While cruising used to be all about black-tie nights and co*cktails with the captain, holidays afloat have evolved. Some cruise lines still embrace formal evenings, simply because their passengers love the razzmatazz. Others have got wise to the fact that today’s travellers don’t necessarily like being told what to wear and have introduced more euphemistic dress codes such as “evening chic”, leaving the choice to the individual. So don’t worry, there’s a cruise line for every taste, whether you want to dress to the nines or keep it casual.
Main photo: staying casual for deck shuffleboard (Getty Images)
1. Cunard
Cunard is the most traditional line when it comes to dress code. Ballgowns and sparkle are all part of the fun and on formal nights the whole ship comes alive with people in their finery enjoying the co*cktail lounges and restaurants. On a seven-night cruise expect two black-tie nights, which means dinner jacket or dark suit and tie for men, co*cktail frock or long dress for women. If you don’t want to dress up, you’ll be limited to the buffet restaurant or room service for the gala evenings, neither of which exudes quite the same glamour.
How formal? As posh as it gets, with limited opt-out possibilities.
2. P&O Cruises
P&O Cruises embraces maritime tradition with its black-tie nights, with dinner jackets, dark suit and tie, co*cktail/long dresses expected, usually on two nights out of seven. This dress code is enforced in most of the bars and restaurants after 6pm, although there’s always the buffet or the more casual outlets if you don’t want to dress up.
Fred Olsen has a similar dress code, and because of the older demographic it attracts, and the fact that the ships are smaller, there’s strong compliance. Funnily enough, young children and teenagers seem to love the dress-up nights on ships too. Formal evenings on a Princess ship during the school holidays are every bit as glam as prom night at home.
How formal? Pretty smart, but you’ll see suits as well as dinner jackets.
3. SeaDream Yacht Club
Tiny SeaDream might be one of the most luxurious cruise lines but its only dress code is “casual elegance”. As such, the dress code on board tends to find its own level, which is stylish and glamorous — but not insisting that men swelter in black tie on a hot night in the tropics. Linen trousers and a smart shirt is fine. For women, something floaty, or a co*cktail dress and heels would fit in but isn’t essential. You’ll be dining on deck a lot, so factor that in, especially for the Caribbean season.
How formal? Informal, but chic nonetheless.
4. Seabourn
Seabourn simplifies its dress code with “elegant casual”, which means collared shirt for men but jacket optional, and “formal”, which is full black tie or, at a minimum, a shirt and jacket. Seabourn’s guests tend to be pretty glamorous, and dressing up is embraced; women certainly bring out the Manolos and little black dresses. But the formal rules only apply to the Restaurant, the main dining room, so you could ditch the DJ and dine in the lovely Colonnade, the informal restaurant, or outside under the stars.
How formal? Dressy and glamorous, but with options to tone it down without feeling like an outcast.
5. Silversea
Silversea is one of the few lines to keep three evening dress codes but the reality is that it’s pretty simple. “Casual” is as relaxed as it comes. “Informal” is a bit dressier; men should wear a jacket. “Formal” is full-on glamour, with black tie or dark suit for men, tie compulsory, and co*cktail or long dresses for women. There are exceptions, though. On seven-night cruises in the Baltic, Mediterranean and Alaska formal is optional and the poshest you need go is a jacket for men on dress-up nights. Otherwise you can eat in La Terrazza, the line’s traditional Italian restaurant, in informal gear on any night, or at the Grill on deck, or the excellent pizzeria, Spaccanapoli, in casual clothing.
How formal? Very, on longer cruises, but less dressy options are available.
6. Oceania Cruises
The boutique cruise line Oceania prides itself on its unstuffiness, with just one dress code recommendation: country club casual. If, like most of us, you don’t belong to a country club, interpret this as smart casual. Men normally wear a polo shirt or decent shirt, rather than a T-shirt, with chinos in the evenings. For women the best guide is to imagine you’re going to a decent restaurant at home. You’ll see co*cktail dresses and heels but linen trousers and a blouse are fine too.
Azamara, another boutique line, has a similarly simple approach: “resort casual” for evenings. One thing you will want for an Azamara cruise is something white. The weekly white nights deck parties are a true Ibiza-inspired extravaganza and everybody makes an effort for these.
How formal? Refreshingly casual.
7. Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Regent Seven Seas Cruises expects only “formal optional” so you’ll see some black tie and ballgowns and you’d certainly raise a few eyebrows among the regulars if you turned up in casual dress — but co*cktail wear for women and a smart suit for men is fine.
How formal? Moderately; chic, certainly, but the dress code is elegant rather than enforced.
8. Star Clippers
The tall-ship sailing line Star Clippers doesn’t deploy any dress code beyond the usual “no shorts in the dining room”, although you’ll find plenty of people making an effort for those sunset Insta snaps against a backdrop of teak decks and billowing sails. Passengers dress up a bit more for the captain’s farewell party but there’s certainly no need for a tie. A polo shirt for men and something strappy or floaty for women is as far as it goes. The same applies to other small-ship lines such as Croatia’s Expair Cruises, or Variety Cruises in Greece.
How formal? As informal as cruising gets.
9. Royal Caribbean
It seems strange that a line as casual and fun-loving as Royal Caribbean has a dress code but there are two evening varieties nonetheless: smart casual and formal. At minimum, a collared shirt for men is OK for smart-casual nights, with a collared shirt and ideally a jacket on formal nights. Some guests, women especially, go for all-out glamour on dress-up nights, when the ship’s photographers are waiting to snap formal portraits, but just as many others keep it low-key. Tie wearing isn’t enforced.
MSC Cruises has a similar vibe in the evenings; summer dresses for women on informal nights, something strappy with heels on a gala night, but there are no style police here.
How formal? There’s a dress code but it’s widely interpreted.
10. Celebrity Cruises
In keeping with its promise of “modern luxury”, Celebrity Cruises has kicked out the formal dress code and wisely replaced it with evening chic. So a degree of glamour is encouraged on up to two nights on each cruise — co*cktail dress or trousers with an elegant top for women; trousers and shirt for men. Even “designer jeans” are permitted, although presumably not the ripped type. There’s still the option to go full black tie and a few diehards do, but it’s not necessary.
Marella Cruises takes a similar approach; its “dress to impress” evenings bring out all sorts of sartorial interpretations but generally people make a real effort without the constraint of ballgowns and black tie.
How formal? Open to interpretation.
What do you wear on a cruise ship during the day?
Completely casual is fine during the day but pretty much all cruise lines insist that you cover up to go to the buffet and men should not wear tank tops in the restaurants. Pack appropriately for shore excursions; sun hat for the heat, modest clothing for visiting mosques and cathedrals, or rain wear and thermal layers for Alaska.
What kind of shoes should you wear on a cruise?
Any shoes are fine, from flip-flops to deck shoes. Bare feet are not acceptable inside. Trainers or walking shoes are fine for excursions. Women will wear heels in the evenings but bear in mind that the ship might be moving, so avoid anything too vertiginous.
Do you have to dress up every night on a cruise?
No, certainly not. You’ll get changed for dinner, just as you would before going out in a resort, but dress codes are far less rigid than they used to be. Remember too: you can’t go wrong with a little black dress. And nobody will notice if you wear the same thing twice.
