New to river cruising/how to dress

We need and would appreciate info from experienced river cruisers! We are experienced cruisers but new to river cruising. We would like to know what the dress is for dinner...do people wear what they had on during the day for excursions or change for dinner? In other words, for a 15 day trip, should we make sure we have clothes for both the evening as well as excursions? I don't mean getting all dressed up but changing from maybe, jeans(if they are even allowed!) or casual slacks during the day to nicer more "business casual" etc for dinner.

On a traditional cruise, in the caribbean, we wear shorts, bathing suits etc during the day and change into presentable clothes for evening.

SO, would love to know what experienced river cruisers wear for excursions vs dinner.

Thanks so much! I always get great info from fellow CC members and appreciate it.

It depends largely on the cruise line. Our experience is with Grand Circle, where all meals are casual. Some people may choose to dress up a little for "special" occasions, such as the captains reception or the farewell dinner but most do not. Other cruise lines, such as Uniworld may have different guidelines. Check with the cruise documentation. Between airline limitations and limited storage in your cabin for luggage, you are limited in how much you can bring.

Enjoy your first river cruise.

My experience is with Avalon and AMA, a total of 5 cruises.

We always shower and change before dinner into something nicer than we were out trekking about in all day. For me, black slacks and a nice top and for DH, dress slacks and collared shirt or sweater.

Most people were similarly dressed, some less so and even fewer more so.

There was a special night or two on each cruise where we stepped it up just a bit, but not cocktail or sport coat unless that is your preference.

We were recently on Avalon Romantic Rhine. The weather was cool so we had jackets and coats on during the day for touring. We did not shower and do a complete clothes change before dinner like we always do on ocean cruises. Some of it may have had to do with the cool weather and types of touring. We were in a group of six and we wore jeans (we never do that for dinner on ocean cruises) or khaki pants with a nice shirt for touring and dinner. For Captains night we wore dressier pants and nice shirts and tops. I think you will fit in with whatever you are comfortable with, except no formal wear.

Thank you for the information!

I was also wondering what people wore on excursions-so Riviera Bound...thanks for including it. I know it does depend on weather but didn't know if jeans would be acceptible for touring. Although, I don't often wear jeans out at home unless the weather isn't very nice.

Again, appreciate the info. By the way, we plan on Viking next Sept. and look forward to trying our very first river cruise!!

We were on AMA last September and going on Scenic this September. Weather can be quite cool even during the day. Lots of jeans and khakis for touring, some days Capris for the ladies, even some shorts depending on the day and where the tour is going (monasteries etc. knees & shoulders need to be covered). Bring layers just in case. I had to buy an extra fleece last year it was so cool and the dining room is generally cool all the time. At dinner, most folks changed out of their touring clothes but not all, saw jeans at dinner with golf shirts. On the two special evenings a little dressier but not a lot. Nice blouses and slacks totally suitable for the ladies and easy to pack. Golf shirts for men or maybe one dress shirt for the dressier nights. Jackets not required. That's my observation.

We were on a River Cruise 2007 AMA and it was June beautiful weather. I brought dark color jeans and khakis for day time. Fleece jackets a must LL Bean has some great clothes for touring. In the evening bring a nice pair of black slacks and you can inerchange with tops and a jacket. We are taking a Burgandy and Provance Cruise June 2013 and I will take a pair of beige capri pants and also black in case its warm. The most important thing to pack is a good pair of walking shoes. I love the Merrill (breeze) I have black and neutral color. Enjoy..

For those of you who have traveled on Uniworld, did your men take jackets for the special nights? DH would love to get away with it, but will go along if that seems to be the norm for this particular line.

I have asked the same question about jackets for men and general consensus is "whatever you feel comfortable wearing & packing is fine". Seems like few suits and ties are worn, but a few gents wear sportcoats or blazers. Plan to wear my blazer on the plane next week, for use on board during the two captains dinners on board the U'world/River Royale. It will be a nice accompanyment to my jeans and tennies (sans socks!);).

No ocean cruising Fancy SCHmancy! So no extra luggage. Make your clothes do double duty. Touring outfits maybe with a few nicer shirts, costume jewelry, and a pair of nicer shoes and make it work for dinner wear. If you wear it more than once........so what no one cares or notices! Much more casual than what ocean cruising brings about. Leave your sequins, mink coat and fave diamond jewelry at home!

No ocean cruising Fancy SCHmancy! So no extra luggage. Make your clothes do double duty. Touring outfits maybe with a few nicer shirts, costume jewelry, and a pair of nicer shoes and make it work for dinner wear. If you wear it more than once........so what no one cares or notices! Much more casual than what ocean cruising brings about. Leave your sequins, mink coat and fave diamond jewelry at home!

Great advice

When we cruised with Uniworld, nearly every man wore a jacket for the two "captain's dinners.

When we cruised with Uniworld, nearly every man wore a jacket for the two "captain's dinners.

We are cruising with Uniworld for the first time in just over 2 weeks and their suggestion was smart-casual for dinner, cocktail dress/sport jacket for the Captain's Welcome and Farewell dinners. Is that roughly what you were seeing?

Can't wait to try river cruising for the first time!

On our two most recent Uniworld cruises (2010,2011), men without coats at the Welcome and Captain's dinners outnumbered those with. Wear whatever makes you comfortable. You will not be branded uncouth without a coat nor overdressed with one!:):)

We need and would appreciate info from experienced river cruisers! We are experienced cruisers but new to river cruising. We would like to know what the dress is for dinner...do people wear what they had on during the day for excursions or change for dinner? In other words, for a 15 day trip, should we make sure we have clothes for both the evening as well as excursions? I don't mean getting all dressed up but changing from maybe, jeans(if they are even allowed!) or casual slacks during the day to nicer more "business casual" etc for dinner.

On a traditional cruise, in the caribbean, we wear shorts, bathing suits etc during the day and change into presentable clothes for evening.

SO, would love to know what experienced river cruisers wear for excursions vs dinner.

Thanks so much! I always get great info from fellow CC members and appreciate it.

Most people do not change No shorts We had 2 nights when 95% of the men had jackets ,No tux..

For those of you who have traveled on Uniworld, did your men take jackets for the special nights? DH would love to get away with it, but will go along if that seems to be the norm for this particular line.

Just got off Uniworld SS Antoinette yesterday - men did wear jackets on several nights (especially the second and last night of the cruise and for the special gourmet dinners in L'Orangerie) and a few even wore ties! Someone had claimed earlier that on 30 river cruises she had never seen a man with a jacket on a river cruise - that is not true on Uniworld. Some women wore cocktail dresses and heels for the special nights.

As to changing for dinner - yes, everyone did, every night - primarily because we either got rained on or sweaty while touring but also because dinner was just a bit more dressy.

However, I want to caution you to pack lightly so you will have plenty of room for souveniers!

It really does depend on the time of year cruising. During the very hot parts of the summer, we have rarely seen jackets and ties or coctail dresses. We have been on 15 river cruises with 6 dufferent lines and found very few people dressier than "smart casual". On the ocean we even sail with Oceania, so no need for dressey clothes there either. Pat

On Uniworld Provence and Burgundy, on the two special nights, it was half and half as far as jackets for men go. Many, if not most, men did not wear ties, they wore open collar shirts. On regular nights, most people wore to dinner the same type of clothing they wore during the day, which is casual, except no shorts. I never changed for dinner. On the dressy nights, I just wore a black cotton shirt, black pants and a necklace. I don't like dressing up. I worried about it ahead of time, but then I didn't feel the least out of place. I used the laundry service on board so I didn't have to carry a lot of clothes.

Most people do not change No shorts We had 2 nights when 95% of the men had jackets ' date='No tux..[/quote']

 

That was not our experience over the course of 5 cruises on 2 lines. Most people did change for dinner, taking it up a notch from daytime touring wear. We looked forward to a shower and change of clothes each evening.

That was not our experience over the course of 5 cruises on 2 lines. Most people did change for dinner, taking it up a notch from daytime touring wear. We looked forward to a shower and change of clothes each evening.

First, I appreciate all the great information...it is so helpful as a first time river cruiser.

My concern with changing every night is the amount of clothing for 15 day trip for both daytime and nighttime. I know that black slacks for night is great as you can add a nice top with fun costume jewelry..and be set.

Any words of wisdom on packing for a 15 day cruise with pre and post cruise days would be appreciated.

First, I appreciate all the great information...it is so helpful as a first time river cruiser.

My concern with changing every night is the amount of clothing for 15 day trip for both daytime and nighttime. I know that black slacks for night is great as you can add a nice top with fun costume jewelry..and be set.

Any words of wisdom on packing for a 15 day cruise with pre and post cruise days would be appreciated.

Take mix & match, quick dry clothing ..then if need be you can wash in the sink & they will dry overnight

If you have access to a washer even better

We pack the same for a 7 day cruise as we do for a 30 day one...we just do laundry more often ;)

First, I appreciate all the great information...it is so helpful as a first time river cruiser.

My concern with changing every night is the amount of clothing for 15 day trip for both daytime and nighttime. I know that black slacks for night is great as you can add a nice top with fun costume jewelry..and be set.

Any words of wisdom on packing for a 15 day cruise with pre and post cruise days would be appreciated.

Most river ships offer laundry service, so plan to use it. Some ships even have washers and dryers that passengers can use.

I would pack:

2 pr pants

1 skirt

1 black dress - something in Chico's travelers would be good or a maxi dress

7 tops

1 sweater

depening on season, 1 raincoat

1 pr supportive walking shoes

1 pr dressy sandals - not heels

Then mix and match it all. All tops should be either sleeveless or short sleeves. This gives you a total 22+ different looks for a 2 week cruise. You wash most of it one day midway through the cruise and wear it all again.

Leave about 50% of your suitcase empty for souveniers. One way to accomplish this is to pack all your liquids and toiliettries in the suitcase and dispose of them at the end of the cruise and also pack your raincoat or sweater for the trip overseas and then "wear" it back on the plane (of course it will go into the overhead compartment!)

After reading all of the posts on here, I think I have down what to pack for me, but what are the men wearing? My DH doesn't do golf shirts so I was just thinking short and long sleeve casual shirts (with a collar), jeans and Dockers. Maybe a trench coat? Does he need to take a sport coat?

We did Avalon and my dh did take a sport coat. But he certainly didn't HAVE to. Many men had on just dress shirts and a tie for the fancy night. Some just put a nice sweater on. ( It was cool in the restaurant, so he was glad that he brought it for the warmth.)

It is waaay more casual than regular cruising. And people really didn't seem to care what anyone else was wearing. It is much more sociable with everyone we met being outgoing and friendly. After the first night or two, I can't say I more than glanced at clothing choices.

Very few women wore anything more than a skirt and top for the fancy nights. I always take along a pair of black crepe pants which I wore a few nights with nice tops. The rest of the nights, just "dress" jeans or docker type pants with sweaters or tops. The vairety you will see at dinner is overwhelming and honestly "anything goes." Just pack light and remember the rooms are small and not made for a new outfit a day!

My husband and I have been on river cruises with Grand Circle and also with Vantage. Grand Circle was very casual at dinner. Many people wore what they had on during the day. (It was the fall, so cooler weather made it possible to do this.). On Vantage the dress for dinner was a little more dressed up, but it was still very casual compared to a big ship cruise. Most everyone on Vantage seemed to have changed clothes for dinner. I usually stick to a color scheme. Usually blacks, blues, or browns (in the fall). One thing I find particularly easy to pack are different silk scarves. They can completely change the look of an already worn outfit and are light for packing. I usually save a cardboard tube from wrapping paper or even paper towels. After I iron each scarf, I roll it flat around the tube, adding layer after layer. After they are all wound around the tube, I use a couple straight pins to keep them in place. I then toss the tube into my luggage. The scarves stay unwrinkled. Couldn't be easier!