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Will Anyone Else Skip Formal Night Now That The Captains Cocktail Party Is Over?

Rowan555

By Rowan555,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

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Pegs222

Pegs222

Posted
Posted
DH and I discussed this on our cruise this weekend, and we've decided we're going to skip Elegant Night from now on. We always have such a great time at the Captain's Cocktail Parties, and it always ends up being a highlight of our cruise. The tiny lobster tail and 3 shrimp in the dining room, on the other hand, are just not worth packing dressy clothes for! We'll just head to Lido and eat there in our casual wear. Will anyone else skip elegant night since there's no need to get dressed up for the cocktail party?

 

I do not dress up in my formal gown for a free drink, nor do I dress up in my formal gown for the food. I dress up in my formal gown because I want to and it is one of the few times my DH and I get to do that.

 

No one forces you to eat the lobster. There are other things on the menu. The Prime Rib is very good, I had that last month.

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Cathy p

Cathy p

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DH works at the shipyard and wears work clothes all the time for the 46 years he has been there. Normally he wears a tux but this time I said nope just a suit will be fine and I have nice dresses. Saving the really dress up Elegant nights for the Dream! I could care less if we meet the Captain.lol

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kebhouse

kebhouse

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I've always found the Captain's Parties to be really lame. I'm certainly not going to skip Elegant night- I love to get dressed up!

 

I do enjoy a free drink, so I'm sad that's gone. But it just gives me a good reason to skip the Captain's Party now.

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Pegs222

Pegs222

Posted
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DH works at the shipyard and wears work clothes all the time for the 46 years he has been there. Normally he wears a tux but this time I said nope just a suit will be fine and I have nice dresses. Saving the really dress up Elegant nights for the Dream! I could care less if we meet the Captain.lol

 

We did not even meet the Capitan on the Spirit last month. The crew were brought up on the stage and introduced by the Capitan.

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Timmys_mom Great Review Rare

Timmys_mom

Posted
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The very first thing out of our son's mouth when we told him we had booked another cruise was "So you're going to get me a new tuxedo, right? Because the old one doesn't fit anymore."
LOL! That is exactly what my boys would say, too.

 

I wasn't dressing for the Captain's Party. I dressed up because I wanted to, so no, it won't change my plans.

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bonniemari

bonniemari

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After about 20 cruises we stopped going to the dining room and the Captain's parties. I prefer to eat mostly salads and fruit. (I gain less weight that way!) I also like the freedom of spending the two hours it normally takes to eat in the dining doing something else.:)

 

That sounds good also-but my problem is I would probably spend those 2 extra hours in the casino.

 

Formal night gives the DH a reason to wear that tux he bought a few years ago. He looks so handsome in it. I guess if I want to see that I will have to suck it up and wear those heels that kill my feet for a few hours.

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judyzoo

judyzoo

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Whether they have a captain's cocktail party or whether they serve free drinks there, has no effect on whether we dress for formal/elegant night. We always dress for those nights, party or not. The two are not at all connected, as far as I'm concerned.

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jljlinda

jljlinda

Posted
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We sailed our 49th cruise (18th on Carnival) last week on the Glory. For the first time ever, we chose to skip the Captain's discounted Cocktail Party but chose to observe the dress code for the occassion nevertheless. My DW and I are of the opinion that Carnival is taking steps in these tough economic times to cut expenses in all ways possible including the elimination of free drinks at thr Party. (Incidentally, the welcome back party seemed not to be affected by any cutbacks.)

 

We had a great trip and still believe that the overall cost was a bargain due to the great rate that we received when we booked.

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Maraprince

Maraprince

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A formal/elegant night by any name is an occasion to dress up! Since it is not something I get a chance to do often, I look forward to doing so on a cruise.

 

If the formal/elegant night goes away, I would still dress up but not in a long dress.

 

Part of the fun of being on a cruise is the formal/elegant nights and seeing how everyone "cleans up". If you don't like this, than maybe a cruise isn't for you. No one will force you to do it. But you could just as easily stay at a hotel and dress in shorts and flip flops for your entire vacation.

 

Don't attempt to take away formal/elegant nights because you have to pay for a drink at the Capt.'s party. We don't sail for the free drinks. In my group, we are all non drinkers either by choice or for health reasons.

 

I like to see who the Capt. and the officers are early on in the cruise so if I run into one, I will at least recognize who it is.

 

The Capt.'s party and repeat cruisers party have led to us meeting passengers early on in the cruise and enjoy spending time with them during it.

 

MARAPRINCE

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Blissed Out

Blissed Out

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I love formal night and even though I realized it was in conjunction with the Captains Party/free drinks we've never attended that soiree. Instead, we dress up, and stroll on the deck taking gorgeous pictures of the sunset, and admiring everyone else's pretty attire. For me to walk on the deck with my husband bedecked in his suit and tie is spectacular, as well as dressing up myself. It sort of feels like how it did the day we got married. We're taking our three teenagers on their first cruise in February and I'm so looking forward to them being dressed up with us and taking pictures of them. They are practicing their poses already. :)

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ruskatab

ruskatab

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We have gone to the Captains parties and the welcome back parties. We like to dress up for formal because were such slobs at home and eat on the couch most nights being empty nesters. We bring our own booze and we buy drinks so the free drinks are nice but no big deal. We always do a dress up night on land vacations too. Its fun to do something different every once in awhile.

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joebat1

joebat1

Posted
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Now that Good jeans & Good flip-flops are allowed in the dining room... no need to skip formal night... BYOFlask ~~!!~~

 

Now if they would only allow Tee's and leather biker vest in the MDR with already approved jeans & flip-flops.....119.gif

 

firemen1_sug.jpg

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Sargent_Schultz

Sargent_Schultz

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The only thing eliminated was the ability to skip dinner in the main dining room and attend two free cocktail hours on formal night, which some people were doing. The free cocktails on lobster night were replaced with free drinks on the last night of the cruise.

 

I still plan on attending - at least for now. Hopefully some officers will show up so we can meet them and if there are fewer people competing for their attention, so much the better.

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Rowan555

Rowan555

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The only thing eliminated was the ability to skip dinner in the main dining room and attend two free cocktail hours on formal night, which some people were doing. The free cocktails on lobster night were replaced with free drinks on the last night of the cruise.

 

I still plan on attending - at least for now. Hopefully some officers will show up so we can meet them and if there are fewer people competing for their attention, so much the better.

 

We always went to both parties AND dinner - and more than "some" people were doing it b/c the cruise directors TELL PEOPLE they can attend both!

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geoherb "Live from...." Rare

geoherb

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If I were to sail on Carnival again, I'd definitely miss the free drinks at the captain's cocktail party. Just like I wouldn't invite my friends to a party and then charge them for drinks, I don't think the captain should either.

 

But I would still bring my tuxedo to wear to the dining room. That's my dining place of preference for all my meals. And I don't have many chance at home to wear my tux without looking like Seinfeld on Leno last night--overdressed for the occasion.

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