Cruise Wear
From LoveToKnow Cruises
Packing for a vacation is a necessary evil before the fun begins, but knowing what cruise wear to include can improve the luggage quandary immensely.
Cruise Wear Considerations
When deciding what clothing to pack along on your cruise vacation, you first need to consider several factors:
- Voyage Length: A longer vacation requires a larger wardrobe. To save space in luggage, opt for pieces that can mix-and-match for more versatility, and vary accessories to refresh an old outfit.
- Cruise Nature: Because a cruise is a closed community, you may want to take along more clothes than you would normally pack. You will be having dinner with the same tablemates for several days, for example, and you may want to express your style more thoroughly than with wardrobe basics.
- Itinerary: Different destinations definitely influence your cruise wear selection. Caribbean ports of call demand bright colors and loose-fitting, comfortable clothes, while New England cruises may be better paired with muted colors.
- Cruise Line: Every cruise line has a standard of dress they expect passengers to adhere to. Most mainstream lines, such as Carnival and Royal Caribbean, adopt a “resort casual” dress code, which generally means nice clothing but formal attire is not required. Luxury cruise lines may have more stringent requirements, particularly for everyday dining.
- Activities: Nearly all cruises offer at least one formal night per voyage, when passengers are invited to dress in their best – gowns or party dresses for women and jackets or tuxedos for men. While participation is not required, formal night is often the fashion climax of the cruise. At the same time, passengers also need to plan their wardrobe for other activities, including shore excursions that may include hiking, snorkeling, or museum visits.
- Climate: One of the most important considerations for a cruise wardrobe is climate. Studying destinations beforehand can prepare passengers for the appropriate temperature and precipitation.
- Personal Behavior: Many passengers gain a few pounds when confronted with the decadent dining options of a cruise, and packing a few loose fitting items can help keep you enjoying your vacation even if your waistline expands.
Despite the most careful consideration of appropriate luggage and attire, however, many passengers find themselves lacking an essential item or two. If this is the case, the boutiques on board can supply most needs, including swimwear, t-shirts and sweatshirts, and even formal attire.
Extra Cruise Wear You’ll Want to Take
Even after considering all the necessary clothes for the vacation, most passengers find some extra wardrobe items just as crucial, including:
- Slip-on shoes, sandals, or flip-flops for wearing on the ship.
- An extra swimsuit to swap while the first may be drying.
- Extra casual clothes to change after shore excursions, particularly in warmer destinations.
- A light jacket or sweater (on warmer itineraries) in case of cool evenings or breezes.
- A raincoat or other raingear, including an umbrella.
- Extra sneakers in case the first pair causes blisters or gets wet.
Fitting it All In
With so many different wardrobe items to take, it can be challenging to fit it all in a limited amount of luggage, especially for passengers who will also be navigating air travel before and after their cruise. These simple tricks can help slim any suitcase:
- Opt for clothes that can be mixed or layered to provide new looks for the same pieces.
- Choose accessories that can rejuvenate an outfit: different jewelry, shoes, a scarf, belt, tie, or wrap can revitalize yesterday’s clothes.
- Choose light fabrics (cotton, satin, silk, etc.) that can be condensed easily into luggage; avoid bulky clothes that take up more space.
- Don’t pack duplicates of basic items such as jeans or plain t-shirts; cruise ships do offer laundry services (though some charge a minimal fee).
- Wear the bulkiest items – jeans and coats, for example – when traveling to and from the ship to keep them out of the luggage.
- Choose luggage with exterior pockets for small items such as swimwear, ties, or socks, and pack clothing tightly – several pairs of socks can fit inside a packed pair of shoes, for example.
Carry On Essentials
Even the most conscientious packers will want to reserve certain pieces of their cruise wear for their carry on luggage, both on the aircraft (if applicable) as well as to carry on to the ship. Once luggage is turned over to the cruise porters, it may not be delivered until late – because of this, most ships have a much more permissive dress code in the main dining rooms on the first evening. Nevertheless, it is a good idea to keep certain items in carry on bags, including:
- Nightclothes if luggage isn’t delivered until past bedtime, particularly for children.
- Swimwear so you can take advantage of the pool(s) right away.
- Jewelry and expensive accessories.
- Light casual clothes and shoes if you will want to change out of what you traveled in right away.
Proper cruise wear is essential because once on board, you will not be able to visit a department store or your favorite fashion boutique if you discover you’ve left something on land. Knowing the different considerations for a cruise passenger’s wardrobe as well as what extras may be needed can help travelers plan not only how to pack, but how to look fabulous along every nautical mile.
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