What to Wear on a Cruise: The Must-Have Clothes to Pack

Don't forget a swimsuit and make sure you've packed appropriately for any extra excursions.

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Updated · 4 min read
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The time has finally come for you to head out on a cruise and you couldn’t be more excited. But what are you supposed to pack? What to wear on a cruise is going to depend on where you’re going, the cruise line you’ve picked and any shore excursions you have planned.

Let’s take a look at cruise attire, including tips for packing clothes for a cruise.

Some must-bring clothes for a cruise

  • Casual clothes to wear on the cruise. T-shirts, shorts, pants, tops, whatever you feel comfortable exploring the shore and the ship in.

  • A jacket or sweater. Being out on the water might be colder than you think. Bring a light jacket or sweater for the nights you might be walking the ship deck or eating outside.

  • A swimsuit, cover-up, hat and sandals. Most cruises have pools, hot tubs and sometimes even water slides. You wouldn't want to be a fish out of water because you forgot your swimsuit.

  • Smart casual or formal clothes for dinner. It's not required, but some cruises have specialty restaurants or formal nights where guests dress up for dinner. Check if your cruise has a formal night and bring some clothes for a more dressed up occasion. (It'll also be good for taking portraits, a common offering on cruise formal nights).

Other tips for packing cruise clothes

Look up special theme nights

Many cruises have special themes for certain nights. It could be as simple as "Dress to Impress" or it might require a more specific dress code.

For example, the Disney Cruise Line offers a pirate night on many of its voyages. As you’d expect, this is a night where everyone dresses as a pirate. Although you’ll get a free bandana to wear, many guests go all out when dressing up — meaning they packed for the occasion.

Virgin Voyages, meanwhile, has a Scarlet Night on all of its sailings. During Scarlet Night, guests go red from head to toe for a huge party.

More traditional cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean also offer a formal night. It’s exactly as it sounds: You’ll want to wear black-tie if you’re heading out to dinner. This can include ball gowns and tuxedos, but doesn’t need to be that fancy; you can also opt for cocktail attire.

Figuring out which cruise line fits your vibe is important and can heavily impact what you choose to pack, so it’s important to do your research before you book.

Research your itinerary

For best results, you’ll want to take an in-depth look at the itinerary for your ship. If you’re heading out to the Caribbean, you’ll generally want to plan for warm weather. This includes lightweight outfits, like sundresses and shorts.

🤓Nerdy Tip

Forget to pack something? Don’t worry. Many cruise lines offer copious amounts of shopping onboard so you’ll be able to pick up items on the ship.

If you’re stopping at a beach club for the day, bathing suits and coverups are also a good idea. If your ship is stopping at ports, comfortable walking shoes will be a good investment, as will a hat to protect you from the sun.

For cooler destinations like Alaska or Nordic countries, more layers will be important, especially when you get off the ship to explore. Bring rain jackets, sweaters, base layers and waterproof shoes.

Plan for excursions

While the temperature aboard your cruise ship is regulated, that all goes out the window when you embark on an excursion. These can vary wildly based on where you’re sailing. It could be as casual as a bus ride into the port town or as adventurous as riding an ATV through the jungle.

Whatever excursion you pick, make sure you’re ready for the elements. While you may not need too many additional items of clothing for a beachy excursion, more adventurous ones may need more attention. Hiking shoes, long-sleeved shirts and sunscreen will be important.

Pack multi-purpose clothes

It probably sounds like you’ll need to bring your entire wardrobe with you for a cruise, but that doesn’t necessarily need to be the case. If you can, select items that can perform double-duty for you. Have a sun hat for the pool? Bring one with a strap on it so you can take it into town without it flying off your head.

This can help you cut down on the number of items you need to pack — and that’s a good thing! Some cruise lines may limit the number of bags you can bring. Plus, staterooms on ships can be pretty small and too much luggage can make the room feel cramped.

🤓Nerdy Tip

Doing laundry on the ship might be an option as well! Check to see if your ship has laundry facilities.

Best travel cards for cruises

Many popular travel cards come with benefits targeting cruise enthusiasts, others include general travel perks that make them a good option for booking cruises the next time you decide to set sail.

Here's a look at a few of them:

Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
NerdWallet Rating
Apply now

on Chase's website

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
NerdWallet Rating
Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Credit Card
Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card
NerdWallet Rating
Apply now

on Bank of America's website

The Platinum Card® from American Express
The Platinum Card® from American Express
NerdWallet Rating
Apply now

on American Express' website

Rates & Fees
Annual fee

$95.

$95.

$95.

$695.

Welcome offer

Get up to $1,050 in Chase Travel℠ value. Earn 60,000 bonus points after $4,000 in purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. That’s worth $750 when redeemed through Chase Travel. Plus, get up to $300 in statement credits on Chase Travel purchases within your first year.

Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

Receive 60,000 online bonus points - a $600 value - after you make at least $4,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.

Cruise benefits

• Get 25% more value out of your points when you book cruises through Chase.

• Book with your card to get automatic travel protections for your cruise.

• Redeem miles as a statement credit to cover spending on cruises.

• Book with your card to get automatic travel insurance coverage for your cruise.

• Earn 2x points on travel spending, including cruises and some ship excursions.

• Book with your card to get trip delay reimbursement, trip cancellation coverage and other travel assistance services.

• Get American Express Cruise Privileges Program benefits when you book at least five nights with eligible cruise lines. Terms apply.

• Cruise program benefits include $300 credit redeemable toward dining and spa services plus amenities like wine, chocolates and champagne. Terms apply.

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What to wear on a cruise ship recapped

Getting ready for your cruise is exciting! No matter where you’re going, you’re bound to have a good time. Just remember to do your research before you go to make sure you have everything that you need.

To view rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, see this page.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024:

Cards for Cruises from our Partners
Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card

on Chase's website

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
5.0
NerdWallet Rating
Rewards rate

1x-5x

5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

Points

Intro offer

60,000 Points + $300 Travel Credit

Get up to $1,050 in Chase Travel℠ value. Earn 60,000 bonus points after $4,000 in purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. That’s worth $750 when redeemed through Chase Travel. Plus, get up to $300 in statement credits on Chase Travel purchases within your first year.

Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Credit Card

on Bank of America's website

Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card
4.2
NerdWallet Rating
Rewards rate

1.5x-2x

Earn unlimited 2 points for every $1 spent on travel and dining purchases and unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.

Points

Intro offer

60,000

Receive 60,000 online bonus points - a $600 value - after you make at least $4,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.

Points
See more cards for cruises
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