Caribbean Christmas on Carnival Vista...What to Wear? (First time cruiser)

Caribbean at Christmas...what to wear? Purely summer? Totally casual? Resort Casual? 'Elegant Nights'?! Is it really that warm?! lol

As a first time cruiser I'm feeling a little overwhelmed at the idea of what clothes to pack. I'm typically a carry on only type of girl (as is my husband and two teens) but we are casual, a bit lazy and I'm a weirdo that likes to escape to a local laundry for solo downtime.

So on the Carnival Vista, at Christmas, typical wear is? Do evenings cool down? Is there a self serve laundry? They say there are two elegant dining nights but don't say what days (I'm assuming the two at sea days but that's just a guess) Are ship interiors cold at anytime that would require a sweater or pants? Looking to get a larger suitcase just for this trip...if anything for the fact that I have to pack nicer dresses.

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Dress for the climate, which will be warm and humid. Elegant nights will be the first sea day, and the second will never be the last night (because they assume you want to be packing your finery). Inside areas can be chilly to take a sweater or wrap. Carnival has self service laundries on every ship. EM

Thank you!

hmmm trying to decide when to reserve a date night at the steakhouse. I had assumed the elegant nights were both sea days (the first being christmas day) and the last is the last day... the other days are port days. I wish they would tell us in our info.

If you do post this on the Carnival Board as mentioned you will get additional advice on this which likely will help you with your reservation plans.

Keith

Thanks!

Shorts during the day- unless you are like me. I put my bathing suit on 1st thing as sea days are spent by the pool and don't take it off until I dress for dinner. (I have swim shorts that look like regular shorts, from LL Bean.) I wear these off the ship. In 'old days" I'd wear a bathing suit under shorts as we always ended up going to a beach.

At night you will see more formal wear on 'cruise elegant' night but will still see shorts and jeans EVERY NIGHT in the dining room. A very few men will wear a tux. I wear what I'd wear to church other nights, some long dresses, some short or pants.

The evenings don't cool down but the air conditioning can be chilly. I usually have a shawl to wear as I don't wear it but have it over my shoulders. Or just take a sweater.

There are self service laundries and they are posted on the small ship's map you get. On the Vista I am sure you can use your sign 'n sail card to pay for this, don't need quarters - its $300 a load.

It will be summer weather in the Caribbean...bear in mind that the Bahamas are NOT Caribbean! They are Atlantic Islands, and have similar temps to Florida.

You will want shorts for sure during the day.....summer clothing. In the evening, it will still be warm, but if you're outside, it's breezy...some find that chilly! I tend NOT to be on deck in the evening...it messes with my hair!!

On the Vista I am sure you can use your sign 'n sail card to pay for this, don't need quarters - its $300 a load.

For that price, I’d be sending my laundry out.

We cruised the western Carribean last Christmas. Our first formal night was the day we set sail! It was Christmas Eve. My daughter and I wore a dress, and my husband and teen boys a shirt and tie with black pants. (Didnt want to bring a suit coat) You will need a sweater for the evenings sometimes, so pack one. I'd bring one pair of pants. Look up the dining room dress code for your ship. We were on Royal Carribean and needed resort casual for the dining room. So no shorts. And dont overpack! You do spend quite a bit of time in casual shorts and bathing suits. For our dinner clothes, we planned to wear each outfit twice, as we only put them on right before dinner then went back to room to change.

Thank you.. I hadn't thought of the formal night being the first night, christmas eve, but that would make sense. I think Carnival has a 'resort casual' too but they may be more lenient, I think I just read no jeans or jean cut offs in the DR but I will double check.

Caribbean at Christmas...what to wear? Purely summer? Totally casual? Resort Casual? 'Elegant Nights'?! Is it really that warm?! lol

 

As a first time cruiser I'm feeling a little overwhelmed at the idea of what clothes to pack. I'm typically a carry on only type of girl (as is my husband and two teens) but we are casual, a bit lazy and I'm a weirdo that likes to escape to a local laundry for solo downtime.

 

So on the Carnival Vista, at Christmas, typical wear is? Do evenings cool down? Is there a self serve laundry? They say there are two elegant dining nights but don't say what days (I'm assuming the two at sea days but that's just a guess) Are ship interiors cold at anytime that would require a sweater or pants? Looking to get a larger suitcase just for this trip...if anything for the fact that I have to pack nicer dresses.

Just basing this off my own holiday travel and cruise experience. I'd base your packing on what makes you comfortable to start with so probably some swimwear and casual, relaxed, lightweight clothing. Then maybe throw in a Christmas t-shirt and if you plan to do the formal dinner maybe something with some holiday flare for your accessories.

As far as cruise ship interiors being cold not in my experience but everyone's idea of comfortable temperatures is different. I always have a lighter weight wool poncho I think it is called with me. Like a cape but with the center divided. Great if anyone gets a chill in the movie theater or restaurant or airport lounge, or if you need a pillow or cushion. I've even used it as a beach blanket or picnic ground cover on occasion.