3 July 2021
Shopping is an enjoyable part of any holiday and with onboard boutiques, Duty Free stores and shoreside crafts and local artisan specialities, there are no shortage of souvenir options on a cruise.
Any holiday on land involved picking up a souvenir or two, or buying something special as a memento or keepsake from your trip. On a cruise, retail therapy can start onboard the ship as a nice relaxing pastime even in the middle of Caribbean Sea miles away from the nearest shopping mall. The newer, bigger cruise liners have rows of gleaming stores for passengers keen to splash some cash, from emerald earrings or a stylish bikini to a pair of designer sneakers. These onboard "malls”typically include a boutique that sells handbags and cruise-y clothing, a book shop that also stocks international newspapers and glossy celebrity gossip magazines, a high-end jewellery store that promises to bedazzle you with diamonds and glitzy luxury brand watches and duty-free shop that offers perfume, cigarettes, chocolate, wine, spirits, beer and makeup.
Each cruise company offers a different style of shopping experience, with Celebrity Cruises hosting popular art auctions aboard ship. Traditional shopping can be found on all Celebrity ships, usually in a small arcade in which you can buy designer clothes, cosmetics and fragrances. On selected ships, exclusive brands are available including Bvlgari and Omega, while Celebrity Summit, Infinity and Millennium have Innovations tech stores.
On their island hop through paradise cruises around the Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) has duty-free shopping onboard. Apart from the usual fare – clothes, alcohol, tobacco, perfume, aftershave – there are upmarket clothes, bags and jewellery. There are also plenty of choices for beach supplies available for shore excursions or looking chic around the pool.
Carnival Cruises has onboard shopping on all its ships at the Fun Shops, where all manner of duty-free goods can be bought. Expect to find clothes, perfume, alcohol and a range of Mind, Body & Soul gifts such as candles, infusers, wax melts and spa products. If you buy something from the Portside Liquor shop, you can ask to have them sent directly to your cabin - no need to lug a heavy, chinking bag back yourself.
You can pick up all manner of Disney merchandise on a Disney Cruise Line at the shops aboard Disney Magic and Disney Wonder ships, from character plushies, clothing, costumes and toys to luxury goods like liquors, watches and bags.
Of course many of the shoreside tours incorporate shopping time with Willemstad, Curacao, Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, Oranjestad in Aruba, Bridgetown in Barbados, Cancun, Grand Cayman, Grenada, Jamaica, Playa Del Carmen, Providenciales, St. Barth, St. Croix and St. Thomas all ranked highly for their malls, designer stores, duty free outlets and local artisanal goods, art and handicrafts. The most popular inexpensive regional specialities bought by cruise passengers include Food items like rum cake, spices, jelly/jams, liquor and coffee and handmade items such as ceramics, straw hats, hammocks, baskets and jewellery.
