The best cruise outfits follow the three kinds of day on board: sea days, port days and formal nights. On a sea day you need swimwear, a cover-up and something easy for lunch. On a port day you need breathable clothes, comfortable walking shoes and a layer that covers your shoulders. For formal night, pack one dress or smart outfit per formal evening, usually one or two on a 7-night cruise. Every evening the main restaurant expects something a step up from what you wore by the pool.
Which of those you need on each day depends on your own itinerary, because no two cruises have the same mix of sea and port. The app we make, Wdrobe, can set out every day of the cruise with a day and a night outfit before you pack.
What to wear on a sea day
Sea days are the most relaxed days of a cruise. You spend them on the pool deck, at the spa, at a talk or a show, and in the buffet. Two things catch people out: the wind on the open deck, and the air conditioning inside, which can feel cold after an hour in the sun.
- By the pool: swimsuit, a cover-up such as a linen shirt, a kaftan or a jersey dress, flat sandals with a grip sole for wet decks, a hat and sunglasses.
- Lunch and afternoon: many ships ask you not to sit in the restaurants in swimwear, so a cover-up or a sundress is worth having on top.
- Inside the ship: a light cardigan or a cotton jumper in your bag for the theatre and the cinema.
Outfit formula: navy swimsuit + white linen shirt worn open + tan leather flat sandals + straw hat.
Outfit formula: striped jersey midi dress + white trainers + cream cardigan for the air conditioning.
What to wear on a port day
Port days mean walking: over cobbles, up hill towns, through markets and onto tender boats. Comfort comes first, and the weather in port can be very different from the weather on deck.
- Shoes you have already walked in. Trainers, leather sandals with a back strap, or walking sandals. New shoes on a 15,000-step day are a mistake.
- Breathable fabrics. Linen, cotton and light jersey. Our guide to linen pants outfits has ideas that work in hot ports.
- A layer for churches and temples. Many religious sites in the Mediterranean and Asia ask visitors to cover their shoulders and knees. A midi skirt and a light scarf or shirt in your bag covers both.
- A cross-body bag that closes, for busy streets.
For a beach excursion, wear your swimsuit under your clothes and bring a dry change. For a city tour, dress as you would for any city break.
Outfit formula: cream linen trousers + white cotton T-shirt + light blue linen shirt as a layer + white trainers + tan cross-body bag.
Outfit formula: khaki midi skirt + black tank top + white cotton shirt to cover the shoulders + black walking sandals.
Packing for seven different days makes it easy to bring the wrong clothes. It is easy to end up with four sundresses and nothing for a cool port, or the right shoes in the wrong colour for every evening outfit. Plan the port days from the clothes you already own.
What to wear on formal night
Most cruise lines hold one or two formal nights on a 7-night cruise. Some now call them elegant nights or dress-up nights, and the dress code varies from line to line, so check your line's own page before you pack. In general it means a cocktail dress, a long dress or a smart jumpsuit, and a suit or a dark jacket for men. A few people go full black tie; plenty go smart and simple.
Shoes matter more than you expect. Ships move, stairs are steep and decks can be slippery, so a block heel, a low wedge or smart flats are safer than a stiletto.
Three formal night outfits
A dark midi dress. A navy, black or emerald satin or crepe midi dress with block-heel sandals and a pashmina for the walk across the deck. Our little black dress outfits show how one dress changes with the accessories.
Outfit formula: emerald satin midi dress + gold block-heel sandals + cream pashmina + small gold clutch.
A long dress. A floor-length jersey or chiffon dress packs small and does not crease. Pair it with flat metallic sandals.
Outfit formula: burgundy jersey maxi dress + silver flat sandals + silver drop earrings.
A smart jumpsuit or trousers. A black wide-leg jumpsuit or silk top with tailored trousers, for anyone who does not want a dress.
Outfit formula: black wide-leg jumpsuit + statement earrings + black block-heel mules + black wrap.
If you pack two formal outfits, make them share shoes and a wrap so they take less room.
Evenings that are not formal
The other nights are usually called smart casual or cruise casual. That means what you would wear to a nice restaurant on holiday: a sundress, a skirt and top, or trousers and a blouse. Shorts, swimwear and flip-flops are usually not allowed in the main restaurant at dinner, though the buffet is more relaxed.
Outfit formula: white linen midi dress + tan wedge sandals + denim jacket for the deck.
Outfit formula: black silk camisole + wide cream trousers + gold flat sandals.
A 7-night cruise, day by day
This example is a Mediterranean or Caribbean cruise with three sea days, three port days and two formal nights. Change the order to match your itinerary.
| Day | Day slot | Night slot |
|---|---|---|
| 1, embarkation | Linen trousers, T-shirt, trainers. Swimsuit in hand luggage | Sundress and sandals |
| 2, sea day | Swimsuit, linen shirt, flat sandals | Formal night 1: emerald midi dress |
| 3, port day | Linen trousers, cotton shirt, trainers | Skirt and silk camisole |
| 4, port day | Midi skirt, tank top, walking sandals | Linen midi dress |
| 5, sea day | Swimsuit, jersey dress, cardigan | Formal night 2: black jumpsuit |
| 6, port day | Shorts or linen trousers, T-shirt, trainers | Wide trousers and camisole |
| 7, sea day | Swimsuit, kaftan, flat sandals | Sundress, denim jacket |
| 8, disembarkation | The embarkation outfit | Travel home |
Pack a small bag with a swimsuit, sun cream, medicine and your first evening outfit. On most ships your suitcase is delivered to the cabin later in the day, sometimes not until the evening.
A table like this only helps if it matches your own wardrobe. If your formal dress is navy rather than emerald and your sandals are silver rather than gold, half the evening lines change. Fill in the eight days with the clothes you own.
For the packing itself, the travel capsule wardrobe guide shows how to build a trip wardrobe in five steps, and how to pack for a week in one carry-on helps if you are flying to the port with hand luggage only.
Cold-weather cruises
Alaska, Norway and the fjords need a different suitcase. Pack a waterproof jacket with a hood, a fleece or light down layer, thermal leggings, a warm hat and gloves, and waterproof walking shoes. The deck is windy and cold even in summer, especially when the ship sails close to glaciers. Formal night stays the same, but add tights and a warm wrap. The winter layering outfits guide shows how to layer without bulk.
What not to wear on a cruise
- New shoes, or heels you cannot manage on stairs.
- Swimwear in the restaurants or the theatre.
- Shorts and flip-flops at dinner in the main restaurant.
- Clothes that only work with one other piece. On a small cabin rail, everything should go with at least two other things.
Frequently asked questions
What do ladies wear on a cruise formal night?
Most women wear a cocktail dress, a long dress or a smart jumpsuit, with block heels or smart flats rather than stilettos. Dark jewel colours such as emerald, navy and burgundy look good in evening light and do not show creases. Check your cruise line's dress code, as some are more relaxed than others.
Can you wear jeans on a cruise?
Yes, on port days and most casual evenings. Many lines do not allow jeans on formal nights, so check before you pack. Dark jeans with a silk top and smart shoes are fine for a smart casual dinner on most ships.
How many outfits do I need for a 7-day cruise?
Plan one day outfit and one evening outfit per day, but build them from about 12 to 15 pieces that mix together: two swimsuits, two cover-ups, three bottoms, four or five tops, two or three dresses and one or two formal outfits. Repeating a day outfit is normal, and nobody notices.
What should I wear on embarkation day?
Comfortable clothes you can also wear to lunch on board, such as linen trousers and a T-shirt, or a sundress. Carry a swimsuit and your first evening outfit in your hand luggage, because your suitcase may not arrive at your cabin until the evening.
What should I pack for a cruise to Alaska or Norway?
A waterproof jacket with a hood, a fleece or light down mid layer, thermal leggings, a warm hat, gloves and waterproof walking shoes. Pack the same formal outfits as for a warm cruise, plus tights and a warm wrap for the deck.
For warm-weather pieces to build around, summer outfits for hot weather has more ideas, and our list of the best outfit planner apps compares the tools for planning a trip.
You now know what each kind of day on a cruise asks for. What is left is turning your own clothes into eight day outfits and eight evening outfits that fit in one suitcase and share shoes. Wdrobe lets you put each day of the cruise in the planner, a port or sea day outfit in the Day slot and dinner in the Night slot, then pack from that plan instead of from memory. Plan each day and night of your cruise before you pack.
