Casual Nights

[Rikiw111]

So from what I am reading it seems that it is okay to wear jeans on casual nights in the dining room? All that the Carnival FAQ says is no shorts and beach wear. If this is true then I am switching from RCI Vision to Carnival Pride for Mexico Cruise.

[CaribbeanBlue]

Most of the ships have become very relaxed on attire requirements due to customer demand. A few of the lines maintain a higher dress code due to their customer deamdn. This is where researching out your cruise line really helps.

 

CaribbeanBlue

 

http://www.*****.org

[Earthworm Jim]

Wow. I guess being able to wear jeans is a really big issue to you if you're going to switch your cruise over it.

[Cotton]

I've about given up on dress code advice. BUT, I will say that most cruisers agree that jeans are not appropriate in the dining room for the evening meal.

 

No, Carnival doesn't say "no jeans", just no shorts or tees in dining room in the evenings. Fine for b'fast and lunch, or at Lido Deck buffet at any time.

 

Every evening, the dining room is a formal atmosphere, with cloth tablecloths and napkins, all the proper silverware and stemware, and the waiters are wearing tux. Now, if you or anybody else wants to go into that atmosphere in jeans, it's up to you. I personally can't imagine going into any upscale restaurant so casually dressed.:rolleyes:

[BlueHerons]

I wore white jeans very dressed up in the dining room. Wore them with heels and a sequined top.

[Rikiw111]

All I want to know is if jeans are allowed or not. I am choosing Carnival specifically because it has a relaxed dress code. There are a dozen other cruise lines out there that don't offer this. It is my vacation and I want to spend it with a happy husband not dragging him all the way! This is our first cruise and we just want to chill without being judged for our relaxed attire.

[luv2cruise99]

Yes, jeans are allowed on Carnival on casual nights. Some people may believe that they are inappropriate, but there are plenty of others who don't (myself included) so you won't be alone.

[SleevesEnd]

All I want to know is if jeans are allowed or not. I am choosing Carnival specifically because it has a relaxed dress code. There are a dozen other cruise lines out there that don't offer this. It is my vacation and I want to spend it with a happy husband not dragging him all the way! This is our first cruise and we just want to chill without being judged for our relaxed attire.

 

I feel the same way. Everyone looks so georgous on formals nights, but sometimes I'm just not in the mood for all the fuss ... so we eat in the room (we had CC on Celebrity so we were able to order off the regular menu). On top of each ship's requirements, for me personally it depends on the itinerary. We just came home from Alaska and we had a hard time switching gears from a sporty, jeans, boots, hats and scarfs glacier or whale-watching tour to formal wear, especially since we had the early seating. Next year for Europe I'm sure I'll have a dressier mind-set.

 

Unfortuniately, the 2 different ships/itineraries we booked are the opposite. On Celebrity in Alaska you pretty much felt like you should dress up all the time at night. I'm anticipating that the requirements will be more relaxed on Carnival even though it's in Europe.

 

That's why it's nice to have choices. Seeing all the men in tuxes and the beautiful gowns on the ladies almost made me want to join them ... if we had the late seating we might have done just that. Do what will allow you to have the best time, but you'll have an easier time if your taste matches the ship's (and most of the passenger's) dress code.

 

To answer your original question from what I've observed, even on casual nights you won't be kicked out for wearing jeans (and by jeans I mean normal everyday jeans and a tee shirt ... not a nice jeans outfit like the BlueHerons mentioned), but many people will be dressed up more ... and some less. Given that, you and your husband might actually find yourself more comfortable (in terms of the other guests) in Khakis and a collared shirt in the dining room. Remember though, there are many other dining options. Last cruise we only ate in the dining room once, mostly due to timing more than anything else. We simply weren't hungry at our scheduled dinner time. It was no big deal, we had a great time.

 

Hope that helps,

 

Mary

[ali6879]

I kind of thought I was going to have to drag mine kicking and screaming about the no jeans too. Turned out, it was much too hot to wear jeans anyway and he was perfectly happy to wear khakis. That being said, I didn't see many people (if any) in jeans, but I did see people in shorts in the dining room and they weren't turned away. Most did get somewhat more dressy, but it definitely was not like going to a ball - khakis would be fine. Otherwise, you always have the option of going to the buffet area for dinner as well. Good luck!!

[Cotton]

QUOTE=ali6879]I didn't see many people (if any) in jeans, but I did see people in shorts in the dining room and they weren't turned away. [quote

 

Shorts are allowed in the dining room on the first night (as well as other nights on ships boarding in San Juan), but if this was on a normal evening, the Maitre d' just wasn't doing his job. I have seen folks turned away for being dressed inappropriately....that's a good Maitre d'.:)

[dms_cruisers04]

As always, from the Carnival Website ...

 

Is there a dress code for the dining room?

 

Depending on the length of the cruise, either formal dress or casual resort wear is required in the Dining Room. The dress requirement for children is the same. For those not wanting to dress up, the Lido restaurants are open nightly (with the exception of the last evening of the cruise), and have a casual dress code. Formal Wear: tuxedo (optional); suit and tie; sport coat, tie and slacks; evening gown; cocktail dress; pantsuit Casual Resort Wear: sport shirts and slacks; dresses; skirts; pantsuit NOTE: Shorts, t-shirts and bathing attire are not permitted in the Dining Room during dinner.

Take from it what you will.

 

I do have a question for those that wear jeans, since you have to change out of your shorts and/or bathing attire anyway, what's the difference between putting on a pair of khakis and putting on a pair of jeans?

 

BTW, I do like how CCL is using "required" and "dress code" now. ;)

[silentbob007]

Wearing jeans won't get you kicked out, but you won't be in the majority. If that makes you uncomfortable ....

[Earthworm Jim]

(W)hat's the difference between putting on a pair of khakis and putting on a pair of jeans?

 

I wonder the same thing. Is there some big difference in comfort that I'm unaware of? I wear both jeans and khakis and they seem equally confortable to me.

[hdawson]

Micky Ds it ain't. Linen, china, crystal, 11 pcs of silver and formal service. Dress for the ambiance which is more formal than denim. Jeans are denim regardless of the label, color or price paid or overpaid.

And yes they are hot in the Caribbean.

[ali6879]

Cotton, I agree. I wasn't very impressed with the Maitre'D.

[ConnecticutFlamingo]

Why is it such a problem to dress up, not down? My husband is a truck driver who's everyday dress is jeans and on every cruise we go on, he always dresses properly (jeans stay home and I don't have to nag him on this point). The dinning rooms on these ships are white linnen service, they have class. Why is it so hard to wear Dockers or nice pants to dinner? You can get nice pants in Wal-Mart! Would you wear jeans to Del Monico's for dinner or to Pebble Beach for a round of golf? Resort casual usually means nice clothing, not jeans.

 

We're going on this cruise with my daughter and boyfriend and my niece and her husband. All are in their early 20s and would never think of wearing jeans. It's their vacation, too.

[SleevesEnd]

In all fairness, the OP said it was her first cruise so I'll assume she has no idea what the dining rooms look like. The Carnival info doen't include nor exclude jeans ... she was just asking if jeans were allowed ...

[Hootsie]

I think jeans can be dressed up nicely! I'm with you on the comfortable dining and I believe you can be comfy and classy at the same time. We had two formal nights on our last cruise and one we had been back on board (from swimming with sting rays in Grand Cayman) for less than an hour. Sure, we dressed up like we were supposed to, but we were so worn out. DH & I wanted to eat at the buffet, but our daughters wanted to see what the dinner was since the first formal dinner was so awesome.

 

I lived in capri pants for dining on regular nights and didn't feel out of the ordinary at all.

[nybumpkin]

I didn't see many jeans on either Victory or Conquest - just a few. DH wore slacks and polo shirts most casual nights in the dining room; I wore either slacks/polo or blouse/skirt combo. (On Conquest, I couldn't have imagined jeans anyway - just too hot!)

[momof4boys]

I did not see jeans at the main seating on the Elation. The table behind us wore casual clothes on the first formal night and shorts the second regular night and did not come back to the dining room. Don't know if the Maitre d' talked to them or not. However, every night the Maitre d' came by our table and complemented us on "looking so nice". We all enjoyed dressing up! The boys have already said if we go next year they want to rent tuxes again for the formal nights. They looked awesome and our pictures prove it! :D

[Shelley9962]

I think that women can dress up a pair of jeans fairly easily (as described by BlueHeron's stylings...) I guess I don't see that dockers are so much more difficult to wear than jeans and look just that little bit dressier.

 

I couldn't find if a collared shirt was required for men at dinner. Jeans and a collared shirt would be acceptable; jeans and a t-shirt, to me at least, would be inappropriate.

 

(And I have several capri outfits that I definitely will be wearing at dinner -- all have some kind of "jacket" or summer sweater that goes with them.)

 

I guess I'm just "old-school." If there are linens and fine china, I'm at least going to be in country club/casual attire.

[Shelley9962]

I think that women can dress up a pair of jeans fairly easily (as described by BlueHeron's stylings...) I guess I don't see that dockers are so much more difficult to wear than jeans and look just that little bit dressier.

 

I couldn't find if a collared shirt was required for men at dinner. Jeans and a collared shirt would be acceptable; jeans and a t-shirt, to me at least, would be inappropriate. (And I have several capri outfits that I definitely will be wearing at dinner -- all have some kind of "jacket" or summer sweater that goes with them.)

 

I guess I'm just "old-school." If there are linens and fine china, I'm at least going to be in country club/casual attire.

[zydecocruiser]

All I want to know is if jeans are allowed or not. I am choosing Carnival specifically because it has a relaxed dress code. There are a dozen other cruise lines out there that don't offer this. It is my vacation and I want to spend it with a happy husband not dragging him all the way! This is our first cruise and we just want to chill without being judged for our relaxed attire.

 

Jeans are allowed everynight, including formal nights, in the main dining rooms. Period.

 

Carnival doesn't have a dress code to speak of, and doesn't enforce it even if they did - except for shorts at dinner - sometimes, maybe.

 

If anyone tells you jeans are not allowed, or that you have to eat in the Lido, they're lying.

 

If you wear jeans on the formal nights in the main dining rooms, you will be in the minority. On other nights, not such a minority.

[ttg]

My husband and I went on the conquest last Aug.04. And yes we wore jeans 2 nights and so did lots of other people. i never felt under dressed but we wore dressy looking shirts.(just don't show up in a old ragged t-shirt)

[dms_cruisers04]

My husband and I went on the conquest last Aug.04. And yes we wore jeans 2 nights and so did lots of other people. i never felt under dressed but we wore dressy looking shirts.(just don't show up in a old ragged t-shirt)

So I'll pose my question to you ttg, What's the difference between putting on a pair of khakis and putting on a pair of jeans?