Life On Board Holland America Line

Clothing and Dress Code

First and foremost, dress for comfort. Daily life aboard ship and in ports of call is relaxed and casual. Warmer climates call for clothing made of lightweight, breathable fabrics. For cooler climates, we suggest casual clothes that can be layered easily and possibly a raincoat and waterproof hat or umbrella and gloves.

Certain shore excursions may require particular attention to clothing. For example, certain churches, or other places of worship, may not allow tank tops or short pants.

Bring a swimsuit as all of our ships have pools and whirlpools. You may wish to bring more than one outfit for the water. Please wear shoes and a cover-up over a bathing suit when walking through the interior of the ship.

If you would like to jog on the sports deck or work out in the fitness center, bring workout gear. Footwear should include comfortable walking shoes for visits ashore and sandals or rubber-soled shoes for strolling on deck.

Each night a daily program will be delivered to your stateroom announcing the suggested dress for the following evening.

Evening dress falls into two distinct categories; Formal or Smart Casual. Smart Casual can be defined as slacks and sports shirt or sweater for men and skirt or trousers and sweater or blouse for women. T-shirts, swimsuits, tank tops and shorts are not allowed in the restaurants or public areas during the evening hours. On festive Formal evenings, ladies usually wear a cocktail dress or gown and gentlemen usually wear a suit and tie or tuxedo. There are approximately two formal nights per week. Formalwear for ladies and gentlemen can be pre-ordered for your use during your cruise by calling Cruiseline Formalwear at 800-551-5091. Your formalwear will be in your stateroom when you board.