I am going on my first cruise October 30th, on the Ecstasy and I'm unsure what to wear for the formal night. My mom and i are going, and I am in the process of losing weight, so i really don't wear dresses that much. Do dresses have to be worn, or could i get away with a nice pair of black dress pants and a very glitzy type shirt?

Yes, you can wear dress pants and a glitzy shirt. Formal night wear ranges from casual wear (no jeans or t shirts) to true Tux and Evening Gown formal wear. It depends on what you want to do. If you don't have a formal dress, I wouldn't go buy one unless that is what you want to wear.

A different question.. if you are leaving on the 30th, was does your cruise ticker say June of next year?

Though the word formal means long gowns for women and tuxedos for men only a percentage will follow this. You will see people dressed in beautiful formals and some will be dressed in short dresses with men wearing suits and ties. There will still be some dressed casually. A nice pair of black dress slacks and a glitzy top will be fine.

A different question.. if you are leaving on the 30th, was does your cruise ticker say June of next year?

Jim C., I had trouble making my ticker when i first started posting to the board, and I only made the ticker for the cruise i am going on next summer with my daughter! I actually forgot to make the one for the ecstasy, lol!

Anyoen know, is there a formal shop on the Ecstasy? I know there is on the Conquest. I'd like to get rent a tux for formal night this time.

We rented tuxes. You can go on line to gifts and services and there is a form that you take to your local tux shop and have them do the measurements and then you fax that sheet to Carnival. Then you pick up the Tux when you get on board. It is only about $115 for the whole week including shoes and taxes. We checked every where else and you can't beat the price or the convenience

Thanks h2owatson, that's more info than Carnival gave me on the phone! Got the form printed, going for measurments this weekend!

no problem. For the convenience if you don't have a tux of your own I think it is the way to go. You don't have to pack it either way. My family wanted to try it once but they want to try the next cruise without dressing up in tuxedos. I kinda wish they would but we will see what the next cruise brings.

I just got back from a cruise on the Valor, and we had people in all types of clothing in the dining room on formal night - tuxes, suits, sports jackets, shirt/tie for men, and gowns, cocktail dresses, skirts/slacks with glitzy tops for women. AND. . .There were a few people in jeans, shorts (which are supposedly no-nos all the time) and SWEATPANTS.

I wouldn't buy a gown unless you thought you really were going to wear it again.

Chris