Yahoo Autos What should I wear at sea? Here's what to know about cruise line dress codes
When I was getting ready to take a cruise in October, there were a handful of items I made sure to pack: my passport, anti-nausea medicine, and a blazer and tie.
The cruise line, Holland America Line, had advised me that during the transatlantic voyage from the Netherlands to New York there would be some occasions to dress up. But after lint-rolling my jacket and multiple attempts at a half-Windsor knot, I left my stateroom and realized I may not have needed them.
While plenty of guests were decked out in jackets, dresses and slacks, others were in sartorial vacation mode, dressed in varying degrees of (in)formality.
Can travelers still find cruise deals? Yes ... for now
Happiest place in the Caribbean? Disney Cruise Line to open Lighthouse Point island destination
First-time cruisers may not realize that ships have some guidelines for clothing, from formal nights to events that call for unique attire, but those rules and recommendations have evolved over time.
"It really has gotten more and more relaxed as we've gone along, especially after the pandemic," said Valerie Dorsey, a franchise owner and travel adviser at Cruise Planners.
Here's what travelers should know about what to pack and wear on their next sailing.
Do cruise lines have dress codes?
Though travelers may associate cruising with formal nights – when lines encourage passengers to dress up for dinner in certain venues, stemming from grand tradition – the onboard experience has grown more easygoing, Dorsey said.
Dorsey said she noticed a shift from true formal wear to "smart casual" or "smart elegant" clothing around 2015 and began hearing more from clients about how other travelers weren't dressing up as much, a change that has irked some guests.
Passengers have gotten more casual on regular nights, too.
That shift has only been exacerbated in the wake of COVID-19 as more travelers work from home, according to Dorsey, though some lines take formal nights more seriously and some passengers choose to go all out, regardless.
"I've seen people dress way up, meaning tuxedos, evening gowns, beautiful clothing, down to 'I'm just going to dinner at Red Lobster tonight,' " she said. "I think it's all over the place."
Enforcement of the dress codes has eased, as well.
Story continues below.
"It used to be if you walked in in a pair of shorts, they would say, 'I'm sorry, you can't enter the dining room,' and they don't even stop people anymore," Dorsey said. "So that's why it's really hard to get a handle on how you're supposed to dress."
If you want to opt out of dressing up altogether, there are parts of the ship that usually remain more casual, even on dressy or formal nights. Travelers can always head to the buffet or other casual eateries, Dorsey said, though on smaller lines more passengers may be dressed up more across the board.
Cruise lines each have their own dress codes, but we've rounded up some of the major lines' policies:
Carnival Cruise Line dress code
Passengers can wear casual clothes during the day, but the line requires smart casual clothing after 5:30 p.m. in its public lounges and restaurants or as stated in the ship's newsletter, spokesperson Matt Lupoli said in an email.
The line's Cruise Casual dress code calls for collared sport shirts, casual pants or jeans – but no cut-offs – and long dress shorts for men. Women can wear items including casual dresses, blouses and skirts or pants, dress shorts and jeans.
In accordance with the dress code, passengers cannot wear regular shorts or gym shorts, bathing suit attire, beach flip-flops and other similar items in the dining room.
When the Cruise Elegant Dress Code is in effect, men can wear dress trousers and shirts, and the line recommends a sport jacket.
Credits: Crystal is offering cruise credit to former passengers who lost money
Fun stays: Stay in a former helicopter hangar on this Silversea expedition ship
For women, the line calls for cocktail dresses, "elegant skirts and blouses," pantsuits or even evening gowns. Items like T-shirts, jeans, shorts and gym shorts and bathing suit attire are similarly barred from the dining room.
The length of the cruise determines the number of Cruise Elegant evenings, according to Carnival's website. The Cruise Elegant dress code applies for the main dining rooms and the Steakhouse. However, Lupoli said passengers dressed in Cruise Casual will not be turned away from those venues on Cruise Elegant nights.
