sir!

The 1st elegant night on the Breeze a few weeks ago our youngest son really didn't want to wear a suit. Since it was summer and hot, we didn't push the issue. When we cruise in the spring, the guys always wear a suit and tie on the 1st elegant night though.

It kind of depends on my mood...

I love donning a full ball gown at least one night of the cruise, I don't have many places I can wear that sort of thing.

But usually it's a cocktail dress.

One of these cruises I'm going to trot out in some those horrible bridesmaid dresses that are taking up room in my closet. (then take some tragic formal night photos)

I've pretty much been cruising on that other cruise line, and seriously considering an upcoming cruise on Carnival. So I am poking around the Carnival boards and came upon this thread. Interestingly enough, I could have taken the hundreds of dress code threads from the RCI section and pasted them here since all of the arguments are all exactly the same.

Although I have yet to sail on a Carnival ship, I'll give you my two cents on this. The cruise line provides a dress code. Everyone knows about the dress code. If someone is going to eat in a venue that has a dress code, then that person should follow the dress code. It's that simple.

No, it's not the law, a Federal statute, or any other such nonsense. It is there to set a certain standard. If they do away with the dress code, then by all means, dress however you want.

Also, Just because a person does not usually dress this way at home does not give them the right to do things their way (even if it is 114 degrees in the shade). Just because you are go to exclusive $500/meal restaurants in NYC, Paris, and Hong Kong where you dress in a polo shirt and shorts also does not give you the right (each establishment has their own set of standards). Just because your waiter says you can wear whatever you want is not reason either - they don't care if you wear a monkey suit, as long as you eat there and they can earn their tips.

No, breaking the dress code will not cause harm (physical or mental) to anyone on board, will not cause the ship to sink, and will not cause the captain to call in the National Guard. You should follow the dress code because it is the right thing to do and it will show respect for your fellow passengers.

Getting "dressed" - even minimally following the dress code with a long pair of slacks and a dress shirt will not cause physical or mental health to those that wear it, nor will it cause an end to life as you know it, nor will it burn like acid when it touches your body, cause your skin to turn green, nor shut off all circulation to your feet and hands.

Soon enough Carnival will go the route of other cruiselines and have sit-down dining options for both "dressy" and "casual," and these long threads that have wasted untold hours of people's time (reading and writing) will be a thing of the past that we can all look back on and laugh.

When I go on this cruise, I, along with my family, will be dressed up for the one formal night dinner. Depending on what I do afterwards will depend on whether I will keep on the suit or not - but during dinner, in the dining room, I will be wearing it.

Now that I have seen this thread (I only looked through the first page, then the last two pages), my research into the dress code is for the most part complete. So if you would like to respond, please do, but I might not be back here to read it.

Hopefully this post put a smile, a smirk, or a grin on someone's face,

May all your days be cruising,

Travel R

On the Glory last June, we sat by the entrance way and saw them turn away two people for wearing shorts. (At different times from different tables) The one argued that they were dress shorts, but they politely said he could eat at the buffet or go and change. Also saw the Matiradee himself ask a man to remove his hat.

Last week on the Breeze there plenty of people in shorts in the MDR on "elegant" night, including basketball type shorts. Plenty of hats, as well. On the first night there were even bathing suits with cover ups at dinner.

I've pretty much been cruising on that other cruise line, and seriously considering an upcoming cruise on Carnival. So I am poking around the Carnival boards and came upon this thread. Interestingly enough, I could have taken the hundreds of dress code threads from the RCI section and pasted them here since all of the arguments are all exactly the same.

 

Although I have yet to sail on a Carnival ship, I'll give you my two cents on this. The cruise line provides a dress code. Everyone knows about the dress code. If someone is going to eat in a venue that has a dress code, then that person should follow the dress code. It's that simple.

 

No, it's not the law, a Federal statute, or any other such nonsense. It is there to set a certain standard. If they do away with the dress code, then by all means, dress however you want.

 

Also, Just because a person does not usually dress this way at home does not give them the right to do things their way (even if it is 114 degrees in the shade). Just because you are go to exclusive $500/meal restaurants in NYC, Paris, and Hong Kong where you dress in a polo shirt and shorts also does not give you the right (each establishment has their own set of standards). Just because your waiter says you can wear whatever you want is not reason either - they don't care if you wear a monkey suit, as long as you eat there and they can earn their tips.

 

No, breaking the dress code will not cause harm (physical or mental) to anyone on board, will not cause the ship to sink, and will not cause the captain to call in the National Guard. You should follow the dress code because it is the right thing to do and it will show respect for your fellow passengers.

 

Getting "dressed" - even minimally following the dress code with a long pair of slacks and a dress shirt will not cause physical or mental health to those that wear it, nor will it cause an end to life as you know it, nor will it burn like acid when it touches your body, cause your skin to turn green, nor shut off all circulation to your feet and hands.

 

Soon enough Carnival will go the route of other cruiselines and have sit-down dining options for both "dressy" and "casual," and these long threads that have wasted untold hours of people's time (reading and writing) will be a thing of the past that we can all look back on and laugh.

 

When I go on this cruise, I, along with my family, will be dressed up for the one formal night dinner. Depending on what I do afterwards will depend on whether I will keep on the suit or not - but during dinner, in the dining room, I will be wearing it.

 

Now that I have seen this thread (I only looked through the first page, then the last two pages), my research into the dress code is for the most part complete. So if you would like to respond, please do, but I might not be back here to read it.

 

Hopefully this post put a smile, a smirk, or a grin on someone's face,

 

May all your days be cruising,

 

Travel R

Well said!!