What To Pack For A 10 Day Caribbean Cruise

Last Updated on 9th April 2024

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How To Pack For A 10-Day Caribbean Cruise - Ultimate Packing Guide

Are you heading off on a cruise in the Caribbean and wondering what things to take on a cruise? This huge guide includes what to pack for a cruise to the Caribbean!

Packing for a cruise can be a little tricky at the best of times, especially if you’ve never been on a cruise before. Our experience of packing for a 10 day Caribbean cruise, however, was slightly trickier as we were already four months into our trip around North America, so we only had the clothes and belongings that we could fit in our 70L Osprey backpacks!

Thankfully, we’re pretty good at packing at this stage and neither of us is particularly interested in fashion, so we just wear what we want most of the time. When it came to what to pack for a 10 day Caribbean cruise, we knew that we couldn’t fit much more in our backpacks and thankfully, we managed pretty well with the stuff we already had, with just a few last-minute purchases for smarter clothing!

If you’re heading off on a Caribbean cruise, you’ll likely be wondering what to pack and if you’re feeling a little overwhelmed or stressed about the prospect of packing for a Caribbean cruise for 10 days, I’ve got you covered!

In my extensive cruise packing checklist below, I’ve included absolutely everything you need to know about how to pack for a 10 day Caribbean cruise, including all the essential clothing items you’ll need, bonus items that you should consider packing, plus much more!

I just want to mention that the Caribbean cruise packing list below is based on my own personal experience of embarking on a 10 day cruise with Royal Caribbean. Your cruise packing list might differ somewhat depending on which cruise line you’re travelling with, when you’re travelling, where you’re travelling to/around and how prepared you like to be!

Packing list for a 10 day cruise

This ultimate packing list for a 10 day Caribbean cruise includes everything you need to know about which luggage you should bring, how many clothes you should pack, plus a huge cruise packing list for women!

What luggage should I bring on a Caribbean cruise?

One of the most important things to consider when packing for a cruise is where you’ll be travelling to/from. For example, if you’re travelling from the UK to Barbados to embark on a 10 day Caribbean cruise, not only will you have to pack for the cruise itself, but you’ll also have to be wary of what to pack for travelling on either side of the cruise dates.

Most cruise lines don’t have a limit on the number of suitcases or luggage items you can bring on board with you, but most airlines will. So, if you’re travelling to your cruise departure destination by plane, it’s important to remember to pack accordingly to their guidelines as well.

As we were already travelling around North America at the time of our first-ever cruise, both Matt and I were equipped with our 12kg Osprey backpacks and our detachable 13L day packs. This is the only luggage that we had for our entire five-month trip around America and we weren’t in the position to purchase any more luggage, so we had to ensure that we could fit everything for our cruise into our backpacks.

Of course, most people travel with a suitcase instead of a backpack on a cruise and when I’m not using my beloved Osprey backpack, I have an Antler suitcase that I absolutely love. I’ve had this suitcase since my grandma bought it for me as an 18th birthday gift over six years ago and it’s lasted incredibly well ever since (my mum uses it for all her holidays now that I have my backpack!).

The exact suitcase I have has now been discounted but this Antler Clifton suitcase is very similar and if mine is anything to go by, it will be super long-lasting and remarkably sturdy!

What should I pack for a 10 day cruise in the Caribbean?

If you’re an over-packer at the best of times, you’re probably terrified of how to pack for a cruise as you’ll likely want to pack everything apart from the kitchen sink, “just in case”!

Thankfully, I’ve always been pretty good at packing, so when it came to preparing for our first-ever cruise in April 2022, I knew that once I’d figured out what essentials I needed, I’d be good to go!

With regards to the actual clothes that you need to pack for a Caribbean cruise, you can expect to need a mixture of both casual and smart wear, with the odd formal outfit thrown in for good measure.

Most cruise ships host formal nights and on a longer cruise, you can expect between one and three formal evenings. Some people really like to go all-out on a cruise formal night and some men will get dressed in their smartest tuxedo and some women will wear full-length ballgowns, but this really is only a handful of people.

Most men will opt to wear smart casual trousers and a shirt and women will don their nicest dresses, but you really don’t have to worry about shelling out a fortune for a ballgown if you don’t own one! I just wore my favourite jumpsuit and a nice dress on our two formal evenings and I didn’t feel underdressed at all!

I think it’s super important to feel comfortable with what you’re wearing, so pick something nice that works for you!

Below, you can find an itemised cruise packing list for both men and women, plus an ultimate guide to all the essentials you’ll need for your cruise! Hopefully, this guide will make your life a bit easier when it comes to packing for a 10 day Caribbean cruise!

Essential cruise and travel documents for a 10 day cruise

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of all the clothes and accessories you need to pack for a Caribbean cruise, it’s important to remember to pack all the necessary travel documents to make sure your cruise is as smooth-sailing as possible!

Passport
Photo ID (such as your driving licence)
Boarding passes for your cruise
Flight details/boarding pass
Proof of vaccination
Negative Covid tests (while this is still relevant)
Sea pass card or equivalent for your cruise line
Travel insurance details
Hotel reservation details for either side of your cruise (if necessary)

Packing list for women – what clothes to take on a 10 day Caribbean cruise?

15 pairs of pants/underwear
2 bras
2 pairs of pyjamas
10 pairs of socks
3 swimming costumes/bikinis
One pair of trainers or comfortable walking shoes (I have these Regatta boots and I swear by them!)
1 pair of lounge flip flops or sandals
1 pair of smart sandals or heels/dress shoes
7 smart/casual dresses
5 sundresses/skirts
3 formal outfits – e.g. jumpsuit, dress, ballgown
3 pairs of shorts
5 T-shirts
A light jacket/cardigan
Gym/activewear (if you’re a gym-goer!)
Day backpack/handbag (I love the Eco Chic foldable backpacks for day trips and excursions)
Evening clutch bag/handbag
A waterproof jacket
Hairbrush (I’ve had this exact Wetbrush for years and I love it!)
Shampoo/conditioner/shower gel
Sunscreen
Sunglasses
Sunhat
Jewellery (I have this exact portable jewellery box which is perfect for travelling!)
Makeup and assorted cosmetics
Toothbrush/toothpaste and other toiletries
Prescription medication
Chargers/portable chargers (we’ve had this exact INIU portable charger for 4 years)
Head/earphones
Hand sanitiser

10 Day Caribbean cruise packing list for men

15 pairs of pants/boxers/underwear
15 pairs of socks
2 pairs of pyjamas/nightwear
7 smart/casual shirts
3 smart/dress shirts
8 T-shirts/polo shirts
5 pairs of shorts
3 swimming trunks/swimwear
1 light jacket
1 dress jacket
1 suit (optional)
One pair of trainers or comfortable walking shoes
1 pair of lounge flip-flops or sandals
1 pair of smart dress shoes
Day backpack
Gym/activewear
A waterproof jacket
Hairbrush/comb
Shampoo/conditioner/shower gel
Sunscreen
Sunglasses
Sunhat/cap
Watch
Belt
Skincare products
Toothbrush/toothpaste and other toiletries
Prescription medication
Chargers/portable chargers for electronics
Head/earphones
Hand sanitiser

Bonus things to pack for a 10 day Caribbean cruise

Camera (I have the Nikon D3500 and it’s perfect for travelling!)
Umbrella
Waterproof phone case
GoPro (we love our GoPro for snorkelling, kayaking and diving etc)
Lanyard (to carry your cruise identification card – this is completely optional and we didn’t have one, but many frequent cruisers did)
Motion sickness tablets (we didn’t need these either, but they’re handy to have just in case you start to feel a little sheepish)
Travel adapter
Refillable/reusable water bottle
Waterproof bag or beach bag (we used this waterproof bag while travelling and it’s great for water-based excursions)
Water shoes
Snorkel/mask
Insect repellent
First aid kit (just in case!)
Reading material e.g. books and magazines (a Kindle is an ideal cruise companion for reading by the pool)

FAQs – what to pack for a 10 day Caribbean cruise

FAQs on how to pack for a 10-day Caribbean cruise

As I mentioned above, the Caribbean cruise packing tips featured in this guide are purely based on my own personal experience of packing for a cruise, but hopefully, it’s given you some guidance and inspiration on what you need to pack for a 10 day cruise!

If you’re still not quite sure what you should/shouldn’t bring on a cruise, I’ve included some frequently asked questions about packing for a cruise below which will hopefully help you out!

Can I bring alcohol on a Caribbean cruise?

As far as I’m aware, most cruise lines that operate in the Caribbean allow you to bring a little bit of alcohol on board with you. We’ve only been on a Royal Caribbean cruise so far (at the time of writing this post in June 2022) and I know that they allow you to bring two 750ml bottles of wine or champagne and up to 12 cans or bottles of non-alcoholic beverages such as Coca Cola and Sprite etc.

It’s important that you abide by the alcohol rules of your cruise line as you could end up in big trouble if you’re caught breaking the rules!

Do I need to bring a towel on a cruise?

Again, this will depend on each Caribbean cruise line, but I know for a fact that Royal Caribbean cruises provide you with both a towel for your stateroom, as well as free use of beach/pool towels. You must return the beach/pool towels by the end of your last day onboard otherwise you will be charged $25.

Of course, you’re more than welcome to bring your own towels with you, but I would personally go without and save some space for all the other things you’ll need to pack for your cruise!

Should I pack my hairdryer and straighteners for my Caribbean cruise?

On our Royal Caribbean cruise, we had a hairdryer in our stateroom so I didn’t bring my own (I never travel with a hairdryer anyway), but I did bring my own hair straighteners so that I could do my hair on an evening!

You’re more than welcome to bring your own hairdryer with you, but they are usually provided in the rooms.

Do I need to bring my own hangers? – what to pack for a cruise

Most cruise ships that operate in the Caribbean have plenty of hangers for you to use in your stateroom, but you may want to bring additional hangers if you want to hang all of your clothes up.

There are plenty of drawers and other storage space for you to use in the staterooms, so bringing additional hangers is completely up to you.

How much money should I bring on a Caribbean cruise?

The amount of money that you should bring with you on a Caribbean cruise is entirely dependent on how much you’re planning to spend. I would recommend around $50 USD per day so that you’re covered if there is anything you want to do/buy when you visit the different ports and islands on your Caribbean cruise, but remember that you will also be able to pay by credit card in many places as well, so it’s not always essential to carry tonnes of cash with you.

We didn’t actually bring any cash with us at first, but there are usually at least two ATMs on board the cruise ships, so you can usually withdraw US dollars and then exchange them for local currency in each destination if you need to (many countries and islands in the Caribbean do accept US dollars as well).

We also withdrew cash from an ATM on the island of Grenada, so if you don’t want to take too much money with you when you first embark on the cruise, you can always take it out throughout the duration of the cruise.

Can you wear jeans to a formal night on a cruise?

I’ve already mentioned formal cruise nights in detail in the section above and while you’re encouraged to wear your finest attire and avoid jeans, we did see a fair few people wearing them on the formal nights on our Caribbean cruise.

Personally, I wouldn’t wear jeans to a formal night as some cruise ships are a little stricter with what you can and can’t wear, but Royal Caribbean didn’t seem to mind, so I suppose it depends on which cruise line you’re travelling with!

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Have you ever been on a Caribbean cruise? Do you have any other essentials or recommendations of what to pack for a 10 day Caribbean cruise? Let me know in the comments or on Instagram at @imjustagirl_16.