I always find those huge packing lists to be amusing, I've read so many times where people will write "OK, I bought _____ for the cruise, now what do I use it for?".
What I have done is to make my own personalized packing list on a spread sheet, then I can customize it each time we travel.
I limit my toiletries to just the basics, combine as much as I can with my husbands stuff (ie..we use different shampoos at home, when we travel we only use one.....mine;) ). I'm a makeup hound who has 3 large, completely filled makeup bags at home, I wear a different eye shadow every day of the week. But, when we travel...one palette each for day/night. I buy a few items from Lancome and Clinique year round, making sure I buy when they have a giveaway. I use the sample sizes for travel. Clinique has great little jars of eye cream, I wash and refill those with my face cream.
I do have to say that while hotels and cruise ships all provide soap, shampoo, lotions etc... I'm not one who wants to use mystery products. My hair color is expensive, my skin is sensitive, travel is not the time to experiment.
Off to the packing list for a 7 day cruise:
We use the ships laundry to cut back, we've traveled enough to know that packing light is a pleasure and travel is not a fashion show.
We embark and disembark in the same clothes, having them laundered/cleaned in between. Ditto with first and last nights dinner clothing.
Other nights:
2 pair black (or other color) pants
3 assorted tops for those pants
Long knit evening dress (not gown, I don't pack gowns) for 1st formal night
Cocktail dress for second formal night
1 pair formal shoes
1 pair casual night shoes
Jewelry and accessories for all nights
Day:
3 pair shorts
4-5 T shirts (girl t's, not crew neck) or tank tops
2 sundresses
1 pareo for a coverup to pool
4 bathing suits (I spend more time in these, so I don't skimp there!)
2 extra bras + bras for evening
Underwear and foundation garments
Pantyhose only if I have to
My most comfortable sandals that I can walk in all day
Flip flops for the pool
A small first aid kit
Our camera and plenty of memory
Book light (doubles as a flashlight)
Mini DVD player (we tried to eliminate this, but I wake up in the middle of the night and only go back to sleep watching a movie....I have a repetoire of "movies to sleep by")
One outfit to change into after dinner to walk laps
1 pair shorts w/T to walk laps in morning
walking shoes
That's pretty much it for me. I pack for DH as well, if I left it up to him, we could be gone for a year with no refills. So his list is:
Embark/disembark - first and last nights dinner, same as me.
Dark sportscoat, black dress pants, one shirt, 2 ties for both formal nights
2 pair slacks with 3 silk shirts for other nights
Black shoes
Casual night shoes
Socks for evening
4 pair shorts
3-4 casual shirts (polo style or tropical style) for daytime
2 T-shirts
2 bathing suits (not as picky as me)
Running shorts and T's (use laundry)
Running shoes & a few pair socks
sandals
pool shoes
underwear (use laundry to cut back here)
Toiletry kit to contain body wash, shave kit, prescription meds, makeup and hair products, etc...
The 2 of us can pack in one suitcase, one garment bag and one carry on for a 7 day cruise. Longer vacations are pretty much the same, we don't mind wearing the same outfits 2-3 times.