Cruise and Yacht Dinner Outfits for Women in Their 30s and 40s

For cruise formal night, the captain’s dinner or a yacht club dinner in your 30s or 40s, pack 1 evening jumpsuit, 1 midi dress, and wide leg pants with a blazer. Choose pieces you will also wear at home. Start with the Tina Two Layer Jumpsuit ($695). Its floral upper layer comes off a solid navy base, so 1 floor length piece covers both formal nights of a 7 night sailing. The Tina product page says the hem should sit half an inch above the floor in the heel you will wear.

What the dress code means on a ship, on a yacht and at a resort

Most large ships hold 1 or 2 formal nights on a 7 night sailing. Some lines now call them gala, elegant or dress your best nights. The other evenings are smart casual. On a formal night the main dining room expects a cocktail dress, a midi dress, an evening jumpsuit or a pantsuit. A gown is welcome, and few lines require one. Read your line’s code before you pack. Our guide to cruise formal night and the captain’s dinner walks through the evening on board.

The captain’s dinner usually falls on the dressiest night. A yacht club dining room runs smart casual and gets dressier after dark. On a private yacht, many owners ask guests to go barefoot or to wear soft soled flats on deck. For a resort dinner, expect resort casual or resort evening, which means a midi or maxi dress, or pants with a blouse.

What to wear on a cruise in your 30s and 40s

A cruise in your 30s or 40s may mark an anniversary or a 40th birthday, or it may be a friend’s wedding at sea. Before and after the trip there are client dinners and other people’s weddings, so pack pieces you will wear again. The Greta dress works as a summer wedding guest dress. The green Jody jumpsuit goes to the December party, and the white Alexa blazer goes to the office.

Wear the Tina on both formal nights and at a wedding at home, and the $695 piece gives you 3 evenings.

Formal night and the captain’s dinner

• The Tina Two Layer is floor length, with wide legs, a belted waist and adjustable shoulder straps. The upper layer is a draped ivory chiffon panel printed with pink and orange roses. Wear the upper layer on the first formal night and leave it in the cabin on the second.
• The Jody Lace Jumpsuit in Midnight Green ($550) is sleeveless, with a European lace bodice, a sheer illusion yoke and a slim belt with a buckle above wide legs. At home it goes to a winter wedding or a holiday party.
• If you want a gown, the Iris Off-Shoulder Maxi Gown in Navy ($770) has a pleated off-shoulder band, a beaded waist and a full skirt with a low metallic sheen. The shell is 97% polyester with 3% elastane. On a size 2 it measures 56 inches from the back of the neck. Wear it on a black tie night at sea and at a gala at home.

The yacht club dinner and the resort dinner

• The Greta Off-Shoulder Dress in Navy ($695) is a midi with a folded off-shoulder band and a double breasted bodice. Silver buttons close it, a wide belt with a square silver buckle marks the waist, and the pleated skirt has side pockets. It measures 46 inches from the back of the neck on a size 2.
• The Nela Midi Dress in Black ($695) has spaghetti straps, a V neckline and a pleated A-line skirt in a textured black weave. It is also 46 inches on a size 2. Its summer weight suits a warm resort dinner.

Pants for the nights between

The Greta Wide Leg Pants in Navy ($610) have a high waist and a wrap front panel that crosses the hip on diagonal seams. Silver eyelets threaded with red lacing and an anchor charm sit at the waistband, and the pants are fully lined. Wear them on the smart casual nights with a satin blouse, and to the office with a white shirt after the trip.

You will find every evening piece in our cruise, yacht and resort dinner collection.

What to wear over it by season

A ship’s dining room is air conditioned, and the deck is often windy after dinner. The Alexa Tailored Blazer in White ($610) is lined, with long sleeves, 4 covered buttons and flap pockets. Wear it over the navy pants, the black Nela or the Tina base. On a Caribbean sailing between October and March, the blazer is enough. A fall sailing to New England and Canada or a summer week in Alaska has cold evenings on deck. For those routes, pack a coat that covers the hem of a knee or midi dress from our winter coat collection.

What to avoid

A gown with a train is hard to manage on ship stairs and on a tender to shore. Thin, high heels are unsteady on a moving deck, and many yacht owners do not allow them on teak. Leave jeans and shorts in the cabin on formal night. Skip anything you would wear only once, since the suitcase is small.

Shoes and bag

Wear a block heel or a low heel with a strap around the ankle. Try the Tina or a Jody jumpsuit with that exact heel before you pack. Both product pages ask for about half an inch between the hem and the floor. On a yacht, bring soft soled flats you can slip off at the gangway. A small crossbody bag leaves your hands free on stairs and on a tender.

For a dinner ashore at the club, read what to wear to a yacht club. If the trip has 1 dress at its center, the cocktail dress for women in their 30s helps you choose it. Our capsule wardrobe guide helps you plan the rest of the suitcase. Every other event is on the Shop by Occasion page.

A short checklist

• Read your line’s dress code page and count the formal nights in your itinerary.
• Pack 1 piece that works 2 ways, such as the Tina with and without its upper layer.
• Choose each piece for a wedding, a holiday party or the office after the trip.
• Add a blazer for the deck, and a coat for a cold weather route.

Questions about cruise and yacht dinners

Can I wear pants on cruise formal night?

Yes, most major lines allow pants. Dress pants with an evening top, a pantsuit or an evening jumpsuit all meet the formal night code. Jeans and shorts usually do not. Each line writes its own rules, so read the dress code on your line’s website before you pack.

Do I need a gown for a cruise captain’s dinner?

Usually you do not. A midi dress, a cocktail dress or an evening jumpsuit is accepted on most ships. A line with a black tie night may expect more, and a gown such as the Iris Off-Shoulder Maxi Gown in Navy is welcome on any formal night.

What is a yacht party dress code for women?

By day, wear light pants or a midi dress with soft soled flats. Many yachts ask guests to go barefoot on deck. After dark, step up to a midi dress or a jumpsuit, and bring a blazer for the wind.

What should I wear to a resort dinner?

Wear a midi or maxi dress, or pants with a blouse, with dressy sandals or a low heel. A resort evening code asks for a dressier midi such as the Nela Midi Dress in Black.

What do I pack for a 7 night cruise in my 30s or 40s?

Pack 1 or 2 formal outfits, 2 or 3 pieces for the smart casual nights and 1 blazer. Choose pieces you will also wear at home.

Does Luna ship free, and can I return a piece?

Shipping to any US address is free. Orders ship from California and arrive in 2 to 5 days, and you can return any order within 30 days with no questions asked.