What to Wear on a River Cruise

So you’ve booked that dream river cruise to Europe. You’ve chosen your state room, purchased flights, and have already been daydreaming about the shore excursions you’ll take. Now comes perhaps the hardest part about getting ready: figuring out what to pack for your river cruise!

Most people go on European river cruises in the spring and summer months, with a handful cruising in the winter to visit Europe’s famous Christmas markets.

What you pack will of course depend on which season you’re traveling in. But here are my tips for what to wear on a river cruise in Europe after going on 5 such cruises myself on 3 different cruise lines.

Common questions about packing for a river cruise

Here are some of the most common questions you might have about what to wear on a river cruise in Europe. (If you’re just here for the packing list, scroll further down!)

Do I have to dress up on a river cruise?

The top question I get about river cruises is related to how “fancy” you need to dress onboard. There are generally no formal nights on river cruise ships. There may be one Captain’s Dinner night where you’re advised that shorts and tank tops are not appropriate, but otherwise the cruise will be fairly casual. And this is true for all 3 of the European river cruise lines I’ve sailed with.

Most people will dress up a little bit for dinner in the main dining room – but by “dress up” I mean put on a clean pair of pants and maybe swap out the sneakers for something slightly nicer.

For ladies, dinner attire can be anything from a nice pair of capris/pants and a top to putting on a sundress. Cocktail dresses would be considered very fancy for a river cruise.

For men, most will wear pants or a nice pair of jeans and a polo shirt (or similar). You won’t find many men wearing shorts at dinner, but there aren’t generally any rules against them. A few gentlemen may opt for a suit jacket for dinner, but jackets and ties are not required on this kind of cruise.

For the rest of the time on your cruise, dressing for comfort is key!

What kind of shoes are best?

What kind of shoes you want to bring will largely depend on your cruise itinerary. Obviously if you’re doing a more active river cruise, then you’ll probably want a pair of good sneakers, or at least some good walking sandals.

In fact, you probably want those things anyway, as walking tours are a common excursion on any river cruise, and you’ll need comfortable shoes!

Lately, my go-to casual shoes for both myself and my husband have been SUAVS Zilker knit shoes. These lightweight, flexible shoes are super packable, breathable, and basically feel like you’re just wearing socks. They’re machine washable, too, which is a big bonus. (They don’t have much arch support, though, so they aren’t right for everyone.)

And if you’re worried about being fashionable in Europe? The good news is that sneakers/tennis shoes are IN in Europe. Everybody is wearing them. White tennis shoes are all the rage – my go-tos are these Reeboks, or a pair of white Adidas.

Whatever shoes you pack, just make sure that you’re going to be comfortable in them even if you’re wearing them for hours on end!

Can I do laundry on a river cruise?

If you’re on a longer river cruise (or if your cruise is part of a longer trip around Europe), you might need to do laundry at some point. While there aren’t any self-service laundry facilities on river cruise ships, there will always be an onboard laundry service.

Laundry prices on a river cruise are comparable to prices in higher-end hotels, with every clothing item costing a certain amount to be washed, dried, and pressed. I would personally only pay this much to have laundry done if it’s absolutely necessary, but the service IS there if you need it.

And you can expect your laundry to be returned to you in 24 hours.

What’s provided in the room?

Amenities will vary slightly based on which cruise line you’re sailing with, but in general you can expect to find bath robes, slippers, a hair dryer, and toiletries like shampoo and conditioner in your room.

Do I need outlet/voltage adapters?

SOME river cruise lines will offer two types of outlets in every state room (usually a US plug and a European one). Others will just have the European ones, meaning traveling with an outlet adapter is never a bad idea. I like this one for Europe.

As for voltage, most electronics (like your phone charger, tablet charger, camera charger, etc.) are built these days to handle any voltage between 110v and 250v. So the ONLY instance where you might need a separate voltage adapter is if you’re using a curling iron, straightener or hair dryer of your own that’s single-voltage from the US, and your ship only has European plugs. (But you can easily avoid this issue by purchasing dual-voltage gadgets – here’s a dual-voltage hair dryer, and here’s a dual-voltage curling iron + straightener.)

Europe river cruise packing list

I’ve traveled on river cruises in spring, summer, and winter. The packing list below represents what I recommend packing for a river cruise in Europe in either spring, summer, or early autumn, based entirely on my own experiences and what I did (and didn’t) need.

(If you’re headed to Europe on a river cruise in winter, check out the bottom of this post for suggestions on how to tweak this list for winter!)

The suitcase

To be completely honest with you, your suitcase for a river cruise doesn’t really matter. The beauty of a river cruise is that you only need to unpack once, and then you can shove that suitcase under your bed for the duration of your cruise (and yes, most river cruise lines design their beds so that full-size suitcases slide easily under them!).

I usually travel with my Osprey rolling bag in Europe. Mine is a 60-liter bag with sturdy wheels and removable backpack straps (though I always leave the backpack straps at home). Osprey makes amazing soft-sided bags – this particular one has been traveling around the world with me for 10+ years and is still in fantastic shape. (And I also own the larger Shuttle bag, which is great for even longer trips.)

If a hard-sided suitcase is more your speed, I’m a fan of spinner luggage from Samsonite.

RELATED: The Best Luggage and Bags for Travel

I always utilize my favorite compression packing cubes (GREAT for keeping tops and bottoms organized – I use the rolling method) for packing. As a bonus, these cubes can help you organize things in drawers when you unpack onboard, too.

(And if you’re packing bulkier items like sweaters and are worried you might run out of room, I also like these vacuum compression bags that you can roll the air out of. I recommend using them sparingly so your luggage isn’t too heavy, but they work great for things like sweaters and down jackets.)

River cruise clothing (for women)

Remember, this specific river cruise packing list is based on a spring/summer river cruise. Your list might vary depending on what kind of excursions you’re planning to do!

It’s also assuming that you’re going on a 7-8 day cruise (which is pretty average). If your cruise is longer, adjust accordingly.

• 1 pair of jeans
• 1 pair of comfy long pants (I like these Columbia ones for doing lots of walking)
• 1 pair of dressier pants (I like these as they don’t wrinkle too much, along with these comfy Halara pants for being more casual-dressy)
• 1 pair of capris/shorter leggings (I like these active capris)
• 1 pair of shorts (optional in summer)
• 2-3 dresses or maxi skirts (this maxi skirt is the red one you see in this post)
• 5 short-sleeved tops (I really like Unbound Merino tops these days, as they look good and are odor resistant!)
• 1-2 dressier tops for evenings
• 1-2 long-sleeved shirts (if you’re traveling in spring or fall, make one of these a heavier sweater or wool top)
• 1 cardigan or button-up top for layering
• 1 set of pajamas
• 4-5 pairs of socks (including compression socks for the plane) (I don’t wear socks with all my shoes; if you do, then pack more!)
• 10 underwear (including my favorite ExOfficio bikini briefs)
• 3 bras
• 1 pair of moisture-wicking shorts to wear under dresses
• 1 swimsuit (if your ship has a small pool or hot tub)
• 1 casual jacket (I usually go with a denim jacket for spring or summer)
• 1 raincoat (I love this Columbia one for a more casual look, and this short trench to look a bit more put-together)
• 1 scarf (check out my favorite hidden pocket scarf!)
• 1 hat (either a baseball cap – check out this foldable one! – or packable sunhat)
• A dual-voltage hair dryer (because even though river cruise ships will supply one, I like to use my own!)

My top tip for packing light is to stick to mostly neutral colors and one or two accent colors or patterns that you can mix and match. This way, you can create multiple outfits with fewer articles of clothing.

I generally pack this amount of clothing whether I’m traveling for 2 weeks or 2 months – but I usually wear clothing items more than once as long as I don’t get sweaty in them! (A small bottle of fabric refresher can help extend the wearability of clothes, too – I never travel without my tiny Febreze!)

RELATED: DOs and DON’Ts for Your First Trip to Europe: 18 Helpful Europe Travel Tips

Toiletries

Also in my main suitcase goes my toiletry bag and small first aid kit.

This is currently my favorite toiletry bag, as it hangs nicely in any bathroom. A few things I always pack in it include:

And a first aid kit with painkillers, meds for upset stomachs/heartburn, a few Band-Aids, nail clippers and tweezers, etc. is always good to have! I like this little pill case for travel. (Though note that any prescription medication should always go in your carry-on bag or purse! Never check it in your suitcase.)

Shoes for a river cruise

• 1 pair of sneakers (white tennis shoes are all the rage in Europe right now; I have a pair of these Reeboks and these Dr. Scholl’s sneakers are also a fan favorite)
• 1 pair of walking sandals (I love my Teva Verra sandals for Europe, as you can get away with dressing them up a bit, too)
• 1 pair of flats or nicer sandals (these will likely be ones you don’t walk a ton in, but be sure they’re still relatively comfy! I like my Rothy’s Square Mary Janes)

Whatever you decide to pack, just be sure you have at least one pair of shoes that you’ll be really comfortable walking in. River cruises offer a lot of free walking tours, and you don’t want to have to skip them because of poor shoe choice!

(If you’re going in the winter – like on a Christmas market cruise – I would swap out the sandals for a warm pair of boots like these stylish winter boots by Columbia.)

My carry-on backpack

My new favorite backpack that’s both functional AND stylish for the streets of Europe is this Pacsafe backpack. This backpack has anti-theft features like slash-proof straps, lockable zippers, and RFID protection, and will fit all your carry-on essentials.

Inside this bag:

*I recommend these for any trip to Europe! They make it easy to charge any type of device that you’ve brought along, from cameras to iPads to Kindles.

RELATED: How to Keep Your Money and Valuables Safe on Your Travels

My travel purse

There are lots of purse options out there that are great for traveling. Currently, I like the Travelon Anti-Theft Bucket Bag if you need a larger purse, or this Pacsafe Citysafe cross-body bag as a smaller option. (Sling bags are also very “in” right now; I like this Pacsafe one.)

If you prefer using a small backpack as your handbag, I love this Pacsafe Citysafe convertible backpack, which is both stylish and secure.

Pickpocketing and especially phone theft has become increasingly common in major European cities in recent years. I’ve started using a phone lanyard like this (or a full-on lanyard case for my phone), which gives me some peace of mind that I always know where my phone is!

In my purse (on travel days):

• Wallet (an RFID-safe one is always smart)
• Passport
• Camera lens cleaner (my LensPen is great!)
• A small power bank and charger cord so my phone never runs out of juice (or this power bank can plug right into your USB-C phone)
• Small zippered pouch with chapstick, Advil, hair ties, my Lactaid pills, etc.
• Tiny hair brush with attached mirror (like this one)
• Sunglasses (currently I’m loving Goodr sunglasses for travel)

More river cruise posts

You might also like these posts about river cruising in Europe:

What about river cruise packing for men?

If you’re a man planning to go on a river cruise (or, probably more likely, a wife wondering what to pack for your husband), here’s what I would suggest:

• 2 pairs of nice jeans
• 1-2 pairs of khakis or dress pants
• 1-2 pairs of shorts or hiking pants
• 4-5 t-shirts (my husband Elliot is obsessed with merino shirts lately, as they are breathable but odor-resistant, so you can pack fewer)
• 2-3 polo shirts
• 1 dress shirt (optional)
• 1 long-sleeved shirt (Elliot loves this merino henley, which can be dressed up or down)
• 1 fleece or sweatshirt
• Light casual coat
• Raincoat (especially if traveling in spring) – here’s the one my husband has
• Pajamas
• Underwear for 10 days
• 7-8 pairs of socks
• 1 pair of sneakers (Elliot also loves his SUAVS knit shoes, but usually brings sneakers or light hiking shoes for walking in Europe)
• 1 pair of nicer shoes
• 1 hat for sun (this foldable one is great)

What if I’m going on a winter river cruise?

If you’re doing a Christmas market cruise (read about the one I did here), I would do the following to amend this list:

• Nix a couple of the dresses and/or add another pair of pants or leggings (these fleece leggings look great under dresses and are warm enough for much of Europe in winter).
• Leave the shorts at home.
• Swap a couple t-shirts for long-sleeved tops.
• Pack a couple more sweaters.
• Bring boots instead of sandals.
• Pack a medium-weight winter jacket (it doesn’t get *that* cold in most parts of Europe in December, but being able to layer is key; a down (or down alternative) jacket might be all you need if you have warmer layers for underneath), though of course you’ll want to check the weather forecast before you go. If you need a heavier winter coat, I wore this one to Europe last winter.
• Pack a hat and gloves, just in case!

You can find my full Christmas markets packing list here for even more winter packing tips.

READ NEXT: Christmas Markets with Viking River Cruises

What other questions do you have about packing for a river cruise in Europe?

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Amanda Williams is the award-winning blogger behind A Dangerous Business Travel Blog. She has traveled to more than 60 countries on 6 continents from her home base in Ohio, specializing in experiential and thoughtful travel through the US, Europe, and rest of the world. Amanda only shares tips based on her personal experiences and places she’s actually traveled!