What Not To Pack for Your Caribbean Cruise

You never know what you're going to get for weather. Here's how I fit it all in my carry on.

The Goal: Pack 10 days' worth of clothing for a Caribbean Cruise into one carry-on suitcase.

Obstacles: The weather in February 2016 was forecasted for everything. We were expecting, sun, rain, wind and cool nighttime temperatures. Also, getting 10 days of toiletry products into a quart-size bag.

Why a carry on? As my good friend Bunny would say, I have a completely irrational fear of losing my luggage and we were flying from Portland, Ore., to Fort Lauderdale, Fla. I know airlines can deliver your lost luggage to you, but I was on a ship in the Caribbean. If I lost it, I wouldn't have anything. Plus, who wants to pay to check bags?

Research: I combed the Internet for blog posts and packing lists. These gave me confidence that I could fit everything. The most helpful posts told me what items the blogger packed but didn't wear. One gal thought she would actually need six swimsuit coverups.

Understanding: When packing, I understood there would be some items I may not use (hopefully the umbrella) and some items I would wear twice (swimsuit cover ups). This helped a lot.

What I packed:

• 7 dresses
• 5 long-sleeved tops
• 2 short-sleeved tops
• 1 tank top
• 3 pairs shorts
• 2 pairs jeans (one blue, one black)
• 2 swimsuit cover ups
• 4 swimsuits
• 1 denim jacket
• 1 baseball hat
• 1 wide-brimmed sun hat
• 3 pairs workout shorts
• 3 workout tops
• 1 pair yoga pants
• 3 pairs shoes (Keds, heels and flip flops)
• 3 pairs socks
• 1 scarf
• Undergarments for 10 days
• Bose noise-canceling headphones
• First aid kit
• 2 mini keychain flashlights
• 2 magnets (to mark our room door)
• Jewelry (statement necklace, 2 pairs earrings, tiny bow necklace)
• Lanyard with card holder (perfect for my seapass)
• Empty water bottle
• Hair ties and bobby pins
• Wristlet
• Sea Bands
• Ear plugs
• Umbrella
• Hand sanitizer
• Ibuprofen, pepto and vitamins
• LL Bean tote bag - I did not take a full-size purse
• Travel blanket
• 2 pairs sunglasses
• 2 books
• Passport case
• Quart bag with: shampoo, conditioner, face wash, dry shampoo, sunscreen and shaving cream in bottles - I put eye cream, moisturizer and salicylic acid pads in ziplocks in the quart bag.

I fit all of this in my hard case, carry-on suitcase and LL Bean tote bag.

I didn't roll or put items in big ziplocks and squish the air out, as many had recommended. I folded and wore my bulkiest clothes on the plane. I had to sit on my suitcase to zip it, but it didn't take much effort.

Dresses keep me cool and were my main wardrobe staple. I threw them on over swimsuits during the day to meet dress code in the ship's restaurants and dressed them up with heels and jewelry for dinner. When it was cold in Miami, I wore my black jeans, long-sleeve blouse and heels out to dinner.

In our room on the ship, we had large bowl-style sinks where we hand washed swimsuits and other items with shampoo and hung them to dry in our shower.

What I didn't use/wear:

• 2 pairs workout shorts (I wore my yoga pants to yoga class instead)
• 2 keychain flashlights (these were in case of emergency)
• Baseball hat (I WISH I would have taken this to Jamaica when it rained)

Bunny had a different packing philosophy that had its pros and cons. She did have a large checked suitcase, carry-on bag and large purse. Her luggage was never lost (yay!) but she did have items she didn't wear AND times where her large amount of items made it tough for her to decide what to wear. I thanked her profusely because I snuck my big sunscreen and bug spray into her large checked bag. Thanks again, Bunny!

Here is what Bunny did not wear:

• 7 shirts
• 1 pair of shorts
• 2 workout shirts
• 2 sports bras
• 1 pair of yoga pants
• 2 scarves
• 1 swimsuit cover up
• 1 pair of wedge sandals
• Bug spray
• Aloe vera
• 1 book
• Extra camera
• Some jewelry

And here are some items I definitely recommend that you DO NOT pack for your cruise:

• Purse - It's bulky, you don't want it trashed or stolen
• A zillion pairs of shoes - Again, bulky and you won't wear them all
• Only swimsuits - it gets cold and rains; I wish I had packed my rain coat
• Books - bring one or two for the flight, the ship had a library that we took advantage of
• Jewelry - pick a couple of pieces for dinner and leave the rest at home
• Shampoo, conditioner, lotion or soap - all of these were stocked and restocked in our hotel rooms and on the ship. I wish I had left mine at home to fit more sunscreen and other items in my quart-sized ziploc.

Questions about my packing method? Email me at sparkleinasmalltown(at)gmail.com

Happy sailing!