The Mediterranean is famous for its many gorgeous coasts, interesting cities, versatile history, and amazing cuisine. Who can resist this type of trip?
Cruising the Mediterranean is one of the best ways to discover this region full of art, culture, and romance. Mediterranean cruises often visit popular ports like Barcelona, Spain, the Italian Riviera, & of course bucket list spots like Santorini and Mykonos in Greece.
When taking this type of cruise, you’ll be packing for cruise to several different countries, so it’s important to pack well for this journey. Here are some tips on what to pack for your Mediterranean cruise!
Casual clothes
On a Mediterranean cruise, you’ll be walking a lot. Make sure you bring a decent number of both casual as well as comfortable outfits for your days in port.
Jeans, shorts, tee shirts, casual dresses or skirts are perfect for days in port on a Mediterranean cruise when you want to feel comfortable. Consider breathable fabrics, such as cotton or linen, especially if it’s during the summer months.
If you’re traveling during October or April you’ll want to bring a few sweaters and long-sleeved t-shirts that you can layer in case the weather gets chilly.
Swimwear
You always want swimsuits and cover ups for a Mediterranean cruise, 3 or more is recommended for most cruises so you never have to wear a wet swimsuit.
Swim cover-ups
If you think you’ll spend a lot of time in your swimwear, a cover up is a great item to have with you, for walking around the ship, beach days or visiting a cafe when on the beach.
Sun hat
Protect your skin by packing and then wearing a hat that will keep sun damage away. For the guys, a good baseball cap or SPF-protective hat will be great and for the ladies, if you want to feel glamorous, pack a wide-brimmed hat to give you extra protection and looks great with nearly every outfit.
Sunglasses
Protect your eyes from the sun too, and while you’re at it, avoid squinting in your pictures by wearing sunglasses – so pack at least one pair.
Comfortable walking shoes
You might be surprised at how often you’ll be walking during your Mediterranean cruise, because honestly who could resist strolling around these amazing historic cities and charming towns. Keep in mind that many streets in Europe made and still are very uneven cobblestones, so walking around in low quality shoes can land you a fair amount of foot pain.
With that said, be sure to take at least 1 pair of comfortable shoes for walking, like supportive shoes for walking or sneakers.
Sandals
For beach or pool days, you’ll want to have a pair of sandals, flip flops, or water shoes that are made for vacation style use in your suitcase.
Sweater or light jacket
The Mediterranean Sea is usually calm with warm breezes at night in summer. During the spring and fall seasons, the wind chills it a bit and the evenings are cooler.
Consider a light cardigan or perhaps a stylish jacket to put on when you are spending time at any of the outdoor areas onboard your cruise ship.
Scarf or pashmina
A scarf or maybe even a lovely pashmina is also a helpful item when cruising the Mediterranean. Not only is it an easy fix when the weather is cooler, it is also important if you plan on visiting churches, because many of them require female visitors to cover the shoulders to go inside.
Dinner and evening clothes
If your cruise offers overnight stays in port, think about packing a few dressier outfits. For the ladies, a maxi dress or a fashionable top and pants or a skirt are great. For men, smart looking pants and a short-sleeve polo shirt or button-down shirt work great!
Most cruise lines have some dress codes for dinner, so typically these items are prohibited in the main dining room: T-shirts, swimsuits, robes, bare feet, tank tops, baseball caps, & pool wear, shorts, and flip-flops are not allowed but may be more flexible for daytime dining.
You’re encouraged to dress up a few nights on each cruise. If you plan to attend one of our nicer evening dinners, the dress code typically consists of cocktail dresses, skirts, pants, or designer jeans with an elegant top for the ladies and for the guys, pants or designer jeans with a dress shirt, button-down, or sweater.
Evening shoes
Don’t forget about dress shoes. Women would generally want to pack heels or dressier sandals, and men should include at least one pair of nicer shoes in their suitcase.
Backpack or handbag
Take a backpack for your Mediterranean cruise – essential for port days, when you’ll be off exploring towns and cities & you’ll most likely need to carry your wallet, passport, phone, clothing items (sweater or pashmina), & camera.
Jewelry
The quickest way to dress up an outfit is by adding some accessories. Don’t forget to pack a few pieces of jewelry, such as your favorite earrings or a bold necklace. All staterooms and suites have a safe, where you can store your valuables.
Medicine
The ship’s pharmacy doesn’t have the ability to fill prescriptions, so be sure to bring plenty of your medications – enough for the duration of your cruise. It’s also a great idea to pack first aid essentials such as bandages, pain relief pills that you prefer, anti-nausea medicine, & upset stomach medication.
Phone and phone charger
A spare phone charging battery pack is a smart way to make sure you can snap all of those memories!
Other travel essentials
Aside from all the above suggestions, don’t forget to pack underwear, socks, pajamas, cosmetics, wallet, passport, and cash.
Camera
You might want to pack a good old fashioned high quality camera. Of course your phone can do it, but you might want to get even better pictures of the beauty of the Mediterranean and all of its lovely sights.
How can I dress like a local while traveling around the Mediterranean?
If you don’t want to look like a tourist during your cruise, here are a few suggestions on what to wear.
In the daytime, there’s plenty of room to have fun with your outfits. Focus on items that will look nice, yet comfortable. Consider linen pants and shirts, sundresses, espadrilles, straw hats, and leather sandals.
During evenings, Europeans like to dress up, so if you’re having dinner in port, be sure to leave the sneakers & tank tops on the ship and choose a more smart look. For the ladies, a cocktail or gauzy dress are good options, and men would want to be pairing slacks with a nice button-down shirt.
What should I pack for a 7-night Mediterranean cruise?
Most Mediterranean cruises 7 or more nights, so plan on packing enough clothing to last you the duration of your trip. Also try not to overpack and bring items you can wear on multiple days and mix and match.
Shoes can do double the work during your vacation. Plan to pack a pair of comfortable sandals or walking shoes, beach sandals, and a dressy pair and you should be fine for a 7 day journey.
Shorts, skirts, and pants are also great because they can be worn more than one time, so be sure to choose neutral colors that can be mixed and matched with different tops throughout your trip.
Accessories go a long way to mix up those multi-use items, too! Adding earrings or a bold necklace can make a casual day look more elegant for evenings.
What should I pack for a Mediterranean cruise in the summer?
This packing list is great for what to pack for a Mediterranean cruise in summertime and if you’re cruising in the hottest part of summer, keep in mind that the weather can get very hot, so be sure to pack a few warm weather essentials like as sunscreen, a lightweight wardrobe, perhaps a sun hat, and lots of swimsuits.
Now that you know what to wear on a Mediterranean cruise, it’s time to find the perfect itinerary!
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