Every cruise company has a dress code of some type. Of course, there are always people who break dress code rules. Those guests who follow the dress code rules often complain about the other guests’ poor adherence to those rules.
There are cruise companies that have abandoned the evening dress code. Guests decide what to wear and when to wear it. You can stay in your favorite shorts and tank tops or wear a lavish dress every night – it’s left up to your discretion. The Norwegian Cruise Line, with its slogan: “Free-style cruises! This is the company to recommend if you do not want to bother with evening gowns. So if you are cruising on a liner where there is an evening dress code you will be provided with tomorrow’s schedule of events, indicating what kind of dress code is acceptable during the day and in the evening. In the daytime on all the liners it is definitely casual. In the evening it is different, depending on the program of special events. Not every evening you’ll need a dress “to the floor. But, in any case, you can count on the obligatory gala evening on every cruise, or “dinner with the captain,” to which guests will be invited to come in their best attire. Orientations to help plan the number of evening wear options, broken down into categories: casual (casual, except swimsuit, shorts, beach pareos, etc.), smart casual (smart casual or cocktail dress), formal (evening dress, most often long, cocktail dress is acceptable):
Cunard Line presents formal, semi-formal and smart casual dress code. Formal attire is black tie or formal dark suits for men and evening gowns for women. Semi-formal attire is jackets and ties for men and cocktail dresses or pantsuits for women. Elegant casual attire is jackets (tie optional) for men and dresses, skirts or pants for women. The dress code applies to the entire ship in the evenings.
Azamara Club Cruises – “casual leisure wear”; this can be comfortable casual clothing, polos, shorts, pants and jackets (if desired, but not required) for men and casual comfortable clothing, shorts, casual dresses, skirts and pants for women.Number of formal evenings: cruise company rules state that evening attire is not required. You can dress formally, but there are no formal evenings on company ships. Also, there are no tuxedo rentals aboard the ships. The option to dine in casual attire on board: all company restaurants welcome a loose style of dress, but the Windows Cafe (“buffet”) allows a more relaxed option in dress.
Carnival Cruise Line evening attire aboard the company’s ships is usually casual, but take evening attire with you anyway; you’ll need it several times during the cruise. By casual, the cruise company means pants, jeans (no rips), long shorts and t-shirts for men, casual dresses, casual skirts, pants, blouses, summer dresses, capri pants, dresses, shorts and jeans (no rips) for women. Elegant clothes on the cruise are loose pants, shirts and sport jackets for men and cocktail dresses, pantsuits, elegant skirts and blouses for women. For formal evening guests can wear suits and ties, tuxedos or evening gowns.
Celebrity Cruises states that 2 types of evening wear will be required on the cruise. Dress in a semi-formal style: sports shirts and pants for men and skirts or pants, blouses, casual dresses are appropriate for women. At formal events, both men and women can appear in more dressy clothes, although it is not required. Men do not have to wear jackets and ties.
Costa Cruises Dress Code: On board the company’s ships you are free to dress casually. Most events are informal. However, on formal evenings, more formal attire is suggested.
Crystal Cruises Dress Code: Crystal Cruises has 3 types of dress code – formal, informal and casual. After 6pm, casual daytime attire is clearly not appropriate. No shorts or baseball caps can be worn. Formal evenings offer guests the opportunity to dress formally: a dark suit and tie or tuxedo for men and evening gowns for women. Informal dress is also common on board company ships. Shirts with button-down collars are recommended for men (as well as sports polo shirts) with pants and blouses, sweaters, skirts, dresses or dressy pants for women.