Cruising has come a long way since the early 2000s, and one of the most obvious changes starts with what to pack. On cruises of long ago, the dress rules were more or less set. Every evening a daily bulletin was delivered to the cabin that advised you of the proper dress code for the evening. Formal meant a tux or dark suit for the men and a cocktail dress or dressy pants suit for women.
In this day of cruising, there’s no need for even a sports jacket. The three-tiered suggestion of formal, informal, or casual attire has been retired, along with the cigar bar, the internet café, and the midnight buffet. The formal night had many devotees dressed to the nines and elegant as could be, with men in tuxedos and women in floor-length ball gowns. Dressing up had animated everyone; at the bars and restaurants, drinks flowed, laughter was everywhere, and the eyes and jewels sparkled. On formal nights, many guests splurged for that extra bottle of pricey wine. The photographers were busy, and guests booked alternative restaurants.
Ships are now dismantling the formal structure and making it optional. Guests want to be more casual on vacation now. The design helped the trend because ships were built bigger than ever, and choose your own dining venues choices are more varied. Cruisers can now dress differently based on where they want to eat. With so many options, you may just want to stay in your PJs and order room service or dress formally for a fun night out. Throughout the decade, the formal, semi-formal, and casual dress code was a thing.
What you need to pack also has a lot to do with the destination and temperature of the area you will be in. For example, in Alaska, you need to bring long pants like jeans, khakis, fleece-lined leggings, and cargo pants. Some restaurants have dress codes, so don’t expect that you will be able to stroll in wearing your swimsuit, sleeveless shirt, and water shoes. Now many cruise lines just say to bring cruise casual (for example, long dress shorts or pants, jeans, a collared polo shirt), cruise elegant (suits or dress slacks with a sport coat and dress shirt; for women – cocktail dresses, pantsuits or elegant skirts and blouses), smart casual (suits or dress slacks with a sport coat and dress shirt; for women, cocktail dresses, pantsuits or elegant skirts and blouses), chic, or dressy, and most lines leave it up to the individual to dress along their comfort level. So now the term Gala implies festive or dressy without misleading guests to bring attire most guests don’t wear.
A few cruise lines still do adhere to a more traditional dress code. For example, men can dress informally on formal nights aboard Silversea if desired, but jackets are required in public spaces. In addition, Cunard has a “Gala Evening” twice on its seven-day cruises, but it does say it is your choice to participate in these evenings or not. Guests still do enjoy the “fancy” evenings. Now the choice is that of the cruiser.
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Knowing what to wear on a cruise is part of the broader cruise preparation process. For help with the big decisions, our advisors’ guide to choosing the right cruise cabin is your first step to a perfect cruise vacation.
