The wise traveler, is going to pack mainly leisure clothes for their cruise. The days of formal dressing are long gone, because cruises now are most people’s vacations, or breaks from the everyday work world where they likely have to dress to a particular code.

Depending on your destination, you’ll want a variety of mix and match wear, that will do you while other articles are in the laundry or out at the cleaners. So make sure your shorts, slacks and shirts, are basically compatible with each other, as opposed to taking only matched sets that won’t go with half of another set when you spill wine on it. Of course, they can be worn, but even in the relaxed atmosphere of a holiday cruise, attire is uppermost in a lot of minds, and you’ll find people like to coordinate their wardrobes, even for lounging around the deck, or investigating the activities on board.

Almost all cruises have formal dining rooms, or specific dinners, for which each person may want to pack something moderately dressy, such as a sports jacket and tie for men, and a cocktail dress, or long skirt and dressy blouse for the ladies. Remember too, that in visiting foreign nations, some restaurants and tourist attractions such as churches, will not permit bare feet, shorts, or other immodest clothes.

Cruise attire comes down to three things: comfort, versatility, and “need”. So choose only what is really necessary, and leave room for shopping on board and at ports of call!