I Packed One Carry-On for 14 Days on Resilient Lady—Here's How

I stood in my bedroom staring at my open suitcase, mentally calculating how many pairs of shoes I could fit into a carry-on without looking like I was about to lose my mind on a cruise ship. My husband walked past, laughed, and said, "You're actually doing this, aren't you?" Yes, I was. After years of rolling massive luggage through cruise terminals and standing in seemingly endless lines at the baggage claim, I'd decided that for my 14-night Virgin Voyages sailing aboard Resilient Lady, I was going full minimalist. What could possibly go wrong? The thing is, I'd read about people packing light for cruises before, and I always thought they were either lying or possessed some kind of superhuman discipline I simply didn't have. I'm the person who packs "just in case" outfits for imaginary scenarios that never happen. But this time, I was determined. I'd booked Resilient Lady specifically because Virgin Voyages' whole vibe is casual and modern—no formal nights, no stuffy dress codes. This was my opportunity to actually test whether packing light could work. I started by researching what I'd actually need. The Resilient Lady is a relatively new ship, and the cabin amenities were hones…