Beyond the T-Shirt: Shopping the Islands

After 27 cruises and a whole lot of shopping, my home office looks like a shrine to the Caribbean.

Some of the stuff is the usual, like key chains, magnets and snow globes. And I even have a t-shirt. But the souvenirs I really love were made by hand or unique to the island. They’re harder to find than ever, but they’re there.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Woven baskets from Dominica – The specialty of this Eastern Caribbean island makes a terrific souvenir or gift because it’s portable and practical. And handsome.

Wood art from Roatan – Honduras is known for its wood creations – especially those made from mahogany – and you can find cups, bowls and carvings at the cruise port at Roatan or Mahogany Bay.

Peasant tops from Costa Maya – There are a number of shops and stalls at the pier that sell locally made clothing. I bought a delicate, one-of-a-kind colorful hand-woven blouse there for a very reasonable price. 

Painted shells from St. Kitts – Walk through the cruise port towards town and you’ll pass an aisle of small vendors in covered stalls. One of the first vendors, is an artist selling her own work—magnets, small boxes and other objects hand-painted with tropical scenes, including the island’s wild vervet monkeys.

Paintings from Labadee – Royal Caribbean’s private part of Haiti has a thriving artisan market (see left), with dozens of stalls selling paintings of many sizes, and painted boxes and magnets. Some of the paintings can even be purchased without a frame to make it easier to get them home. Note that bargaining is expected!

Madras from Martinique – Ramble through the streets of Fort-de-France – or go no further than the cruise pier – to find examples of the local colorful fabrics. In town, you can buy fabric to make clothing. Or, you can get souvenirs made from madras, such as a little parrot I bought at a pier shop (see left). 

And then there’s rum. Everywhere!

In short, when you cruise the Caribbean, there’s plenty to buy beyond the T-shirt, but you’ll need a sharp eye to find it. Happy shopping!