LOTUS EATERS TRAVEL

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• YouTube
• Pinterest

---

OUR ARVIA PACKING LIST (CARIBBEAN CRUISE EDITION.)

---

I feel I should confess something: I’ve never put as much thought into packing as I did when planning our two-week Caribbean cruise on Arvia.

This was our first cruise, and I honestly didn’t know what to expect. Normally, my travel style involves long days of walking with a tiny backpack, I rarely pack more than 5kg of hand luggage.

So discovering that I could bring a 23kg suitcase plus hand luggage on Arvia felt wildly indulgent. I got a little carried away… so much so that I started writing my packing list five months before we even sailed.

Based on what I packed, what I actually wore, and what I wished I’d brought, here’s my complete packing list for a two-week Caribbean cruise on Arvia.

What to Wear in the Evening on an Arvia Caribbean Cruise

For women: casual evenings

Evenings on Arvia are generally smart-casual, but not overly dressy unless it’s a formal night.

• Smart / casual dresses- I expected more colourful sundresses, but most people wore muted tones. Darker colours, wintery shades and classic evening dresses rather than bright prints.
• Smart sandals – heels were rare. Flat or low-heeled sandals were by far the most common choice.
• Handbag or small evening bag

I packed five dresses for normal evenings and re-wore them throughout the cruise with different accessories. Speaking of, don’t forget to pack jewellery.

Tip: if you do get cold, a shawl or cardigan for evenings may be useful.

---

Black tie nights (women)

There are usually two formal evenings on a Caribbean itinerary.

• Two smarter dresses – I wore one black cocktail dress with sparkly embellishments and one floor-length maxi dress (which I bought in Martinique during the cruise).
• Strappy heeled sandals or smart shoes to match your evening dresses

---

For men: evenings on board

John mostly wore variations of the same smart causal style of outfit, which worked perfectly.

• Slacks or trousers
• T-shirt or shirt with a jacket (he packed three options)
• Smart shoes

Notes:

• No flip flops or sports trainers in the main dining rooms
• Shorts are not allowed in the main dining rooms in the evening (even tailored ones).
• Dark denim is acceptable

Black tie nights: Most men opt for a tuxedo, though smart suits are also acceptable.

---

What to pack for sea days

Sea days are relaxed but busy, you’ll likely move between the pool, lunch, activities and indoor spaces.

• Gym or exercise kit (including trainers)
• Swimwear (bring at least two so one can dry)
• Easy shorts or a T-shirt to throw on over swimwear
• Comfortable sandals or flip flops
• A couple of casual “day dresses” for lunch or talks, or hanging out inside the ship
• A small bag for books, sunscreen and essentials to carry around the ship.

---

What to Pack for Exploring Ashore

Here’s what we tended to pack and wear for days exploring ashore in the Caribbean.

• Comfortable walking sandals
• Swimwear
• Beach bag or small rucksack
• Playsuits, shorts and T-shirts, or day dresses
• Sunglasses
• Sunscreen
• Sun hat
• SPF lip balm
• Bug spray
• Books and a deck of cards (if heading to the beach)
• Towels (taken from Arvia)
• Currency ($US)
• A waterproof phone case, for boat trips etc
• Beach cover-up

Tip: a beach cover up with sleeves and shoulders is ideal for when the sun is especially hot.

---

Hand luggage

Your main suitcase may take a while to arrive at your cabin.

• Underwear
• A change of clothes (including something to wear in the evening)
• Swimwear )if you plan to swim when you get on board)
• Valuables
• Passport
• Electronics you’ll need on embarkation day
• Toiletries and medication
• Printed P&O boarding pass

Tip: you’ll need a large hand luggage bag for when you disembark the ship as your luggage will be placed outside your cabin the night before you leave. A suitcase or hold-all can be useful, as well as a handbag. Remember that you can leave your hand luggage on the ship if you want to explore on your last day.

---

Toiletries & Personal Care

Arvia provides shampoo and shower gel from The White Company, and you can request body lotion from your cabin steward.

That said, you’ll still want:

• Any personal toiletries you prefer
• Skincare and makeup
• Razor, deodorant, hair products
• SPF lip balm (very easy to forget)
• After-sun or aloe vera

Tip: Hair dryers are provided in the cabin, so there’s no need to pack one.

---

Health & Medication Essentials

Definitely worth packing a small kit, even if you rarely use it.

• Basic medication (painkillers, antihistamines, cold/flu tablets)
• Motion sickness tablets or bands
• Plasters and blister pads (new sandals + lots of walking)

Tip: I actually did need to take motion sickness tablets on every sea day. If you’re sensitive, I’d recommend packing them.

---

Electronics & Charging

• Phone, tablet, camera, Kindle
• Chargers
• Power bank

Tip: Arvia cabins have UK sockets, so no adaptor is needed if you’re travelling from the UK. There are also European sockets if you want extra charging options.

---

Cruise Essentials Worth Packing

Here are a few items that you will absolutely need onboard Arvia.

• Large refillable water bottles
• Books, puzzles or games for sea days
• Laundry tablets (if you plan to use the self-service laundry)
• A bag for laundry- this doesn’t need to be a formal laundry bag, a simple bag-for-life works perfectly
• Currency – US dollars are widely accepted and preferred on Caribbean itineraries.

---

Handy Extras (Optional)

Everyone has their own little extra thing that they like to pack for a cruise – here are a few ideas:

• Waterproof phone case (great for beach days)
• Clips for sun loungers. Personally, I hate these but many people did pack them, especially on windy sea days
• A lightweight sarong/ beach towel – not as heavy to carry ashore as the P&O towels
• Refillable coffee cup – you can use this on board if you want to carry coffee around
• One bottle of wine or champagne per person (allowed on embarkation)
• A rain jacket or umbrella for “Caribbean liquid sunshine” aka rain
• Sandwich or zip-lock bags – handy if you want to take a pastry or snack ashore.

---

Things You Don’t Need to Pack

These are provided on Arvia or simply unnecessary:

• Hair dryer
• Towels (pool towels are provided and can be taken ashore)
• Excessive heels
• Too many formal outfits
• Shower gel

I did pack a lightweight sarong-style towel, which was useful for longer walks to the beach, but it’s very much optional.

Written by Emma

Wine Lover. Yogi. Hiker. Writer.

British travel writer and long-distance hiker, native to Kent. Emma has walked the Camino de Santiago more than ten times, completed trails across Europe from the Corfu Trail to the Fisherman’s Trail, and covered thousands of kilometres on foot. She always writes from first-hand experience. Her goal? Inspire just one person to go on their first long-distance hike.

---

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• YouTube
• Pinterest

---

---

---