How to Dress for Your Cruise

Who doesn't know the embarrassment of being inappropriately dressed for an occasion?

Who doesn’t know the embarrassment of being inappropriately dressed for an occasion?

When you are cruising the seven seas with exotic stopovers en route, knowing what to wear and what’s not culturally appropriate can be confusing.

“There is no generic list of what to pack because each client and each cruise is different,” says Michele Murphy of Bon Voyage Cruises and Travel in Auckland.

Questions need to be asked. Is this cruise casual or formal?  What does ‘formal’ mean? What do I wear in Muslim countries? Is there a ‘dress-up’ night? Is there a laundry on board and what does it cost to use it?

For cruises out of North America and through the Mediterranean, ‘formal’ means ‘a jacket at dinner’. For a more casual Pacific cruise, ‘formal’ unofficially translates as ‘no shorts at dinner’.”

Stopovers in Asia and the Middle East definitely mean ‘no bare legs and arms’. Don’t forget about the themed ‘dress up’ nights. Wouldn’t you hate to miss the chance to pull on your ‘Superman’ costume one more time?

So pack your toiletries, your medication and your hairdryer. Wear your smile, your sun block and your sensible non-slip shoes for those deck walks and ENJOY!