We took our three kids and our exchange student, Cecilia, on a seven-day Caribbean cruise in January 2023. Norwegian Breakaway, round-trip out of New Orleans. Two days in Mexico (Costa Maya and Cozumel), a day at Harvest Caye in Belize, and Roatán in Honduras.
It was Cecilia’s first cruise, and the first time she’d ever been to Mexico, Belize, or Honduras.
What’s actually good about this with teens
There’s a lot for teens to do on the boat. The kids could go off together and we didn’t have to hover. They could eat when they wanted. Not alcohol, obviously. Shows, events, the pool, the buffet: it was all included. You pay once and stop counting every meal and every evening. That’s the part that made it easy.
The week
- Sun 15 Jan — sail from New Orleans
- Mon 16 Jan — sea day
- Tue 17 Jan — Costa Maya, Mexico
- Wed 18 Jan — Harvest Caye, Belize
- Thu 19 Jan — Roatán, Honduras
- Fri 20 Jan — Cozumel, Mexico
- Sat 21 Jan — sea day
- Sun 22 Jan — back to New Orleans
Check prices for this 7-night Norwegian Breakaway cruise.
What to pack for a Caribbean cruise
Keep it light. You’re in and out of the cabin, and port days are hot and bright.
- reef-safe sunscreen — Shop reef-safe sunscreen on Amazon
- swimsuit — Shop a swimsuit on Amazon
- a cover-up — Shop a cover-up on Amazon
- flip-flops or water shoes — Shop water shoes or flip-flops on Amazon
- a light day backpack — Shop a light day backpack on Amazon
- a water bottle — Shop a reusable water bottle on Amazon
- a dry bag or waterproof phone pouch — Shop a dry bag on Amazon
- insect repellent — Shop insect repellent on Amazon
- after-sun / aloe — Shop after-sun aloe on Amazon
- a portable charger — Shop a portable charger on Amazon
- a sun hat — Shop a sun hat on Amazon
- a packable rain jacket or light layer — Shop a packable rain jacket on Amazon
- a quick-dry towel if you have one — Shop a quick-dry towel on Amazon
If you get off the ship
Port days are short. You want sun protection, something on your feet that can get wet, water, and a small bag. Bug spray matters in Belize and Honduras more than people expect. Don’t drag half the cabin ashore.
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