When it comes to eating dinner in Carnival’s main dining room, there are two levels of dress code.
Most nights are Cruise Casual nights, which means long pants or elegant shorts and polo shirts for men, and “casual dresses, skirts or trousers and blouses, summer dresses, capris, elegant shorts, jeans” for women, according to Carnival’s website. Items specifically not allowed, even on Cruise Casual nights, include basketball shorts, flip-flops, and bathing suits.
In practice, however, the Cruise Casual dress code is rarely enforced. I almost always wear flip flops to dinner if it’s a Cruise Casual night (with an otherwise appropriate outfit), and it’s never been an issue.
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On Cruise Elegant Nights, which typically happen once or twice, depending on the length of your cruise, the dress code is a little stricter:
- Men – Elegant dress pants, shirts, sports jackets, suits, ties, and tuxedos are all allowed.
- Women – Cocktail dresses, pantsuits, elegant skirts, blouses, and evening gowns are allowed.
The elegant dress code specifically prohibits shorts, t-shirts, and jeans, in addition to clothing prohibited on Cruise Casual nights. But just like Cruise Casual, enforcement of the dress code can be rather loose.
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Image source: Carnival
Carnival cruisers weigh in on Elegant Night
Carnival brand ambassador John Heald regularly answers cruisers’ questions on his popular Facebook page, which has over 600,000 followers. And he was recently asked about “elegant” night. Specifically, he was asked to “Take a poll! No more elegant night. It is a thing of the past that nobody cares about these days of cruising. Carnival is not Cunard John Heald.”
So, he did take a poll. And there were two options related to Elegant Night:
- I agree (that elegant night shouldn’t happen anymore)
- I still like elegant evening. Please don’t cancel it.
The responses were overwhelmingly one-sided. Nearly four times as many respondents said they still like elegant evening than those who said they do not.
Some commentators on Heald’s poll pointed out that participation in Elegant Night isn’t mandatory. Heald follower Elizabeth Longton Campbell said, “Why are cruisers offended by cruise elegant night? It isn’t like you are forced to participate. I love dressing up sometimes! I love seeing my family dressed up.” Robin Carlow agreed, saying, “I love elegant night; if someone doesn’t, they don’t have to participate.”
Others like the opportunity to dress up and like to see everyone else do the same. “As for elegant night, I like dressing nicely and enjoying the night. I don’t like to see dirty blue jeans or baseball hats at all. There’s a time and place to wear those things but not for dinner,” commented Kathy Murphy.
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Finally, several respondents said that while they enjoy elegant night, one is enough – even on longer cruises. “I would like only one elegant night regardless of how many days and in a specific dining area,” said Shirl Robinson Ackermann.
Carnival elegant nights are optional
If you’re not a fan of Elegant Night, there’s no rule that says you have to participate. The Lido buffet is open for dinner and often features many of the same items on the main dining room menu.
Plus, as mentioned, the dress code isn’t enforced to the letter in practice. If all you have with you is a pair of khakis and a polo shirt, that doesn’t necessarily mean you will be turned away. And if you really don’t want to participate in an Elegant Night, it could be a good opportunity to try one of the ship’s specialty dining venues.
However, the results of Heald’s poll show that far more cruisers enjoy having Elegant Night than want to get rid of it. So, if you aren’t a fan, it could be a smart idea to make alternative plans before you set sail.
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