Cruise Formal wear-Cruising Etiquette

Cruise Formal wear-Cruising Etiquette

A cruise ship is like a small city.  Everyone must be able to coexist in a harmonious way.  It is important to be courteous and respectful to others!  Here are some simple guidelines to help you do just that.

Dress Properly - Pay attention the daily paper delivered to your cabin.  It will list the dress code of the day.  You must show up in the dinning-room in appropriate attire.  Do not wear your blue jeans or flip-flops to dinner.  The ship will have a code for each day.  Some people do not like to dress up for dinner, but remember you get special meals like lobster or Beef Wellington for dinner on formal nights and have fun with it.  

Ship dress Codes:

Formal nights  – Evening gowns, cocktail dress, or elegant pant suit for women.

                            Tuxedo, dark suit or dinner jacket and slacks for men. 

Smart Casual – Skirts/dresses, slacks and sweaters for ladies

                           Pants and open-neck shirts for men

You should dress for a cruise the same way you would for any stylish land-based resort.  Inappropriate eveningwear such as pool or beach attire, shorts, ball caps and casual jeans (with fraying and/or holes) are not permitted in the dinning rooms.  Shoes must be worn. 

Casual sportswear, including shorts, lightweight pants and jogging suits is the order of the day both at sea and ashore in hotter climates.

You will also want low-heeled, rubber-soled shoes for strolling on deck, as well as comfortable walking shoes or sandals to wear.  I would also recommend that you bring low or flat dress shoes.  It can get rocky on board and high heels are a trick to wear in rocky weather!  I have seen a lot of women fall on board a cruise with high heels.  That would be a terrible way to ruin a cruise!

Keep your children close.  If you travel with your little ones please keep them under control, especially around pools and while passing through more adult-centered areas such as the casino.  Most ships have wonderful children’s programs for all ages!  They will keep your children busy for hours while you have fun too! Also, there can be special sleep over parties for children and child care for those special evening events at a small extra charge.

One last thing!  Learn the Ship’s language.  Your vessel is a ship and never a boat, and the ship is always a she or her. Think of her as a beautiful Lady.   Left is port, and right is starboard.  Aft means rear or stern, while the bow is the front of the ship.  The bridge is where the Captain and his crew control the ship.

All dressed up for formal night!