Everything
about a cruise is meant to be relaxing, so don’t worry about figuring out what
to wear on board; we have the information you need right here. Overall, cruise
line dress codes have become more casual, but there are still opportunities to
dress up for special evenings. Here’s a quick summary of current dress codes:
Resort
Casual. Also
known as Country Club Casual, this style calls for button-down shirts, nice slacks,
dresses or skirts and coordinating tops. Don’t bring jeans, shorts, t-shirts,
baseball caps or tennis shoes; if you do, don’t wear them onboard after 6 p.m.
Cruise lines with this type of dress code include Azamara, Crystal, Cunard, Oceania,
Regent Seven Seas, Seabourn, Silversea, Windstar, and Viking.
Smart
Casual. Smart
Casual is a little more relaxed than Resort Casual; sport shirts, khaki pants, nice
jeans, capri pants, and dressy shorts are acceptable. Less common are t-shirts,
athletic wear, flip-flops and men’s sleeveless shirts; again, these items are particularly
unwelcome after 6 p.m. Cruise lines with this type of dress code include Celebrity,
Costa and Holland America.
Cruise
Casual. The
most casual dress code at sea includes jeans (they can be worn-in, but shouldn’t
have rips or tears), shorts, t-shirts, and athletic wear, although you should
change into a nice pair of pants and shirt or a casual dress for dinner. Cruise
lines with this type of dress code include Disney, MSC, Norwegian, and Royal
Caribbean.
Formal
Evenings. Whatever
the dress code, most cruises include at least one formal night, when passengers
are welcome, encouraged – and perhaps even required – to get dressed up for
dinner. Trust us, it’s a lot of fun when everyone on board puts on their
finest.
The exact
level of formality varies; expected attire can range from a sport jacket and
tie to a tuxedo for men; for women, a cocktail dress, or a ball gown, maybe
just the thing. Your personal travel advisor can help you understand what to
pack for your ship’s formal evenings.
If your
ship has some required formal evenings but you’re just not comfortable getting
dressed up for dinner, don’t worry. You’ll find the buffet on the lido deck or
another casual venue will still be open for dinner. Room service is always an
option, too.
One
more tip: Keep in mind that on almost any cruise ship, swimsuits are
appropriate only on pool decks and not in dining areas.