Traveling Tips

C.,

Find out about food most ships do not carry baby food. Bring stroller and all meds. Tylenol, motrin, benadryl, destin. Don't forget bottles with extra nipples or sippy cups and spoons. Lots of ships are not baby friendly so if you forget something they may have no choices or only 1. Have fun and bring lots of sun screen.
Tammy

I just wanted to say that you are definitely right about the car seat on the plane. I took my daughter when she was 11 months old to Florida, and to save money we did not buy her a seat....HUGE mistake!
It sounds like you have a good plan in mind. Good luck!

don't forget a sippy cup for take off and landing in the plane to keep her ears from plugging up.

her blanky would be good. one or two of her favorite toys. Something, you know, that she's familiar with that makes a strange environment possible.
If you use formula, do not get the ready to use stuff unless you have access to a refrigerator. The powdered stuff would otherwise be lighter and easier to deal with. That's definitely one I learned! Make sure you use good water for it tho, if that's the case. What's available on the cruise or your destination? I mean like can you get baby food there or would you be forced to bring your own.
Mix/match clothing keeps down packing too much. Enough diapers.

when my daughter was 14 months old we traveled from MI to WA state, which was a long trip across the country. we just took several "new" to her items to play with, toys, snacks, etc. and it was fine! I have a VERY busy child, so we were concerned about her getting bored and obnoxious fast but it didn't happen. one tip: when the plane is taking off and descending, I suggest you either nurse her or give her something to drink, to ease the pressure in her little ears. airline staff are very helpful too, and if she's walking you may walk her up and down the aisle while the seat belt sign is off. sounds like the cruise will be fine, and if you're prepared for the flight you'll do great! good luck! good choice on taking her, that's a long time to be away from your baby.

HI

Is there not a person you trust her to stay with (In-laws, parents, siblings)? I am just thinking what if she gets sea sick? Are you okay with giving her sea sick medication? You truly might enjoy yourself more without her with you. Aren't you DESERVING a trip for you and your hubby? Think of it as a 2nd honeymoon :)

I would give yourself lots of time... i.e. do not plan a tight connection. Be prepared for her to be fusy... and don't let people around you stress you out. Take a pacifer or juice/sucker for the takeoff landing.. (if she isn't used to sugar...this will be a real treat). Ididn't believe in giving my kids drugs to keep them quiet on a plane...so I never did that.

You can take your stroller right to the gate... do that! Pack more diapers and bottles than you think you could possible need, and extra clothes.

Lots of sunscreen!!! Try to stick to her schedule as much as possible... babies need to stay out of the sun/heat for much of the day.

Have fun!

Get Earplanes Earplugs to equalize the ear pressure on the airplane. They work perfectly! You can get them at CVS or Target (ask the pharmacist). If they are out of them, you can ask them to order them. Make sure you take extras in case one falls out and gets lost on the plane of the floor.

Use Benadryl for motion sickness. Just ask your doctor to make sure you give the right dose. It has the same active ingredient as motion sickness pills but comes in the right dose for 1 yr olds. I would give it to your baby no matter what. Most people seem to get motion sickness on ships and it is much easier to prevent than to cure. Once you get sick, it takes a long time to get over it.

For bathing, you should either bring an inflatable bathtub or just hold your baby in the shower. The shower heads usually can be lowered to waist level, so that makes it easier to shower your baby, but you do have to worry about slippery babies then. We showered our 4 month old and 2 yr. old without any problems, though.

If your baby is walking please remember, ships are not childproof!! They CAN fit through railings that face the interior of the ship (as in fall through to a lower level). I would keep a hand on her at all times. And frankly, even if you think they are creepy, a cruise ship would be a good place for a baby leash. Ships are very busy and crowded at peak times of the day, even more so than a mall.

Don't forget, you can't get diapers/formula/etc. on a ship. If you don't want to take it on the plane, just use the hotel shuttle to make a grocery shopping trip the night before your departure. That's what we always do. By the way, bringing your own sodas is a good way to save money since you have to pay for it on the ship.

If you didn't already plan on it, make sure you spend the night at the port of departure. NEVER arrive by plane on the day your ship leaves. If your plane is late or cancelled OR IF THEY LOSE YOUR LUGGAGE (which happens all the time) you have major problems.

Have fun. I wish I was going!

I say good for you guys! We are taking a cruise in November with our girls for the first time too. They are 4 and soon to be 2. I am a little nervous, but at the same time, I know there are soooooooooo many options on the boat, that it should be nothing but wonderful. Just a few items I am making sure we bring….a portable DVD player. Not only handy on the plane, but also out on the deck or in the cabin when you are trying to get ready or have a few minutes of silence. We use to cruise in the past (pre-kids) and I remember it being FREEZING indoors-especially at night after sunning all day. The air conditioning seems to be blaring. So, I would just make sure you take some comfy pants and a sweatshirt for the kids and maybe even some socks. Thinking about bringing a couple of suckers too for the Lifeboat Drill at the beginning of the cruise. Just something to keep them occupied for the 15 mins :)

Good luck and have FUN!

Hi C.. We took my son on a plane trip to Florida when he was 12 months old. Good for you for buying your daughter a seat on the plane! We did the same thing. Children who are not properly restrained can be injured if there is some severe turbulence. Also, it will keep her from trying to crawl or run around the plane! We bought our son a portable DVD player. He watched movies and some of his favorite tv shows on it during the flight. We also brought books and toys, but the DVD player was the best at keeping him happy. He did great on the plane and was very good while we were on vacation. As long as your daughter is with her mom and dad, she will be happy! Have fun!
S.

We moved here from the UK when my twins were 17 months old - 8 hours on the plane with 2 of them who had learned to walk less than a month before.......I suggest you have lots of new toys and prizes wrapped up and let her undo one every hour of so to keep her occupied on the plane - dollar type stuff is fine. Also try Cherios on a string for her to nibble - less mess than other snacks. Give her a drink at takeoff and landing to help her swallow and ease ear pressure problems. Have a change of clothes for her and you too! Ask the flight attendants if you can use the back galley as a play area - my 2 loved this area and used it to play cars on the floor - not very clean but more space.Get on the plane LAST not first then she can get rid of any extra energy as everyone else is getting seated.Some people give their kids Benadryl to make them sleep but be warned in some kids it can cause hyperactivity instead.Pack plenty of sunscreen and some kids medicines although I am sure they will have them on the cruise. Take loads of photos and enjoy this special time....

suckers and plenty of wipes for the takeoff and landing. sucking on it will be enough to pop the ears when needed. Sticker books are fun too - especially if she is into any special characters. Portable DVD player with a cpmpact case of DVD's. Coloring book and crayons.

I always pack a few new toys so it is a special treat when you open it for them.

A word of caution - some parents give Benadryl for flying hoping it will help their child sleep. Benedryl does one of two things: knocks them out completely, or makes them more hyper. It is much easier to deal with the hassles of your child's normal behavior in a confined space than to deal with a cranky, hyper child!

Good luck and have fun!

Good luck with all of that....as an adult, I had a difficult time going there, Cats don't do well there, I wish you the best in your endeavor...

I took my children on a cruise and I thought it was easier than some other trips. First of all food is available at all times. I realize that a 13 month old won't eat all the options available, but if you child gets "off schedule", they will help you get her something. There is always activity to keep her occupied as well. Especially if you have family there to help you will do well.

Since the experience is new, keep extra clothes with you on the flight. Other than lots of suncreen, you'll be fine. ENJOY!

I took my daughter to Mexico when she was 10 1/2 months for my wedding. She was walking at that point too.I called my doctor to get the appropriate dose of benedryl for the plane, so that she wouldn't have to deal with ears popping. It also helped her to sleep almost the whole plane ride. During the trip I kept her on the exact napping schedule that she was on here. So she was up early in the morning and in bed early, but she was really well behaved. I was really worried about the sun on her, because the sun being so different there than it is here. So I put waterbabies 60 proof on her about every hour and she didn't get any burn. FOr naps our room was right by the pool, so I would put her down to sleep, then roll her playpen under the shade area by the pool, so I wasn't trapped in my room. ONe thing that was a pain to haul on the plane, but convenient for the trip was her big stroller with the canopy on it, another way to keep her out of the sun. We got a blow up floaty for her too with a canopy on it.
Good Luck!!!!

I want to applaud you for taking your little girl with you!! You are absolutely doing the right thing for her! If she could talk, she'd thank you and tell you what a great mom you are! Just enjoy the trip!