What do you really wear??

[NewJackson5]

This is our first cruise EVER. WE are going on the Disney Magic Bahamian cruise. I keep reading different things so my question to those who have been is what do you really wear. There will be 6 of us, Myself, the hubby, my mother, and our three kids aged 12(female) 5&4(Males)....

 

[TestingH2O]

If I'm honest, DD and I each wore at least 2, often 3 outfits a day.

Me: Early AM yoga pants and light quarter zip. Daytime, shorts or capris and a shirt. Also swimwear. Late afternoon before dinner, I was back in yoga pants or workout capris. Dinner, dress or dress pants and a top. Not cocktail wear but still nicer than daytime. **I wish I had brought an extra pair of yoga pants.**

DD: shorts or skirts and tops all day unless she was swimming. Sometimes she wore rash guard shirts to protect from the sun. We also hit breakfast in her pjs at least once. Dinner was cute dresses or outfits.

DH: cargo shorts and t shirts all day unless he was swimming. For dinner he wore khakis or dress shirts and a short sleeve button down.

 

[bumbershoot]

Daytime, casual. Swimsuits, shorts, coverups, yoga pants. Just whatever. (if I'm getting off the ship* I wear shorts and a shirt)

For dinner and the occasional magician or comedian I might see (I don't go to the musical shows), I wear dresses with heels and a pashmina or something similar (I find the dining rooms to be chilly). I haven't had more than a 4nighter on DCL so there are no formal nights that I've been a part of on DCL, but I do like to look nice.

DH and DS wear polos and khakis to dinner, with nice shoes (we try to make sure the shoes are also comfy! and that the clothes fit!). And similar stuff to what I described for me (minus the yoga pants LOL) during the daytime.



*(...if by chance your cruise goes to Barbados (not sure if DCL does), do NOT wear ANYTHING camouflage, as it's actually illegal...I heard a great description of the reason...the wearing of camouflage in countries like that often goes along with a sudden and violent government change, and they don't like that, so it is actually truly 100%, you'll be arrested, illegal)

 

[3fish]

Hi,

When I first started cruising I/we would pack and SOMETIMES wear the majority of the all the outfits we would bring. For a 7-10 day cruise I would have this massive suitcase full of stuff. Now I pack and dress completely different. I'm on vacation and it's a lot of work packing, unpacking and then repackaging (to disembark), just to unpack when you get home, ughh!

So, I typed all of that to say, I wear cute tee's, capris, flowing beach pants, well cut maxi-dresses and a skirt. I wear ballet flats, jeweled sandals and maybe a pair of wedges.

My hubby wears shorts, tee's and jeans and/or casual pants. Closed toe leather fisherman sandals, converse and flip-flops.

Our children, 2 girls and and boy, wear costumes sundresses, tee's and shorts. I make them wear long pants on our flights.

I never, ever pack formal wear anymore. It's just a personal preference. Oh, and we also carry-on our luggage at all times. No checked bags!

 

[PrincessTrisha]

I wear a lot of long sundresses or maxi dresses on the ship. I find them easier and more comfortable and because most of them are flow-y I don't need to worry about anything tight or restrictive.

I have a pair of either capri's or yoga pants and a shirt (something soft, comfortable and absorbent - yes I sweat a lot walking around) for any port days.

And 2 swim suits no matter how long or how short a cruise is - I hate trying to put on a still-damp swim suit so I make sure I always have an extra dry one.

 

[Barbydoll8]

Let me start by saying I live in FL which is the land of casual everything & DH & I are not dress up people.
depending on time of year - daytime: Shorts/pants with Tees for both of us. Sneakers or flip flops for shoes.
Dinner - never, ever formal for us. We both hate to get dressed up and DH doesn't own a suit or a jacket so dark colored jeans with button down shirts or more casual styled like I would wear to a casual Friday at work. Sneakers for both of us.
You are on vacation. You should be comfortable and wear what you want. You will see everything from shorts/tees to formal gowns on board. Just don't over pack. It's a mistake a lot of people make and they usually regret it.
On our last 5 day, I brought enough for us to wear for 3 days and I did laundry. I know, I know - laundry while on vacation. It was well worth the hour and a half so I didn't have to pack so much.

 

[squirk]

Nothing but leather chaps and a smile.

 

[hoffman1]

I tend to over pack but what I really wear is capris with a light weight top during the day (both sea and port days), swim suit and cover up, and maxi dresses with a black sweater (for dinner; even on formal night if we go). I pack tennis shoes, flip flops, and one pair of nice sandals. My husband wears a t-shirt with shorts during the day and a polo and khakis to dinner. I do pack him one button down for Palo. I also pack him Sketcher go-walk tennis shoes and a pair of sandals.

We used to dress up a little more for formal night but it is just too much. I don't like packing dressy shoes for us to only wear one night. Or a suit for my husband to wear a couple of hours (plus it not looking very nice after being crammed into a suitcase).
I know some people really enjoy going all out on formal night but, in my experience, there are more cruisers who are like me and the previous posters who look nice but not truly "formal."

 

[AndreAggie]

Like TestingH2O mentioned, we sometimes go through multiple outfits in a day. Just depends on the plans for the day. Mostly for me it's either sundress or shorts and a top. If we're going swimming at some point in the day, I'll throw on my swimsuit and a cover up (cover ups and dresses tend to overlap). My husband is a t-shirt and khaki shorts guy during the day, and my son (5 years old) does t-shirt and athletic shorts. For dinner, we look presentable. I'll usually wear a sundress or pixie pants with a top and sandals (heels are tough on ships if seas aren't smooth), husband usually wears a button down shirt with jeans or nice shorts or maybe even khaki pants usually with Sperrys or mandels. I can usually convince my son to wear a polo or short sleeve button down and nice shorts and Sperrys. My though is that if we unexpectedly run into a character or a good photo op, I don't want to look like we just rolled out of bed!

I try to pack clothes that I can pair in different way to cut down on packing. Our next cruise is a 4-night out of Miami so nothing fancy. It's pointless to pack something really nice that you're just going to wear one night. We might do Palo one evening and if we do, any of my dresses would work and hubs can pack a tie just in case.

Now, if we cruise out of Galveston (our home port), different story! We pack to the gills and have anything for just about any situation because we can drive to the port.

 

[3fish]

Let me start by saying I live in FL which is the land of casual everything & DH & I are not dress up people.
depending on time of year - daytime: Shorts/pants with Tees for both of us. Sneakers or flip flops for shoes.
Dinner - never, ever formal for us. We both hate to get dressed up and DH doesn't own a suit or a jacket so dark colored jeans with button down shirts or more casual styled like I would wear to a casual Friday at work. Sneakers for both of us.
You are on vacation. You should be comfortable and wear what you want. You will see everything from shorts/tees to formal gowns on board. Just don't over pack. It's a mistake a lot of people make and they usually regret it.
On our last 5 day, I brought enough for us to wear for 3 days and I did laundry. I know, I know - laundry while on vacation. It was well worth the hour and a half so I didn't have to pack so much.

Amen!!!

 

[bethy]

We are cruising for the first time in a couple of weeks and I feel ridiculous with how much stuff we have. We have one suitcase mainly just for cruise stuff like costumes, FE gifts, etc. And then 2 other large suitcases for a fam of 5. BUT we are actually travelling for 2 weeks total and starting with my DH attending a work conference in Orlando where he has to be in business casual attire and Sport coats, etc. So one of the suitcases is basically his entirely. Plus we have carseat, stroller etc.

We have made peace with the fact that we do not travel light especially in this season of our lives. Might as well be comfortable I guess!

 

[ImDMous]

I pack a lot, but I usually do use it all. I had work out clothes in the morning for the running track, I think I brought 3 sets and did laundry. Then shorts/capris and a top for each day, several swimsuits, and a dress for each night. Some nights the dress was just a maxi or cute sundress. Gown for formal night, cocktail for semi-formal night. And lots of shoes, my feet don't do well if I wear the same ones every day, especially with all the walking in ports.

DH had work out stuff, shorts and t-shirts for the day, several swim trunks, a couple pairs of dockers and a resort shirt for each night. We rented a tux for formal night and he wore the pants for that on semi-formal night. The last cruise we did was the 15-night Panama Canal, we had a LOT of luggage, but I was happy to be able to wear what I wanted, have things to choose from depending on my mood and be able to change if I was feeling too grungy from the humidity. I guess I'm a high maintenance cruiser in that regard, but I wore everything I brought and it's just the 2 of use so we don't have to worry about kids luggage as well.

 

[Mark D.]

We have one suitcase mainly just for cruise stuff like costumes, FE gifts, etc. And then 2 other large suitcases for a fam of 5.

Compared to us, you travel light! Our last cruise (7 nights on the Fantasy) we had 4 suitcases and a rolling garment bag for 4 people. We planned on two changes of clothes per day plus a costume for DS.

During the day, we would be in shorts and t-shirts. For "cruise casual" evenings, we would wear shorts or jeans with a polo shirt for me, nice top for DW, and t-shirts for the kids. For formal and semi-formal nights, I wore dress pants and a long sleeve button-up (with tie on formal night), while my wife wore dressy pants and a nice top. DD wore a dress, while DS wore shorts and a polo.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

Generally 2 outfits per day. Most evenings I plan to wear my "work clothes", meaning a pants suit or simple skirt outfit. We do dress formal or semi as the occasion demands, however, DH will not be getting a tux this time around. His 3 piece should be good enough.

 

[com_op_2000]

DW and I like to wear Blue & White colors on day of embarkation, we get a nautical feeling before leaving the house.
We normally wear shorts & shirt or bathing suit & cover-up on the ship and excursions during the day.
Before dinner/show we change into nice work/church clothes.
That is what we do, what you choose to do is up to you and your family. Dress how you are comfortable and pay no attention to whatever anyone may or may not say to you.

 

[3fish]

Bethy,

You may want to pop over to the US Postal Service and ship a few things home, like work clothes, so you don't have to take them on the cruise.
My hubby and I, in our over-packing days had to do this. Not only did we over pack, but we also shopped, and we were not on a work/vacation, this was just vacation!

 

[chunkymonkey]

I was on the 5-night Bahamian Cruise on the Magic this past May. I mostly wore sundresses on the ship and in ports, but be careful on the upper decks especially at night during the deck parties, it got incredibly windy up there! I will still continue to wear sundresses on our next cruise but will probably bring a long maxi or capris for anytime I know we will be on the top deck. The top deck was a great place to watch the fireworks!

My sundresses were both casual enough for walking around during the day and I could still wear them to dinner, although I did change for just because we got so sweaty walking around during the days, especially at ports, that we showed like twice a day! For shoes I brought mainly flip flops, a pair of sneakers, and one dressy wedge for evening. I brought my Disney t-shirts as well and wore my Frozen one to meet Anna and Elsa!

My DH mostly wore shorts and t-shirts. At dinner he would wear a polo shirt and shorts. He wore flip flops during the day and boat shoes at night. For Palo brunch he did wear a long sleeved button down, no tie, dark khaki pants, and dress shoes. Since we knew he was only going to use his dress shoes once, we brought a really old pair that wasn't going to survive much more wear, and after he wore them, he just tossed them when we got off the ship. It opened up so much space in our luggage!

My niece (4) wore princess costumes to dinner. They were so cute!

You can do laundry on board the ship and we did it once, just an FYI. I brought some tide pods and dryer sheets from home so I didn't have to purchase any detergent. We only had to pay for each load of laundry.

 

[TimeAndTide]

We change once or twice during the day. My kids are 6,5,5. I tend to wear capris and a blouse or t-shirt onboard. DH usually wears walking shorts and polo style shirts or sometimes t-shirts. Son wears shorts and polos. Girls wear shorts or skirts and cute tops.

For excursions, it depends on the walking, but I'm likely to wear walking shorts, t-shirt or blouse, and athletic shoes (but not marshmallows! Lol.) The rest of the family wears what they would wear onboard but I make sure the kids have comfortable walking shoes.

For casual dinners, I wear slacks or capris, blouse and casual sandals. DH wears khakis or jeans with a polo or short sleeved button shirt. Son wears some sort of long pants and a collared shirt, and girls wear skirts or capris and a blouse.

For semi-formal, I wear dark slacks and a blouse, or a dress. DH wears slacks and a long sleeved button down shirt. Son does the same. Girls wear dresses / sometimes princess dresses.

Formal night I wear a gown or cocktail dress depending on my mood. DH and my son wear tuxedos. My girls wear sparkling party dresses.

We tend to be a tad dressier than some but we enjoy it, and the kids think it's fun still. And it's similar to what we would would wear at home to a black tie event (formal night), a high end restaurant (semi formal night) or a nice sit down restaurant (casual evenings in the MDR) so it's not outside our comfort zone. I think it's kind of natural to dress a bit like you might at similar situations off the ship. Since everyone has different life experiences, attire will vary. It's not a big deal for the most part.

I usually don't even notice what other people are wearing - except maybe for a monster truck t-shirt and gym shorts on an adult on formal night....even then I recognize it's their choice, just makes me a little sad. Dress how you choose. We do think it's fun to "dress up" whether it's formal night, pirate night or a different reason. It's all part of the fun for us.

 

[avgsuperheroine]

Every trip I say "remember more casual clothes next time". I do end up wearing a lot of different outfits because we're doing so many different kinds of things. Active, sporty, swim, walking, beachy, nice dinners, shows, late-night movies, romantic evenings, playing with the kids, going to the spa. I always try to bring really minimal bottoms and shoes though. That saves space.

 

[kddlm]

Totally overpacked for cruise #1! This time I hope not to. Daytime was mostly bathing suit/cover-up. Do not do formal for formal night just simple black skirt and nice top. Nothing that needs to be ironed or won't travel well! DH wore black slacks and nice collared shirt...no tie. Off the ship, casual shorts and tops. I will pack a sweater or 2 for dining rooms and theatre, as I was always cold! Other times, capris, sandals. Maxi style dresses for dinner are nice and comfortable (need to be expandable for all the food you eat!!)