I recently returned from a 7 night Caribbean cruise with my family for spring break. We traveled on a Princess Cruises ship which departed from Galveston, TX and stopped in Honduras, Belize, and Cozumel. One of my favorite parts of vacations is planning what to pack!
Originally, I was hoping to take pictures while packing and write a post before we left, but things got too hectic. I like to hang up all of the clothes I plan on bringing in advance of actually packing, so I can see what is missing or eliminate the unnecessary. I think I made additions or removals to the collection every night for at least a week. And then a few impromptu eliminations at the end to make everything fit into the suitcase!
Comfy Basics
Comfortable clothes are a must for cruises where you plan to lounge around and be a lazy bum once in awhile. And I definitely planned on doing just that. I packed jean shorts, skinny jeans, and black leggings along with various comfy tops, that could easily mix-and-match.
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Sundresses & Rompers
Dresses are my favorite part of packing for any warm weather vacation. While I tend to stick to neutral colors for my comfortable attire during the day, the “smart casual” dress code for dinner gives the opportunity to liven things up with brightly colored sunny dresses and rompers/jumpsuits.
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Fancy Formal Attire
The cruise only had two formal nights scheduled, but both of my strapless dresses were a bit tight, and I was afraid of what the extra lunch buffet pounds would do to my figure, so I threw in an extra dress. This worked out fortuitously as I ended up getting a bit sunburned on the second formal night, which was when I had planned to wear the red dress. The red of the material combined with my red skin was not flattering, so I went with the cream lace one instead.
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Casual Chic
For the evenings after dinner, I sometimes like to change into something a little more comfortable to walk around the ship. It also gets kind of windy on the deck, so sometimes it’s necessary to wear shorts and avoid the Marilyn Monroe “Seven Year Itch” effect. I picked basic color tops that I could mix and match with different types of bottoms.
Swimwear & Cute Coverups
In looking back at previous vacations, I’ve realized that I tend to overpack swimsuits. You can really customize your swimsuit looks with different coverups and accessories (below), and don’t need as many as you might think.
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Shoes & Accessories
I always opt for crossbody bags when traveling so I can keep both hands free for taking photos. I also pack my electronics and other non-clothing items in a large tote bag, which could be used as a beach/pool bag throughout the cruise.
For shoes, I pack a pair of flip flops for casual beach days, neutral colored wedges to pair with the sundresses, and high heels, both nude and black colored. Depending on your activities (working out, outdoor excursions, etc…) I’d also recommend including a pair of gym or comfortable walking shoes.
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Go-to Gadgets
I wouldn’t be a Girl Geek if I didn’t include all my favorite devices and electronics for traveling. I have trouble playing favorites with my cameras, so I usually end up bringing them all!
My Macbook Pro allows me to edit all of my photos during the trip. With the Kindle loaded with ebooks, I always have plenty of reading material for cruises.
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Now that you’ve seen my cruisewear and gear in a nutshell (or suitcase), I’ll post the actual vacation pictures in my next blog update!