Looking for the best Royal Caribbean Cruise packing list but have questions about the Royal Caribbean Cruise Dress Code? Then keep reading to find out all the answers.
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Traditionally cruises have quite strict dress codes. While this is changing, there are some dress codes and special events that will affect your packing list.
Royal Caribbean Cruise Line is known for for being slightly more relaxed than some other cruises but what does this mean for your packing list? In this guide I will look at specific Royal Caribbean Dress Codes as well as tell you what to wear on Royal Caribbean cruises with outfit inspiration.
If you are traveling on another cruise line be sure to check out our other specific cruise line dress codes posts:
- Norwegian Cruise Line Dress Code
- Celebrity Cruises Dress Code
- Disney Cruise Line Dress Code
- MSC Cruises Dress Code
- Princess Cruises Dress Code
- Carnival Cruise Dress Code
And depending on where you are cruising you may want to check out our location specific cruise packing lists:
- Caribbean Cruise packing list
- Med Cruise Packing List
- Greek Island Cruise Packing List
- What to wear to Bermuda
- What to wear on an Alaska Cruise
- What to wear on an Galapagos Cruise
What is the Royal Caribbean Cruise Dress code?
In most places and most of the time Royal Caribbean Cruises operate a cruise casual dress code especially during the day. This is comparable to resort casual wear.
As such you will see a range of clothes being worn from maxi dresses and sun dress to capri blouses, pants and shorts and t shirts for women.
And for men a range of wear from t shirts, polo shirts and shirts paired with shorts and trousers to smarter chinos and sports jackets with shirts in the evening.
The only real exception to this is on cruise formal nights. For formal nights pepole are encourages to wear dresses and for men chinos and a shirt and maybe a tie and jacket.
However if oyu don’t want to pack a formal outfit then you could always dine in the buffet restaurant rather than the main dining room where there aren’t ever formal dress codes.
FAQs About Royal Caribbean Dress Code
Are there formal nights on Royal Caribbean Cruises?
Yes there are are formal nights on Royal Caribbean cruises.
They are never held on embarkation day or the last night as on these evenings passengers are not likely to have their luggage with them.
But if you don’t want to dress up feel free to eat in the buffet restaurant in your casual clothes.
Do people dress up on Royal Caribbean?
Royal Caribbean is not the most formal of cruise lines but you will stillfind that some people dress for dinner especially on formal nights. It is just personal taste whether people want to or not and how dress up they deem formal.
In my experience I would say in my experience at least 50% will adhere to the formal night dress code.
What to wear to Dinner on Royal Caribbean cruises?
So what should you wear to dinner on a Royal Caribbean Cruise? Firstly it is always worth checking your daily cruise compass (for first time cruisers this is your daily cruise schedule and itinerary that will be delivered to your stateroom). This will tell you whether it is a casual night (like on embarkation day) or Formal night (not obligatory).
Do different Royal Caribbean cruise line ships have different dress codes?
The dress code tends to be the same across all the Royal Caribbean fleet no matter which ship you are sailing on.
Can I wear jeans on Royal Caribbean?
Yes jeans are permitted on Royal Caribbean in most places. However there are some restrictions on the types of jeans.
For instance ripped jeans and distressed jeans are not usually permitted in speciality restaurants. For this reason we recommend packing a mix of smarter jeans alongside your ripped jeans if you want to pack these for daytime wear.
Also depending on the destination of your cruise will depend on the suitability of jeans in terms of climate. Personally I would not pack jeans for a Caribbean cruise or Mexico cruise. However they are a great idea for Northern European cruises and Alaska.
What to wear on Royal Caribbean cruises
Please note: Most ships have do not have laundry rooms so if you want to pack light for your cruise then you need to pack a capsule wardrobe or plan to get dry cleaning mid way through your cruise. For guidance on how much to pack for specific length cruises check out the posts below:
- what to pack for a 4 day cruise
- 5 day cruise packing list
- 7 day cruise packing list
- 14 day cruise packing list.
What to wear on Royal Caribbean Cruises during the day
Casual attire is perfectly find and recommended for day times during your Royal Caribbean Cruise. Up on the pool deck you will see people wearing bathing suits and beach covers, however these are not allowed in the restaurants.
And in other public areas people will dress for the weather i.e. casual shorts and t shirts or on a cold weather cruise jeans and tees.
You will also find many women wear maxi dresses and resort casual outfits all around the ship.
What to wear on Royal Caribbean at Night
I have found most people will wear a casual or smart casual outfit at night.
This means maxi dresses and sun dress for women. Or capri pants, trousers or skirts paired with either a blouse or smarter t shirts.
Most women will also have a cardigan or a pashmina with them at night on a Royal Caribbean cruise as the air conditioning is quite strong.
While most men will opt for dress shorts with t shirts, polo shirts and shirts (either long sleeve, short sleeve or even Hawaiian). Or chinos and smarter trousers with the same.
For more inspiration on the best cruise wear for men check out this post.
The only place shorts are not permitted is in speciality restaurants and sometimes one of the main dining room.
And on the dress up or not nights, people will either dress up or not. Some people will wear ball gowns or cocktail dresses for women, and tuxedos or button down shirts and jackets for men. However this will not be everyone so you do not have to do this if you don’t want to or are worried about overpacking.
What to wear on shore excursions
What to wear on shore excursions will really depend on what and where the shore excursion is.
If it is a city or local beach, then you can stick to your casual dress code. However if you plan to visit a religious building or more cultural site it is worth checking out the local guidance.
For what to wear on a Caribbean Cruise check out this post.
Other items for your Royal Caribbean Cruise Packing List
Passport and identification
For any international cruise always pack a passport and identification. And remember that this needs to be in your embarkation day carry on bag as you will be using this at embarkation.
Documentation including Covid 19 related paperwork
Alongside your passport and identification you will also need all other important cruise travel documents which includes but is not limited to:
- Travel insurance
- Covid Related paperwork such as vaccination certificates and PCR/Lateral Flow test results depending on your cruise line and port requirements.
- Vaccation Evidence ( where applicable)
- Cruise Suitcase labels – these are provided by the cruise line but are usually required to be completed and put on your suitcases before you arrive at the cruise terminal.
Lanyard
I would say this is an optional item, however in my experience most cruisers like to have a lanyard. Cruise cabin keys are the most important thing on a cruise as they are used as your form of identification to get back on and off the ship in ports, pay for things on the ship and is used for photographs, dining reservations and more.
Many people find a lanyard the best way to keep their cabin key safe and on them at all times on a cruise. The best ones are waterproof so can be used on shore excursions where you will be spending a lot of time in the water and can also be used to keep small amounts of cash and a government issued id.
Click here to shop the best lanyards for cruise travel.
Waterproof Phone Case
As well as the lanyard for your card we also recommend having a waterproof phone case. If you plan on heading in the sea or just want to keep the phone with you while you are in the hot tub and pool you will need a waterproof phoen case with you.
Universal Travel Adaptor
Depending on where you are from, who you are sailing with and where you may need to take a travel adaptor with you to ensure that all your electronics will work. Newer ships also tend to have USB charging points in the cabins so you may also want to have a USB charging cable with you.
Shop universal travel adaptors here.
Medication
You will also need to pack any medications you need in your carry on and be sure to have prescriptions with you.
As well as prescription medication some other medications you may like to travel with include:
- pain medications such as Advil, paracetamol, Tylenol and Ibuprofen
- Reflux Meds such as Gaviscon, Tums etc.
- Birth Control
- Inhalers
Again as your bags won’t necessarily be delivered to your stateroom until evening on the first day it is important to keep your medications in you carry on bag.
Sea sickness medication or motion sickness bands
I personally have never gotten sea sick on a cruise ship but if you are concerned about seasickness be sure to pack some sea sickness meds and some anti motion sickness bands.
It is much cheaper to take these with you rather than having to buy onbaord.
Click here to shop sea sickness meds.
Toiletries
Although most ships provide toiletries I will always pack some on my own as I think they are better quality than those you get on board
For more information on the best toiletries to bring on a cruise check out this post.
On top of the regular travel toiletry essentials we also recommend packing bug spray, after sun / aloe vera as well as a small first aid kit including blister plasters.
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Although toiletries are usually provided you will need to bring your own tooth brush and toothpaste.
Sunscreen
Sunscreen is really important for long days on the islands. It is better to have a reef safe one and one that is good for water as you are likely to be in the sea on your trip.
We recommend getting a reef safe one to be better for the wildlife.
Note: Sunscreen is usually available onboard but will cost you a premium if you wait and buy on board.Therefore you should bring this with you if you can.
Lip balm
The contrast between the nice weather on a warm weather cruise with the cruise ship air conditioning is the perfect recipe for dry lips.
We always recommend packing lip balm that has an SPF so your lips are protected when on beach excursions etc. Again our favorite brand is sun bum.
Backpack
A backpack is another essential for a cruise. The variety of activities you will be doing and the items you bring with you means a backpack is an essential.
Camera
Be sure to have a good quality camera with you. And if you plan on doing some proper wildlife photography be sure to have the appropriate lenses with you.
Also a go pro can be useful too for any underwater photography you may wish to do.
What Not to wear on Royal Caribbean Cruises
So now you have some outfit inspiration here are some things on our what not to wear list for Royal Caribbean cruises. The items on this list are either becaise they are not permitted by the cruise line or advice from ourselves.
Baseball Caps in Restaurants
Baseball caps are not considered acceptable attire in any of the Royal Caribbean restaurants however are fine during the day on the pool deck and other public spaces.
Ripped and Faded Jeans in Restaurants
If you want to wear jeans in restaurants on Royal Caribbean ships they must be neat and in good repair.
Tank tops in Restaurants for Men
Men are not permitted to wear tank tops in any Royal Caribbean restaurants per the Royal Caribbean rules. However tank tops for women are fine.
Heelies
These are a safety hazard and therefore not allowed on any cruise.
Have questions about your Royal Caribbean vacation drop us a question below.