For Shore Excursions I recommend the following:
1. Comfortable pair of walking shoes, if you are doing any outdoor related activities, make sure you bring a pair of old shoes, or shoes that you are ok with getting messed up!
2. Backpack with mesh side pockets - the pockets hold water bottles, the backpack for beach towel, flip-flops, beach hat, maps, port books, souvenirs, wallet, camera, extra camera battery, sunglasses, snacks, and bathing suit, plastic bag for shoes, and plastic bag for clothes
3. Change of clothes if you are atving, etc and get all muddy and dirty
4. Water Bottle (can fill up on the ship before leaving for the port)
5. Snacks!!! Definitely scooped up a banana and 2 boxes of cereal from the breakfast buffet, and they came in handy!
For Pool Lounging
1. Beach Hat - The sun is intense on the pool decks of ships
2. Beach Bag - camera, sunglasses, magazines, books, beach towel,
3. Beach Shoes (shoes that won't slip and slide walking on watery pathways)
4. Beach Cover-Up - Not all of us are trying to get tan!! lol
For walking around the ship - Day
1. One piece rompers - very easy and quick to change into and very comfortable. I bought both of mine from Target and Express
2. Bathing Suit w/Beach Cover-Up - Never know when you and your friends may just want to jump in randomly
3. Shorts and a Tank - May go rock-climbing, zip-lining, etc
4. Sundresses - Want to look cute?? Sundresses work as bathing suit cover-ups and outfits, so depending on your mood, go for it. Also easy to put on and accessorize as it's one piece
Casual Dinners - Night
On this particular cruise, we only had one formal dinner night, and the rest were casual dining. The ship had it's own dress code for eating in the fancy dining room, which basically was "Sport shirts and slacks for men, sundresses or pants for women". I pretty much stuck with this dress-code and wore dresses 4 nights, and a pants outfit the very first night.
Let it be known that they do NOT provide Irons in your stateroom, so either try and iron and fold perfectly before you pack, bring non-wrinkly clothes, or be prepared to spend money to have the staff launder your items for you, which is what happened to me. I can't be seen wrinkly...lolol
Formal Dinner - Night
Depending on the length of your cruise you may have 1 or more formal dinner nights. I saw some people on the ship with dresses that looked like Prom Dresses...I think that's a bit much, just a nice cocktail dress with some pizazz works fine for this...and heels! Don't wear flip-flops on formal dinner night!!! You'll also want to bring a fancy clutch, or pizzazz purse, because your beach bag will not work for this atmosphere!!
Evening Activities (Comedy Shoes, Game Shows, Onboard Clubs)
Depending on the time of your dinner and your dinner attire, you can possibly get away with wearing what you wore to dinner out for the evening activities. I did this a couple times, but I also overpacked, so I had some extra outfits for evening activities. I had some cute flashy dresses from Express, and the one night I wore just a romper, and the other night I wore my pants outfit that I wore to dinner...
Other Miscellaneous Items
1. Alarm Clock
2. A way to keep time...watch, belt watch, etc
3. Hair Products, shampoo, & conditioner, and hair-ties. You will regret being in the heat with no ponytail holders of claws!!
4. And last but not least, don't forget to check with your cell-phone carriers on your phone plans for traveling internationally
5. Cash
6. An extra bag to carry home your "duty-free" items such as liquor and souvenirs!!!
7. Over the shoulder bag
8. Mini-wallet - you'll find that you'll need to carry your "ship card", and ID, and cash for the casino, or cash for on shore. If you don't want to take your whole wallet with you, or all your cash, buy a mini wallet or change purse to split your items up. Put the rest in the safe.
9. Pens/Pencils for marking itineraries
10. Camera Case
11. I'd recommend 2 pairs of tennis shoes...1 for working out and getting dirty, and another cute (canvas like, for tours, etc)
12. Travel Size Sunblocks to go to port...no one wants to carry around those monstrous size sun-blocks, so pack a mini one to go ashore, trust that will cover you til you get back to the ship!
13. Bug Spray - When ATVing in the jungle you WILL NEED BUGSPRAY!!
