What to pack/wear when leaving from a wintery port?

[sallybrown2012]

We depart from NJ at the end of December, with two at sea days before reaching Florida - it will clearly be cold for those two sea days, and probably not sweltering even when we get to Florida and beyond.  Do people tend to wear winter formal clothes/dinner outfits when it is still cold out, or do they just go right to cruise/Caribbean/resort wear?  I'm having trouble packing!

[Nextcruise42]

I usually wear long sleeve top and slacks on first full sea day and last full day. In between days should be warmer, shorts, crops. You'll  probably see people at pool by then. Dinner wear can be whatever you normally wear on a cruise.  I have seen many in shorts and teens on the first day.

[boscobeans]

38 minutes ago, sallybrown2012 said:

We depart from NJ at the end of December, with two at sea days before reaching Florida - it will clearly be cold for those two sea days, and probably not sweltering even when we get to Florida and beyond.  Do people tend to wear winter formal clothes/dinner outfits when it is still cold out, or do they just go right to cruise/Caribbean/resort wear?  I'm having trouble packing!

You will most probably be leaving Cape Liberty at 4:00 in the afternoon.

By 4:00 in the afternoon the next day you will have gone over 500 miles to the South and in what are usually more comfortable temperatures..  

After a dozen or more cruises from Cape Liberty in the months of Jan-Feb-Mar we are almost always walking the decks the following afternoon and evening after sail away.

[Sunshine3601]

We have left from baltimore and cape liberty for several cruises during winter months.  The first and last day will be chilly on the outside decks.   Doesnt stop me from putting on bathing suit and going to hot tub in solarium and relaxing while at sea.   Anthem has a large solarium too!  Enjoy!!

[shipgeeks]

We regularly sail from Baltimore in the winter.  We board in long pants, sweaters, winter jackets, especially as we like to be out on the open decks for the first hour or so of departure.  Once it has become warmer, in a day or so, the jackets go into the suitcase under the bed, or put into compression bags under the bed.  Most likely, the long pants and long sleeve shirts will get a bit of use during the cruise, as well as the shorts and summer shirts.  

[iancal]

We leave the frozen north every year for several months.  Usually on our way to Thailand, Australia,or Central America.  Once in a while we have come back to cooler weather or snow in late March.

 

We only take carry on so we do not want to carry around a lot of warm clothing for two or three months.   I wear jeans on the plane, so this is what I wear to leave, to come home, and to fly in between places in those warm climates.   My legs get cold on the plane no matter where we happen to be.   I dress in layers.  I have a cotton sweater that I wear over a short sleeve shirt.  I wear a nylon shell on top of that. Items that I would wear in warm climates.  Plus a pair of boat shoes or whatever.  DW does the same.   This has worked for nine winters so far.   Keep in mind that we are either staying in an airport hotel the night prior to an early departure or leaving our home in the AM, getting into a warm cab, and going to the airport. No long drives, etc.   

 

The one exception was on a Cental/South American land trip.  We had a SA cruise around the horn in the middle.  We packed an earband each and a long sleave shirt.  It was quite cool on deck when we had the wind in our face.

Edited December 10, 2019 by iancal

[Bookish Angel]

I'll wear wind pants with cotton tights underneath, cotton long sleeve shirts with cotton sweatshirts light jacket/windbreaker.  We have left from ports all over the world with this basic combo plus sneakers and it works well for us.  I hate to be too warm and don't like lugging a coat so I generally don't.

 

Unless it is dangerously cold with wind, I don't overdress.  Would rather be cold than hot.

 

 

[navybankerteacher]

Sailing south from New York will usually have you in 70 degree Gulf Stream by afternoon of first full day. Coming back north, the last full day will be chilly - but there is so much to do inside that you really do not have to bother with heavy clothes. With a bit of planning, you will not have much outside time pre-boarding and after debarking - I just travel wearing blazer over a sweater and have gloves.