I bet you are like me; the most daunting part of any trip is packing packing…especially for somewhere you have never visited. Thankfully, I have made the mistakes and learned the lessons over so that I can provide you with this guide. It tells you all you need to know about what to pack for your summer European cruise, so you can look great and feel comfortable with minimal effort each day you travel.
The Category System
After losing luggage, and traveling unprepared for visiting basilicas and monuments, I have come up with 3 categories that are pivotal when planning the perfect wardrobe for a European cruise: comfortable, functional, and appropriate.
These three focuses will ensure you pack photo-worthy outfits without the pain of improper shoes or uncomfortable clothing.
Comfortable
In the summer, southern European countries can get up to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and it certainly feels that hot when the breeze is blocked by the city streets and alleyways. Dressing in non-breathable clothing or thick layers can potentially lead to dehydration or heat stroke. To prevent this, reviewing the weather and packing multiple options is wise.
Functional
When in Europe whether it is a cruise or not, you will spend much time strolling along the cobblestone walkways that Europe is so famously known for. The downside to these picturesque pathways is that the shoes you wear need to be supportive and have some traction as they can be slick when damp…I would know after rolling my ankle one to many times. This doesn’t mean you need to wear tennis shoes to a nice dinner but instead opt for a small block heel or espadrille instead of a thin stiletto.
This is just one of the many examples as to why it is imperative to choose clothing that is adequate for the activity and environment.
Another thing to bear in mind is if you are prone to chaffing and would like to wear a dress, include some shorts to wear under so that your legs are not hurting after walking 20,000 steps.
Appropriate
Okay, before you roll your eyes for sounding like your parents lecturing you in high school, hear me out. Appropriate refers to dress codes set by places you will visit, such as churches (basilicas, duomos, etc.) you may visit on your excursions, or for restaurants. When dining on a cruise ship, each restaurant has their own dress code, and if you do not meet the standards they set, they can refuse your admission, so it is best to look at the potential restaurants and holy sites you may visit to determine what is require.
Choosing appropriate clothing is also important in certain destinations as there are potential fines for not dressing “modestly”. For example, Hvar, Croatia, among many of other coastal towns require men and women to be clothed unless on the beach. Women who stroll the city in a bikini top and shorts, or men who choose to wear swim trunks without a top can be subject to a 500 Euro fine by the city.
When in doubt, opt for covered shoulders and knees for both men and women.
Pro Tips
If you have long hair, plan on ways to easily pull your hair up on the go. I love claw clips and scarves to pull my hair up while on the go, as they are chic and easy to carry with you while you adventure. One thing to keep in mind is that plastic claw clips can break easily (I have broken three plastic claw clips from traveling over the past year), so travel with them in a safe spot, or opt for a metal one, like this.
(Honorable mention for this really cute Moda Operandi claw clip!)
If you are concerned about the amount of clothing not being enough, you can always do a load of laundry on the boat. Most cruise lines offer laundry service where you pay per item and pack safely in a bag to be taken and cleaned. It is similar pricing to a dry-cleaning service where you pay a set price per item, but sometimes they will run specials where you can fill a whole bag for a set price. This is typically done mid trip, and I always opt to do so, as a bag of laundry is cheaper than an extra checked bag. One perk of the laundry service that you do not get from standard dry-cleaning is that your laundry is picked up from your room and dropped back off nicely folded.
Packing Guide
For exactly what to pack for a European summer cruise, below I have included a packing checklist for both a 10-day and a 7-day European summer cruise, but I do want to explain why I pack what I do, so you can decide what is right for you.
Under Garments
This is one of those items that are critical to pack enough especially while spending much of your trip in the summer heat. I also like to make sure I am packing breathable items, so I remain comfortable throughout the day.
First, I start with underwear. No matter where I travel or for how long, my formula for ensuring I have just enough is 2.33 pairs for every day I am traveling. This will ensure that you have enough for two pairs a day, and a fresh pair for after swimming. I also take color and material into account. Ensuring that I pack pairs that are similar in color to my clothing keeps from worrying about being able to see-through light-colored dresses and cotton keeps my shoes from getting funky after all of the walking.
Secondly are bras. These are easy to wash wile traveling, so fewer are needed to be packed. I typically look at the shape of the tops and dresses to try to find ones that work for multiple outfits. In the end, one neutral colored, one dark colored, and a strapless tends to do the job.
Last of the undergarments are socks. These are critical as poor socks can lead to blisters and bleeding from all of the walking. Thicker no-show socks are great for this. They are not visible, but they are perfect for walking miles. My favorite are these ones from Old Navy. They actually stay up on my heels and the elastic around the center keep my feet comfortable all day.
Tops & Bottoms
For tops, bottoms, and dresses, my recommendations are going to be very similar. Cotton, linen, and silk will be your best option for fabric composition as it is think and breathable.
Specifically for tops. I am a fan of light-colored loose blouses. Light colored clothing is best as darker colors absorb heat more than light colors, and looser tops will allow for any breeze to penetrate and for less sweat to be absorbed into it. Below are some tops that I love to travel in.
For bottoms, pants, shorts, and skirts are great options, but you should be mindful of you planned activities. If suggest packing a few pairs of linen pants or long skirts for visits to churches, cathedrals, and duomos to conform to their modest dress codes. Bottoms that fit looser around the legs are great to beat the heat and minimize sweating. I am a big fan of tailored shorts and linen pants such as the ones below for their comfortability and breathability.
Since chaffing can be uncomfortable, I also always pack a pair or two of spandex gym shorts to protect my thighs while wearing dresses and skirts. I specify gym shorts as they are intended for hot weather, sweating, and high amounts of activity.
Dresses
I love dresses! They are my favorite for traveling because I don’t have to make sure my top and bottoms match. They are super convenient to put on when I am in a rush, so great for early mornings.
When packing for a European summer cruise, longer and more flowy dresses work best since I love to take photos to remember my travels by. Tight dresses show sweat and short dresses are prone to being blown up in the wind, so I will pack a few of these but less so. Also, if you are visiting churches, they typically have dress codes requiring modest dressing: covered shoulders and knees, occasionally ankles and hair as well, so long dresses meet the modesty requirements for covered knees.
What’s also great about dresses is that they tend to take up less room when packing, and cost less than purchasing pants and a top.
For the number of dresses to pack, that is entirely up to you. I tend to pack mostly dresses, so I may have more than someone who prefers skirts or shorts. I also pack extra dresses for summer cruises as they are the perfect attire for dining in the evening. To maximize space, I will wear a less formal dress (such as a mid-length cotton sundress) to less formal dinner the night before and then wears it for my excursion the next day. This allows me to limit my dressier options (such as a silk slip dress, or even a formal gown if you please) to about two dresses.
Accessories
This is my favorite packing category! Accessories can drastically change the look of an outfit and tend to be small so you can pack many options. The biggest items to focus on are jewelry, hair accessories, and practical accessories.
For jewelry, I opt for both gold and silver to travel with me because my mood can change from day to day, but I pair it down to one necklace per metal, 2-3 pairs of earrings per metal, and 2-3 mix-and-matchable bracelets per category. This allows me to vary how dressed up or down I look without taking up much space.
For hair accessories, this can overlap with practical accessories as having your hair styles can impact your look greatly but can also provide a reprieve from the heat. One of my favorite accessories for hot days, are scarves. I suggest opting for a thin cotton, linen, or silk scarf that large enough to cover your shoulders when visiting churches or for the cooler evenings but can also be used to pull your hair up in a pinch. To pull your hair up on the go, I also mentioned claw clips above. Both small and large ones are perfect for daytime adventures when you cannot run quickly back to your room.
Of practical accessories not yet mentioned, sunglasses are it. Being on the coast, the water can reflect back the bright sun. Instead of spending the trip squinting to see all of the sights, bring along a pair of sunglasses in a hard case to avoid them getting damaged. For me personally, I wear prescription glasses and contacts regularly, so I tend to bring a pair of my Warby Parker prescription sunglasses and a pair of regular sunglasses.
Sleepwear and Loungewear
This really depends on the type of person you are. Do you wear real pajamas, or do you opt for a t-shirt and shorts to sleep? For me, nothing beats the silky feeling of a pair of silk pajamas, so I chose to pack both pajamas and loungewear instead of lumping them into one category. I always travel with at least two pairs of loungewear for trips over a week and then add an additional pair for each day at sea. Pajamas wise, I will change them less regularly than I do at home, so I pack a pair for every three nights abroad. This leaves me with flexible options to wear between the daily excursions and dinner each evening. If you want to feel chic in your sleepwear and loungewear, choose matching sets. You never have to think if they go together, and it always feels elegant.
I am obsessed with these pajamas!
Swimwear
This one is super easy and takes up minimal space. My formula for packing swimsuits is the number of days you plan to need a suit plus one extra. For example, if I am planning four beach days on my trip and one pool day, I would pack six suits. This allows you to never have to wear an uncomfortable damp suit, and always have options if you would like to wear new suit to each location.
Shoes
Shoes are one of those things that take up a lot of space in your suitcase and tend to be heavy. In my mind, suitcase real estate is priceless and bring tons of shoes I won’t wear is the worst way to have to pay for an overly heavy bag, or not have room to bring home mementos. What I do before traveling is plan out my outfits, and then decide what types of shoes are necessary to bring. This allows me to narrow my shoes down to one pair per category. Personally, for European summer cruises, I have three categories.
First category is formal. When traveling, many times you can get away without an overly formal shoe, but on a cruise, many dining rooms request elevated or more formal attire, so I will typically pack a pair of heels. When deciding on heels though, determine if you plan on wearing these while traveling before or after your cruise. If I planned to wear these before your cruise, I stick with a heel that has a rubber sole that is a wedge or has a block heel, as finer heels do not do well on cobblestone. If I only intended to wear them on the cruise, any heel is fine as the cruise ship floors are even and easy to walk on.
The second category is beach or pool wear. If you plan on spending time at the beach or going to a pool, a comfortable pair of sandals is great. These can also double as a casual pair of shoes to wear to breakfast in the morning or if you need to run down to reception. For certain beaches, I bring along my water shoes as well due to the jagged rocks along some shorelines.
The third and final category is your everyday shoe. This should be something you are comfortable walking many miles in without your feet hurting or getting blistered. They are also supposed to be cute. For this, my preferences are the Addidas Stan Smiths for a pop of color or the Birkenstock Bend Lows due to the comfortability and clean design. These shoes can be worn with any of your daytime outfits without being a distraction in photos and are adequate for all that the walkable European cities have in store.
Travel Outfits
I like to keep this section separate because travel outfits are a bit particular. For trips that are overnight or spanning longer than 5 hours, I want to wear something comfortable. The issue is, I like to still look presentable, and sometimes spend time in airport lounges which require guests to dress nicely, so pajamas are not an option. Another thing to bear in mind is that once you land, the weather is hot, but airplanes are kept cold. With all this in mind, I prefer to wear a pair of cotton or linen trousers with a cotton tank top and a sweater. The secret is that the sweater doubles as a way to stay warm on the plane, but it is also a way to slightly dress up the outfit.
When looking for a pair of pants, ensure the waist band is comfortable and has some room. If you are like me, you will get a bit bloated from eating and then being in flight for a while, so the little bit of extra room keeps the pants comfortable for the entirety of the flight. I personally wear these to fly the most.
10 Day Guide
For a 10-day cruise, here’s what I would pack:
7 Day Guide
For a 7-day cruise, here’s what I would pack:
Travel Outfits
Travel outfits should be comfortable enough to be able to lift suit cases, run to your gate when short on time, and sleep in basic economy in, but you also want to feel and look presentable. For this, my preference is a comfortable pair of cotton or linen trousers with a cotton tank top and a thin sweater.
