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How to pack like a pro Stow away the right clothing for cruisin'
By Renee Garrison/Tampa Tribune
TAMPA - Years ago, cruising was considered to be a vacation for the rich and famous. Today, you only have to look that way because there are as many cruises as there are budgets.And every ship seems to have its own set of guidelines for what to wear while you're on board.
``People enjoy the dressing-up aspect of taking a cruise,'' says Jennifer de la Cruz, spokeswoman for Carnival Cruise Lines.
``They get to wear clothes they don't commonly wear at home. Our guests bring the kind of dresses that they wear on New Year's Eve or they may have worn in a wedding. Clothing is a really exciting element of cruising.''
In general, when the invitation specifies ``formal,'' ``informal'' or ``casual,'' here are the rules to follow: FORMAL ATTIRE
On an average cruise, two formal events are held, the Captain's Cocktail Party and the Farewell Dinner. That means long gowns or cocktail-length dresses for women and tuxedos or dark suits for men. But it's best to check with your particular cruise line.``On formal nights, most men wear dark suits and ties,'' says Carnival's de la Cruz. ``We see relatively few tuxedos or floor-length gowns. In terms of fashion, we're one of the more casual cruise lines.''
At the opposite end of the spectrum is the San Francisco-based Seabourn Cruise Line, where tuxedos and dinner jackets are preferred.
``You rarely see gentlemen in a dark suit,'' says spokeswoman Emily Stallings. ``We average four formal nights on a two-week cruise, where a long skirt or evening dress is appropriate for ladies.''
When it comes to evening wear, Leigh Price, a representative from Rose Taft in New York, suggests packing chiffon or jersey.
``If you're traveling, chiffon hangs up very well and wrinkles steam out very well in the shower,'' Price said at a recent trunk show at Jacobson's in Tampa. ``These dresses don't take up volume, are easy to pack and easy to wear.
``Most people don't want to be corseted into a dress when they're traveling,'' Price added. ``So chiffon and matte jersey are easy and elegant. Both fabrics have an easy fit so they just slide over the body. You can have an extra helping of dessert. I mean, they're all free buffets on a cruise, right? Go for it.''
INFORMAL ATTIRE
Don't be fooled - this translates to a jacket and tie for men and dressy pantsuit, dress or dinner suit for women. Cruising couples who have interpreted informal dinner attire as an open-necked shirt for him and casual slacks for her have discovered, to their horror, a room full of church-on-Sunday clothes.``Informal definitely means no jeans or shorts - nothing too casual,'' says Claudia Messner of Cruise Consultants. ``It refers to something you might wear to work.'' Messner, who has taken more than 50 cruises herself, sees ``a lot of shirts with anchor emblems and nautical logos. I think people like that.''
Few items can beat the convenience of knit clothing for travel, by air, land or sea.
``You can roll pieces into a ball and stuff them into a suitcase because they travel well,'' says Maureen Roschel, Florida sales representative for St. John Knits. ``They're good for everyday wear, but they also make the transition to evening with different accessories. Knits are a perfect weight for Florida cruises.''
CASUAL ATTIRE
The Seabourn Cruise Line defines this as ``for men, slacks and a jacket over sweater or open shirt; for women, a blouse with skirt, slacks or similar comfortable attire.''However, most cruise ships have a more liberal dress code. ``I liked the fact that you could wear anything, any time, anywhere - except in the formal dining room,'' says Lori Cusick, who was a recent passenger on the M.V. Royal Majesty.
For the ``informal'' evening, the Tampa resident brought a dressy black suit while her ``formal'' attire consisted of a long black linen dress with a low back.
``I didn't even take jeans,'' she explains. ``I packed coordinating shirts and shorts that were made of loose-fitting cotton. And my husband, Bill, wore a lot of polo shirts and shorts.''
Over-packing is akin to seasickness - once you get started, it's hard to stop. Experienced cruisers often color-coordinate their separates: sweaters and jackets blend with blouses, skirts and slacks. Remember, anything that is too conspicuous will be limited to a one-time wearing.
``Out on deck, you'll see a lot shorts and T-shirts,'' Messner says. ``But never in the dining room. And many of the island tourism boards don't promote shorts because it's difficult to draw the line between what's acceptable and what's too short. A 22-year-old tourist in short shorts can invite trouble on some of these islands.''
Tours that include church visits will not welcome skimpy attire, either. So it's best to follow your cruise director's advice. And no matter where in the world your cruise takes you, low-heeled or flat shoes are a must - aboard ship or ashore.