My family and I just got back from a 7-night cruise, and I’m excited to share all my Caribbean cruise outfits with you today!
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Every summer, my husband takes a month off work, and during that time we take our kids on a cruise vacation. Cruises work so well for our family. I don’t like planning every detail, and the thought of not knowing exactly where we’ll eat or what we’ll do each day gives me anxiety. That’s one reason cruising works so well for us.
Your hotel travels to a new destination every day, you always know where your next meal will be, and best of all, most things are included. That makes it easy to set a budget before you even leave for your trip.
This summer, we sailed on Carnival Celebration, one of Carnival’s largest cruise ships. We’ve only cruised with Carnival with the kids, mostly because they continue to send us great offers, but we genuinely enjoy the experience. We find it to be a very family-friendly cruise line with waterslides, unlimited ice cream, kid-friendly food options, and an excellent kids’ program. At the same time, there are plenty of activities for adults to enjoy as well.
If you’re planning a tropical vacation and wondering what to wear on a Caribbean cruise, here’s a look at everything I packed and wore throughout our trip. As a mom traveling with kids, I always prioritize outfits that are comfortable, practical, and easy to move around in while still feeling stylish. From swimsuits and cover-ups to casual dresses and dinner outfits, every piece I packed was mom-friendly and designed to keep up with busy days exploring ports, chasing kids around the pool deck, and enjoying family dinners onboard.
Caribbean Cruise Outfits:
Before the Cruise: Travel Day + Night in Miami
We flew into Punta Gorda two days before our cruise. Kevin is an airline pilot, and we fly standby when we travel. Because we can’t fly directly into Miami or Fort Lauderdale, we like to give ourselves plenty of extra time before embarkation day.
As soon as the kids got out of school on Friday, we headed to the airport. I wore my favorite Amazon travel set, which is comfortable and perfect for long travel days.
The next day, we drove about 2.5 hours from Punta Gorda to Miami. I’ve cruised out of Miami many times, but I’ve never spent much time exploring the city. We decided to stay downtown near the cruise port, and I wore one of my new Quince swing dresses for the evening.
Set (small) || Denim Jacket (small) || Shoes (7) || Dress (xsmall) || Necklace || Sandals (7.5) || Purse
Day 1: Embarkation Day Outfit
For embarkation day, I wore my favorite cruise romper. I’ve packed this romper on several cruises because it has a fun tropical print and lightweight fabric. Boarding a cruise ship can be exhausting, especially when you’re traveling with kids, so comfort is key.
For dinner, I changed into a new midi dress from Express. I loved the seashell print and thought it was the perfect casual cruise dinner outfit. I paired it with comfortable Amazon strappy sandals and my favorite straw purse, which you’ll see throughout this post.
Romper (small) || Hat || Sandals || Purse || Sunglasses || Dinner Dress (xsmall)
Day 2: Naussa, Bahahmas
If you’ve cruised frequently, you’ve probably visited Nassau before. We usually use this port day to enjoy the ship while most passengers are ashore.
That morning, I wore a red one-piece swimsuit from Walmart while the kids enjoyed the waterslides.
Later, we walked around the port shops, grabbed a local Bahamian beer, and treated the kids to strawberry daiquiris. I changed into my red athletic dress from Amazon. I love the scalloped details, and the shorts are separate, which makes it a little easier to use the bathroom than the attached shorts sets.
That evening was Elegant Night, so I wore my red one-shoulder Amazon dress. I actually wore it for last year’s cruise and loved it so much that I packed it again. I paired it with comfortable Target wedge sandals that were surprisingly easy to walk in around the ship.
Bathing suit (small) || Hat || Sunglasses || Athletic Dress (small) || Dinner Dress (small) || Shoes (8) || Purse
Day 3: Celebration Key, Grand Bahama
Celebration Key was a brand-new port for us. This Carnival-exclusive destination on Grand Bahama Island features a massive pool that quickly became the highlight of our day.
We spent most of our time swimming while the kids played in the sand. I wore a two-piece swimsuit from Amazon that offers excellent coverage and support, along with my black button-down cover-up from Amazon. I ended up wearing that cover-up several other days throughout the trip and absolutely loved it.
For dinner, I changed into a colorful romper that I bought specifically for this trip. I paired it with one of my favorite statement necklaces.
Bathing suit (small) || Cover-up (small) || Hat || Sunglasses || Romper (small) || Sandals (7.5) || Necklace || Purse
Day 4: Fun Day at Sea
I definitely prefer port days, but sea days can be a nice change of pace. We slept in, enjoyed a late breakfast, and spent time exploring the ship.
That morning, I wore my new crochet cover-up while taking the kids to the waterslides. I own the long-sleeve version as well, but I actually prefer the three-quarter sleeves because they fit my arms better.
For dinner, I wore one of my favorite Amazon maxi dresses. I own it in three colors and have packed it on multiple cruises. The red and pink print paired perfectly with my turquoise necklace.
Cover-up (small) || Hat || Sunglasses || Dress (small) || Sandals (7.5) || Necklace || Purse
Day 5: Amber Cove, Dominican Republic
We visited Amber Cove last year and loved it. This port is beautiful, with mountain views surrounding the area.
The port features a large pool, restaurants, shops, bars, waterslides, and a splash pad for kids. I wore another Walmart one-piece swimsuit with a tropical leaf print that felt perfect for the setting.
There was a White Party that evening, but it started well past our bedtime, so we skipped it. I still wore white for dinner, choosing a midi dress from Amazon. Unfortunately, this dress is currently out of stock, but I’ll link a similar option that has the same look and feel.
A white dress is always a great item to pack for a Caribbean cruise because many cruise lines host white-themed events during the week.
Bathing suit (small) || Hat || Sunglasses || Dress (similar) || Sandals (7.5) || Necklace || Purse
Day 6: Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos
This was our third visit to Grand Turk, and it’s always one of my favorite cruise ports. The water is absolutely gorgeous.
The beach and pool are located just steps from the cruise ship, making it one of the easiest ports to enjoy with kids.
I wore a pink gingham two-piece swimsuit and a tank dress cover-up, both from Amazon.
That evening was our final Elegant Night. I repeated a floral one-shoulder dress that I’ve worn on previous cruises. Looking back, I packed a lot of red and pink prints for this trip, but those colors always pair beautifully with turquoise accessories.
Bathing suit (small) || Cover-up (small) || Hat || Sunglasses || Dress (small) || Shoes (8) || Necklace || Purse
Day 7: Fun Day at Sea
Unfortunately, I caught a cold toward the end of the cruise, so I spent much of the day resting and preparing for disembarkation.
I got ready for dinner a little earlier than usual and wore another Quince swing dress. The brand sent me this dress in two colors, and for our final night, I chose the darker blue version.
It was the perfect comfortable outfit to end our Caribbean cruise.
These Caribbean cruise outfits kept me comfortable throughout our trip while still feeling put together for dinners, port days, and sea days.
Dress (xsmall) || Purse || Necklace || Sandals (7.5)
Final Thoughts on My Caribbean Cruise Outfits
If you’re planning a cruise and wondering what to wear on a Caribbean cruise, I hope these outfit ideas help inspire your vacation wardrobe.
Next week, I’ll be heading on a completely different type of vacation to Wisconsin. After that trip, I hope to share the outfits I pack and wear there as well, along with ideas to help inspire what to pack for a northern Midwest lake vacation.
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