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If you are packing for a European cruise with Royal Caribbean, you’ll want to ensure you’ve packed outfits for evenings onboard the ship. Picture sailing away into the sunset from Italy, Spain or Greece after you’ve had an incredible day exploring in the sun. Remember to pack 2-3 bathing suits, to have a rotation if one is wet. Packing 1-2 swimsuit cover ups for sea days and beach days will come in handy. We cruised on Holland America’s Nieuw Statendam and brought outfits for the day, as well as 5 casual and 2 dressy evenings.
Cruise Outfits I Wore on a Caribbean Cruise
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. Remember that you can pack lighter by wearing outfits more than once on a cruise. A good tip is to pair a daytime outfit with dressier shoes and some jewelry, and wear it in the evening for a whole new look. Although you don’t see it in the photos, I did bring a light sweater with me as well as a shawl.
FAQs about what to wear on a Caribbean Cruise
Thankfully for us ladies, I can usually wear the same dress to dinner without a problem. 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. 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. 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. If you are traveling during this time you may get rainy days and stronger winds. Therefore we recommend adding a light jacket that has some waterproofing.
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The Caribbean, though still warm, enters hurricane season, often seeing turbulent weather, including high winds and heavy rain. 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. 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.
Overview of Dress Codes
Do you have to dress up if you aren’t going to dinner in the dining room? 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. In other words, you need to dress for the weather in the home port. This short sleeve plus size dress is gorgeous and very flattering.
How many outfits should I pack for a Caribbean cruise?
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. 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. One of the things I love about Caribbean cruises is that it is a warm weather cruise.
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From swimwear and casual daytime outfits to evening wear and formal nights, we’ll cover it all. Plus, we’ll give you insight into footwear options, accessories, and any dress code guidelines specific to different cruise lines. The best outfits for a cruise are the ones you can wear all day long. If you have a list of adventure activities planned for your shore excursions, or if you'll be braving the ship's RipCord® by iFly® skydive simulator and Zip Line, pack accordingly. During the day, wear athletic shorts, a neutral-colored tank top, and sneakers or sandals. Don't forget a hat, sunglasses and a long-sleeved sun shirt in your day bag.
Day Cruise Packing List
Alaska is known for its stunning scenery - and it’s one of our favorite places to cruise! However, you can almost guarantee that you will run into cooler weather during your cruise. Even in the heat of summer, you can be hit with cold and rainy weather in Alaska. During your Caribbean cruise, you can count on having at least one Formal Night or Dress Your Best. Shorter cruises will call this evening Dress Your Best while longer sailings will call it Formal Night. Of all the destinations you can cruise with Royal Caribbean, you can expect the most participation on Formal Night if you’re sailing on a European itinerary.
Caribbean Cruise Outfits For Men & Detailed Packing List
Whereas some offer freestyle dining such as Norwegian which means there is no enforced dress codes. 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.
Are you going on a cruise and looking for cruise outfits that are fashionable and affordable? In this post you’ll find casual cruise dresses and daywear, formal night dresses, plus a few must-have accessories. So, for my Princess cruise, I packed 2 fancier dresses and my husband and son each packed one suit, with 2 different dress shirts. Don’t forget to pack dress shoes and any accessories you may need like an evening bag, clutch or jewelry.
I packed for a 7-night cruise with just a carry-on and personal item - Royal Caribbean Blog
I packed for a 7-night cruise with just a carry-on and personal item.
Posted: Fri, 27 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Personally I love wearing a maxi dress for ports and on the ship in the Caribbean. I like to wear them as a beach cover but they can also be used in the main dining room (MDR) on smart casual evenings. While I used to go all-out and pack ballgowns and high-heels, I’ve gravitated more towards versatile dresses that can easily be dressed up or down. Perhaps I will curl my hair and wear a little extra makeup on formal night these days. For my husband, he prefers to wear his sports coat or casual blazer rather than a tuxedo or suit.
For long cruises over 10 days in length, packing enough daytime Caribbean cruise outfits while working with limited cabin space is a delicate art. 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.
One of my favorite things about cruises in the Caribbean is using the pools and hot tubs on day one. If you want to do this then you will need to have swimwear in your carry on bag. We always recommend packing lip balm that has an SPF so your lips are protected when on beach excursions etc. As well as the lanyard for your card we also recommend having a waterproof phone case. If you plan on heading in the sea it is important to keep your valuables such as your phone and wallet on you at all times so they do not get stolen or lost. What started as a yearly vacation with family quickly turned into a passion for travel, cruising and adventure.
We decided to go to Caneletto, an Italian specialty restaurant for the second formal night. We still dressed “nicely”, but skipped the longer evening dress I brought and the suit for my husband. I wore this long black sundress in the evening on our cruise.
