10 Must-Pack Items For a Caribbean Cruise

Earlier this year I was so happy to partner with Princess Cruises to cruise the Caribbean - it was my first time on a cruise ship EVER! I honestly didn’t know what to pack and thankfully, I had a few friends that could give me advice on what to bring. To save you all the trouble and since there’s nothing worse than showing up for a trip and forgetting something, I wanted to share what items you should pack next time you set sail!

1. Your Passport! Since you will be traveling out of the country, this is the most important thing you will need to pack with you! But honestly, if you are traveling on the Caribbean Princess or any ship that is equipped with Princess MedallionClass, you won’t be using your passport once you are through the embarkation process since all your passport info with be stored within your Ocean Medallion! Pro Tip: Order your Ocean Medallion through your Ocean Now app ahead of time and your embarkation process will be a breeze! This is what we did and we were on board our ship and sipping on a mojito within 10 minutes.

2. Portable Charger. Picture being off your ship, exploring Belize, snapping tons of pictures on an exciting excursion, and all of a sudden your phone dies. There is nothing worse than a dead phone, especially when out exploring a different country. Whether it was when out laying by the pool, dancing the night away in their night club, or exploring a new country, I can’t tell you how many times I used my portable charger during our cruise - it was seriously a life saver!

3. Carry On. This is something a learned the hard way! Bring a carry on and pack your swim suit, a change of clothes, and anything else you will want immediately once boarding the ship to start enjoying your vacation! At the start of the embarkation process, the Princess Employees will have your leave your luggage in a designated section and they will deliver that luggage directly to your room! This is super convenient because you don’t have to haul your luggage around the ship, but since it may be a little bit before you get your things, you’ll want to make sure you have whatever you’ll want immediately with you.

4. Backpack. This could also double as your carry on, but I highly recommend bringing a backpack on your cruise! I used mine every single day and it was so nice to have when getting off at each port to explore! I used mine to pack along sunscreen, my portable charger, sunglasses, passport, a dry pair of clothes, money, and anything else I would need for the day.

5. Formal Attire. The Caribbean Princess hosted several fun cocktail / formal nights, as most cruise ships do, so make sure to bring a couple outfits for these occasions! I packed a couple cocktail dresses, matching jewelry, and versatile heels for these nights. Princess does offer formal wear rentals as well if you want to look into that!

6. A Portable Steamer. You won’t find an iron in your room for safety reasons, so I recommend packing a portable steamer with you. Just make sure to check ahead to see if your cruise ship allows them!

7. Sunscreen. You are going to be spending lots of time out in the sun, and thanks to your Ocean Medallion which lets you order food and drinks directly to your pool chair, you’ll hardly ever leave and have plenty of tanning time. So definitely don’t forget to bring your sunscreen! If you burn easily, Aloe Vera might be a good idea as well.

8. A Hat! I can’t tell you guys how many times I wore this exact hat during my trip. It kept the sun off my face and shoulders, went with every outfit I packed, and is just the cutest thing.

9. Cash! If you are onboard the Caribbean Princess, all passengers have their own Ocean Medallion which you are able to use to pay for literally anything on the ship. It’s so so convenient because you never have to handle cash while on-board. You just scan your Ocean Medallion at the pool bar, restaurant, spa, or wherever else you are purchasing something and it automatically charges your room! Honestly it’s the best thing ever. However! When you get off the ship at each port, your Ocean Medallion doesn’t work (I wish!!). So you’ll want to make sure you have cash on hand to buy a drink, food, souvenir, or whatever it may be incase the place you’re at doesn’t accept card.

10. Comfortable Shoes. Whether you are visiting each port or on board, odds are you will be doing lots of walking. (The Caribbean Princess has a walking path that loops the entire ship for guests!) Make sure to bring along comfortable shoes (preferably ones that can get wet and dry easily!) to keep your feet happy throughout your trip.

If you have any other questions about what to pack for your Caribbean Princess Cruise, Princess.com goes into more detail and covers any FAQ’s here! If you want to learn more about their Princess MedallionClass which features the Ocean Medallion, check it out here! I would love to help answer any other questions you might have, so feel free to ask in the comments below or email me! (:

xx Heather

Thank you Princess for sponsoring this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.