Cruises are full of endless entertainment and activities to keep you busy. As such, they tend to require clothes for different occasions. Sometimes you’re heading to a gym class and need active wear, sometimes you feel like going to the pool or hot tub in your bathing suit.
One thing I underestimated about cruises, is that people actually dress up for them. Some don’t really, but they are in the minority of cruisers. Generally, you won’t find swimsuits, flip flops, shorts, baseball caps, tank tops and sandals in restaurants. Even the buffet restaurant. So save those for the beach or pool.
During the daytime, feel free to wear a polo, button down, or a flattering shirt or sundress with low heels, loafers, or tasteful sandals. And even on a warm weather cruise, sometimes it gets windy so a light sweater or jacket could make you feel more comfortable on those days.
In the specialty restaurants, the fancier eateries, you should dress up even more. It’s not uncommon to see men in button down shirts, slacks, and dress shoes. Women in evening cocktail dresses, or pants (not jeans) and a blouse are often seen enjoying the bars and lounges onboard.
It’s a good idea to dress up, not only so you don’t feel like the only one dressed down there, but because it’s fun to dress up every once in a while too. I found I enjoyed the feeling of looking my best each day.
Often there are encouraged manners of dress, from daytime “smart casual” to “evening chic” for fine dining. Take these as an opportunity to pull out that old cocktail dress from the back of the closet.
The following is a list of all the clothes you will want for every occasion. A lot of the clothing overlaps, so I didn’t list them more than once. For example, low heels could be worn during the daytime at the lounge or at a nice restaurant for dinner, so I listed it only once. Feel free to mix and match as you choose.
Women’s Clothing
gym clothes
pool/beach clothes
daytime clothes
port daytime
smart casual dinner/show
evening chic dinner/show
undergarments
Men’s Clothing
gym clothes
pool/beach clothes
daytime clothes
port daytime
smart casual dinner/show
evening chic dinner/show
undergarments