Packing Spotlight: 7-Day Cruise

Since I found out I would be partnering with Princess Cruises on a 7-day trip through the eastern Caribbean, I've been absorbing as many cruise ship tips as I can. The idea of spending a week onboard one of the world's largest vessels is so different of a vacation for me that I knew I would need all the advice. I haven't been on a tropical vacation in a year, but for a week at sea, I knew I would need more than just a new swimsuit.

Daywear

First off, this is my first time using packing cubes and envelopes and I cannot believe how many pieces fit inside. It seems backwards to add extra stuff (the envelope itself) to save space in your suitcase, but I love how it's keeping me so organized.

The last resort I went to, most people ran around in swimsuits and cutoffs all day. The more I dug into cruise ships, the more I realized people wear actual clothes walking around the ship, so my basics might not quite cut it. There's clearly a reason designers create a resort collection every year: I'm convinced they are made for cruisers.

I packed a couple of soft-shorts, which tend to have a dressier feel than denim, and flowy tops to keep things casual. Half of my pieces are patterned and half are textured. I've even packed a few dresses, a) for convenience's sake poolside, and b) because I'm pretty intimidated by "formal dining night," which I'll focus on below.

Eveningwear

Anyone who knows me in real life knows I do a combination of whining and complaining when asked to dress up. I'm not the type of person that thinks getting glammed up for a night on the town is a totally fun idea. I'll go out on the town, sure—maybe wearing a new lipstick—but I'll still be wearing my favorite pair of jeans. When I heard there were going to be two nights of formal dining aboard, I had to reconsider my whole outlook on life.

While I might not be a cocktail gown kind of girl, I'm using this opportunity to take my Age of Adaline red carpet romper out for a second spin. I'm excited to style it a little differently, sans heels and statement jewelry. I've also packed a black silk maxi dress, which is about as comfortable as it gets and can pass as eveningwear with the right accessories. Make sure you're following along on Instagram and Snapchat (username: truelane.co) to see every outfit from my time on the ship!

Everythingelsewear

I just learned this packing tip from the gals at Goldfine Jewelry—thread each of your necklaces through a straw to keep them from tangling! I've only ever seen this done with toilet paper rolls, which are way too big, so I'm excited to see how this strategy holds up. I'm also bringing along my favorite new Aritzia straw hat to save my scalp from sunburn, my new little Sony NEX-5, and little beach-day must haves, like a clip to keep my towel from blowing off the lounge chair in the wind. 

I'm also a little afraid of throwing my phone overboard. Not intentionally, obviously, but I have an incredibly distressing fear of it slipping out of my hands in the wind and toppling through the railing to the ocean depths below. Melodrama aside, I picked up this little Gostrap at The Container Store—my friend Sairey swears by hers.

I'm sure I've grossly overpacked and am lacking a few things that might make cabin life aboard easier, so I'll be interested to see how everything pans out as the week goes on. I'll keep you posted!