San Francisco Dinner Cruise Dress Code

For City Cruises’ Premier Dinner Cruise, the sources disagree, so dress to the middle: dark, smart jeans or slacks with a collared shirt or a blouse pass everywhere. The GetYourGuide listing says semi-formal to formal. City Cruises’ FAQ calls it cocktail attire (collared shirts, blouses, sports coats, slacks and dresses) and discourages casual jeans, T-shirts, shorts, gym shoes and flip-flops. City Cruises’ own Premier Dinner page says business casual: “khakis, nice jeans, dresses, button-up shirts, and blouses” (all checked October 2026). The Buffet Dinner Cruise listing asks for upscale casual to business casual, the Champagne Brunch is casual, and the sightseeing cruises have no dress code at all.

The dress code, cruise by cruise

The dress codes are from each GetYourGuide listing and, for the Premier Dinner, also from City Cruises’ own page; the “bring” column is what each listing advises (October 2026).

Can you wear jeans on a dinner cruise?

Yes, smart ones: dark, clean jeans with a collared shirt or a blouse and proper shoes pass on the Premier Dinner Cruise. City Cruises’ own Premier Dinner page lists “nice jeans” next to khakis and dresses. What its FAQ discourages is casual jeans, the faded or ripped kind worn with a T-shirt and sneakers. The GetYourGuide listing’s “semi-formal to formal” is the strictest reading, so if you want no doubt at all, wear slacks. On the Buffet Dinner Cruise (“upscale casual to business casual”), the brunch cruise and every sightseeing cruise, jeans are fine.

What to wear on the Premier Dinner Cruise

• Men: a collared shirt with slacks, khakis or dark jeans, and a sports coat if you want to dress up.
• Women: a dress, a skirt or dress pants with a blouse.
• Shoes: no gym shoes or flip-flops. Shoes with some grip are easier on a moving deck than very high heels.

Check dates for the Premier Dinner Cruise

The layer nobody remembers

Whatever the dress code, bring a warm layer. The best views are from the outside deck, and the bay is windy and cold after dark, even in summer. Red and White Fleet puts it plainly on its City Lights listing: San Francisco weather can change dramatically, so dress in layers, and warm clothing is the one item on its what-to-bring list. A smart coat, a pashmina or a blazer over a sweater does the job on a dinner cruise without breaking the dress code.

What to wear on a sunset or sightseeing cruise

On the sunset catamaran and the City Lights cruise there is no dress code: dress for the wind. Adventure Cat’s listing suggests comfortable shoes and a jacket, and on its trampoline nets you can catch some spray. Sailing SF Bay asks guests on its small sunset sail to bring a warm waterproof jacket or windbreaker and tennis shoes or sneakers.

Is dressing up worth it?

Yes: the dress code is part of what makes the Premier Dinner Cruise feel like a night out, and the photos on deck with the Bay Bridge lit up behind you are the ones you keep. If you would rather not dress up at all, book the City Lights cruise and eat ashore, or the brunch cruise, which is casual.