If you are thinking about taking a family cruise holiday, remember that the clothes you take do not need to be expensive or fancy. You don’t have to buy any nautical cruise wear for your child or baby if you don’t want to although it can be really fun! There are some great ranges of nautical cruise wear available for babies all the way through to teens and you can be sure that your little ones will love to dress up. So what can you buy?
Day Wear
Children’s daytime clothes are very similar to what you would pack for you and your partner. Many cruise lines describe their daytime dress codes as “resort casual” so a pair of shorts, a t-shirt and a pair of sandals would be perfect for a child. You may also want to include a jumper and a rain jacket just in case the weather gets a bit cool. Sun hats are a must and you should take a minimum of three swimsuits per child (you will need them, trust me!). Whether you need to take more of a certain type of clothing item (jumpers for example) will depend on your cruise destination so take the time to check out the expected weather conditions before you travel.
Evening Wear
Depending on the age of your children, you may wish to dine with them at a children’s restaurant in which case the clothing can be very similar to their day wear options. If you decide to let them experience the main dining room you will need to check with your cruise operator before you travel as there is usually a set dress code.
On a seven day cruise you can expect to have two formal dining nights, and four smart-casual. For the formal nights, a pair of smart trousers and a smart shirt with a tie (although you do see children dressed up in mini tuxedos!) would be perfect for a little boy, and a party dress will be perfect for a little girl. For the smart casual nights, a pair of trousers and a shirt would be fine for a boy, and a casual dress or a skirt and blouse would be ideal for a girl.
Purchasing Cruise Wear for Children
Nautical clothing is available in a variety of shops for children of all ages. For the little ones, you might want to have a look in Mother Care or similar child and baby stores, and for older children shops like Littlewoods and Next can have some great items. You don’t have to break the bank with your child’s cruise wear. On my last cruise I actually found some great deals from online shops and eBay was great for finding a few formal outfits with a nautical theme.
If you are worried about cruising with your children, don’t! A number of cruise lines specifically cater for children now and have kids clubs and babysitters so if you do want to take an afternoon or evening off you can rest assured that your children will be well looked after. Disney, Royal Caribbean and Carnival all cater to children, and with their nautical outfits your children will feel completely at home.
If you are thinking about taking your family on a cruise, you will want to compare the price of some child friendly cruise lines before you travel. Major Cruise is a cruise comparison website that can help you to compare every type of cruise you can imagine. From cheap Mediterranean cruises, to Disney cruises through the Caribbean – the choice is yours!
