What you need to Cruise with a baby

It is understandable to feel a sense of daunting at the idea of going cruising with your baby. It can be chaotic having to cater to the needs and quirks of an infant that may seriously get in the way of having fun. However, with the right guide and the correct steps taken, it doesn’t have to be. You can bring your baby along on that cruise trip, do all the fun stuff you wanted to do and still have your baby smiling throughout the experience. The following are some of what you need to cruise with your baby:

1.   Choose a cruise that suits your situation

To begin with, before discussing items that should go in your luggage, you must search for a cruise that caters to your unique needs. Baby age limit is a big issue, find out what the minimum age is on your chosen cruise. Some cruises allow babies of six months while others may be higher.

2.   Bring items to make the crib homier

Although certain cruises provide baby cribs when you book ahead of time, you could also bring items from home and your baby’s bedroom that makes the crib seem and feel familiar for the little one. Strange and new places can make babies irritable, to ease their transition, a bevy of the baby’s familiar toys on the trip will do the trick.

3.   Strollers

The cruise also provides strollers. You could ask from the cruising staff and you will be attended to. It will be helpful though, to bring along a foldable stroller that can fit around onboard and ease sightseeing for you and your baby.

3.   Baby food

Some cruises would take your specifications and prepare your baby’s puree. Nevertheless, bringing your own baby formula is better especially if your baby hasn’t started eating solid foods or has certain specifications. If you breastfeed, then don’t forget to come along with bottles to store the milk.

4.   Bring extra of everything

Going on a cruise trip with your baby, you’ve got to be prepared to do your utmost to make the baby feel at home in the open. To make the trip as hassle-free as possible, extras of your baby’s sippy cups and bottles will come in handy. This way, you can prepare multiple bottles of baby food or baby formula without having to worry about washing them for the next meal. You should also bring extra diapers so you don’t depend on the ones aboard which may be more expensive.

5.   Sunscreen and Diaper cream

On the cruise it can get a little akin to be being on a beach, you and your baby will be very exposed. You may be out and about on deck or at an island where the cruise stops for you to explore. To keep your baby safe from the heat, pick an appropriate sunscreen. It must have an SPF of not less than 50 preferably organic and mineral-based to nurture your baby. The diaper cream is of the essence, you don’t want rashes developing on your vacation.

6.   Entertainment

Your baby needs entertaining as you go through the events you’ve got planned out. Carrying some toys to play with along the way will dial back the crankiness of boredom. Some toys you could add to your luggage include:

• Teething toys
• A rattler
• Your baby’s favorite toy
• Some coloring books and doodling pad will do well for older babies too

7.   Pharmaceuticals

Carry your own drugs and a little first aid kit in a Ziploc bag. The last thing you want is for the baby to fall sick from exposure or a fever. Take extra care and take cues from the weather and your baby’s responses. Your kit should contain:

• Baby Tylenol
• Antibacterials
• Baby thermometer

8.   Spare outfits

Babies have a tendency to get a little dirty as they are exposed to different places they want to explore. Stepping off the cruise to look around with your baby, or whenever you go out to explore, it will serve you well to go with spare outfits to change your baby into in the event of a surprise. This can be carried partly in a spare Ziploc bag where you’ll keep;

• A clean outfit,
• Extra diapers,
• Your sunscreen for reapplication and
• A hat to protect the baby’s neck and head from the sun.

9.   Playroom

Most cruises accommodate babies’ little needs for entertainment. To ensure that yours gets time to roam about and crawl and have fun in a healthy and clean environment, check out the cruise playrooms. They are equipped with fun toys and have competent personnel watching the infants in case you need to step out. Some cruises also allow parents to take some toys for the babies.

10.  Swim Diapers

Most cruises don’t allow little babies in their pools but they may make provision for a little splash zone where babies can still cool off and relax from the hot day. To prepare for that, throw in swim diapers and towels in your gear plus swim toys to make the bath extra fun.

11.  Take well planned out naptimes

As you travel through different ports trying to see all the sights, do not forget that you have a baby with you who would get easily bored with your monotonous routine. Take time off at shaded spots to sit and feed the baby and let him take a short nap. This will be made a lot easier with your portable stroller, which you can carry along as you go. Carry a small spray bottle to sprinkle water in the baby’s forehead on hot afternoons to curb unnecessary temperature rises.

12.  Baby carrier

Last, when you’ve got all your preparations made, you would need a baby carrier to ensure that your baby can comfortably be in your arms while you move around and enjoy the scenery.

Above are what you need to cruise with a baby. Thus, there are many scenarios obviously that will happen along the way and you apply these tips as you go. The key is to morph and adjust to surprises as you go while making use of your well-laid plans to get the best out of your trip.