Hellobee

We have our first big family vacation coming up, and we are so incredibly excited! We’re heading on a 7-day cruise to Cozumel, Belize, and Roatan in a few weeks, and it will be the longest and biggest trip we have ever taken with Jackson.

Our first cruise together, way back in college! 

I have to admit, it is incredibly daunting to think about how to prepare for such a massive vacation with a toddler who has never been anywhere for more than two days at a time. It will be a week full of “firsts” for him, and I want to make sure we pack all of the comforts of home and have everything we need to keep his routine as normal as possible so the trip isn’t too overwhelming for him. I’ve been researching my little heart out for about a month now to figure out the best things to pack and the best ways to prep for a cruise with a toddler, and I’ve combined that with my prior knowledge of cruising (this will be my 6th cruise!) to come up with this list of must-haves that you might not think about for cruising with a toddler.

CLOTHES:

– Pack outfits together in ziplock bags, so it’s easy to grab and go each day and you don’t have to root around for what you need. I’ve got all of his dinner outfits packaged in gallon-sized bags and will be doing the same for his regular outfits so we don’t have to even think about what he’ll wear. We’ll grab a bag and go!

– Pack more than you think you’ll need for the toddler, and less than you think you’ll need for you. I have learned over the years to really pare down how much I pack for myself because I never wear everything I bring, but my 18 months with Jackson have also taught me he’s capable of making a mess out of any situation, so I’ll be packing at least a few extra outfits for him!

– Toss a hoodie or sweater in the bag for both of you. The ships are usually very well air-conditioned and I never regret having a few cardigans and sweaters on hand for when I get chilly!

FOR THE ROOM:

– Pack a shower curtain and some magnetic hooks. You can stick the hooks on the ceiling and hang the curtain from them to create a mini “room” for your toddler so they can’t see you while they’re trying to go to sleep. Genius!

– Bring a power strip! The rooms never have nearly enough electrical outlets, so you won’t regret having an extra place to plug in.

– Don’t forget whatever white noise you use at home – if you don’t usually use any, you may want to consider something. The walls aren’t too thin, but we often can hear people bumbling around in the hallway (especially after ports like Cozumel where everyone comes back to the ship drunk…), so it may be helpful to have something to minimize any outside noise.

– Bring your own sheets! The cruise line will provide a crib if you ask, but I know Jackson often struggles to sleep in a totally foreign place, so we’re tossing some sheets from home in our bag so at least some part of the bed is familiar.

– Probably a given, but don’t forget any comfort items your child usually sleeps with. A big cruise ship may be a pretty scary place for such a young child at first, so anything you can do to make it feel a little more like home will be helpful!

OTHER:

– Some people recommend bringing a baby pool if your toddler isn’t potty trained yet, as most cruise lines won’t allow babies in swim diapers in the pools. We won’t be doing this, and are going to hope they’ll at least let him play in the shallow wading areas next to the pool and in the splash pad area meant for younger kids. If not, there are plenty of other things for us to do!

– Don’t forget some plastic grocery bags for dirty diapers! My understanding is that it’s fine to throw them away in the room, but your nose will thank you if you wrap it up first.

– If you have a baby carrier, bring it. We don’t use our Ergo too much at home anymore, but there is a lot of walking that happens on a cruise ship and we don’t want to lug the stroller everywhere. I have a feeling we’ll be grateful to at least have the option of letting him hang out in the carrier.

– Bring baby powder for the beach! It’s the easiest way to get that pesky wet sand off of your body. Rub some baby powder on, let it dry the sand out for a few seconds, and voila! You can wipe it all off with no problem.

– Hit up Target’s dollar spot or the dollar store before you leave to get some new, small toys for your toddler to play with at dinner. Dinners in the main dining room can be lengthy, so wiggly bodies may become impatient. We’ve got a new toy or book for every night so that he has something novel that will hopefully help extend his patience with sitting in the high chair while we all eat!

– On that note, bring a few familiar toys and books from home to keep them busy when you’re in the room. We always spend longer than usual getting ready for dinner, so we are going to make sure to have some toys on hand so Jackson will be able to keep himself occupied while we’re getting dressed.

– You’ll be spending extra time in your room, so bring something for you to do! We don’t normally bring games for us on a cruise, but since we’re going to have to accommodate nap time and an early bedtime, we’ll be bringing some card games and other small games to keep Mr. Garland and I happy and busy while Jackson is sleeping. The Mister will probably take a nap right along with Jackson most afternoons, but in the evenings it will be nice to hang out on the balcony and play a few games after Jack goes to bed.

– If you have a younger toddler, don’t forget to bring your own sippy cups and utensils. Jackson isn’t drinking reliably from an open cup yet and struggles with full-sized utensils. We grabbed some Take & Toss utensils and will be bringing some of his sippy cups along to make meals as smooth as possible for everyone.

– If you do bring your own dishes, don’t forget dish soap for them! You can wash them each night in your bathroom sink.

– We’re going to put together a small first aid kid before we go to have on hand with us. We probably should already have one to keep in the car but we’ve been slacking on this! Just about anything you need should be available for purchase on the ship, but it’s not cheap so it would be wise to go ahead and pack a few essentials.

– And, of course, don’t forget (lots of) sunscreen, diapers, wipes, and swim diapers!

.  .  .  .  .

I have a feeling our bags will be just a little bit more full this time around with all of Jackson’s gear! We’re so excited for the trip and when we get back I’ll be sure to share all of the tips and tricks that we learn for making a cruise with a toddler as easy on everyone as possible!

What are your must-haves for vacationing with your toddler or young child?