What Women Should Wear On A Cruise

If you're going on a cruise, you are probably wondering what to wear. Here are some guidelines:

First, Check The Cruise Recommendations

Many cruises will have a "dress code" outlined. For instance, they may say "smart casual" or "formal". Most cruises these days have a "smart casual" guideline with a few formal dinners. Very few cruises expect you to be formal all the time!

"Smart Casual" Dinners and Entertainment

Dinners on most cruises are "smart casual" most of the time. There is often entertainment such as shows and/or dancing afterwards.

In these situations, women can wear casual dresses, dress pants and a nice top or a nice skirt and top.

You can minimize packing space by taking some nice accessories to mix up your outfits. Two different cardigans can create two very different outfits from the same dress. Or if you are wearing separates, then you can mix and match the tops.

A nice comfortable heel will take you from dinner to the entertainment afterwards - make sure to pack a very comfortable heel so that you can dance to heart's content!

Denim is usually discouraged on most cruises, but you can always check with the travel agent if you would like to wear jeans. If you're wearing jeans to dinner (and it's ok with the cruise policy) then you should wear a nice top and not just a t-shirt.

"Formal" Events

Most cruises have a formal dinner or two. On these occasions, most women will wear a cocktail dress (long or short). It's a good idea to save your more roomy formal dress for the second dinner - just in case you put on some weight during the cruise.

You might want to pack some accessories such as necklaces and earrings to wear on the formal dinner. Of course you can also wear these at other times, too.

Day Wear

During the day, most people like to relax. You can pack a bathing suit or two, as well as a sarong or roomy beach cover-up for lounging on the deck.

Almost all cruises have a gym, with fitness classes, so you may wish to pack some gym clothes.

During the day you might stop at various ports, so pack some resort wear such as shorts, slacks, and comfortable tops. You will need some flip-flops to wear to a beach, or ballet flats to wear when walking around town.

If you plan to buy souvenir t-shirts, then you could wear them during your cruise and save some packing space.