Clothes for a cruise....

[Gingerteabag]

Anyone able to share some tips on what likely to need for a week round the Mediterranean. Company is MSC if that makes a difference (I understand some are more formal than others.) Specifically,
-Do people really dress up for dinner. Someone told me DH would need to take a suit, which he'll hate!
-Do you need jumpers/ cardigan etc for evening/in air conditioned areas or is it just roasting hot all the time?
We've small kids so not likely to be much evening out opportunities, just want to make sure have what's needed for rest of time. No idea how I'm going to get it all in a suitcase, not blessed with light packing skills and kids are dirt-magnets.
Many thanks for any advice!

[Chewbecca]

Hello - I'm a regular cruiser! Have not sailed with MSC though so cannot comment on them specifically but I believe they are relatively casual.

For me, I would wear shorts, t shirts, cotton dresses & very comfy sandals in the day time. In the evenings you generally get a choice of dining, a self service casual place where you can stay in your shorts. We don't go there at all but many families do. There is usually a main dining room where long trousers are needed. I mostly wear smart jeans (sometimes white), heels or wedges and a nice top. You can find out in advance if there will be any 'formal' nights which when people wear more dressy and sparkly clothes. So I would either decide to casual that night or pack one dressy outfit.

DH wears smart trousers & a shirt (sometimes polo shirt) every evening with loafers. He also takes a jacket which he adds on formal nights or if we go to the paid for restaurants. Not essential but he likes it. Never a suit, some do but many do not.

DS also wears jeans or trousers and a shirt or polo in the evening with vans type trainers. He has no jacket. Neither take ties either. When he was little, he wore beige linen trousers and waistcoats from Monsoon with canvas shoes but he's too old for them now!

We're probably on the more casual end of the scale (my preference) but still look totally normal.

Hope that helps!

[Chewbecca]

Noticed your other point, ships tend to be cool in the evening regardless of outside temp!

[kizzywizz]

Do not take 23 pairs of shoes for a 7 night cruise, as you will only wear 3 pairs in the whole week ! I'm a much better packer now , but casual all the way for us.

[Greenteandchives]

We have been on MSC. You will see all sorts in the evening, from people in full dinner suits and long dresses, to more casual such as you would wear out to a nice restaurant at home. Long trousers are usually required for men in the evening if you want to eat in the main dining room. You should be able to check on your paperwork or on line regarding if your DH needs a tie or jacket on your particular cruise. My DH wore a dinner suit on the formal nights, but plenty of men don’t. And if you really want to stay casual there is always the buffet. Hope you have a great time.

[Greenteandchives]

I should have said that not all nights are formal dress on cruises. You will have smart casual most nights. You may not even have a formal night if you are on a 7 day cruise. Again, check your paperwork or online, or post your question on a cruise forum site such as Cruise Critic.

[Gingerteabag]

Thanks so much, thats all really helpful. I'll try and restrain the 23 pairs of shoes!

[Greenteandchives]

Ginger this might help. It’s from an MSC daily.

[MinesaPinot]

Hello, fairly regular cruiser here, although also not with MSC. I usually take a mix of lightweight dresses/shorts/t-shirts for the daytime. Pair of comfy flat sandals/skater/Converse-type shoes for during the day onboard ship and also sightseeing.

The cruise line that we go with (P&O) still have formal nights, so I have evening dresses and DH takes a dinner suit. Otherwise, the dress code is 'Evening Casual' so I pack what I would wear to a nice restaurant over here (trousers which nice top or a dress). I try and take just a couple of pairs of heels/sandals for the evening, usually one in a neutral shade and one in black which will go with all evening outfits.

Some ships can get quite cool in the evening (air conditioning is sometimes a bit fierce) and also if you go out on deck it can be breezy, so rather than pack a separate jacket I take a couple of pashminas, again in neutral shades that will go with everything.

DH takes similar to me for the daytime - jeans/light trousers, shorts, t-shirts/polo shirts. For the evening he's got smart trousers and a number of smart short sleeved shirts. Sometimes he'll take a jacket as well, and he will take his dinner suit for formal night.

I agree that forums like Cruise Critic are invaluable sources of information if you are not sure of anything or post on here - one of us will pop up to help!

Hope this helps, and have a great time!

[MinesaPinot]

Trousers which a nice top ????

I meant to say 'trousers with a nice top'!

[Gingerteabag]

Thanks ever do much, all very helpful