What do you wear on a first cruise?

Casual attire is welcome on board – you are on vacation after all. While the days of dedicated “formal nights” in the main dining room have since sailed, one of the most pressing questions for first-time cruisers remains: “how formal is formal?” The answer: it's up to you!



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Men may wear slacks with collared dress shirts or sweaters, but jackets are optional. Women should choose dresses, pantsuits or skirts or slacks with nice tops. On formal nights, proper attire includes tuxedos, suits or slacks (jackets required) for men and evening gowns, cocktail dresses or dressy pantsuits for women.

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During the day, we encourage you to wear casual attire such as t-shirts, tank tops, shorts, sundresses, and skirts. If you're spending the day at the pool, you can also have lunch or dine in casual pool clothes at the Mast Grill located next to the pool deck.

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You'll have to go through a security screening, and then it's time to present your travel documents, passport, and credit card (to cover onboard charges) for check-in. Your best bet is to streamline your check-in process with the Celebrity Cruises app, which is available on most Celebrity ships.

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Getting on your ship means a lot of choices on how to begin your vacation, but many guests elect to start things off with lunch. Embarkation usually begins in the late morning to early afternoon, so lunch is the first opportunity to sit down for a bite to eat.

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What's the ideal cruise length for a first-timer? A week or so is the sweet spot for most first-time cruisers, which will offer three to six ports. Three-day sampler itineraries won't allow you to explore more than one or two destinations, and you can't decompress as thoroughly, either.

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Ambient temperature on the vessels ranges between 18 – 20°C (64 – 68°F) in public areas, while cabin temperatures may be adjusted according to your preference.

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Casual Looks: Pack at least 4 pairs of shorts, 5 – 7 t-shirts, 3 pairs of pants, 3 skirts, and a couple of day dresses. Dinner Attire: Bring enough smart-casual looks for 7 nights.

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For evenings, the recommended onboard dress is elegant casual for most ship venues. Suggested attire for men includes trousers and collared shirts (ties and jackets are optional but not required). For women, dresses, or skirts or slacks with sweaters or blouses are recommended.

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The rule of thumb is that a week-long cruise will have two formal nights during the trip (i.e. Day 2 and Day 5). Shorter trips normally have one. It may be that if you are on a very short cruise (e.g. three days), there might not even be one formal night.

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Day: Casual shirts, shorts, trousers and beachwear are ideal. The main restaurants require a casual wear dress code for breakfast and lunch, however you may wear shorts in either the Kings Court (Queen Mary 2) or Lido Restaurant (Queen Victoria & Queen Elizabeth).

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Many cruise ships have self-service laundry facilities on each deck, including washing machines, dryers, ironing and detergent. Passengers can also use the ship's valet laundry services for a fee, which includes washing, pressing and dry cleaning. Alternatively, guests can hand wash and dry within their cabin.

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Most guests bring $50-$120 cash per day to spend during the cruise. You will have many opportunities to purchase duty free goods, take exciting shore excursions, buy local souvenirs, play your chance in the casino, or enjoy some pampering in the spa.

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Many people suggest $100 per day, and this has generally worked well for me in my cruising experiences. Here are some guidelines to help you decide how much money to bring on a cruise.

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Cruise luggage rules recapped As a general rule, it's a good idea to bring no more than two bags to check as well as luggage to keep on hand. Other than that, most items are allowed on board, though you should always double-check for items such as alcohol and nonalcoholic beverages.

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You will most likely need cash while you're off the ship, especially in foreign ports. Not only can it save you money in foreign transaction fees that most credit card companies charge, but if you're traveling to certain parts of the world, you may encounter places where credit cards aren't accepted.

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Your Toiletries Should Go in Your Carry-On As Well Much like having an extra set of clothes readily available, it's also a good idea to stash a few essential toiletries, such as a toothbrush, toothpaste and deodorant, in your hand luggage so you can freshen up before your checked bags arrive.

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On voyage-conclusion days, also called turnaround days, passengers are asked to vacate their cabins between 8 and 8:30 a.m. so stewards can begin cleaning them for the next round of cruisers. Everyone from the cruise that's ending must be off the ship between 9 and 10 a.m. in most cases.

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