Eva Darling

I Sailed the Caribbean for 12 Days: All the Stylish Caribbean Cruise Outfits You Need to Pack

Self-declaring as “not a cruise person,” the opportunity to dig out my chicest resort wear became the saving grace for a 14-day Caribbean cruise I accidentally ended up on.

Yes, accidentally. A week before setting sail on what was supposed to be an adventure sailing nearly the entirety of the Amazon River, thanks to an extremely generous gift from my boyfriend’s grandparents, Viking Cruises canceled the Amazon portion of my Amazon cruise, rerouting the ship to sit in the Caribbean for close to two weeks instead.

Though it wasn’t the trip of a lifetime I expected, I still had a fabulous, memorable time filled with tropical Caribbean cruise outfits, phenomenal people, and of course, a few noteworthy stops in Dominica, St. John, and St. Lucia, amongst others.

As a first-time cruiser, packing for a Caribbean cruise in the winter was daunting, especially as many cruise ship cabins have limited space, to say the least, even when booking with those more giving with space like Viking.

Let my first-hand experience planning Caribbean cruise outfits to the tee (shirt) help you stay stylish when sailing this lush region:

Embarkation Day Outfit

Embarkation day can be a real waiting game, between waking up early to wait to enter the cruise terminal, check-in, passport checks, and security. Once you’re through all that, there’s of course, the obligatory muster drill and waiting period until your cabin is actually available.

Stick with something stylish enough to wear sightseeing after check-in ends but comfortable enough to sit through long waiting periods.

If your port of embarkation is in tropical weather, such as in Florida or Puerto Rico, go for lightweight sundresses or shorts and a cute top paired with cushy sandals or leather sneakers.

If you’re embarking from cooler weather, such as from New York, a sweater dress or cozy top paired with jeans and booties or sneakers might be more appropriate—especially if you’re taking a Caribbean cruise in the winter.

I embarked in San Juan, Puerto Rico, so my Caribbean cruise outfit for the day was a white linen crop top paired with high-waisted white cotton shorts and white leather sneakers . I finished the look with big statement earrings to give it a little extra flair.

Shop Caribbean cruise embarkation day outfit ideas:

  • Top: Reformation Lindy Knit Top // Reformation Overland Linen Top // Lovers and Friends Aiden Bodysuit // Cult Gaia Anahita Top
  • Bottoms: Zimmermann Lexie Belted Linen Shorts // Aje Agua Embroidered Linen-Blend Mini Skirt
  • Dresses: Hill House Home The Elizabeth Nap Dress
  • Jewelry: SHASHI Juliette Earrings // Sequin Jewelry Golden Snake Stud Earrings

What to Wear on a Caribbean Cruise During the Day

Trying to figure out what to wear on a Caribbean cruise in the winter is much easier than in other seasons. Pack your trunk for a glamorous whirl around the Caribbean’s blue skies and clear seas. Visiting from December to May, you’ll be greeted with warm weather and mostly dry skies.

June to November leaves more to be desired. The Caribbean, though still warm, enters hurricane season, often seeing turbulent weather, including high winds and heavy rain. Many Caribbean cruises don’t sail at all in these months.

During the day, your Caribbean cruise outfits should include warm-weather staples like sundresses, crop tops or sleeveless shirts, shorts, skirts, and lots of swimwear. While packing, include an oversized linen button-down —the ideal layer over a sundress or crop top and an excellent makeshift swimsuit coverup.

Stick to natural fibers like cotton, linen, and bamboo for breathability in the Caribbean’s thick humidity.

To be honest, most of my Caribbean cruise outfits during the day consisted of swimwear, swimwear, and more swimwear—bikinis, one-pieces, crocheted coverups, breezy sarongs, you name it.

Bring at least one pair of sandals for walking, rubber flip-flops for the beach or pool, and leather sneakers for daytime use.

Find casual Caribbean cruise outfits for the day:

  • Tops: Agua by Agua Bendita Zilia Open Crochet Crop Top // Farm Rio White Delicate Garden Sleeveless Crop Top // Cult Gaia Ase Top  
  • Bottoms: Agua By Agua Bendita Arroyo Floral Crochet Midi Skirt // Zimmermann Junie Embroidered Short
  • Dresses: Agua by Agua Bendita Lima Embroidered Linen Mini Dress // Silvia Tcherassi Balerina Embroidered Mini Dress // Johanna Ortiz Spec Wilderness Tie Back Maxi Dress
  • Swimsuits: Tularosa Akira Bikini Top and Bottoms // Lovers and Friends Take Me Away Bikini Top and Bottoms
  • Swim coverups: superdown Keva Wrap Maxi Skirt // Luli Fama Ocean Queen Long Caftan // Zephyr Floral Crochet Sweater and Shorts

Caribbean Cruise Formal Night Outfits for Women

Depending on your ship, your Caribbean cruise might include one or more formal nights—your excuse to go all out with your Caribbean cruise outfits.

Shimmering ball gowns, crisp tuxedos, and the like are in order for this black-tie dress code. Your ship’s formal night may also allow for elegant cocktail dresses or a simple suit if more relaxed.

A black-tie look isn’t one you’re likely to find on shore when sailing the Caribbean islands. Plan your formal look in advance, including a floor-length gown or formal jumpsuit, statement jewelry, high heels, and minaudière.

Discover Caribbean cruise formal night outfit ideas:

  • Gown: Cult Gaia Renata Gown // Mac Duggal Ruched Tiered Criss Cross Spaghetti Strap Gown // Mac Duggal Asymmetric Metallic Pleated Ball Gown // Camila Coehlo Isaura Maxi Dress
  • Shoes: Alexandre Birman Clarita 90mm Block Sandals // Aquazurra Galactic Flower Leather Sandals
  • Jewelry: Miranda Frye Jasmine Earring // Elizabeth Cole Suzie Earrings

Caribbean Cruise Outfit Ideas for Excursions

Being an accidental Caribbean cruiser, I underestimated just how important it is to book excursions for most ports of call—and book them in advance.

Snorkeling, scuba diving, catamaran sailing, island tours, hiking, cooking classes, and visits to beach clubs at large resorts are among the most popular Caribbean cruise excursions.

Casual, leisurely excursions, like a cooking class or island tour by car, are easy to plan for—if there’s no active component, wear one of your daytime Caribbean cruise outfits.

More active excursions, such as hiking or cliff jumping, require a little more planning. Pack activewear such as a sports bra, leggings, and gym shoes, in addition to appropriate swimwear and a swimsuit coverup.

As I learned the hard way, the rainforests in the Caribbean are havens for bugs. If you’re venturing into the rainforest on an active excursion, pack longer clothing, such as full-length leggings, rather than running shorts or bike shorts to minimize bug bites.

If your cruise is during shoulder season when the Caribbean receives rain, bring gear such as a packable poncho, rain jacket, and waterproof shoes to stay dry during your shore excursions.

Cruise shore excursion outfit inspiration:

  • Tops and sports bras: lululemon Align™ V-Neck Bra // Athleta Elation V-Neck Longline Bra // Alo Yoga Goddess Ribbed Cropped Racerback Tank
  • Bottoms: lululemon Align™ High-Rise Pant with Pockets 25″ // Alo Yoga Aces Tennis Skirt
  • Shoes: APL Techloom Pro // On Cloud 5 Sneakers

Caribbean Cruise Outfits for Sea Days

I didn’t understand why so many cruise enthusiasts selected itineraries specifically for precious sea days before setting sail on my first Caribbean cruise.

The pure sailing days offer a unique experience to lay back, relax, and enjoy the ship and its excellent service—it’s truly luxury, especially if you’re used to a fast-paced lifestyle.

Maybe it’s a trip to the spa followed by a cocktail by the pool or shuffleboard on the sports deck followed by a night hiding out in the theater. Sometimes, ships plan for special activities on sea days, like when Viking Cruises hosted a poolside barbecue with the ship’s band on my Caribbean cruise.

Your Caribbean cruise outfits for sea days should be casual and comfortable. You can wear something similar to what you would wear onshore during the day or take an even more laid-back approach with breezy elastic waist linen pants or chic lightweight loungewear.

Find sea day outfits for Caribbean cruises:

  • Tops: Hill House Home The James Shirt // Hill House Home The Paz Nap Top
  • Bottoms: Hill House Home The Livie Nap Shorts // Hill House Home The Paz Skirt
  • Lounge sets: Piyama Lounge Set // Piyama Leni Lounge Set

Best Shoes to Pack for a Caribbean Cruise

My cabin looked like something out of Carrie Bradshaw’s closet during my Caribbean cruise.

That’s right, I felt the need to bring all the footwear options, and I don’t regret it in the slightest.

Two pairs of espadrille wedges, one pair of high-heeled sandals, one pair of flat leather sandals, a pair of rubber flip-flops, white leather sneakers, and gym shoes went into my suitcase for my two-week-long Caribbean cruise, and I wore all of them multiple times, some nearly every day.

Okay, maybe I tend to overplan my shoes, but what can I say? My shoes are Choos and I hardly leave home without fabulous footwear—a friend once asked if I was sick when I tried.

Stripping away my penchant for footwear options, at a minimum, pack the following shoes for a Caribbean cruise:

  • A good pair of walking shoes
  • Rubber sandals for the beach or pool
  • Nice sandals that can be dressed up for dinner
  • Gym shoes if your walking shoes are not
  • Formal shoes, like high heels , if your cruise includes a black-tie night

Caribbean Cruise Dress Code

Dress codes are not created equal in the Caribbean—they vary widely by ship both in standards and enforcement. Study up on yours before packing for your cruise.

As a general rule of thumb, most ships keep to a casual dress code during the day. Casual clothing may be allowed at night, or the ship may enforce a slightly dressier standard. The dress code may fluctuate by restaurant if you’re on a large Caribbean cruise ship with several dining options.

Many ships have at least one restaurant where casual clothing is allowed at night if you’re not one for dressing up.

In addition to standard day and night dress codes, some ships have formal nights with black-tie dress codes or special event nights with separate standards entirely. For example, Virgin Cruises does an iconic Scarlet Night on their adult-only Caribbean cruises, during which the whole ship is ordered to dress up in their best bright red looks.

On my Caribbean cruise, casual clothing was allowed during the day and at the buffet restaurant for dinner. Activewear and swimwear were not allowed anywhere on the ship besides the pool deck or gym.

For dinner, shorts, jeans, and flip-flops were strictly off-limits in all restaurants except for the auxiliary buffet restaurant. Men needed to be in a collared shirt and slacks, while women could wear a nice blouse with trousers or a skirt, or a dress. The dinner dress code was strictly enforced, while the daytime dress code tended to be lenient.

Caribbean Cruise Packing Tips

How to plan caribbean cruise outfits.

For long cruises over 10 days in length, packing enough daytime Caribbean cruise outfits while working with limited cabin space is a delicate art.

Cut down on the amount of clothing you need to bring by ensuring that most of your clothing can be paired with at least two other separates (i.e., one top matches two pairs of shorts, and one skirt works with at least two tops).

Doing Laundry on a Caribbean Cruise

While packing your Caribbean cruise outfits, consider whether your ship has laundry. If your ship includes free laundry as an amenity, you may get away with packing less.

If your ship does not include free laundry, doing laundry can be pricey. To save space, consider packing clothing that can easily be hand-washed in your room’s shower or bathtub instead.

Keep in mind that some items, like swimwear, will take longer to hang dry than others. Bring at least three to four swimsuits to wash and rotate through your cruise, so you’ll never have to wear one that’s still wet.

Pack with Travel Organizers

My suitcase was a jumbled mess of clothing, jewelry, shoes, and toiletries before begrudgingly giving travel organizers a try.

Now, I’m a believer (though I hate to admit it).

Suitcase accessories like packing cubes and compact jewelry organizers can make unpacking and repacking your luggage a breeze in a tight space. They can also help you stay organized during your cruise.

For example, this clothing organizer can be removed from your suitcase as-is and hung up in your cabin’s closet. When your cruise is over, it folds back down to be neatly tucked away back in your luggage.

My favorite travel jewelry box is now a must on all my trips—it’s small and lightweight but sits perfectly on a dressing table, keeping all of my favorite baubles easy to see and tangle-free.

Use packing cubes to separate all of your clothing by type. When you’re loading clothing into your cabin’s dresser, unpacking will become mindless as you won’t need to sort.

Bringing a curling and flat iron cover is necessary for packing your hair styling tools. A quality one will have a heat-resistant lining that lets you put your tools back in while still hot. It sounds unnecessary, but during my cruise, it was a massive help for saving valuable bathroom counter space while getting ready.

Save Money by Purchasing Everything in Advance

Most cruise ships have general stores with essentials like sunscreen and feminine hygiene products for those in a pinch, but these come with a steep price tag.

On my cruise, a small bottle of sunscreen was $30 USD, and aloe vera was even more. Sunscreen in our ports of call was cheaper but very low quality and a premium compared to stores at home.

Though we had to give in and buy an $8 bottle of awful sunscreen in Grenada, we luckily bought aloe vera from CVS in San Juan before the ship left port, saving us some money after sailing all day in Saint Lucia left us burnt to a crisp.

In addition to your toiletry essentials, consider buying extras like snorkeling gear and water shoes before leaving home. In my experience, water sports gear is surprisingly tricky to come by on some of the Caribbean islands, and when you do, it is pricey.

Pro tip: If your Caribbean cruise is embarking in San Juan, Puerto Rico, a well-priced Walmart (with $12 snorkeling gear, sunscreen, and other necessities) is an inexpensive Uber ride away from port.

Complete Caribbean Cruise Packing List

  • Sleeveless shirts
  • Linen button-down shirt
  • Lightweight sweater
  • Linen pants
  • Casual dresses (mini or midi)
  • Maxi dresses
  • Formal gown
  • Swimsuit coverup
  • Leggings with pockets
  • Rain jacket or packable poncho
  • Theme night outfits
  • Flat sandals comfortable enough for walking
  • Neutral heels
  • Espadrille wedges
  • White leather sneakers or walking shoes of your choice
  • Rubber flip-flops
  • Athletic tennis shoes

Jewelry and Accessories

  • Simple stud earrings
  • Beachy statement earrings
  • Travel jewelry organizer
  • Small crossbody bag
  • Conditioner
  • Shaving razor
  • Nail clipper
  • Skincare routine ( toner , moisturizer , serum)
  • High deet bug spray
  • Aloe vera gel
  • Travel toothbrush protector
  • Lens cleaner
  • Contact solution
  • Hair straightener
  • Hair curler
  • Curling and flat iron cover
  • Hair spray or styling gel
  • Feminine hygiene products
  • Needed prescription medications
  • Pepto Bismol
  • Dramamine or motion sickness patches

Miscellaneous

  • Phone charger
  • Chargers for all electronics (camera, laptop, power bank, tablet, etc.)
  • Extra SD card for your camera
  • Turkish towel, such as a Sand Cloud
  • USD in cash
  • Driver’s license
  • Location tags such as AirTags
  • Small pair of scissors
  • Wet bag for swimwear
  • Snorkeling equipment

Caribbean Cruise Outfits: FAQ

In the winter, the Caribbean tends to have warm weather and little rain. Bring lightweight resort wear such as sleeveless tops, shorts, sundresses, and sandals for exploring during the day, plus a few more formal options for nighttime events.

Plan to wear at least one outfit during the day, one outfit at night, and possibly an additional outfit for an excursion per day on your Caribbean cruise. Pack separates that can be mixed and matched with each other. Bring enough clothing for seven daytime and seven nighttime outfits for a week-long Caribbean cruise.

Eva Phan

Eva Phan is the founder of Eva Darling, a travel and style website aiming to empower women to see the world solo while sharing on-trend, luxury feminine style inspiration. Featured in publications including Forbes, Thrillist, and Yahoo News, Eva has combined her education from Parsons School of Design with her incurable case of the travel bug to create a global destination that encourages others to romanticize their everyday.

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Cruise Outfits to Wear on Your Next Cruise Vacation (2024)

Last Updated on December 19, 2023 by Dana Berez

cruise outfits

Shop: One Piece Swimsuit

Table of Contents

Cruise Outfits for Women

Having trouble figuring out what exactly to wear on a cruise? You’ve come to the right place. In this post, I’ll share cruise outfits for women that I’ve worn on my past cruises as a Millennial cruiser, and give you inspiration on your cruise wardrobe.

In the past few years, I’ve been on 8+ cruises, and each time I’ve perfected all the outfits you’d need to pack for your cruise.

Cruise Outfits

Sunglasses | Top | Bag | Sandals

I’ve been on all kinds of itineraries from shorter Caribbean cruises to long Mediterranean cruises, and from my experience, the cruise outfits generally stay the same.

You’ll need to consider what you’ll wear on the ship during the day, what you’ll wear on port days, and evening attire- which I’ll cover in this post.

So whether this is your first cruise or if you are a seasoned cruiser, I hope you find some new inspiration for your upcoming cruise with these new cruise outfits.

Read More: – For a more comprehensive list of what to pack for a cruise, read my ultimate cruise packing list that covers everything you’d need to bring (plus things you wouldn’t even think about but make a HUGE difference)

Daytime Cruise Outfits

Embarkation day cruise outfits.

Cruise Outfits

Embarkation Outfit

The first day of your cruise is exciting! You’re getting accustomed to your new home at sea with lots of exploring and finding a delicious cocktail.

Now before the fun of exploring, keep in mind you’ll be doing a lot of waiting around to get on the ship, plus going through security, and perhaps waiting for your room to be ready.

For embarkation day I would plan on wearing a casual outfit with lighter materials with layers- or even your airplane outfit . Something lightweight, yet appropriate to wear wandering around the ship.

I wouldn’t worry too much about what to wear on Embarkation day, but having a swimsuit ready to go is a great idea.

Pro Tip: Wear a swimsuit underneath your clothing with a stylish coverup and take advantage of the resort deck pool while everyone gets settled or hits up the buffet. It will feel like you’ve added an extra day on to your cruise!

What to wear on a Cruise Sea Day

Cruise Outfits

Sea Day Cruise Outfit: Two Piece Set | Hat | Bag

Cruise Outfit

Swimsuit and Pareo Coverup

Cruise Outfit Idea

Cruise Deck: Swimsuit & Beach Coverup

Stick to casual clothing during the day on a cruise. A typical sea day on a cruise begins with breakfast, you can wear casual items like t-shirts, jean shorts, etc.

I like to wear cute sets, or shorts and a cute top that’s easy to throw on when heading to the breakfast buffet. This is the least formal part of your cruise, but I would avoid walking around in your pajamas .

what to wear on a cruise

Shop Swimsuit on Amazon

After that, you’ll probably walk around the ship or head to the resort deck which you’ll need to bring a bathing suit and beach coverup .

I always like to bring a larger tote bag so I can stick in all my essentials that I would need for a full pool day like sunscreen, a book, a water bottle, and extra clothes if I decide to swim.

Just think about wearing classic resort casual wear for the daytime.

Not sure what resort casual wear is? I have a full post that explains it. Read What is resort casual wear & how to wear it .

Now in the early evening after lounging on the resort deck, I like to wear a nice sundress or something a little dressy to have a sunset cocktail in. Thankfully for us ladies, I can usually wear the same dress to dinner without a problem.

What to Wear on a Caribbean Cruise Excursion

Cruise Outifs

Caribbean Cruise Excursion Outfit: Two-Piece Set | One Piece | Sandals | Sunglasses

Cruise outfits for Ladies

Caribbean Cruise Excursion in Cozumel: One Piece Swimsuit | Hat

I find a lot of Caribbean shore excursions involve lots of water activities like swimming & snorkeling, or boat excursions.

For a Caribbean cruise excursion, I would wear a swimsuit plus a coverup , and additional dry clothes if you want to change into something more comfortable after your day in the water, especially for warm destinations.

If you are not headed on a water excursion, wear casual clothing like sundresses , shirts, and shorts in light breathable materials like linen, cotton, or jersey.

Plus a comfortable pair of shoes you can easily walk around in for different terrain.

I took a cooking class in St. Kitts on a cruise excursion. I wore a casual top and shorts and everyone else wore something similar. Keep in mind that Caribbean islands are hot and humid.

What to Wear on a Mediterranean Cruise Excursion

Here are some Cruise outfit ideas I wore on my Mediterranean cruise excursions in Italy, Greece, Croatia, and Montenegro.

Cruise Outfits Excursion

Cruise Excursion Outfit Kotor, Montenegro

Cruise Outfit Idea

Excursion Cruise Outfit in Dubrovnik, Croatia

Cruise Outfit IDea

Excursion Cruise Outfit in Corfu, Greece

If you are going on a Mediterranean cruise, your ports of call and excursions tend to be a bit different than a Caribbean Cruise.

Instead of mostly swim & snorkel excursions you’d find on a Caribbean cruise, Mediterranean cruises have more city sightseeing excursions that involve a lot of walking , touring, and being in a city center.

For example, if you stop in Naples Itay, you could explore the Amalfi Coast, Capri, Naples, and even Pompei which all involve different kinds of daytime outfits.

I like to wear lightweight breathable dresses and comfortable walking shoes with a larger day bag to keep all my essentials inside.

birkenstock arizona big buckle sandal

Comfortable Sandals

Surprisingly my Birkenstock Arizona sandals were my go-to shoe on all my excursions. I even climbed a mountain in Kotor Montenegro in them and they were still comfortable afterward.

Evening Cruise Outfits

evening cruise outfits

Evening Cruise Outfit: Shop Set on Amazon

Evening Cruise Outfits

Sundress Cruise Outfit

Cruise Outfits

Maxi Dress Cruise Outfit

To be honest, I think that the ladies have an easier time with evening cruise outfits because mostly anything goes as long as it’s dressy. Darker-colored sundresses , cocktail dresses , or even pants with a dressy top will work.

Men on the other hand have more rules like long pants and collared shirts.

Like I previously mentioned, after lounging at the pool deck, I like to get dressed up in a nice sundress to have a sunset cocktail before dinner. I usually head straight to dinner in the same dress and never had any problems.

Casual Dinner Outfits

I find that a lot more cruises are ditching formal dinners and instead have an “evening chic” dress code which can mean dressing elegant and sophisticated in your way.

Here are some examples of “casual” dinner cruise outfits. Keep in mind that I like to dress up no matter what the dress code is.

Cruise Outfits Evening

Shop Dress on Amazon

Evening Cruise Outfits

Here is a great example of a casual dinner outfit that doesn’t involve a dress. A pair of nice dark pants and a dressy top and flats will do the job for casual nights.

Formal Dinner Outfits

Here are some examples of formal dinner cruise outfits for the main dining room I’ve worn on recent cruises:

formal cruise outfits

With Captain Kate McCue on Celebrity Beyond

Some cruise lines have “ formal ” nights, but even in recent years the strictness of the dress code has become more lax . Formal dress codes for ladies include cocktail dresses, elegant skirts, and evening-wear blouses.

But if you still want to wear a formal evening gown, it’s welcome. It’s a great excuse to dress up a little.

Double-check which cruise line you are cruising with to see the exact evening dress code.

What to wear on a cruise

No matter if you are going on a Caribbean Cruise or a Mediterranean cruise, here are things you should pack for your next cruise.

Pack sundresses to wear during the day, early evening, and perhaps dinner. These can be flowy maxi dresses or shorter styles. My favorite Amazon Maxi dress looks more expensive than it is and works great on a cruise.

Bonus tip: find dresses in non-wrinkle materials such as jersey material so you won’t have to worry about trying to get the wrinkles out.

Swimwear & Cover-ups:

what to wear on a cruise

Shop: Coverup | Swimsuit

You will be living in a swimsuit & coverup on your cruise, so be sure you bring your favorites. I love this one piece from Amazon . It’s flattering on any body type, comes in multiple colors, and looks expensive.

This beach coverup from Amazon is also one of my favorites. It’s in a nice cotton gauze-like material and looks so sophisticated.

Lightweight Jacket / Scarf

No matter when or where your cruise is, a lightweight jacket is a good idea for added warmth on cooler nights or heavy inside air conditioning. This could be a denim jacket, a lightweight sweater, or shall.

I’d recommend going for an extra-large scarf or sweater that still can be worn over your shoulders during the evening. It’s not too casual and looks dressy, while still keeping you warm.

Dark Pants / Jeans:

Be sure to bring a dark pair of pants or jeans if you don’t want to wear dresses to dinner. Dark pant goes with any dressy top, and it’s a basic you can wear more than once on your cruise.

Evening Dress

A nice evening dress is essential for any cruise. I find that a little black dress is a perfect item to bring because it’s dressy and easy to pack.

Some of my favorite evening dresses from Amazon .

cruise day outfits

Comfortable Dressy Sandals: Shop on Amazon

A pair of sandals that you can easily slip on and off are a must. Ideally, bring a pair that you don’t mind getting wet – especially if you plan on going to the resort pool deck or any water excursion.

You can bring heels, but keep in mind that you’ll be doing plenty of walking on cruise ships, and most of the time they are carpeted. If your heels are uncomfortable on land, they will be uncomfortable at sea.

A great compromise is a shorter kitten heel, a wedge, or a dressy flat.

A pair of white sneakers go with everything and are comfortable to put on after wearing sandals for so many days. These are great to have for strenuous activities, adventurous excursions, and exploring ports of call.

Read next :  23 Best White Sneakers For Women You Can Wear All Day

Sun Hat & Pair of Sunglasses

Don’t forget your accessories like a sun hat and a pair of sunglasses. To avoid your hat getting blown away by the wind, find one with a chin strap.

canvas tote bag

Canvas Tote Bag: Shop on Amazon

You’d be surprised at how many things you need to bring with you when you leave your cruise cabin.

I love bringing a stylish tote bag to throw all my essentials for the day inside like sunscreen, book, phone or tablet, an extra change of clothes, towel, etc.

I recommend this stylish tote from Amazon that I wore on my recent cruise. Or I love a sturdy canvas tote that goes with any outfit.

Mens Cruise Outfits

I can’t leave the men hanging, so here are some men’s cruise outfit ideas:

Men’s Day Outfits

During the day, men can wear casual clothing like swim trunks and a neutral shirt that is acceptable for the breakfast buffet and the resort deck.

Men’s Evening Cruise Outfits

Cruise Outfits Men

Cruise Evening Outfit Men

Now unfortunately for the men, the evening cruise line dress code applies mostly to men.

Cruises suggest men wear in general long pants or nice jeans, a collared dress shirt, and dress shoes.

For Formal Nights : Men should wear dress slacks, a collared shirt, and a sports coat. A tux or suit is optional, but double-check the specifics from your cruise line.

@danaberez Some outfits i packed for my cruise vacation #cruiseoutfits #vacationoutfitinspo #cruiseoutfitideas ♬ BLING BLING – ALTÉGO

Cruise Outfits FAQ:

How many outfits to pack per day on a cruise.

I would pack two outfits per day on a cruise- something to wear during the day either on board or at a port of call, and something a bit dressier for the evening. Now you can wear a swimsuit & coverup more than once on your vacation, so keep that in mind when you’re packing.

Do you dress up for dinner on a cruise?

Generally yes, you do dress up for dinner on a cruise. However, a lot of cruises are dropping the mandatory “formal” night where you had to dress to the nines in black tie attire. Instead, you’ll find smart casual, or evening chic dress codes in place for dinner.

Cruise OUtfits for Ladies

Cruise Outfit Idea

What are the best clothes to wear on a cruise?

You’ll want to wear something comfortable and casual during the day. Don’t forget your swimsuit for excursions or lounging at the resort deck. And add something a bit dressy for the evening.

What NOT to wear on a cruise?

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.

Another thing to keep in mind is your footwear. Cruise ships are huge and you’ll be doing a surprising amount of walking (especially if your cabin is on the opposite of the buffet) Don’t wear shoes you can’t walk in like super high heels , etc.

Let’s Sum it up on Cruise Outfits

I hope you found this post helpful for packing for your next cruise vacation. To sum it up here are things you need to think about when packing for cruise outfits.

  • During the day you’ll want to bring something to wear around the cruise ship. Think comfortable and casual.
  • Bring a swimsuit + coverup for days on the resort deck.
  • I always recommend bringing something easy to throw on for quick runs to the buffet, especially in the morning for coffee!

Pro tip: bring a reusable insulated water bottle to fill up with coffee, water (or cocktails) to keep warm or cold throughout your cruise.

  • During the evening pack something a bit dressier. For ladies that can be dark pants and a dressy top or a nice dress. Men should bring long pants and a collared shirt for dinner time.

Headed on a Cruise? – Read these posts next:

The Ultimate Cruise Packing List

Amazon Travel Essentials

What is resort Casual Wear?

Cruise Reviews:

Virgin Voyages Review

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Cruise Outfits

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What to Wear on a Caribbean Cruise (Complete Guide)

For some of us, trying to figure out what to wear to dinner can be daunting. But imagine trying to pack clothes for a Caribbean cruise. While it seems like you’d be just fine wearing a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, there’s a lot more to account for when deciding what to wear.

On a cruise you don’t have the luxury of your complete wardrobe and closet to pick from. Instead, you only can choose from what you’ve brought with you. That means you’ve got to pack for what to wear in a variety of different situations that you’ll find while on the ship.

Packing to Prepare For Lots of Different Activities

cruise day outfits

The big issue is that with cruising you can go through more wardrobe changes in a single day than you might see on an entire week at a “regular” vacation.

Take a hypothetical day on a cruise and see how many different situations you need to prepare for:

  • Wake up, put on some shorts, flip-flops, and a shirt to head to breakfast.
  • After breakfast you decide to workout, so you change into gym shorts and trainers.
  • You decide that it’s time to get a little sun poolside, so you change into a swimsuit.
  • An afternoon storm comes, so you head inside. It’s a bit chilly inside the ship, so you put on pants and grab a long-sleeve shirt.
  • It’s formal night, so you get fancied up to go to spend the evening with a drink and a great meal.
  • After dinner they are showing a movie poolside, so change back into a swimsuit to watch while soaking in the hot tub

And this is just one day!

Not to worry. It’s understandable that you might be wondering exactly what to wear when visiting the Caribbean on a cruise.

Below we break down each of the big parts of your cruise, including a number of items of what to wear in each situation…

What to Wear on Embarkation Day

cruise day outfits

There’s simply no day like Embarkation Day. The excitement really starts the instant you see the ship in the distance. Then you realize that the day you’ve been looking forward to for months is finally at hand.

If you’re wondering what to wear during embarkation day, you want to take your cue from the weather in port. While ships start letting passengers board around noon on the day of your cruise, the ship won’t actually leave until around 4-5 p.m.

In other words, you need to dress for the weather in the home port.

Depending on where and when you sail, that can mean everything from just shorts and sandals all the way to full winter gear. For instance, sailing from Galveston in February is much different than sailing from Miami in July.

Usually, however, the weather is warm. We like to dress casual and comfortable as there is usually some walking to get to the terminal, through check-in, and to your room. Shorts and a t-shirt are ideal (unless it’s cold outside), along with some sensible shoes. We prefer to wear tennis shoes over sandals due to the walking on the first day.

If you’re wanting to hit the pool after boarding, you can pack swimwear in your carry-on and change once in your room. 

Embarkation Day: Wear casual dress that’s comfortable and appropriate for the weather in the home port. Since the ship won’t leave until the afternoon, those in cooler ports won’t see the warmth of the Caribbean until the next day. Leaving from a warmer port? Shorts and tennis shoes are perfectly fine. No need to dress up, casual is the order of the day all around the ship.

What to Wear on Sea Days

Pretty much any cruise you sail will have at least one day at sea as it heads from port to port. During these times you have all day and evening to explore the activities on a ship. Depending on which ship you sail, that can mean anything from hanging out poolside to playing in the casino, working out, heading to a show after dinner, dancing in a nightclub, riding in a go-kart, flying down a waterslide and more.

In other words, what you wear is going to vary based on what you want to do.

In general terms, however, the dress on a Caribbean cruise at sea is decidedly casual. Short and tees are acceptable everywhere. Swimsuits are appropriate on the top decks around the pool, and it’s not unusual to see people wearing them around the ship while covered up. You will want to have a shirt/cover up if heading in somewhere to eat for lunch.

During the evenings you are going to want to wear a bit more simply to stay comfortable, but can still dress casual. Despite being in the warm Caribbean, nights can be chilly. Temperatures drop as the sun goes down, and with the ship underway, there is always a constant breeze. 

That’s why we suggest warmer dress, including pants and a long-sleeve shirt or even a light jacket. As well, if you’re headed inside to the theater for an evening show, it’s nice to dress a little warmer as the air conditioning can be chilly.

Day: Casual is the order of the day, with shorts, sandals, and swimsuits found around the ship. It’s polite to cover up swimsuits if headed indoors. Restaurants are all casual during the day, so no need to dress up. Evening: Wear what makes you comfortable, but keep in mind that evenings on the ship — even in the warm Caribbean — can be cool and breezy outside. The air conditioning inside can be cool as well. We suggest pants and at least a light long-sleeve shirt to stay comfy.

What to Wear to Dinner (Casual Night)

cruise day outfits

Not sure what to wear to dinner? It’s understandable to be confused. Head to the main dining room with the white tablecloths and well-dressed waitstaff and you might think you need to wear a tux to be served.

A trip to the buffet, however, is much more casual and there are a number of other restaurants on a ship that range from casual to fancy.

During a 7-night cruise, there are usually two formal nights, which means that the majority of your nights are considered casual when it comes to what you wear to dinner. That said, there are some guidelines we suggest you adhere to.

If you head to the main dining room or a higher-end restaurant like the steakhouse, then we suggest dressing up a little bit — even if it’s not formal night.

For men, that means wearing pants and closed-toe shoes. A buttoned-down shirt is also ideal. For women, leave the bathing suits for the pool, but sandals are usually fine.

If you just want to grab a bite without worrying about what to wear, then head to the buffet or one of the casual restaurants on board. Here it’s perfectly fine to wear flip-flops, shorts, t-shirts and the like. You won’t be out of place.

Cruise lines do ask that you don’t wear bathing suits into the eating areas without covering up, so if you are headed to or from the pool, be sure that you are wearing a shirt and/or a cover-up.

Dining Rooms and Upscale Restaurants: Dress how you would for any other nice sit-down restaurant, but don’t feel like you have to be too formal. Buffet  or Casual Restaurants: Where whatever is comfortable as there is no (reasonable) dress code for these spots. Sandals and shorts are fine, but cover up if you are wearing a swimsuit.

What to Wear to Dinner (Formal Night)

One of the biggest questions people have is what to wear to formal night. Some people think that anything short of a tuxedo or a formal evening gown is too casual. That’s not the case at all.

While formal night might be intimidating for some, it’s actually not that big of a deal. Yes, you could dress casual to dinner and no one would really pay much mind. However, we suggest dressing it up some.

Formal night is a big deal to some people on the ship, and if it’s not important to you, it’s good to keep the atmosphere nice for others who do enjoy dressing up.

As for what to wear, don’t think you have to go all out. You’ll find that the outfits run the gamut from simply a nice shirt and pants all the way to a tuxedo for some guys. For ladies, a cute blouse is fine, all the way to a full-length formal gown.

Do you have to dress up if you aren’t going to dinner in the dining room? Absolutely not.

Formal night is really just for the main dining room. So while you will see people dressed up around the ship, don’t feel obligated to do so if you’re eating somewhere else.

( For more on what to wear on formal night, see our article here .)

Dining Rooms and Upscale Restaurants: Everything from button up shirts with pants all the way to tuxedos are acceptable for men. Women can wear anything from a blouse to formal gowns. No shorts should be worn, nor should t-shirts or jeans. Buffet or Casual Restaurants: Feel free to wear whatever you like, including casual wear. Formal night applies to the main dining rooms, but not the casual restaurants or buffets on the ship.

What to Wear in Ports of Call/Excursions

cruise day outfits

Headed into port? If you’re sailing in the Caribbean then chances are that you’re going to the beach. In that case, wearing your swimsuit with a cover-up or simply wearing something casual into the port is ideal.

Keep in mind that many countries in the Caribbean can be conservative, so it’s best to be respectful and not wear anything too revealing unless you’re at the beach. As well, some countries have laws against civilians wearing camouflage patterns, so leave that at home as well. Finally, rude or offensive clothing (such as shirts with foul language) should be avoided.

If you’re going on an excursion, check to see if they have any requirements for clothing. For instance, many excursions that involve motor vehicles like 4-wheelers or dune buggies require participants to wear closed-toe shoes.

Dress in Ports of Call: For the most part, ports of call are casual dress. The only exception is if you are going on an excursion. They may require special clothing like long pants or closed-toe shoes, depending on what you’re doing.

Frequently Asked Questions

cruise day outfits

Do I have to dress up for formal night?

Absolutely not. Formal nights are completely optional. Want to spend your cruise wearing shorts and a Hawaiian shirt? That’s perfectly fine.

That said, if you don’t want to dress up, it’s best to dine somewhere other than the upscale restaurants or the main dining room during formal night. These spots are for formal dining, and you’ll be out of place if you show up wearing sneakers and a t-shirt.

Instead, if you don’t want to dress up, look for somewhere else to dine on formal night. Read our guide to formal night here .

Are there rules about the swimsuits I can wear?

There are no hard rules about swimsuits, and we’ve seen it all on a cruise. Where whatever makes you feel comfortable, but just know that other people will be wearing what makes them feel comfortable too.

These days it’s not unusual to see some skimpier swimsuits on some people. As long as there is no nudity, then it’s ok.

One thing to keep in mind is that you should cover up if you are heading indoors from the pool. Wearing your swimwear around the ship is frowned upon.

How am I supposed to pack so many different clothes for a cruise?

First, while it might seem like you have to pack tons and tons of clothes for all the situations mentioned above. In reality, it’s not that much. That’s because clothes can be worn more than once on your trip.

For a week cruise, we’d suggest bringing 3-4 outfits, two swimsuits, plus something to wear for formal night. That’s plenty to get your through the week. Shorter cruises need fewer clothes.

Second, unlike air travel, cruise lines don’t have hard rules regarding how much luggage you can bring . You can pack a huge suitcase and there’s no charge or weight limit. That offers more flexibility in packing for your cruise.

Have more questions about what to wear? Let us know in the comments below…

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What To Wear On A Cruise: Dressing For The Vacation Of Your Dreams

By Taylor Fuller | Published on January 24, 2024

So you've booked your dream vacation sailing on the open seas, but you're not sure what to wear on a cruise. Don't worry — cruise vacations take the stress out of travel, and your wardrobe should reflect the laid-back vibes you'll feel as you sail through paradise. The quintessential cruise style is easy to pull off; think vibrant colors, tropical prints and lightweight fabrics.

When you're planning a weekend away, it's important to pack smart. Whether your plan is to cruise through islands, posting up on stunning beaches and swimming in warm, crystal-clear waters, or to hike ancient ruins and wander through medeival cities, this guide will help you pick out the best cruise wear for your trip.

1. What To Wear On A Weekend Getaway Cruise

Packing outfits for vacation can be overwhelming, especially if you're one to overpack for a trip. If that's you, a weekend getaway  can be the perfect challenge for you to curb your bad habits and stick to packing for versatility. The best advice I can give is to pack for the vacation you want to have. Weekend cruises are a great way to unwind and explore another world in a short amount of time, so pack for busy days where you'll be going from the beach to a museum, out to lunch and then back to the beach. For example, pack a swimsuit and some chic sunglasses for the relaxing beach day you're craving, and bring along a breezy cover-up and sandals or comfortable shoes, so you can check out the cool town during lunchtime.

If you're new to cruising, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that there are activities and events that happen onboard the ship in the evenings and on sea days. Most cruise vacations include at least one formal night where everyone dresses their best for a special dinner. Cruise formal wear still embraces the relaxed energy of sailing, so outfits like a lightweight sport coat, chinos, a colorful dress or a jumpsuit will fit right in. You'll also want to include some smart casual looks, which means something that's a step up from sneakers and sweatpants for your other evening meals.

For sea days when traveling in a warmer climate, you'll definitely want a swimsuit if you plan to take advantage of the onboard water park. However, if you're cruising through a colder region like Canada, you'll want a jacket and some warm layers, so you can stay comfortable on deck.

2. Packing For Your Vacation Plans

Young Family with a Child Packing for Holiday

Planning ahead for your cruise vacation will help you pack for every moment. Most onshore excursions require reservations, so discuss with your family or travel buddies what kind of activities you cannot miss on your trip ahead of time. If you book an excursion that requires physical activity, opt for comfortable clothing you can move around in like leggings, shorts, sneakers, hiking boots if you're hitting trails, a light jacket (depending on the region you're exploring) and a sturdy backpack. Though hiking boots can take up precious suitcase space, they're essential for exploring a tropical jungle or mountainous terrain, and can double as comfortable shoes for long days spent sightseeing. If you have whale-watching on your agenda, pack a jacket in case it's cold or misty, a hat so you don't get sunburnt, and binoculars.

A quick weekend cruise can take you to some amazing places. I recommend using your time wisely and trying to see as much as you can. For example, a two-night Cyprus cruise  is all about beaches, history and incredible cuisine. Pack outfits that you'll be comfortable in even when the sun is scorching hot, so you don't have to worry about going back to the ship to get changed midday. Effortless flowy skirts and airy linen shirts make great cover-ups for swimwear that will protect your skin from the sun as you explore ancient sites. Comfortable shoes are a must for a trip like this, whether that's a flat sandal with straps or sneakers. Just make sure you're wearing something that won't get caught in the cobblestone streets of Cyprus. Add some fun accessories like a hat or sunglasses and a tote bag to carry all of your souvenirs, and voila  — you have an all-day outfit mapped out.

If cooler climes and rugged mountains call to you, consider a cruise to Canada . Of course, British Columbia requires a different packing strategy than a trip to The Bahamas or the Mediterranean. Even when cruising in the summer months, be sure to dress for the destination, not the season — layers are your friend here. Pack some thin thermals you can layer under your clothes if necessary, so you can spend the day comfortably strolling along the Inner Harbour and checking out Victoria's most notable landmarks. Don't forget a hat and gloves and some wool socks to keep your toes warm, too! When you're hanging out onboard, a thin, packable windbreaker or jacket will come in handy, so you can sit out on the deck with a cup of coffee, admiring the breathtaking scenery.

Still unsure about what to wear on a cruise? Whether you're packing cruisewear for women, men or non-binary people, I recommend getting creative. My favorite part of going on a vacation is that I get to wear things I wouldn't normally wear in my day-to-day. I love putting together patterns and colors that may feel a little funky and wearing sunglasses the size of my face. Take risks with your wardrobe! Your dream vacation will only be that much more memorable.

No matter what type of cruise you're looking for, you're sure to have a blast when you pack the perfect cruise wardrobe. Whether you're interested in history and want to explore ruins or would rather relax on the beach with a cold beverage in hand, there's a cruise getaway waiting for you. So what are you waiting for? Start searching for your next weekend adventure.

Get away this weekend on a cruise .

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What Should You Wear on Embarkation Day on a Cruise?

By: Author Carrie Ann Karstunen

Posted on Published: July 5, 2021  - Last updated: March 13, 2023

What Should You Wear on Embarkation Day on a Cruise?

If you’re new to cruising, you’re probably wondering what to wear on embarkation day – the first day of your cruise. Here’s how to plan your embarkation day outfit.

cruise day outfits

If you’re anything like me, you always want to make sure you have the right outfit for any occasion. There’s nothing worse than showing up to an event and realizing that you’re way underdressed. Or you assume an event is formal, but when you show up everyone’s in shorts!

For many first-time cruisers , figuring out what you should wear on embarkation day can be confusing.

But once you experience your first embarkation day on a cruise , you’ll see that people wear a wide range of casual outfits on the first day—from basic tees and shorts to pretty sundresses or a golf shirt with chinos.

You don’t need to dress up! In fact, I can’t remember ever seeing anyone decked out in formalwear at embarkation. So if you were worried that you needed an elegant outfit to get on the ship, don’t stress. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to break out your dressiest clothes later on in the cruise if you want to.

Embarkation day is all about having fun, so wearing what you’re comfortable in is key. Just think about what you want to do on your first day aboard, and plan your embarkation day outfit with that in mind.

cruise day outfits

How to plan what to wear on embarkation day

With the wide range of casual clothes that cruisers wear on the first day, you won’t feel out of place wearing whatever feels comfortable to you, within reason of course!

On most cruise lines, attire has become a lot less dressy than it used to be. Of course on very traditional lines like Cunard, or on ultra-luxury ships (think Regent Seven Seas or Seabourn), you might see passengers a bit more dressed up on embarkation day. But even on these cruises, dress will be more “elegant casual” as opposed to formal.

If you’re sailing on a mainstream cruise line, casual resort wear is just fine. Here are some examples of what I usually see cruisers wear when boarding the ship:

  • Short sleeve or sleeveless tops
  • Golf shirts or polos
  • Casual button-up shirts or blouses
  • Casual pants
  • Casual rubber-soled shoes
  • Tennis shoes

cruise day outfits

So it’s really up to you what end of the resort-casual spectrum you’d like to wear on the first day of your cruise. But if you’ve already researched all the fun things you’d like to see and do soon after you board, you might want to consider your outfit a bit more carefully.

Here are some important questions to ask yourself before you choose what to wear on embarkation day.

What’s the weather going to be like on deck?

If you’re sailing from a tropical destination, odds are you’ll be fine wearing your lightweight summer clothes to board the ship. But cruises that depart from cooler climates (or if there’s nasty weather) call for just a little more planning.

If the weather’s been unpredictable in your cruise port, be sure to dress in layers or pack some warmer clothes in your carry on bag.

For cruises leaving from cooler climates, you’ll probably see people wearing more practical clothes that fit the weather at the port. Depending on the temperature, you might not be spending much time outside on the first day!

Do you have a photo package (or are you planning on taking lots of pics the first day)?

Most mainstream cruise lines (and some luxury ones) employ photographers to take pictures of guests enjoying their vacations. Sometime after you check in and before you embark the ship, you’ll likely be called over by some very enthusiastic crew members! They’ll want to take your group’s embarkation day photo in front of a festive backdrop.

It’s free to pose for any of these pics, and you’ll be able to see them later in the ship’s photo gallery. Then you can decide if you’d like to buy a print of the photo, or even purchase a package with a certain amount of photo prints to remember your cruise.

If you already know that you’ll want to buy a package, consider dressing up a bit more for embarkation day so you’ll have pics you’ll be proud to show to friends or on social media.

Of course, you can always take your own embarkation day photos , or ask another guest to snap a pic of your group. If documenting every day of your cruise vacation is important to you, consider dressing the way you’d like to be seen in these photos.

Are you planning to swim, sunbathe, or relax in the hot tub soon after embarkation?

If you’re dreaming of hitting the Lido deck right away to enjoy the pool, sunbathe on a lounger, or soothe your achy muscles in the hot tub, remember that having your swimsuit when you board is key to having fun on embarkation day!

Staterooms usually aren’t ready to use until mid-afternoon, and your checked luggage might take hours to arrive at your stateroom.

I like to wear my swimsuit under my clothes on embarkation day every time I take a warm-weather cruise. If the urge hits me to take a dip (or if a miracle occurs and there’s an open hot tub), I won’t have to worry about changing in a cramped public restroom stall.

Cruise pro tip: pack a change of underwear in a gallon ziploc bag and put it in your embarkation day carry-on bag . You can swap it out for your wet suit after you enjoy the pool, without getting everything else in your bag damp.

Where are you planning to enjoy your embarkation day lunch?

If you know you just want to have a super-casual lunch on embarkation day, like at the buffet or the outdoor grill on the Lido deck, you can confidently wear your most casual outfit when you board the ship. You’ll be able to walk up and order from the grill in a bikini or swim trunks, then enjoy your meal at your sun lounger or a nearby table.

Visiting the buffet (usually located indoors just steps away from the pool) requires you to cover up a little more than you’d need to at the poolside eatery. Cruise buffets are famously casual, but be sure to put on your shorts and tee (or a cover up) before entering the buffet.

Cruise pro tip: pack a casual swim cover-up if you’ll be eating inside at the buffet—you’ll be turned away if you show up in just your swimsuit! Check my 20+ Cute Swim Coverups for Cruises & Beach Travel for some stylish but inexpensive options for all ages and body types.

Seasoned cruisers know that there’s often one main dining restaurant open on embarkation day. Would you prefer a lovely three-course meal with white tablecloths and personalized service for your embarkation day lunch?

I always do! Although odds are you won’t be turned away from the MDR at lunch for wearing shorts and a casual tee, I like dressing up a tiny bit more for an elegant embarkation day meal.

Are you traveling with a larger family or other group?

Something I’ve noticed over the past few years is the popularity of themed t-shirts for groups of cruisers on embarkation day. Whether you’re doing a huge family reunion or just a small get-together on a cruise vacation, themed tees are definitely a trend.

Wearing custom-printed t-shirts for embarkation day, especially in a bright color, makes it easy to spot other members of your group as you explore the ship.

Do you have plans for an early dinner?

Usually, checked luggage arrives at your stateroom well before dinner time. That will often give you plenty of time to shower, do your hair and makeup, and dress up before your meal.

But if you have plans to dress for a main dining room or specialty dinner on embarkation day, you might not have access to your luggage in time to get ready if you’re not already wearing the right clothes.

If you prefer to start your evening meal between 4:30 and 5:30 PM, this is considered “early dining”. Be aware that there’s a chance your checked luggage won’t make it to your stateroom in time to dress for an early dinner.

You may also like: What New Cruisers Don’t Know About Cruise Food & Drinks

Do you really not feel like changing your clothes later?

Maybe it’s just me, but I really don’t like changing my clothes multiple times a day! OK, I do enjoy the novelty of occasionally dressing for dinner on a cruise that has a formal night or two. But embarkation day is so busy and exciting that I’m rarely in the mood to think about planning more than one ensemble for the day.

Generally, I’d rather wear something that can take me from poolside to an elegant meal, and any situation in between. After that, I might want to enjoy a cocktail in the lounge, try my hand at the casino, see a show—and maybe even dance the night away at the club.

On warm-weather sailings, I always embark wearing a comfortable sundress and flat, neutral sandals. This kind of outfit works well with whatever I want to do on that first day! If I want to dress it up for dinner and post-dinner activities, I’ll change out my jewelry, add a simple pair of heels, and carry a light cardigan or wrap because of the chilly air conditioning indoors.

cruise day outfits

But do you want to look a little more elegant on embarkation day, and you don’t like wearing dresses? I’ve got you. Consider a short or long romper in an airy, woven material. Or a pair of lightweight cropped pants with your favorite summery top.

Mr. SBC likes his comfort (but also enjoys putting on a suit and tie on formal nights). When we cruise together, he usually wears a golf shirt and shorts or lightweight chinos on embarkation day, with sandals, boat shoes, or slip-on Vans.

You may also like: How to Prevent Wrinkled Clothes on a Cruise

How to dress the kids for embarkation day

If you’re cruising with your kids or grandkids , casual comfy outfits are key. For warm-weather cruises, shorts and tees are just fine for anyone, especially the younger passengers.

Depending on the age of your kids, they might have certain activities they’re most excited about. You might dress them up before boarding for photos or in anticipation of an elegant dinner, but they just want to stay in the kids’ club with their new friends!

Other kids might want nothing more than to swim in the pool. Even if you’ve dressed your whole family in adorable matching outfits for embarkation pics, pack swimsuits and a casual change of clothes in your day bag so everyone can have fun.

You may also like: Cruising with Kids: 19 Essential Tips

What do you like to wear on embarkation day? Or is your first sailing coming up and you still have questions about what to wear on the first day of a cruise? Let me know in the comments below!

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What to Wear on Embarkation Day on a Cruise

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Carrie Ann Karstunen

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Dresses on Hangers.

Lisa at Following the Rivera

Friday 30th of July 2021

I’ve never been on a cruise so these tips are useful. I'd also wear a swimsuit beneath my sundress in case I want to swim. It's good to know dressing is casual too.

Hi Lisa, I hope you're able to experience a cruise - it's such a fun way to travel! I'm happy you enjoyed reading my tips on what to wear.

Sophie Batista

Thursday 29th of July 2021

Such a great and beneficial post! I always tend to dress on the comfier side so I am comfortable when traveling so I 100% agree with this post! Thanks for sharing

Hi Sophie, I love to be comfy when I travel, too! Glad you found my tips on what to wear on embarkation day helpful :)

Renata Green

This is such a helpful post. You would think that embarkation is a bit on the fancy side, hence, it's good to know that you can keep it comfortable and casual. Nevertheless, I assume, it's still an exciting event ;-)

Hi Renata, you're right, embarkation day is an exciting event :D Thankfully we can dress casually - it's usually a very busy day!

Wednesday 28th of July 2021

I’ve never been on a cruise, but I think what I have in mind for an embarkation day is right: casual. Good tip also on putting clean underwear in a ziplock if you want to go swimming that day.

Hi Umiko, you've got the right idea for embarkation day! I'm glad you liked my tip :D

Linda (LD Holland)

Tuesday 27th of July 2021

We often travel from cold Canada to warmer destinations. So dressing for embarkation is often a challenge. But we do like to pack lighter clothes and swimwear to relax by the pool. As you said, it is sometimes a delay before you can get to your cabin and get your bags.

Hi Linda, I hear you! We often cruise from Boston, and in spring or fall it can be chilly on deck at embarkation. I still always wear my swimsuit under my clothes in case a miracle happens and there's a hot tub free! :D :D

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What to Wear on a Cruise: The Ultimate Guide

Last updated: November 7th, 2023

Guests hanging out for drinks in smart casual attire onboard Celebrity Cruises

  • Find a Cruise

If you’re having trouble figuring out what to wear on a cruise, don’t worry, we’re here to help. Packing a suitcase for your upcoming vacation onboard shouldn’t be difficult—in fact, it’s all part of the fun.

The key is to know exactly what to expect onboard and to familiarize yourself with Celebrity Cruises’ “Relaxed Luxury”. Here are some tips that will help you decide what to wear on a cruise to get ready for smooth, stylish sailing.

What clothes should you wear on a cruise?

What to wear on a cruise depends on where you’re sailing. While many of our cruises sail to warm beach destinations such as The Bahamas and the Caribbean , we do offer cooler weather cruises to places like Alaska and the Mediterranean during shoulder season that require warmer clothes like jackets and waterproof wear.

If you’re traveling to a warm and sunny destination, here are some things you should wear on your cruise:

Couple drinking cocktails by the pool

While onboard, you’ll be spending a lot of your time in the pool or lounging nearby on the sun deck. You’ll also be sporting swimwear at many of the ports you visit  during your trip. Therefore, it’s a good idea to pack a handful of swimsuits in your bag. Aim to bring at least three if you’re going on a seven-day cruise.

Swim coverups

While it’s perfectly acceptable to stay in your swimsuit while lounging beside the pool, you’ll need a cover-up to walk from your stateroom to the pool, and vice-versa. Keep in mind, depending on where your stateroom or suite is located, you may go through other common areas of the ship (in addition to the elevators) on your way to the pool. Make sure your swim cover-up is something you will feel comfortable in while walking around others.

Read: What to Pack for a Mediterranean Cruise

People on a beach

Sweater or fleece

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.

Scarf or pashmina

This is an easy clothing item you can drape over your shoulders to dress up an outfit, or to warm you up if you’re outside and there is a chill in the air. You may also be required to cover your head and shoulders if entering a mosque, or bare arms if visiting a church, so pack something that enables you to respect the local culture.

Bring some fun pieces to accessorize your outfit. You may also want to buy some new items while shopping in the ship’s boutiques, so remember to leave a little extra room in your suitcase just in case.

Woman smiling while wearing a sun hat

Sunglasses and sun hats

Aside from lathering up on the SPF, protect yourself from all that sunshine by bringing a sun visor, baseball cap, or wide-brimmed straw hat on your cruise—ideally, one that won’t blow away in a sea breeze. You should also bring at least one pair of sunglasses on board.

Read: What to Pack for a Caribbean Cruise

Even if you typically use your phone as a clock, bringing a watch on board will help you keep a more accurate eye on the time throughout the day. You’ll want to get to all of the ship’s daily activities on time, and a watch can be extra helpful during your port stops to make sure you get back to the ship on time before it departs.

Couple using binocular while sightseeing on a cruise

Casual, comfortable attire

T-shirts, tank tops, shorts, sundresses, and skirts are all perfectly fine clothes to wear on a cruise ship to have lunch in the Oceanview Cafe and other restaurants with a casual dress code. You can also dine in casual pool clothes at the snack bar located next to the pool deck.

What to wear on a cruise - smart casual

Dinner or “smart casual” attire

If you’re having dinner in the main restaurant or any meal at one of the specialty restaurants , you’ll follow a “smart casual” dress code on most nights. This means long pants, jeans, a dress or skirt, a stylish top, or a button-down.

We want our guests to feel comfortable, so Celebrity Cruises’ dress code for smart casual is fairly flexible, though there are some restrictions. T-shirts, swimsuits, robes, bare feet, tank tops, baseball caps, and pool wear are not allowed in the main restaurant or specialty restaurants at any time. In addition, shorts and flip-flops are not permitted during the evening hours.

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.

If you’re headed for Alaska or northern Europe, or the Mediterranean in the cooler months, think about packing these items:

Wicking tops, lightweight fleeces, and even pants that zip off into shorts are all a good idea for Alaska, especially if you’re out hiking.

Waterproofs

Some of the world’s most beautiful scenery gets that lush shade of green for a reason; the occasional rain shower. Bring a waterproof that folds down small, and a waterproof cover for your camera.

Read: Expert Cruise Packing Tips

What kind of shoes should you wear on a cruise?

What to wear on a cruise - comfortable shoes

Footwear should not be an afterthought when packing your suitcase for a cruise. 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.

Flip flops, sandals, or waterproof slides

These shoes will take you back and forth from your stateroom to the pool and vice versa. They also come in handy if you choose to visit the onboard spa . Lightweight water shoes are great for some ports in the Mediterranean, where beaches tend to be pebbly.

Sneakers or comfortable walking shoes

If you’re planning on doing a lot of walking around the ship during days at sea, it’s a good idea to pack a pair of sneakers or other comfortable walking shoes. Sneakers will also be useful if you try out a fitness class or use the gym equipment in the ship’s state-of-the-art fitness center.

If you’re headed somewhere like Norway or Alaska where hiking is one of the most popular activities, it’s worth packing a good pair of walking boots.

Shoes or sandals for dinner

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.

Do you have to dress up on a cruise?

People in smart casual attire following Celebrity Cruises dress code for dinner

While of course you’re welcome to stay in your swimsuit almost all day long on a cruise, there are certain occasions when Celebrity Cruises dress code requests otherwise.

If you’re wondering what to wear on a cruise during dinner in the main dining room, meals at specialty restaurants, or shows in the theater, the Celebrity Cruises dress code for these occasions is usually “smart casual”. This means a dress or skirt, stylish pants, smart jeans, a stylish top or button-down. We’d prefer that shorts, tank tops and flip flops were kept for the pool.

What do you wear on a dressier night on a cruise?

Lovely couple in Evening Chic outfit following Celebrity Cruises dress code

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.

The Celebrity Cruises dress code for Evening Chic nights is cocktail dresses, skirts, pants, or designer jeans with an elegant top, or dress shirt, button-down shirt, or sweater, and an optional blazer. There’s no need to wear a tie unless you want to.

Couple in Eden restaurant

Our Evening Chic dress code leaves a lot of room for you to show off your personal style, although we’d ask you to leave your ripped jeans or favorite college sweatshirt in your stateroom. You can wear anything from designer denim paired with a blazer to a cocktail dress with a killer set of heels.

If you were looking forward to wearing a tuxedo or formal gown on Evening Chic nights, you can absolutely do that as well. There is no such thing as being overdressed on Evening Chic nights.

All cruises that are seven nights or longer will feature two Evening Chic nights. Shorter cruises feature one Evening Chic night. On all other nights of the cruise, guests are asked to wear smart casual attire.

If for whatever reason you choose to skip Evening Chic nights, you can always dine in one of the specialty restaurants (in smart casual attire) or at the snack bar located next to the pool deck.

What do you wear on cruises during the day?

Women wearing casual outfit

On Celebrity Cruises, we want you to feel as comfortable as possible while onboard. During the day, we encourage you to wear casual attire such as t-shirts, tank tops, shorts, sundresses, and skirts.

If you’re spending the day at the pool, you can also have lunch or dine in casual pool clothes at the Mast Grill located next to the pool deck.

Just remember that while walking from your stateroom to the pool and vice versa, you’ll need to wear a swim cover up.

People doing yoga on a cruise

You’ll also be required to wear appropriate clothing in the Fitness Center; suitable shoes for the treadmills and exercise bikes, for example, just as you would in the gym at home.

If you plan to use the spa, which we would encourage, don’t worry about bringing a robe; these are provided for you.

What to wear on a cruise

Now that you know how effortless and stress-free it is to choose what to wear on a cruise, book your cruise and start planning out your perfect cruise vacation outfits. Browse itineraries on our website and book your next luxury getaway with Celebrity Cruises.

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What to wear on a cruise: Cruise attire and cruise line dress codes

Ashley Kosciolek

Have you ever had that nightmare where you're at work, in school or giving an important presentation, and you look down to discover you're wearing only your underwear (or worse, nothing at all)? If you're new to vacationing at sea, knowing how to dress for a cruise can be confusing — and just as potentially embarrassing if you're not prepared.

Packing acceptable attire for a cruise is simple if you remember a few general rules. Here, I'll break down some safe options if you're unsure, and I'll give an overview of the cruise dress codes for each of the "big eight" cruise lines.

For more cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG's new cruise newsletter .

What do people wear on a cruise?

cruise day outfits

You can't go wrong with resort-casual clothing for sea days when you'll remain on board your ship. Although some lines will be more or less casual than that, it's a good baseline. But what is "resort casual"?

Khaki pants or shorts with loose-fitting, short-sleeve, button-down shirts or even nice, plain T-shirts work well for men. Women might opt for khaki shorts or palazzo pants with a nice top or a sundress. In most cases, nice jeans (dark wash with no holes) will work well also.

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.

For formal nights, men will want to bring a collared, button-down shirt at the bare minimum. For something a little more snazzy, bring a jacket to wear over your shirt, with or without a tie. Some men opt for suits or tuxes. For women, pantsuits and dressy pants outfits are a great choice, as are party dresses or even ball gowns.

Jeans are not allowed in the main dining rooms on formal nights, and cut-off shorts, baseball caps and flip-flops are banned at all times during dinner in the main dining rooms.

Related: 7 cruise ship packing mistakes you want to avoid at all costs

Another key piece of clothing to bring is a bathing suit. Whether you're headed to a warm-weather destination and plan to laze by the pool or on the beach, or you're visiting somewhere chilly but want to take advantage of your vessel's hot tubs, it's an item you won't want to forget. Note that cover-ups are required for entry at all restaurants and dining rooms, with the exception of walk-up, poolside window-service venues.

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.

Finally, check to see if your cruise line has any special theme nights planned. If so, you might want to pack an outfit for the white party or '80s night.

Carnival cruise dress code

cruise day outfits

Carnival is one line where casual is the name of the game. Passengers will be just fine in jeans, T-shirts, tank tops, shorts and bathing suits for their days on board or ashore.

At night, nice jeans and nice tops are perfect for eating in the main dining rooms.

On Carnival cruise formal nights, known as "cruise elegant" nights, cruisers wear everything from slacks with nice shirts to tuxes and ball gowns. However, most passengers stick to clothes that fall somewhere in the middle.

Voyages of six nights or longer will have two "cruise elegant" nights, while those five nights or shorter will see only one.

Celebrity Cruises dress code

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. That means khaki shorts with nice button-downs are more common than jean shorts and tank tops, although you won't be out of place in the latter.

For dinner, you'll want to dress it up even more, as the line has a smart-casual dress code at night in most restaurants, including the main dining room. Anything from unripped jeans to dress pants with nice blouses or button-downs is acceptable.

Related: 10 unexpected items I won't cruise without

Are there formal nights on Celebrity cruises? Yes, there's one on every sailing of six nights or fewer and two on voyages of a week or more, but they have a different name. "Evening chic" nights encourage passengers to go all out with tuxes and evening gowns. However, most men choose slacks with collared or button-down shirts and jackets, sans ties. Most women choose slacks and nice blouses, sundresses or party dresses.

Disney Cruise Line dress code

cruise day outfits

Disney Cruise Line is synonymous with children, and children like to be comfortable. With that in mind, just about anything goes in terms of dress on The Mouse's ships, which tend toward casual in spite of their stellar service and high price point.

It's not uncommon to see jeans, shorts, T-shirts or bathing suits during the day. Unlike most other lines, the same goes at dinnertime, with jeans and T-shirts just as common as dressier attire like slacks and button-downs.

Exceptions are the line's "dress-up" nights — two on sailings of a week or more and one on shorter voyages. For those, DCL suggests that men avoid jeans and wear jackets. Women should go with dresses, skirts and blouses, or pantsuits.

Related: The 5 best cruise lines for families

Some of Disney Cruise Line's added-fee restaurants, such as Remy — one of the most expensive alternative eateries at sea — require jackets for men and don't allow jeans.

Each Disney sailing features a Pirate Night; cruisers wishing to participate should pack their best swashbuckling gear. As is standard at Disney parks, you're also likely to see large numbers of costumes and mouse ears at all hours of the day.

Holland America Line dress code

Although the dress code on Holland America Line ships is technically "cruise casual," you'll rarely spot anyone looking disheveled or like they just rolled out of bed. Most passengers tend toward resort wear or, at the bare minimum, nice jeans with pressed T-shirts.

The casual dress code carries through to dinner, but HAL cruisers can often be found dressing up a bit more — collared shirts or button-downs (sometimes with jackets) and slacks for men and slacks with nice tops or dresses for women.

As for Holland America formal nights, on sailings shorter than a week, there will be one "gala night," where travelers don evening or ball gowns, suits or tuxedos. Voyages of eight to 13 nights will see two gala nights, while any cruises of two weeks or longer will have three chances to dress to the nines.

MSC Cruises dress code

cruise day outfits

What to wear on MSC cruises largely depends on the crowd with whom you're sailing. On Europe cruises, your fellow passengers are likely to dress up more often — even during the day — with skimpy resort wear and designer bathing suits gracing the pool deck as far as the eye can see. On those voyages, dinner is an even more fancy affair, with elegance as the norm. Expect to see glittering dresses and stylish pants and button-downs with dress shoes, even when it's not formal night.

On cruises that depart from the U.S., expect a more casual vibe, with jeans, T-shirts and bathing suits ruling the day. At night, you'll be fine with nice jeans and a collared shirt or a sundress, although you might want to dress up a bit more to match the ship's ambiance.

Related: A beginners guide to picking a cruise line

Are there formal nights on MSC cruises? Absolutely. They're called "gala dinners," and they appear at least once per voyage, but the number can vary by itinerary. The dress code is strict, with the buffet the only place that will allow T-shirts and shorts. You'll fit in best in a ball gown, cocktail dress, suit or tuxedo.

Norwegian Cruise Line dress code

Norwegian prides itself on allowing cruisers to dress as they please, providing a "come as you are" atmosphere during the day and at night. The most popular clothing is cruise casual, and passengers are free to wear whatever they'd like with an emphasis on comfort.

The only exception is at dinner, when a smart casual vibe encourages travelers to avoid torn clothes or outfits that are suggestive or skimpy.

In a nod to Norwegian's laid-back style, NCL formal nights — dubbed "Dress Up or Not" nights — provide a chance for you to doll up. However, it's not required, and you won't be turned away from the main dining rooms if you choose not to participate. Passengers have been spotted wearing everything from jeans and T-shirts to ball gowns and tuxes, and all coexist in perfect harmony.

Princess Cruises dress code

cruise day outfits

Princess ' casual daytime mindset means you can wear the same types of clothing on board as you would during a day ashore — activewear, beachwear and jeans or T-shirts are totally fine.

Princess cruise formal nights are special because the line is one of the few industry holdouts in that it still has an official formal night. Its passengers enjoy a more traditional cruise experience, and they relish the romantic vibe that a formal night can provide. With that in mind, the line doesn't mention super-fancy garb like ball gowns or tuxes; instead, it advises suits or slacks with jackets for men and cocktail dresses or pantsuits for the ladies.

On voyages of less than a week, passengers should plan for one formal night, while sailings of a week to 13 days will have two, and cruises two weeks or longer will have three.

All other nights are listed as "smart casual," which means sundresses or pants with flowy tops for women and nice jeans or slacks with collared shirts for men will suffice.

Royal Caribbean dress code

As is the case with Carnival and Norwegian, Royal Caribbean is a casual line during the day. And, like Disney Cruise Line, it caters to a lot of families. Translation: Wear what allows you to have the most fun in the most comfort. Expect to see shorts or jeans with T-shirts or tank tops and bathing suits or beachwear almost exclusively during the daytime.

At night, you might want to put on something a little less comfortable, but it's certainly not required, unless it's a formal night. (Like Princess, Royal still has those.) What is confusing is that the line has three different dress codes, all of which are loosely enforced: casual, smart casual and formal. The ones that show up on your voyage will depend on the length of the cruise.

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.

Royal Caribbean formal nights have the highest expectations for passengers, urging them to put on their finest cocktail dresses, evening gowns, suits or tuxes. As with the line's smart casual dress code, jeans are not allowed in the main dining rooms on formal nights.

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12 Cruise Outfits You’ll Love to Wear

Taking a cruise is a once in a lifetime experience. Cruising gives you the chance to relax by the pool, sightsee & shop at various ports, go on thrilling excursions and dine on incredible meals. A cruise is the ultimate vacation! Plan your cruise outfits carefully and not only will you look good in your photos but you’ll also be able to travel relatively light. Read my complete cruise ship packing list with printable PDF checklist that you can download.

Wondering what to wear on a cruise? Cruise ship attire can be a little tricky to plan, especially if this is your first cruise. Cruise attire varies from a bathing suit & cover up to cocktail dresses and if you’re not careful you can end up way overpacking. With this post, I’ve put together 12 outfits for a cruise that will take you from excursions to evening easily, without stuffing your suitcase. You’ll see that all my cruise clothing can be mixed and matched to create multiple cruise ship outfits from just a few key pieces.

These Caribbean cruise outfits are by no means definitive but I just want to show you how easy cruise wear can be to put together when you know how. With seven basic pieces you can build so many different outfits for cruise activities and excursions, pack light and, most importantly, look fantastic.

Note that this is all Caribbean cruise attire but almost all these outfits would work for a Mediterranean cruise also. You can read my European Cruise Packing List post here.

If you’re looking for advice on what to wear on an Alaskan cruise, please see my Alaska Cruise Packing List for lots of ideas as your outfits for this will be much, much different than the ones listed below.

Cruise Wardrobe Essentials

For a full list of what to bring on a cruise, read my Ultimate Cruise Packing List here.  We also just on our first cruise with Carnival so I created a Carnival cruise packing list too .

My cruise wardrobe ideas are all built on a few key pieces. With these few items and a few well-chosen accessories you can create so many outfits to wear on a cruise! You’ll notice that all the accessories I’ve picked to go with this cruise dress attire have been repeated throughout the outfits. I’ve included plus-size alternatives to the key basic pieces and of course the accessories are all plus-size friendly. I have also tried to pick affordable pieces with many  items coming in under $35.

  • White bermuda shorts   – Add a pair of denim shorts too and double the amount of outfits you have. If you don’t do shorts, you can switch these out for capri pants.
  • Striped t-shirts   – A couple of striped t-shirts are perfect for a cruise and nicely nautical.
  • White jeans   – White jeans or pants are a great cruise outfit. If you don’t want to wear jeans, you can switch these out for linen pants or capri pants. See my list of the best travel pants for more ideas.
  • Sundress   – So simple and easy. I’ve gone for a royal blue here but this dress comes in lots of colors. Add a black one in for even more outfit options.
  • Maxi dress  – Easy and comfortable to wear on travel days, around the ship or when you feel your waist expanding from all the delicious food onboard! A solid is more versatile than a print but you could easily bring along a second dress in a print.
  • Black jumpsuit  – Stylish and versatile. You can build so many cruise outfits ideas with a black jumpsuit as a base. If you’re not comfortable trying out a jumpsuit a black maxi dress would work instead.
  • Kimono   – A super lightweight addition to any women’s wardrobe and one of the best cruise wardrobe items. It can be used as a pool cover up with a bathing suit and flip flops.

Here are my Ideas for Best Cruise Outfits!

Bright maxi dress for day.

A maxi dress is one of the best outfits for cruise ship passengers because it is lightweight, comfortable and works with many body types. Just remember to pack a suitable bra if you’re getting one like this with spaghetti straps.

  • White cat eye Ray Ban sunglasses
  • Floral print scarf
  • Brown beach tote
  • Tan sandals

Plus size option:

Bright Maxi Dress Dressed Up for Evening

  • Black & teal statement necklace & earrings
  • Peacock print sequinned purse
  • Gold wedge sandals

Colourful Tunic with Shorts for Day

This is perfect casual cruise attire for on or off the ship.

  • Colorful tunic
  • White vest top for underneath
  • White bermuda shorts

Plus size options:

  • White bermuda shorts or capri pants if you’re not comfortable in shorts
  • Pink tunic or blue print tunic or aqua tunic

Colorful Tunic with White Jeans for Evening

  • Gold statement necklace
  • Gold wristlet purse
  • White jeans

Black Jumpsuit for Sightseeing Excursion

A black jumpsuit is one of the best outfits for a cruise! It’s so versatile and stylish.

  • Black jumpsuit
  • Aviator sunglasses

Black Jumpsuit for Formal Dining

This jumpsuit goes easily from daywear to attire for Captain’s dinner on a cruise just by switching out the accessories for more glamorous options. If you don’t want to do a jumpsuit then a black dress would also make perfect cruise dinner attire.

  • Black sheer & beaded bolero
  • Black strappy heels
  • Sequin bolero

Striped T-Shirt for Easy Excursions

A nautical-inspired striped t-shirt is one of the nicest cruise wear ideas. Comfortable, practical and easy to wear. I like this one because it’s slightly longer length means it covers my butt but could also be knotted at the side or tucked in and flounced over jeans.

  • Striped t-shirt
  • Sketchers Go Walk sneakers

Striped T-Shirt for Smart Casual Dining

  • Blue statement necklace

Kimono with Sundress for Day

This is classic cruise casual attire and would work for a city sightseeing excursion or a day at the beach. The kimono provides good sun coverage for your back & shoulders and can be worn over a swimsuit as a beach coverup also.

  • Sundress (Same dress as picture, goes up to 3XL)

Kimono with Chiffon Vest & White Jeans for Evening

  • Chiffon tank top
  • Longer length vest top – the one pictured above does go up to 2XL though

Simple Sundress for Informal Evening

Dressed up sundress for formal dining.

Cruise ship dinner attire for formal dining evenings doesn’t have to be a cocktail dress or evening gown. You can dress up a simple sundress with the right accessories.

I hope you enjoyed my cruise wardrobe planner!

These cruise clothes ideas are based on my own experience on two Caribbean cruises. I way overpacked my Caribbean cruise wardrobe on my first cruise. I didn’t know what proper cruise attire was so packed much more than I needed, just in case. By my second cruise I had some practical experience on cruise attire ideas based on what other travelers wore on board and what I did and didn’t use from my first experience. On my second cruise our whole family of four managed to travel in just one carry on backpack!

On my first cruise with RCL I did note that Royal Caribbean cruise attire was slightly dressier in my experience than what we observed on our second cruise with Norwegian. As mentioned above, we just went on a Carnival cruise too so I have put together a packing list for that also.

Now you should have some really good ideas on proper cruise attire for women. Be sure to drop me a comment below to let me know if this blog post helped you pack for your cruise.

Join Our Facebook Group to Chat More About Cruise Packing Tips

If you want to ask a specific question, chat to other cruisers about what to pack for your cruise or share your own cruise packing advice then join our Facebook group on Cruise Packing Tips!  Whether you’re going on a honeymoon cruise , cruising with kids or just treating yourself to a much needed vacation, these outfits should cover it! We would love to help you work out exactly what to pack or hear your own ideas about what gear you use on your cruise. Join us for some fun and friendly discussions.

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Use Pinterest to keep track of all your travel and fashion ideas. You can follow my cruising board here and my packing tips board here .

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Love your wardrobe planners!

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Thank you Mary! 🙂

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Thanks a lot didn’t know what to wear

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This is some awesome information for my first cruise. I always seem to pack to much. This helps to know how to mix n match perfectly! Thanks

Thanks Kay! I’m glad it’s helpful!

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This is great! Has given me lots of ideas for my first cruise. Thanks

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Great idea’s! Going on my 2nd cruise on the 19th!

Awesome Karri! Where are you cruising to on this trip?

We’re going to Montego Bay, Georgetown and Cozumel on Carnival!

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I am going on my first cruise…a New England cruise on Carnival Sunshine in early September ….what are some suggestions to pack as I am not sure of the weather at that time of year..

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Great ideas for a cruise wardrobe and I really like all the outfits.

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Thank you for the great cruise wardrobe ideas! We are cruising the Mediterranean at the beginning of October. Do I pack for the Fall/seaon or ignore the season for cruise wear?

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Love, love, love this post! Thank you so much for breaking down the clothing into outfits. I am going on a ten day cruise to the Caribbean in February. I am following your packing suggestions. Our cruise will be on an Italian ship (MSC Divina) leaving from Miami. We will be visiting the US Virgin Islands, St. Kitts & Nevis, Martinique, Barbados, and Guadeloupe.

Have you tried the black jumpsuit that you reference on Amazon? I am considering buying it, but I was wondering what your experience has been with it.

As for sandals, I love the Abeo brand available from the Walking Company because of the arch support that they provide. I’ve had plantar fasciitis before, so now I always wear shoes with good arch support.

Awesome Karen! I have plantar fasciitis on and off too so definitely wear comfy sandals. How tall are you? The jumpsuit is long but I’m only 5’2″ so needed it taken up.

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This is a brilliant list and I’m even more grateful for the plus sized versions! This will make things so simple! ?

Thanks for the compliment Jennifer! Gotta represent for the plus size ladies! 🙂

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I like the combinations but do you really need a hand bag or clutch on a cruise? I never carry a bag so I don’t get it.

No, you don’t need it. Sometimes it’s just nice to have to complete the outfit though. You don’t need it for cash of course but for your cruise card and a bit of extra lipstick to touch up after dinner is always nice. Especially if you’re having photos on formal night.

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This was so helpful as I plan my first cruise in April. We are sailing on the Summit from San Juan on a 7 day trip. I am a planner and guilty of overpacking, overthinking scenarios. We are doing 2 excursions and have to consider that attire as well. Thank you

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What to Wear on a Cruise: Daytime, Formal Nights & More

W hen it comes to cruising in style, packing the right attire for every occasion is essential. Including a few key versatile items on your cruise packing list will prevent your suitcase (and the limited closet space in your stateroom) from becoming overcrowded – and keep you looking appropriate for all events.

Although most cruise lines outline their suggested dress codes in the FAQ sections of their websites, be sure to also review the specifics of your cruise itinerary. Not only will the destination and weather factor into what you should wear on your cruise, but you'll also want to know if formal nights require black-tie attire, themed dress parties need costumes or shore excursions necessitate unique clothing or footwear.

Whether you'll be lounging by the pool or attending a glamorous dinner, our list of must-have items and suggestions from industry experts will help you navigate dressing for your next cruise vacation.

For relaxing sea days, prioritize comfort above all else. Depending on your planned activities, any of the following casual options are considered acceptable attire:

  • Skirts or skorts
  • T-shirts and tank tops
  • Breezy lounge pants
  • Bathing suits
  • Cover-ups 
  • Sun hats or baseball caps

Travel writer Jill Schildhouse always packs her VOTEPRETTY sundress . "This is my go-to cruise workhorse," says Schildhouse. "It's light and breezy, and the pockets come in very handy." She adds that the sundress can be worn to casual dinners on the ship or on shore excursions, and it can even double as a swimsuit cover-up. "I've taken it all over the world and it always arrives wrinkle-free," she says. Schildhouse has received many compliments on this classic sundress, which is available in multiple colors.

Sheri Griffiths, host of YouTube series CruiseTipsTV , suggests wearing comfortable, broken-in shoes on a cruise. She recommends avoiding brand-new footwear during your voyage to prevent blisters and daily discomfort. A basic sneaker can be worn for just about any cruise itinerary, from Alaska to the Caribbean . Griffiths says, "We love these Adidas Stan Smiths because they wear in quickly and have a timeless style."

Read: The Top Walking Shoes for Travel

In the evening, most cruise ships adopt a dress code in their main dining rooms and specialty restaurants that incorporate smart-casual or resort-wear attire. The following clothing choices will suffice:

  • Maxi dresses
  • Elegant tops
  • Long- or short-sleeved button-down shirts
  • Polo shirts
  • Blazers and ties (typically optional, unless otherwise stated)
  • Shawls or wraps
  • Closed-toe dress shoes
  • Sandals or heels

Colleen McDaniel, editor-in-chief at Cruise Critic, shares her best advice for cruise footwear. "I always pack my Rothy's shoes for any cruise because they're infinitely comfortable, work as both a formal and [an] informal shoe and can be tossed in the laundry if they get dirty." She notes that she has several pairs, but two of her go-to styles are The Point and The Ballet Flat . McDaniel adds that the shoes work in every occasion, from strolling along the ship decks to perusing cobblestone streets on shore. "I bought both [pairs] 5 years ago, and they look as new today as they did out of the box despite literally hundreds of hours of wear," she says.

Jason Leppert, founder of YouTube channel Popular Cruising , always packs his signature Hawaiian shirts to wear day or night. He says, "I love the RSVLTS collection because they can play casually with shorts or more dressy with slacks for dinner."

Formal Nights

While more casual these days, cruise formal nights still call for a bit more sophistication and style. Appropriate options include:

  • Cocktail dresses
  • Evening gowns
  • Dress shoes

Ashley Kosciolek, senior cruise writer for The Points Guy, always packs a gown or a fancy cocktail dress for a formal night. "I work from home and don't have a reason to dress up otherwise, so I look forward to it." Still, Kosciolek is a firm believer that travelers should wear what is most comfortable for them while on vacation. She adds, "My dinner won't taste any better or worse based on what others are wearing."

Mikkel Woodruff, editor of cruise site Sometimes Sailing , always brings her Omega Sailing Bracelet on cruises. She says, "I like to bring jewelry that reminds me of the ocean and being on the sea." Woodruff appreciates the bracelet's versatility, noting how easily it can go from shore excursions to formal evenings to everyday activities.

Explore cruise deals on  GoToSea , a service of U.S. News.

Shore Excursions

When heading off the ship for a shore excursion, opt for comfortable, weather-appropriate clothing and sturdy footwear to make the most of your adventures on land. Consider packing the following items:

  • Comfortable walking shoes
  • Mesh water shoes
  • T-shirts or tank tops
  • A waterproof jacket

Freelance travel writer David Swanson shares his favorite versatile cruise shoes. He discovered a comfortable pair of Danner multitasking shoes that worked for dinners, casual events and multiple days of cycling on a recent European cruise. "I didn't think I'd find something to do dual duty, but I love this comfy pair from Danner, an outdoor brand [that is] new to me but has been around since 1932," says Swanson.

Paul Thornton, host of The Joy of Cruising Podcast , always packs his Coofandy linen shirts and shorts for hot Caribbean days and breezy cruise ship evenings. "I love Coofandy because they enable this senior to look 'youthful' on the beach and excursions," says Thornton. He adds that the brand is also his go-to retailer for White Party-themed nights on board.

Read: Beach Packing List

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Cruise Line Dress Codes

Dress codes can vary significantly from one cruise company to the next, so it's a good idea to check with your specific line before filling up your suitcase. Once you're on board, be sure to read the daily program for reminders about the dress codes required at the events and dining venues during your voyage.

Azamara Dress Code

  • Daytime: Fairly casual attire is suitable throughout Azamara 's ships during the day. However, baseball caps, distressed denim, tank tops and bathing suits cannot be worn at Discoveries, Aqualina and Prime C restaurants (and shoes are required).
  • Evening: At night, women typically wear casual dresses, skirts, pants, capris, blouses and knit tops, while men are welcome to wear collared golf and polo shirts, shorts and pants. Sport coats are optional. Note: There are no official formal nights on Azamara's voyages.
  • Themed Nights: Be sure to pack an all-white outfit for Azamara's signature White Night dinner and deck party.

Carnival Cruise Line Dress Code

  • Daytime: Pack casual, comfortable attire to sail with Carnival Cruise Line , such as T-shirts, polo shirts or relaxed tops paired with shorts, capris, khakis or jeans. Athletic wear paired with a lightweight sweater or jacket are suitable for those looking to stay active. 

Evening: After 5:30 p.m., attire ranges from "cruise casual" to "cruise elegant."

  • "Cruise casual" attire for men typically suggests longer dress shorts, pants or jeans and a collared polo shirt. Women usually wear sundresses, blouses, skirts, dress shorts and capri pants.
  • "Cruise elegant" typically translates to dress slacks, dress shirts and sports coats (suggested) for men, with some wearing suits, ties or tuxedos. Women choose dresses (party or cocktail), pantsuits and elegant skirts with blouses, while some may wear evening gowns. Kids should follow the adult dress code, opting for school dance- or party-appropriate attire. Note: Jeans, men's sleeveless shirts, shorts, T-shirts, sportswear, exercise clothes, baseball hats, flip-flops and bathing suits are not permitted. The number of "cruise elegant" evenings varies based on the length of the cruise.

Themed Nights:

  • Carnival Journeys cruises feature a "Throwback Sea Day," where guests can relive the '80s by day (outfits included) and dress up for a themed Captain's Cocktail Party by night. 
  • Cruises between early December and Christmas Day feature an "Ugly Sweater Contest."
  • Costumes are suggested for Halloween cruises between the end of September and October. However, when choosing a costume, keep in mind that full masks are prohibited (masks covering half of the face are allowed).

Celebrity Cruises Dress Code

  • Daytime: During the day, smart casual resort wear is suitable throughout Celebrity Cruises ' ships. (Think: sundresses, shorts, polos and button-down shirts paired with sandals, low heels and loafers.) Bathing suits with cover-ups, T-shirts, tank tops, hats and sunglasses are only appropriate poolside. Cruisers should avoid wearing these items in the dining areas.
  • Evening: Most evenings, guests are expected to wear comfortable yet tasteful attire. This entails dresses, skirts, long pants or jeans, stylish tops and button-down shirts. Shorts and flip-flops do not meet the evening dress code. Depending on your voyage, there will be one or two formal nights that require "evening chic" wear. Passengers can dress to impress in formal gowns, tuxedos, cocktail dresses, dressy jeans or blazers.

Costa Cruises Dress Code

  • Daytime: During the day, Costa Cruises ' passengers may wear casual clothing like T-shirts, shorts and sundresses. Beach clothing and flip-flops are not permitted in ship restaurants. Depending on the itinerary, some shore excursions may have specific dress codes.
  • Evening: Most nights require resort attire; however, Costa hosts one or two Elegant Evenings per cruise, when men may wear dark suits or tuxedos and women can wear evening gowns or cocktail dresses.
  • Themed Nights: Costa recommends that guests pack white clothing for its White Night events and white, red and green clothing and accessories for its Italy-themed evenings.

Cunard Line Dress Code

  • Daytime: Shorts, T-shirts and sundresses are appropriate daytime wardrobe options on sailings with Cunard Line . Swimwear is acceptable by the pool but should not be worn in indoor dining areas.
  • Evening: In the evenings, passengers are asked to wear smart attire, which includes dress shirts and trousers for men, and cocktail dresses or sophisticated tops and skirts for women – similar to what you'd choose for dinner at a trendy restaurant or a special occasion. Voyages lasting seven nights host at least two Gala Evenings, during which guests are requested to adhere to a more formal dress code. 
  • Themed Nights: Gala Evenings employ themes ranging from specific colors (such as black and white or red and gold outfits) to the roaring '20s to masquerade balls.

Disney Cruise Line Dress Code

  • Daytime: On Disney Cruise Line sailings, cruise casual attire is acceptable during the day; outfit options include sundresses and shorts and tees. Swimwear and tank tops are not permitted in dining venues.
  • Evening: After the sun sets, polished attire like collared shirts and jeans without rips are acceptable. Bathing suits, tees, tank tops and sports attire are not allowed. Adult-exclusive dining venues on Disney ships call for elegance; formal or semiformal wear is recommended.
  • Themed Nights: On three- and four-night sailings, there is typically a pirate-themed deck party and one optional dress-up night for guests of all ages. Sailings lasting seven nights or longer add one formal and one semiformal night, when women may wear a formal dress or pantsuit and men can opt for a suit or dress pants with a jacket.

Holland America Line Dress Code

  • Daytime: Plan on wearing casual attire aboard Holland America Line 's ships during the day. When indoors, guests must wear shirts, cover-ups and footwear.
  • Evening: On most nights, smart casual clothing is acceptable. However, in table service restaurants, shorts, bathing suits, distressed jeans and tank tops are prohibited. Grand Voyages cruises host formal nights, when suits and dresses are appropriate.
  • Themed Nights: Once per cruise, Holland America hosts an Orange Party in celebration of King's Day. Pack your favorite orange clothing and accessories for this event, which honors the cruise line's Dutch heritage.

MSC Cruises Dress Code

  • Daytime: Guests of MSC Cruises dress fairly casual during the day in T-shirts and shorts.
  • Evening: Collared shirts, dresses and tailored pants are expected at night in the main dining rooms, specialty restaurants and entertainment venues. There is one optional Gala Night, when varying levels of elegance are acceptable. Guests should wear what makes them feel comfortable, ranging from tuxedos or ball gowns to dressy jeans and polo shirts.
  • Themed Nights: MSC hosts a White Night Party (where guests wear all white) and a Sunshine Party, where guests don cheerful colors.

Norwegian Cruise Line Dress Code

  • Daytime: During the day, plan to wear cruise casual attire like summer dresses, jeans, khakis, shorts and casual shirts on Norwegian Cruise Line voyages. At the buffet and outdoor restaurants, swimwear can be worn with a cover-up and footwear. In dining rooms and specialty restaurants, Norwegian does not permit tank tops for men, jeans with rips or tears, flip-flops, baseball caps or visors.
  • Evening: In Norwegian's upscale specialty restaurants, smart casual attire is the norm. Women can wear slacks, jeans, dresses, skirts and tops, while men should opt for jeans or slacks, a collared shirt and closed-toed shoes. Children ages 12 and younger may wear shorts in all restaurants. On each cruise, there is one particular "Dress-Up or Not Night," when guests can wear fancier clothing (if they choose).
  • Themed Nights: Pack an all-white outfit for the White Hot Party and formal attire for Norwegian's Night Out.

Princess Cruises Dress Code

  • Daytime: In Princess Cruises ' restaurants and public spaces, casual resort wear is required. Shoes must be worn in the dining areas, and pool or beach attire, ball caps and frayed jeans are prohibited in restaurants.
  • Evening: On most nights, smart casual attire is acceptable in restaurants. However, on formal evenings, women may wear evening gowns, cocktail dresses or elegant pantsuits; while men may opt for tuxedos, dark suits or dinner jackets with slacks. The number of formal nights per cruise depends on the length of the sailing.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises Dress Code

  • Daytime: Elevated resort wear, including jeans, shorts, T-shirts and tennis shoes, is appropriate before 6 p.m. on Regent Seven Seas Cruises ' ships.
  • Evening: At night, elegant casual attire is recommended. Women typically dresses, pantsuits or slacks paired with blouses or sweaters; a collared shirt and dress pants for men is the norm, with the option for sport jackets and ties. On cruises lasting 16 nights or longer, there are two evenings when guests can choose to wear formal or semiformal attire. Wardrobe choices include dark suits and cocktail dresses or tuxedos and gowns. Note: On the last night of every voyage, the dinner dress code is "relaxed casual" to accommodate guests packing for early morning flights.

Royal Caribbean International Dress Code

  • Daytime: A relaxed, casual style is acceptable during the day on cruises with Royal Caribbean International . However, swimwear should be limited to the pool deck. 
  • Evening: On most nights, guests wear smart casual attire, which includes collared or button-up shirts, dresses, skirts, blouses and pantsuits. Jackets, sports coats and blazers are encouraged but not required. On formal evenings and for the Chef's Table dining experience, cruisers are expected to wear black-tie attire, which includes tuxedos, suits with ties, cocktail dresses and evening gowns. The number of formal nights per cruise depends on the length of the sailing.
  • Themed Nights: Offered on cruises lasting four nights or longer, themed nights may include toga parties, masquerade balls, decade themes and black and white nights.

Silversea Cruises Dress Code

  • Daytime: Casual attire akin to what you'd wear at a five-star resort is suitable during the day aboard Silversea Cruises ' ships.
  • Evening: Evening attire is categorized into three groups: casual, informal and formal. On casual evenings, women wear pants, blouses, skirts, and casual dresses, while men wear open-neck shirts and slacks. On informal evenings, ladies often choose dresses or pantsuits, and gentlemen typically wear jackets (ties are optional). Formal night is always optional; if you choose to participate, outfits may include cocktail dresses, gowns, tuxedos and suits. The number of formal nights per cruise varies by voyage length.

Seabourn Cruise Line Dress Code

  • Daytime: Casual resort wear like jeans and shorts are welcome in all lounges and dining venues on Seabourn Cruise Lines ' ships. Athletic apparel and swimwear should only be worn in the pool area, on the deck or at the spa and fitness center.
  • Evening: After 6 p.m., the dress code is "elegant casual." Men are expected to wear slacks with collared shirts or sweaters (jackets are optional), while women can choose pants, skirts, pantsuits or dresses. Elegant jeans are allowed in all dining venues except The Restaurant. On formal evenings in The Restaurant, men may wear tuxedos, suits or slacks and jackets, while women can opt for evening gowns and cocktail dresses.

Viking Ocean Cruises Dress Code

  • Daytime: On Viking Ocean Cruises ' ships, casual daytime clothing such as shorts, pants, jeans and comfortable walking shoes are acceptable. Athletic wear including exercise clothing, swimsuits and cover-ups may only be worn in the fitness center, pool zones and sports deck.
  • Evening: While there are no dedicated formal nights, the dress code after 6 p.m. calls for elegant casual attire for all dining venues, lounges, bars and theaters. Jeans are not permitted (with the exception of the World Cafe, where the dress code remains casual in the evenings). For women, wardrobe options include dresses, jumpsuits, skirts or slacks paired with elegant tops. Jackets and ties are optional for men, but trousers and collared shirts should be worn in the evenings.

Virgin Voyages Dress Code

  • Day or night, cruisers on Virgin Voyages ' ships are encouraged to wear attire that expresses their personal style. Just note: In restaurants, bathing suits are not permitted, and shoes are necessary. There are no formal nights; guests can dress up or down, depending on what makes them feel their best.
  • Themed Nights: Pack something scarlet red for the Scarlet Night Party, which occurs once per voyage.

Why Trust U.S. News

Dana Freeman is a highly experienced cruise writer who embarked on her first cruise with her grandmother when she was just 12 years old, and she hasn't stopped since. Having sailed on more than 20 different cruise lines and completed over 30 voyages, Freeman's cruise expertise spans from small ships accommodating only eight passengers to massive ones accommodating over 5,000. To curate this article, she leveraged her extensive knowledge of the cruise ship industry, combined with her strong research skills.

You might also be interested in:

  • The Top Themed Cruises
  • The Top Party Cruises
  • The Top Gay Cruises
  • The Most Festive Christmas Cruises
  • The Best Cruise Insurance Plans

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What to Wear on a Cruise

By Carnival Cruise Line

Deciding what to wear on a cruise means considering many different factors: your cruise destinations and their climates, the activities you’re going to pursue onboard and on shore and your opportunities for formal dining. Deciding what to wear on a cruise to Alaska will of course be quite different to picking out what to wear on a cruise to the Caribbean .

Packing for days of beachgoing and shopping will call for different outfits for adventures like horseback riding, ziplining and ATV tours.

It’s most important that your cruise outfits are comfortable. Remember, there’s only so much room in your suitcase and stateroom , yet you’ll need enough clothing to take you from arrival to departure and every excursion in between.

Take your time and put some thought into packing for a Carnival Cruise and you’ll be ready to dress perfectly for every cruise occasion.

family playing football on the beach in the caribbean

What to Wear: Warm Destinations

Wondering what to wear on a cruise to the Caribbean, The Bahamas or another warm destination? Packing for a cruise somewhere hot and sunny is relatively easy, and the good news is that warm-weather clothing tends to take up much less room in your suitcase.

It’s still a good idea to pack items of clothing that are versatile, for example sundresses or shorts that can take you from the beach to dinner, or shorts that work for both hiking and hanging out on deck. We suggest you pack the following:

  • At least two or three swimsuits – most passengers cruising to a warm destination spend lots of time in the pool or ocean. With multiple swimsuits you’ll never need to wear one that’s still wet.
  • Shorts – several pairs in a few different styles
  • Short-sleeved shirts, T-shirts, tank tops and/or blouses
  • One or two sundresses or skirt-and-top outfits for women
  • Several swimsuit cover-ups e.g., a cotton sundress or caftan
  • A light outer layer in case of cooler evenings e.g., a pashmina, thin cardigan or light jacket
  • Sunglasses and wide-brimmed hats
  • Water shoes or non-slip boat shoes with traction
  • A lightweight, packable waterproof jacket in case of rain

family on a catamaran in the caribbean

Packing for Warm Destination Excursions

Some excursions in warm-weather destinations require extra items in your suitcase . Sturdy, comfortable hiking or athletic shoes are obviously needed for hiking excursions, such as the Scenic Coastal Hike in St. Maarten or the Hop-on, Hop-off trolley tour in Key West . Also know that closed-toe shoes are mandatory for zip-lining and most horseback riding, ATV and bike tours. Check for these kinds of requirements before you set sail.

Sturdy water shoes are great for activities that take you from land to water, such as the Rainforest and Waterfall Hiking Adventure in Maui , excursions to the world-famous Dunn’s River Falls in Ocho Rios, Jamaica and any other adventures.

family paddleboarding in the caribbean

What to Wear: Cold Destinations

If you’re cruising to a destination with a cold climate, such as Alaska or parts of Europe , it’s important to pack clothing that will keep you warm on the ship as well as on shore. Even if you’re cruising to Alaska in the middle of summer, expect temperatures to range from the mid-50s to mid-60s (degrees Fahrenheit) during the day.

Of course it’s colder at night, and during the earlier and later times in the cruise season. Rain is always a possibility too.

When packing outfits for a cruise to a colder destination , plan to dress in layers to help you    adapt to changing temperatures from day to night, as well as on and off the water. We recommend the following items:

  • Long pants in several styles e.g., jeans, khakis, fleece-lined leggings, cargo pants
  • Shorts for warmer days
  • Sweatshirts in a few different styles and weights
  • T-shirts, both long- and short-sleeved
  • Thick wool socks and thinner socks
  • A lightweight, packable rain jacket
  • Swimsuits for the sauna or spa
  • Workout gear if you plan to hit the gym. (A tip: Bring workout clothes that double as everyday wear.)
  • Comfortable walking shoes e.g., sneakers, hiking shoes, plus sandals for warmer days on board

couple in the middle of a glacier walk in skagway

Packing for Alaskan Excursions

Many shore excursions available on Alaskan cruises require some additional clothing items, especially outdoor adventures. Do some research on the excursions you’re considering and make sure you have the appropriate footwear and clothing to stay safe and comfortable.

Double up on the warm layers and include a heavier jacket or coat if you’re planning an excursion out on the water, such as the Bering Sea Crab Fishermen’s Tour or the Tracy Arm Fjord and Glacier Explorer . Also add a warm hat, scarf and gloves to your packing list. These items are essential as well for glacier excursions like Dog Sledding on Mendenhall Glacier via Helicopter .

If you’re going hiking, biking or ATV riding, especially in a rainforest or glacial region, don’t forget a rain jacket with a hood and comfortable, waterproof hiking boots or shoes.

canoes from a shore excursion in skagway

Clothes for Special Occasions

Cruise ships have a wide variety of restaurants onboard , and some of our restaurants enforce dress codes. Be sure to include at least one outfit that fits every requirement so that you can enjoy any restaurant you desire. At any restaurant and any time of day, you at least need to cover up your swimsuit and wear water shoes .

Avoid having to go back to your stateroom to change between pool and restaurant by bringing along cover-ups like sundresses or shorts and T-shirts.

In the evenings, some of our ships enforce a “cruise casual” dress code. For men this dress code can call for longer dress shorts or pants (jeans are OK too) and a collared polo shirt. For women, the dress code may ask for sundresses, skirts and blouses, dress shorts and capri pants are acceptable.

Don’t wear sleeveless shirts (for men), cut-off jeans, T-shirts or gym shorts.

If you want to attend a “cruise elegant” evening, bring a fancier, more formal outfit. Men can wear suits or dress slacks with a sport coat and dress shirt. For women, cocktail dresses, pantsuits or elegant skirts and blouses are appropriate. Some guests like to go all out with a tuxedo or ball gown.

group of people enjoying an evening at the chef’s table

Ready to Pack Your Bags?

When packing for a cruise, it’s important to dress for the occasion. The great thing about cruising is that so many different “occasions” are packed in to one vacation, from formal dining to snorkeling and sipping cool drinks by the pool or trekking through a rainforest .

Spend some time planning your outfits and we’re sure you’ll find room in your suitcase for everything you need. Remember to save a little space for souvenirs !

Note: Onboard activities, shore excursions, and dining options may vary by  ship  and destination.

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Cruise , Packing Lists

what-to-pack-for-a-cruise-vacation

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Updated in 2024: If you’re wondering what to pack for a cruise vacation, check out this awesome cruise packing list put together by Emma with Emma’s Travel Tales  and Heather from Wanderlust Wayfarer .dedicated for travelers that love to cruise! Find out what to wear on a cruise vacation!

Written by: Emma Gray

Table Of Contents

what-to-pack-for-a-cruise-vacation

Ruched Side Sleeveless Dress

Whether you’re island hopping in Greece or sailing the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean, figuring out what to pack for a cruise vacation can be a daunting task, especially if you’ve never been on a cruise before. Cruising is unique because you may find yourself in a variety of situations and climates all in one vacation.

Packing for a cruise always involves taking more clothes than you would for a normal holiday. On most cruises there are certain dress codes for evening wear and different dress codes for different nights of your trip.

Start by reading these general tips for packing for a cruise:

  • 10-Step Guide to Packing for Any Trip
  • Understanding the Cruise Dress Code
  • 7 Things to Bring on a Cruise (and What to Leave Behind)
  • 10 Unexpected Things You’ll Experience on a Cruise
  • What to Pack for a Cruise for Women Over 60

Make sure you plan out what to pack in your travel capsule wardrobe for a cruise vacation to be prepared for the diverse destinations, activities, and weather you may encounter. For most moderate to warm-weather itineraries, follow these packing tips for what to wear on a cruise, and you’ll be well prepared.

Tip: Want to pack light, use packing cubes to compress your clothing as shown in this video!

what-to-pack-for-a-cruise-vacation

Hat | Earrings | Cover Up | Maxi Dress | Tee | Swimsuit | Shorts | Scarf | Shoes | Sunscreen | Sandals | Sunglasses

What to Wear on a Cruise: Daytime

During the day, the main thing is ensuring your cruise clothes are comfortable for relaxing on board or exploring ashore. Normal resort wear is perfectly acceptable during the day.

Cruise daytime wear is typically broken up into two categories:

  • Sea days, where you’re on the boat all day
  • Port stops, where you are exploring the latest destination at which you’ve arrived

what-to-pack-for-a-cruise-vacation

Sea Day Outfit

On most cruises, you’ll have at least one sea day. This means you’ll be on board the ship all day while you sail to the next port.

what-to-pack-for-a-cruise-vacation

Deep V-Neck Cover-Up Maxi Dress

Typically, these are the most relaxed and casual days. Be sure to pack a swimsuit and cover up or sarong. You’ll also need a hat, flip flops, and sunscreen if you plan to sit by the pool all day.

what-to-pack-for-a-cruise-vacation

Quince 100% European Linen Shorts

No matter what you plan to do on your sea day, there’s no need to dress up. Shorts and a tank top or t-shirt are ideal if you plan to spend more time taking part in activities inside the ship, such as cooking classes or art auctions.

what-to-pack-for-a-cruise-vacation

Mersea Classic Travel Wrap

Often the air conditioning is cranked up pretty high, so be sure to bring wrap sweater or kimono to keep from catching a chill.

what-to-pack-for-a-cruise-vacation

Taken In Colombia when TFG editor took a two week cruise across the Atlantic Ocean! 

Port Stop and Shore Excursion Outfit

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.

what-to-pack-for-a-cruise-vacation

Loveappella Jersey Maxi Dress

A maxi dress is an ideal choice for many warm weather destinations. They’re comfortable and cool and perfect for a range of activities, from shopping to dining at a nice restaurant.

what-to-pack-for-a-cruise-vacation

Quince 100% European Linen Pants

When planning what to wear on a cruise, consider if your excursion takes you off the beaten path. If so, you may opt for a pair of lightweight pants, joggers or shorts.

what-to-pack-for-a-cruise-vacation

Skechers Go Walk 5 Womens Comfortable Sneakers

You’ll also need a sturdy pair of walking shoes, such as Skechers Go Walks or Birkenstocks , depending on your level of activity. It’s also a good idea to take a scarf or light sweater in case there’s a cool breeze.

what-to-pack-for-a-cruise-vacation

Dress | Blouse |  Maxi Dress | Necklace | Scarf 1  | Flats | Jeans |  Earrings | Scarf 2 | Bag

What to Wear on a Cruise: Evenings

How much to dress up will depend on the type of cruise. These days, there’s no need to bring formalwear on most cruises, unless you want to. However, there are still some that have formal dinners.

what-to-pack-for-a-cruise-vacation

Loveappella Faux Wrap Top

Some people also really enjoy dressing up. If that sounds like you, a cocktail dress and heels is about as dressy as most women get. But if you prefer to keep it casual, dark wash jeans and a pretty blouse are perfectly acceptable.

Take one or two white or solid-colored blouses and a variety of scarves and necklaces you can use to make different combinations each night. No one will even notice you’re wearing the same thing.

what-to-pack-for-a-cruise-vacation

Yosi Samra Samara Ballet Flats

Pair your outfit with ballet flats or bejeweled sandals that are easy to pack and versatile. I like Yosi Samra because they come in lots of fun colors and patterns, fold up to fit better in your bag, and are super comfortable.

what-to-pack-for-a-cruise-vacation

TFG Editor’s casual evening outfit: Drape Top ( Similar ) | Minnie Flats

Casual Dinner Outfit

On most ships for casual dinner it’s acceptable for ladies to wear a casual resort wear summer dress, pants or dark jeans and a nice top. You can even make it dressier by trading in jeans for trousers or adding a dressy scarf or necklace to your look.

what-to-pack-for-a-cruise-vacation

TFG Editor’s formal evening outfit:    Encircled Chrysalis Cardi

Formal Dinner Outfit

Cocktail dresses and full length gowns are appropriate cruise dresses. Formal pant or skirt suits can also be worn as acceptable cruise wear options when in dressier fabrics.

what-to-pack-for-a-cruise-vacation

Blazer | Blouse | Tank | Tee | Dress 1 | Dress 2 | Dress 3 | Dress 4 | Jeans | Shorts | Skirt | Swimsuit | Sandals | Shoes | Flats | Cover up

Cruise Packing List

This cruise packing list is based on what I (Emma) would take for a week long cruise in a warm climate:

  • Three sundresses that can be worn both for casual dinner and during the day
  • Two pairs of shorts for daytime – one denim and one classic
  • Three tank tops for daytime – solid colors
  • One smart-casual skirt that can be worn for casual dinner and by day
  • One long sleeve shirt of light material
  • One tunic – perfect for relaxing by the pool on board or by the beach ashore
  • One light jacket
  • Two bathing suits
  • A Little Black Dress – this never goes wrong for evening wear and would be perfect to for a smart-casual dinner
  • One cocktail dress – cocktail dresses can be a little more fun than formal gowns but are still suitable for formal dinner.
  • One formal gown – a full length gown in a solid color always looks beautiful. Opt for classic elegance and it’ll never go out of style.
  • One pair of fancy heels – stick to a neutral color that will match multiple outfits
  • One pair of nice sandals – perfect for smart-casual evenings
  • One pair of tennis shoes or any comfortable walking shoes
  • Complimentary jewelry and bag to match your formal outfits, as well as a practical bag for daytime
  • Mascara , foundation , sunscreen and lipstick for a touch of glamour

what-to-pack-for-a-cruise-vacation

Compass Rose Packing Cubes

How to Pack for Cruise

Once you’ve chosen all your cruise essentials, use packing cubes and other luggage organizers to organize and compress your clothing tightly to make the most of less space.

what-to-pack-for-a-cruise-vacation

Delsey Chatelet Carry On Luggage

Tip: For cruise trip, we recommend choosing a suitcase with brake system lock like the Delsey Chatelet to prevent it from rolling away. 

There are a variety of packing organizers ranging from compression sacks to packing cubes to ziplock bags. Personally, we like using these packing cubes and our readers agree. They’ve helped millions of our readers travel carryon only!

Watch the packing tutorial here or on our YouTube Channel !

We put together a five-part YouTube series showing the different methods to use packing cubes for travel. If you use this specific packing strategy, packing cubes can also compress your belongings. This is the secret to traveling carry-on only!

More TFG Editor’s Summer Outfits

View this post on Instagram ☀️ What beach destination is on your radar for 2020? ? #TravelFashionGirl #SummerWeather #BeachTravel A post shared by Alexandra Jimenez (@travelfashiongirl) on Mar 3, 2020 at 6:06am PST
View this post on Instagram Hello from Merida – the cultural heart of the Yucatan Peninsula! ❤️ I visited the area for both a music festival and a friend's birthday and had such a fantastic time. I highly recommend visiting if you're near the area or simply want to explore more of the stunning Yucatan. Duplicates for the dress I'm wearing are also listed in my LinkTree! Have you visited Merida before? Would you be interested in checking it out? Let me know in the comments! #TravelFashionGirl A post shared by Alexandra Jimenez (@travelfashiongirl) on Oct 13, 2019 at 5:00pm PDT

Thank you to these two ladies for showing us how to pack for a cruise and for creating this cruise packing list!

What are your tips on what to pack for a cruise vacation?

For more vacation packing tips, please read:

  • What to Wear on a Cruise to the South Pacific
  • What to Pack for a Mediterranean Cruise
  • What to Pack for a Sailing Trip in the British Virgin Islands
  • Caribbean Cruisewear Essentials

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what-to-pack-for-a-cruise-vacation

Hope you liked this post on what to pack for a cruise vacation! Please share it with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Thanks for reading!

Author Bio:  Emma Gray is a Scottish girl, with a serious passion for cruising and travelling in general. She’s lucky enough to have already been on 13 cruises, with 6 different cruise lines. Emma On Board aims to share tips, advice, information and personal tales on all things cruise, from a young person’s perspective. Her other blog Emma’s Travel Tales shares her general travel stories from around the world. Emma is always busy making memories around the world.

28 Comments

Jackie Hicks

Love, Love, LOVE ALL of the help you dole out! Your experience help people like me So very much!! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the help to this elderly woman!

Kristen Kiersey

This list was so helpful for my very first cruise!!! Thank you so much!!!💕

Anna

This is so helpful! Going on my Caribbean cruise in a few weeks, no idea how I can put everything in 1 luggage))) When it comes to dresses and formal dinner, how many dresses should I pack? Thanks

Alex

Hi Anna, A good place to start is to take a look at TFG’s Four Signature Packing Lists for ideas for a capsule wardrobe and how many clothing items you could pack – then depending on your preferences, you can choose more bottoms, fewer dresses, more tops – you can adjust the combination based on your needs: https://www.travelfashiongirl.com/functional-and-fashion-packing-list/

Start with 10 items focusing on the absolute essentials – the core – and then decide if you need additional items or if you could do with less. If you carefully select your travel clothing choices and, for example, pack 6 tops and 4 bottoms, you’d have 24 ensembles on rotation. That’s 3 weeks’ worth of travel outfits with just 10 pieces of clothing!

We have more tips for packing for a Caribbean cruise here: https://www.travelfashiongirl.com/caribbean-cruise-wear-essentials-cruise-dresses-and-more/

Have an amazing time!

Laurel

We just booked an anniversary cruise trip to Denmark, Norway, Iceland and Greenland for next summer. Great to have all these wonderful Packing tips. I’ve been enjoying your blog for years. Thank you.

Jaclyn Jacquard

These packing lists are so helpful. Thank you 👍🏼

Cathi

I am headed for a Hawaiian Cruise this week. Your blog posts have been very resourceful. Thank you for all of the information!!

Alice Vedder

Having a capsule wardrobe is a game changer! I packed way too much for our last cruise and didn’t wear half of what I brought. Even my husband said that we will pack differently for the next cruise!

Louise Brown

We are going on a cruise round America the last week in October, Boston, New York, Halifax etc. Any recommendations on what to pack????

Hi Louise, thank you for reaching out.Have a look at TFG’s signature packing lists for ideas for a capsule wardrobe and how many clothing items you could pack: https://www.travelfashiongirl.com/functional-and-fashion-packing-list/ The packing lists show you how to pack light and have the right clothes no matter the destination or the length of the journey. Then for North America, we have a range of articles that offer tips to help you create your packing list: https://www.travelfashiongirl.com/north-america-packing-lists/ Hope this helps. Have an amazing time on your cruise! ?

M

What about footwear for the pool?

Hi, women’s flip flops are the ideal water shoe for many trips where you’ll spend most of your time around pools, beaches, and boats. For some recommendations for flip flops, have a look at this article: https://www.travelfashiongirl.com/womens-flip-flops/ Hope this helps answer your question! 🙂

Irene feast

Thankfor let me know what to bring on the cruise I Will be leaving out in April

Hi Irene, so pleased you found this article helpful for your packing. You might also find this post interesting for some things you might not be expecting for your cruise: https://www.travelfashiongirl.com/ten-unexpected-things-youll-experience-on-a-cruise/ Have an amazing time! ?

Sharon

Hi, going on a 7 day western mediterranean cruise Early Oct./18 its going to be casual dressing, what to I need to bring; have a habit of over packing.

Hi Sharon, for some ideas for what to pack for your Mediterranean cruise have a look at this post: https://www.travelfashiongirl.com/what-to-pack-for-a-mediterranean-cruise/ You may also find this article useful, five things to add to your packing list: https://www.travelfashiongirl.com/mediterranean-cruise-packing-list/ Hope this help! Have a fantastic time on your cruise!! 🙂

Julie Knowles

I don’t know how I missed this when looking for help on my last cruise?!! I’d love to see packing lists for “over 50” women! 😉

Christina

I think the items would be the same, just the style might be different depending what you’re comfortable with. For example, the skinny pants might be swapped for a more classic cut and the short short demin shorts for a slightly longer pair. Or not, depending on what you like.

Susan

Upcoming Mediterranean cruise leaving Barcelona April 1, preceded by 10 days in London then Paris, followed by 3 days in Venice. Trying so hard to visualize packing less, less, less…

alex

Wow that’s quite the European adventure! This 10 Step Packing Guide should help 😉 https://travelfashiongirl.com/10-step-packing-guides/10-step-packing-guide-europe/

Nancy Brewer

Susan, for many European cruises, the itineraries are pretty port intensive and formal nights may not be your thing. On our last we were lucky to get back and eat dinner in time before collapsing into bed to prep for the next day! A simple piece like a long skirt (maxi or midi) that can be dressed up or down with tops or accessories has always worked for me. It saves space to not have to pack a formal dress ( or suit for husband) you are only going to wear 2-3 times. Plus it doubles for coverage if you are going to places that require more modest dress.

Sandy

Would love pictures of casual & smart casual. Not sure that I know the difference!

Casual wear, I’d define as jeans, tanks, shirts, sundresses, etc. While smart casual has a slightly more polished look. Think what you’d wear to casual Friday in a formal office. Slacks, blouses, put together but not quite business attire. This post: https://travelfashiongirl.com/business-trip-packing-list-for-minimalist-fashionistas/

In the bottom-most graphic, the casual look could even be considered smart casual, but the after-work cocktails look and work attire are definitely smart casual! Hope that helps Sandy!

P.

Can you update the photos? I don’t see the photos any more. I love your site so so very much!

alex

Thanks! I’ll have to write another post as the photos have been removed by their original source. Thanks for reading!

Rachel Bell

Thanks for showing pictures with your examples! It can get so tricky knowing what clothing falls into what categories.

great! glad to help 🙂

ashley

Hi i was just wondering where to find the outfit with the white top and green skirt. thanks 🙂

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cruise day outfits

Wear When What Why

7 day cruise packing list

7 day cruise packing list

In this 7 day Cruise packing list we cover the staples you need for every cruise no matter the destination. It covers what should always be in your cruise carry on, what you should wear on embarkation day and of course what other things should always be in your suitcase.

Important Note : This post may contain affiliate links which means if you click through and make a purchase I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. 

Note : It is worth pointing out that while this 7 day cruise packing list covers ALL your cruise staples that should be on any packing list, it is worth also checking out some of our destination specific packing lists as these will cover temperature and location specific dress codes.

Our specific location packing lists for cruises include:

  • What to wear on a South Pacific Cruise
  • What to wear on a European River Cruise
  • How to make a river cruise capsule wardrobe
  • World Cruise Packing List.
  • What to wear on a Caribbean Cruise

Table of Contents

How many outfits should I pack for a 7-day cruise?

Woman on cruise ship - What to wear on cruise embarkation day outfit inspiration

Before we create out 7 day cruise packing list we thought it would be worth talking you through how many outfits your should pack for a 7 day cruise.

Firstly you will obviously need an outfit a day, or create a cruise capsule wardrobe where you can use items multiple times.

Personally I will also take a fresh top for every day especially for warm weather locations, but may use shorts or trousers on 2 or more occasions to reduce the amount of clothes I need to pack.

The next thing that affects how many outfits you need for a cruise is how often you intend to use the main dining room and how many formal nights there are on your cruise.

Cruise dining rooms usually have a smart casual dress code and you will find most people usually change for dinner.

I usually try and have lots of day to night transition pieces such as a smart casual blouse or nice Maxi dress, that I can wear to dinner one night and then use during the day the next day. This helps reduce the amount of clothes you take with you.

Now depending on the cruise line you are on will depend on how many formal nights you will have (Formal nights are where you Dress for dinner in formal attire think cocktail dresses for ladies and tuxedos for men).

Cunard for instance is one of the more formal cruise lines which will have more formal dinners in the main dining room.

Norwegian Cruise Line on the other hand does not have any formal nights, and is famed for this. This is because they have freestyle dining and don’t like to constrain people in what they wear when at dinner. However this doesn’t mean you can’t dress formally for dinner.

And finally the last thing that will dictate how many outfits you need to pack for a 7 day cruise is whether or not you plan to do laundry on your cruise. If you plan on doing laundry then you probably only need to 3 day and 2 night outfits.

Going on a 14 day cruise? Then check our our 14 day cruise packing list. And for a shorter cruise check out our 4 day cruise packing list and our 5 day cruise packing list .

What do I need to pack for a 7 day cruise?

So now you know roughly how many outfits you will need on a 7 day cruise we turn our attention to everything you need to pack for a cruise no matter the destination

Passport   and identification

Needed to be in your embarkation day carry on as is required for boarding.

Documentation including Covid 19 related paperwork

Again needed in your hand luggage

Many people find a lanyard the best way to keep their cabin key safe and on them at all times on a cruise. The best ones are waterproof so can be used on shore excursions where you will be spending a lot of time in the water and can also be sued to keep small amounts of cash and a government issued id. 

Click here to shop the best lanyards for cruise travel.

Pack any meds you need in your carry on and be sure to have prescriptions with you.

As well as prescription medication some other medications you may like to travel with include:

  • pain medications such as Advil, paracetamol, Tylenol and Ibuprofen 
  • Reflux Meds such as Gaviscon, Tums etc. 
  • Birth Control

Sea sickness medication or bands

I personally have never gotten sea sick on a cruise ship. And I have never met anyone who has either and we have sailed through some really rough seas. 

However if you are concerned about sea sickness be sure to pack some meds with you just in case.

What toiletries to pack for a cruise / cruise toiletries checklist

Although most ships provide toiletries I will always pack some on my own as I think they are better quality than those you get on board

For more information on the best toiletries to bring on a cruise check out this post.

Toothbrush and toothpaste

Although toiletries are usually provided you will need to bring your own tooth brush and toothpaste.

It is important to be sun safe whereever in the world you are cruising. This is usually available onboard but will cost you a premium if you wait and buy on board.

The contrast between the nice weather on a warm weather cruise with the cruise ship air conditioning is the perfect recipe for dry lips. 

We always recommend packing lip balm that has an SPF so your lips are protected when on beach excursions etc.

Whenever I get on a cruise ship I first like to head to the main dining room for lunch, and then I like to have either a dip in the pool or a soak in the hot tub. I do this whether I am a hot weather or cold weather cruise.

If you are going to a hot weather destination however you will want to pack at least 2 swimsuits with you so you can wear one and dry one.

Beach cover

Great for in port and on deck. I would pack 2 if you are in hot weather destinations.

Sunglasses 

Useful for in ports but also on sea days when the sun can be dazzling.

Useful for those spending lots of time out on the deck.

Now I don’t like to bring too much jewelry with me on cruises as I don’t wear it on shore excursions. However if you want to bring some with you for formal nights be sure to take in your carry on and put in your safe once in your stateroom.

The best thing about cruises are the ports you get to visit. You definitely will want to capture your memories with a camera.

Most new ships will have USB charging ports next to the bed however this is by no means on all ships. Don’t get caught out and take a charger with you and a spare cable.

Travel Adaptor

Depending on where you are from, who you are sailing with and where you may need to take a travel adaptor with you to ensure that all your electronics will work.

What to pack for a 7 day cruise (Optional)

Only needed if you plan to use the gym on board your cruise ship.

Can you bring a corkscrew on a cruise ship? Can you bring a wine opener on a cruise ship? corkscrew on white background

Depending on the line you are on, you will be permitted to Bring on board a small amount of alcohol – usually just champagne or wine.

If you are allowed to bring alcohol on board we recommend using your allowance as this will be cheaper than drinks on the ship.

Note  – wondering if you  can bring a corkscrew on a cruise ship  – check out this post for more information.

What to wear on a 7 Day Cruise

How to pack the ULTIMATE Cruise Capsule Wardrobe for women

Formal Outfits (2 outfits)

This is either a cocktail dress or pant suit for women or tux for men. If you don’t mind rewearing an outfit then you could definitely get away with packing just one formal outfit

Smart Casual Outfits (3- 4 outfits )

I usually pack 3-4 smart casual outfits. All items in this category will be interchangeable as a capsule wardrobe and I may partner a top from a dinner with different bottoms for a casual shore excursion look.

Casual Outfits (3-4 outfits )

Again, I pack a cruise capsule wardrobe where everything is interchangeable. This will normally be 3-4 t shirts and 2 bottoms i.e. shorts, jeans or chinos depending on the weather.

An essential whereever you are cruising as the air conditioning on ships can be fierce

One set for a week

Underwear (7 plus spares)

I will also have underwear enough for the cruise and a few spares.

Sample 7 cruise packing checklist

cruise day outfits

So now you know why we pack certain things for a cruise, here is a quick and handing 7 day cruise checklist.

  • Passport and ID
  • Documenation
  • Toiletries including toothbrush, make up, hair accessories etc
  • Swimwear (2 for hot weather)
  • Beach cover (2 for hot weather cruises)
  • 2 formal outfits
  • 3-4 smart casual outfits
  • 3-4casual outfits
  • sandals or boots depending on weather
  • travel adaptor

Have you been on a 7 day cruise? Is there anything else that you would normally take? Let us know in the comments.

40+ Style

Home » How to dress after 40 » What to wear » What to wear on a cruise – the cruise clothing essentials to pack

What to wear on a cruise – the cruise clothing essentials to pack

by Sylvia | Dec 25, 2023 | 3 comments

Going on a cruise this season? Lucky you! It’s a great way to visit several destinations in one trip. But that can also make it tricky to decide what to pack. Below, we will show you what to wear on a cruise and which cruise clothing essentials you will need, This will ensure that you have everything you need for shore excursions and fun aboard the ship.

Rooms on board ships tend to be small with limited space. Although, the big advantage is that, even though you are traveling to multiple destinations, you only need to unpack once! Your accommodation is also your mode of transportation.

But, you will still want to plan your outfits carefully and pack pieces that you can wear in multiple ways so you don’t take up vital cabin space.

Below, you will find our list of what to wear on cruise and what to pack to set sail for sunny destinations in style. But first, some general tips when thinking about what to pack for your cruise vacation.

Is it okay to wear jeans on a cruise?

Should you take your trusty jeans on your cruise? Yes, denim is definitely acceptable in most situations, although think about how much room it will take up in your case. You can wear denim shorts during the day, and you’ll probably be able to wear your jeans in the evening. Just check the dress code for your cruise line as some don’t allow jeans in the dining room at night.

What colors should you wear on a cruise?

Anything goes when it comes to your choice of colors. Make sure that you think about how your clothes will go together to create different choices. Have fun with your color combinations. And, we’d avoid too many dark colors as they go ‘against’ the fun element of a cruise.

Do you still have to dress up on cruises?

Some cruise lines do still have a dress code for diner, so be sure to check. Plus, dressing up is one of the fun things about a cruise. It’s a great excuse to make an effort with your evening outfits.

what to wear on a cruise – Your cruise packing list

Below is what we recommend taking along for a cruise trip. Take a look for your what to wear on a cruise packing essentials.

Cruise dresses for day and night

Dresses don’t take up much space in your luggage, and are vacation workhorses.

A dress can take you from brunches and lunches on board and can easily be dressed up or down with a change of shoes.

If the weather is warm or humid, a dress can be worn alone or paired with a jacket or lightweight sweater when it turns cooler at night.

Wear your dress with comfortable gladiator sandals or stylish slip on sneakers in a metallic hue.

Pack at least one stylish maxi dress and a sundress in a shorter length.

Cruise essential – Maxi dress or jumpsuit

A maxi dress or jumpsuit can be perfectly laidback, or more formal, depending on the cruise you are going on.

Choose one which you can sling over your swimsuit after a day at the pool so that you can head to the bar for cocktails.

You can pop a cardigan or wrap over for evenings.

You may also wish to take a look at the best dresses with sleeves for women over 40 and how to wear a maxi dress .

What to wear on a cruise - Loveappella Maxi Dress | 40plusstyle.com

Loveappella Maxi Dress

What to wear on a cruise - Carmen in a pink sundress | 40plusstyle.com

Carmen @carmen_gimeno above chooses a pink dress and shirt that would be perfect for a cruise. You could wear the shirt with your shorts or as a swimsuit cover-up too.

Recreate her outfit with this similar dress , shirt , sandals , handbag and sunglasses .

what to wear on a cruise – a Versatile sundress

As well as a maxi dress, you will want an easy-breezy knee-length or midi style that you can wear for days on board as well as for sightseeing excursions.

Choose a dress that you can easily pop over your swimwear, but which will also take you from day to night.

A dress in a light fabric will be perfect. You can wear over your swimsuit, or for sightseeing with sandals. Or you can dress up with heels for evening. You can also wear over pants for a different look.

What to wear on a cruise - Polo Ralph Lauren Ivara Floral Puff-Sleeve Midi-Dress | 40plusstyle.com

Polo Ralph Lauren Ivara Floral Puff-Sleeve Midi-Dress

Evening dress for cruise formal night

If you’re thinking about what to wear on cruise and what to pack, consider that most cruise have formal nights. Depending on the cruise line, it can be anywhere from an elegant dressy affair to a more casual dinner and cocktails.

Pack two dinner outfits if your cruise is a week, so you’ll be prepared. As well as a cocktail dress, We’d be tempted to pack a jumpsuit as these can easily be dressed up or down. A black dres s will go with everything and you can easily change it up with accessories to create different looks.

What to wear on a cruise - J.Crew A-Line Matte Jersey Midi Dress | 40plusstyle.com

J.Crew A-Line Matte Jersey Midi Dress

What to wear on a cruise – Tops

I’d keep the tops you choose, like the rest of your cruise outfits, very versatile.

Opt for tops you can either dress down for day, or dress up with jewelry and heels for evening. Also, choose tops which you can wear either with pants or shorts, or over your swimwear as cover-ups.

A T-shirt (or more) is essential no matter where you are going. The Caslon T-shirt (below), will add interest to your daytime outfits, and could be dressed up with wide leg pants or a midi skirt for evening.

What to wear on a cruise - Caslon Twist Hem V-Neck T-Shirt | 40plusstyle.com

Caslon Twist Hem V-Neck T-Shirt

A tunic top is the ideal choice as you can pop over your swimsuit for days onboard, but you can also wear over your shorts or pants for days spent ashore sightseeing. You can leave loose or tuck it in to create different looks.

Natori Barong Gradient Tunic | 40plusstyle.com

Natori Barong Gradient Tunic

When thinking about what to pack for a cruise, a shirt is so useful for your trip. You can wear over your shirts or pants, you can tuck into jeans or a skirt, or you can wear over your swimsuit as a cover-up.

120% Lino Linen Buttoned Shirt | 40plusstyle.com

120% Lino Linen Buttoned Shirt

If you’re cruising somewhere warm, you may want to opt for some sleeveless tops. Tank tops can be worn with your shorts, pants or skirts, or are useful for layering under your shirts, or you can always wear as pajama tops. The J.Crew tank top (below) features a bra shelf for extra support.

J.Crew Vintage Rib Shelf-Bra Tank Top | 40plusstyle.com

J.Crew Vintage Rib Shelf-Bra Tank Top

What to wear on a cruise - Georgette wears palazzo pants | 40plusstyle.com

Georgette @grownandcurvywoman above (read her style interview here ) chooses a red tank top with her palazzo pants.

Get her look with this similar tank top (another option here ) , wide pan ts (another option here ), sandals , bag and earrings .

Day to night top

Choose a top that will go with your shorts during the day and that you can elevate at night with a statement necklace. If you choose a top in a beautiful material or with some draping, you can easily dress it up or down.

Ramy Brook Sabrina Surplice Tie Top | 40plusstyle.com

Ramy Brook Sabrina Surplice Tie Top

What to wear on a cruise – pants and shorts

When considering what to wear on a cruise, think about the weather. If you’re going for sunny locations, it’s highly recommended you bring shorts. On most cruises, you’ll be going ashore to explore ports of call. Pack a pair of stylish crop pants or shorts to wear for sightseeing.

Choose pants or shorts you can move comfortably in. You probably want to avoid denim as this isn’t the coolest fabric in hot weather.

cropped pants

A pair of pants will also be a hardworking staple of your cruise wardrobe. Choose a cropped pair to keep your ankles cool. You can wear it with your t-shirt and sandals or sneakers for the day, or you can dress up with a silky top and heeled sandals for the evening.

Theory Crop Straight-Leg Trousers | 40plusstyle.com

Theory Crop Straight-Leg Trousers

For more tips check our article on how to wear cropped pants .

palazzo pants

A pair of wide, palazzo pants can look effortlessly stylish on a cruise or vacation. Wear with your tank top and shirt and sandals during the day.

Bird & Knoll Darcy Striped Cotton Voile Palazzo Pants | 40plusstyle.com

Bird & Knoll Darcy Striped Cotton Voile Palazzo Pants

What to pack for a cruise: Shorts

A pair of shorts is a must for casual days on the ship and for excursions. Choose a pair that is mid-length so you have enough coverage but is also cool.

The J.Crew chinos (below) are a good mid-length, and come in a choice of neutral shades.

See more of our tips in our article on how to wear shorts .

J.Crew Pleated Capeside Chino Short | 40plusstyle.com

J.Crew Pleated Capeside Chino Short

What to wear on a cruise - Kylie wears shorts and a white shirt | 40plusstyle.com

Kylie @kylish_aus above chooses a classic shorts and shirt outfit and makes sure to protect her face and eyes.

Steal her look with this similar blouse , denim shorts , sneakers , sun hat and sunglasses .

Packing for a cruise – Swimsuits & cover-ups

Pack at least two swimsuits for your trip, so you can rotate them in case the other is wet. There’s nothing worse than having to put on a wet swimsuit.

Choose cover-ups which you can wear not just over your swimwear, but also as tops and dresses.

You will want more than one swimsuit as you will want to be in a position where you can rinse one out and leave it to dry, and wear the other one.

We’d make one of your swimsuits a classic black or one color style as you can wear it under any cover-up you choose, or you can wear it with shorts or pants instead of a top.

Want more ideas for bathing suits, check our article on the best swimwear brands .

Miraclesuit Swim Razzle Dazzle Siren One-Piece Swimsuit | 40plusstyle.com

Miraclesuit Swim Razzle Dazzle Siren One-Piece Swimsuit

You could also opt for a tankini. That way you can wear the bikini bottoms with the rashvest below or the tankini top.

Boden Capri Tankini Top - Boden Amalfi Fold Over Bottoms | 40plusstyle.com

Boden Capri Tankini Top – Boden Amalfi Fold Over Bottoms

If you might be spending some time swimming, snorkeling or paddle boarding, you’ll want to make sure that you don’t get sunburned. A rash vest can protect your chest and arms from UV rays. The rashguard swimsuit (below) comes well-reviewed with wearers saying it is a flattering fit, and you can leave it slightly unzipped for a sexier look, or fully zipped for more coverage.

Trina Turk Solar Floral Half Zip Rashguard Swimsuit | 40plusstyle.com

Trina Turk Solar Floral Half Zip Rashguard Swimsuit

Choose a hardworking cover-up that you can pop on over your swimsuit, or wear with your pants as a top.

You might also wish to pack a longer cover-up. Depending on your ports of call, this could be useful if you are visiting any religious sites such as temples and you need to cover your knees and shoulders.

Elan Wrap Maxi Cover-Up Dress | 40plusstyle.com

Elan Wrap Maxi Cover-Up Dress

Depending on the style of cover-up you choose, you can wear it over your swimwear, or as a duster jacket on cooler evenings. The Farm Rio sarong (below) would look good over your bathing suit.

Farm Rio Inner Beach Printed Long Sarong | 40plusstyle.com

Farm Rio Inner Beach Printed Long Sarong

Check out our list of the best swimsuit cover-ups in stores now.

What to take on a cruise – jackets, Wraps & cardigans

If you are heading to a tropical destination, you may think you don’t need warm clothing. But, you are likely to want a wrap or cardigan (or both) for cooler evenings on deck, and because you will find that much of the ship is air-conditioned.

short jacket

A short jacket can be an incredibly flattering choice to wear over your maxi dresses as it can make your legs look long in comparison to your torso. The Mother denim jacket (below) comes in a pattern that will make your denim jacket stand out.

Mother The Mountain Drifter Geometric Denim Jacket | 40plusstyle.com

Mother The Mountain Drifter Geometric Denim Jacket

What to wear on a cruise - Kimba in a denim jacket and cargo pants | 40plusstyle.com

Kimba @kimbalikes above chooses pink denim with her cargo pants.

Get her look with this similar top , denim jacket , pants , sneakers and sunglasses .

You can wear your wrap over your shoulders with your evening dress, or slung over your daywear if it’s chilly on deck.

Nordstrom Shimmer Wrap | 40plusstyle.com

Nordstrom Shimmer Wrap

A cardigan is also a versatile option. You can wear over your dresses as well as if you have a plane journey to and from your first and final port.

Cara Cara Bettina Stripe Cardigan | 40plusstyle.com

Cara Cara Bettina Stripe Cardigan

4 pairs of cruise shoes to pack

It may seem like a lot, and we agree as usually we’d recommend only packing 3 pairs of shoes for most vacations.

However, for a cruise, it’s useful to have a pair of pool shoes you don’t mind getting wet, some smarter flat sandals, a pair of comfy sneakers for walking on excursions, and a pair of low heels to go with your evening dress. And, your flat shoes won’t take up much room.

Choose a pair of stylish, yet comfy sandals which you can wear for walking around your ship and for days offshore which don’t require too much strenuous walking.

TOMS Sidney Tread Sandals | 40plusstyle.com

TOMS Sidney Tread Sandals

Flip flops are always handy to have, and they don’t take up very much room in your luggage at all. Slip on after your swims on the ship.

Tory Burch Miller Soft Sandals | 40plusstyle.com

Tory Burch Miller Soft Sandals

Excursion sneakers

You may find that some excursions require more walking than others. Perhaps you are hiking to a waterfall, or walking up steps to get to a fabulous view. I’d pack either some comfortable canvas slip-ons or walking shoes.

Dolce Vita Zina Sneakers | 40plusstyle.com

Dolce Vita Zina Sneakers

Low heels for evening

Even if you don’t tend to take heels on vacation with you, when you are cruising, you are likely to find that there is an eveningwear dress code. Your heels will go well with your formal evening dress.

Make sure to opt for block heels because these are much easier to walk in while you’re at sea than thinner heels like stilettos or kitten heels and they won’t damage the deck.

Opt for a lower or block heel. Really high heels on a swaying boat can be difficult to walk in or dance the night away in.

Vionic Chardonnay Ankle Straps Heeled Sandals | 40plusstyle.com

Vionic Chardonnay Ankle Straps Heeled Sandals

Cruise clothing essentials: What to wear on a cruise and what to pack | 40plusstyle.com

Nikki @midlifechic above shows how you could wear flat sandals with your evening dress.

Recreate her outfit with this similar halter dress (anther option here ), sandals (another option here ), clutch and necklace .

You may also want to look at the most comfortable heels that look hip and are comfortable to wear .

Cruise outfits – Accessories to pack on a cruise

Accessories can make or break an outfit anywhere, and the same applies to a cruise. But, they can be even more vital on vacation.

You will want a sun hat to protect your head and face from the sun, a pair of sunglasses to add style and protect your eyes, and a crossbody bag which you can keep your purse secure in when you leave the ship for excursions.

If you’re heading to sunny climes, a hat is vital to protect your skin and your eyes. You can wear while reading your book by the pool, and for sightseeing. Choose a style with a wide brim to keep the sun off your face.

The straw hat (below) is ideal for packing for a trip, and it comes in a wide choice of colors, so you’re sure to find a shade that goes with your cruise trip capsule. Reviewers say it looks great on everyone, and it holds its shape well.

Lanzom Wide Brim Straw Panama Hat | 40plusstyle.com

Lanzom Wide Brim Straw Panama Hat

Excursion bag

Take a small crossbody bag to hold your essentials.

Select a bag that works with your daytime casual outfits and is large enough to easily hold your cell phone, passport, money cards and sunscreen – keeping everything safe and secure if you are heading out on a shore excursion.

Your excursion bag will have to be hardworking. You want to make sure it is stylish, but that it will keep your belongings close to you.

The Travelon anti-theft messenger bag is a favorite among travelers.

Also take a look at our article on the best travel purses .

Travelon Anti-Theft Crossbody Bag | 40plusstyle.com

Travelon Anti-Theft Crossbody Bag

Slip a small evening clutch into your luggage. It won’t take up much room but will make your outfit evening-ready. Make sure it’s large enough to hold your cellphone and lipstick.

Olga Berg Amalia Pleated Woven Straw Clutch | 40plusstyle.com

Olga Berg Amalia Pleated Woven Straw Clutch

beach or tote bag

A tote bag is useful so you can pack a towel and your book for going ashore, or a tote if you just want to carry your essentials around the boat.

Longchamp Le Pliage Green Recycled Canvas Large Tote | 40plusstyle.com

Longchamp Le Pliage Green Recycled Canvas Large Tote

You probably don’t want to take anything too valuable when considering what to pack for a cruise, but a few well-chosen pieces can make a big difference to your cruise outfits. Plus, they won’t take up too much room in your luggage, or your cabin.

A statement necklace or earrings can dress up an outfit to get you ready for a drink at the bar.

Lizzie Fortunato Interval Cultured Pearl Collar Necklace | 40plusstyle.com

Lizzie Fortunato Interval Cultured Pearl Collar Necklace

BaubleBar Macaw Me Beaded Statement Drop Earrings | 40plusstyle.com

BaubleBar Macaw Me Beaded Statement Drop Earrings

Just as your sunhat is important for both protection and style, your sunglasses will protect your eyes and add some pizzazz to all of your daytime outfits. Choose a color that will go with all your outfits.

Loewe Stella 52MM Acetate Sunglasses | 40plusstyle.com

Loewe Stella 52MM Acetate Sunglasses

What to wear on a cruise - Tamera in a white outfit | 40plusstyle.com

Tamera @tamerabeardsley above (read her style interview here ) chooses an all-white outfit, and a wide-brimmed hat to shade her face from the sun.

Check out this similar off the shoulder top , pants , flats , woven bag , sunhat , earrings and sunglasses .

cruise essentials

As well as your outfits, you’ll want to pack some essentials into your suitcase.

No matter where you are traveling, sunscreen is a must to protect your skin from sun damage. Reviewers say the Neutrogena sunscreen (below) goes on sheer and can be worn under make-up.

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Water Resistant and Non-Greasy Sunscreen Lotion | 40plusstyle.com

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Water Resistant and Non-Greasy Sunscreen Lotion

Mosquito repellent

You probably won’t need insect repellent while onboard your cruise as the ocean breeze will keep mosquitos away. But it’s useful to have for any excursions.

OFF! FamilyCare Mosquito Repellent IV | 40plusstyle.com

OFF! FamilyCare Mosquito Repellent IV

It can get breezy when you’re cruising, so to make sure your towel stays on your sunlounger, a couple of beach towel clips can be handy.

Beach Towel Clips | 40plusstyle.com

12 Pack Clothes Pins

your kindle

You can download all your reading material on your Kindle rather than carrying bulky books around with you. You can add guidebooks to the destinations you will be visiting as well as novels to read by the pool. The Kindle Oasis (below) is metal rather than plastic, and waterproof in case you splash it while by the water.

Kindle Oasis | 40plusstyle.com

Kindle Oasis

something to put it in

Of course, you’ll need something to pack your cruise clothing in. The TUMI suitcase (below) is well-reviewed and should be easy to roll up the gangplank.

TUMI 20 Degree International Expandable Roller Carry-On Suitcase | 40plusstyle.com

TUMI 20 Degree International Expandable Roller Carry-On Suitcase

Cruise attire – 9 cruise outfits to inspire you

If you’re thinking about what to pack for a cruise this year, I hope these outfits inspire your cruise packing list and help you experience a wonderful ship bound vacation.

You can see that you could easily change the outfits around to create more looks. For example, you could wear the striped cardigan over the red dress, the gold wrap with the sundress and heels for evening, or the tie top with the shorts or cropped pants.

Cruise capsule wardrobe | 40plusstyle.com

shop some of the items above here:

Want more of our tips on how to create capsule wardrobes? Read our article on how to create a capsule wardrobe for a complete guide.

Below is a previous cruise capsule. While the items are past season, they should still give you some inspiration if you are thinking about what to wear on a cruise.

Cruise capsule wardrobe | 40plusstyle.com

Do you know what to wear on a cruise? Don’t forget to tell us about your own cruise clothing essentials in the comments below. What’s on your cruise packing list?

Bon Voyage!

Continue reading:

  • What To Wear On A Boat – Whether You’re On A Super Yacht Or A Dinghy
  • The Best Bathing Suit Cover Ups – From Beach Cover Up To Maxi Kaftan!
  • The Best Bathing Suits For Women Over 40 – Swim Suits That Make You Feel Fabulous!

Did you like this article on what to wear on a cruise? Share it on Pinterest!

Cruise clothing essentials: What to wear on a cruise and what to pack | 40plusstyle.com

Feature image by Nikki @midlifechic

cruise day outfits

Sylvia is 40+style’s editor-in-chief and has been helping women find their unique style since 2011. An alumni of the School of Color and Design, she is devoted to empowering women of any age to look and feel their best. Read more about Sylvia and 40+style on this page .

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Pat

I have been cruising for 10+ years with a group of women friends. My capsule consists of at least 2 swimsuits and dedicated cover-ups (don’t want suntan lotion stains/smells on a top I’m going to wear again). I bring a black skirt and black pants with 2-3 tops for regular dinners, and one dressy top/dress for formal nights. One outfit for an excursion (mostly we go to beach clubs, so swimsuit/cover-up works for that). Flip flops, low heels, sandals (we don’t do excursions requiring heavy walking), 1 pair of each. A crushable sun hat. A caftan for wearing in the room and a tee shirt/yoga pant for breakfast. All my clothes fit in an under-seat (rolling) carry on bag. Toiletries and one of the cover-ups/swimsuits to change into once on the ship go in a tote that becomes my beach bag and fits over the handle of my carry on.

Greetje

This is a wonderful line-up of possibilities. And not only for on a cruise.

esther

Hello Sylvia I been following your blog for a while now and I am a FAN and share it with all my “over 40” friends. I was missing these kinds of posts where you suggest outfits for different occasions or seasons. Your club is fantastic but not affordable to me so I really enjoy these kinds of posts and not only interviews (which are nice too). Keep them coming, éxito! Esther from the other side of the world ( PR in the Caribbean)

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cruise day outfits

Cruise Clothes for Older Ladies 

Going on a cruise is a thrilling experience filled with adventure and relaxation. But before you set sail, one important task is choosing suitable cruising clothing. Whether you’re exploring ports or lounging on deck, finding the perfect balance between style and comfort is key.

  • Mornings on the Ship – Bermuda shorts are always good to pack on a cruise. Choose colors that can match several different tops.
  • Afternoon Cocktails – Long dresses with pretty patterns are a great addition to your cruising wardrobe.
  • Exploring Ports – Long sleeve tops containing SPF 50 for ultra sun protection will protect you from the sun’s rays.
  • Formal Evenings – Long dresses are perfect for formal dining events on the ship. Choose one that can easily be dressed up or down, depending on how you decide to accessorize it.

We’ve put together cruising outfits destined in warm climates to help you create a wardrobe that effortlessly blends fashion and practicality. From casual daywear to glamorous evening attire, let’s ensure you cruise in style and stay comfortable on the open sea and while strolling through port towns.

What to Look for in Cruising Clothes

When selecting cruise clothing, it’s essential to consider both style and function to ensure a comfortable and fashionable experience.

Here are some factors we took into consideration when creating our outfits.

Versatility

  • Choose pieces that can easily transition from day to night activities.
  • Opt for versatile, mixed, and matched items to create different outfits.
  • Prioritize breathable fabrics, especially in tropical or warm cruise destinations.
  • Ensure clothing is suitable for the activities you plan to engage in, whether exploring ashore or lounging on the ship.

Climate-appropriate

Pack accordingly for the destination’s weather. Lightweight and breathable fabrics for warmer climates and layering options for cooler regions.

Dress Codes

Be aware of any formal nights or dress codes on the cruise. Pack elegant evening wear if needed.

Practical Footwear

  • Bring comfortable shoes for walking during excursions and exploring ports.
  • Include dressier options for formal nights and onboard activities.

New Footwear Tip: Wear in your new shoes or sandals before setting off on your cruise. Wear them around the house and even out and about to ensure they are comfortable and won’t cause blisters or pain.

Sun Protection

  • Pack sun hats, visors, and sunglasses for protection against the sun’s rays.
  • Seek clothing that incorporates SPF for added sun protection – an example of this can be found in the outfits showcased below.
  • Remember to pack swimwear, especially if your cruise includes pool time or visits to the beach.
  • Look for long swim covers that match your swimwear.

Packable and Wrinkle-resistant

Choose clothing that is easy to pack and doesn’t wrinkle easily, especially if you’re limited on luggage space. Some brands have collections dedicated to this purpose – keep reading, and you’ll discover some examples.

Cruise Destination Considerations

  • For cultural excursions, modest attire may be required. Research specific guidelines for each destination.
  • Waterproof or water-resistant options may be useful for cruises involving water activities or rainy weather.

Accessorize

Bring accessories like scarves, jewelry, or hats to enhance and diversify your outfits without taking up much space.

By considering these factors, you can curate a cruise wardrobe that aligns with your style and ensures comfort and practicality throughout your trip.

Cruise Outfits for Women Over 60

Mornings on the ship.

For your morning stroll on the deck, opt for tailored bermuda shorts and a comfortable top. Add a colorful and versatile scarf that can serve as a cover-up and sun protection.

Choose comfortable footwear like sling-back sandals, and complete your look with a canvas tote bag for all your essentials.

Whether enjoying the breeze or having breakfast, your cruise mornings can be easygoing and fashionable.

cruise day outfits

Floral Drop Shoulder Tee

10-Inch Bermuda Shorts

SLINGBACK SANDAL

Medium Natural 5 Pocket Open Top Canvas Tote Bag

Afternoon Cocktails

For the afternoon cocktail hour on the ship, as a woman over 60, you can effortlessly blend sophistication with comfort. Opt for a long dress in an elegant print. This choice strikes the perfect balance between casual and chic, allowing you to enjoy the social atmosphere onboard.

Pair your dress with comfortable yet stylish cutout slip-on shoes for ease of movement, a clutch handbag, and some fun statement jewelry like this fish bracelet .

cruise day outfits

SAIL to SABLE SARAH & MOLLY Cotton Eyelet Stripe Print Long Sleeve Midi Caftan Dress

Sunburst Clutch

Kihei Collection Turquoise Fish Pull-Tie Bracelet

Easy Street Women’s Narrow Width Bugsy Cutout Slip-On Shoes

Exploring Ports

When going on onshore excursions, opt for a timeless and comfortable style. Choose a long-sleeve top with an added 50 SPF sun protection for optimal coverage against the sun’s rays. Ensure you wear exceptionally comfortable shoes, especially if you anticipate significant walking during your outing.

cruise day outfits

Crew Neck Long Sleeve Rash Guard UPF 50 Sun Protection Modest Swim Tee Print

Starfish Mid Rise Elastic Waist Pull-On Crop Pants

Packable Floral Ultra-Braid Visor

Palm Beach Natural Fiesta Tote

ELITE SLIP ON WALKING SNEAKER

Formal Evenings

Many cruise ships require formal dinner attire on certain evenings. For this type of event, aim for an elegant and sophisticated look. Consider a midi-length dress in a rich color like this one from Chico’s Travellers’ collection. The dress is made from wrinkle-free fabric and is perfect for traveling. Pair your dress with elegant flats and a shawl for an extra layer of refinement and cover, especially in air-conditioned dining areas.

Enjoy the exquisite dining experience in style and sophistication!

cruise day outfits

Travelers Floral Bell Sleeve Dress

HAVANA FLAT

Wrap & Scarf in One

Gold-Tone Flower Cutout Drop Earrings

If certain items in this article are unavailable, seek alternative looks that capture the same style and essence of the outfits.

Practical Tip: Bring this article along while shopping and consult with the sales associates in the stores for assistance in recreating similar looks.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Do you regularly go on cruises? Will you be going on your first cruise soon? What are cruising clothing tips? Tell us about it in the comments below.

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Cheryl Walsh

my tips…. Always take a couple of cardigans and pashminas… my experience has been that there are always” cold spots” on cruise ships( and sometimes coaches) where the air conditioning is particularly ferocious! A nice big pashmina also can double as a light rug if you fancy an afternoon nap in your cabin or want to sit out on deck at night. Leave your valuables and treasured jewels at home… I have a jewellery pouch just for cruises, with fun earrings, cheap rings and fake pearls… the bigger and brighter, the better! That way, it’s not the end of the world if you lose an earring in the pool. Invest in packing cubes or pouches… different colours for each person you travel with… it makes packing and unpacking much easier, and it’s less complicated to go through Customs I have a packet of laundry soap sheets which have the detergent impregnated, and I find that 1/4 sheet will wash undies in the sink or rinse at top and a whole sheet will do a load. Most cruise ships have laundry facilities, but not all provide detergent. Much better than a baggie of loose detergent!

joanne Yannello

After 54 cruises, reduction in packing is key for me these days. Mix and match, along with accessories, eliminate the need for overpacking.

Linn P

Ridiculous…. Been cruising since 1995. I know how to dress and accessorize.

Sandra Roussy

These outfit ideas are simply suggestions for women looking for inspiration when planning their cruises.

I’m sure our readers would love your positive input and ideas regarding your cruising wardrobe. :)

Joyce

Comfort is key!

Jeanette Elchuck

I want to say that it was a great article. at this age, we all know how to dress pretty much we go for comfortable clothes. BUT, I do not see why age should be a factor in deciding what we wear. We know we can’t go around wearing thongs and skimpy clothes. So we should dress up according to what we want to wear. Dressing should not have anything whatsoever to do it age. (And I am 81 years old ) Just saying…

Hi Jeanette,

Here at Sixty & Me, our demographic is primarily women over 60. The article titles mention age because it makes it easier for our readers to find our articles when searching online.

I agree with you, we should wear what we want, regardless of age. :)

This type of article is merely suggestions for women who may need inspiration.

Tags Senior Cruises

Sandra Roussy

Sandra Roussy

Sandra is the middle-aged woman you hear about who sheds everything she owns and sets out into the world to rediscover and redefine herself. After more than twenty years spent in the fashion industry designing collections for brands such as La Senza, Victoria’s Secret, and JACOB Lingerie, she shifted her path and pursued her longtime passion for writing, traveling, and photography. Sandra was published in the NY Times best selling book Eat Pray Love Made Me Do It. A deeply personal essay hand-picked by Elizabeth Gilbert about loss, facing fears, and going after dreams. Visit her website: www.sandraroussy.com

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Plus Size Cruise Wear: 35+ Beautiful Cruise Outfits (with packing list)

Plus Size Cruise Wear: Bathing suits, casual dresses & formal wear

Sharing is caring!

Are you going on a cruise and looking for cute and flattering plus size cruise wear? One of the best parts of cruising, is the planning and anticipation.  For me, this always includes choosing some new cruise outfits and accessories.

Whether you like to dress up or keep it casual, you’ll find beautiful plus size cruise wear in this post. I’ve included gorgeous bathing suits and cover ups that look great on curvy women! As well, there are casual sundresses and tops, and stunning plus size cocktail dresses for formal nights .

There are even a few must-have accessories to complete your look and wear on your cruise .

These pieces are flattering for a woman’s shape, hugging curves in the right places and fitting more loosely in others. One thing I know for sure – everyone looks good on a cruise!

Plus Size Cruise Wear: Bathing Suits, Dresses and Accessories

Plus size woman on cruise - bathing suit and cover up

These plus size cruise outfits are best for warm weather cruises; Caribbean , Bahamas, Bermuda and even Mediterranean cruises . In another post, I share what to wear on Alaska cruises .

I’ve organized this post starting with:

  • Bathing suits and cover ups
  • Tops & Blouses
  • Casual sundresses and Maxi dresses
  • Evening wear
  • Formal or chic night outfits
  • Accessories

Going on a Caribbean cruise? Read this post next: What to Pack for a Caribbean Cruise (includes packing list)

This post contains affiliate links which means if you click and buy that I may make a commission, at no cost to you. Please see my disclosure policy for details.

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Ladies Cruise Packing List (warm weather)

To get you started, here’s a simple women’s cruise packing list for a 7 day warm weather cruise, to use as a guide. You may prefer to pack less or more, so adjust quantities of your favorite items accordingly. 

  • 2-3 sundresses and maxi dresses
  • 2-3 pair of shorts
  • 3-5 tops (day & evening)
  • 1-2 pairs of dark jeans, pants or a skirt
  • 2-3 smart casual dresses or Little Black Dress
  • 1-2 fancy dresses or outfits
  • 2-3 bathing suits
  • 1-2 swimsuit cover ups
  • 1-2 pashmina shawls
  • 1 sweatshirt or cardigan for cool weather
  • sneakers shoes or comfortable walking shoes
  • flip flops or sandals for the pool
  • Heels or dressy flats for evening wear
  • Wedge shoes or espadrilles for day or evening
  • Small evening bag or clutch
  • Tote bag or backpack for cruise ship and excursion days

**Looking for a printable cruise travel planner to keep organized? See what’s included in the 47 page Ultimate Cruise Planner

Get The Ultimate Cruise Planner

Regular price: $27 now just $17.

cruise day outfits

Cruise Outfits for Plus Size Ladies

The bathing suits and cruise outfits shown are all affordable styles that you can conveniently purchase on Amazon. The outfits are perfect for ladies of every age, but perfectly suitable if you’re looking for plus size cruise wear for women over 50 .

Plus Size Bathing Suits for Women

Plus size woman on beach

I’m loving the bathing suit styles that are popular these days. There’s no reason to shy away from colors and patterns if you love this. The fabrics and fit are made to fit a women’s curves – finally!

Here are a few best-sellers in plus-size swimwear, that are perfect for cruise sea days or beach excursions .

Cupshe One Piece Strappy Plus Size Bathing Suit

This Cupshe one piece bathing suit is so pretty and flattering! I love the bright colors and gorgeous detailing at the top of the swimsuit. The ruching in the mid section makes this plus size bathing suit look good on every body type.

cruise day outfits

Recommended: Cupshe one piece floral bathing suit (see color options & awesome Amazon reviews here)

2 Piece Halter Swim Dress Tankini Set

You would never know that this feminine bathing suit is a 2 piece! It’s a combination tankini style top with comfortable short swim shorts.

cruise day outfits

Recommended: 2 piece tankini swim dress (see color options & Amazon reviews here)

2 Piece Flowy Swimdress

This 2 piece tankini swimsuit combines a flowy top and shorts bottom. Quick drying and comfortable, this bathing suit is available in several fabrics and is very well reviewed. I love this wine color!

cruise day outfits

Recommended: 2 piece flowy swimdress (see Amazon reviews)

Plus Size Floral 2 Piece Bathing Suit

The ruched high waisted bottom and floral top bathing suit stunning on curvier women. If you pair this with a cute cover up, it will look fabulous on the lido deck!

cruise day outfits

Recommended: High waisted 2 piece floral plus size bathing suit (check pricing on Amazon here)

Floral 3 piece Bathing Suit

If you enjoy a flirty feminine bathing suit, you’ll love this floral 3 piece with a ruched ruffle skirt . While not for everyone, this plus size bathing suit exposes only the mid section, and covers and hugs the rest of the curves. The design and fabric make it very flattering on plus and mid-size women.

cruise day outfits

Recommended: Floral 3 piece bathing suit (see 2 colors available)

Plus Size One Piece Swimsuit

Sometimes a simple one piece swimsuit is best. This plus size bathing suit has built in tummy control and is available in several colors and sizes (L-22 plus). The neckline and peek-a-boo details are so flattering.

cruise day outfits

Recommended: One piece bathing suit ( see price, reviews and color options here)

Plus Size Swimsuit Cover ups

Plus-size crochet swimsuit cover up.

This short sleeve crochet bathing suit cover up looks perfect over any swimsuit. It’s a good idea to have at least 2 bathing suits and cover ups for a 7 day cruise, to use when one is wet.

cruise day outfits

Recommended: Crochet bathing suit swimdress cover up (verify price & Amazon reviews here)

Ladies Swimsuit Cover Up

cruise day outfits

Recommended: Crochet bathing suit cover up (see different colors and styles)

Baggy Plus-size Swimsuit Cover Up

This cute t-shirt style cover up is comfortable and light – perfect for the beach or pool. 

cruise day outfits

Recommended: Loose t-shirt style cover up (see colors & 1000+ Amazon reviews)

Plus Size Crochet Style Cover Up 

Available in both long sleeve and short sleeve options, this plus size crochet style swimsuit cover up is gorgeous! The sizes range from large-4x large plus and come in several beautiful colors.

cruise day outfits

Recommended:  Plus size crochet swimsuit cover up

Related: Bathing Suit Cover Ups for a Cruise

Ladies Plus-Size Tops and Blouses

Plus size cruise wear woman trying on clothes

Elegant Wrap Blouse

This wrap style top with flowy sleeves has a belted tie and is lovely on a women’s shape. This elegant blouse will look great to wear for dinner in the main dining room or your cruise ship’s specialty restaurant.

cruise day outfits

Recommended: Wrap blouse top (see 2000+ Amazon reviews)

Short Sleeve Lace Detail Top

This top is beautiful in all colors! I actually love it in black , but wanted to show you a light floral style top which is so feminine and pretty. The lace detail on the shoulders and pretty neckline is very flattering.

cruise day outfits

Recommended: Round neck short sleeve blouse with lace detail (see more color & style options here)

Short Sleeve Animal Print Top

This top would look great paired with a skirt or pair of white pants or dark leggings. I love the animal print, which is very trendy this year, however there are solid colors and other prints you may like as well.

cruise day outfits

Recommended: Short sleeve soft flare top (see other colors & prints here)

Plus Size Crochet V-neck Blouse

This beautiful top is perfect paired with a pair of dark jeans or black pants. It’s available in several colors as well as a long sleeve style.

cruise day outfits

Recommended: crochet vneck blouse (check prince & styles on Amazon here)

Plus Size Casual Top

This flowy top is so pretty and flattering and can be worn on a cruise for daytime or night.

cruise day outfits

Recommended: Casual shot sleeve flowy top (check price & colors options)

Casual Sleeveless Top

This casual sleeveless top is perfect paired with cute athletic or denim shorts.

cruise day outfits

Recommended: Casual sleeveless top (see over 2000 4.5* Amazon reviews here)

Plus Size Rompers and Jumpsuits

Sleeveless wide leg romper.

This sleeveless wide leg romper has a nice relaxed fit in a flattering 3/4 length pant. 

cruise day outfits

Recommended: Sleeveless one piece romper jumpsuit 

Plus Size Romper Jumpsuit

This super cute shorts romper jumpsuit comes in solid colors and a few stylish prints. I love this as a cute embarkation day look.

cruise day outfits

Recommended: Floral shorts romper (see Amazon reviews & style options here)

Plus Size Cruise Outfits for Women

Ladies Plus-Size Casual Sundresses & Maxi Dresses

Striped maxi dress.

This casual loose maxi dress with pockets is both comfortable and adorable for cruising. This dress can be worn during the day or evening on your cruise.

cruise day outfits

Recommended: Casual maxi dress with pockets (see different styles and colors on Amazon)

Ruffle Sleeve Short Dress

This cute ruffle sleeve dress is perfect for day and casual evenings on a cruise. This cruise dress is one of the most popular styles in resort wear this year.

cruise day outfits

Recommended: Ruffle style dress (available in solid colors too)

Boho Wrap Style Short Dress

This Boho wrap style short dress fits snug on the top and is flowy and loose on the bottom. This comfortable and flattering sundress is adorable!

cruise day outfits

Recommended: Wrap style plus size short dress

Sleeveless Tank Dress

If you like wearing sundresses instead of  t-shirt and shorts, this versatile sleeveless tank dress is perfect. It’s great for shopping or sightseeing on a shore excursion , but can also be dressed up for the evening as well.

cruise day outfits

Recommended:   Sleeveless tank dress (check Amazon price & reviews here)

Tie Knot T-shirt Dress

One of the most popular dresses of the year, this tie knot style t-shirt dress is cute and casual!

cruise day outfits

Recommended: Tie knot t-shirt dress (check price & 2500+ Amazon reviews here)

Plus Size Spaghetti Strap Slip Dress

This tank style dress is super comfortable! The dress fabric is a combination of rayon and spandex, perfect if you want pack wrinkle free for your cruise .

cruise day outfits

Recommended: Spaghetti strap dress (see size options from X-Large to 5X-Large)

Casual Cold Shoulder Sundress

This short dress style is one of Amazon’s best-sellers! It’s available in several colors and fabrics so you can find the perfect dress for your cruise vacation.

cruise day outfits

Recommended: Short cold shoulder style dress (check price & read over 6000 reviews here)

Elegant Cold Shoulder Dress

This flowy cold-shoulder style dress has great coverage of the arm, yet still looks pretty and sexy. It can be worn as a casual or more dressy look on a cruise.

cruise day outfits

Recommended: Cold shoulder flowy dress (check price & amazon reviews here)

Plus Size Off the Shoulder Long Dress

This short sleeve off the shoulder dress has a flattering loose a line style. If you like a more flowy look, it’s best to size up.

cruise day outfits

Recommended: Floral print off the shoulder dress (see Amazon reviews)

Tropical Dress with Ruffle Sleeves

I love the tropical look for this pretty dress ! It’s available in different colors and patterns, from sizes large plus to 5X large plus.

cruise day outfits

Recommended: Tropical dress with ruffle sleeve

Long Sundress with Pockets

This tropical looking sundress is so pretty for day and evening, and available in several styles and colors.

cruise day outfits

Recommended: Spaghetti strap long sundress (see over 1000 Amazon reviews)

Plus Size Off the Shoulder Short Dress

This pretty off the shoulder dress is available in several gorgeous colors. The lace detail at the bottom makes this simple dress look a little more fancy, however this dress can still be worn often at home as well.

cruise day outfits

Recommended: Off the shoulder lace detail dress 

Floral Maxi Dress

Long floral dresses are so popular, and look especially good on cruise and beach vacations !

cruise day outfits

Recommended: Floral maxi dress (see style options & reviews)

Long Floral Dress

This high low asymmetrical floral dress is so flattering on curvy women. It’s available in both light and dark colors, perfect for an evening chic or elegant nights on a cruise.

cruise day outfits

Recommended: Long high low floral dress

Off the Shoulder Plus Size Maxi Dress

This floor length maxi dress has a side slit and a loose ruffled top and would be a great dress to wear on smart casual evenings during your cruise .

cruise day outfits

Recommended: Off shoulder maxi dress with slit (see over 1500 amazing reviews)

Related:   15 Best Beach & Tote Bags for a Cruise

Long Flowy Short Sleeve Dress

Whether you’re dressing in Norwegian’s Freestyle dress code or Celebrity’s Evening Chic , a long floral dress will look amazing! This dress is short sleeve – great if you like to cover your arms. The v neck style and peek-a-boo leg detail is very slimming.

cruise day outfits

Recommended: Long flowy short sleeve dress (check reviews and color options on Amazon)

Plus Size Evening Outfits, Cocktail Dresses and Formal Wear

Plus size woman in dress on cruise

Elegant Cami Dress with Spaghetti Straps

This elegant satin cami dress is stylish and flattering. Although it has spaghetti straps, it has a beautiful cowl neck detail and ruching at the waistline and hip. It pairs well with a wrap or light crochet cardigan for evenings on a cruise.

cruise day outfits

Recommended: Cami style sleeveless dress (check price & reviews here)

Faux Wrap Dress

This faux wrap dress with 3/4 length sleeves is perfect for cooler weather cruises or for ladies who prefer not to wear sleeveless tops and dresses.

I have this one and I always get compliments whenever I wear it!

cruise day outfits

Recommended: Faux wrap dress with sleeves

Plus Size Modest Cocktail Dress

If you like a less form fitting style, this modest beaded cocktail dress has the perfect balance. The looser fitting asymmetrical top is very flattering paired with the form fitting bottom of this dress.

cruise day outfits

Recommended: Caplet sleeve beaded cocktail dress (the other colors are gorgeous!)

Here’s the same dress in another color

cruise day outfits

Recommended: Sheer top with beaded bottom cocktail dress (blush color)

Plus size Bodycon Pencil Dress

A gorgeous pencil dress is so elegant and when made right, really flatters a woman’s figure. If you’re going on a Christmas cruise , this would look amazing in the red color.

cruise day outfits

Recommended: Bodycon pencil dress (see details & color options on Amazon here)

Elegant Plus Size Pencil Style Cocktail Dress

Perfect for a formal night on a cruise where cocktail dresses are more common than full length evening gowns, this pencil dress style with is so flattering. The ruffle style bottom on this mermaid style dress is gorgeous on curvy women. 

cruise day outfits

Recommended: Elegant party style cocktail dress (see color options & reviews on Amazon)

Plus Size Sleeveless Multi Tier Dress

If you’re looking for a classic, flattering dress that you can wear for years, this sleeveless cocktail dress is a good option. It’s available in black, navy and other beautiful colors. Pair it with a pretty shawl or pashmina to cover your shoulders in cool air conditioning.

cruise day outfits

Recommended:  Sleeveless Cocktail Dress (see details & Amazon reviews here)

cruise day outfits

Outfit Accessories for a Cruise

Cruise ships tend to have cool air conditioning, especially in the evening in the dining rooms and lounges and theatres. Make sure pack a shawl or pashmina for these times.

I like to have 2 colors, one black and one in a champagne or other color to change up the look.

cruise day outfits

Recommended: Luxurious feel shawl pashmina (read 2000+ amazing Amazon reviews)

Sunhat & Sunglasses

Here are some favorite accessories to pack for a cruise . Having a wide brim sunhat and/or a cap is important for any sunny and hot weather cruise. Sunglasses are a must as well.

I like to bring a pair or two or inexpensive sunglasses ever since my husband lost his Ray-bans in a taxi cab while in Cozumel cruise port .

cruise day outfits

Recommended: ladies straw wide brim sunhat

cruise day outfits

Recommended: ladies cotton & mesh sunhat (UV cut)

cruise day outfits

Recommended: Polarized sunglasses retro style (see different color options & 1500+ Amazon reviews here)

Here are some other posts to help you plan, pack and get ready for your cruise:

15 Best Beach, Tote Bags & Backpacks to Bring on a Cruise

What Shoes to Bring for a Cruise (for day, evening & shore excursions)

25 Best Gifts for Women Who love to Travel

27 Things People Forget to Pack for a Cruise

What Toiletries to Pack for a Cruise (packing list)

15 Best Beauty Essentials to Pack for a Cruise

50 Must-have Cruise Essentials from Amazon

Final Thoughts on Ladies Plus Size Cruise Wear

Looking good and feeling your best on your cruise vacation is important. I hope this list of plus size cruise outfits gave you a few ideas for what to wear and pack for your Caribbean cruise.

Please let me know which items you love and which other items I should add in the comments below.

Happy Cruising!

P.S. If you found this helpful, please don’t keep it to yourself ;-). Please share on Facebook or PIN to your favorite Pinterest board (share buttons at the top). Thanks so much!

12 Comments

' src=

Plus size packing list? What are we aliens with extra limbs? This implication that the same basic packing list doesn’t work for folks of all sizing is disapointing.

' src=

Thanks for your comment. It certainly wasn’t meant to imply this at all, but I see your point and changed this.

Have a wonderful cruise,

' src=

The fashion industry has evolved with body positivity & Plus size clothing. Cruise Wear is basically vacation outfit or swimwear clothing, Article has mentioned some cruise wear fashion staples for curvy women.

Thank you for a body-positive article, Looking forward to more.

Glad you enjoyed the article Veronica!

' src=

Ilana- I don’t know where the insecurities lie with your first commenter but there is NOTHING wrong with this article or list. SPOT ON!!! My sister is a bigger woman and we were struggling finding her some things for our upcoming cruise until we found this post. Great job!!! Bravo!!!

I’m so glad this post was helpful and that she found some good clothes for her upcoming cruise. Thanks so much for the feedback.

' src=

My cruise is in October and we will be going to Western Europe, we start in London and go to Belgium, France, Spain, Portugal, and back to London. I only found the list for Warm weather. How I does the list differ for Cooler weather? Thanks!

I have a packing list for Alaska, but your cruise will be different than that. Consider that on this cooler cruise in Europe that long sleeve clothing, long pants and/or skirts, as well as a light jacket will be useful. At this time I don’t have a full clothing packing list for your itinerary, but it’s something I can create for the future.

Have an amazing cruise!

' src=

Thank You Ilana for a wonderful article. There are some outfits I will definitely be checking out for my upcoming cruise.

My pleasure! I’m glad there are a few outfits you like

' src=

As a plus sized woman, the suggestions are appreciated. I bought some of the sleeveless dresses for a Caribbean cruise. Love, love that they look awesome on me. Many compliments on how flattering the styles were has given me the confidence to look great and feel fab.

Thanks so much for sharing! I’m so glad some of the recommendations we’re helpful & that you looked and felt amazing!

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