Les vacances, les vêtements

We are leaving in ten days for a seven-day Alaska cruise (with a two-day Vancouver visit on the tail end) and having never been on a cruise before, I am flummoxed about what to pack.

We will have three days of land excursions, all of which will be jeans-and-sweaters type venues, and the rest will be aboard ship. Supposedly there are two “formal” dinners, but can I get away with a dressy skirted suit accessorized with some sparkly stuff? S’il vous plait, je demande votre assistance…how much of what do I need??? Experienced cruisers, please share your tips and suggestions.
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28 Comments

  1. hello, i really like your blog, but have never commented before – my grandma takes the family on a cruise every year – we are so lucky! I am 30 and so have some experience with cruises. As for the formal dinners, while some people dress black tie formal, most dress as you have mentioned – a nice suit with some jewels (especially on non-tropical cruises). You can call the cruise line and ask them (they should have someone who is in charge of the ships social calendar to answer these questions). Each cruise line is different. I always wear a sheath in a rich fabric with heels and a diamond necklace for the formal dinners, with a jacket or shawl if it is cold. As for the daytime, resort/country club wear is the norm – lots of polos, jeans, bathing suits, nice casual wear – think relaxed Ralph Lauren. Of course this depends on the age group of the cruise line: older crowd, family-oriented, youth-oriented, party-cruise, richer set? I always dress as if I’m going to a fancy Day Spa with comfy yet classy mixed-gender appropriate lounge wear and classic chic evening wear. Hope this helps. Again, you should be able to call the cruise line for more precise info on the dress suggestions. Great Blog! I miss Paris so much – went to college there (Paris IV 🙂

  2. Yes, you can wear a long skirt with some kind of sparkly top. None of the men we went with wore tuxes on the formal nights, just dark suits. The rest of the nights we wore resort-evening wear for dinners. No jeans basically.

    The clothing you post about would be fine. Daytimes anything goes, especially to Alaska where you are doing hiking and biking and other some such stuff.

    Your regular sense of clothing and style will carry you just fine on the cruise. You could go crazy with clothing, but you don’t have to.

    Then again, I went with my two one and a half year olds when we did Alaska cruising, so I was in “survival” mode at the time. LOL

  3. Never been on a cruise so can’t help on the dress code – maybe watch old episodes of The Love Boat (ha ha) for guidance!

    Enjoy yourself – very jealous – I’m sure it will be very beautiful.

  4. Love your blog. DH and I travel a lot. Took a cruise to Alaska last year. I took a pair of black silk pants with 2 different tops – one was a sparkly sleeveless and the other was a black silk tank with a fancy shawl. I’ve taken several cruises and found the Alaska on Princess Line to be the least dressy on formal nights. Very few men wore tuxedos.

    For daytime, jeans are great with some long sleeved tees. Also take a fleece as it can get cold and this packs well. For casual nights, I took pants (black again) and knit tops. Hope this helps. Just thought I’d mention we’re off to Paris for 5 days in two weeks. Although we’ve been there several times, I’m still excited . Enjoy your cruise. Noreen

  5. Anon – glad you enjoy the blog. Thanks so much for the information; it was very helpful. We did get the packet from the cruise line, but I’ve heard that not everyone gets as dressy as the literature would indicate. We don’t go out much to parties or other dressy venues, so that kind of item is sadly lacking from my wardrobe. I’m on the hunt for a long skirt…not easy to find right now going into summer!

    spacegeek – thanks! Mon mari is pretty adamant that a tux is out for him. He’ll do a suit/tie if he has to. I’m hoping to avoid having to buy much that will only gather dust after the cruise.

  6. Sal and WendyB – I’m so looking forward to it, especially the helicopter ride to the glaciers!

    LBR – I may be e-mailing you to run through my packing list.

    Miss Janey – thanks so much!

  7. Imogen – eeek! I’m proud to say that I’ve never watched an episode of The Love Boat, but a friend did once force me to sit through an entire Fantasy Island. I was a “Dallas” and “Dynasty” girl.

    Noreen – Thanks! I’m relieved to hear that silk pants may suffice. Those I can do! Oooh, Paris. I hope we can go back next year. Have a wonderful time!!!

  8. Sher – we did get the packet, but I’ve been hoping that the “formal wear” requirement was a little bit flexible, as I don’t currently own anything remotely in that category. (We just don’t attend those kinds of events anymore.) I think I’ll be able to cobble something together, hoping that I can baffle ’em with bling so the rest of what I’m wearing will pass muster. 😉 Would love to see your pics, though!

  9. I know I have told you before, I LOVED my cruise to Alaska. It is such a shockingly beautiful place. You will love it.

    Add sparkle and you will be fine.

  10. Une femme, I’m sure you’ll outdo them all in terms of chic. And a suit is fine for Monsieur Pseu.

    I’ve never been to Alaska but have worked in the Far North of Québec. Spectacular, but sad sometimes to see what has become of the Native people (I was working with an Aboriginal association).

    I’m sure you’ll love Vancouver, and want to return there – not a hard jaunt from California.

    By the way, anonymous, I also miss Paris. Haven’t been there for four years, and trying to remedy that.

  11. I was debating if I should post or not. I went to the Bahamas on a cruise that I won from work. It was awful….the ship was old, our room smelled and the air didn’t work. We dressed up for formal night but others didn’t pay attention to the dresscode. Our table mates were very interesting to say the least…and the food was awful. I am hesitant to go on another cruise, but Alaska does sound lovely. I hope you post many photos and have a wonderful time. I may cruise again, but it would only be on a line that was recommended by friends. I advised my boss that while the cruise was a lovely gesture the cash equivalent is much appreciated.

    Loved Imogen’s comment about watching old episodes of Love Boat.

  12. On Royal Caribbean and Celebrity the 2 formal nights tend to be floor length gowns or skirts. I wore cocktail dresses on semi formal nights. For the men, you can rent tuxes (directly from the cruise company) or wear a nice suit. (I’ll send what we wore)

    These are stated in the handbook you received when you book your cruise. The handbook comes along with the baggage tickets for your luggage. All in one large package in the mail.

    Now there are several dining areas and you are not obligated to attend formal night and can eat in another area. But it is fun, and all part of the whole cruise experience.

    We enjoy the main dining room, the waiters and head waiter all remember your names. By the end of the cruise they can anticipate what you prefer. Love the night they sing for everyone. Oh! never miss the midnight buffet. It’s a work of art!

    For the rest of the cruise, just dress appropriately for your shore excursions that you may have booked.

    Have a wonderful time! I’m soo hooked on cruises 🙂

  13. Hello… I have never been on a cruise but I do live in Anchorage AK. I believe that everything that you have suggested to wear so far sounds perfect and very appropriate. My parents and also my grandparents have taken the Alaska cruise @ different times. My mom wore a printed knee length dress, my grandmother wore a skirted suit, and my dad and grandfather wore suits. From what I have seen so far, from reading your blog, you dress very classy and have nothing to worry about.

    I would suggesting wearing several layers of clothing. If you are not used to our weather it tends to be on the chilly side for most. That way you can take off or put on layers as it suits you. Here are some things I would suggest. a light rain jacket, a polartech or some similar style jacket/shawl, a twin set, and a cami under that. Then your choice of bottom jean/slacks depending on the excursion. Also for the helicopter ride glacier tour, you also might want to bring a hat and pair of knit mittins. You really do not need heavy duty winter wear but a little something is nice to ward off the chill.

    I hope this helps some. Alaska is a breathtakingly beautiful place I hope you take lots of pictures and have a wonderful time!

    k

  14. Don’t forget something for *rain*! Like a slicker and umbrella! It is likely to be foggy/misty much of the time! And shoes that resist water/can go through puddles. 🙂

  15. I haven’t been on a cruise (yet), but I live in Vancouver, and I can certainly recommend some places there— Granville Island Market for very high end hand-made things (some beautiful silk scarves there–two different artisans’ shops–one who does nothing but plisse),as well as two or three very good restaurants, the Museum of Anthropology (fantastic west coast native sculpture in a gorgeous setting), the Tea House restaurant in Stanley Park.I am so pleased you are coming to my town..I hope you like it! Summer in Vancouver is great!

  16. Hi, I can´t help it, but this coming cruise of yours, with all that fancy dressing up and living on the ship, reminds me of Agatha Christie´s Orient Express story. It is the setting, not the mystery story:). Anyways, I´m glad that you are going on a vacation now. It has been a hard year for you, and you deserve to focus on something nice. Enjoy!

  17. I’ve only been on one cruise – to Alaska. I say bring layers, comfortable hiking shoes…formal night – black dress or black skirt and top with nice jewelry.

    Most importantly bring your camera…Alaska is a feast for your eyes and you are sure to want to post pictures on your blog.

  18. Oh wow, I’m doing the same trip in August, including the last 2 days in Vancouver.

    My cousin has gone on this cruise often and tells me that it’s very informal. And a friend who works with Princess says the Alaska trips are very “funky granola”. She only brings along a black skirt (she’s a buyer for the on-board shops).

    My cousin says to make sure to bring along a rain jacket, because there is a lot of drizzle and wetness in the glacier areas. And when you get your clothes wet you stay very cold. Also, she recommends hiking boots as walking onboard can be very slippery. Also, others have mentioned that the port stops can be muddy.

    I can hardly wait to see your posts, so I’m prepared for my trip!

    Have a great time.
    cg

  19. PS: I’ve done the Carnival cruises a couple of times to Mexico, and those formal nights can get very fancy. I’m told it’s much different on Alaska cruises.

    cg

  20. lagatta – you give me too much credit, I’m sure. 😉 Have I mentioned the best part about Vancouver? I’m going to get to meet materfamilias!

    L – ugh, that sounds horrible! What a disappointment that must have been. The cruise line/ship we’ll be on comes highly recommended. We did lots of online research before we booked.

    Belle – weird thing…it’s actually warmer in Vancouver and parts of Alaska this week that here on the Westside!

  21. Kelly – thanks for all of the great tips! Layers are my standard travel m.o., so I think I’ll be good there. The boys have “3-in-1” waterproof jackets and I have my Mycra-Pac hooded raincoat. I’m going to grab an extra memory card for the camera too, am expecting to take LOTS of pics!

    Duchesse – if I had one, I’d take it. CZ’s will have to suffice this time. 😉

    Katriona – I am SO looking forward to seeing Vancouver! I haven’t really spent any time there since I was 10 years old. All of your suggestions have been noted, thanks!

  22. spacegeek – wet weather is something we’re covered for, thank goodness!

    metscan – thank you. Hopefully we will have no murders or mysteries to solve, other than the imaginary/recreational kind. But yes, a cruise does seem romantic and a throwback to more elegant times.

  23. Cynthia – thanks! It’s sounding like what I’ve planned to bring will be workable. Whew!

    cg – you don’t know how comforting the phrase “funky granola” is to me. 😀 Rain gear, we have covered. I don’t have any hiking boots, but I do have my waterproof Mephisto after-ski boots that are good for walking on snow and ice. I’ll bring those. Thanks, and I’m looking forward to posting about the trip and sharing pics with everyone.