What to pack for a cruise? What exactly are cruise clothes?
Many of you ask me for tips about how to pack for a cruise, what to wear on cruise excursions, and what to pack for shorter cruises. This post gives advice and suggestions about cruise clothes and what works for me.
In answering your questions I’ll include :
- What to pack for a cruise in general.
- Ideas for casual cruise outfits and evening cruise dresses.
- What to wear on cruise excursions.
- 21 Top Tips for cruise clothes.
You might also like this post : This is what to wear on a European Barge Cruise
What to Pack for a Cruise – 21 Top Tips for Cruise Clothes
- Take lightweight clothes and layer.
- Preferably pack non iron garments.
- Mix ‘n match everything.
- Take lightweight clothes and layer, layer, layer.
- Think comfortable clothes – always.
- Think Resort Wear for daytime, and Glamorous for evening Balls.
- Cut-off or Capri pants are versatile and hard wearing.
- Well cut black evening pants that go with lots of tops are a good bet.
- Don’t take clothes that are tight on you when you depart – you may gain a few kilos on a cruise!
- Take comfortable shoes for the day because on excursions you may walk a lot.
- Evening shoes should be practical but pretty – stillettos are not practical when the boat is rocking!
- Don’t pack tops that are too clingy – you’ll feel uncomfortable in hotter climates.
- Pack cruise clothes that are in accordance with the countries and cultures you’ll be visiting.
- Relaxed A-Line or floaty dresses are ideal for deck-wear.
- A sarong or cover up for around the cruise-ship pool is a must-take.
- Pack deck sandals that won’t slip.
- Pack different accessories to create different looks when wearing the same outfit for the third time!
- Accessories might include scarves, fashion jewellery, statement earings, hair bands and hair ties.
- Take a small sewing kit with your for any rips or tears.
- Pack a small plastic bottle of your favourite hand-washing detergent and a stain remover.
- Leak Proof Underwear – washable underwear that absorbs small leaks, but doesn’t leave an odour – so good for everyday confidence and better than pantyliners.
How to Pack for a Cruise & What Not to Pack for a Cruise
These are my top tips for cruise packing based on talking to other cruisers, photographing a cruise fashion show, and being a guest on a 105 day cruise aboard Princess Cruises.
What Do I Need to Pack for a Cruise?
If you don’t have to fly to your departure port then you don’t have to worry about the weight of your suitcases.
Although you can, at a push, fit four medium suitcases under the bed (if it’s a double bed) in your stateroom, I wouldn’t suggest this!
Particularly as you’ll find that you’ll probably wear less rather than more on a cruise, and garments that mix and match will see you through lots of different situations.
For any cruise lasting longer than 7 days, the best practice is to pack enough clothes to make up seven outfits, one for each day of the week.
These outfits should be able to be mix and matched.
Then pack a cocktail dress and an evening gown.
After you’ve packed underwear, footwear, swimwear, cosmetics, vanity bag and any medicines you want to take, pack everything and weigh your suitcase.
Then you can lay everything back on the bed, and decide what to take out or if you have room, which extra cruise clothes to add.
What Should I Pack for a Cruise and What Can I buy Onboard?
Pack the basics, but also pack some fun and frivolous items!
It’s a cruise afterall and you are there to have fun!
When it comes to purchasing cruise clothes onboard, there are likely to be boutiques which will tempt you to buy – both designer gear (more expensive) and (reasonably priced) casual gear.
For instance, I bought a couple of stripey nautical tops and a sweatshirt for AUD$24.99 reduced from around AUD$60 which I thought was pretty good. You can also occasionally buy T-shirts, trousers, sun dresses, active wear and jewellery in ship sales as well.
Overall, don’t rely on buying clothes onboard because they might not be to your style, but do see them as an added extra to top up your wardrobe if necessary.
Pack Lightweight No-Iron Clothes
Pack lightweight clothes that can be layered and don’t require ironing. This will save you a ton of time so that you can indulge in drinking cocktails or watching the world go by – literally!
You don’t want to be in the laundry room queuing for an ironing board. No siree. So think crinkle cut fabrics that you can twist and knot after washing and then just hang out, or fabrics which naturally look pretty much wrinkle free after washing.
Take Garments Which Mix ‘n Match.
Try to stick to a colour theme so that everything you have can be mixed and matched. Yes, add a couple of ‘show pony’ pieces in bright or contrasting colours, but keep your base palette pretty tight and create a working capsule wardrobe.
No You Probably Won’t Lose Weight on a Cruise!
Don’t take anything that’s too tight before you start a cruise in the hope that you might squeeze into it later. You probably won’t.
Opt for comfort.
Seek out the best style dresses to hide tummy – as your tummy size may increase during a cruise!
Resort Wear is the Name of the Game
Depending on the cruise your dress theme should probably be ‘resort wear,’ both casual and formal.
However, don’t just take white cut-off pants for shore excursions – be a bit inventive – how about khaki, or navy, or patterned or floral? Something patterned can be teamed with different block coloured blouses.
Take one pair of beautifully cut black pants for evening wear that you can wear with different coloured tops.
What to Pack for Shorter Cruises
For a short cruise, you can’t really overpack because what you’ll need for 4 or 7 days will easily fit in a suitcase that will fit under your bed, and be under the 23kg allowed onboard an aircraft to get to your cruise departure point.
Pack: Daywear, activewear, a ball dress if there’s going to be a ball, an evening dress, cocktail dress, capri pants and tops, long pants and tops, a day dress or two, cardigans, deck shoes, cruise excursion footwear, night-time footwear.
Cruise Clothes – How to Pack for a Cruise in General
I think that although there’s a case for packing a couple of sundresses, a couple of cocktail dresses and a formal gown, separates should feature strongly in your cruise wardrobe.
Pack slacks that can be worn with different tops, for instance as in the photos below.
I’d also be thinking about packing a black pair of pants for more formal evenings, and a more funky pair for casual evenings, as well as cut-offs or capri pants for on shore excursions.
Take your best jeans – ones which look great and are comfortable if you want to take jeans.
Make sure they work well with comfortable flat shoes – like Sketchers which come in lots of colours and are comfy for walking because you won’t always want to wear heels on the ship, and certainly not on shore excursions.
Don’t forget activewear so you can exercise, whether it is walking around the deck or getting active in the gym or gym classes.
What do you Wear on a Casual Cruise?
For a casual cruise think about what you’d wear to a resort. Cruise wear should consist of classy casuals that are comfortable and cool (for hot weather cruises), which can be layered for cold nights (and inside where there’s air conditioning).
Below I’m wearing Joseph Ribkoff casuals. I pack at least one pretty blouse and a button down shirt and this red blouse is fabulous for evenings. I also ove these ponte pant styled trousers in the image below. I love ponte pants and I’ve written a whole post explaining what they are and how to wear ponte pants, here.
The blouse above would be perfectly suitable with these quirky patterned slacks (or block black or white pants) for a meal in the formal dining room.
Tops that are lightweight and which don’t cling to my tummy are top of the pops for me, as are tops that cover the top of my arms.
I’m wearing FRANKiE4 sandals which are great for walking around the decks, comfortable for walking up and down the stairs and very stylish too. FRANKiE4’s are my go-to travel shoes.
What to Pack for Cruise Excursions
The white blouse below would be a great shore excursion garment – lightweight and comfortable in hot weather but offering good sun cover.
I love Joseph Ribkoff clothes. They are a great fit, hang beautifully, they’re versatile, and mostly don’t crease – ideal for travelling. Check out similar Joseph Ribkoff styles at great prices below.
Cruise clothes for shore excursions should be practical, comfortable and look smart. You are an ambassador for the country you’ve come from, so don’t look scruffy.
Choose clothes which flatter your body shape but don’t cling in an unsightly way. Be aware of the country you’re visiting and make sure that you are sensitive to the culture and any clothing rules. Wherever you alight on a cruise, I would opt for sensible, conservative clothes above high fashion. Save your cossie-culture cruise clothes for around the pool.
A comfortable deck and excursion shoe, which could also be worn in the gym or in exercise classes is the Futsoles range.
Onboard Boutiques
On Sea Princess there was a boutique showcasing Joseph Ribkoff cruise outfits, which are clothes that really go the extra mile.
The cuts are fabulous, the fabrics are lovely, and as one passenger told me:
“The black pants I bought a few years ago have gone on and on and on and on.”
This fits well with my strategy of cruise wear for women consisting of really good staple wardrobe items which you can mix and match with less expensive show pony additions that you might want to change more frequently.
Tip : When it comes to staple items, make sure you take at least 3 bras with you. A dressy bra, a comfy day bra and a sporty exercise bra. Read our Ultimate Guide to Fitting and Buying the Best Bras for your life and body shape.
Formal Cruise Dresses
When it came to packing cruise dresses, I packed some frocks for daywear around the ship, and other more dressy options for evenings – both formal and casual (more to come in a future post).
Nordstrom and Joseph Ribkoff (see stockist links at the end of this post) have some great cruise evening wear.
If you want to cover the top of your arms in a sleeveless dress, then do consider pretty arm cover ups. Read my full post about sleeves for dresses for more hints and tips.
Vivid International have a good range not only of casual cruise clothes, but also cruise dresses like the lace dress below which features a beautiful chiffon coat too.
Cruise Daywear
Keep it cool, keep it non-iron! The relaxed fit A-line midi dress below is Cherry Blossom by Adrift Clothing. I love it’s length, I love that it has sleeves to protect you from the sun, and I love that you can wear it with flat shoes.
It’s all-time favourite shape is in a beautiful, intricate Amalfi print. The fabric is a gorgeous silky material, making it comfortable and wearable yet effortlessly stylish.
For casual daywear the Bamboo Swing Dress by Vivid International below, is super cool, non-iron, and easy to team with flat shoes for an excursion, or wearing on deck. I love the A shape and the way it moves.
Moving away from dresses, here are some of my fave separates fit for a cruise to any destination.
The pretty wave inspired print top below is the Bonny Bamboo Swing Top from Vivid International, which I’ve teamed with white bengaline 7/8 ponte pants style capri bottoms, and black sneakers with white laces.
In the following photos the separates are from Vivid International and Adrift Clothing.
Cruise Wear Dresses for Captain’s Cocktails
I loved the ladies cruisewear Joseph Ribkoff dress below which fits snugly, gives me curves where I really want curves, and at a pinch went okay with my flat FRANKiE4 sandals. Although I probably would have teamed this dress with black shoes with a bit of a heel or wedges, if I’d had them with me on the ship (I didn’t have any with me – big mistake!)
This kind of dress is great for ship events like captain’s cocktail parties and more formal dining, not only because it’s comfortable and moves with you, but also because the fabric is stretchy but firm and helps hold you in a bit. I think it’s really flattering. I love the slimming side panels too.
Cruise Packing Check List
Want the full checklist for clothes to pack for a cruise?
Read What to Wear on a Cruise, Insider Packing Hacks – It contains a What to Pack for a Cruise Checklist and it can be adapted for any length of cruise.
For more cruise tips and stories about what to wear on a cruise you might like:-
Fashion at Sea – Fashion onboard Sea Princess
Cruise Clothes Stockists I Recommend
Modibodi for Leak Proof Underwear
Vivid International for Daywear
Honeylove shapewear for under your evening dress or ballgown.
What Do I Need to Pack for a Cruise Video by Anna Reid
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This post was first published 15 January, 2019. Second Update 12/11/2021.
Disclaimer: This post contains gifted products, and affiliate links from which I stand to earn a small commission if you buy from them – but at no expense to you. Lifestyle Fifty Website is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
The Best Travel Clothes, Bags and Shoes
Thank you for the help zI am going to Alaska how about some help with that cruise.
Excellent choice of clothes for a Cruise! They look fantastic on you!! I would love to wear them and that looks so nice as you!!
You always look gorgeous but that Joseph Ribkoff dress and the trousers/top combo looks fantastic on you. I love the label and hadn’t heard of it before. So fun to get new clothes 🙂
Hi Annabel, thank you so much 🙂 I’d never heard of Joseph Ribkoff until the cruise either, but I am a little bit in love with the styles,the cut and the fabric he uses.
I would also suggest taking things which don’t need ironing. Ain’t nobody got time for that!!!
Lol! Janet! Definitely, “Ain’t nobody got time for that!!”
Yes Jo I agree with all of these packing tips for a cruise. Both cruises I have been on have been in hot weather so I would add bathers, coverups, sun hat, shorts and tops and cool sun dresses to the above. I think I packed far too much formal wear for the evening as I found most guests dressed very casually. In fact I would say some of them dressed way too casual at times. I love your checked pants with the red top. This outfit looks amazing on you with your lovely trim figure.
Hi Kathy, thanks for some more great packing tips. Yes I also found I took too much formal wear as guests often do dress more casually than you imagine they might. Then there are others who go all out and dress to impress. I do think there’s a middle ground that’s acceptable.
I’ve never been on a cruise, but when I do I will surely look back for your great tips Jo. Thanks.
Thanks Jill, and here’s hoping you get to experience a cruise 🙂
I think the mix and match thing is really important… you can ‘make’ so many different outfits out of just a few things and if some are plain colours you can dress them up / change them with jewellery. People so rarely remember what you wear if it’s a plain colour! Well, that’s my excuse and why I live in black! 🙂
That is so true Deborah – not many people remember what you wear, and if you have basic classics that you dress up with jewellery or scarves then you feel quite different – thanks for this tip 🙂
“Tops that are lightweight and which don’t cling to my tummy are top of the pops for me”….my thinking too. I don’t like clingy things at all but unfortunately I’ve bought some tops in the past before I realised that the clingy effect didn’t look so good. I can see them going into a charity bag very soon to make way for non clingy, light weight, drip dry materials which are so good on a cruise. You can rinse them through, hang them in the shower overnight and they’re dry in the morning.
That’s a great tip Irene – to remember to pack things which are light weight, and drip dry – because washing in the shower and hanging up overnight in your own bathroom is easier than using the laundry 🙂