Hello firebyrd,
About the dress code: Until just a few weeks ago the dress
code required a more formal dress that included a jacket for men. Unfortunately the "I'll do what I wanna do" contingent refused to cooperate and Carnival never had the guts to stand by it's policy, so, while a large percentage of the passengers dressed up as they should, you saw an increasing number show up in just about anything. It was very sad, as it totally ruined the special experience that used to be formal night.
So now, at least
in my opinion, there really is no truely formal night on Carnival cruises. That is how I think of it, so as not to be disappointed. ( If I expect casual, and then get casual, well then I'm OK with that. ) What Carnival does have now is something they call : Cruise Elegant. :lol How elegant it will be remains to be seen, as this is still in the shake-down phase. Here's a quote from Carnival's web page:
Cruise Elegant Dining Dress Code: Gentlemen - Dress slacks, dress shirts. We also suggest a sport coat. If you wish to wear suits and ties or tuxedos, by all means we invite you to do so. Ladies - Cocktail dresses, pantsuits, elegant skirts and blouses; if you‘d like to show off your evening gowns, that's great too! Not permitted in the dining room during the Cruise Elegant dinner for ladies and gentlemen: shorts, T-shirts, beach flip-flops, bathing suit attire, jeans, cut-off jeans, sleeveless shirts for men, sportswear, and baseball hats.
That's certainly not very demanding. And I predict that eventually the largest percentage of people will not waste their time to pack and dress, in suits and gowns, even people like myself who really enjoyed the formal experience.
As for the casual nights, (by that I mean the ones actually labeled as casual) here is Carnival’s new code.
Cruise Casual Dining Dress Code: Gentlemen - Sport slacks, khakis, jeans (no cut-offs), dress shorts (long), collared sport shirts; Ladies - Casual dresses, casual skirts or pants and blouses, summer dresses, Capri pants, dress shorts, jeans (no cut-offs). Not permitted in the dining room during the Cruise Casual dinner for ladies and gentlemen: gym shorts, basketball shorts, beach flip-flops, bathing suit attire, cut-off jeans, and sleeveless shirts for men.
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So it would seem that the long shorts will be OK, but they still seem to be asking for collared shirts. (Although, I’d be willing to bet you that there will be many men in tees, despite the rule. I’m not encouraging the wearing of tees here. I just can’t help being cynical about any likelihood of the “I’ll wear what I wanna wear†crowd following that little rule, nor of Carnival ever enforcing it. )
For what it’s worth, here’s the first part of that statement on the Carnival page on what to wear onboard..:
Casual attire is the order of the day. We suggest shorts, sundresses, tank tops, etc. for the ladies, and for men; shorts, polo shirts, T-shirts, etc. will do. We suggest you wear rubber-soled, low heeled or flat shoes for extra traction while onboard. The use of any footwear with wheels, including but not limited, to Heelys© shoes, is prohibited on board our ships. For dining you may want to dress up a bit and/or bring along a light sports jacket or cardigan.
Most evenings we have a Cruise Casual dress code, but there are those Cruise Elegant evenings one or two nights throughout your “Fun Ship†voyage, where you will have the opportunity to showcase your more elegant attire. For those who want casual attire for dinner time, the Seaview Bistro on the Lido Deck is open nightly, and has a more relaxed theme. Both dress codes for the dining rooms are described below.
You also asked :
Are there any specific items anyone would recommend us to take on this cruise?
Let me recommend you read through the Cruise Addict's Travel Tips page. The second half of the page is an extensive packing list, so scroll down to find it. Here's the link:
http://www.cruise-addicts.com/Cruise-Travel-Tips/cruise_travel_tips_hints.html page
And about the cabin: Unfortunately, IMHO, I really think five in an ocean view cabin will be exceedingly tight. You didn't say what the ages of the five people are, I'm assuming two adults and three children. Perhaps if that includes three very small children, it would be OK. But if any of those kids are teenage girls, :nono If there's any way you can afford to book two adjoining cabins , then I would strongly encourage you to do so. And if given a choice between one outside cabin, versus two insides, I'd still definitely encourage the two insides. Just for the ability to have the second bathroom.
I took a quick look around and found some photos of outside cabins on the Inspiration. These are mosly 5a and 6a cabins:
http://cruises-cruceros.com/carnival/canival-inspiration-cabin-5a.htm
http://cruises-cruceros.com/carnival/canival-inspiration-cabin-6a.htm
http://travel.webshots.com/photo/1056524678042290914YEQKgJ
http://travel.webshots.com/photo/1056524745042290914wLSbKW
http://www.cruisecheap.com/images/client/360/18/2.asp
One note about that last link, it is the one with the 3D tour. That view is decptive. As the camera pans past the little desk and show the view down the little hall, (with the closet doors in it) it looks way, way larger and longer than it is. The lens they use make that little hall space look larger, and the fact that the door to the cabin is open, and allows the view to extend out into the public hall, makes it look so long. Trust me, that is not a long, nor wide space in the room. That little hall, that holds the closet it the kind of space where two people do not pass each other without touching or bumbing against each other.
