Article Trunk



Cruise Vacation ” Dont Make This Mistake

05.30.2009 · Posted in Home and Garden Articles

Dont be left out of the dining room on ruin your cruise vacation! A common mistake first time cruisers make is to not pack the appropriate clothing. Most cruise ships have several dress codes for dinner service. This is different from a land style vacation.nnDress codes are a common part of the cruising experience. Many people, in fact, take cruises for this reason. They like dressing up a few nights during their vacation. Many cruise ships have a dress code for the evening meal. At the very least, this means no shorts allowed. Discuss the dress code of the cruise ships you are considering with your travel agent, cruise broker, or directly with the cruise line.nnShorts are usually never allowed at the evening meal. There are different dress codes depending on the cruise line you book with. However, they all fall into three basic categories. The cruise line Royal Caribbean calls them casual, smart casual, and formal.nnCasual dress code requires men to wear slacks and a sport shirt. Think of the kind of shirt that has a collar and is button down. Ladies should wear a sundress or nice slacks and shirt.nnSmart casual dress code steps up the casual dress code a notch. It requires men to dress up the casual dress code outfit with a jacket and tie. Women are required to wear dresses or even a nice pants suit. These outfits should be something a little nicer than what you would wear to dinner on a casual night.nnThe formal dress code is all about looking your very best. Your most formal attire should be worn on these nights. Men should wear suits and ties, or even tuxedos. Many cruise ships offer tuxedo rental service. If you plan on using this service call ahead so to make sure they have your size on board. A benefit to this service is not having to pack and travel with that extra bulky outfit. Women should wear a cocktail dress or evening gown.nnThe overall length of your cruise influences the amount of nights dedicated to each specific dress code. Typically longer cruises have more formal nights. Shorter cruises may not even have a formal night at all.nnOne of my favorite things about formal night is the portrait sessions. Most cruise lines have a staff of professional portrait photographers. They set up mobile portrait studios with different backgrounds. Although you can have your portrait taken throughout the cruise vacation, the formal night is the most popular night for this.nnSpecific requirements of the dress code vary depending on the ship and the cruise line. Contact the cruise line or your travel agent to get the specific requirements of the ship you are sailing on. Use a packing checklist to avoid forgetting anything. Have a great cruise vacation!

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.