What to Wear on a Cruise: Packing Guide

Are you getting ready to pack for your cruise (or shop for new cruise outfits) and just realized you’re not even sure what to wear? Don’t worry — we’ve got you covered. In this guide, we’re going everything you need to know about what to wear on a cruise. Whether you’re cruising to a cool or warm weather destination or are curious about what you should wear to dinner or while in port, you’ll find the helpful answers you need here.

What to wear on your travel day

Whether you’re flying, driving, or taking a train, you’ll want to be comfortable during your travel to the embarkation port. We recommend arriving into town the day before embarkation day, but whether you arrive the day before or the morning-of, let’s first talk about the clothes you’ll want to wear for that travel. We recommend wearing either sweatpants or — if you’ll be comfortable in them for a long period of time — jeans. For tops, go with a simple short or long-sleeve t-shirt and either a sweater or sweatshirt.

If you’ll be arriving into the homeport city on embarkation day, consider packing a change of clothes and your swimsuit in your carry-on bag. You’ll probably be handing off your suitcases to a porter and won’t see them again for at least a couple of hours. If you want to hit the pool ASAP, you’ll need to have your swimsuit on hand.

What to wear on the ship in the daytime

What you wear on a typical day on board will depend on what you’re doing and the weather conditions. Obviously, you’ll probably be wearing different attire for a cruise in Alaska vs. a cruise in the Caribbean or Mediterranean. Regardless of where you’re traveling though, we recommend choosing pieces that can be repurposed in multiple outfits.

Here’s an idea of what to wear on a cruise in warm and cool weather destinations.

Warm Weather Regions

You should consider how you’re going to be spending your days when packing for your cruise. For instance, if you plan to lounge around the pool on sea days, you will probably pack several bathing suits for daytime use. In a warmer climate, you will want to pack clothing items that are comfortable, lightweight, and multi-purpose. Most cruise ships are very casual in pretty much every area except for the sit-down restaurants. This means you can wear things like jean and cargo shorts, t-shirts, tank tops, sundresses, linen pants, jeans, and athletic attire.

As for footwear, you’ll see most fellow passengers wearing sandals, sneakers, and flip-flops around the ship during the day.

For a more detailed list on what to pack for a cruise in a warm region, check out our Caribbean cruise packing guide.

Cool Weather Regions

Seasonal cruise regions like Alaska, northern Europe, and Canada/New England can have chillier temperatures — especially if you’re visiting towards the very beginning or end of the cruising seasons. Not only that, but temperature swings are much more common in these destinations. A day could start out at 65 degrees, become 80 degrees in the afternoon, then drop to 50 degrees in the evening. The time of year you choose to cruise to these cooler weather destinations will dictate to some degree what items you will need to include on your cruise packing list.

This means that on these cruises, LAYERS will be your best friend. On top of your usual t-shirts, shorts, pants, and jeans, consider bringing a thermal layer that you can wear UNDER your normal clothes. You’ll also want to bring a zip-up sweatshirt, hoodie, vest, and/or light jacket or puffer coat. You should also prepare for potential rain with a light rain jacket or poncho and travel umbrella.

If you are cruising during the shoulder season (the very beginning or end of that region’s cruising season when it tends to be colder), we would also recommend packing gloves and hats just in case. And, as is the case with any cruise, if you’re planning to hit the gym don’t forget to bring activewear.

In terms of footwear, you’ll probably want to wear closed-toed shoes like sneakers most of the time while on board. If you’re anticipating some warmer days, a comfy pair of sandals are also great to pack.

For a more detailed list on what to pack for a cruise in a cool region, check out our Alaska cruise packing guide.

What to wear at dinner on a cruise

As golden hour approaches, the dress code kicks up a notch on a cruise. However, dinner is not too fancy an affair on most cruise lines.. most nights.

On most lines, you’ll find that evening attire is “resort style” or “smart casual.” Think collared shirts, nicer pants, nice dark-wash jeans, elevated dresses or jumpsuits, and skirts with nice tops. Women might want to bring a cardigan or wrap to dinner, as interior areas of the ship — including restaurants — can be a bit chilly.

A seven-night cruise typically has one to two formal nights, depending on the cruise line. If you want to participate, make sure you bring the appropriate attire. For advice on what to wear on formal night, check out our guide here.

After dinner, you might wish to walk around outside on deck and gaze at the stars or enjoy a show in the theater. Whether you keep your dinner clothes on or go back to more casual attire for the evening is completely up to you. But no matter where you’re sailing, it might be a bit chilly (and windy) outside on deck once the sun sets. If you’re prone to be cold, you’ll want to have a sweatshirt or sweater on hand.

What to wear to the pool or beach

Being comfortable and swim-ready is essential when it comes to beach and pool attire. If you’re headed up to the pool, wear your swimsuit and a cover-up or loose top and shorts. Don’t wear denim, as it won’t be comfortable when you have to put it on over a wet swimsuit to head back to your cabin!

Our suggestion for the beach is similar. If you’ll be taking a taxi or shuttle to the beach, you might want to wear more than just a cover-up. You might also want to bring a long-sleeve shirt if it’s a bit windy out or you want to protect your skin from the sun. Of course, flip flops or pool sandals are a must, and if you’re headed to a beach that might be rocky it’s a good idea to bring along some water shoes, too.

Even if you’re visiting a cooler weather region on your cruise, you should still pack swimwear. There will be hot tubs and likely an indoor pool on your ship, and if you plan to visit the spa’s thermal suite you’ll need a swimsuit there, too.

What to wear for an active day in port

Warm Weather Regions

If you’re headed out for a day of exploring a port on foot, or are taking an active excursion like hiking, off-roading, zip-lining, or bicycling, you’ll want to wear clothes that fit the activity.

Our first piece of advise is to wear comfortable closed-toed shoes that are easy to walk in. We almost always wear sneakers for this purpose. Depending on the activity, hiking sandals or grippy water shoes may also be appropriate. Next, make sure to wear comfy, breathable clothing that you won’t overheat in. Activewear is an excellent choice, as are pieces that are made of cotton or linen. If you have issues with chafing, try to wear clothes that will prevent that.

If the forecast calls for rain and you’re planning to do an outdoor excursion, you might want to bring a light rain jacket or poncho.

Don’t forget extras too, like a hat with a brim, sunglasses, sunscreen, and lots of water. Carry them in a bag that won’t get hinder your activities, like a light backpack or a durable sling bag.

Cool Weather Regions

Our suggestions for active excursions in cool weather places is about the same as in warmer destinations, just with long sleeves/pants and layers. As with most of your attire in a cool weather place, layers are your friend out and about. You may want to start with a t-shirt, but layer a sweatshirt, jacket, and/or vest on top. Wear hiking pants, exercise pants, or comfortable jeans and long socks.

As for footwear, sneakers and hiking shoes are great options. For rainy weather, duck boots with rubber shells are invaluable, as is a light rain jacket.

Extras you might want to bring along include a warm hat or earmuffs, gloves, sunglasses, and water.

What NOT to wear on a cruise

Guests are not permitted to wear clothing with obscene graphics or language. Unless you’re out on deck by the pool or water slides, you need to wear a shirt and shoes. In some ports — particularly in the Caribbean — camouflage clothing is not allowed. You can wear it on the ship, but to make it easy we suggest just leaving your camouflage clothes at home.

FAQs: What to Wear on a Cruise

Do I need to dress up for dinner?

Cruise lines are much more relaxed about their dress codes than they were in the Titanic or The Love Boat days. While there are still rules (you need to wear a shirt and shoes if you’re inside), cruisers can wear pretty much anything they want throughout the day. Dinner in the main dining room or specialty restaurants is when there is more of a dress code, but even then it’s quite relaxed. If you want to wear the same casual clothes for dinner that you were wearing throughout the day, you can always dine at a quick-casual spot like the buffet or order room service.

Can I wear jeans to dinner?

On most cruise lines, you are allowed to wear neat or professional-looking jeans to dinner. This means they should not have rips or holes in them. Pair them with a nice button-down shirt or dressy top.

Do dress codes vary by cruise line?

Yes, while many cruise lines follow the majority of the same rules and dress code guidelines, they can still vary line by line — especially when it comes to what guests are expected to wear at dinner or on formal night. Check your cruise line’s website for their exact dress code.

Are there themed parties I should bring clothes for?

Yes! If you’re sailing one of the major large-ship cruise lines, you should expect to have at least one themed night/party on your sailing. Popular themed evenings include white hot night, retro 70s or 80s night, and glow parties. Some cruise lines have specific themed nights for passengers to take part in, such as Disney’s Pirate Night and Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Night where crew members and guests wear red.

If your cruise’s schedule is available on the app prior to sailing, check it to see what themed nights will take place on board. Some guests go all-out on these nights, dressed head to toe in whatever color or theme is appropriate for the party. Pack accordingly to join in on the fun!

Downloadable Cruise Packing List

Packing for a vacation shouldn’t be stressful. So, feel free to download a copy of our complete cruise packing list and use this as a checklist while packing for your next cruise.

Comments

What items do you find essential to pack for a cruise vacation? Are there any items on your packing list that we have forgotten? Drop us an anchor below to share your cruise packing tips.