What to pack when you cruise with Infants/Toddlers (Part 1)

I see these posts/articles all over. And they are NEVER complete. Okay, it's impossible to ever be complete when it comes to packing for travel with infants/toddlers, but other lists never include anything that I have on my lists!  So here's what I think that (some) parents may be missing from their suitcases, and an little explanation as to why you (may) need it! Like all lists, this is neither all inclusive, nor do you need all of these. Use your own judgment!

• Diapers/wipes: May seem like a no brainer, but diapers are not available for purchase on most cruise lines. I do know that Disney Cruises carries some, but they don't have an unlimited stock. And you may want to pack twice as many as you think you may need. You never know when something might not agree with your child's stomach, and running around an unfamiliar country with a limited amount of time looking for diapers/wipes? Not my idea of vacation.

• Sting-free/tearless shampoo. My kids get their hair washed maybe every 2 weeks or so unless they are filthy. But on a cruise? Salty air, salt water, ice cream, who knows what will be in their hair at the end of the day? And shampoo can hurt! Even the tearless shampoos sting a little! So you might want to pack a travel bottle of baby shampoo so you don't have to deal with a screaming, squirmy wet bundle.

• If you use them--bottles and formula. You won't find these on most ships. You shouldn't need to pack a bunch of bottles, I would think that 2 would be enough--just wash immediately after use. If you use powdered formula, some brands now have those packets so you don't have to carry around a can. Or, you can pick up one of the travel powder containers. The less you have to carry around the ship/in port the better!

• Children meds--With infants/toddlers a fever can pop up out of no where. I'm sure you can get children's Tylenol on ship somewhere, but who wants to spend $35 on a bottle? (I'm probably exaggerating the price...) Also, children's Benedryl can help with the sniffles (if your child is old enough!) and with seasickness to a certain degree. I'm a fan of the Benedryl Pre-Filled Spoons, (don't pay that price that Amazon is asking, that's gouging), that way you don't have to worry about an open bottle breaking all over your clothes!  Also, make sure that if your child is prescribed any meds, you take those as well!

• Scented diaper sacks--Unless your child is potty trained, you are going to have to change a stinky diaper once a day (more or less depending on your child!). Where is that diaper going to go? Into a garbage can that might not be changed for a few hours. So where does that smell go? Cruise cabins are teeny! Imagine being in a closet with a stinky diaper. *gag* Buy some scented diaper sacks. Use them for all diapers, not just the stinky ones. Give your steward an extra $ tip on the 1st day and apologize in advance for the horrific smells that come out of your child. Use the bags! Don't torture yourselves or your steward with stinky diapers. (those that I posted are a great deal--the ones you buy in the store are $4 for 35-50. $9 for 200 is fantastic--and they come in a box the same size as a sandwich baggie box)

• Sunscreen--extra. More than you think you will need. One bottle per person is what we are taking, and I feel like that might not be enough. Of course, we are extremely fair-skinned. But a baby/toddler/child with a sunburn is not only dangerous, it's a miserable experience for everyone involved. 

• Along with sunscreen--aloe! Don't buy that green stuff. Buy pure aloe. It'll be clear. Not green. The green stuff has all sorts of gross stuff added. Pure aloe. It'll be heaven on any burned skin, and can work as a great hair gel!

• Sun hats--Unless your child is bald (and some are, my 2 year old hardly has any hair), it's tough to put sunscreen on a head without glooping up the hair. Even spray sunscreen misses spots. So a good sun hat will be great. For infants/toddlers look for one that has straps to Velcro under their chin (Velcro, not snaps--you want it to be able to come undone if it is caught on something!) so it won't blow away in the wind.  Might be a good idea to have your child wear it a little before vacation, hats can be annoying if you never wear them.

• Water shoes--even if your child isn't walking solo yet, water shoes will protect sensitive soles from hot sand, sharp rocks, and the uncertainty of the pool deck. Also, most (if not all) are SPF protected, so you don't have to worry about the tops of their feet getting burned in the sun if the sunscreen gets washed off too soon.

Since this is insanely long already, to be continued tomorrow!!