What we actually needed for our 12 day Caribbean Cruise

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We recently returned from a HUGE trip. We had been counting down the days what seemed like forever and the trip finally happened! We took our 3 kids on a 12 day cruise from Miami to a bunch of ports in the Caribbean. As the trip got closer, I started stressing about what to pack and what we would really NEED for all those days on a boat. I made a gigantic packing list and ended up packing well into the night (like until 3 am) the night before we left. I really need to work on getting over my “packing block” but that’s a story for another day. I’m pretty happy with what we ended up bringing with us. The trip was enjoyable as well as exhausting and I just want to take credit for being very well-packed and prepared, allowing for my family to have a great time. So, here’s what we brought (including full packing lists) on our 12 day Caribbean cruise.

Packing Lists

Full transparency here. These are my UNEDITED packing lists for the cruise, and it’s a little embarrassing to share, but I gotta be real ok? Before you go searching, I’ll just tell you what’s embarrassing about it – the lists includes condoms and baby oil. Yes, we do use birth control because, no, we are not ready to have a fourth child yet! And yes, baby oil is the cheapest and best lube ever.

I left blanks when creating the list because I knew I would forget some things and want to write them in while packing. In the past I’ve just used my notes app on my phone for packing list, but that requires so much scrolling up and down with a list this big, so I gave the old-fashioned printed packing list a chance and loved it. I made this one on Canva and printed it at my parents’ house because i’m not adult enough (at age 29) to have my own printer.

What I’m So Happy I Brought

There are few items that really stand out for me when it comes to travel. I’ll categorize them and provide all the links. These are the things I would not go without, ever!

Packing/Travel Related Items:

1. Packing Cubes: Never ever pack without cubes. The brand doesn’t really matter. We have several kinds and love them all. The important thing is that it helps our suitcases be much more organized. These are the ones I purchased most recently, because our family grew this year and we needed more cubes! I liked the drawstring bag and the small makeup-sized bag. I kept my swimsuits in the drawstring one.
2. Travel Stroller: we have the older version of this same stroller. It’s pretty much exactly the same, but since ours has lasted so long, they came out with a new version. This stroller has been to many countries and many places with us. We’ve had it since Emmett was a baby. It is so convenient and lightweight yet durable! And I’d say the price is great for what you get.
3. Passport holder : this has enough pockets to keep all our family passports in one place. Also has pockets for other things like cash, cards, and boarding passes.

Baby & Kid Items:

1. Ergobaby Baby Carrier: I carried my 5 month old everywhere! Since we brought the single stroller, it was usually being occupied by my 2 year old and the baby needed to be in the carrier. The Ergobaby is the best carrier brand in my opinion.
2. Life Jacket : each of my kids has one of these. The boat we were on didn’t have a kids pool or splash pad (although some do) so for my kids to play in the pool, a life jacket was a must.
3. Amazon Fire Kids Tablet: We only use these when we go on trips, so my kids make the most of their tablet time when they get it. I like that these tablets have child safety features and that I get to choose everything that is downloaded. We stick to PBS, disney+, and learning games.
4. Kids Headphones: These are comfortable for kids and I can wear them too, if needed.
5. Kids Silverware : Cruise lines have HUGE silverware for some reason. I couldn’t find a small spoon anywhere on the boat. I’m so glad I brought a small reusable bag in my backpack with kid utensils, silicone sippy lids, and easily wipeable bibs.

Beauty Items:

1. Elf Facial Sunscreen: My skin was GLOWING with this. Taking care of your skin is IN.
2. Good Molecules Hylauronic Acid Serum : Such a great price for such a great product. Hylauronic acid helps your skin hold onto moisture all day, which prevents drying that would lead to breakouts.

Practical Items:

1. Stain Remover Spray: Miss mouth’s stain remover is a miracle worker. Did I mention our cruise ship didn’t have self-serve laundry? And I had THREE messy kids with me! I treated stains with this spray throughout our trip and washed some clothes in our bathroom sink and we were just fine. I don’t know what’s in this stuff but it works. It also comes in a nice little bottle that is perfect for travel.
2. Laundry Detergent: I brought some Tide powder in a plastic container with a lid and just used a tiny sprinkle of it each time I washed a clothing item in the sink. I tiny bit goes a LONG way. I buy my tide powder from Costco, but you can get it anywhere. I will say, the powder form is good for travel because is lessens the chance of liquids spilling on other stuff in your suitcase.
3. Magnets: Did you know cruise cabin walls are magnetic? They are made of metal and you can take FULL advantage of that by bringing magnetic clips , magnetic hooks, or magnets of any kind. Imagine the possibilities – hanging hats and purses or clothes to dry, putting your daily planner on the wall, or hanging decorations in your room. I will not cruise without my magnets!
4. Towel Clips : If you’ve ever been on a cruise, you’ve seen these. It’s windy out at sea. Your towel WILL blow away if you don’t have something to secure it to your chair. We use these at the pool and beach, but also to pin our clothes to the chairs on our balcony to dry. I don’t recommend putting anything on the balcony to dry without a clip on it. The ones I linked here are the most affordable option, but not the highest quality. Here’s a link to a stronger clip.
5. Magnetic Phone Charger: I needed my portable phone charger almost daily. I love my Casely charger because it’s magnetic, charges more than 50% of the phone battery on it’s own, and is so cute too.

Things I could’ve done without:

1. I brought too many clothes. I was stressed about not being able to do laundry so I wore all my clothes as much as possible before deeming them “dirty”. I had leftover outfits at the end of the trip. I guess it’s better that way than the opposite though.
2. Curling Iron AND Straightener. I only used my curling iron ONCE and didn’t use the straightener at all. I could’ve gone without those, but could also have brought just one.
3. Walkie Talkies. We’ve used them on past cruises and found them very helpful, but this time we didn’t and we were fine. I think we totally would have use them if our cabin was closer to the rest of our family members, but we unfortunately go “guaranteed staterooms” and were too far away for the radio to work. I do NOT recommend opting for the guaranteed stateroom. I already knew that before booking this cruise, but my husband did not.

That’s about it! I’m happy with what I packed and I’m proud to say that there was nothing I left behind that I really needed! I could use this same packing list for another Caribbean cruise and be just fine. So go ahead and take my list if it works for you too!