I go on several cruises each year, sometimes as many as six and I still have trouble working out what to wear, or should I say, what to pack.  Someone as supposedly cruise savvy as I, you would think, wouldn’t have a problem, but I do.

The days of dressing up to the nines, when wealthy cruisers took several cabin trunks and, in some cases, even took an adjoining cabin as a dressing room, are long gone.  I often wish I had been around in those days to cruise – though not, of course, on the Titanic.

I am shortly to sail on one of the most luxurious small ships, with a crew to guest ratio of 1:1, the highest at sea, and a daily tariff of more than $1,000 per person.  As I have not sailed on this line before, I was wondering exactly what I should pack.  After some enquiries, I was assured that everything on board was ultra casual, what the Americans call “Country Club Casual”. In other words, all collared shirts should have a small, embroidered animal around the left top pocket area and men brandishing polo mallets atop horses are welcome.

Yes, I am pleased to say I do possess some shirts that fit this description and will report more about the on-board fashions on my return.  I am leaving the stubbies and thongs at home.