You’re about to embark on an incredible journey, and we’re here to help you make sure you have everything you need. We will look at What to wear on viking river cruise, dress code on viking ocean cruises and viking river cruise dinner attire. The first thing you need to know about what to wear on a Viking river cruise is that you don’t have to pack much. We provide everything you need, from the moment you step onboard until the time you leave. That means your suitcase can be as light as possible—simply bring your favorite outfits and comfortable shoes for exploring local sites and walking around town. For example: what do you wear?
A Viking River Cruise is not just a vacation—it’s an experience. And when it comes to your wardrobe, you want to make sure that it reflects who you are and what makes you unique. That’s why we’ve put together this guide for what to wear on a Viking River Cruise. Whether you’re looking for something casual or formal, we’ll help you find the perfect outfit for every occasion. When you’re planning a river cruise, there are a lot of decisions to make. Should you go with an open or closed cabin? What activities should you book? How many people should you bring along? And what to wear? The truth is that there are no wrong answers when it comes to what to wear on a Viking river cruise. It’s all up to your personal preferences. However, if you’re looking for some ideas and inspiration, we’ve got the following tips for your next Viking river cruise!
What to Wear on Viking River Cruise
Viking River Cruises is a popular way to explore Europe. You can choose from multiple itineraries and embark on a cruise that will take you to the most beautiful cities in Europe, including London, Paris, Amsterdam, Budapest, and more.
If you’re thinking about booking your first river cruise or want to learn more about what it’s like on board a Viking ship, here are some things to know before booking your trip.
Wearing layers is key! Bring a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, which you can easily layer over your button-down shirt.
Don’t forget your raincoat! You’ll need it for the boat ride, but also for when you’re exploring the cities.
Your passport is essential for visiting any new country, so make sure it’s handy at all times.
There are no formal nights on Viking so there’s no need for long dresses for women or dinner jackets for men (even neckties are discretionary). Instead, the dress code is “elegant casual,” which can mean anything from a sundress in the Caribbean—to slacks and a blouse for women cruising in colder climates.
A common question for first-time river cruisers is how to pack for a cruise?
Having sailed on a number of Viking River Cruises and Viking Ocean Cruises, we realise packing for a river cruise differs from what you would pack for a cruise on one of the bigger cruise lines.
With this in mind, we’ve put together this Viking River Cruise packing list, loaded with helpful cruise packing tips to help you get ready for your river cruise or even your first Viking Ocean Cruise.
You will find an example 7-10 day packing list at the end of the article to use as a starting point for your packing.
A viking river cruises ship sits docked at night lit up with christmas lights. You can expect beautiful scenes like this on Viking Christmas cruises thanks to the shorter days.
River cruise cabins may not be as spacious as a hotel room or on an ocean-going vessel, so you don’t want to clutter it with unnecessary stuff.
Also, if you’re planning a pre or post-cruise extension trip, you don’t want to be burdened with heavy luggage.
Storage on Board a River Cruise Vessel
One thing we love about Viking River Cruise vessels is the ample storage in the cabins. While the cabin itself may not be that spacious, there is plenty of drawer and cupboard space to stow your things. Empty suitcases or bags slide easily under the beds to minimise clutter.
A stateroom on a Viking river cruise showin the bed, window and dresser. Wondering what to pack for a cruise? Remember there is limited space inside these cabins and you want your bulky luggage to fit under the bed.
Pack Your Cruise Carry On Bag Wisely
We always recommend packing a change of clothes (or two), some basic toiletries, and important medications and documents in your carry-on luggage when you travel.
If you are taking a fly-cruise package and your luggage is lost by the airline, it could take time for your luggage to be found and may even have to be delivered to the ship at the next port of call.
Related: Avoid lost luggage issues. We’ve rounded up the Best Luggage Trackers and Smart Tags to help you find lost luggage fast.
Also, it would be rare on a river ship, but if there were delays in delivering your bags to your room, you can still freshen up and explore the ship without waiting for your bags.
Reading and games area on a viking river cruise with shelves of books and a view of the ships atrium in the background. How should you dress for a viking cruise. Smart casual is the answer, remember you are on holiday and want to look good and be comfortable.
Viking River Cruise Dinner Attire
When considering how you should dress for a Viking river cruise, depending on the cruise you have chosen, first, think about the season and what weather you may expect.
In Europe, many people choose to take a river cruise in the shoulder seasons of spring and autumn which can mean changeable conditions.
Even the summer months in some parts of Europe can be unpredictable. Whereas, in the summer months in parts of Asia, you can expect a lot of rain.
Are there Laundry Facilities on Board
There is a laundry service onboard the Viking river cruises. Expect prices between $2.00 – $8.00 USD per item.
If sailing on Viking ocean cruises, there are numerous guest laundries available to use free of charge on each deck.
Depending on the type of excursion, you may want to pack specific clothing such as comfortable, versatile hiking/walking shoes for optional easy hikes.
There may be swimming or bathing opportunities, such as the traditional Russian Banya or the therapeutic spas in Budapest, which will require a swimsuit.
Reviewing the shore excursions is particularly important when considering what to pack for a river cruise in Europe, as most cruise itineraries offer a range of cultural evening excursions such as the opera or ballet.
If you choose one of the evening excursions, you may want to pack something a little dressier.
Cruise Luggage Tips
If you are travelling as a couple, we recommend taking one large suitcase or bag between you for a cruise and one carry on bag each.
You maximise the room in your cabin this way and only have to worry about one case while you are travelling.
With this in mind, consider baggage weight allowances if your river cruise includes domestic flights within the country.
Best Bags for Cruise Excursions
The best bag for a shore excursion is one that is not too bulky, comfortable to wear, practical and has good anti-theft features.
Ladies, forget your fabulously bulky shoulder tote bag that looks great in any season. Think practical anti-theft crossbody purses that can’t be overfilled (for comfort), don’t stand out yet still look good.
You will be doing a lot of walking around towns and cities on a river cruise. You want to be comfortable and don’t want to fall victim to pickpockets.
Anti Theft Fanny Packs
If you want a lightweight in-between bag for day excursions or even for days onboard – you’ll be pleased to know fanny packs are back in fashion. We have reviewed some of the best and most stylish fanny packs for travel here, but these are a few of our favourites. Some even transition beautifully from day to evening.
Too often we see people in tour groups sightseeing with their bag or daypack hanging loosely from one shoulder with zips or drawer string closures gaping wide open. While this is an open invitation to pickpockets, it is also how people often lose phones, wallets and other personal items when travelling. If you prefer a sling bag, we’ve got the best selection of Sling Backpacks for men & women here.
Best Cruise Purse for Evening Excursions and Onboard
If you want to bring an additional purse for evening excursions or for evenings on board, consider a handbag for travel that comes with a small anti-theft wristlet or clutch for evenings. Or, pack a separate anti-theft clutch that won’t take up much room in your bag.
Perfect for carrying your phone, lipstick, room card and money without having to pack an extra purse.
Happily, for the most part, this is not the case. While a certain level of dress is expected, and always appreciated, on a Viking River Cruise, you will not find the need for formal wear as you might on a big cruise line. To help you with the dress code on a river cruise, we give you some ideas for day and evening wear.
Pack with Mix and Match in Mind
To avoid overpacking for your cruise choose clothing that will work for multiple combinations so you can mix and match outfits.
Start with a predominantly neutral colour scheme -black, white, beige, tan and grey. You can highlight this with one or two pastels or brighter accent colours depending on your style.
See our top five best women’s travel pants that are stylish, comfortable and versatile – perfect for river cruising.
How Much to Pack
If you are creating a packing list for a seven day cruise, select five to seven tops to compliment three to four bottoms.
A brightly coloured scarf, shawl or jacket will give you additional options for each combination and can be used to dress up any outfit.
You may wish to choose one additional dressier outfit or elegant top to dress up one of your mix and match combinations.
You may want to increase this accordingly for each additional week you are travelling.
See the end of the article for a complete example river cruise packing list.
Layer Your Outfits
Depending on the season and destination, the weather could be changeable from port to port. Layering is the best way to combat changeable conditions when travelling even from morning to night or when transiting in airports.
Jackets
Allow for one heavier, windproof jacket, although leave overly bulky or heavy clothing at home. They can become cumbersome when on the move. You can find our top-rated women’s travel jackets here and men’s travel jackets with hidden pockets here.
Tops
Pack some long-sleeved sweaters or cardigans as well as short and long-sleeved tops and shirts. This way you can be warm in the cooler mornings and evenings and shed easy to carry layers as required during the day.
Scarves and Shawls
A nice scarf or pashmina is the perfect travel accessory for layering when it gets a little cool. It can also dress up an outfit for evenings.
A lightweight scarf also makes great layering for sun protection and as a shoulder and head cover for entering places of worship.
Viking river cruise packing list and cruise packing tips. Smart casual dress is best for day wear on a cruise. Just make sure your clothing and footwear are comfortable like these people on a cruise excursion in Norway.
Cruise Evening Wear
Except for a few evening experiences such as the ballet, an evening at the orchestra or opera, most evenings will be spent dining on board.
While the restaurants offer a fine dining experience, the dress code is optional. Of course, you may choose to dress up, but many passengers will opt for “elegant casual”. There are no “formal nights” on a river cruise.
For ladies – Dresses, skirts or pants with a blouse or sweater are appropriate.
For men – Trousers and collared shirts are acceptable. Ties and jackets are a personal choice.
Look for easy-care, wrinkle-free dress shirts you can wash and not worry about ironing like this travel range from Bluffworks.
Sun and Hot Weather
If cruising in the warmer months don’t get caught without sun protection. There is nothing worse than a sunburn on your holiday.
Too many people forget about sun protection when sightseeing around cities and local attractions. Even in the shoulder seasons the sun can be very harmful so always be prepared with at least the basics.
Sunscreen, hat and sunglasses – no matter the season.
Lightweight long sleeved shirts are perfect for hot sunny days. Collared shirts are always better.
A travel umbrella works equally as well as a sun parasol.
A lightweight travel scarf is great for additional sun protection on the neck and shoulders and comes in very handy when visiting places of worship. They are also good if visiting dusty areas for covering your face.
Foldable and Packable Sun Hats for TravelSunLily Women’s Roll-n-Go Sun Hat, Tan, One Size
Best Shoes for a River Cruise
Shoes take up the most room in our luggage and can sometimes add the most weight. Especially when considering some men’s shoes. In saying that, consider carefully what shoes you will pack for a river cruise.
Comfortable Walking Shoes
While many consider cruising to be quite a relaxed or even sedentary way to travel, river cruises are quite the opposite. At each port, you will have numerous shore activities and excursions to choose from including lots of free walking tours.
You will be doing a considerable amount of walking and even some easy to moderate hikes on some excursions. Comfortable walking shoes will be very important. Also, choose shoes with a good grip. Walking around Europe on the cobblestones can be perilous at times, especially in the wet.
Forsake Phil Chukka – Men’s Casual Leather Mid-Top (8 M US, Walnut)
Forsake Phil Chukka – Men’s Casual Leather Mid-Top
Forsake Range Low – Men’s Waterproof Leather Approach Sneaker (10.5 D(M), Olive/Grey)
Forsake Men’s Waterproof Leather Sneaker
Johnston & Murphy Men’s McGuffey Woven Slip On Denim Tumbled Nubuck 8.5 M US
Johnston & Murphy Woven Slip-on Sneaker Shoe
Thankfully today, you can find some very stylish, practical and more importantly, lightweight walking shoes on the market.
Tip
Break in your walking shoes before you leave on your cruise
ECCO Women’s Crepetray Tie Oxford, Muted Clay/Powder, 11-11.5
ECCO Women’s Crepetray Tie Oxford Walking Shoe
Skechers Performance Women’s Go Walk 4 Kindle Slip-On Walking Shoe,Navy/White,6 M US
Skechers Women’s Walking Shoe
Additional Day and Evening Shoes
You may like to take a second pair of day shoes for around the ship that can transition to evening and one pair of dressier shoes for evening excursions.
We always like to take a pair of flip-flops or a similar comfortable sandal for relaxing in the cabin or making those quick trips to the snack and coffee station.
The bar on a viking river cruise. The bar is lines with fancy glasses and high end booze. How should you dress for a viking cruise. Smart casual is the answer, remember you are on holiday and want to look good and be comfortable.
Fly – Cruise Tip
If taking a fly-cruise package and you have a long haul flight before your cruise, consider wearing compression socks on the flight over. Swollen feet from flying is bad at the best of times.
On a river cruise, you will be launching straight into tours and excursions; there would be nothing worse than trying to squeeze swollen feet into shoes for a walking tour.
Personal Items, Adapters & Chargers
Toiletries and Personal Products
Another bonus of river cruising is the ample time spent ashore means you can easily pick up any necessary toiletries along the way. There is also a small shop on board should you require something urgently.
On Viking River Cruises, there is no need to bring basic toiletries such as shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, soap, or body lotion. Unless of course, you need a specific product. These are things that weigh your bags down and are most likely to leak in your luggage.
Viking has a beautiful premium range of products designed exclusively for them by Freyja. Best of all, they are in good sized bottles (not those tiny hotel-style bottles) and are replenished daily or as you need.
Hairdryer
There is no need to bring a hairdryer. Save the space in your bag. Viking provides good quality, powerful hairdryers in each cabin. Not the low power dryers permanently attached to the wall as you find in many hotels.
If you use a straightener or curler, you will need to bring this.
Medications
Don’t forget any medicines you might need for the duration of your cruise plus additional just in case of any delays.
Tip for Travelling with Medications
Check any travel advice for the countries you will be travelling to regarding prohibited medications lists. If your medication appears on a banned medications list for that country, ensure you have the appropriate paperwork and approvals before leaving home.
Additional Handy Toiletries We Recommend
Don’t forget to carry some hand sanitiser with you. We find the ones that clip to your bag are the best as you never leave them behind and they are easy to access when you need them.
One of the less desirable aspects of travel is having to use public conveniences, something you will often do on a river cruise. We always keep some of these handy wipes in our bag. Whether at an airport or on a shore excursion, throw a few in your bag, and you will never get caught out.
Stall Mates: Flushable, individually wrapped wipes for travel. Unscented with Vitamin-E & Aloe, 100% Biodegradable (30 on-the-go singles)
Flushable, individually wrapped wipes for travel.
Adapters and Chargers
Travel Adapters
Viking longships have 110 / 220-volt outlets and USB ports in every cabin so you shouldn’t need a power adapter unless you have hotel stays included in your cruise itinerary or either side of the cruise. (Not every cruise company will have this so you should check in advance if cruising with a different company)
You will find power points next to the bed and near the desk which will more than likely be ample power points for most travellers.
If you find you need more charging space for camera’s, phones or even a laptop, we recommend bringing a power strip from your home country. We always travel with one just in case.
Cruise Excursion Tip
Bring your headphones – I find the earpieces issued with the audio devices for tours very uncomfortable and difficult to attach to my ear.
I have found the headphones you would typically use with your smartphone are compatible with the audio devices on board. They are much more comfortable to wear for long periods and produce better sound.Generic Premium Earbuds/Headphones with Stereo Mic & Remote Control for Smartphones
Charging Bank
A quality, fast charging bank is great for travel days, essential for full-day shore excursions, especially for anyone who uses their phone as their primary camera. They are not expensive and can be a lifesaver when you really need that bit of extra battery.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
For us, travel insurance is the first thing we buy as soon as we book a trip. Aside from possible cancellations, we like to know we are covered, especially in medical emergencies.
Find out what World Nomads cover if Covid 19 affects your travel plans.
We have used World Nomads Travel Insurance since we started travelling full time over six years ago. We have made a couple of reasonably big claims, both of which involved medical assistance while travelling. Each time it was straightforward with access to support 24 hours a day.
We love that you can buy and claim online, even after you’ve left home. Perfect if you need to extend your coverage while you’re still travelling. Travel insurance from WorldNomads.com is available to people from 140 countries with cover for overseas medical, evacuation, baggage and a range of adventure sports and activities.
Yes, you heard right! Viking Ocean Cruises is bringing new ships to the world of ocean cruising. The Viking Sea and Viking Sky are coming this fall and winter, respectively, and they’re going to bring a whole new level of luxury to the experience.
If you’ve ever thought about taking an ocean cruise but weren’t sure about the cost or if it would be worth it, these new ships might be just what you’re looking for. There are plenty of reasons to book your next vacation on one of these vessels:
