My dad is my all-time favorite travel buddy. We try to take a trip together once a year. Over the years, he and I have been all over the world, to Paris, London, several places in Italy, and Greece. This year we went for something a little more convenient: a Caribbean cruise. I know opinions are divided on cruising (my longtime boyfriend Jon for one, can’t stand them). Sure, it’s no Paris, but for us, it worked. Mostly, we loved how convenient it was. There’s no lugging of 50-pound suitcases on and off trains and taxis, to multiple destinations. Everything you need is in one place.
And, if you have kids, it’s a great vacation option. There are limitless activities for them on board and it’s safe for them to explore the ship on their own. Growing up, my bro and I loved cruises because the only rule was we had to eat dinner together, and the rest of the trip was ours to explore the ship and hang out with the other kids we met. All in all, if you want a relaxing, laid-back trip, cruises might be exactly what you are looking for.
What To Wear On A Caribbean Cruise
I found packing for the cruise to be pretty similar to packing for other tropical vacations with a few minor tweaks (like hand sanitizer, a waterproof tote, and a refillable water bottle) you need everything ranging from: dresses for dinner to swimwear for beach days to comfortable footwear for offshore excursions.
1. Abercrombie’s YPB studioFLEX Slash Wrap Mini Dress
Dress (M) | Sandals (8) | Similar Sunglasses
No item came in more clutch on this trip than A&F’s YPB StudioFLEX Wrap Mini dress. This mini dress with built-in shorts is so good and made to move in. I wore it as a swimsuit cover-up, while sightseeing and even to dinner one night. The fabric is high quality and buttery soft and it offers lightweight support for active use and a stretch interior lining. It comes in nine different colors and is available in petite and regular sizing as well. Also, a quick shout out to these Croc Miami Toe-Loop Sandals that I wore absolutely everywhere. They are waterproof, extra comfortable and under $40.
2. Shell Clutch
This shell clutch was the belle of the ball on my cruise. It got compliments every time I wore it. I bought it months and months ago because I couldn’t resist getting it but I didn’t have a good excuse to use it until this trip. It was such a fun conversation piece. It fit my iPhone 14 Pro Max (minus my clunky square phone case), my room key and some lipgloss. It also has a detachable chain strap. I’ve added some non-Amazon links of similar clutches below, like this almost identical option from Aldo. (And if you haven’t seen my recent shell-inspired roundup, read it here.)
Shop Similar Shell Clutches
3. Bikinis & Crochet Beach Skirts
Similar Leopard Bikini Top | Similar Fringe Skirt | Sandals | Similar Tote | Black + White Bikini | Mini Crochet Skirt | Similar Sunglasses
Bikinis + crochet skirts were my daytime uniform for the days when we were at sea. I spent those days laying in the pool, reading my kindle books (Elin Hilderbrand and Kristin Hannah) and working my way through the tropical drinks menu. I bought my fringe crochet skirt last year but Abercrombie has a very similar option that is on MAJOR sale right now for only $16.97 (down from $70) and fully stocked in all sizes.
3. Abercrombie Sienna Mini Skort + Crop Top + Shell Purse
My cruise capsule wardrobe might as well been sponsored by Abercrombie (it’s not, but it could be) because several of my favorite pieces were from A&F. Including this fun Sienna Mini Skort. I absolutely love how SO many of Abercrombie’s skirts and dresses are actually skorts. It adds a layer of security, especially on a windy cruise ship. If you love this fun tropical print as much as I do, A&F’s Scarlett Strapless Linen-Blend Skort Dress also comes in the same print.
4. WAYF Polka Dot Linen Blend Set
Top (M) | Skirt (M) | Sandals (8) | Clutch
This matching skirt and top by WAYF is easily my most worn spring purchase so far! It looks just as cute paired with knee-high boots and patterned tights as it does with white wide-leg jeans and mary jane flats. You can see how I styled this outfit for colder temps here in this post and how I styled the top with white jeans in this post. It’s 55% linen, 45% rayon and I found that the top runs true to size and the skirt runs a little large.
5. Crochet Lace Top + Free People Moxie Jeans
Similar Top | Jeans (27) | Similar Sandals
Even Shana was shocked that I brought and actually wore these railroad striped Free People Moxie jeans on my cruise. But they proved to be a very useful piece. I wore them on traveling days, to and from the cruise and I also wore them one night to our casual dinner on the ship, when it was really windy and rainy. The fabric is a medium weight and feels more lightweight than my other two pairs of Moxies so they turned out to be perfect for this trip.
6. Black Tank + Abercrombie Lace Polka Dot Skirt
Tank (M) | Skirt (M) | Sandals (8) | Clutch
One thing about cruises….people love to get all dressed up, even so far as wearing formal sequin gowns. I went for a more casual vibe on this trip and this Abercrombie lace trim skirt (that is actually a skort) was about as dressy as I got. But it proved to be perfect for this cruise. The fabric is high quality as well as soft and satiny. It’s gotten over 50 great reviews and also comes in a buttery yellow color option and has a matching lace camisole too.
7. Mango Skirt + Crochet Tank
Similar Top | Skirt (M) | Sandals (8) | Clutch
Here’s real-life proof that my Mango Asymmetrical Rib Sweater Skirt was well worth the purchase (I styled it up 8 ways back in Feb). It transitioned from my winter wardrobe to my spring break wardrobe smoothly. This skirt has proved to be an essential piece in my closet, no matter the weather. The fabric is super soft, the silhouette is ultra-flattering and the style is the perfect flowy, boho vibe for vacation.
9. Last Season’s Banana Republic Romper
Similar Romper | Similar Mary Janes | Clutch
This Banana Republic Linen Romper is two seasons old but has proved to be my favorite and most worn BR purchases ever. The bad news is two fold…one: I had trouble finding anything like it and two: I accidentally left this romper on the ship! *SOB* I’ve rounded up some similar looking romper options below.
Shop Similar Rompers
10. My Maximalist Vintage Jewelry
I’m all about maximalism when it comes to my jewelry. I’ve always loved collecting unique vintage jewelry and purchase jewelry on trips so that when I wear them it feels more meaningful to me: reminding me of good memories and telling a fun story. I picked up the cute little turtle ring I’m wearing on my ring finger in Nassau, as my memento from this trip. Of course, my favorite place to shop for jewelry will always be Etsy. At any given time, you can find me with a tab open to Etsy on my laptop, searching vintage jewelry.
Thank you so much for reading, until next time!
xo, Jess ( My Instagram | More of my Posts )
