CRUISE CLOTHING: WHAT TO WEAR ON A CRUISE & GENERAL PACKING LIST

T-shirts, shorts, tank tops, hoodies and long-sleeved T-shirts are a no-no for men in the evenings. For daytime activities, it is advisable to wear flats, especially when disembarking at destination ports—there is a lot of walking, you want to be comfortable. Flip flops are accepted during the day at the pool, when exploring the ship, or in casual restaurants at any time. For gala dinners, since people dress up, high heels are the norm, but you are free to wear formal flat shoes if you prefer comfort over style. Please know that when inside the ship corridors or public places, you are required to wear shoes at all times.

Casual Attire for Exploring Onboard or Port Cities

The ability to go from roaming around the ship to meandering around a port to heading straight to dinner all in the same pair — and you can do that with the OluKai Laeahi Slip-On. The wet-grip rubber sole will handle any conditions you encounter, but the coolest part is the two-in-one drop heel design that gives it both shoe and slide functionality. The mesh is water-resistant and breathable for even the most hot and humid weather, yet nobody in the ship’s restaurant will question if you’ve met the dress code.

What To Wear on a Cruise Vacation (day, evening & formal night)

While you might have the urge to throw in a pair of flip flops and call it a day, there are a few other essential shoes you’ll need to bring along on your trip. The second dinner type is the gala night dinner, which is also known as the captain dinner. Some men go all the way and wear tuxedos (the cruise ship can also rent out tuxedos for gala nights when you pre-order, be sure to enquire before leaving home, just to be sure). Over the past several years, cruises have become more casual, attire-wise.

Men’s Evening Cruise Outfits

A casual dress code means includes casual pants or nice jeans for men (no holes), along with a nice shirt or polo. For ladies, capri pants, nice jeans and a cute top, or a sundress are all great. Most of the time, first and last evenings of your cruise, will be a casual dress suggestion. While you definitely can still wear an evening gown and tuxedo, most popular cruise lines have relaxed their dress codes over the last few years. You can still expect to dress up on a cruise, but there are more opportunities to dress less formally if you prefer this as well. Yet, we weren’t out of place and certainly at that time, most men were either in a dark suit or tuxedo.

Neglecting Cruise Line Dress Codes

There’s a metal flap closure to keep your belongings in place and a faux leather cross-body strap for dancing the night away. Many frequent cruisers swear by their 24-inch suitcases, like this Omni PC Hardside Spinner from Samsonite. Nothing says beachy vacation like a straw beach bag, and this fashionable option that’s hand-embroidered with a cute message takes the cake. There’s a supportive base so it doesn’t tip over and several colors and messages to choose from, too. Whether you’re at sea or on land, there’s nothing more important than staying dry, no matter the forecast.

Our more formal nights are called “Evening Chic” nights because they’re all about guests looking their absolute best—and loving it. These are the nights when you want to dress up in your most fashion-forward and stylish clothes, while also being elegant and sophisticated. Since flip flops are not allowed in the evening, make sure to bring comfortable shoes or sandals to wear during dinner in the main room. For beach stops, you can repurpose the same outfit you wore around the pool on your sea day. But if you’re planning to stroll through town or take a ship-sanctioned shore excursion, you’ll want to wear something a with a little more coverage.

If you’re going on a family cruise, you might be wondering how dress codes apply to children. Most cruise lines are fine with children wearing nice shorts in the dining room and restaurants for evening dinners. Luxury cruise line dress codes vary from one cruise line to the other, however it may surprise you to know that many luxury cruise lines don’t have formal nights, and instead are Country Club Casual. You might be wondering what to pack and what to wear on a cruise, during the day, evening and even on formal nights.

What not to pack on a cruise

Biggest Packing Regret on My First Cruise: Formal Dress - Business Insider

Biggest Packing Regret on My First Cruise: Formal Dress.

Posted: Tue, 18 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Hanging your wrinkled clothes in the bathroom during a hot shower is another trick to make them look pressed. Self-service laundry isn’t available on board, but dry cleaning and laundry services are offered at an additional fee, if you want to go that route. Also, bringing an empty bag may seem counterintuitive, but you’ll likely need one to pack souvenirs you pick up along the way. The smart casual dress code works for all areas of the ship in the evening, including in bars and lounges and during shows and events at the ship’s theater. Even if you’re taking a cruise around the Caribbean, it’s smart to take a light sweater or fleece to wear at night when the temperature tends to cool down. After all, you won’t want to get chilly while enjoying the starry sky from your stateroom veranda or on one of the ship’s decks.

Passengers will be just fine in jeans, T-shirts, tank tops, shorts and bathing suits for their days on board or ashore. Now there are a few things not to wear on a cruise that pertain mostly to the evening. Flip flops, swimsuits tank tops, and shorts are generally not allowed inside restaurants during dinner. I find that a little black dress is a perfect item to bring because it’s dressy and easy to pack. I like to wear lightweight breathable dresses and comfortable walking shoes with a larger day bag to keep all my essentials inside.

For shore excursions — particularly those in more rugged or active destinations that require a lot of walking — comfortable, casual clothing and sturdy footwear are a must. Bring layers for cold climates and moisture-wicking fabrics for places where it's warm or where you expect to work up a sweat. On most ships, this clothing will also be acceptable at night in the main dining rooms. For extra-fee restaurants, you might choose to dress up a bit more -- perhaps collared shirts or long-sleeve button-downs for men and slacks with a blouse, or a dress, for women. Khaki pants or shorts with loose-fitting, short-sleeve, button-down shirts or even nice, plain T-shirts work well for men.

The only difference between the first two is that smart casual recommends pantsuits for ladies and jackets for the guys, but skirts or trousers with blouses or collared shirts are fine in both cases. Smart casual also strongly discourages jeans -- even nice ones. Celebrity Cruises maintains a dress code that's best described as chic-casual. The demographic on board tends to be a bit more upscale than what you'll find on Carnival, Royal Caribbean or Norwegian.

Generally, men aren't allowed to wear sleeveless shirts in the main dining rooms. While swimwear can be worn almost anywhere outside, including poolside bars, swimsuits are not permitted in most public areas, including some outdoor dining venues. You can dine in a swimsuit in the alfresco section of the buffet, but make sure you dry off and cover up when you head indoors to grab a plate of food. A similar rule applies to bathrobes -- wear them to the spa but not to breakfast. Footwear should not be an afterthought when packing your suitcase for a cruise.