Our recent Caribbean cruise on Crown Princess ship with our 10 month old daughter was fantastic. We enjoyed it so much that we are starting to plan for another cruise in about a year.
Before we left on our cruise we had do some planning, making lists, checking lists, contacting the cruise line and so on - but all of our pre-trip planning was well worth the effort. Travelling with a baby means taking lots of extra things with you - and there are a lot of things to consider - but there are some items that you just cannot be without. Here is our list of the top ten items to take with you for your baby.
1. The most valuable thing that we took with us was our stroller. Our daughter loves being in the stroller and it was also great that our stroller folds - that way it was easy to take on an airplane, and it didn't take up much room in our cabin on the cruise ship. We used the stroller all the time. Every morning we walked our daughter on the promenade deck; we used the stroller every day to go to the ship's pools and dining rooms; we even used in the evening so that we can all enjoy the exciting evenings on board. Every evening after dinner we bathed our daughter, then put her in pyjamas, and then placed her back into her stroller. We then walked the ship with her, went to some clubs on the ship with her and before long she would fall fast asleep.
2. You cannot be without diapers. You can calculate how many diapers you will need on the trip by keeping track for a week or so before your trip of how many diapers your child uses in a typical day. Then simply multiply that number by the number of days in your vavcation. You also might want to consider waiting to buy the diapers in the city that you board your ship. That way you won't have to worry about checking them as luggage on your air flight (if your trip includes air travel). Our ship left from Ft Lauderdale Florida, and we had time between our flight arrival and the time to board the ship. We took a cab from the airport to a Kmart store and purchased the diapers and some other baby supplies before getting another taxi to the ship.
3. One thing to do on a cruise ship - especially when it is hot is to go to the kiddies pool with your child and cool off in the pool. In order for your child to go into the pool they have to wear swim diapers or they have to be toilet-trained.
4. Formula - consider packing enough powder formula for the duration of the trip. We purchased the required formula in Fort Lauderdale rather than bring it from home. Keep in mind that any formula entering the ship must be sealed & in the original container.
5. Kettle - taking a kettle (with an auto shutoff) on the trip means that you can boil water and know that you have safe water to mix with the powdered formula.
6. We took a formula dispenser with us. This allowed us greater flexibility for giving our daughter her bottle. Having the dispenser meant that we filled several bottles at a time with clean water and when baby is ready to have a bottle (anywhere on the ship), we just had to pour the premeasured formula into the bottle and give the bottle a shake.
7. Scented bags for dirty diapers. Because you will not have a diaper dispenser for dirty diapers with you - taking a supply of these bags will help reduce any bad odours in your room. They can be purchased at a dollar store or Babies r Us.
8. Bring baby soap for your child's bath. Our cabin did not have a bathtub and most cruise cabins won't have one. What you can do is plug the drain on the shower and put enough water in the shower in order to give your baby their bath.
9. Make sure that you bring something to protect your baby from the heat and sun, especially if you plan on spending much time in the sun with your child during the cruise. Before we left home we purchased a lightweight sun cabana. We used the cabana on two beaches and on the pool deck near the kiddies pool. It kept us and our baby comfortable and protected from the sun. To rent a cabana on the private island that our ship stopped would have cost us about $90. The cabana that we brought with us cost less than $50 and we use it all the time.
10. Zip lock bags - these are great for everything - snack holders, put really dirty/soiled clothes away until you get home. Use for things that leak - (ex. medicine). Use the bags on the ship to pack bibs, spoons to go for dinner so when they are dirty you can throw in the bag & clean when you get back to your room.
There are more items to consider, but start your list with these essentials items.
Before we left on our cruise we had do some planning, making lists, checking lists, contacting the cruise line and so on - but all of our pre-trip planning was well worth the effort. Travelling with a baby means taking lots of extra things with you - and there are a lot of things to consider - but there are some items that you just cannot be without. Here is our list of the top ten items to take with you for your baby.
1. The most valuable thing that we took with us was our stroller. Our daughter loves being in the stroller and it was also great that our stroller folds - that way it was easy to take on an airplane, and it didn't take up much room in our cabin on the cruise ship. We used the stroller all the time. Every morning we walked our daughter on the promenade deck; we used the stroller every day to go to the ship's pools and dining rooms; we even used in the evening so that we can all enjoy the exciting evenings on board. Every evening after dinner we bathed our daughter, then put her in pyjamas, and then placed her back into her stroller. We then walked the ship with her, went to some clubs on the ship with her and before long she would fall fast asleep.
2. You cannot be without diapers. You can calculate how many diapers you will need on the trip by keeping track for a week or so before your trip of how many diapers your child uses in a typical day. Then simply multiply that number by the number of days in your vavcation. You also might want to consider waiting to buy the diapers in the city that you board your ship. That way you won't have to worry about checking them as luggage on your air flight (if your trip includes air travel). Our ship left from Ft Lauderdale Florida, and we had time between our flight arrival and the time to board the ship. We took a cab from the airport to a Kmart store and purchased the diapers and some other baby supplies before getting another taxi to the ship.
3. One thing to do on a cruise ship - especially when it is hot is to go to the kiddies pool with your child and cool off in the pool. In order for your child to go into the pool they have to wear swim diapers or they have to be toilet-trained.
4. Formula - consider packing enough powder formula for the duration of the trip. We purchased the required formula in Fort Lauderdale rather than bring it from home. Keep in mind that any formula entering the ship must be sealed & in the original container.
5. Kettle - taking a kettle (with an auto shutoff) on the trip means that you can boil water and know that you have safe water to mix with the powdered formula.
6. We took a formula dispenser with us. This allowed us greater flexibility for giving our daughter her bottle. Having the dispenser meant that we filled several bottles at a time with clean water and when baby is ready to have a bottle (anywhere on the ship), we just had to pour the premeasured formula into the bottle and give the bottle a shake.
7. Scented bags for dirty diapers. Because you will not have a diaper dispenser for dirty diapers with you - taking a supply of these bags will help reduce any bad odours in your room. They can be purchased at a dollar store or Babies r Us.
8. Bring baby soap for your child's bath. Our cabin did not have a bathtub and most cruise cabins won't have one. What you can do is plug the drain on the shower and put enough water in the shower in order to give your baby their bath.
9. Make sure that you bring something to protect your baby from the heat and sun, especially if you plan on spending much time in the sun with your child during the cruise. Before we left home we purchased a lightweight sun cabana. We used the cabana on two beaches and on the pool deck near the kiddies pool. It kept us and our baby comfortable and protected from the sun. To rent a cabana on the private island that our ship stopped would have cost us about $90. The cabana that we brought with us cost less than $50 and we use it all the time.
10. Zip lock bags - these are great for everything - snack holders, put really dirty/soiled clothes away until you get home. Use for things that leak - (ex. medicine). Use the bags on the ship to pack bibs, spoons to go for dinner so when they are dirty you can throw in the bag & clean when you get back to your room.
There are more items to consider, but start your list with these essentials items.
About the Author:
BabyTravelPlanet is in Canada and they sell Dreamer Design Jogging Strollers to people in the USA and Canada. Visit their site to get their no cost ebook checklist Packing for a Cruise Vacation With Your Baby that is loaded with ideas when planning a cruise vacation.
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