What to Wear
Heightened Airport Restrictions
Due to heightened restrictions at all airports, visit www.tsa.gov for the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) recommendations on what to wear to the airport, and make the start of your GCT trip as trouble-free as possible.
Travel Light
A good rule of thumb is to gather together everything you want to bring; then take half of that. Eliminate all but the essentials and start packing a few days before you leave. That way, you'll have time to think—not worry—about what you might be forgetting. Remember, too, you'll want to bring souvenirs back from your trip; leave ample space for them in your luggage.
Layers of Casual Winter Clothing
While Europeans are often perceived as having a greater sense of style and fashion than Americans, the dress standard abroad has relaxed significantly in the past decades—just as it has in the U.S. You’ll fit right in wearing low-key, everyday outfits when ashore and aboard ship. At dinner, you will not need to don "dressy" clothing; men do not need a tie or jacket. Of course, if you prefer to wear something a bit more festive to any of the holiday festivities, please do so. Your style of dress is completely up to you.
But do be prepared for a variety of weather conditions: rain, snow, sun, and clouds. Temperatures are likely to range from the 30s to the 40s. If you’re lucky, you may get a day or two in the low 50s. Pack for wintry conditions: a warm jacket, hat, and gloves; one or two fleece tops or heavy sweaters; turtlenecks and a few woolens or thick knits; warm pants; wool or fleece socks; folding umbrella; and waterproof warm shoes with good tread for walking on snow-covered ground. A top-and-bottom set of silk long underwear will provide an extra layer of insulation and is lightweight to pack. Your best bet is to dress in layers. You can then easily remove or add on layers according to any temperature shifts.
In addition to your waterproof snowboots or galoshes, bring a pair of comfortable walking shoes that you can wear if the weather conditions do not include snow or rain. Aboard ship, you'll want to wear non-slip shoes with rubber soles.
A Packing Tip
To have a varied travel wardrobe—yet keep your luggage light—we recommend you select a color scheme and pack color-coordinated pants, shirts, skirts, sweaters, etc. that can be mixed to create different outfits.
Visit the What to Pack section for more information on packing tips.
