What To Pack For a Caribbean Cruise: 10 Glorious Days
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Going on a longer Caribbean cruise and aren’t sure what to pack? Basically, you build on a one-week Caribbean cruise capsule wardrobe to expand it somewhat. Here’s how I decided what to pack for a Caribbean cruise we have coming up in March.
What Is A Cruise Capsule Wardrobe?
A cruise capsule wardrobe is a carefully curated selection of clothing designed for a cruise trip that is chosen for its comfort, style, and versatility. You don’t want to pack everything in your closet, but you do want enough outfits to last through the cruise without having to resort to doing laundry in your sink, or sending it out.
Choose a color palette for mixing and matching using two neutrals and a pop of two of color. For this wardrobe, I chose black and white, with blue and fuchsia for my colors.
Cruise Capsule Wardrobe Checklist
Would you like to have a FREE Cruise Capsule Wardrobe checklist to help you with packing for your next cruise?
Taking into consideration the weather in the Caribbean in March, I know it will be in the low to high 80s each day in port, but on the ship will be much cooler. So I will choose sleeveless or short-sleeve tops, but also 3/4-sleeve tops, at least one for each day of the cruise. For pants, I will take a mix of cropped pants and lightweight long pants.
You will also want to consider the dress code of your ship, which for us will be Celebrity. So, I will want to take clothing to dress up for specialty restaurants and main dining rooms in the evenings.
For this cruise capsule wardrobe, I’m shopping at Chico’s, my favorite for travel clothing, as well as Lands End, Amazon, and Allbirds for other items. You know how I love my Allbirds on cruises!
The Itinerary
You will also want to take into account your cruise’s itinerary, which for us will be:
- Day 1: Fort Lauderdale
- Day 2: At Sea
- Day 3: At Sea
- Day 4: St. Johns, Antigua
- Day 5: Bridgetown, Barbados
- Day 6: Castries, St. Lucia
- Day 7: Fort-de-France, Martinique
- Day 8: Basseterre, St. Kitts & Nevis
- Day 9: At Sea
- Day 10: At Sea
- Day 11: Fort Lauderdale
We will have five port days, so I will need outfits for five excursions. With a day of travel on both ends of the cruise, the trip becomes 12 days, so I will have to plan for those as well.
The Tops
Here are the tops I chose for this wardrobe: three sleeveless, four short-sleeve, six 3/4-sleeve, and five tunics, eighteen tops in total. With such warm weather on this cruise, I may not want to wear a top more than once without washing it, and I’m not a fan of sink laundry.
The Bottoms
And these are the bottoms I chose. No dresses this time.
The Shoes
I kept my shoes to a minimum for this trip, opting for comfort.
Pool and Beachwear
For sunning at the pool or beach, or perhaps enjoying water activities, you will want to have at least two swimsuits for your Caribbean cruise. You will also want a coverup, and a rash guard if you tend to burn easily.
Accessories
For any cruise, you will probably want to pack the following as well: a theft-resistant crossbody bag, a sun hat, sunglasses, a theft-resistant tote for traveling, and a cute purse for evening.
Other Items To Pack
Of course, you will also need pajamas, underwear, bras, socks, and jewelry. Just the right jewelry will set off your outfits perfectly and make each more distinctive.
Outfits You Can Make
You can make dozens of outfit combinations with these items, but here are the ones I plan to wear.
Daytime Outfits
On sea days, I usually dress a little warmer because of the air-conditioning on the ship, opting for long pants and shirts with a sleeve. Any of these outfits could transition to a casual dinner, so I don’t need to bring as many outfits for evenings.
Excursion Outfits
For excursions in the Caribbean, you will want to dress for hot weather but also protect yourself from the sun. Be sure to bring a sun hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen with you on your excursions.
By The Pool
For enjoying the cruise ship’s pool, you will want a swimsuit, a coverup, and shoes as a starting point. Add sunglasses and a hat, plus a tote with a few necessities in it (your cabin keycard, sunscreen, lip balm, a bottle of water, and something to read), and you will be good to go.
Evening Outfits
For evening, you will want to look your best. Choose a dressy maxi dress or a cocktail dress, or perhaps do as I do: pair a nice top and slacks with statement jewelry that can mix and match for more options.
Travel Outfits
For travel to and from Fort Lauderdale, I can wear these outfits, paired with my tote:
Cruise Capsule Wardrobe Checklist
Would you like to have a FREE Cruise Capsule Wardrobe checklist to help you with packing for your next cruise?
Final Thoughts On What To Pack For A Caribbean Cruise
Your needs will be different from mine, but the wardrobe creation process will be much the same: fit everything you will need in your suitcase, wear everything at least once with nothing left over, and look stylish while doing it.
Happy cruising!
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