What to Wear on a Cruise: Day, Night & Formal Outfits
On most cruises wear resort-casual by day (swimwear with cover-up, shorts, sundresses), smart-casual at dinner (collared shirts, blouses, dressy jeans avoided in main dining rooms), and a 'cruise elegant' outfit for 1–2 formal nights per 7-night sailing. Disney and Royal Caribbean are now more relaxed than older cruise norms.
Key takeaways
- Day: swimwear + cover-up, shorts, breezy dresses
- Dinner: collared shirts, blouses, dressy slacks
- Formal nights: 1–2 per 7-night cruise
- Ports: comfortable walking shoes + sun protection
Cruise dress code by line
- Disney: relaxed; one optional 'dress-up' night - Royal Caribbean: smart casual; 1–2 'Royal Night' formal evenings - Carnival: very casual; 1 'Cruise Elegant' night - Celebrity / Cunard: most formal; 2+ formal evenings on longer sailings
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to dress up on a cruise?
Only on formal nights, and even then most lines accept a button-down + slacks or a nice dress — no tux required.
Can you wear jeans to dinner on a cruise?
In buffets and casual venues yes; main dining rooms typically prefer dress slacks or dressy jeans (no rips or athletic wear).