The Important Clothing Tip To Keep In Mind Before The Last Day Of Your Cruise Vacation

Cruises have become one of the most enjoyable and fastest-growing ways to travel, with Carnival Corporation & plc and Royal Caribbean Cruises — two of the most popular cruise lines — attracting millions of passengers every year. With cruises, travelers get to fall in love with the ocean views, endless dining, and in-house entertainment while checking off dream destinations in a single trip, without the stress of juggling multiple flights and hotel bookings. Like Redditor u/K9dien says: "It's like being in a hotel that takes you to a new spot each day! Easy!" The experience delivers exactly that, letting you stroll the deck, catch a show, or sit by the water, all while your "hotel" keeps moving to the next port.

Yet after days or even weeks on the water, the final day arrives with its own reality check. Disembarkation means the vacation is ending, and it comes with rules, schedules, and procedures, including the widely-followed practice of tagging your luggage and leaving it in the hallway the night before. The staff then collects your bags to make the disembarkation process smoother for you and the thousands of other people leaving the ship the next day. However, this routine sets the stage for a surprisingly common mistake, mostly among rookie cruisers: As they get caught up in the whirlwind of preparing to go home, they often forget to leave out a change of clothes, shoes, and even toiletries for use the next morning, and instead send out all of their luggage with everything inside. When morning comes, they discover they have nothing to wear. And it might sound funny to walk off the ship in pajamas, but this can also be embarrassing, and what seems like a small oversight can end up ruining the finale of a trip you otherwise wanted to remember fondly.

Forgetting clothes for disembarkation is more common than you might think. Many passengers assume they will see their luggage early in the morning, but those bags don't actually reappear until after you leave the ship. By then, it is too late to retrieve what you need. The shops are also closed, which explains why some passengers end up walking off the ship in outfits better suited for bed than for customs.

One cruiser told Cruise Critic how their friend had packed away every item of clothing, only to realize the next morning that she had nothing left to wear. With the shops closed, her last resort was to borrow her husband's jeans and send him off the ship in boxer shorts. Thankfully, a relative had a spare pair of pants, but without that stroke of luck, the morning would have been far more embarrassing.

The same mistake shows up often in traveler accounts. On the r/royalcaribbean Reddit, u/tidder8 admitted, "People wear pajamas to the Windjammer [dining room] on departure day because they put their suitcases in the hallway the night before and forgot to leave out clothes to wear the next day." Cruise bloggers, including Matt Hochberg, who runs the Royal Caribbean blog, have also noted that it's not unusual to see passengers walking off the ship in their sleepwear. These stories show how common the mistake is, and how something that seems trivial can quickly turn you into the subject of hallway chatter — and no one wants to be remembered for walking through customs in nightwear. That's why being mindful about what you set aside is just as important as following crucial cruise etiquette rules you may not know about.

The best way to avoid this "pajama parade" on disembarkation day is to plan ahead. While cruise lines do an excellent job of guiding passengers through the process, a few proactive steps can make your final morning stress-free. First and foremost, set aside a carry-on or backpack, and always keep a change of clothes, socks, undergarments, toiletries, passport, medications, and a pair of comfortable shoes inside. This small but important step ensures you won't be caught off guard when it's time to leave the ship.

Another smart approach is to pack light, embracing the principle of one-bag travel, as Rick Steves recommends. Traveling with less makes the disembarkation process easier, especially for those attempting self-disembarkation (an option allowed by many cruise lines), where you carry your own luggage off the ship. However, if you're the type of traveler who prefers bringing multiple suitcases, dragging them across stairways and gangways can quickly become a hassle. In that case, let the crew handle your bags, but always keep the essentials with you. And while packing for your cruise, it is important to brush up on how to pack perfectly for a cruise vacation, as many cruise lines have clear lists of banned items. Sneaking something prohibited into your bag is an unexpected activity that might get you banned for life.

Lastly, book your flight wisely. Cruise lines recommend avoiding early departures, as clearing thousands of passengers and processing customs can take hours. Aim for a flight after noon to give yourself plenty of time. With careful packing and a well-chosen flight schedule, the final day of your vacation can end smoothly, avoiding a frantic sprint to the airport.