Formal night dress code enforcement

Hi, I know nothing about Carnival but started considering the Vista for next year. I was wondering what's the deal with formal nights, do they have them, is is taken seriously and do they turn you out of the MDR if you're not dressed appropriately? Can you dress nicely but not necessarily formally? I am used to Princess, where they generally do take it seriously. I did some searching here but didn't really find my answer. Thanks all.

As long as you are in long pants and wearing a collared shirt, it should be fine. They, more than likely, will turn you around if you try wearing shorts and a T-shirt. I haven't worn a tux (or suit) since 2002 and have never had a problem.

To be honest I once forgot my dress outfit sitting on the chair when I walked out the door all I had was shorts and they still allowed me in - Now I was very embarrassed about it but was not missing out on my elegant night meal - Just dress comfortably polo and slacks are nice enough

Collared shirt & slacks are fine for men. Although, our neighbor had the same issue as bnorris - didn't have any long pants with him. They started to turn him away & we explained that he had nothing to change into. There were 6 of us, so he let us go in, commenting loudly that if a person's luggage is lost, there is nothing they can do about it. I suppose that was to appease all the self-assigned dress code police. Thing is, once he sat down, no one knew what kind of pants he did or didn't have on. He did have on a collared shirt, so looked fine from the waist up.

Like the others said, they don't enforce as much as they used to, IMO. And certain cruises are even less formal. Our cruise to Alaska was definitely more loose on the rules for MDR in general. We still wear nicer clothes, husband & son in shirt & tie (no jacket though) and then I wear a nice dress. I like dressing up though, it's nice to do that sometimes. But there are obviously some people who cruise that either won't do it, or just don't. I don't let that affect my dinner though, although some people are really bothered by it. So if you want to wear a suit, you can, or just slacks & nice shirt you're good too.

Thanks for all the info. Nice to know we wouldn't have to pack anything truly formal. We dress nicely every other night so our regular attire seems like it would work fine.

, is is taken seriously and do they turn you out of the MDR if you're not dressed appropriately.

what's funny? I have definitely seen a Maitre'd turn people away dress inappropriately.

We dressed rather nicely for the first elegant night. The second elegant night Iwent wearing a polo style shirt and shorts with nothing said loud enough for me to hear.

In spite of my thorough packing lists, my boyfriend forgot his formal pants on our last cruise. We actually borrowed a pair of pants from guest services (who knew?) but they were clearly tailored for a more...rotund gentleman than my 150 lb guy. He could practically fit both legs inside a single pant leg, so the results were pretty hilarious when he put them on. But they let us into the dining room both nights, so hey. Your mileage may vary on shorts, but I can confirm that cartoonishly large clown pants are a-okay as long as they are black.

We saw a guy told to go change who was in line. He was wearing cargo shorts and a polo shirt. The hostess was nice about it and explained the dress code. The guy came back in pants. We saw people in (nice) blue jeans and polo shirts.

My husband wont dress up for formal night if there is one. Good to see he wont have to!

Just off the Sunshine, saw a family with the mother wearing a formal dress, dad wearing jeans and t-shirt, kids dressed up from dresses to track pants and got in (rightly so) without a problem. No problem at all with this family getting in. Saw another dude (late 30s early 40s) get in wearing shorts and golf polo - I have more of a problem with him getting in because he's a grown adult who we can assume owns some pants but at the same time he paid his fare and didn't affect how my 6 lobsters tasted. We were Any Time Dining, so they may be more strict with set times.

Every day I become more convinced that CCL should do away with elegant night or make it completely optional. I know some people love to get dressed up (including some of people I travel with) but others don't like to do it or don't have the clothes.

In my experience they turn you away if you don't have sleeves but otherwise it's not enforced much

Cargo shorts and collard shirt every meal for last 18 cruises..

Hi, I know nothing about Carnival but started considering the Vista for next year. I was wondering what's the deal with formal nights, do they have them, is is taken seriously and do they turn you out of the MDR if you're not dressed appropriately? Can you dress nicely but not necessarily formally? I am used to Princess, where they generally do take it seriously. I did some searching here but didn't really find my answer. Thanks all.

LOTS of threads on this same subject, anything goes on Carnival.

Every day I become more convinced that CCL should do away with elegant night or make it completely optional. I know some people love to get dressed up (including some of people I travel with) but others don't like to do it or don't have the clothes.

I agree. I think another issue a lot of people don't consider is the increasing cost of flying with luggage. The less I can pick the happier I am. That is for land based vacations as well as cruises!

We always dress up on formal nights but we saw many people (especially teen and 20's), men mostly in jeans and sandal type shoes there. No enforcement last year on Magic, cannot remember any ship in last few years enforcing dress code. :confused:

I have a friend who took her BF last year for this birthday on a 5 day cruise. He only took linen shorts and a polo for dinner and was turned away on formal night. It was his birthday that night and she had ordered a cake, they would not budge and let him in. So they celebrated the next night. So although I don't think it happens often that someone is turned away it is always possible I guess depending on their mood.

My first cruise on Carnival was back in 2002. My friends told me about formal night so I brought my suit. It was nice dressing up. So after that I mostly would rent a tux, sometimes a bring a suit. I've only witnessed people being told they should change, once.They wore shorts bikini tops sandals. just not what you'd wear to any nice land resturant. My first cruise I remembered after dinner we left the MDR and a couple in back of us (the women) said "May be we should have dressed up, everyone looks so nice". Any way wear what you would when you go to your local favorite restaurant. Good Luck.

I have seen folks turned away, shorts and t shirt, and they complained and the more they complained the more the maitre'd (sp) stated the formal night rules. And they left. I have friends that pack evening gowns, I have seen prom dresses, I just wear a nice dress every night and I have no problem. And when I don't want to dress up, there is the Lido deck buffet. We missed our second formal night when cruising Alaska, because we were all beat, and didn't want to dress up. And now lobster is not part of formal night on 5 day cruises, we haven't felt it necessary to always eat in the MDR. Our cruise coming up in December will our first time with the American table, so I guess I will have to eat every dinner in the MDR to check it out.:D

On Freedom last November they sent two of our guys to change on the 2nd formal night. They had on collared shirts and nice shorts - no jeans or cargos. Later we saw a young couple and he had on jeans and a t-shirt (no collar) with a questionable "remark" on it. We did not appreciate the situation but we shrugged it off and cruised on. On elegant night our guys are the ones in Hawaiian shirts and dress slacks. Last month my husband panicked - he looked down and had on flip flops with his outfit - nice leather ones - but flip flops. Nothing was said and the ship didn't sink so evidently it wasn't THAT bad. I am not a big dresser upper - and I sometimes resent the space these clothes take in my luggage. I would not be upset if they changed it to "photo" night and dropped the dress code. But as long as they have it we will adhere to it - well other than the flip flops - LOL.