Please find below the latest dress code policies for many of the cruise lines. As I look around the many cruise forums on the internet, this is one of the most often asked questions. I have researched the cruise lines listed below for their latest policies and gathered them into one location. Each of the cruise lines provides the information in slightly different formats, and some don’t provide key details. For those cruise lines I done additional research with actual customers to find out what exactly the standard is. We hope that this will allow you to select a cruise line that meets your needs in terms of dress requirements.
I will try to keep this page updated every month or so. If you don’t see a cruise line listed, drop me a note and I will try to add it to the list.
This page last updated: July 4, 2012.
Azamara Cruises | Day Time | Alternative Dining | Main Dining Room | Evening Throughout Ship | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Resort Casual | Resort Casual | Resort Casual | Resort Casual | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Recommended Attire: For women: sportswear, casual dresses, skirts, pants and capris, blouses and knit tops. Light fabrics such as linen, cotton, silk, and wool gabardine are always appropriate.For men: sportswear, collared golf and polo shirts, shorts, pants, and a sport coat if desired (not required). Light fabrics such as linen, cotton, silk, and wool gabardine are best. Additional Information: |
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Carnival Cruise Line | Day Time | Alternative Dining | Main Dining Room | Evening Throughout Ship | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Casual | Lido Casual Some ships have additional casual dining.Steakhouse available on Conquest-class, Spirit-class, Splendor-class and Dream-class ships. Jacket required on Cruise Elegant night for gentlemen. $30 charge. |
Cruise Casual -most nights.Cruise Elegant 1 night for short cruises, 2 nights 7 day | Cruise Casual | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Cruise Casual Dining Dress Code: Gentlemen – Sport slacks, khakis, jeans (no cut-offs), dress shorts (long), collared sport shirts; Ladies – Casual dresses, casual skirts or pants and blouses, summer dresses, Capri pants, dress shorts, jeans (no cut-offs). Cruise Elegant Dining Dress Code: Additional Information: |
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Celebrity Cruises | Day Time | Alternative Dining | Main Dining Room | Evening Throughout Ship | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Casual |
Smart Casual and Above Specialty Dining All Celebrity Ships have at least one Specialty Dining Venue, with the Solstice Class having more choices Casual Buffet Area International Marketplace Dining serves selections like Pizza, Pasta, and Asian. |
Smart Casual and Above most nights Formal 1-3 nights depending on length of cruise
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Smart Casual and Above | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Smart Casual and Above Ladies: Skirt or pants/trousers (no holes, rips or tears) complemented by sweater or blouse. Gentlemen: Note: Formal Ladies: Gentlemen: |
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Costa Cruises | Day Time | Alternative Dining | Main Dining Room | Evening Throughout Ship | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Casual |
Resort Casual Club Restaurant Super Casual Buffet Area |
Elegant Resort, Resort Casual, or Formal | Resort Casual | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Resort Attire: During the cruise, you are free to dress as you wish: the atmosphere on board is informal and casual. Clothing must however be suited to the environment, season, destination or occasion, such as a gala dinner or an excursion. A jacket or shawl is always advisable. Costa Dress code is very relaxed. |
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Crystal Cruises | Day Time | Alternative Dining | Main Dining Room | Evening Throughout Ship | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Resort Wear |
Casual Al Fresco Dining
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Formal Informal Casual |
Follows the Dining Room Dress Code | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Formal Evening Attire Formal attire is evening dresses and gowns of fashionable length for ladies, and a tuxedo, dinner jacket or dark suit and tie for gentlemen. Jeans, shorts, casual slacks, sport shirts, and caps or baseball hats are not permitted in the dining room or our specialty restaurants after 6 pm. Informal Evening Attire Casual Evening Attire Day Time and Casual: Dress Codes Defined: |
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Cunard Line | Day Time | Alternative Dining | Main Dining Room | Evening Throughout Ship | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Casual |
None promoted by Cunard but cruisers report seeing casually dressed people grabbing a quick bite in the buffet area. In room dining also available. |
Formal Semi-formal Elegant Casual |
Follows the Dining Room Dress Code | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Definitions: One of the great thrills of a Cunard voyage is the sheer glamor of the evenings.Generally, evening dress may be either formal, semi- formal or elegant casual when your ship is at sea, and semi-formal or casual when your ship is in port. There will be a maximum of three formal nights in a week. Evening attire for the ship’s main restaurants, effective from 1800 hrs (6:00 pm), will be specified on your ship’s Daily Program. Please refer to the below-listed dress code descriptions: Formal: Semi-formal: Elegant Casual: Day Time: |
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Disney Cruises | Day Time | Alternative Dining | Main Dining Room | Evening Throughout Ship | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Casual | Palo | Cruise Casual with one Optional Dress-up Night | Cruise Casual | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Definitions: Disney Cruise Line has a “Cruise Casual” dress code for evening dining. As part of the “Cruise Casual” policy, it is asked that you do not wear tank tops, swim wear or shorts to the dining rooms. Jeans are allowed.On the 3 and 4 night cruises you will have one night that is designated “Optional Dress-up.” It is suggested that gentleman wear a jacket and ladies either a dress or pantsuit.Palo has its own dress policy. “Pirate Night” is a popular event on the Disney Cruise ships. Guests are encouraged to wear pirate attire to dinner – some even go all out and wear full pirate costumes! Palo Dress Code: |
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Holland America | Day Time | Alternative Dining | Main Dining Room | Evening Throughout Ship | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Casual |
Casual – Lido Buffet Area Specialty Dining Follows the Evening Dress Code but a Jacket is suggested for gentlemen on casual nights |
Formal Casual |
Not Specified, but dress code only specifically mentions dining rooms for Formal Night. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Definitions: Evening dress falls into two distinct categories: Formal or Smart Casual. Smart Casual can be defined as slacks and collared shirts for men and casual dresses, slacks and informal evening wear for women. T-shirts, swimsuits, tank tops and shorts are not allowed in the restaurants or public areas during the evening hours. On festive Formal evenings, ladies usually wear a suit, cocktail dress or gown and gentlemen wear a jacket and tie, dark suit or tuxedo. There are approximately two formal nights per week.In order to complement your fellow guests, Holland America Line asks that you observe the suggested dress code throughout the entire evening. Other Information: |
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Hurtigruten(Norwegian Coastal Voyage) | Day Time | Alternative Dining | Main Dining Room | Evening Throughout Ship | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Casual | Casual -Paid 24 hr Cafe | Casual | Casual | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
All Casual All the Time
Pack for the weather |
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Oceania Cruises | Day Time | Alternative Dining | Main Dining Room | Evening Throughout Ship | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Country Club Casual | Elegant Casual | Elegant Casual | Elegant Casual | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Definitions: Recommended onboard clothing is resort or country club casual. For evening dining, elegant casual resort wear is suggested. We request that jeans, shorts, t-shirts or tennis shoes not be worn at dinner. |
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MSC Cruises | Day Time | Alternative Dining | Main Dining Room | Evening Throughout Ship | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Casual |
Resort Casual- in more casual specialty venues and buffet Elegant Atmosphere – in A’la Carte restaurants Jacket or dress shirts encouraged for gentlemen |
Resort Casual & Formal |
Follows the Main Dining Room Dress Code, many though wear smart casual | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Definitions: For evenings, resort casual is also appropriate (no jeans, T-shirts, shorts, or bare feet please after 6:00 PM on the ship). Cocktail dresses for women and suits or jacket and ties for men are appropriate for formal evenings (1 formal on 4 to 6-night cruises; 2 formals on 7 to 10-night cruises; 3 formals on 11 to 14-night cruises and 4 on 15-night or longer cruises). |
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NCL | Day Time | Alternative Dining | Main Dining Room | Evening Throughout Ship | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Cruise Casual | Cruise Casual -Buffet and most specialty restaurants Smart Casual- Le Bistro | Smart Casual – Aft Main Dining Room Optional Dress Up Night | Cruise Casual | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Definitions: When it comes to what to wear, you can go resort casual or get decked-out and look your best – it’s your call. That’s the freedom of Freestyle Cruising. We even have special “Dress-Up or Not Night”. It’s the perfect opportunity to get your portrait taken with your family, that special someone or even with the ship’s Captain. Dress cruise casual anytime during the day, in the buffet and in most specialty restaurants. For women, it includes summer and casual dresses, skirts, regular or capri pants, shorts, jeans and tops. Khakis, jeans, shorts and casual shirts are fine for men. Swimwear is acceptable at the buffet and outdoor restaurant, but a shirt or a cover-up and footwear are required. Cruise casual is also allowed day and night on embarkation day. Wear smart casual if you are eating dinner in the aft main dining room (our more formal dining room) and in Le Bistro on cruises over longer than five days. For women, it includes slacks or jeans, dresses, skirts and tops. For men, it’s jeans or slacks with a collared shirt and closed-toed shoes. Traditional Bermuda shorts along with long socks, loafers and a blazer are all acceptable on a Bermuda cruise. Other Information: |
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Princess Cruises | Day Time | Alternative Dining | Main Dining Room | Evening Throughout Ship | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Casual | Casual – Lido Deck Horizon Court, International Cafe, Pizza Station, Balcony DiningSmart Casual or Formal – in “cover charge” restaurants like Crown Grill and Sabatini’s |
Smart Casual & Formal |
Smart Casual and above, except in casual areas like pool and Horizon Court | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Smart Casual: Passenger attire should be in keeping with what they would wear to a nice restaurant at home.
Inappropriate dinner wear such as pool or beach attire, shorts, ball caps and casual jeans (with fraying and/or holes) are not permitted in the dining rooms. Shoes must be worn. Formal:
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Regent Seven Seas | Day Time | Alternative Dining | Main Dining Room | Evening Throughout Ship | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
21 all cruises | Elegant Casual |
Elegant Casual & Optional Formal |
Elegant Casual | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Elegant Casual Includes skirt, or slacks (no jeans) with blouse or sweater, pant suit or dress for ladies; slacks (no jeans) and collared shirt for gentlemen. Sport jackets are optional. While Elegant Casual is always appropriate. Formal Optional Other Information: |
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Royal Caribbean International | Day Time | Alternative Dining | Main Dining Room | Evening Throughout Ship | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Cruise Casual | Casual | CasualSmart CasualFormalSee Chart Below | Follows the Evening Dress Code but most cruisers report it is not enforced. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
There are three distinct types of evenings onboard: casual, smart casual and formal. Suggested guidelines for these nights are:
Note: *Some 12-night European cruises may have 3 formal nights |
Good morning.
Re Fred Olson cruise line . Ship. Black Watch .
Have you any info on dress code on formal nights etc on the above.
Kind regards
Good Morning Siggins,
Fred Olsen cruises look like they are pretty formal on the formal nights. I found this information on their web page under “FAQ What should I pack”
“During the day casual wear is allowed in the restaurant but not swimwear. During the evening there are formal, informal and casual dress codes in the restaurant. On special formal evenings gentlemen are requested to wear ‘black tie’ with ladies elegantly dressed in cocktail or evening dress. On informal evenings gentlemen are requested to wear jacket and tie (lounge suit or sports jacket is fine) and ladies informally smart. On casual evenings the dress code is ‘smart casual’.”
Have you gotten your cruise documents yet? Sometimes they will have more information about formal nights and how many they have. If I can find more information I’ll put it up here on the dress code page as a listed cruise line.
Hi, I just wanted to let you know that I looked around at some of the cruise boards to see what people are saying about Fred Olsen’s dress codes. They said that the dress codes a very much adhered to and that it was rare to see a male passenger dining with-out a coat a tie. Also some of the casual nights are theme nights like “British Night” or “Island Night”. Also be sure to check your cruise documents carefully because it does seem that there is more information there about the evening dress codes. Hope you have a great cruise.
I found one more blurb on the Fred Olsen website about their evening dress codes.
“In the evenings our dress code will be more formal. It is expected that gentlemen will wear a jacket and tie (lounge suit or sports jacket is fine), and ladies will look informally smart. On formal evenings many gentlemen like to wear dinner jacket and ladies cocktail or long dresses. Casual wear is the norm on the first and last evenings of the cruise.”
Hi,
How does the above dress codes compare to Cunard.
Thank you.
Peter S.
Hi Peter,
I can’t believe I left Cunard off my list! I will try to see what I can find out and will try to add Cunard by the end of the weekend. Thanks for the head’s up!
I found the information on Cunard’s site, I’ll put it here quickly, and then I’ll add have my expert programmer add it to the chart later:
“Although shorts and swimsuits may not be worn in the ships’ main restaurants, casual attire (including shorts) is welcome during the day at the Kings Court on QUEEN MARY 2 and at the Lido Café on QUEEN ELIZABETH 2. Swimsuits, brief shorts and exercise clothing should be reserved for poolside lounging, deck activities and the spa.
One of the great thrills of a Cunard voyage is the sheer glamour of the evenings. Evening attire for the ship’s main restaurants, effective from 1800hrs, will be specified in your ship’s Daily Programme and will be required to dine in the restaurants.
Formal: Black tie or formal dark suit for gentlemen. Evening dress or other formal attire for ladies. (A range of gentleman’s formal wear is available to hire or purchase onboard ship).
Semiformal: Jacket and tie for gentlemen. Cocktail dress or trouser suit for ladies. No jeans.
Elegant Casual: Jacket, no tie required for gentlemen. Dress, skirt or trousers for ladies. No shorts or jeans.”
Cunard, is definitely one of the most formal.
going on the western carribean cruise on 10/14/07, and i am taking my two boys, ages 11 and 7. what is the recommended dress code for them. any information would be great. i am having a hard time trying to decide what to pack for them.
Maria, generally the dress code for kids in the main dining room is the same as what you would have for adults. NCL specifically makes an exception to this, and some cruise lines are more likely to look the other way when it comes to kids, while others are more formal when it come to what is expected for kids.
First, you need to decide if the boys will be dining with you every night or will they eat at casual dining with the youth program. (sometimes there is a baby sitting charge for this, depends on the line)
Here’s waht we have done on our Celebrity cruises, which tend to be a bit more on the formal side. My son is 11 and has been on three cruises so far. We always dine in the main dining room together and we look foreward to dressing up for the experience. We bought my son a tuxedo for the formal nights, but I realize this may not be for everyone. You can also rent a tux either from your home town, or through the cruise line. A dark suit is also acceptable. For the informal nights, I got my son a navy blazer at a thrift shop of $5. He wears this with a dress shirt and tie set that I got for him at Walmart of about $11. I pack two or three pairs of nice dockers type pants to wear with the sport coat. The pants with stain repel fabric treatment are great because they won’t get dirty if they spill food on them. On casual nights he usually wears these same pants with a polo type shirt.
For day time t-shirts, polo shirts, shorts and swim wear are the norm.
One of the boys in my daughters school class recently just went on a cruise and they chose to do the casual dining every night. That family just packed casual clothes and loved their casual cruise. We really enjoy the formal dining, so as we look forward to dressing up. However, there are always people in the formal dining room who are not complying with the evening dress codes.
I hope this helps, I might be able to help you even more if you let me know on which line you’ll be on. Enjoy your cruise.
On cunard lines are t-shirts and shorts o.k. during the day or are polo shirts and slacks required???????????
Hi John,
I’ve done some quick research about daytime wear, and it really depends on what you’re doing as to whether or not you are supposed to wear the polo shirt and slacks during the day.
“Although shorts and swimsuits may not be worn in the ships’ main restaurants, casual attire (including shorts) is welcome during the day at the Kings Court on QUEEN MARY 2 and at the Lido Café on QUEEN ELIZABETH 2. Swimsuits, brief shorts and exercise clothing should be reserved for poolside lounging, deck activities and the spa.”
It looks like they want you to wear the slacks and a collard shirt if you are going to take lunch in the main dining room, but your are fine in the casual dining venue.
You may see people more casually dressed during the day, but technically they should not dine in the main dining room.
Hi, What is the dress code for Royal caribbean cruises. How much Jewelry should I bring for Formal nights. Is 1 gold chain enough? I was told to wear 3 Gold chains and cocktail rings from someone who went on the cruise. Thank you for your time. Lor
Lor,
In my opinion the amount of jewelry one wears does not necessarily determine formality.
I sometimes wear only earrings with my formal gowns, or a single simple necklace.
What is more important is the overall look you are presenting. A cocktail dress is fine on Royal Caribbean for the ladies, though many women wear long gowns. The best way to describe a cocktail dress would be a shorter dress that is way to fancy for work or church and something that you would never wear with flip flops. For the men a suit or tux is great, and in that case my recommendation would be no gold chains with the suits or tuxedos.
I just wrote an article with a few suggestions for the formal nights. It might have some helpful hints for you.
Stress Free Guide to Formal Night
I do like to dress up for formal nights, but was wondering why white tie and tails are no longer acceptable for formal nights. They are so elegant. I have a black tuxedo and a white dinner jacket and my tails are just collecting dust in the closet. Larry
Hi, Larry, I have never seen white tie and tails on a cruise. I’m sure there is some reason for this, but I just don’t know. Perhaps because the formal evenings are more akin to a cocktail party and dinner, rather than a very formal gala or wedding.
I’m sure that it would be acceptable, but people might ask if you just got married or if you’ll be performing selections from Rigoletto? Just Kidding there.
I would much rather see you in the white tie rather than a tanktop, running shorts and flip flops.
what is cruise casual for the disney cruise line?
Thanks for your questions Carolyn
When I originally put this list together I had a hard time finding the Disney Information, but they have improved their web-site, and I found it under the dinning FAQ’s:
cruise casual — no shorts, swimwear or tank tops
Looks like any thing else is OK.
Your dress code leaves out one very important item – at least it is important to some of us. What is the dress code at the pool, and are the rules at the adult-only facilities different from the general pool? Specifically: are women required to wear tops when sunning or soaking? Are thong bottoms permissible (men or women)? As a family that has lived in Europe and in the US, we find such useful information hard to come by.
Generally topless sun bathing, if allowed at all, is only permitted on one upper deck for most American owned cruise lines. I’ve never seen that thongs are not permitted, but have seen very very few, if any on my cruises. When in doubt, around Americans, it would be better to be more covered than less covered.
Hello,
your information is very useful for us, as first trime cruisers.
However, I am getting conflicting information from different sources with regards to the men’s dress code for the Carribean, sailing with Fred Olsen. The majority of the nights are Elegant Casual. Their paperwork says the Carribean is more casual than Europe.I have assumed no jacket or tie, but smart casual trousers and a shirt / polo shirt for men. Or even v smart dark denims (please comment re denim). Other websites says men always where jackets. Pleeease put my mind at rest. My hubby is very smart but does not like to wear suits. He is happy to where the tux on the formal nights but does not want to spend unnecessarily. Look forward to hearing from you.
Paula,
Unfortunately, I have never cruise Fred Olsen.
I am hoping one of our readers can do a better job of filling you in than I can. I did a quick search and found basically the same information that you did, that Caribbean is more casual, but could not find specifics as to what is acceptable and what is no.
I am going to suggest that you call FO’s customer service and see if one of their service people can help you with more specifics.
If you find a good answer, please let us know so that we can share the information.
Thanks.
[…] what dress codes are required for which nights etc.  If you’re still unsure, then take a look at this handy guide or visit your cruise line’s […]
Hello,
My husband and I are going on a Cunard cruise in Oct. For the formal nights would his dress military uniform be sutiable?
According to their web site:
“Formal evening wear consists of an evening or cocktail dress or smart trouser suit for ladies, a tuxedo, dinner jacket or dark suit for men. Military or Award decorations may be worn on formal nights. A range of gentleman’s formal wear is available to hire on board.”
I believe that the above includes military dress though not specifically mentioned. I have never been on Cunard, but on all cruises where formal is taken seriously, Military Dress uniforms are not only acceptable but encouraged. The ship’s officers wear a uniform similar to military dress. Thanks you for you husband’s service and have him wear his dress uniform with pride.
What is the dress code for River Cruises? Specifically, Uniworld River Cruises in Germany/Europe?
Hi Karen,
River cruise lines don’t make a big deal of dress codes, they are all smart casual/country club casual all the time. I’d suggest a quick visit to their web site. They have lots of pictures of people in Polos, Khakis, sweaters, jackets and sports coats, almost business casual.
www.uniworld.com/Why-Uniworld/Onboard-Experience#ad-image-0
I want to go on a cruise and wear an evening gown with out feeling overdressed. Which lines would you suggest for doing so?
Thanks.
D,
I too like to wear evening gowns, which you may have noticed from my gallery. Celebrity is still a good choice even though they are not quite as formal as they used to be, you will still see many gowns.
Cunard is another great choice for those who want to dress up! Short dresses tend to be the exception with Cunard, with most ladies wearing long gowns.
Longer itineraries also tend to attract the most formal people, so you may look at 10 day plus cruises if they are in your time and money budget.
Glad to hear someone else likes to dress up.
On only a return trip on the Queen Mary II back to the US are there still three evenings that you have to dress in formal attire?
As far as I can tell, the Cunard Trans-Atlantic crossings still have three full formal nights where Jacket and Tie are required for the gentlemen and formal attire for the ladies.