Beautiful destinations, celebratory food and drinks, spectacular weather, and the freedom of the open ocean: these are the highlights of any cruise vacation. Although cruises are exciting, planning and packing for such an adventure can be overwhelming! No worries: we are here to simplify the process. Anthony's Ladies Apparel has 130-plus years of resort wear experience, making us seasoned pros at dressing women for warm-weather travel. With our legacy of Florida fashion inspiring us, Anthony's is on a mission to help ladies nationwide find the perfect clothing for their lifestyles, from at-home loungewear to cocktail outfits fit for the captain's table. Come along with us as we share our best packing tips and favorite cruise-wear styles.
What to Look for in Cruise Wear
- Comfort and Stretch: When dressing for a cruise, comfort is key. After all, you want to enjoy your vacation! Pull-on shorts, skorts, and crop pants are ideal bottoms for a cruise due to their stretchy waistbands and flattering fits. Likewise, tops and dresses with a bit of give from fabric blends that include spandex or other stretchy materials are welcome on a cruise.
- Lightweight, Breathable Fabrics: You'll likely be traveling in the tropics on your cruise, so packing clothes that keep you cool in warmer temperatures is essential. Cotton tees, rayon sundresses, and linen pants are all prime examples of clothing that can help you withstand the weather without sacrificing style. It's also a good idea to include lightweight sweaters and jackets to layer up in case you get cold out at sea.
- Versatile, Mix-and-Match Pieces: Using the same logic as creating a capsule wardrobe (see below), the clothes you pack for your vacation should be able to be worn in a variety of combinations. If you prepare for your cruise by including mix-and-match pieces, your suitcase will be lighter, and your laundry pile will be more manageable.
- Sun Protection: It's important to keep your skin protected while soaking up the sunshine, and UPF clothing is the best way to shield yourself from UV rays. Anthony's has a wide variety of sun protection clothing, including sun shirts, UPF50+ dresses, and even swimwear made with UPF fabric.
Floral Embroidered Cap Sleeve Peasant Blouse • Floral Tencel Chambray Flowy Crop Pant - both by Tribal
How to Build Your Cruise Capsule Wardrobe
When creating a capsule wardrobe, the goal is to minimize the number of clothing items while still maintaining the ability to create an assortment of fashionable looks. You can minimize bulk by investing in clothes that pair easily, like the mix-and-match pieces we mentioned above.
If you're building a custom cruise capsule wardrobe with mix-and-match clothing, choosing a color palette is essential. If there is an overarching color theme, it is much easier to create a variety of outfits because your pieces coordinate. This doesn't mean that every article of clothing has to be the same color (unless you want a monochromatic theme). Still, it is helpful to have a palette anchored by more neutral tones such as khaki, white, and blue denim, with pops of 2-3 brighter colors that complement each other. With this foundation, it is easy to get many outfits from fewer items.
For an idea of exactly how many of each clothing item to pack, we suggest the 5-4-3-2-1 packing method. This is a tried-and-true packing framework, though there are different interpretations of this method. We like the following breakdown:
- 5 Tops: For a warm-weather cruise, tank tops and short sleeve tees are always a great choice, though it's also a good idea to take along at least one long sleeve shirt or blouse, as well as a lightweight, layerable sweater.
- 4 Bottoms: Select comfortable bottoms that you'll actually want to wear. For more coverage, ankle pants and capris are great, though if you're OK with showing a little more leg, shorts and skorts will keep you cool in a hotter climate. Style Tip: If you're below 5'4", check out our petite collection for bottoms that are designed to flatter your proportions.
- 3 Dresses: Sundresses are perfect for a cruise, but you may also want to bring a cocktail dress for a special occasion dinner. This category can also include jumpsuits or rompers, if that's more your style.
- 2 Pairs of Shoes: Which footwear you pack depends on your preference. Maybe you want to bring slip-on sneakers for the day and heeled sandals for evening wear. Whatever you bring, we recommend that one of your pairs be comfortable to walk in for shore excursions and strolls aboard the ship.
- 1 of Each Kind of Accessory: This can include a pair of sunglasses, a bag, a belt, a hat, a shawl or dress topper, and a jewelry set.
Shop "Our Top Cruise Wear Picks" collection for some of our favorite styles to pack for a cruise!
Blue Flowerbud Tiered Flounce Dress - Luxology
Cruise Swimwear
In addition to packing the above items for a tropical cruise, don't forget to bring your swimwear! We recommend packing 2 swimsuits (one-pieces or two-piece sets) and a swim cover-up.
Here's what to look for in swimwear for a cruise:
- Coverage that Makes You Comfortable: While it's good to try things outside your comfort zone, the swimsuits you bring on your cruise should have you feeling confident, not self-conscious. After all, the best swimwear empowers you to enjoy the fabulous beaches and pools on your vacation fully. The coverage you opt for could range from a bikini top and hipster swim brief to a long-sleeved rash guard and swim short. Our collection of women's swimwear includes styles that run the gamut from modest to more daring.
- A Supportive Fit: Similar to determining your coverage needs, choosing bathing suits with features like underwire, wide shoulder straps, and mesh tummy-control lining can help you feel more comfortable in and out of the water.
- UPF Fabric: Sun protection is key, especially when you plan to be spending your days outside, enjoying the sunshine. Sunblock is always a good idea, but wearing clothing with a UPF rating is more effective at preventing UV damage than just slathering on sunscreen. Look for swimsuits with UPF50 and UPF50+ sun protection, like those made by Beach House. Swimwear made from these specialty fabrics can block up to 98% of UVA and UVB rays.
Lush Life Tie-Front Tankini Top • Lush Life Sarong Hipster Bikini Bottom • Lush Life Ruffled Chiffon Sarong - all by Bleu by Rod Beattie
Cruise Outfits by Occasion
Many women get stuck on the question, "What should I wear for all the different activities on my cruise?" Thankfully, we are here with answers! For each activity you may encounter on your cruise, we have suggestions for the best outfits to wear.
Daytime and Poolside
- Sundress (paired with optional Linen Jacket): So effortlessly simple yet so comfortable and cute.
- Sun Shirt with Scalloped Shorts: This ensemble offers ample sun protection while remaining breathable and fashionable.
- One-Piece Swimsuit with Dress-Style Cover-Up: Providing good coverage without sacrificing style, this combo ensures maximum poolside confidence.
Navy Stephanie Paisley UPF50+ Sun Shirt - IBKUL • Waffle Texture Scalloped Short - Anthony's Resort Wear
Shore Excursions
- Polo Top and Pleated Skort: This outfit is sporty, sleek, and perfect for an adventure. Bonus points if the top and skort have UPF50+ fabric!
- Cotton Tee and Capri Pant: Breezy and laid back, you can't go wrong with this classic pairing. Style tip: Check out our Escape by Habitat collection for 100% Peruvian cotton tees, capris, and more.
- Sleeveless Maxi Dress: Look instantly polished while staying cool all day.
Hawaiian Beach UPF50+ Short Sleeve Polo Top • Solid UPF50+ Pleated Skort - both by Anthony's Resort Wear
Casual Evenings
- White Button-Front Shirt and Printed Ankle Pant: Wearing a uniquely printed pant adds some excitement, while a timeless white shirt balances the look.
- Tiered Dress (paired with optional ¾ Sleeve Shrug): Billowy yet feminine, a tiered dress is trendy and perfect for a casual night.
- Gauzy Blouse and Wide Leg Denim Pant: Combining wide leg jeans with a lightweight blouse is a refined way to wear denim.
Watercolor Floral Gauze Blouse • Palm Tree Eyelet Embroidery Flared Denim Pant - both by Charlie B
Formal Nights
- Little Black Dress: You can't go wrong with this enduring wardrobe staple!
- Jumpsuit: A jumpsuit is a great alternative to a dress and is still appropriate for a more formal dress code.
Solid UPF50+ Scalloped Sleeveless Dress - Anthony's Resort Wear
How to Pack Smart for a Cruise
Check the Weather
When it comes time to pack for your next cruise, we strongly recommend checking the weather ahead of time, but not so far ahead that the forecast changes.
You may find it helpful to do any dry cleaning a week or two before your departure date and get all of your clothing packed a few days before you're set to leave. Then, check the weather again a day or so before leaving and re-pack accordingly.
Once you know what kind of weather you will be dealing with, you can make adjustments, if needed. It's always a good idea to pack versatile items that you can layer, like sweaters, shawls, and lightweight jackets.
Pack Like a Pro
Maximizing space is the name of the game when packing your suitcase for a cruise. Here are some tips for making the most of the space in your suitcase:
- Create a packing list of what you plan to bring
- Roll clothes instead of folding
- Use packing cubes
- Pack your toiletries in a bag or pouch and only take travel-sized containers
Shop Cruise Wear at Anthony's
Now that you've read our cruise wear guide, you're almost ready to pack for your next cruise! But before you embark on your adventure, be sure to shop our perfectly curated collection of women's resort wear. In addition to our website, we have 12 store locations throughout Florida, and we're eager to help you create your dream vacation wardrobe!
