You’ve probably read the different guides on what to wear on a cruise, but what about what not to wear on a cruise? Yup! Different cruise ships have dress codes and ban some items regarding what you wear on a cruise.
Some of these items may surprise you, but it is better to know ahead of time than to be asked to leave the main dining room or, worse – have a country tell you you cannot disembark because of something you are wearing.
Is there a dress code on cruise ships?
Every cruise line has its dress code, and when you sign your cruise contract, you say you agree with the dress code. You will have nothing to worry about as long as you are dressed in small casual.
What is a smart casual dress code? That is the question that begs the answer! Smart casual dress codes are very similar to resort casual. They can include casual clothing such as sun dresses, nice jeans, and comfortable shoes. It is perfectly acceptable to wear bright casual clothes on port days and around the cruise ship.
What are the different Cruise lines and Dress Codes?
| Cruise Line | Description |
|---|---|
| Carnival Cruise Line | Cruise Casual and Cruise Elegant |
| Celebrity Cruises | Relaxed Luxury |
| Disney Cruise Line | Cruise Casual |
| Holland America Line | Smart Casual and Dressy |
| Norwegian Cruise Line | Cruise Casual and Smart Casual |
| Oceania Cruises | Resort or Country Club Casual |
| Princess Cruises | Smart Casual |
| Regent Seven Seas | Resort style outfits |
| Royal Caribbean | Smart Casual |
| Seabourn Cruiseline | Casual, resort style |
| Virgin Voyages | No Dress code |
If this is your first cruise
If this is your first cruise, some of these rules and guidelines may come off as silly or surprising. Yes, you can wear whatever you want, wherever you want. Still, depending on the cruise line dress codes, you may or may not be allowed into different areas of the ship or even off of the ship in some cruise ports.
Check out our cruise packing list if you want a comprehensive list of clothing items to pack on your next cruise.
Camouflage clothing (some cruise ports)
While many Americans love wearing Camouflage as a fashion statement, leave it at home if you plan to go on shore excursions in the Caribbean.
Some Countries ban tourists from wearing Camouflage. In other countries, it is illegal to wear camo or accessories because the military wears them. You do not want to be accused of imitating an official because you wanted to wear Camouflage.
Do not wear Camouflage off the ship in the following countries:
- Barbados
- Antigua
- Jamaica
- Grenada
- St. Lucia
- Bahamas
- Trinidad and Tobago
Baseball caps or gym shorts in the dining room
Even though you can wear baseball caps, yoga pants, athletic wear, and gym shorts all over the ship, you want to avoid wearing a baseball cap or gym clothes in the main restaurant.
If you want to eat with your cap on, go to the buffet, grab something from the lido deck, or order in-room service.
Offensive language and graphics
Skip any shirts or accessories with offensive language and graphics. Many cruises are family-friendly, and wearing offensive clothing can breach your cruise contract. You also do not want to have any shirts with a sexual innuendo written on them.
If your mom disapproves, leave it at home!
Skimpy Bathing Suits
Everyone loves getting their tan on while sailing in the Caribbean, but leave it at home if you have an extra skimpy bathing suit. Even though many people will wear their pool wear – you want to ensure anything extra simple is left at home, including thongs, g strings, and string bikinis. These bathing suit items can be revealed in a family-friendly environment.
Speedos
The same goes for the men! Ensure you are not strutting around with stuff hanging out in a super teeny tiny Speedo!
Swimwear in the dining room
Even if you spent all day hanging out at the pool, you would still need to wear appropriate clothing to eat in the dining room or specialty restaurants. Bathing suits are not allowed!
If you must run into the buffet to grab something to eat, ensure you have a cover-up so there is something else on your body other than a wet bathing suit! If you are walking around any of the
Clothing Optional
Many cruises require you to keep your clothes on – so that means no Clothing optional fun while on the pool deck. This also means on your balcony – you may think that since you are not in the public areas, you can go nude; however, there are cameras, and people can quickly look over or down onto your balcony. As a general rule, you keep your clothes on unless you are in the privacy of your cruise cabin.
Side story: While I was on a Virgin Voyages Cruise, a lady came and sat next to me and whipped off her bathing suit top. I quickly moved and found a new spot on the sun deck because I found out that you can actually sunbathe topless in the area that I was in!
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Flip flops in the gym.
Make sure you bring appropriate shoes to work out in. If you want to go on a run or lift some weights, beach flip-flops will not be allowed – you will need to wear closed-toe shoes.
Pajamas outside of your cabin
It’s astonishing to see how many people will leave their cabin and go to breakfast, either in the main dining room or buffet, in their pajamas—adults, young kids, etc. Suppose you want to stay in your Pajamas for breakfast. In that case, I recommend ordering room service or having one person run up to the buffet to grab the best goodies to eat in your room.
Pajamas outside your cabin are only allowed when you are sailing on Virgin Voyages and attending their Pajama Night.
Heelys or shoes with wheels
Shoes with wheels go in and out of style over the years, but make sure that your kids have a pair of regular tennis shoes instead of a pair with wheels in the shoes. These shoes are against most cruise contracts and, if the child loses control, could cause some severe damage.
Valuable Jewelry
Leave your Valuable Jewelry at home – if you have something sentimental or a high-cost value, make sure you leave it at home. Even though you can put these items in the safe, you usually want to avoid wearing that jewelry while in port.
Uncomfortable shoes
Even though some ladies will pack a pair of high heels for formal nights, do not bring uncomfortable or super-high shoes. There are too many times I’ve met ladies wearing shoes that either didn’t fit or couldn’t walk in them! Going with your bare feet in the hallway is not a good look – especially if you are dressed up! If it is not a pair of shoes, you can walk in and leave them at home.
Leather or Suede items
Leather and Suede do not go with the sea air. This includes shoes, belts, luggage, and accessories. If you do have to bring these items, make sure you take extra good care of them once you are at home. The sea can damage these goods.
What should I wear to the chef’s table dining experience?
Can I skip dressing up on “formal night”?
If you do not want to dress up for Formal Night, you do not have to – but always bring formal attire if you feel like eating in the main dining room! Even packing a little black dress can make you passable for many cruise line dress codes.
Pack a cute cocktail dress that could skirt around the formal dress code and be presentable in the evening hours for a formal night. Most people also dress up a little more when dining at specialty restaurants.
The days of full-on evening gowns and tuxedos may have disappeared, but if you and your family want to do that for Formal Night, have fun! Wear clothing that makes you feel unique and beautiful.
Can you wear Jeans on a cruise?
Yes, you can wear jeans on a cruise ship. Ripped jeans are less comfortable when hanging around the cruise, and I tend to stick to Athletic wear or yoga pants when lounging around on Sea Day.
If you want to wear jeans, do not wear tight-fitting jeans on a cruise because it may impact. How much can you eat from the buffet and main dining room?
What Should I Wear on a Cruise?
Even though we gave you many tips on what not to wear, we also have an entire blog post to help you decide what to wear on a Caribbean cruise! Most of the time, you can get away with cruise casual outfits like summer dresses and casual dresses, but men may want to bring dress pants and a collared shirt for formal evenings.
Many cruises Americans go on include the Caribbean, Mediterranean, and Alaskan.
