Packing Outfits for Your Cruise Holiday

Cruises are undeniably fun experiences, whether you go with friends on a party cruise or take your family on an extended tour of Mediterranean coastal resorts. Cruises are enjoying renewed and growing popularity in 2023, as the spectre of the novel coronavirus recedes, and the promise of a fresh, warm summer beckons.

If you’re new to cruises as a concept, you might be struggling a little with your packing. Even in knowing the route of your cruise, it can be difficult to know how exactly to pack clothes-wise. Here, we’ll look at some key ways of thinking about your cruise holiday packing, and specific considerations for staying comfortable as possible as you travel.

Dress Code?

Before we get onto suggesting ways of thinking about your cruise packing and outfits, there is a question you absolutely need to answer first: does your cruise have a dress code? This might seem like a bizarre question to ask, but it is one you might be glad you were asked! Many cruises come with dress codes, be they for specific events during the cruise or general tips towards dress.

In the latter case, more bespoke or luxury cruises might have stipulations on clothes you should not wear at any point during the cruise. This is not altogether common, though there are some common-sense items you might want to avoid wearing in ‘public’ anyway!

Dressing for the Weather

If you’re embarking on a cruise from Southampton in the summer time, you are absolutely going to be tempted to dress for the weather when you depart. This is no bad thing, and you should do this – but it is important to remember that the climate at sea can differ significantly from the climate on the shore. Southampton cruises, for example, are likely to involve crossing the Atlantic, which can bring some exceedingly blustery weather and colder nights.

With this in mind, your packing should be somewhat eclectic, with more of a lean towards warm clothing than you might think. Thick jumpers and corduroy can make strolling the decks on evenings that little bit more palatable, while pyjamas can help make colder cabins feel a little more homely.

Dressing for the Ports

Of course, you will not be spending the entirety of your time on the cruise ship itself – unless you’re mad enough to want to! There will be plenty of opportunities for you to disembark and take in the sights at whichever ports your cruise stops off at – giving you a potentially wide range of climates to pack for.

A cruise from the UK to the south Mediterranean will see you hopping from rain and bluster to baking sun and humidity. As such, you’ll need your sunnies and t-shirts alongside your jumpers and knitwear. It is also important that you bring a pair of comfortable walking shoes, in order that you can fully enjoy your time on land; flip-flops might be fine for most casual cruises but will not cut it on the cobbles of Las Ramblas!