Generally speaking, there are three types of evening attire: Casual, Smart-Casual or Business-Casual, and Formal.
- Casual attire includes dresses or slacks and blouses for women, sport shirts and trousers for men.
- Smart- or Business-Casual includes dresses or pantsuits for women, jackets for men.
- Formal includes long or short cocktail dresses for women, dark suits or tuxedos for men.
Some cruise lines have relaxed their dress codes and allow much more casual dress in the main dining rooms.