Babywearing and Cruising

Simon passed out in the OnyaBaby at Grand Turk

If you know anything about me, you know that I am a babywearer. Part-time now that Simon is 2 and would rather sprint than hang out on my back, but I would wear him full time if he'd let me.  So when we were planning our cruise, there was never the question about taking a stroller--the answer was no.

We have a stroller. A nice heavy-duty umbrella stroller that we've used...oh maybe 6 times in Simon's life. It was used a little more with Max, but the thing still looks brand new, that's how little we use it.

But I was having enough trouble packing for the cruise without having to worry about a bulky stroller.  Ship cabins are small as it is--you do NOT want to try to squeeze a stroller in along with everything else you need for children. So when it came down to it, I knew that I would be using (not packing, using!) our OnyaBaby. We have the Outback--purchased just because it's supposed to be so much cooler! And it truly is.

I wore Simon the entire time that we were embarking-- 2 hours of standing in lines. We were both comfortable. It was especially nice during that time because it was so crowded. I didn't have to worry about anyone knocking into a stroller, nor did I have to worry about running anyone over! And when he got overwhelmed (and he did) he just buried his head and fell asleep.  Having him close kept us both calmer.

Simon overwhelmed on a tender--buried his head

Interesting note here--everyone that gets on the ship gets a security photo taken that is linked with your ship ID card. Carnival took Simon's picture while he was IN the carrier. Which worked out quite nicely, because every time you get on/off the ship, you have to scan that card, which shows ship crew your picture. So every time we got on/off the ship, Simon was in the carrier, so they had a very easy comparison!  Also, other than the initial security line at embarkation, I did not have to remove Simon from the carrier when coming back onto the ship. A female crew member did pat the carrier down though after we went through the metal detector.  This may not be the same for every ship/every sailing though. But it does not hurt to ask if the baby can be left in the carrier.

I wore Simon around the ship some, but most of the time he wanted to run ahead. That was fine with me.

Another wonderful time to wear him was when we were in port. Debarking/embarking the ship is a crowded and noisy time. So much easier not having to worry about a stroller. And we didn't have to wait for elevators! Oh it was so much easier to just walk the stairs instead of having to stand with the masses in front of a couple of elevators.

In 2 of our ports, we were at the beach. So...have you ever tried to push a stroller on sand? That's just too much work for me when I am on vacation. So much easier to just have Simon on my back as we made our way to our spot.  And on the way back from the beach, Simon was exhausted. No baby will want to walk back through sand after an exciting day at the beach. And do you really want to juggle a toddler plus all their beach things? No way!

I was leaning forward trying to get him to rest his head on my back...no go.

Another little interesting thing, when we were getting back on the ship after Half Moon Cay, two of the crew were admiring the OnyaBaby! Two men from India were telling everyone to watch their heads (tender port, you have to duck to get back on the ship from the tender!) and one said to the other, "That looks much more comfortable than what we use in India!" The other agreed and said how much he liked it! I thought it was awesome that a couple of men from a country where babywearing is completely commonplace commented on how awesome the Onya is!

I did notice just a few other parents babywearing. I saw one that used ringslings and another that used gauze wraps. Simon was the only toddler being worn that I saw.  But I did see many parents struggling with strollers in the sand, in the small hallways, or trying to juggle a baby that refused to sit in the stroller along with the stroller and all of their bags.

I cannot recommend an OnyaBaby enough for parents that use SSC carriers. Even more so for parents that plan to travel with their children. Cruising would have been such a hassle if we had had to bring along a stroller.  And the fact that it was HOT, and neither of us was hot/sweaty? All the more reason to pick up an Onya if you can. By far the coolest SSC I have ever used.