Caribbean Cruise Packing List for First Timers
Packing for a Caribbean cruise isn’t as simple as throwing a few bikinis and flip flops in a carry-on. Between formal dinners, beach days, rainforest adventures, walking tours of historic cities, and lazy sea days by the pool, there’s a lot of think about when packing.
I recently got back from my second Caribbean cruise (and I travel the Caribbean often!), so I’ve learned firsthand what’s actually useful to have with you—and what ends up sitting untouched in your suitcase. Spoiler alert: you don’t need six pairs of sandals. 😅
In this Caribbean cruise packing list, I’m breaking down exactly what to pack for your first Caribbean cruise, with tips for what to wear on the ship, what to bring for exploring cruise ports, and a few helpful must-haves you might not think of (but will be so glad you packed).
What to Pack for A Caribbean Cruise
I visited seven different islands on my recent Caribbean cruise (and five ports on the cruise before that), and my port days included everything from ATVing, rainforest hikes (in the rain!), snorkel boat tours, exploration of colonial cities, and relaxing at plenty of powdery white sand beaches.
And then there’s all the time I spent on the ship—dressing up for dinner and themed parties, going to the spa, and relaxing by the pool (well, trying to… our itinerary was so full of adventure that we didn’t really spend any time at the pool!)
And as I unpack my bags (I got back yesterday!) I’m reminded of all the things I used every day on the cruise, and well, the things I barely touched. For instance, even though I brought three pairs of shorts (plus athletic shorts, too!) I wore the same pair of shorts almost daily. And I used my waterproof backpack daily, but sadly didn’t touch my Kindle once (I would have if we had more down time!)
This comprehensive packing list includes everything worth packing for your first Caribbean cruise. But I encourage you to think about what items you will actually use based on the excursions you have booked and how you want to spend your time. Packing light, but pack smart!
Travel Essentials for Your Flight to the Departure Port
This is what my husband and I pack when flying to a Caribbean cruise departure port like Miami or Puerto Rico! For our most recent Virgin Voyages cruise we had a red-eye flight from Seattle to Puerto Rico, so we needed to be comfortable enough to get some sleep!
- Neck pillow for overnight flights, I love my Trtl!
- Blanket/travel towel, I use my Nomadix travel towel doubles as a blanket and beach towel.
- Cord earphones to watch movies on the flight, like these ones
- Snacks, I usually pack Larabars, fruit bars, and other easy snacks. I also usually pack a meal or two!
- Refillable water bottle
- Powdered electrolyte mix like LiquidIV since its so easy to become dehydrated on a long flight!
Related: Where to Stay in Miami Before A Cruise
Cruise Carry-On
Most cruise lines will deliver your suitcase to your room on embarkment day, but sometimes it can take hours to get there! So, be sure to pack a few of these essentials in a carry-on backpack for your first few hours on-board.
- Travel documents and wallet, including your passport and ID
- Bathing suit, to enjoy the pool or hot tub, of course!
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Change of clothes, especially if you’re boarding right after a long travel day
- Phone chargers, plus converters if you need them
- Medication (if you need it!)
Bags
These are the different types of bags I like to pack for a cruise, from my suitcase and day back to a special jewelry organizer I can’t travel without!
- Suitcase, if you’re in the market for a new suitcase, I highly recommend Level8 suitcases, they’re much higher quality than anything else I could find at a similar price point. I have the black one and my husband has the fun lime green one (I’m a little jealous!)
- Day pack, there are so many day pack options! Most backpacks will do, but if you need some suggestions, here’s what I usually use: Gregory Hydration Pack, which is great for hiking (with a removable water bladder) but also works well as a small day pack or beach bag. I love my Booe waterproof backpack for boat tours, snorkeling, and beach days.
- Small purse, to carry essentials around the boat or in the port. I have a small leather sling similar to this that can easily be dressed up or down.
- Beach bag or tote, a simple compact bag to carry your belongings to the pool or on a casual excursion, I like this woven tote!
- Jewelry organizer case, I’m obsessed with this compact jewelry organizer that keeps my necklaces (and other jewelry) tangle-free in my luggage!
- Zippered bags, to carry snacks, protect your phone from sand and water, and just organize your belongings. These could be plastic zip-locks or these reusable zipper bags.
- Packing cubes, I’ve tried out a lot of packing cubes and these Thule packing cubes are my favorite!
What to Pack for Shore Excursions and Port Days
These are the items I usually have in my day pack when exploring ports, but of course it varies based on the day’s activities!
- Sunscreen, ideally a reef-safe sunscreen if you plan to swim
- Bug spray, I love this natural (yet effective) bug balm and itch relief stick from Badger
- UPF sun shirt for easy sun protection, like this one from REI
- Hat, either a ball cap or floppy sun hat
- USD and/or local currency, you can get by with US dollars in most places, but will likely save money if you have local currency. Regardless, I always carry $50-100 USD when traveling for emergencies.
- Small first aid kit. I have this tiny basic first aid kit, which has band-aids and antibacterial ointments. It takes up much less room than a full first aid kit, and I’ve needed it so many times with little cuts and scrapes while traveling.
- Blister prevention tape, I always pack a roll of this foam medical tape in case my shoes rub
- Deodorant wipes, these wipes are my new favorite thing—they remove sweat and swipe on a layer of deodorant so you can always feel fresh
- Hand sanitizer and/or wet wipes, I like to bring both if I have room
- Lip balm, and if you’re out in the sun all day, a lip balm with SPF is a good choice
- Passport, wallet, and other important documents. This might be obvious for some, but do not leave the cruise ship without your passport, ID, and wallet. You never know what could happen, and certainly don’t want to be left behind on an island without your passport!
- Water bottle, this is another obvious but important one!
- Camera, if you have one!
Here’s a few more things I pack for a port day if I’m planning on going to a beach or on a boat tour:
- Travel towel, I love my Nomadix travel towel which repels sand and folds down quite small
- Snorkel gear, if you love snorkeling (or want to try it out for the first time!) be sure to bring your own snorkel gear. I love my Oceanic snorkel mask which comes with a neoprene mask strap to protect my hair! Oceanic also sells some matching fins (though I don’t personally travel with fins), and you’ll need a snorkel too, of course! And this reef-safe anti-fog makes all the difference.
- Underwater camera or case, I have a GoPro but there are plenty of great underwater phone cases that take surprisingly good photos!
- Dry bag, I used to have this budget dry bag to protect my camera and other sensitive gear at the beach, but recently upgraded to this Booe waterproof backpack. I don’t think this is necessary for everyone, but since I travel with expensive camera gear, a waterproof bag is an essential for me!
- Swimsuit cover up or something else to throw over your wet swimsuit at the beach
- Swimsuit and/or change of clothes if you’re going to the beach and doing some other things in the same day
- Water shoes, especially if you’re swimming or snorkeling somewhere rocky. I have these waterproof shoes that double as grippy hiking shoes and water shoes. I bought them for the ATM Cave tour in Belize and bring them on every tropical vacation since!
Clothes to Pack for A Cruise
This is a starting point, add more clothes based on the length of your cruise!
Cruise clothing packing list for women
- 1-2 comfy t-shirts
- 5 tank tops and short sleeve tops
- 2 athletic tops for working out on the ship and hikes
- 3 dresses, formal and sundresses
- 3 bathing suits (or more…!)
- 1-2 swimsuit cover-ups
- 1-2 pair of jeans, flowy pants, or skirts (I love having a long flowy skirt and linen pants!)
- 1 pair of jean shorts (I brought three… and only ever wore the most comfy pair!)
- 1 pair of comfy shorts
- 1 pair of athletic shorts
- 3 pairs of socks
- 10 pairs of underwear
- 1 sports bra
- 1 regular bra
- Special clothing for themed nights
- Sleepwear
- Jewelry, I pack mine in this helpful jewelry organizer
- Hat, belt, and other accessories
- Light jacket and/or sweatshirt. I like having a long button-up shirt (which doubles as a swimsuit cover-up) plus a jean jacket.
Cruise clothing packing list for Men
- 4 tee shirts
- 3 button-up shirts (casual and formal for dinners)
- 2 athletic shirts
- 2 pairs of swim trunks (my husband loves Vuori shorts that work as swim trunks, athletic shorts, and regular shorts)
- 1 pair of jeans
- 2 pairs of shorts
- 1 pair of athletic shorts
- 5 pairs of socks
- 8 pairs of underwear
- Special clothing for themed nights
- Sleepwear
Shoes to Pack for a Caribbean Cruise
I’ve figured out a system that allows me to only pack three pairs of shoes (which saves tons of space), but you may have to add-on another pair of shoes (or two) depending on what you have.
Women’s Shoes
- Flip flops or other sandals that can get wet, I always bring these waterproof Birkenstocks because they’re comfortable enough to walk long distances in!
- Comfortable walking or hiking shoes, depending on the trip I either pack my Altra Lone Peak trail runners or these waterproof shoes that double as water shoes and also work for hiking and working out.
- Heels or dressier sandals, these Glenda platform Birkenstocks (that don’t look like Birkenstocks!) are always on my cruise packing list because they are so comfy and easily dressed up for dinner!
Men’s Shoes
- Flip flops or other sandals that can get wet, my husband also has a pair of waterproof Birkenstocks that he can walk in and wear to the beach or pool.
- Comfortable walking or hiking shoes, my husband also has a pair of Altra Lone Peak trail runners (he introduced me to them!) which are exceptional for hiking and working out.
- Sneakers that can be dressed up (or dress shoes), this is based on personal preference, but my husband packs his Vega sneakers which can be dressed up for dinner, but also worn while exploring a port city.
Toiletries
Use this toiletry packing list as a starting point and add anything else that you know you’ll need!
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Floss
- Deodorant
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Body wash
- Razor and shaving cream
- Face wash
- Moisturizer
- Face sunscreen
- Lotion
- Hairbrush
- Hair products
- Nail clippers and nail file
- Tweezers
- Sunscreen
- Aloe vera
More Toiletries for Women
- Period products
- Hair ties and clips
- Curling iron (but check your cruise line’s list of prohibited items), I love my $29 heated brush which can curl and straighten hair!
- Natural tanning lotion, like Maui Babe
- Perfume
- Makeup
Miscellaneous
Here are a few more things to pack for a cruise!
- Kindle or books, I prefer a Kindle to save space (and I get most of my e-books for free from the library!)
- Journal
- Pens, for said journal!
- Tide-to-go pen
- Wrinkle release spray, this spray is especially helpful if you have clothes you know always get wrinkly!
- Vitamins and medicine
- Cards and small board games, we love Monopoly Deal (much more fun than actual Monopoly)
- Towel clips, many cruisers swear by towel clips, which secure your towel on a chair on the windy cruise deck. I haven’t used them, but I love these fun parrot and flamingo clips!
