Formal nights on Carnival - how formal?

[MonaCD]

8 hours ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

But that's not what they enforce nor what people wear. 🙂

Totally agree. I was just copy and pasting the policy as I read it on the website, didn't say they enforced it. On a different thread I said that they don't enforce the "not permitted" dress code for dining rooms. Some were very quick to come and tell their first hand stories of being turned back.

 

Just one response "I can confirm having been turned away from the Steakhouse on Mardi Gras last year. My then 15yo son was wearing nice shorts and a button-down shirt. We were told he could not enter wearing shorts. We ran to the room quickly and changed. No big deal, but it did happen."

 

That's why I also said "I would suggest your wife wear what she wants but be prepared to be turned away if she is wearing something not permitted. Can either change or eat at the buffet." It seems, like most "rules", it depends on the person left to enforce them. Could get different results depending on the staff or even the day, who knows. It just seems random.

 

 

[Guest BasicSailor]

3 hours ago, MonaCD said:

Just one response "I can confirm having been turned away from the Steakhouse on Mardi Gras last year. My then 15yo son was wearing nice shorts and a button-down shirt. We were told he could not enter wearing shorts.

That was overkill on Carnivals part, as dress shorts are allowed now.

[mz-s]

The steakhouse does seem to still be enforcing dress code at least occasionally. As well as Chef's Table requiring closed-toe shoes due to the galley tour. But the MDR does not enforce a dress code anymore, no matter what is listed on the HUB app.

[CRUZBUDS]

Just a note to the OP -- Holland America is not much more formal than Carnival.  Their info was likely dated.  We recently got off an 18 day HAL Hawaii cruise.  I wore a jacket over a golf shirt for the first formal night.  I didn't bother with the jacket after that.  We saw a couple of tuxedos, nothing at all like "the old days".  Times they are a changing   

[AFS1970]

As I prepare for my first cruise on Carnival in quite a while, I have been reading many of these threads. While I know it is common to say the decline in dressing up for dinner is a carnival thing, I will say it is a societal thing. Our last cruise was on RCI, Oasis of the Seas. My wife and I dressed for formal night (or what used to be called formal night) and while there were a handful of men in jackets and a few even with ties, mostly it was just dress shirts and slacks. The women were a little better, but I chalk that up to the greater variety of styles available to women. I saw one man who was in a tuxedo, he matched his tie and cummerbund to his wife's dress. They looked nice but also out of place. However, in addition to the tuxedo was a man in his finest basketball tank top and matching ball cap. So even on RCI there was no enforcement of any dress code. I have seen this more and more frequently on land also.  

[odyssyus]

On 9/12/2022 at 3:34 PM, hapytobehr said:

Seriously?  This is what you get on Carnival?  

 

I'm not a Carnival cheerleader but let's be real here.  Many, many men wear baseball caps EVERYWHERE they are dining.  My husband and I always make comments how often we see this no matter the type of restaurant. 

The ones I really have an issue with are the older 'veterans' that wear their hats.  I'm a veteran and I was taught to take my hat off when entering a room, especially a dining room.  If you are going to espouse how you are a veteran with your hat, you should honor the etiquette and protocol you were taught.  

Edited March 15, 2023 by odyssyus

[MonaCD]

31 minutes ago, odyssyus said:

The ones I really have an issue with are the older 'veterans' that wear their hats.  I'm a veteran and I was taught to take my hat off when entering a room, especially a dining room.  If you are going to espouse how you are a veteran with your hat, you should honor the etiquette and protocol you were taught.  

My husband is retired Navy and not much gets him more riled than seeing someone inside wearing a hat/cap. Try wearing a hat in a Legion Hall and you if didn't remove it when asked, you'd be promptly shown the door.

[odyssyus]

2 minutes ago, MonaCD said:

My husband is retired Navy and not much gets him more riled than seeing someone inside wearing a hat/cap. Try wearing a hat in a Legion Hall and you if didn't remove it when asked, you'd be promptly shown the door.

Agreed.  I assume any 'veteran' wearing a hat indoors at the dinner table is an amazon veteran.  Meaning they bought a hat but didn't earn it.

 

 

[Caracarn2]

Thanks for all the feedback.   It seems we'll just have to wing it.   In between when I was here last I just got off the phone with Carnival and was told we'd need dress slacks and a button down shirt for elegant nights (of which our cruise has 2 I guess) and wife would need a separate skirt and blouse at minimum as dresses are only appropriate if "elegant" enough.   And for casual nights long shorts were OK.  so it seems she was reading me the code, but hearing people's actual experiences it is a matter of how it gets enforced.  My wife and I do not wear anything that would remotely be termed "ratty" so hoping that will be enough.   If not we will have to go with it and obviously will likely influence any future decisions to ever cruise again as we are not really the "dress formal" type of couple.  When we go to the theater for our season tickets for Broadway series shows when they come to town we may dress up one out of the seven nights just because we feel like it, but as such she does not even own a gown/cocktail dress.  We'll dress up for weddings, but our take is very much we are going on vacation to relax not for dress codes to be enforced like attending a parochial school.   Thanks for the feedback, but if I understand it right, no one knows and it will depend on who's at the main dining room door when we arrive.

[MonaCD]

3 hours ago, Caracarn2 said:

  Thanks for the feedback, but if I understand it right, no one knows and it will depend on who's at the main dining room door when we arrive.

You pegged it.

[luv2trvlnow]

I have not cruised for awhile so I am prepared for anything now.  If things have gotten more casual than our last cruise I think it will be a mess.  On our last cruise on formal night a man at the table next to us showed up in a t-shirt and shorts.  OK with me.  But when the music started he got up on the chair and took off the t-shirt and twirled it over his head.  He looked like he was participating in the the hairy chest contest.  That just didn't seem appropriate.  But I guess everyone who pays to get on a cruise should be able to do what they want.  At least that what I hear so many times.  

[Guest BasicSailor]

1 hour ago, luv2trvlnow said:

  On our last cruise on formal night a man at the table next to us showed up in a t-shirt and shorts.  OK with me.  But when the music started he got up on the chair and took off the t-shirt and twirled it over his head.  He looked like he was participating in the the hairy chest contest. 

Well, that had to be ripe for the occasion.🤐

[kwokpot]

On 3/16/2023 at 10:57 AM, Caracarn2 said:

Thanks for all the feedback.   It seems we'll just have to wing it.   In between when I was here last I just got off the phone with Carnival and was told we'd need dress slacks and a button down shirt for elegant nights (of which our cruise has 2 I guess) and wife would need a separate skirt and blouse at minimum as dresses are only appropriate if "elegant" enough.   And for casual nights long shorts were OK.  so it seems she was reading me the code, but hearing people's actual experiences it is a matter of how it gets enforced.  My wife and I do not wear anything that would remotely be termed "ratty" so hoping that will be enough.   If not we will have to go with it and obviously will likely influence any future decisions to ever cruise again as we are not really the "dress formal" type of couple.  When we go to the theater for our season tickets for Broadway series shows when they come to town we may dress up one out of the seven nights just because we feel like it, but as such she does not even own a gown/cocktail dress.  We'll dress up for weddings, but our take is very much we are going on vacation to relax not for dress codes to be enforced like attending a parochial school.   Thanks for the feedback, but if I understand it right, no one knows and it will depend on who's at the main dining room door when we arrive.

No one, I repeat no one will be refused entry to  the MDR on ANY Carnival ship on Elegant Night if they are wearing jeans. 

[mz-s]

16 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

No one, I repeat no one will be refused entry to  the MDR on ANY Carnival ship on Elegant Night if they are wearing jeans. 

 

Seems that this person has selective hearing syndrome. Nobody is suggesting they will be refused entry into the MDR but yet they seem intent on being defensive as to their casual dress. NOBODY CARES.

[deliver42]

As long as your fly is zippered, you will be allowed in the MDR