PACKING FOR YOUR CRUISE

OK, a cruise is booked, now what to pack?  Well, all cruise lines and ships will differ and it is a good idea to do a little research about your ship and what is in store for you and the travel companions.

Usually on a 7-night cruise, you can plan on at least two formal nights, maybe two casual evenings, and between 1 and 4 semi-formal evenings.

During the days at sea and at ports of call, you can pretty much whatever you want.  Depending on the locations you will see shorts, tank tops or whatever your passengers want to wear that particular day.

Onboard during the sea days you will also find a relaxed and casual atmosphere on most ships and depending on each cruise line, the public areas might have rules about dress and then some really do not care at all.

At night, be ready to shower and use a comb and brush.  Nights on a cruise ship are meant to be fun and it doesn't matter if it is a casual or informal night to the formal captains diner.  Night time on a ship is to be enjoyed and savored, like a great wine.  It really will not hurt anybody to dress up and have a good time with their travel companions.  Take some photographs, visit the lounges, dance some, visit the casino and find out if you have any lady-luck and then walk on deck for that last romantic moment of the evening, or head to the late night disco or onboard clubs and dance and party like rock stars!

Carnival Cruise Lines: the fun ships of Carnival cruises are very casual during the day; at night you will find that almost anything will appear in public.  It is still nice to dress up on the formal nights and you will see quite a few tuxedos and formal dresses.

Celebrity Cruises: the Celebrity ships look for casual during the day and stylish chic at night.  Be ready for formal night with a tux or dark suite.

Crystal Cruises: the Crystal ships look for resort wear by day and very elegant at night.  You will see lots of suits and ties for men every night and on formal nights be ready with your tux or dark suit for men.

Cunard Line: the Cunard ships look for resort-casual during the day. Formal nights are particularly formal onboard.  You may experience several formal nights, so pack your finest duds and plan on having a time of your life on these grand cruising ships.

Holland America Line: Holland America ships are always casual during the day, evening attire will depend on the itinerary and destinations.  There will be formal nights that are fun and alive with excitement so bring a dark suit or tux and dresses for the ladies.

Norwegian Cruise Line: since they have flexible eating and dining rules you will see some casual attire on board, but, be ready to join the party on formal night.  The ships do have a formal night and you will see lots of tuxedos and dark suits for the men and ladies will be dressed to the T. 

Oceania Cruises: the ships are resort casual by day, resort chic at night.  You will see lots of coats and ties for men and nice dresses for ladies.

Princess Cruises: casual by day, resort casual in the evening, about half and half tuxedos to suits on formal night.  Semi-formal and expect to dress up if you want to fit in. 

Royal Caribbean International:  you will find the Royal Caribbean ships to be casual by day with a mixed bag at night that leans more to suits than tuxedos.  Be ready to play hard during the day and plan on wearing a coat and sometimes a tie for men at night.

Seabourn: casual chic by day, tres chic by night.  This line used to be very strict about formal.  You could not even appear in the public areas after 6:00 pm without a coat and tie for the men.  We have heard that they are being a bit more relaxed at this time.  The food is wonderful and the atmosphere and ambiance is unique to small yacht type cruising.

Silversea Cruises: resort chic by day and night.  The Silversea ships are by nature more formal.  The atmosphere and ambiance onboard dictates that most passengers want to dress up and feel special.  Do not book this line if you want to go to diner casual each and every night.  You may want to try Windstar.

Windstar Cruises: Casual by day, still casual  at night. This cruise line is known for casual elegence and you will feel comfortable wearing a coat with or without a tie for the men and a nice dress or pants for the ladies.