What To Wear on a Cruise? 31 Best Outfit Ideas

Cruise Trips can be so exciting, but the hu packing process can sometimes be a bit of a challenge as you don’t want to overpack. But at the same time, you don’t want to leave behind your favorite clothes. So we’re here to help you pack for your cruise with some great outfit ideas.

Vacations are like taking a break from our daily lives. A Cruise trip can be more than just a vacation because you’re going to travel around the sea.

On a cruise, you can explore the seaside, but without actually leaving your comfortable beds or missing out on parties. You’ll have to pack clothes that always look as good as you do.

Here’s everything that we’ll cover today:

Packing Tips

Here are some useful tips/tricks that will be helpful in your packing list. Please note that these tips have been drafted when considering a one-week cruise trip. If you’re going for more days then you’ll have to plan accordingly but this will give you a good idea:

  • Pack at least one set of heels or flats to wear with your dress. One pair of day shoes as well. If you like to workout, then bring your sneakers or workout shoes.
  • Cruise trips are generally for a whole week, So carry 7-8 outfits and some extra clothes.
  • Bring a few basic pieces of jewelry to mix and match with your outfits.
  • Bring some warm clothes or a sweater because the nights are usually cold, and even when they’re not, the air conditioners on cruise ships can make you feel a little chilly.

Summer Outfits

31 – Cruise Date

For a date on a cruise, you want to look minimalist but fresh so go for a simple printed dress like the below ones in polka dot and striped prints. Keep your makeup as light and natural as possible.

cruise outfits for women

30 – Casual Look – Blue Sleeveless Shirt with White pants

Both striped tees and blue-coloured tees are the best choices when it comes to a casual outfit. You can wear them with bottoms of your choice, including white pants, shorts or skirts. Or you can just wear baggy tees on their own.

29 – Red Pants

Bright and bold outfits always look good in your cruise pictures and there’s nothing better than red pants when we talk about bright colored outfits. If you’re confused about what to wear with such pants then do go through these Ideas On How To Wear Red Pants.

cruise outfits for women

28 – Tie and Dye

Tie and Dye outfits, particularly in black or blue colors on a white base are a great choice for cruise vacations. You can choose them in either dresses or shirts, in a shape and style that suits you best.

Here are some of my favourite ways to wear tie dye.

cruise outfits for women

27 – Can I Wear Boots on a Cruise?

Of course, you can! Both brown and black boots and booties are not just very comfortable but they can also be paired with several outfits. If you’re comfortable wearing them then do pack them for your trip. If you’re unsure about what you’ll wear with these shoes, do go through these Stylish Outfits to Wear with Long Boots This Season.

26 – Funky Tribal Prints

Tribal prints are funky, bold and eye-catching – so whether you’re planning on sitting by the pool or reading a book in the lounge, a tribal print hat is always a good choice.

25 – What to Wear in the Evenings?

For evening wear, most people choose to go with formal or semi-formal outfits. If cocktail dresses are not your thing, you can dress up in a formal top, designer jeans and heels.

cruise outfits for women

24 – Floral Prints

Floral prints look great against the blue ocean backdrop and the best thing with these prints is that you can always find something that suits your style. From pastels to bright and from bold to dark colours, there is such a huge variety of floral outfits that you can find these days.

cruise outfits for women

23 – Statement Backs

For those dreamy pictures as you look off into the sunset, statement backs are the perfect choice. Do check out these tips on what Bras To Wear With A Backless Dress For A Perfect Look. You can also choose swimsuits with statement backs and then layer over them with a skirt.

cruise outfits for women

Swimsuit from Ubu Swimwear

22 – Playsuit

The good thing about packing playsuits like these is that you can easily mix and match them with other outfits to create new looks.

cruise outfits for women

21 – Must-Have Accessories

Keeping the latest trends in mind, you must pack with you a straw hat and either a straw or bamboo bag. Both these accessories give off those cruise vibes that we love and you can easily pair them with any outfit for a nice, relaxed day on the cruise. The spacious bags are also great for storing other cruise essentials like sunscreens. And if they’re big enough, you can even carry your cover-up in it.

cruise trip outfits

20 – First Day Outfit

On the day of departure, the outfit should be casual because throughout the day you will be exploring around the cruise, and taking some good pictures for the gram. The first-night dinner is also served casually, so there is no need to wear anything formal on the first day. Here’s a complete Smart Casual Attire Guide for Women.

19 – Beach Day Outfit

A Beach outfit is a must-have. On most cruises, you’ll be spending an entire day on the sea, so you must make sure to pack up a beach outfit. Choosing the right color according to your style is important because you don’t want to have a bad picture day at the beach. If you’re Accessorizing with jewellery, it will complete your look and if it’s a chilly destination then you would want to keep some cover-ups or kimonos.

18 – Port Stop

Cruise port stops are great, also get some time for shopping. As there are some spots to explore a new place and shop around. Outfit for shopping day must be on-point. If it is a sunny day, You can also replace these jeans with denim shorts.

17 – Jumpsuit

We all enjoy wearing jumpsuits on vacation because they are extremely travel-friendly. It’s only one piece of clothing that will make you look stunning while also keeping your luggage light. Jumpsuits come in so many designs and fabrics. But I would advise that you don’t pick one with linen fabric, so you don’t need to iron it again and again. Here are some of my favourite jumpsuit outfits.

16 – Swimsuit

Swimsuits are what you’ll need the most on the cruise. Pool parties happen all the time on the cruise, Always bring a minimum of two swimsuits because it might take some time to dry the other one, so just keep an extra one. If you are still not sure that this is your style, then you can wear a floral cover-up to carry it according to your style.

Winter Outfits

15 – Striped Pants

Just like your favourite jeans, your striped pants can be paired with any top you want. The advantage they have over jeans is that these pants mostly come in loose fittings so you’re more comfortable, especially when cruising in Summer or humid weather. Here are more ideas on the different Ways To Wear Striped Pants.

cruise outfits for women

14 – Blazer with Jeans

If you’re looking for some real cruise trip inspiration, I highly recommend that you follow Graziana from Cruisedapril on Instagram. She’s an Italian beauty, currently based in Germany who loves cruising and shares lots of fun cruise experiences on her blog.

cruise outfits for women

13 – All-White

White is the best choice for daytime cruises as it looks angelic when working around water. You can layer your white dress with a denim or leather jacket if you want.

Jacket from Zara

Dress from Tetigo

Shoes from Sam Edelman

For Women Over 50

12 – Black Top Paired with Any Bright Colored Pants

11 – Printed Tops/Dresses

10 – Long Cardigans

Formal Dinner Looks

9 – New Year Eve’s

New Year’s eve is one of the most special nights of the year and if you’re lucky enough to be cruising on this day, you need to go all out. Once again, we’re taking inspiration from the cruising queen, Graziana as we crush over this gold sequin dress of hers.

cruise outfits for women

8 – Dinner Outfit

7 – Gala Night

Gala Night on a Cruise can be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The outfit for Gala Night is supposed to be formal. Nothing can ever go wrong with a formal long Maxi with this beautiful front-cut look.

Always choose heels with this outfit, it can either be mid-length heels or any other pair of heels according to your comfort. For more ideas, you should check out these Women’s Boat Party Outfits.

You can buy this outfit here.

6 – Last Formal Night

On the Last night of the cruise, there will be a formal dinner, you’ll leave with so many memories that you would have made throughout your cruise trip. Your outfit shouldn’t be uncomfortable because that can ruin your evening. So it is important to dress glamorous but yet what is comfortable for you, and this outfit speaks it all.

Here are some more ideas on what you can wear for the cruise formal night:

cruise outfits for women

Plus Size Outfits

5 – Maxi Dresses

Maxi dresses are great for curvy and plus-size women but you want them to have detailing at the right places.

cruise outfits for women

4 – Bright Colored Jackets

For casual wear, bright-coloured tops and jackets are an excellent choice.

cruise outfits for women

What Celebrities Wear on Cruise

3 – Millie Bobby Brown

2 – Hailey Beiber

1 – Beyonce

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. What kind of clothes do you wear on a cruise?

There is no particular restriction when it comes to cruise wear, so just wear things that you’re most comfortable with – whether it’s jeans, skirts, or maxi dresses. Of course, if you want to make the most of your trip and take some memorable pictures then keep a mix of different types of casual and semi-formal clothes so you can try something new every day.

Q. Can I wear jeans on a cruise?

Most cruises don’t allow jeans for formal dinners, so it is important to check this with your cruise management before you leave. For longer cruise trips, jeans and shorts are acceptable for daywear and informal gatherings.

Q. Should I carry a purse on a cruise?

Once you’re on board, you probably won’t need your wallet so it should ideally be stored safely in your rooms. Carrying a purse or handbag is completely your choice – if you feel like it complements your outfit or that you can safely carry it around, then do go for it. Many women also prefer carrying handbags on cruises to store items they might need like makeup, sunscreen, perfumes, etc.

Q. Do I have to attend the cruise gala night?

Attending the formal nights is not necessary so you can skip it if you want. But I would recommend that you attend it at least once to enjoy that experience. After all, you paid for the cruise, so why not make the most of your time there?

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