What to Wear on a Caribbean Cruise NCL Travel Blog

caribbean cruise clothes

Water may be readily available on the boat, but an insulated tumbler will do a better job at keeping your drink cold than a glass, and you’ll be refilling it less often. I’ve been loyal to my Hydro Flask water bottle for about five years now and can attest to its ability to keep your drink cold for up to 24 hours. For first-time cruisers looking to stay active while sailing, our ships offer plenty, so be sure to pack athletic wear. Your cruise outfits will be as fun to wear as they are to look at.

Day Cruise Packing List

Bring lightweight resort wear such as sleeveless tops, shorts, sundresses, and sandals for exploring during the day, plus a few more formal options for nighttime events. For long cruises over 10 days in length, packing enough daytime Caribbean cruise outfits while working with limited cabin space is a delicate art. Your Caribbean cruise outfits for sea days should be casual and comfortable. You can wear something similar to what you would wear onshore during the day or take an even more laid-back approach with breezy elastic waist linen pants or chic lightweight loungewear.

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Casual, leisurely excursions, like a cooking class or island tour by car, are easy to plan for—if there’s no active component, wear one of your daytime Caribbean cruise outfits. Shimmering ball gowns, crisp tuxedos, and the like are in order for this black-tie dress code. Your ship’s formal night may also allow for elegant cocktail dresses or a simple suit if more relaxed. We cruised on Holland America’s Nieuw Statendam and brought outfits for the day, as well as 5 casual and 2 dressy evenings.

Shorts, Tops and Rompers

Don’t forget to bring along all relevant travel documents including passports, visas, and other necessary identification you’ll need to have on board and in the port you’ll visit. If you’ve booked an outdoor or rainforest excursion that includes a more strenuous hike, pack a pair of low-top hiking shoes. These can also double as workout shoes on board or as walking shoes to wear around a Caribbean port town while shopping and exploring.

I’ve included both cruise accessories that will be useful for any cruise, as well as things to bring that are specific for your Caribbean Cruise. If you opt to pack light for your cruise, here are some tips in this post, on how to mix and match your outfits. Since the Caribbean weather is quite warm most of the year, plan on light clothing during the day, like shorts and a t-shirts or tank top, or a light sundress. Winter months (January, February, March) tend to be a little bit cooler, so plan accordingly. Some people will counsel you to pack light on a cruise, and while you don’t want to overpack, you need to know that it isn’t easy to pick up extras that you need once on the cruise ship. Kathy Adams is an award-winning journalist and freelance writer who traveled the world handling numerous duties for music artists.

Carnival Cruise Line makes a controversial dress code decision - TheStreet

Carnival Cruise Line makes a controversial dress code decision.

Posted: Wed, 28 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Make sure your cruise packing list includes a lightweight bag for your book, sun protection, wallet, camera, phone and a foldable dry bag tucked inside. When you're done swimming, you can stow your swimwear away in the dry bag without getting the rest of your items wet. Plan to wear at least one outfit during the day, one outfit at night, and possibly an additional outfit for an excursion per day on your Caribbean cruise. Bring enough clothing for seven daytime and seven nighttime outfits for a week-long Caribbean cruise. Maybe it’s a trip to the spa followed by a cocktail by the pool or shuffleboard on the sports deck followed by a night hiding out in the theater. Sometimes, ships plan for special activities on sea days, like when Viking Cruises hosted a poolside barbecue with the ship’s band on my Caribbean cruise.

What to Wear on a Caribbean Cruise Ship

Make sure to have this on you, and do not pack it in your checked luggage. If this happens, there’s a good chance that you won’t be able to get it back on time to be able to board your cruise. Comfortable walking shoes, closed-toe shoes, or water shoes may be necessary for some excursions. If you are visiting any jungle environments, watch out for mosquitos.

Dresses

Maybe this means claiming a lounge chair as your own, seeking a spot in the sand without footprints or swimming out into the clear blue water. Quick-drying swim trunks are the go-to staple for this cruise outfit and is a perfect choice for kids. Just throw on a collared shirt and slip-on penny loafers, and you're good to go. This outfit can easily carry you into the evening, but dainty jewelry, colorful slip-on shoes, a Panama hat and swapping from a backpack to handbag will create a softer look.

caribbean cruise clothes

Having a wet bag was essential for keeping my soaked swimsuit separated from everything else. To be honest, most of my Caribbean cruise outfits during the day consisted of swimwear, swimwear, and more swimwear—bikinis, one-pieces, crocheted coverups, breezy sarongs, you name it. These tan braided sandals are quite comfortable and can be worn during the day and evening.

If you are flying to your cruise departure port, you will need to consider airline restrictions on luggage. Also, you will need to decide if you plan to check your luggage or travel solely with a carry-on. This floral top is is gorgeous paired with shorts or white pants.

While not a true cruise must-have, a Go-Pro is a great way to get amazing video footage on your vacation, on active excursions and in the ocean (it goes underwater). If you’re looking for a new toy and want to create a vacation  video or Vlog, you’ll love the image quality of the new Go Pro 9. One item not to forget to pack for your Caribbean cruise is sunscreen.

One or two bathing suits should be the maximum, just don't expect to wear them into dining areas. After all, cruise rooms aren't exactly known for being spacious, dress codes can be confusing and luggage fees on airlines are steep. You'll also want to consider what you'll need aboard your cruise aside from clothing. A tube top is easy and cute, and you can pair it with any casual bottoms you bring to the cruise.

Lauren is also travel hacking obsessed, finding every way to travel more often and more luxuriously. A big beach bag is great for sunscreen and towels for the beach or the pool on board. One thing to keep in mind is that you should cover up if you are heading indoors from the pool. A trip to the buffet, however, is much more casual and there are a number of other restaurants on a ship that range from casual to fancy. Head to the main dining room with the white tablecloths and well-dressed waitstaff and you might think you need to wear a tux to be served. If you’re wanting to hit the pool after boarding, you can pack swimwear in your carry-on and change once in your room.

Avoid spending your entire vacation squinting and bring at least one pair of sunglasses in your bag. Polarized sunglasses are best when you’re near water to help reduce glare. Packing at least one swimsuit probably goes without saying if you’re heading on a Caribbean cruise, but it’s important to also consider bringing along different types of swimsuits. A Caribbean cruise vacation offers more than pristine beaches—though there are plenty of those, too. Different islands offer different types of excursions, ranging from relaxing beach days to zip-lining over treetops and adventurous hikes up mountains. While you might think all you need to throw into your suitcase is a couple of swimsuits and a pair of sandals, there are a few other essentials you’ll want to bring on board as well.

Make sure to pack a bathing suit cover up or two for cruise sea days. One piece rompers are very popular and are perfect when you’re hanging out by the pool or doing activities on the cruise ship. Plus, it can be worn later on in the cruise and no one would even know. What better way to stay entertained for hours by the pool or during a day at the beach than by reading a page-turner? Or if you’re into something lighter, bring along a stack of your favorite magazines to last throughout your vacation.

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