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Generally, formal nights, sometimes called gala evenings or chic evenings, call for a tuxedo, suit or dress pants and a sports jacket for men. However, in our experience in recent years, this has relaxed quite a bit and tuxedos in particular are far less common. Suits and dress pants, with or without a jacket and tie, have become the norm. If you’re going on a tour or sightseeing shore excursion, there will likely be a lot of walking involved.
Accessories for a Cruise (totes, handbags & shoes)
Cruise accessories can be the unsung heroes of your cruise wardrobe. Not only do they elevate an outfit, but they can also be practical additions to ensure smooth sailing throughout your trip. Celebrating the very essence of being at sea with themed cruise clothes. An all-white attire event or a tropical-themed soirée is common, especially in Caribbean or tropical cruises. Let’s face it; a significant portion of your cruise will probably be spent by the pool.
What Else Should You Bring on a Caribbean Cruise?
As we’ve navigated through the intricacies of cruise fashion, we’ve underscored a balance – between elegance and comfort, between the essential and the extra. Packing cruise clothes with layering in mind can save space and offer versatility. Your choice of footwear can make all the difference in your comfort and overall cruise experience.
Colourful Tunic with Shorts for Day
It’s often the last night, too, as everyone is busy and packing up. For a casual dinner, you can wear casual resort wear such as a summer dress, relaxed pants, top, dark jeans, and a nice top. It’s the type of thing you would wear to your local neighborhood restaurant for dinner. Sneakers, sandals, and flip-flops are the typical daytime shoes for a cruise ship. Shorts, sundresses, casual skirts and tops, jeans, capris, cropped pants, and pretty or sporty tops are all perfectly acceptable cruise clothes.
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. This means you’ll be on board the ship all day while you sail to the next port. The benefit to this is keeping organized, which makes unpacking so much easier, on the first day of your cruise. Here’s a list of clothing to bring on a 7 day Caribbean or warm weather cruise. There are a couple of exceptions out of the mainstream cruise lines, that fall on either end of the cruise dress code spectrum.
Caribbean Cruise Outfits
We also just on our first cruise with Carnival so I created a Carnival cruise packing list too. Most cruise ships offer laundry services, which can influence how much you pack. Now that we’ve navigated the vast sea of cruise clothes and accessories, let’s anchor down on some general packing tips.
What to Wear on a Cruise Formal Night
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. 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. 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. 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. 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.
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. Stick with something stylish enough to wear sightseeing after check-in ends but comfortable enough to sit through long waiting periods. A pair of cute and comfortable sneakers is a cruise essential!
It will keep you cool during the summer nights and the material is breathable and lightweight. The faux fur slipper will add that bit of cuteness to your pajama outfit, and they are comfortable enough to give your feet a break after a long day vacationing. Leg warmers are a great option to be worn with shorts, a dress or a skirt when there is a chill in the air. They come in plain colors or you can choose a funky design to make your outfit pop. A shawl is a timeless piece that can be worn with any evening wear dress or ensemble. It is perfect to use when spending time outdoors in a cool breeze, and is a stylish alternative to a jacket or sweater.
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. Many ships have at least one restaurant where casual clothing is allowed at night if you’re not one for dressing up. 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 Travel Writer's 16 Caribbean Packing Essentials - Travel + Leisure
A Travel Writer's 16 Caribbean Packing Essentials.
Posted: Mon, 11 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
That’s right, I felt the need to bring all the footwear options, and I don’t regret it in the slightest. I didn’t understand why so many cruise enthusiasts selected itineraries specifically for precious sea days before setting sail on my first Caribbean cruise. 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. 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.
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. That being said, it’s not uncommon for families with children to get dressed up on formal nights. It does make a great time to take family photos and have memories that will last a lifetime. Many first time cruisers are concerned about what to wear on formal nights on a cruise. It’s understandable, as this is quite different from a typical land vacation.
While a large purse might not be necessary, having a smaller evening bag is essential for casual and formal nights. Although you don’t see it in the photos, I did bring a light sweater with me as well as a shawl. I like wearing sleeveless dresses, however the air conditioning in the dining room can be cool, so having a light sweater is a must. 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. Many cruises offer a relaxed dining experience for those nights when you just want to kick back.
Plus, it can be worn later on in the cruise and no one would even know. 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. 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. 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.
I like to wear lightweight breathable dresses and comfortable walking shoes with a larger day bag to keep all my essentials inside. 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.
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