What to Wear on a Cruise: Men's Packing Guide
Short answer: Most cruise lines run three evening dress codes: casual, smart casual, and formal or gala. For a seven-night cruise pack three linen shirts, two pairs of lightweight trousers, one jacket, two pairs of tailored shorts, two swim shorts and one pair of leather sandals plus one pair of smart shoes. Daytime on any ship is shorts and a shirt. The evening dress code is where men get it wrong.
Cruise packing lists are almost all written by people selling luggage. The real problem is that daytime on a ship is beach casual and dinner is closer to a city restaurant, and you have to cover both from one suitcase.
Cruise dress codes, translated
| Stated code | What men actually wear | Jacket? | Tie? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Casual | Linen shirt or polo, tailored shorts or trousers | No | No |
| Smart casual (some lines label this "elegant casual") | Collared shirt and trousers, closed shoes | Optional | No |
| Formal / gala night | Suit or tuxedo depending on the line | Yes | Usually |
| Themed night, white party | All white, linen is the standard answer | Optional | No |
| Daytime, anywhere on the ship | Shorts and a shirt, no swimwear indoors | No | No |
Almost every line now runs one or two formal nights in a seven-night sailing and leaves the rest smart casual. A linen shirt with trousers covers every night that is not formal night, which is most of them.
The white night
Most major lines run a white party at least once per sailing. Head-to-toe white is the ask, and 100% linen is the only fabric that does it without looking like a costume.
A white linen shirt with white linen trousers is the entire outfit. Our Pure White shirt at $139 with white linen trousers at $99 is $238 for a look you will also wear at every beach dinner for the next five years.
Seven-night cruise packing list
| Item | How many | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Linen shirts | 3 | One white for the white night, one blue, one stripe |
| Lightweight trousers | 2 | Every evening that is not formal night |
| Jacket or blazer | 1 | Formal night only, unstructured |
| Tailored shorts | 2 | Daytime on board and ashore |
| Swim shorts | 2 | One always drying |
| T-shirts and polos | 3 | Daytime layers |
| Leather sandals | 1 | Pool deck and casual dinners |
| Smart shoes | 1 | Formal night, loafers are enough |
| Light knit or overshirt | 1 | Deck at night and over-air-conditioned dining rooms |
Why linen specifically on a ship
Three reasons. Cabins are small and linen packs flat. Ships are humid and salty, and linen handles both better than cotton because it moves moisture off the skin and dries fast. And laundry on board is expensive, so a fabric you can rinse in a cabin sink and hang overnight saves real money across a week.
The trade is creasing, which on a cruise genuinely does not matter, because half the ship is in shorts and the other half is at the buffet.
Caribbean versus Mediterranean
Caribbean, December to April. 26 to 30°C, humid, high UV. Long sleeve linen for sun cover on port days. Pale colours for midday. Evenings on deck are warm enough that you will not need the knit.
Mediterranean, May to September. Hotter and drier at midday, cooler after dark. Port days involve a lot of walking on stone, so bring the sneakers. Dress codes ashore in Italy, Spain and Greece are smarter than Caribbean ports.
If you are sailing the Med, the Amalfi Coast guide covers the port-day half of the wardrobe.
What not to pack
Denim, which is heavy, hot and slow to dry. More than one jacket. Dress shoes with leather soles, which are miserable on wet deck. And a shirt for every night, because three linen shirts washed once mid-cruise covers seven evenings.
Three shirts from us is $321.30 from the Positano Capsule at $119 each with the automatic 10%, or $375.30 from the core line at $139.
Common questions
What is smart casual on a cruise for men?
A collared shirt and trousers with closed shoes. No tie, and a jacket is optional. A linen shirt with lightweight trousers covers every cruise evening that is not formal night.
What do men wear on formal night on a cruise?
A suit or tuxedo depending on the line. Most seven-night sailings have one or two formal nights and leave the remaining evenings smart casual.
What do you wear to a white party on a cruise?
Head-to-toe white. A white linen shirt with white linen trousers is the standard answer and the only combination that does not look like a costume.
How many outfits do I need for a seven-night cruise?
Three linen shirts, two pairs of trousers, two pairs of shorts, two swim shorts and three t-shirts or polos. Three shirts washed once mid-cruise covers seven evenings.
Can you wear shorts to dinner on a cruise?
At the buffet and casual venues, yes. In the main dining room in the evening, no. Most lines ask for trousers after six.
Is linen good for a cruise?
Yes. It packs flat in a small cabin, handles humidity and salt air better than cotton, and dries overnight in a cabin sink, which avoids expensive onboard laundry.
What should I not pack for a cruise?
Denim, which is heavy and slow to dry, more than one jacket, dress shoes with leather soles, and a separate shirt for every night.
Related reading: What to wear on the Amalfi Coast · What to wear to a beach wedding · The three-shirt linen capsule