Is There Any Carnival Captains Dinner? Meet The Captain!

On my last cruise with Carnival, I left from Ravenna port, and a few of my first-timer fellow cruisers were too excited about the Carnival Captain dinner and elegant nights.

Undoubtedly, Carnival formal events are so exciting and full of entertainment, and every cruiser enjoys those special moments. 

Nonetheless, if you’re curious about the Carnival Captain dinner, what to wear at this event, and when this event happens, I will answer all these questions in today’s article. 

What Is Carnival Captains Dinner?

Unlike other cruise lines, there is no formal Captain dinner on the Carnival. Officially, Carnival cruise line hasn’t condemned any such event across the fleet. 

I know this is a surprising fact for first-timers…

Instead of Captain Dinner there is a Captain’s Welcome Evening on a cruise. This evening is like a welcome party where you can meet and take a selfie with carnival captains and directors. 

Typically, Carnival welcome evening happens on every first day of the cruise; this gathering aims to introduce the cruise directors, staff, and captains. The good thing is you will get a free Champagne glass at this event. 

Hah! I just attended this event for a sparkling Champagne glass. In the event, you might get a chance to capture a photo with cruise directors and captains. 

Can I Get A Chance To Dinner With Captain?

One of the dreams of every cruiser is to have dinner with the Captain at a specialty captain’s table. But this is not so easy; you should be a diamond member to get a special event invitation from the Captain. 

I’ve also met another diamond member to ask about their captain’s dinner experience, and the majority replied that they had the opportunity to enjoy drinks with the Captain. At the same time, only a few of them mentioned having dinner.

So, if you want to dine with captains, you have to earn 200+ points to beat the Diamond level, which is not a joke – you must stay 200 nights onboard. But if you love traveling and sailing on 21-day cruises, you will reach Diamond Level one day and get a chance to have dinner at a captain’s table. 

Can I Meet the Carnival Captain?

Yes, this is even easier. Most of the time, the Captain attends formal events and elegant nights; guests can meet and take selfies with captains during these occasions. 

But I hate the teeming of people around the Captain; you just get a few seconds to shake hands with the Captain and click a moment with him. 

There are many other officers at formal events that you can meet with. You might encounter the Captain on cocktail parties, deck parties, white-hot night parties, and other such events. 

Does Captains Dine With Chef’s Table?

The chef’s table on the Carnival cruise is like specialty dining; you get a change to dine on a huge table with a multi-course dinner. Plus, with the Chef’s table, you will also get a chance to visit the ship’s gallery. 

Even though I didn’t get any chance to dine at a chef’s table, one of my best friends enjoyed this experience. And she was so much surprised and pleased with the quality of food, services, and environment. She especially loved their signature cocktails. 

The cool thing is you will also get to prepare a chance to work with chefs and prepare meals.

But sadly, captains won’t dine at the chef’s table. However, if you ever get to dine at a chef’s table, I recommend that you experience this special type of dining. I’m a big foodie, so I always search for such special moments; in fact, who wants to miss such a diverse and delicious dining course? 

Captain’s Club On Carnival Cruises

Captain’s Club is a part of the main dining room, and first-timers often think this is a dining room for captains and staff, but it’s not true. 

This dining room annex opens when the main dining hall is overly crowded. Because in peak seasons the dining halls of Carnival start busting with people.

Sometimes, some big families or groups dine there also. 

The Captain’s club room name differently on Carnival miracle. Similarly, there is no such captains’ club on a few of the carnival ships. 

Other Formal Events On Carnival Cruises 

No captain dinner doesn’t mean that there is no entertainment content across the Carnival cruise fleet. If you’re on a 3 – 5 day voyage, there might be one formal night where you can dress more elegantly and show your affluent character. 

The fun starts with the “White Hot Night Party,” a super energetic and electrifying event. The cruise director himself comes on the stage and gives a striking performance. Guests dress in white clothes and matching accessories and relish the best moments of their lives. 

Another exciting event onboard is the Mega Deck party, a blast of entertainment for cruisers. This party has so much fun, including line dances, giveaways, live music, and fun games. 

I’m a huge fan of the Lido deck party on sea days, especially the full-blown Caribbean dance party. It’s where you can let loose, shaking your legs and busting out those Caribbean-style dance moves.

Last, I will never forget the vibrant “Sail Away Party” in front of RedFrog Tiki Bar. 

Is There Any Dress Code For Formal Nights On Carnival 

The formal nights on the Carnival cruise are typically called “Elegant Nights.” I’ve explained everything about elegant nights in this post. 

These special nights on the Carnival cruise are all about dressing, and it’s a golden opportunity to showcase your attire etiquette and get compliments. I take dressing for these occasions very seriously, going the extra mile to acquire fancy and vibrant chic outfits for the elegant evenings.

Nonetheless, Carnival has no strict dress code for these formal nights, but they still don’t allow men in cut-off jeans, gym shorts, or baseball caps. And women can’t wear shorts, beach flip-flops, or shorts on elegant nights. 

For men, suits and tuxedos are the top choices; they exude true gentlemanly style in these outfits. Meanwhile, women have various options, including cocktail dresses, elegant evening gowns, skirts, or pantsuits.

Which Cruise Line Offers Captain Dinner?

Captain Dinner was one of the exciting events mostly held in the dining halls, where the Captain dined along with all the guests at the center of the dining hall. But today’s modern cruisers are way ahead of these traditional events.

Now, most cruises offer a dinner captain event named differently on every cruise line; some call it “Captain Welcome Evening,” and few name it “Captain’s Gala Night.” In these events, you can meet and greet the ship’s Captain.

On my recent cruise with MSC, there was a striking gala night, and the Captain was also there. During this event, guests have the golden opportunity to take photos with the Captain. 

Furthermore, captains also come on other special occasions and formal nights to form bonds with guests. 

Final Thoughts 

I hope you have the answer about the Captain’s dinner on the Carnival cruise. There is no such event across the Carnival fleet, but it doesn’t mean that guests can’t meet with the Captain or directors. 

The Carnival cruise line has moved away from this tradition, and now they have introduced a similar event called “Captains Welcome Evening.” During this event, guests can meet with captains and enjoy a free glass of champagne. 

Check out my latest Cruise Packing List.