Formal Evenings on Carnival Cruises

Hi Everyone, I'm new to this site but am absorbing everything I'm reading.

My question is in regard to the formal attire nights on Carnival Cruises. We cruised 10 years ago aboard Destiny for our 10 year Anniversary, and next April (a mere 322 days from now) we'll board Splendor. Aboard Destiny the formal evenings were the second day (or first full day I believe), and then the last full night. Does Carnival always have their formal evenings on the same days, on all of their sailings? Its nice to plan my wardrobe...meaning, wearing the smaller sized dress first and leaving the 'roomier' dress for the second formal evening.

Thanks for any input!

Lets make that 361 days til we leave. Where did that more enviable number of 322 come from?

Must need a cup of coffee.....

Hi Everyone, I'm new to this site but am absorbing everything I'm reading.

 

My question is in regard to the formal attire nights on Carnival Cruises. We cruised 10 years ago aboard Destiny for our 10 year Anniversary, and next April (a mere 322 days from now) we'll board Splendor. Aboard Destiny the formal evenings were the second day (or first full day I believe), and then the last full night. Does Carnival always have their formal evenings on the same days, on all of their sailings? Its nice to plan my wardrobe...meaning, wearing the smaller sized dress first and leaving the 'roomier' dress for the second formal evening.

 

Thanks for any input!

We sailed on the Freedom earlier this month on a seven day cruise (Saturday to Saturday) and formal nights were Sunday and Thursday nights.:D

Thanks for the info. Can you tell me how people were dressed? I have a long strapless dress that I wore on our first cruise that I've been drooling over and wanting to wear again for the past 10 years, but when scrolling through the boards I see that many people don't gussie up as much. Will I be too dressed up? Breaks my heart at the idea of not wearing the dress again.

thank you again for your previous reply. :D

If you get a few minutes stop by the fashion board, there is a thread there where you can see pictures of what others are wearing on formal nights :) It's fun to see what everyone else is wearing and I say go for it, I am still planning on going full formal on both nights ;) Welcome to the boards

Most of the time the formal nights are on the two sea days, but they do change that sometimes. Your Capers will tell you the attire for the evening so do look at them when you get them the night before.

I've found that how people dress on formal night depends on where you depart from. When we sailed out of San Juan on the Destiny last May, the formal nights were more casual and I even saw a lot of people in the dining room in jeans or shorts...not very formal at all. Others have been dressier, but most women these days are wearing cocktail dresses or dresses that look like prom dresses. You should wear your dress and feel good that you can still get in it after 10 years! You will see people in just about everything.

Thank you for the input! I'd semi-decided last night as I was laying in bed that, "heck with it...I wanna get dolled up, when else does a 42 year old woman even have the opportunity to wear a dressier dress?" But after reading your thoughts I'm now completely sure I'll wear "the dress." Its been waiting for me for so long. I'd even thought last night that I could get it tailored and have the length taken off, making it a knee-ish length dress giving it the look of perhaps a cocktail dress, but eh. It was meant to be worn in its original state. No frills elegant.

And thank you for welcoming me to the boards! :) I'm sure I'll be hanging out here often.

Hi Everyone, I'm new to this site but am absorbing everything I'm reading.

 

My question is in regard to the formal attire nights on Carnival Cruises. We cruised 10 years ago aboard Destiny for our 10 year Anniversary, and next April (a mere 322 days from now) we'll board Splendor. Aboard Destiny the formal evenings were the second day (or first full day I believe), and then the last full night. Does Carnival always have their formal evenings on the same days, on all of their sailings? Its nice to plan my wardrobe...meaning, wearing the smaller sized dress first and leaving the 'roomier' dress for the second formal evening.

 

Thanks for any input!

Formal nights cease to exist officially on May 19. However it seems they are pretty much over in the last couple of weeks. Formal night has been replaced by "Cruise Elegant Nights". Check the new dress code at Carnival FAQ's. Men can now wear slacks and a shirt, what is "Elegant" about that?

You can dress up if you want, but no one has to under the new code.

A year from now jeans, Tshirts, and baseball caps could be the norm on elegant nights, if Carnival's past dress code enforcement is any indicator.

Dan

Thanks for the info. Can you tell me how people were dressed? I have a long strapless dress that I wore on our first cruise that I've been drooling over and wanting to wear again for the past 10 years, but when scrolling through the boards I see that many people don't gussie up as much. Will I be too dressed up? Breaks my heart at the idea of not wearing the dress again.

 

thank you again for your previous reply. :D

Go ahead and wear your beautiful dress. Some people wear very fancy clothing (tuxedos and long dresses), others wear dresses a little less fancy but beautiful none the less. Whatever will make you feel fantastic is what you should wear. Have a great time!!!;)

I personally don't care if formal nights exist or don't exist come Oct I am still dressing formal. Like the OP said there isn't much time for dressing up these days and having the opportunity to have some great family formal pics taken as well. I am glad your going to wear your dress OP and I am quite sure you won't be the odd one out :) Enjoy your cruise~

I personally don't care if formal nights exist or don't exist come Oct I am still dressing formal. Like the OP said there isn't much time for dressing up these days and having the opportunity to have some great family formal pics taken as well. I am glad your going to wear your dress OP and I am quite sure you won't be the odd one out :) Enjoy your cruise~

I am sure you find the majority of people dressed up. There are many like us that enjoy the dressing up part. Come September my DH will be in his tux and I will be in my sparkley outfit..:)

Carnival may not have a strictly formal dress code, but they do have formal nights! Typically one will be either the first or second night (not counting embarkation night) and the last or second to last night (not counting the night before disembarkation).

http://www.carnival.com/CMS/FAQs/Formal_nights_in_the_Dining_Room.aspx

How many formal nights are there? For cruises with one formal night, the formal night is scheduled for the second or third evening of the cruise, with schedules permitting. For cruises with two formal nights, the first formal night is scheduled for the second or third evening of the cruise; the second formal night is scheduled for the second or third evening prior to the end of the cruise, with schedules permitting.

1-day cruise: no formal nights

2-day cruise: one formal night

3-day cruise: one formal night

4-day cruise: one formal night

5-day cruise: one formal night

6-day cruise: two formal nights

7-day cruise: two formal nights

8-day cruise: two formal nights

9-day cruise: two formal nights

10-day cruise: two formal nights

11-day cruise: two formal nights

12-day cruise: two formal nights

13-day cruise: two formal nights

14-day cruise: two formal nights

16-day cruise: two formal nights

17-day cruise: two formal nights

Hi Everyone, I'm new to this site but am absorbing everything I'm reading.

 

My question is in regard to the formal attire nights on Carnival Cruises. We cruised 10 years ago aboard Destiny for our 10 year Anniversary, and next April (a mere 322 days from now) we'll board Splendor. Aboard Destiny the formal evenings were the second day (or first full day I believe), and then the last full night. Does Carnival always have their formal evenings on the same days, on all of their sailings? Its nice to plan my wardrobe...meaning, wearing the smaller sized dress first and leaving the 'roomier' dress for the second formal evening.

 

Thanks for any input!

Shoot, if you can wear clothes from 10 years ago, go for it...

I am cruising next april and I plan to wear formal wear. I'm trying to lose alot of weight before then and my goal is to fit into a juniors prom dress for formal night. I'm thinking something lime green and sequined or maybe a nice turquoise. I've always worn black to try and look slimmer. I hope to be slim enough to wear something brite this time. :D

I am cruising next april and I plan to wear formal wear. I'm trying to lose alot of weight before then and my goal is to fit into a juniors prom dress for formal night. I'm thinking something lime green and sequined or maybe a nice turquoise. I've always worn black to try and look slimmer. I hope to be slim enough to wear something brite this time. :D

Hey, look at us! we're sailing the same day. Different ships,,,but still

:)

I personally don't care if formal nights exist or don't exist come Oct I am still dressing formal. Like the OP said there isn't much time for dressing up these days and having the opportunity to have some great family formal pics taken as well. I am glad your going to wear your dress OP and I am quite sure you won't be the odd one out :) Enjoy your cruise~

Does your husband where his Marine dress uniform on the cruise for formal night?