What To Wear On A Caribbean Cruise
Planning a Caribbean cruise is fun but deciding what to pack can be a challenge. What is the ship’s dress code, will there be any formal nights and just how many outfits can you possibly fit into your luggage. Relax, you are going on vacation.
A cruise to the Caribbean usually means warm, humid weather and you will want to pack lightweight, loose fitting clothing that will be comfortable whether relaxing by the pool on board the ship or for port days when you are going sightseeing. Today, most cruise ships have relaxed their daytime dress codes. and smart casual clothing in bright whites, vibrant colors and bold patterns are all good choices for the Caribbean.
Consider dresses, skirts, pants and shorts, tops and t-shirts made of natural fibers such as cotton or linen. You might want to also pack a couple of items that have wicking properties to wear in the hot sun. Pack your swimwear, coverups, a good pair of comfortable walking shoes, sandals and flip flops, a hat that won’t blow away in a strong breeze, and the all important sunscreen.
Remember you will be in the tropics and fast moving rain showers are always possible at any time of the day, so you might want to pack a rain jacket or mini umbrella as well as bug repellent for your excursions away from the ship.
The ship’s air conditioning can be quite cool in the dining rooms so you might want to include a light jacket, sweater or a pashmina to drape over your shoulders. It will also be useful for cooler nights on deck or on your veranda.
Most cruise lines will have a separate dress code for evening wear on board after 6 pm. It is iften referred to as “resort or country club casual”. Think of it as dressing like you would if you were going to a nice restaurant and you should be perfect. Men usually wear a long sleeve shirt and dress slacks or khakis and a polo. some wear an optional sport jacket but you will see very few men wearing ties unless it is for a formal event. Women typically wear flirty sundress or simple black cocktail dresses, pantsuits or slacks with pretty blouses or stylish tops.
You might want to check with your travel agent who should be familiar with your cruise ship’s dress code. For example, Seabourn has formal evenings when passengers wear tuxedos, dark suits and little black cocktail dresses at dinner while Carnival’s dress code for men allows dress shorts and jeans with a collared polo shirt and dress shorts and capri pants in the evening for women.
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Whether you’re going straight from home to your cruise ship, or staying at a hotel before your cruise, all cruisers should pack a bag for embarkation day that includes medication, valuables and electronics. There’s nothing more important than bringing your up to date passport, required government ID and your cruise boarding documents or you will be denied boarding for your cruise
I hope this means you have a fab holiday coming up!
Have fun!
I am taking a cruise next week on the Queen Elizabeth. I love that ship and I love the special events to dress up. It is so much fun.
Hi Karen,
You are a wealth of knowledge and your experience in travel really shines in this post.
I can’t see myself wanting to take a cruise, but knowing how popular it is, your perspective I’m sure is perfect for people struggling with ideas on what to wear.
Hi Karen, this is timely as we set sail on Oceania Vista this Saturday. I couldn’t agree more with your packing suggestions.
We never took a cruise as Gene spent too much time on a ship after the Korean War 🙂 He loved to sail but he wouldn’t get near anything bigger 🙂 I love all the clothes…
Great suggestions. Looks and sounds wonderful and so much fun. Enjoy!
P.S. Must admit it’s hard enough packing for three months in Vietnam lol.
Great tips!
Wonderful tips. We’ve done a number of Caribbean cruises on a variety of cruise lines. On one trip (8 islands in 11 days!) hubby bought a new shirt at each stop. The women at our table couldn’t wait for dinner to see what new shirt he bought. They approved of his taste. It was cute as he isn’t much of a shopper.
Such cute clothes, I wish I was going on a cruise to the Carribean!
Jenna
Great info and beautiful cruise wear or anytime wear! Do you have a cruise planned for the near future?
Yep – I’d look just like those guys 🙂
I love articles like this, because it can be so hard to figure out how to pack. I have to admit that I groan at the term “resort or country club casual,” but I get it.
I just went on my first cruise ever and to the Caribbean to boot. We had a great time. What you wrote are sound advice from a pro traveler.
Some great clothes for cruising! We’re unseasonably warm here in Indy, but I’d still love to hit the Caribbean!! We have gray skies and I’m yearning for blue!! xoxo
I love that floral dress you shared near the end of your post–it’s so beautiful!
Great selection of clothing for cruising Karen. We’re going to an all inclusive resort in Jamaica for a wedding in October, and I this gave me some ideas.
Hi Karen, I have been pondering a cruise for a couple of years now, and I live in Florida so snagging a cruise is easy to come by- this must have been a sign (smile).
It’s easy to overpack for a cruise and you provide great tips on being stylish and keeping it simple.
Velva
These are great travel choices!
Packing for a Caribbean cruise can indeed be a bit of a puzzle, but your tips make it sound like a breeze! I love packing light as well, got trained with my past work that entails a lot of travels, so now for a week out of the country I just travel with a backpack, easy in and out from the airport. But on our recent cruise we did packed a lot, lukcily we have a big room so we can put the large luggages everywhere without tripping over.
we had 3 separate lots of friends who ended up on a cruise ship and all got covid!!
https://sherryspickings.blogspot.com/
While I know I will never go on a cruise (seasickness), I see a lot of things I would wear just going to dinner here in Tucson! I guess cruise wear works well as desert wear, too.
Great post. We will be going on a Mediterranean cruise and what to pack was a concern. I finally decided to keep everything in the blues/black colour range because then I could mix and match. But I will splurge on fancy shoes for dinners on the ship.
Karen, we have been researching cruises to take in the fall. The kids are so much bigger now (17 and 11!) We are ready for some bigger adventures. It will be a first for me and the kids and the second cruise my husband has ever been on (he last cruised to Mexico 15 years ago lol) I was wondering about the dress codes for “formal night” and in general, we’re total rookies. Thanks so much for your suggestions and the tips, I’m so excited for that trip.
We’re going our second Norway cruise on the Havila which is strictly casual. But we do have ballet tickets in Oslo so I may end up packing something more upscale anyway. It would be fun to shop for a Caribbean cruise I think based on your pictures!