I packed for a weeklong cruise with just a carry-on and a backpack. Here are 10 items I’m glad I brought and 7 things I wish I had with me.

• I took my first cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas, the largest cruise ship ever.

• For the seven-night Caribbean cruise, I brought only a carry-on suitcase and a backpack.

• I liked packing light but had some regrets. I wished I had earplugs and a bar of laundry detergent.

I recently took a seven-night cruise to the Caribbean with just a carry-on suitcase and a backpack. It was my first time traveling by cruise ship and while packing light made the trip easier, I did forget a few critical items.

Read more: I just went on my first cruise — here are 15 things that surprised me the most about this type of travel

One of the best things I packed was a magnet to help make my stateroom stand out amid a long hallway of identical blue doors …

Read more: Step aboard the world’s largest cruise ship, which is so big it has 8 ‘neighborhoods’ spread across 18 stories

… But I wished I downloaded some movies and shows to watch on my phone in my room since the cruise Wi-Fi wasn’t strong enough for me to stream.

During my cruise, I enjoyed a few beach days. For long days in the sun, I was glad I packed sunscreen …

… However, I wished I had remembered to bring some aloe vera gel for the day I forgot to apply it and got burnt.

Some beaches in the Caribbean, like Tulum, Mexico, don’t allow sunscreen in the ocean to protect wildlife, my excursion guide said. So, I was glad I brought a rash guard to protect my torso from the sun …

Read more: I spent 7 nights in a 179-square-foot room on the world’s largest cruise ship. Take a look inside my cabin.

… The ocean water was so clear that I wished I had brought a waterproof case for my phone to take pictures, too.

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This sunhat also came in handy to block the sun …

… But I wished I brought an adjustable cap for windy days on the top decks when my sunhat wouldn’t stay on my head.

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Even though the weather was hot during the day, this sweater came in handy for cool, windy nights and mornings …

… But I only packed one pair of pants and had to wear them every night. I should have packed a couple more.

I wished I’d brought a bar of detergent to wash my clothes since I packed light and laundry services on the ship cost extra …

… At least I brought the right shoes: sneakers for walking around ports and waterproof sandals for the pools and beaches.

Thankfully, I also remembered to bring a waist pack to carry a few things when I didn’t feel like lugging my backpack around.

I was also glad I brought a digital watch to keep on ship time, the time zone that cruise ships stick to even while docked at ports that are in different time zones.

I wanted to try my best to avoid illness and was glad I packed vitamins …

… and also medicine to combat motion sickness, which I experienced frequently.

More than anything, I wished I had earplugs to help me sleep during rough nights at sea, which sounded like thunder in my stateroom. It was especially loud since I was at the front of the ship, where seasoned cruisers said movement on ships feels the strongest. Next time, I’ll come prepared.

Read more: 10 things I wish I’d done differently on my first cruise, from choosing a better room to reserving shows in advance

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