Karen’s sailed with themWhat to wear on Royal Caribbean
Relaxed and casual, with one to four optional Dress Your Best nights depending on the length of your sailing.
Dress codes and baggage taken from Royal Caribbean’s own website, checked 20 October 2026. Lines update these, so check your booking before you pack.
Royal Caribbean’s dress codes
- Casual
- Jeans, polos, sundresses and blouses. Shorts are welcome at breakfast and lunch.
- Smart Casual
- A step up for dinner: collared shirts, dresses, skirts and blouses or trouser suits; jackets and blazers welcome.
- Dress Your Best (formal)
- Your best black-tie look: suits and ties, tuxedos, cocktail dresses or evening gowns. The Chef’s Table also has a formal dress code.
How many dressy nights? Usually one Dress Your Best night on a 5-night cruise, two on 6 to 10 nights, three on 11 to 14 nights and three or four on 15 nights or more, at the ship’s discretion.
The rules
- Swimwear stays on the Pool Deck.
- No bare feet in any venue, and no tank tops in the Main Dining Room or speciality restaurants at dinner.
- Casino: shirt and shoes always, with a cover-up over swimwear.
- Camouflage and military-style clothing is illegal in Antigua, Barbados, Grenada, Jamaica, St Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago, so leave camo at home if you call there.
Day, pool and evening
Pool and sea day
On deck, by the pool, lunch at the buffet
- Swimsuit + cover-up
- Flat sandals
- Sun hat and sunglasses
Throw the cover-up on whenever you head inside: swimwear stays by the pool on all six lines.
Port day ashore
Exploring a port town or an excursion
- Linen shirt
- Shorts or a midi skirt
- Trainers
- Crossbody bag
- Light scarf
A light scarf covers your shoulders for churches and other religious sites.
Smart-casual evening
Most nights: dinner, the theatre, a bar
- Midi dress or silky top + tailored trousers
- Block-heel sandals
- Light knit for the deck
One dress and one pair of trousers with two or three tops will cover most evenings.
Dress Your Best (formal)
The dressy night(s)
- Slip dress or co-ord
- Block-heel sandals
- Earrings
One glam outfit you love, re-styled with different earrings, is plenty for a week.
The key pieces for each formula
Already got something similar? Pack that. If you're missing a piece for Royal Caribbean, pick a shop you like: the links open each shop’s own search, so you can browse their take on it.
01 Pool and sea day
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Swimsuit Takes up hardly any room, so pack two and there's always a dry one. -
Beach cover-up or kaftan Beach to lunch in seconds, no trip back to your room needed. -
Comfy flat sandals Comfy all day and light enough to pack a second pair. -
Packable sun hat A crushable one doesn't mind being squashed in your bag. Shop at Amazon UK ↗Check price -
Sunglasses Easy on your eyes all day, and they finish off any outfit.
02 Port day ashore
-
Linen shirt Throw it over a swimsuit or a tee, and it keeps the sun off your shoulders. -
Shorts Light, quick to dry and easy to roll. -
Cushioned trainers Wear them to travel and they'll carry you through long sightseeing days. -
Small crossbody bag Keeps your phone and cards close and your hands free. -
Lightweight scarf Covers your shoulders for churches and mosques, and keeps the sun off your neck.
03 Smart-casual evening
-
Easy midi dress One easy dress takes you from sightseeing to dinner with a quick shoe swap. -
Block-heel sandals A little height for the evening that you can actually walk in. -
Light cardigan Handy for air-con, cooler evenings and covering shoulders.
04 Dress Your Best (formal)
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Satin slip dress Dresses up for dinner and rolls up to almost nothing in your bag. - Block-heel sandals A little height for the evening that you can actually walk in.
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Statement earrings The easiest way to turn a day outfit into an evening one.
Karen’s tip“I use SHEIN and Temu all the time, and I read every review first, especially ones with photos on real people. They show the true quality and material; model shots can mislead. Check the size reviews too. My returns have always been free and easy, so if you’re unsure, order two sizes (check the returns policy first). And order early: delivery can take a while.”
Just so you know: we may earn a small commission if you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you. How our links work. Photos are from Unsplash to show the style, not the exact item (credits).
Karen’s tip Book your shore trips yourself
“On a cruise, I book my trips with Viator and GetYourGuide. The same trips the ship sells are often half the price, and some guarantee to get you back on time, which is most guests’ number one worry. But in 20 years of cruising and booking my own trips and itineraries, an independent tour has never let me down or made me miss the ship. The savings pay for treats! Take your passport and credit card, just in case.”
Check each tour's own return-to-ship terms before you book.
Karen’s tip Getting from the ship into town
“I use Rome2Rio to get from the ship into town: it shows walking, local transport and taxi routes. Basic cruise packages don’t include the shuttles, which can be pricey, so with four of you a taxi might work out cheaper. I always ‘do the maths’!”
Your baggage allowance
If you book flights through Flights by Royal, baggage follows your airline’s own rules and fees: Royal Caribbean says to check with the airline. Check your fare before you pack.
Sailing from Southampton instead? There’s no flight allowance to worry about, but bags still need to be easy for the crew to carry, and cabin storage is never huge.
Where this comes from
Outfit ideas are ours; dress codes and rules are Royal Caribbean’s own. All cruise lines →