What to Pack for a Dubai Cruise: Middle East Packing List for Women
Updated: Feb 8
Traveling around the Middle East on a cruise is a wonderful way to see ancient sites and experience unique and exotic cultures, within the comfort of a cruise ship.
These safe and exciting voyages allow passengers the luxury of daily dining onboard along with roomy ship cabins for sleeping, and the best part - all transportation from country to country is included.
With typical sailings between November and March, cruises from Dubai, Abu Dhabi and other Middle Eastern ports tend to travel during the cooler winter months to avoid the sweltering summer heat.
To sail in comfort and dress appropriately, women travelers to the Middle East will need to consider a few things:
Weather is arid and warm in the daytime
Evenings are cool and often unexpectedly chilly
Conservative dress is required of women, especially in religious places
Cruise ship attire can be standard and unchanged for the destinations
Below let's get into what women should wear and pack for a Middle Eastern cruise, taking into account the above thoughts.
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The Best Outfit to Wear in the Middle East
As a general rule of thumb women will want to wear tunic style tops that go below the knee, with flowy pants beneath. This will provide ultimate comfort without sacrificing the cute factor.
You'll also want to consider the weather, the occasion, even the scenery!
This Middle East Packing list, along with great suggestions from Amazon, will definitely get you excited for your trip. Read on for insider tips.
Consider the Weather
The best time to travel to the Middle East and the UAE is undoubtedly in the winter and early spring months. This promises for cool evenings and dry, warm days.
It is advisable to always have a convertible pashmina or shawl like this one on hand, perfect for covering shoulders, covering your head in a mosque, or simply for providing warmth in the evenings.
Opt in for stunning colors dripping in gold, which will be the color theme of your outfits for this trip.
Dress with Respect for the Culture
First off, I don't care how hot it may be in the day time - wearing shorts in Dubai is an absolute no no. No no no. Just don't. You will look trashy, out of place, and men will most definitely treat you in one of two ways - with disgust, or (typically with the unmarried younger men) with unwanted stares of desire.
Do not wear shorts in Dubai, or Abu Dhabi, or any of the other ports, for that matter. Be respectful. This is especially true if on a beach or dhow cruise, too.
Aside from not showing any leg, you'll also want to cover your shoulders down to your elbows.
I hate to sound like a mom of a 5 year old (which, I am) but just think of the song, "head, shoulders, knees and toes". If it's in the song, cover it.
I will add, however, that sandals are perfectly fine and appropriate. Just don't go overly flashy with your shoe choice.
Don't Be Ostentatious
On that vein, don't wear baggy, grubby clothes or look like a bum. Don't wear graffiti print t-shirts or overtly religious or political phrases on clothes.
Don't wear deep v-necks or expose your cleavage.
Consider muted tones or easy-on-the-eyes patterns. Generally women should blend in and not stand out. At least, not in a bad way.
Again, always put respect first, even if it feels plain. You can always accessorize!
Match the Scenery
Think opulence. Think GOLD. Every day I wore something gold, whether it was my jewelry, my shawl, or even the beautiful Arabic dress I wore on many occasions.
If you are headed to a gold-gilded mosque like what you might see in Abu Dhabi or Muscat (Oman), amp up the gold for your photos!
Opt for long sleeves, or dresses with flowy pants beneath or floor length dresses that are comfortable to move around in.
To see places like the mosque above in Abu Dhabi, I highly recommend that you consider booking with Big Bus Tours, where all the details can be ironed out for you. They offer bus tours in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and in Muscat!
Accessories to Consider
I've been saying it - wear gold! It can be costume jewelry. I don't typically recommend packing your good stuff for travel.
Pack plenty of (reasonably sized) gold earrings or necklaces to accentuate your outfits. You'll want to find someplace to get your name written in Arabic on a necklace, or get one in advance of your travels. They conveniently make them on Amazon. So gorgeous and a wonderful keepsake souvenir.
Consider muted lip shimmers and bold black liner for your eyes. Try this intense smoky eye crayon (it's so cute in a little lipstick style holder), or if you know what you are doing, try this Egyptian powder liner popular in Arabic culture, which could seriously smolder under your head scarf.
While we are mentioning accessories, bop over to my separate post where I detail essential items that are great for making your cruise ship cabin more comfy and cozy.
Cruising with Kids?Check out my Kid's Travel Journal - Scavenger Hunt Cruise! This special edition kid's cruise journal includes scavenger hunt challenges and checklists, educational activities and fun creative thinking exercises. Scavenger Hunt Cruise acts as a scrapbook of memories while also teaching children fundamentals about cruising like basic sailing language, safety, navigating a ship, port information and more. Buy yours on Amazon now! |
Let's Talk About Shoes: What Shoes to Wear in the Middle East
For port days, wear good walking shoes that can withstand the outing. For instance, desert activities require sneakers or something with closed toes. I mistakenly wore ballet flats without socks and my shoes were full of cold sand all day.
Evenings and ocean-going adventures might warrant sandals or dressier sandals, depending on the outing.
I often recommend my favorite line of interchangeable shoes from Solely Jane, which allows you to pack a shoe base with multiple shoe tops, minimizing room taken up in your suitcase.
You can read all about it at my review link above, or head to their website to browse options. Use ALWAYSPACKTISSUES for a discount at checkout.
Outfit Ideas
Always go for dressing up versus down, as the countries you will visit are often quite wealthy and it shows. You will want to look like you've dressed up for a nice brunch or dinner most of the time, with excursion days being more casual.
Tunic + Skin Tight Leggings or Pants Beneath + Ballet Flats
Also called an Abaya Dress, these tunics are popular for Muslim women and are quite flattering, even in black.
On Amazon, this one is the most similar to what I have on above, but these kaftan style dresses would also do the trick. Just be mindful of the neckline and wear a collared shirt underneath as necessary.
Tunic + Flowy Harem Pants
Casual and colorful tunics will be your daily norm, and I really like these:
Similar to the pashmina, these beautiful tunics come in one color with a gold embroidered hemline
This casual cotton linen style buttons up with lovely trimmings around the shoulder and neckline.
Long Sleeve Dress with Tights or Pants
My favorite go to - I wore long sleeve dresses with tights or pants underneath frequently on my Middle Eastern Cruise.
Often accompanied by an accessorizing scarf, these were simple, comfortable and respectable every day outfits.
Floor Length Casual Dress + Pashmina or Lightweight Blazer
I brought a cotton blazer for my trip, which ended up being perfect for cool evenings out to dinner.
If I needed to dress it up, the blazer was perfect, and always paired well with long floor length summer dresses. The blazer covered my shoulders, and I have plenty of floor length summer dresses, so it was easy to pick and choose from my closet!
I wish my husband was a better photographer. That's all I will say about these photos. But, the dresses are nice!
Think of basic patterns, Arabic or Moroccan style patterns, and things that make you think of the desert or interesting tile work.
Or lastly, go full Arabic and pick something up in the Dubai Souks!
We did this for fun, but I think the look is quite attractive!
What About Days on the Water or Private Island like Sir Bani Yas?
The same rules apply. Be respectful, even though everyone is aware you are a tourist. I wore linens a lot, or breezy tunics.
I always kept my shoulder covered, and always had a scarf on hand. Always.
Sunny warm days are great for wearing breezy fabrics.
What to Wear on your Middle East Cruise
There are no restrictions on the cruise ship. Bring a couple of formal night outfits and more gold jewelry to play into the theming with the rest of your closet.
There will be many times on board that you will feel like you're living in the lifestyles of the rich and famous, as you sail into ports with yachts like in Monte Carlo.
Lean into the wealth. Be opulent. Be Audrey Hepburn for the day. Be fanciful!
What Men Should Wear on a Middle East Cruise
I won't leave the men out, even though this is about the women - guess what? Men can wear whatever they damn well please.
It's a little infuriating, isn't it?
But, I'll still reiterate the ostentatious thing. Don't be gaudy or crude.
Men will get by just fine with jeans and a polo shirt, and at night they can play up the Mister Rich Guy act with some gold for themselves, maybe picked up in the Gold Souk in Dubai, or perhaps the Ponte Vecchio in Florence. Paired with a nice button down shirt, your men will look fab (and you will sizzle on their arms with your new smoky eye liner).
Summary of Middle East Packing List for Cruisers
Pack light fabrics
Pack conservative styles
Always bring a scarf or shawl
Always cover shoulders and knees
Bring comfortable shoes for the occasion
Wear your (costume) gold!
Also be sure to bring a backpack for your day's adventures (a leather sak would do it, don't be too touristy with that Jansport ok?), and a lightweight jacket is appropriate as well.
Other Tips for Cruising in the Middle East
Chances are, if you are reading this you have a planned cruise around the Middle East and the UAE.
I've written up several 'things to do' style posts on many of the port stops including:
Be sure to open these in a new tab for further planning!
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