So you've booked that dream river cruise to Europe. You've chosen your state room, purchased flights, and have already bought a guidebook (or two). Now comes perhaps the hardest part about getting ready for a river cruise: figuring out what to pack!
Most people go on European river cruises in the spring and summer months, with a handful cruising in the winter to visit Europe's famous Christmas markets.
What you pack will of course depend on which season you're traveling in. But here are my tips for what to wear on a river cruise in Europe after going on 5 such cruises myself on 3 different cruise lines.
Common questions about packing for a river cruise
Here are some of the most common questions you might have about what to wear on a river cruise in Europe. (If you're just here for the packing list, scroll further down!)
Do I have to dress up on a river cruise?
The top question I get about river cruises is related to how “fancy” you need to dress onboard. There are generally no formal nights on river cruise ships. There may be one Captain's Dinner night where you're advised that shorts and tank tops are not appropriate, but otherwise the cruise will be fairly casual. And this is true for all 3 of the European river cruise lines I've sailed with.
Most people will dress up a little bit for dinner in the main dining room – but by “dress up” I mean put on a clean pair of pants and maybe swap out the sneakers for something slightly nicer.
For ladies, dinner attire can be anything from a nice pair of capris/pants and a top to putting on a sundress. Cocktail dresses would be considered very fancy for a river cruise.
For men, most will wear pants or a nice pair of jeans and a polo shirt (or similar). You won't find many men wearing shorts at dinner, but there aren't generally any rules against them. A few gentlemen may opt for a suit jacket for dinner, but jackets and ties are not required on this kind of cruise.
For the rest of the time on your cruise, dressing for comfort is key!
What kind of shoes are best?
What kind of shoes you want to bring will largely depend on your cruise itinerary. Obviously if you're doing a more active river cruise, then you'll probably want a pair of good sneakers, or at least some good walking sandals.
In fact, you probably want those things anyway, as walking tours are a common excursion on any river cruise, and you'll need comfortable shoes!
Lately, my go-to casual shoes for both myself and my husband have been SUAVS Zilker knit shoes. These lightweight, flexible shoes are super packable, breathable, and basically feel like you're just wearing socks. They're machine washable, too, which is a big bonus. (They don't have much arch support, though, so they aren't right for everyone.)
And if you're worried about being fashionable in Europe? The good news is that sneakers/tennis shoes are IN in Europe. Everybody is wearing them. White tennis shoes are all the rage – my go-tos are these Reeboks, or a pair of white Adidas.
Whatever shoes you pack, just make sure that you're going to be comfortable in them even if you're wearing them for hours on end!
PRO TIP: If you're buying brand new shoes to wear on a river cruise, be sure to break them in at home before your trip! There's nothing worse than getting blisters from brand new shoes while you should be enjoying your vacation.
Can I do laundry on a river cruise?
If you're on a longer river cruise (or if your cruise is part of a longer trip around Europe), you might need to do laundry at some point. While there aren't any self-service laundry facilities on river cruise ships, there will always be an onboard laundry service.
Laundry prices on a river cruise are comparable to prices in higher-end hotels, with every clothing item costing a certain amount to be washed, dried, and pressed. I would personally only pay this much to have laundry done if it's absolutely necessary, but the service IS there if you need it.
And you can expect your laundry to be returned to you in 24 hours.
What's provided in the room?
Amenities will vary slightly based on which cruise line you're sailing with, but in general you can expect to find bath robes, slippers, a hair dryer, and toiletries like shampoo and conditioner in your room.
Do I need outlet/voltage adapters?
SOME river cruise lines will offer two types of outlets in every state room (usually a US plug and a European one). Others will just have the European ones, meaning traveling with an outlet adapter is never a bad idea. I like this one for Europe.
As for voltage, most electronics (like your phone charger, tablet charger, camera charger, etc.) are built these days to handle any voltage between 110v and 250v. So the ONLY instance where you might need a separate voltage adapter is if you're using a curling iron, straightener or hair dryer of your own that's single-voltage from the US, and your ship only has European plugs. (But you can easily avoid this issue by purchasing dual-voltage gadgets – here's a dual-voltage hair dryer, and here's a dual-voltage curling iron + straightener.)
Europe river cruise packing list
I've traveled on river cruises in spring, summer, and winter. The packing list below represents what I recommend packing for a river cruise in Europe in either spring, summer, or early autumn, based entirely on my own experiences and what I did (and didn't) need.
(If you're headed to Europe on a river cruise in winter, check out the bottom of this post for suggestions on how to tweak this list for winter!)
The suitcase
To be completely honest with you, your suitcase for a river cruise doesn't really matter. The beauty of a river cruise is that you only need to unpack once, and then you can shove that suitcase under your bed for the duration of your cruise (and yes, most river cruise lines design their beds so that full-size suitcases slide easily under them!).
I usually travel with my Osprey rolling bag in Europe. Mine is a 60-liter bag with sturdy wheels and removable backpack straps (though I always leave the backpack straps at home). Osprey makes amazing soft-sided bags – this particular one has been traveling around the world with me for 10+ years and is still in fantastic shape. (And I'll be purchasing the larger Shuttle bag next!)
If a hard-sided suitcase is more your speed, I'm a fan of spinner luggage from Samsonite.
RELATED: The Best Luggage and Bags for Travel
I always utilize my favorite compression packing cubes (GREAT for keeping tops and bottoms organized – I use the rolling method) for packing. As a bonus, these cubes can help you organize things in drawers when you unpack onboard, too.
(And if you're packing bulkier items like sweaters and are worried you might run out of room, I also like these vacuum compression bags that you can roll the air out of. I recommend using them sparingly so your luggage isn't too heavy, but they work great for things like sweaters and down jackets.)
River cruise clothing (for women)
Remember, this specific river cruise packing list is based on a spring/summer river cruise. Your list might vary depending on what kind of excursions you're planning to do!
It's also assuming that you're going on a 7-8 day cruise (which is pretty average). If your cruise is longer, adjust accordingly.
- 1 pair of jeans
- 1 pair of comfy long pants (I like these Columbia ones for doing lots of walking)
- 1 pair of dressier pants (I like these as they don't wrinkle too much, along with these comfy Halara pants for being more casual-dressy)
- 1 pair of capris/shorter leggings (I like these active capris)
- 1 pair of shorts (optional in summer)
- 2-3 dresses or maxi skirts (this maxi skirt is the red one you see in this post)
- 5 short-sleeved tops (I really like Unbound Merino tops these days, as they look good and are odor resistant!)
- 1-2 dressier tops for evenings
- 1-2 long-sleeved shirts (if you're traveling in spring or fall, make one of these a heavier sweater or wool top)
- 1 cardigan or button-up top for layering
- 1 set of pajamas
- 4-5 pairs of socks (including compression socks for the plane) (I don't wear socks with all my shoes; if you do, then pack more!)
- 10 underwear (including my favorite ExOfficio bikini briefs)
- 3 bras
- 1 pair of moisture-wicking shorts to wear under dresses
- 1 swimsuit (if your ship has a small pool or hot tub)
- 1 casual jacket (I usually go with a denim jacket)
- 1 raincoat (I love this Columbia one for a more casual look, and this short trench to look a bit more put-together)
- 1 scarf (check out my favorite hidden pocket scarf!)
- 1 hat (either a baseball cap or packable sunhat)
- A dual-voltage hair dryer (because even though river cruise ships will supply one, I like to use my own!)
My top tip for packing light is to stick to mostly neutral colors and one or two accent colors that you can mix and match. This way, you can create multiple outfits with fewer articles of clothing.
I generally pack this amount of clothing whether I'm traveling for 2 weeks or 2 months – but I usually wear clothing items more than once as long as I don't get sweaty in them! (A small bottle of fabric refresher can help extend the wearability of clothes, too – I never travel without my tiny Febreze!)
RELATED: DOs and DON’Ts for Your First Trip to Europe: 18 Helpful Europe Travel Tips
Toiletries
Also in my main suitcase goes my toiletry bag and small first aid kit.
This is currently my favorite toiletry bag, as it hangs nicely in any bathroom. A few things I always pack in it include:
- Toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss
- Soap and shampoo bars (and I'm in love with these tiny waterproof soap bags)
- Deodorant (have you tried this full-body deodorant?)
- Skin care items
- Contacts and eye drops
- Moisturizer and chapstick
- Makeup and face wipes
- Sunscreen (just in case!)
- Hair brush (I have a mini Unbrush and actually love it)
And a first aid kit with painkillers, meds for upset stomachs/heartburn, a few Band-Aids, nail clippers and tweezers, etc. is always good to have! I like this little pill case for travel. (Though note that any prescription medication should always go in your carry-on bag or purse! Never check it in your suitcase.)
Shoes for a river cruise
- 1 pair of sneakers or walking sandals (I love my Teva Verra sandals for Europe; if you prefer sneakers, white tennis shoes are all the rage in Europe right now; I have a pair of these Reeboks)
- 1 pair of flats (the ones in the photo above are actually Crocs, but they sadly don't make this style any longer; opt for whatever flats are comfy, or take a pair of SUAVS)
- 1 pair of nicer sandals
Whatever you decide to pack, just be sure you have at least one pair of shoes that you'll be comfortable walking in. River cruises offer a lot of free walking tours, and you don't want to have to skip them because of poor shoe choice!
(If you're going in the winter – like on a Christmas market cruise – I would swap out the sandals for a warm pair of boots like these stylish winter boots by Columbia.)
My carry-on backpack
My new favorite backpack that's both functional AND stylish for the streets of Europe is this Pacsafe backpack. This backpack has anti-theft features like slash-proof straps, lockable zippers, and RFID protection, and will fit all your carry-on essentials.
Inside this bag:
- My laptop (if I'm traveling with it)
- Kindle Paperwhite
- My camera
- Electronics chargers, extra batteries/SD cards, etc.
- Outlet adapter*
- Charging hub*
- Headphones
- A travel-sized umbrella (essential in Europe in the spring)
- A fold-up market bag perfect for shopping
- Reusable water bottle
- Snacks for the plane
*I recommend these for any trip to Europe! They make it easy to charge any type of device that you've brought along, from cameras to iPads to Kindles.
RELATED: How to Keep Your Money and Valuables Safe on Your Travels
My travel purse
There are lots of purse options out there that are great for traveling. Currently, I like the Travelon Anti-Theft Bucket Bag if you need a larger purse, or this Pacsafe Citysafe cross-body bag as a smaller option. (Sling bags are also very “in” right now; I like this Pacsafe one.)
If you prefer using a small backpack as your handbag, I love this Pacsafe Citysafe convertible backpack, which is both stylish and secure.
Pickpocketing and especially phone theft has become increasingly common in major European cities in recent years. I've started using a phone lanyard like this (or a full-on lanyard case for my phone), which gives me some peace of mind that I always know where my phone is!
In my purse (on travel days):
- Wallet (an RFID-safe one is always smart)
- Passport
- Extra camera battery and lens cleaner (my LensPen is great!)
- A small power bank and charger cord so my phone never runs out of juice (or this power bank can plug right into your USB-C phone)
- Small zippered pouch with Dramamine, chapstick, Advil, etc.
- Tiny hair brush with attached mirror
- Sunglasses
NOTE: I don't ever recommend carrying your passport on you at all times in Europe. Unless you're told you need your passport when you're off the ship, just leave it in the safe in your room.
More river cruise posts
You might also like these posts about river cruising in Europe:
- 7 Reasons You Should Go on That River Cruise This Year
- 6 Highlights from an Active River Cruise with Avalon Waterways
- Cruising Solo: What It’s Like to Go on a Viking River Cruise Alone
- Christmas Markets with Viking River Cruises: What’s It Really Like?
- Highlights from a Danube River Cruise in Eastern Europe with AmaWaterways
What about river cruise packing for men?
If you're a man planning to go on a river cruise (or, probably more likely, a wife wondering what to pack for your husband), here's what I would suggest:
- 2 pairs of nice jeans
- 1-2 pairs of khakis or dress pants
- 1-2 pairs of shorts or hiking pants
- 4-5 t-shirts (my husband Elliot is obsessed with merino shirts lately, as they are breathable but odor-resistant, so you can pack fewer)
- 2-3 polo shirts
- 1 dress shirt (optional)
- 1 long-sleeved shirt (Elliot loves this merino henley, which can be dressed up or down)
- 1 fleece or sweatshirt
- Light casual coat
- Raincoat (especially if traveling in spring) – here's the one my husband has
- Pajamas
- Underwear for 10 days
- 7-8 pairs of socks
- 1 pair of sneakers (Elliot also loves his SUAVS knit shoes, but usually brings light hiking shoes for walking in Europe)
- 1 pair of nicer shoes
- 1 hat for sun
What if I'm going on a winter river cruise?
If you're doing a Christmas market cruise (read about the one I did here), I would do the following to amend this list:
- Nix a couple of the dresses and/or add another pair of pants or leggings (these fleece leggings look great under dresses and are warm enough for much of Europe in winter).
- Leave the shorts at home.
- Swap a couple t-shirts for long-sleeved tops.
- Pack a couple more sweaters.
- Bring boots instead of sandals.
- Pack a medium-weight winter jacket (it doesn't get *that* cold in most parts of Europe in December, but being able to layer is key; a down (or down alternative) jacket might be all you need if you have warmer layers for underneath), though of course you'll want to check the weather forecast before you go. If you need a heavier winter coat, I wore this one to Europe last winter.
- Pack a hat and gloves, just in case!
READ NEXT: Christmas Markets with Viking River Cruises
What other questions do you have about packing for a river cruise in Europe?
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Amanda Williams is the award-winning blogger behind A Dangerous Business Travel Blog. She has traveled to more than 60 countries on 6 continents from her home base in Ohio, specializing in experiential and thoughtful travel through the US, Europe, and rest of the world. Amanda only shares tips based on her personal experiences and places she's actually traveled!
I love you post!
Are there toilets on the tour bus?
How much time you spend on tour buses will depend on the cruise itinerary you’re doing and the excursions you choose to participate in. I think the longest bus ride I had was an hour. Most buses I was on were equipped with toilets for emergencies, but I can’t speak for every tour bus in Europe!
Going in August on the Rhine. Are capris acceptable for dinner and what about men. Do any wear shorts, polos, nice tees. We are doing 3 days outside of Frankfort then getting on the cruise. Just trying to figure out what size suitcases to use since we will be traveling by train a couple of times.
Capris should be fine for dinner. And if it’s warm enough, I don’t see an issue for men to wear shorts and a polo/nice tee for dinner. (When I went on a cruise with my partner, he wore nice jeans and a sweater to dinner most nights.)
I am 75 and doing my first river cruise starting next week and flying to Saville. Was thinking of taking maxi dresses for day wear as not a pretty sight in shorts an t-shirts.
Evenings I was going to wear white trousers and pretty glittery tops. Do you think I will be overdressed. Only going for 8 days but don’t really want to wear the same outfit twice.
Any advice would be appreciated.
No, trousers with a nice shirt won’t be overdressed! (And you can never really go wrong with maxi dresses!) You don’t have to dress fancy for dinner, but some people do change for dinner on river cruises.
Thank you so much for putting my mind at rest.
We are travelling first week in October. Hints about to pack for this time of year would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!! Diane Richards. [email protected]
To be honest, I wouldn’t change this list much! Temperatures will likely be about the same as when I went in the spring. Just make sure to bring a warmer layer, and perhaps a rain coat and umbrella depending on where you’re cruising!
Very helpful. Thank you.
Did you need the hairdryer?
I’m 95% sure there was one provided in the room, but I always like using my own when I travel.
Thanks so much. I am going 8th May for a week , Nuremberg to Budapest. Wondering what sort of coat/jacket. A light fleece. I have a very lightweight plastic ‘pacamac’. Any ideas?
Val
It will be getting warmer in that part of Europe in May. A light fleece should be good, and maybe a sweater or two so you can layer in the mornings/evenings. And a rain coat wouldn’t be a bad idea either!
On a Baltic cruise I couldn’t get the hairdryer to work in the bathroom. Turns out that it only worked when plugged into the outlet on the desk. I’m guessing this is a safety feature.
That’s actually common in bathrooms all around the world – definitely a safety feature!
We are going May 28 to June 7 on AMA waterways with a 3 day Prague land trip. Any suggestions for travel wear.
All my packing tips are in this post! You don’t need anything fancy, and it shouldn’t be *too* hot in central Europe that time of year yet. I would bring clothes that are breathable and that you’ll be comfortable in!
We are going on a Danube River cruise on March 19th. Any info on the weather we can expect? Coming from SoCa 50’s are cold to us.
It will definitely still be chilly in March – if 50s are cold to you, I would definitely pack a jacket that will keep you warm! I went on a lower Danube cruise in April (which is what this list was written for), and there were mornings and evenings that were definitely on the cooler side.
Yep love to hear what people pack I was concerned that it would be quite cold even during the day. Was told very wet during May.
The weather across Europe can vary a lot, so it really depends where you’re traveling. May is spring, so it can be wet – but it can also be quite warm and sunny! My advice is always to pack layers so you’re prepared for anything. 🙂
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thanks for the info
I’m traveling on the river cruise this August. And was fretting about what to pack. I’m packing a few dresses for the dinners too. I don’t want to look like a slob.
Were most of the guests dressed for dinners and day trips?
Did you enjoy the river cruise?
People generally looked put-together for dinner, but hardly anyone wore suits except for at the captain’s dinner. And for day trips, everyone I saw was dressed pretty casually!
And yes, I enjoyed it! You can read my whole review here: https://www.dangerous-business.com/2015/06/river-cruising-whats-it-really-like/
We are doing Amawater Ways on August. I ALWAYS over pack too! Did most women wear dresses at dinner? Or can I get by with nice pants and pretty tops?
Your review was great and very helpful!
Thank you!
Some women will change outfits for dinner, but on most of the river cruises I’ve been on, most people dress pretty casually for dinner! So you’d be absolutely fine with nice pants and tops!
Thanks for the article, I always end up overpacking regardless of my mind set when I leave. I can’t help it! At least you were in one place and didn’t have to worry about constantly unpacking and re-packing.
Yeah, I tend to still overpack a little bit – mostly for shorter trips, though, believe it or not!
Great article, Amanda. I could add only a medicine chest, in case of sea sickness or something similar and maybe travel guide to some of the ports that the cruise will visit.
The good news is there’s not much of a need for seasickness tablets – the river is really calm. (I usually get motion sickness, but didn’t at all on this cruise!) And AmaWaterways actually gives you a little guidebook that includes all the ports you stop in, which is really handy!
I always love seeing packing posts, mainly because it pretty much always reinforces that I usually pack way too many clothes and not enough practical stuff! Compression socks may just be the one travel item I’ve always needed but have never known about. I seriously can’t do a multi-continent flight without my feet and ankles becoming SUPER swollen. I hate it so much!
You should definitely pick up a pair of compression socks, then! They really do help!
Did you pack any flip flops/shower shoes?
Nope! Every room had an ensuite with a shower that was nicer than some showers I’ve seen in hotel rooms! I didn’t really feel a need for shower shoes.