We are going on a 5-day cruise with our 11-year-old and 14-month-old twins. Do any of you have any suggestions/advice/experiences to share? Where there any things you wish you knew or thought of before traveling? Anything you wish you would have brought along after the fact?
No advice here - just had to commend you on being brave enough to go on a cruise with TWO 14-month olds!! I am dying to go on a cruise but don't know if I would even consider going yet with my girls, 2.5 and 4 (besides not being able to afford it right now!). My girls are very well behaved, but it just seems like it would be so much work, but I could be wrong. Best of luck and have a great time!
We have been on two cruises since our daughter was 1. Dish soap, extra sippy cups, a small bag of little toys for in the cabin, bibs that are easy to wipe clean and if traveling to islands take along some safe bug spray. Have fun.
Hi,
I suggest harnesses. Cruise ships have a lot of people and that alone can cause some confusion. I used to work for Holland America. You need something to keep them close to you at all times. Also, make use of the hand sanitation devices on the ship. Any person that comes on board with a common cold, can spread a ship related flu throughout, so use hand sanitizes frequently, just to be safe. Have fun.
S.
Have you already bought the tickets?? My hubby and I went on a cruise and chose NOT to take our children...I am SO glad we didn't. Everytime I saw a kid too close to the side i freaked out...I couldn't imagine what it would be like if they were MY kids. Our room was inbetween a couple that fought the whole time and a family with a small child...it was NOT fun. The kid cried ALL THE TIME. We kind of got to know the family a little bit and they said he was sick the whole time. Talk with your travel agent or the cruise line about getting a room near other people with children. I guess this isn't really advice to make YOUR trip easier, but easier for the other passengers. Good luck!
The cruise lines have "kids rooms" with activities and supervision. Perhaps the 14 month old cannot attend, so you'll have to supervise yourself...or hire a babysitter.
We took my son on a cruise when he was 18 months old and we had a GREAT time! He loved watching the land sail away (that's how he saw it) and loved staring out at the ocean too. Here are some things I DID remember and some I forgot - all very useful:
- Umbrella strollers. They are good to navigate on the ship and if we were having lunch by the pool and my son was getting sleepy we'd just tilt it back and rock him to sleep right there in the breeze. MUCH easier than the big Cadillac strollers.
- A spray bottle that you can fill with cool water to spray them down when it gets really hot. Some times you have to wait to board the ship in the ports of call and it gets extremely hot.
- Dish soap and a bottle cleaner for the sippies/bottles. We forgot these but luckily our friends who traveled with us remembered and we shared.
- Lots of sunscreen and hats for the kids. When you're in the middle of the ocean the sun beats a little harder.
Have a great time!!
WOW you are brave. I am going on a cruise but decided to fly in my mother in law to take care of the kids.
One thing you want to make sure you have for them is motion sickness medication. Talk to your doctor about this first.
Also dont forget things like tylenol and other medicines you may need.
Lots of sunblock.
I have never been on a cruise with my little ones, hope you have a GREAT time!
I haven't taken my two little ones on a cruise yet but have been on one and I strongly suggest taking any medicine you think you may need. The medicine in the ship store is insanely expensive. My best friend paid something ridiculous like $18 for a small box of Immodium.
Stuff we ended up needing that week:
Hydrocortisone, Mosquito repellant, Benadryl, Dramamine, Gas aides, antacids, Immodium, Pain Killers, sunburn aloe vera gel. Depending on where you are going I might even call the Doctor and ask for a Tamiflu prescription to have handy. Lots of germs floating around on cruises. Check with your pediatrician, the kids may need shots to travel.
You will need lots of sunblock. We ran out and it was super expensive as well.
We didn't pack water shoes and paid $20 per pair in Jamaica and they fell apart.
Umbrellas or panchos!
The passengers with small children didn't really join us on the outings but if you plan to, I strongly suggest slings for the twins as opposed to strollers. It will make getting around much easier.
