Ahoy, Karen!
Thanks for stopping by the Disney Parks Moms Panel with your question.
It sounds like you're getting ready for an upcoming cruise! Knowing what to expect each night can be very helpful when it comes to deciding
what to pack for your Disney Cruise Line vacation.
On your upcoming cruise, you'll have three different dress codes to follow - one for each night. The first evening will be Cruise Casual - no tank tops, swimwear, or flip-flops. The second evening is Pirate Night - you can go as "pirate-y" as you want on this night - from a simple eye patch to "full Jack Sparrow"! You'll see guests in all types of pirate gear, and it's such a fun celebration. If you don't have a treasure chest full of pirate gear to choose from, no worries - they'll have several items for sale in the onboard shops. Don't miss the Buccaneer Blast Fireworks - it's so cool to see the fireworks reflect in the water during the show!
On the last night of your cruise, you'll have an optional Dress Up night. Guests can opt to dress up as much or as little as they like, and from my experience, most will lean towards the dressier end of the spectrum.You'll see lots of little girls in Disney Princess dresses on this evening! It's a great time to make use of the awesome shipboard photography services and get some lovely family photos.
I usually ask my teenage girls to humor me and dress up nice for dinner and photos on Dress Up Night. After dinner, they head back to our stateroom to change into casual clothes before heading to the Youth Clubs. It's a win-win!
Hopefully you'll be able to reach an agreement with your little princesses about what to wear on Dress Up Night. In my opinion, you're never to old for a Princess dress on a Disney Cruise Line vacation!
I hope you have a magical vacation! - Diane W.