Here Are the Suggested Dress Codes for Each Major Cruise Line

Most cruise lines require resort or elegant casual attire at dinner most nights. Photo: Shutterstock.com

The vast majority of cruise lines maintain a casual dress code during the day, but once the evening hours roll in, dress codes can change dramatically. What was okay in a main restaurant at lunch may not be okay for dinner.

To help you prepare your clients for their next cruise, we’ve compiled the dress codes for the main ocean-going cruise lines. Recommended attire is for dinners in the main and specialty restaurants. (Buffets tend to remain casual even after the sun goes down.)

Azamara Overall: Resort casual. Formal evening wear is not expected or required, though guests are free to dress formally if they’d like.

Recommended for Women: Sportswear, casual dresses, skirts, pants and capris, blouses and knit tops.

Recommended for Men: Sportswear, collared golf and polo shirts, shorts, pants, a sport coat (if desired, not required).

Not Permitted: Bare feet, tank tops, baseball caps, bathing suits, shorts and torn/distressed jeans are not allowed in the dining room or specialty restaurants.

When dining at Windows Café, guests must wear footwear and a cover-up or shirt.

Atlas Ocean VoyagesOverall: Resort casual.

Recommended for Women: Sportswear, casual dresses, skirts, pants and capris, blouses and other nice tops.

Recommended for Men: Nice sportswear, collared golf and polo shirts, nice shorts, trousers or khakis, nice jeans.

Not Permitted: Swimsuits (wet or dry).

Carnival Cruise LineOverall: Casual by day, smart casual after 5:30 p.m. The only exception in the dining room is on embarkation day, which is "come as you are," though footwear must be worn at all times.

The dress code at Fahrenheit 555, specifically, is cruise elegant, with smart jeans allowed on Cruise Casual evenings.

Recommended for Women: Casual dresses, casual skirts or pants and blouses, summer dresses, capris or dress shorts, and jeans. On Cruise Elegant Nights, recommended attire for women is cocktail dresses, pantsuits, elegant skirt and blouses, and evening gowns.

Recommended for Men: Casual pants, jeans, dress shorts, and collared sport shirts. On Cruise Elegant Nights, recommended attire for men is dress trousers, dress shirts, sports jacket, and suit/tie or tuxedo for those that want to go all out.

Not Permitted: Gym or basketball shorts, beach flip-flops, bathing suit attire, cut-off jeans, sleeveless shirts for men, baseball caps. On Cruise Elegant Nights, shorts, t-shirts, jeans and sportswear are furthermore not permitted.

All items worn during a Carnival cruise should not contain any messages that may be considered offensive or contain nudity, profanity, or sexual innuendo/suggestions. All clothing and accessories should not promote negative ethnic or racial commentary, or hatred or violence in any form.

Celebrity CruisesOverall: Smart casual.

Celebrity expedition sailings in the Galapagos feature casual attire for the entire cruise.

Recommended for Women: Skirt, pants or jeans with a casual top. On Evening Chic night, cocktail dress, or skirt, pants or designer jeans with an elegant top.

Recommended for Men: Pants or jeans with a short sleeve sport shirt. On Evening Chic night, pants or designer jeans with a dress shirt, button-down shirt of sweater, optional sport coat or blazer.

Not permitted: T-shirts, swimsuits, robes, bare feet, tank tops, baseball caps, and pool wear are not allowed in the main restaurant(s) or specialty restaurants at any time. Shorts and flip-flops are not allowed in the evening hours.

CunardOverall: Resort casual by day, smart attire by evening (jacket optional), except on Gala Evenings, which is black-tie.

Recommended for Women: Skirt and blouse, cocktail dress. On Gala Evenings, cocktail dress, gowns, and pantsuits.

Recommended for Men: Trousers and dress shirt. On Gala Evenings: Full suit or tuxedo.

Not Permitted: Swimwear

Disney Cruise LineOverall: Cruise casual. Dress-up nights are optional, but recommended.

For adults-only restaurants, dress code is "polished." While formal and semi-formal wear is recommended, dress pants, designer jeans, and collared shirts and blouses are accepted.

Recommended for Women: Shorts, t-shirts, summer dress, capris. On optional dress-up nights, dress or pantsuit.

Recommended for Men: Shorts, t-shirts, jeans, trousers, polo shirts. On optional dress-up nights, trousers with polo or button-up shirt and jacket.

Not Permitted: Swimwear and tank tops. No t-shirts or sports attire are permitted in adults-only restaurants.

Holland America LineOverall: Smart casual, except on Dressy Nights, which are semi-formal (or formal depending on guest's preference)

Recommended for Women: Capris, slacks or skirt and blouse, summer dress. On Dressy Nights, dresses, skirts or slacks with a blouse.

Recommended for Men: Designer jeans, slacks, polo shirts. Slacks and collared shirts (jacket and tie or tux optional).

Not Permitted: Shorts, t-shirts, pool/beachwear, distressed jeans, men's tank tops.

MSC CruisesOverall: Resort casual.

Recommended for Women: Tailored pants, nice shorts, skirts and dresses. For Gala Nights (always optional), gowns, cocktail dresses or elegant pantsuits.

Recommended for Men: Tailored pants, nice shorts and collared shirts. For Gala Nights (always optional), dress pants and button-up or polo shirts, tuxedos (jacket and tie optional).

Not Permitted: Swimwear at any time. Shorts, flip-flops, tank tops at dinner. T-shirts on Gala Night.

Norwegian Cruise LineOverall: Cruise casual.

Recommended for Women: Summer and casual dresses, skirts, regular or capri pants, jeans, nice tops, blouses. For upscale specialty restaurants, dresses, skirts, nice jeans, dress pants and blouses.

Recommended for Men: Khakis, jeans, shorts, t-shirts, polo shirts. For upscale specialty restaurants, nice jeans or slacks with a collared shirt.

Not Permitted: Tank tops for men, flip flops, baseball caps, visors, faded or ripped jeans.

Oceania CruisesOverall: Resort or country club casual.

Recommended for Women: Dress, skirt or tailored pants, dress capris, blouses, sundresses.

Recommended for Men: Collared, button or turtleneck shirts, slacks, dress shoes.

Not Permitted: Casual jeans, shorts, t-shirts, baseball caps, sandals and tennis shoes.

Princess CruisesOverall: Resort casual.

Recommended for Women: Skirts/dresses, slacks, blouses, sweaters. On Formal Nights, gowns, cocktail dresses, pantsuits.

Recommended for Men: Trousers and collared or dress shirts. On Formal Nights, Dress pants and shirts (jacket and tie optional), dark suits, tuxedos.

Not Permitted: Pool/beach attire, shorts, ball caps, jeans with fraying and/or holes.

Regent Seven Seas CruisesOverall: Casual before 6 p.m., elegant casual after that. Casual wear is permitted on the final evening of the cruise.

On sailings of 16 nights or longer, formal and semi-formal are optional on two evenings.

Recommended for Women: Slacks or skirt with blouse or sweater, pantsuit, dress.

Recommended for Men: Slacks and collared shirt (sport jacket optional).

Not Permitted: Shorts, t-shirts, jeans baseball caps.

Royal Caribbean InternationalOverall: Casual by day, smart casual in the evening. The Chef's Table dining experience has a formal dress code.

Recommended for Women: Jeans, sundresses, skirts, pantsuits, blouses. On Formal Nights, cocktail dresses, gowns, elegant pantsuits.

Recommended for Men: Trousers, polos, collared shirts. (Sport coat or blazer optional.) On Formal Nights, full suit (tie optional), tuxedos.

The dress code applies to children of all ages.

Not Permitted: Swimwear, bare feet, flip-flops, baseball caps, tank tops, robes. Shorts at dinner.

SeabournOverall: Resort casual by day; elegant casual or formal after 6 p.m.

Recommended for Women: Slacks or skirt with blouse, pantsuits, dresses. On Formal Nights, evening gowns, cocktail dresses or elegant pantsuits are required.

Recommended for Men: Slacks with collared dress shirt or sweater. On Formal Nights tuxedo, full suit or slacks with jacket and tie is required.

Not Permitted: Swimsuits, short shorts, exercise attire, cover-ups. No jeans at dinner.

SilverseaOverall: Resort casual by day; country club casual, semi-formal or formal by night (varies by schedule).

Recommended for Women: Pants, blouses, skirts, casual dresses, pantsuits. On Formal Evenings, evening gown, cocktail dress, elegant pantsuits.

Recommended for Men: Slacks and open-neck shirts. On Informal Evenings (semi-formal) nights, jacket is required and on Formal Evenings, dark suits, dinner jackets or tuxedos with tie is required.

On Formal Nights, guests may dine at La Terrazza and choose to dress informal (dresses or pantsuits for women, jackets for men). This option also applies to Seishin and Stars on Silver Spirit. Dining at The Grill is always casual.

On seven-night sailings in the Baltic, Mediterranean and Alaska, Formal Evening is optional, though a jacket is still required.

Not Permitted: Swimwear, baseball caps, t-shirts, sports shorts, ripped jeans.

Viking CruisesOverall: Casual by day, elegant casual by night.

Recommended for Women: Dresses, skirt or slacks with blouse or sweater.

Recommended for Men: Trousers and a collared shirt. (Jacket and tie optional)

Not Permitted: Swimwear.

Virgin VoyagesOverall: Whatever you want it to be.

Recommended for Women: Dictated by each cruiser's personal style.

Recommended for Men: Dictated by each cruiser's personal style.

Not Permitted: Simply put, be respectful. Cover-ups and shoes are encouraged in restaurants but not required.

Windstar CruisesOverall: Country club casual.

Recommended for Women: Nice jeans, pants, skirts, elegant tops, casual dresses or sundresses.

Recommended for Men: Nice jeans, khakis or slacks, polo shirts, button-down shirts, shoes other than athletic shoes. (Sport coats optional)

Not Permitted: Swimwear, clothing with offensive language or graphics, flip-flops.