What to Pack For Your Caribbean Cruise

Not sure what to pack for your next Caribbean cruise? We recommend making a list early so you have plenty of time to add, review and revise as you think of things before your cruise.

1. Documents

Make sure you have your passport or whatever official identification you need to board your ship. We also recommend leaving a copy of your passport or identification at home in case something is lost during your trip. This will allow a friend or family member to fax or email a copy of the documents to you onboard the ship and help expedite the process of proving citizenship or replacing the lost items. Also, be sure to leave a copy of your cruise information, including how to contact the ship with someone at home.

Tip:  Put your Passport in a waterproof cover to avoid damage and general wear and tear

2. A Toiletry Bag

This seems like an obvious “must pack,” but a few common items can be easily overlooked or forgotten. Small bottles of shampoo and conditioner (not all cruise lines provide these in the bathroom), body wash, face wash, deodorant, make-up remover, toothbrush and paste, razor, and shaving cream. To freshen clothes and minimize wrinkles, Downy wrinkle releaser (or any other brand) is a must-pack! As a relationship saver or simple courtesy to your travel companion, we highly recommend a bottle of Poo-pourri...bathrooms on cruise ships can be small, and sharing is not always caring.

If you are flying to your cruise, be sure all liquids and gels are 3.4 oz or less if they are in your carry-on luggage. We love this travel-size TSA-friendly toiletry kit to take all the essentials onboard. Any size is acceptable for checked bags with the airline, but you might want to seal them in Ziploc bags in case anything leaks to prevent damage to your clothes.

3. Beach Essentials

Regardless of the time of year, it’s always summer in the Caribbean! With that in mind, don’t forget sunscreen, bathing suits, cover-ups, water shoes, sunglasses, a hat, and a good book or Kindle/iPad. When it’s cold up north, it’s easy to forget that it’s sunny and warm in the Caribbean, so be sure to plan ahead and make a list of all the things you need for an enjoyable beach day. For those who don’t want to think about the dreaded “who used this before me” with rented snorkel gear, you can bring your own but leave the fins at home as those are easy to rent and take up a lot of precious luggage space. 

4. Cruise Clothing

Perhaps Santa has it right...make a list and check it twice. When packing for a vacation, it’s easy to overpack, so start with a list of your “must-have” items, such as undergarments and socks, and then layout by day what you think you will wear. Don’t forget to include “formal night” or, as many cruise lines are now calling it, “dress your best”. While this is optional, it’s always nice to see those who go all out or, at the very least, make a bit of an effort.

A couple of top tips for choosing your cruise clothing is to make sure whatever you select, it travels easily (no ironing needed) and that you can mix and match with other things to make a new look. For example, dark trousers are versatile, and if you only wear them in the evening for a few hours, you likely can get two or three wears out of them. You can also rotate shirts - what you wear at the beginning of the week can be repeated at the middle or end of the week. For ladies, a maxi dress allows multiple wears and easily transitions from day to night with a change of jewelry, a scarf, or a cardigan.

5. Active Wear

Being on vacation doesn’t mean giving up your regular walks, gym visits, yoga, or whatever exercise regimen you do at home. Be sure to take your gym clothes with you and shoes or anything else needed for your exercise of choice. If you don’t have enough room in your suitcase for clean gym clothes daily, pack a couple of small travel-size laundry detergent sachets (in a Ziploc bag), wash out your clothes in your cabin bathroom sink, and hang them to dry. Remember, it could take a day or two to dry, so plan accordingly. Be sure to check if your cruise ship has guest laundry facilities, as you can always run a load during an at-sea day or opt to send out a bag of laundry mid-cruise to save space in your suitcase.

6. Medications

You can buy over-the-counter pills like aspirin on board but triple-check to make sure you have all your prescription medications packed. As for whether or not the medications need to be in their original bottles is highly recommended (especially with Schedule II narcotics) but not always necessary.

7. Reusable Water Bottle

Single-use plastic is being phased out, and to help the cruise lines in their efforts to minimize waste, bring a reusable water bottle on your cruise. These can easily be refilled at various spots throughout the ship and most easily at a drinks station in the casual buffet area i.e., Lido, Windjammer, etc.

Not only are you helping the environment, but you can also show off your cruise spirit, favorite sports team, college, etc, with water bottles adorned with your favorite slogan or college/team logo. At Cruiseline.com, we use the tumbler shown above daily at home, work, and while onboard a cruise.

8. Shout Wipes

Didn’t think about this one before, did you? If you did, you must be the “go-to” person who thinks of everything when traveling! Shout wipes can be a lifesaver for spills and stains on your clothes, especially if you plan to wear something again during your cruise. Shout wipes also come in a pen form and easily slip into a pocket, purse, or travel bag to take ashore or while out and about on the cruise.

If you find yourself in need of shout wipes during your cruise, don’t despair, many of the cruise lines now stock this item in their gift shop onboard, or you can find it at a local supermarket or drugstore while in port. If you see a passenger needing a shout wipe, remember, in this case, sharing is caring!

9. Sunscreen

Yes, we already mentioned this above for your toiletry bag, but we thought it bears repeating and putting as its own standout item. Why? To prevent skin cancer and ensure you don’t get burned during your cruise! A sunburn can ruin your vacation, not to mention your treasured vacation photos. We’ve all seen that person, bright red at dinner, and thought, “Why didn’t they remember sunscreen?” Don’t be that person...pack sunscreen with a strong SPF and be sure it’s water, sweatproof, and PABA-free. You might even want to pack extra sunscreen at a higher SPF made, specifically for your face. A nice healthy vacation sun-kissed glow is one thing; looking like a lobster is something completely different and to be avoided at all costs. Not sure how much sunscreen you need, throw in an extra one just in case as it’s much like being a Boy Scout, always be prepared.

10. Waterproof Camera/Phone

Vacation and beach photos are a great way to reminisce about all the fun, but what about the cool stuff you saw while scuba diving or snorkeling? Not everyone has a waterproof camera or wants to carry an extra device, but you can easily make your phone waterproof to take along on every excursion. There are lots of options for waterproof phone cases that come in lots of colors to match every bathing suit or beach outfit. One tip - make sure the case you choose floats! Should you drop or have your phone swept away, it will be much easier to find if it’s floating on top of the water in a bright color case.

11. Electronics...and the chargers that love them

We’ve all done it, unpacked only to realize that we forgot a charger OR got to our cabin and found only one or two outlets. Don’t forget an outlet expander (turns one outlet to two or three) as well as extra-long charging cables. By extra long, we mean ones that are 10-12 feet long. Why is this important? Depending on when your ship was built, there may only be one or two outlets in the cabin, and they are likely by the desk/vanity table in the cabin, which can be a long way from the bed or sitting area. With an outlet expander, not only will you be able to use multiple devices simultaneously during the day, but you can charge multiple devices at night, and with extra long cords, your phone will reach the nightstand and can double as an alarm clock for those early excursions or night light.

12. Post-it Notes and Pen

Many cruise lines now offer chat features via their onboard app that don’t require an internet package, but in some cases that feature is only on the newest ships in the fleet. While the older ships are being retrofitted with this technology during their upcoming dry docks, it may be a while before your next ship has this capability. Time to take it old school and take a pack of Post-it notes and a pen or marker to leave notes on the cabin door or in the cabin.

13. Wine

Didn’t really think about this one, did you? Yes, most cruise lines allow you to bring wine onboard, typically at two bottles per stateroom at embarkation and at each port of call. Be sure to check with your cruise lines for their official rules, as you don’t want to leave behind your favorite bottle or be “forced” to consume it before boarding. If you take your wine onboard, pack a wine opener so you can enjoy it in your cabin. If you take a bottle to the dining room or bar onboard the ship, be prepared to pay the corkage fee, which is typically about $15 per bottle but varies by the cruise line.

If you are flying to your cruise, it may be hard to pack wine in your luggage and risk something breaking en route. With apps like Instacart, you can order your wine from a store near the port and have it delivered to your hotel before heading to the cruise port or have the delivery driver meet you outside the cruise port. You’re welcome!

14. Miscellaneous

Think of this as the honorable mention category of things you may (or not) need for your Caribbean cruise.

• Disposable or travel rain poncho as it does rain occasionally in the Caribbean, and umbrellas take up too much room
• Laundry bag or pop-up hamper to keep dirty clothes in their place and make packing at the end of the vacation much easier
• Highlighters with a color for each family member to highlight the daily program with their favorite activities. Newer ships will have the program available via their app, and you can select your favorite to create your own calendar, but for those ships without this technology, the highlighters are a great way for everyone to keep track of their activities.
• Lanyard to hold cruise sea pass card as well as a few dollars for tips or the casino
• Headphones to listen to your favorite tunes in the gym, by the pool, or relaxing in your cabin

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