Cruise holiday

[Spanishsue]

Have never been on a cruise before and wondered what sort of clothes to take. Not a posh cruise just a week around the med, but I’ve heard some people say there is a “posh” night when you need to dress up a bit.

Which line?

Mostly it’s fairly casual (most ships have a no shorts or beachwear rule for table service meals) and there is often a formal night but it’s optional. Some people get very dressed up for this but I never do. I usually have a long black beach dress with a cardigan and big jewellery

It will depend some what on which cruise line you are sailing with. It will also depends on how long the cruise is with how many formal nights there are. Roughly 7 nights is 2 formal nights and 14 nights 3 or 4. If you are sailing with Cunard every night is basically formal night and it is strictly enforced on Cunard.

You wear what makes you comfortable. There are cruisers who wear shorts and skimpy tee shirts, and then, cruisers like me, who always wear dresses.

Dress up nights are voluntary. If you are eating in the main dining room, you dress up - DJs and sparkles. If that's not your thing, you can go the the buffet in your shorts and skimpy tee shirt.

I usually cruise with P&O and love the dress-up nights - it's lovely to have an excuse to wear a really glam dress and heels!

If you haven't got much to spend try eBay where there are often sparkly dresses from places such as Quiz and Coast etc for next to nothing - I bought my entire dress quota from there for a Caribbean cruise pre-covid and got some really lovely dresses included a pure silk Karen millen dress for about £20.

Id say IME you'll feel more silly not dressing up on the black-tie nights than just going for it. Other than that just take normal holiday wear/stuff for by the pool. And remember to take some sheer cover ups if you're going to be traipsing around in the heat on excursions and burn like I do!

I love cruising - hope you love it too OP!

Marella cruise with tui

I was on a Marella cruise in the last couple of months, having been on several pre-pandemic.

This one had relaxed their formal evening in that you didn't shake hands with the captain, but most people in the MDR were dressed up. I think the things that didn't happen were excused by COVID.

If you want to sparkle up, then do. If you want to wear a nice dress, then do. If you want to dress down, then you can in the buffet.

What is your instinct, OP?

A satin top and black fluid trousers. Always works. You don’t need heels. No one will look. Decent sparkly jewellery but not your expensive rocks.

I haven't done Marella (have been on many others though).

Some lines I will take a dress for the smart evenings but mostly wear trousers, a spangly top & wedges. The smart evenings generally have better food so most people go but if you are bothered about dressing up, you can always go to the buffet instead.

Be aware most ships are quite well air conditioned so don't wear the sort of light summer dress you would in Greece or Spain, you will be too cold.

Cruise Critic boards are good.

I can tell you what not to take, don't take 24 pairs of shoes, sandals and trainers for a seven night cruise, you end up only wearing 3 of those pairs !