Packing for British Isles Late May/Early June

[cruisegal415]

Yes I know we are still months away but it's never too early to start thinking about our trip! We will be cursing the British Isles the end of May/beginning of June 2020.  Starting in Southampton, going as far north as Glasgow, basically around the British Isles.  I understand the weather to be unpredictable, can be warm or cool, rainy or dry, but does anyone have any tips as to what to take? Since we are South Floridians, my wardrobe tends to be very tropical, bright colors, that I wear year round.  I'm guessing my usual turquoise outfits will be out of place there?  Also wonder what we will need for the sea days (2) and to wear at night on the ship (Princess line).  TIA.

[jocap]

I think tropical colours will be lovely to wear going into summer... but it will be more about making sure that you're wind and water proof than the colours you wear. You'll need layers, so that you can add or subtract when the weather changes; a man's shirt is handy as one layer, I find, but you'll need at least one jumper and some long sleeved sweat shirts.

Hopefully the sun will shine on you, as it did this last June, but beware- whatever's crossing the Atlantic will make for Ireland and the Irish Sea all the way up to Scotland first. 🙄 

You'll have a great time, whatever the weather!🙂

[fabnfortysomething]

1 hour ago, cruisegal415 said:

Yes I know we are still months away but it's never too early to start thinking about our trip! We will be cursing the British Isles the end of May/beginning of June 2020.  Starting in Southampton, going as far north as Glasgow, basically around the British Isles.  I understand the weather to be unpredictable, can be warm or cool, rainy or dry, but does anyone have any tips as to what to take? Since we are South Floridians, my wardrobe tends to be very tropical, bright colors, that I wear year round.  I'm guessing my usual turquoise outfits will be out of place there?  Also wonder what we will need for the sea days (2) and to wear at night on the ship (Princess line).  TIA.

 

I know its a typo but I had to chuckle at the cursing the British Isles-you certainly will be cursing the weather re unpredictability!

 

layers are the way to go and yes bright colours by all means

 

Princess tends to be a more dress up line so will need more formal outfits for at least a couple of nights

[John Bull]

3 hours ago, cruisegal415 said:

! We will be cursing the British Isles the end of May/beginning of June 2020.

 

1 hour ago, fabnfortysomething said:

 

I know its a typo but I had to chuckle at the cursing the British Isles-you certainly will be cursing the weather re unpredictability!

 

 

Tee--hee 

Yep, it seems that the OP already knows about our fickle weather 

 

You need to be prepared for most types of weather,. tho you can skip the oilskins and the snow-skis.

Very broadly it's cooler and wetter the further north that you go, but that's not always the case.

Definitely something warm & something light but waterproof.

The real difficulty is what to wear ashore, cos a wet & miserable morning can turn into a glorious afternoon - or vice-versa. If you've got transport for the day, wear what the morning tells you and keep in the car / van / bus what you might need if the weather changes.

Nothing wrong with bright colours, unless your raincoats are the same cos they'd look out-of-place.

 

I'm guessing you're an experienced cruiser and know that dining rooms tend to start off chilly and it'll be chilly - especially if windy, - out on deck, so a pashmina or somesuch.

Stylish in the evenings, no shorts & tee-shirts unless mebbe in the buffet.

 

If your cruise starts in glorious weather, you'll be a lucky girl if it stays that way throughout

If it starts in foul weather, don't be disheartened - it'll change.

 

JB 

Edited November 4, 2019 by John Bull

[Sauer-kraut]

Pack like you would for an Alaska cruise. 

[cruisegal415]

Haha I hope I won't be cursing the British Isles or the weather!  I haven't done an Alaskan cruise, I would probably be in the same boat (pun intended) as far as wondering about clothing.  We went to the Mediterranean in June, but since it was the Med in the summer I had no problem packing my usual tropical outfits.  For some reason, I just don't picture Brits wearing tropical (think Caribbean/Jimmy Buffet type) clothing, I picture lots of plaid and muted dark colors.  Don't want to stick out as the ugly American.  My usual choice is capris, since they're flexible during the day and can be dressed up with a nice blouse and dressy sandals at night.  I guess I'm used to packing for Caribbean cruises, which tend to be warm and tropical even at night, just need a pashmina to walk on deck or in the dining room, but still wear tropical outfits.  Even though it's going to be late May/early June, I'm thinking even for evening on the ship, my outfits should be less tropical due to the locale? 

 

OK ladies, I need your input here--what did you wear on your British Isles cruises, day and evening? Part of the fun, for me, in going on a trip is shopping for new outfits! What should I get?

[Dorset cruise fan]

If the weather is nice we Brits can be as brightly dressed as any other nationality. Check (plaid) shirts and muted colours are more for autumn/ winter. The big if is of course if the weather is nice. My daughter's Birthday is beginning of June and thinking back over the years the weather has ranged from heatwave to torrential rains to unseasonably cold. So as always the advice is layers but you can make the layers any colour you like.

[Ergates The Ant]

We regularly visit Florida in Jan/Feb, and I wear there, what I wear here in the UK in the summer!

You may find it colder and wetter than you’d like, so make sure you have a lightweight waterproof jacket, which you can layer over a fleece or knitwear if you need it, plus a lightweight foldable bag to pop them in if it dries and warms up!

 

Capris are very popular, especially with older ladies, but bring some long trousers or jeans for cooler days. You’ll see more women in skirts than you’re probably used to, and fewer in shorts unless you get some very hot days. Your tropical colour tops will look great. You won’t see much plaid at that time of year, and, south of Scotland, only in the autumn/winter if the fashion pundits have decreed it as this year’s look!

 

You’ll need comfortable footwear for all the sightseeing. White trainers ( sneakers?) aren’t as common as in the USA, and will look and feel pretty awful if it’s wet or muddy. I have several pairs of waterproof lace up trainer type shoes ( look up Hotter brand for examples) that I wear year round with trousers, so I can walk for miles in any conditions.

 

Dont worry about the ‘ugly American ‘ label, that’s nothing to do with how you look or what you wear! More to do with the behaviour of some of your compatriots, like being so loud they can be heard across a room, or acting as if we are living in shacks because there is no air conditioning ( rarely need it, it’s noisy and environmentally unfriendly, we just open the windows!)

 

You’ll have a great time whatever you wear. And save some room in your case, you are bound to see some clothes to take home.

[roverix]

I totally understand your question. I also wonder can you just dress morning till night for the cruise. Is there any reason to change from your morning outfit on tour to dinner on the ship. We want to only bring 1 suitcase each and seems like that might difficult on a 12 day cruise with 2 additional days in London. I assume there are several formal night on the princess ship. Do people really dress up? Help!!

[ducklite]

You'll definitely want layers and fabrics that dry easily. I'd suggest one warmer sweater or lightweight jacket--a water repellent utility jacket is what I've worn when I've been there that time of the year.

[John Bull]

21 hours ago, roverix said:

I totally understand your question. I also wonder can you just dress morning till night for the cruise. Is there any reason to change from your morning outfit on tour to dinner on the ship. We want to only bring 1 suitcase each and seems like that might difficult on a 12 day cruise with 2 additional days in London. I assume there are several formal night on the princess ship. Do people really dress up? Help!!

 

 

On Princess, like Celebrity, P&O etc , folk make an effort in  the evenings in the dining room. For guys -  long pants, socks & closed shoes, collared or polo neck shirt. Ladies smart but not necessarily dressy. Much as you'd dress for an a la carte restaurant at home.

Baseball caps, teeshirts, football shirts, shorts, even flip-flops (thongs) are OK for dinner in the buffet tho I've seen that sort of thing in dining rooms on RCI.

 

Yes, plenty of Princess passengers dress up for formal nights - I guess around 50 - 70% of guys in tuxedos & the rest in sober suit, or blazer (with a blazer you can get away with open-neck or cravat instead of tie), or the occasional uniform or national dress.

 

JB 

[TupeloHoney]

On 12/29/2019 at 10:40 AM, roverix said:

I totally understand your question. I also wonder can you just dress morning till night for the cruise. Is there any reason to change from your morning outfit on tour to dinner on the ship. We want to only bring 1 suitcase each and seems like that might difficult on a 12 day cruise with 2 additional days in London. I assume there are several formal night on the princess ship. Do people really dress up? Help!!

 

Yes, they do dress up.  But it doesn't have to be anything too fancy (except on formal night - and even then it's not necessary to go nuts).  I usually bring a couple pairs of nicer pants and some nice blouses.  If it's Princess they have laundry on board, so I take advantage of that!  Probably for UK I might bring a few light sweaters rather than blouses.  And I bring one pair of heels (nothing too tall as walking on a moving ship can be a challenge!). On formal night I often just bring a fancier version of the above.  I'm not a particularly formal person and neither is my travel group, but we dress up some.  

 

I am trying to figure out how warm of clothes I'll need in July/August.  We did Alaska a few years ago, but I'm thinking we don't need stuff quite that warm...

[John Bull]

3 hours ago, TupeloHoney said:

 

 

I am trying to figure out how warm of clothes I'll need in July/August.  We did Alaska a few years ago, but I'm thinking we don't need stuff quite that warm...

 

I'd hope not. But certainly something warm, just in case, cos our weather can be a bit fickle.

 

It's the potential for rain (hopefully just showers in July/Aug) that you need to be aware of.

Even if the day starts beautiful.

And the potential for the weather to turn glorious after a dull or rainy start.

So raingear that's easy to carry and not too hot to wear

 

JB 

[TupeloHoney]

6 hours ago, John Bull said:

 

I'd hope not. But certainly something warm, just in case, cos our weather can be a bit fickle.

 

It's the potential for rain (hopefully just showers in July/Aug) that you need to be aware of.

Even if the day starts beautiful.

And the potential for the weather to turn glorious after a dull or rainy start.

So raingear that's easy to carry and not too hot to wear

 

JB 

 

Thanks!  I'll look into a packable raincoat for me.  The rest of the family has them already.  And some waterproof, comfortable shoes!