Clothes Onboard

[BagsPacked]

This might sound like a dumb question but what should I pack for a cruise to the Caribbean? I know I'm going to need light clothes because it'll be warm, but what will we be expected to wear for meals, evening entertainment, etc? When you see films from cruise ships, they're all dressed in glamorous gowns and dinner jackets, but we don't own those clothes. My sister keeps telling me that I'll be a laughing stock if I don't dress properly so now I'm starting to get paranoid. We leave Florida next week so I don't have much time to shop either.

HELP!!! Somebody tell me what to pack.

Katie

[CruisinCousin]

First of all, relax! A cruise to the Carribean is for fun and unless you are taking a luxury level cruise, "resort casual" is the dress code on most Carribean cruises. That means shorts, pullovers, and sandals for daytime unless you're in your swimsuit by the pool. If you're wearing a swimsuit, you'll want to bring a cover-up for walking to and from the pool area.

Resort casual is the dress that is appropriate all day. You'll want to bring nicer slacks or a skirt for evening dinner. Some cruise lines offer a formal evening for those who want to dress up but these days it is usually optional.

You might not want to wear just jeans and a tank top on your special getaway vacation. But you don't need to look like Princess Diana either.

Remember that the cruise ship is filled with 1,000 to 2,500 other people like yourself who are going to the Caribbean to have a wonderful time. Be confortable and in the island lingo, "Don't worry, be happy."

Let us know how your trip turns out!

CruisinCousin

[islandhopper]

That's what the cruise lines are offering. For every picture that you see of the elegant couple dressed for champaigne you'll see a Royal Carribean commercial for riding ATV's and climbing the rock wall.

Bring some of your nicer clothes if you like to get dressed up. Only "formal night" requires party clothes and that has become optional on most cruises.

Even at the Las Vegas style shows that are nighttime entertainment, passengers wear anything from shorts to evening wear that you see in a fine department store.

The main thing is to enjoy your cruise and the fine warm islands. The one thing I'll remind you to pack is your sunscreen because of the reflection of the sun off of those gorgeous turquoise waters!

IslandHopper

[MandyMinx]

Hi,

Clothes are definitely my thing, and the first time I went on a cruise, I brought waaaay too much!!! For my last cruise I brought two pairs of capris, a pair of running type shorts, and a pair of jean shorts. I also brought a pair of black dressier pants, which worked well for evening. I took along three tank tops and two silk sleeveless tops for evening. I love tankinis, and brought along three tankini tops and two bottoms. I wore them to swim and with my shorts. I also brought two sundresses and one silk slip dress for evening. Along with underwear, that was it. I mixed and matched and no one was the wiser. I ended up buying a sweatshirt on the ship since I had neglected to pack anything warm, and I will confess that I bought a few things in St. Thomas.

The whole point of a cruise is to relax and not stress out over clothing! I ended up wearing my bathing suit with shorts as a cover-up most of the time I was onboard except for meals.

Hope this helps.

Mandy

[BagsPacked]

Well, I'm off on my cruise tomorrow and have packed my bags. I'm taking one formal dress for the 'formal evening' and otherwise just casuals plus a couple of smart casual bits. I have to admit that I'm nervous, never having been on a cruise before, but everybody else seems to get on ok so why shouldn't we?

Can't wait to soak up some of that Caribbean atmosphere - if photos are a possibility when I get back, I might just post some.

Katie

[titanic]

Well, that could be quite easy if you take a deep breath and relax a little. And then think of all the things you wanted to do while you're on board. If you want to go swimming, then carry your swim suits. If you'll join the dancelater that night then you might need a formal wear and those kind of stuffs. Think of your plan and right it on a piece of paper for your checklist.