Anyone want to share their packing list for young kids?

[FOURunderFOUR]

Ok...we leave on Friday and I am getting nervous, excited, emotional... The recent plane crash has me a bit worried, especially since our little one will be a lap baby (she has to be because of the plane layout). MSC is starting to get better reviews, so that is making me a bit calmer.

 

I have already started pulling out summer clothes and have made piles of coordinating outfits. Dorky, I know, but I like my kids to match. It makes them easier to spot that way too! as I am laying things aside I am getting overwhelmed by the sheer number of clothes. Of course there ARE seven of us! For the kids - do I really need to take multiple outfits for each day? I was thinking of a short/tee outfit for breakfast/ports,etc, bathing suits (will probably bring 2 per kid), a dinner outfit, pjs (again, probably will need 2, especially for the little ones), and "cool weather" items (sweater, long sleeves, etc). Obviously I don't need a sweater for every day. Do I need a pair of shorts for each day? I am not sure if I could get two days wear out of an outfit, especially with meals involved. With DH and I, we spent a lot of time just laying around by the pool, but with the kids I see us being more active, as our kids are unlikely to lie around for any length of time. Some of the days, the port outfit may be able to double for a dinner outffit - for instance we are planning on going to Mass on Sunday in Key West, so they will be dressed up enough for dinner, assuming they are able to stay clean all day (a big "if"). Does anybody have any suggestions?

 

Also, if someone has a packing list for young kids (4mos to 5 years) I'd love to see it. I have travelled with the kids before (but never all 5, other than to Grandma's house) and it has always been somewhere we could buy stuff if necessary. I am worried I am going to forget important things.

 

Thansk!

 

J

[jam82]

I usually bring what I think we will need plus two extra outfits. Of course I tend to over pack. Some people say you can always have laundry done. The best tip I received from someone else on these boards was to pack one outfit in a ziplock and label it with the day of the week or the style. It makes it so easy when you are in the cabin to have a matcing outfit. I use this all the time, for cruising and for other trips too.

[boulders]

If you're going on Princess or Carnival, they have self-serve laundry facilities. RCCL has laundry service. For my boys, I bring 1 t shirt per day, about half collared, half regular, 2-3 pairs of pants and 3-4 pairs of shorts. I bring extra underwear for the 3 year old. Dress shoes for the oldest. For my dd, I bring 2 dressy outfits for formal night, 7 shorts/skorts/capris, 7 t shirts including a couple of collared shirts, sandals. For everyone, 2 bathing suits, 2 pjs, 1 underwear/day and maybe 4 pairs of socks if they are wearing sandals alternating with regular shoes - 7 if they are just wearing sneakers.

 

I wouldn't bother with sweaters or long sleeves. I am a very cold person and have never been cold on a Caribbean cruise. We bring a lightweight jacket each, but usually never wear it.

 

Don't forget extra diapers and wipes. I'm sure you'll have one suitcase just for those!:eek::eek: Clothes can be cleaned, but you may not be able to find diapers in the right size. I don't even think I've seen them on a ship.

[napls2]

I travel with a now 6 year old, but she has been on a cruise every year since she was 3 and I now know that I will do laundry. I don't pack anything white or really light colored because pasta sauce and chocolate ice cream will probably end up on it. I pack an outfit per day, plus 2. I have a couple of nicer outfits for the dining room. If we wear a nice play outfit to the dining room, we may get to wear it another day as play wear. I take extra underwear and at least 2 pj's. I have twin 11 year olds and will also expect to do laundry for them as well for some reason. Things will get wet, you will have accidents, food spills or whatever. Childrens clothes do not take up as much room. I also place a whole outfit in a ziploc baggie (shirt, bottoms, socks and underwear), squish out as much air as possible and my child can pick a baggie a day to wear.

[fisherhum]

If you're going on Princess or Carnival, they have self-serve laundry facilities. RCCL has laundry service. For my boys, I bring 1 t shirt per day, about half collared, half regular, 2-3 pairs of pants and 3-4 pairs of shorts. I bring extra underwear for the 3 year old. Dress shoes for the oldest. For my dd, I bring 2 dressy outfits for formal night, 7 shorts/skorts/capris, 7 t shirts including a couple of collared shirts, sandals. For everyone, 2 bathing suits, 2 pjs, 1 underwear/day and maybe 4 pairs of socks if they are wearing sandals alternating with regular shoes - 7 if they are just wearing sneakers.

 

I wouldn't bother with sweaters or long sleeves. I am a very cold person and have never been cold on a Caribbean cruise. We bring a lightweight jacket each, but usually never wear it.

 

Don't forget extra diapers and wipes. I'm sure you'll have one suitcase just for those!:eek::eek: Clothes can be cleaned, but you may not be able to find diapers in the right size. I don't even think I've seen them on a ship.

I would bring 1 sweater and long pants/shirts. We cruised 2 years ago in February and it was really quite cool in Key West. It was also quite cool on the ship as we approached/arrived in Florida. I'm not sure the temperature in F, but in C it was below 20C.

You don't need a lot of warm clothes but I would pack 1. I completely agree with the 1 outfit per day plus 2. In addition, if your kids like shoes with socks over sandals pack extra socks as my kids always seem to be getting them wet and wanting to change.

[wrangler4u]

Definetly pack a sweater for the Dining room, my girls (5 year old twins) were always cold in the Windjammer and Dining rooms. Also, the system of the Gallon size ziplock bags worked wonders on our 15 day cruise.(squish out all the air by kneeling on them, and if you put the clothes in nicely folded they will stay wrinkle free). You can always use them to pack the dirty clothes back into them. I also took a stain stick. I was able to get away with one large suitcase for both the girls. They carried their own backpacks and could only take enough toys that fit into their backpacks. Depending on how often you will be at the pool or beach I would actually bring more than two suits. They dont take up much space.

[tnt091605]

Ok...we leave on Friday and I am getting nervous, excited, emotional... The recent plane crash has me a bit worried, especially since our little one will be a lap baby (she has to be because of the plane layout). MSC is starting to get better reviews, so that is making me a bit calmer.

 

I have already started pulling out summer clothes and have made piles of coordinating outfits. Dorky, I know, but I like my kids to match. It makes them easier to spot that way too! as I am laying things aside I am getting overwhelmed by the sheer number of clothes. Of course there ARE seven of us! For the kids - do I really need to take multiple outfits for each day? I was thinking of a short/tee outfit for breakfast/ports,etc, bathing suits (will probably bring 2 per kid), a dinner outfit, pjs (again, probably will need 2, especially for the little ones), and "cool weather" items (sweater, long sleeves, etc). Obviously I don't need a sweater for every day. Do I need a pair of shorts for each day? I am not sure if I could get two days wear out of an outfit, especially with meals involved. With DH and I, we spent a lot of time just laying around by the pool, but with the kids I see us being more active, as our kids are unlikely to lie around for any length of time. Some of the days, the port outfit may be able to double for a dinner outffit - for instance we are planning on going to Mass on Sunday in Key West, so they will be dressed up enough for dinner, assuming they are able to stay clean all day (a big "if"). Does anybody have any suggestions?

 

Also, if someone has a packing list for young kids (4mos to 5 years) I'd love to see it. I have travelled with the kids before (but never all 5, other than to Grandma's house) and it has always been somewhere we could buy stuff if necessary. I am worried I am going to forget important things.

 

Thansk!

 

J

 

Drum set, whistle, cap gun, .....

[rebeccalouise]

Portable DVD player with some new and favorite DVDS (take 20). Swim goggles and swim shoes for the beach and some pools have rough bottoms. three swimsuits, coverups, nice polo type shirts for boys, every medicine you have, bandaids, aloe vera, sunblock, baseball hat, windbreaker, crocks or flip flops, a cuddly for bedtime, handheld video games, ipod with favorite bedtime music. A backpack to store bottled water, towels, change of clothes for the beach.

[CruisnKs]

Everything rebeccalouise said plus the following:

 

washable markers

plain white paper

legos, puzzles or something similar

colors & coloring books

tylenol/ibuprofen

neosporin

anti itch cream

Thin Strips for cough/cold (don't know the ages of your kids, this might not apply)

sunglasses

spray on sunblock (for boys with very short hair or girls who get their hair braided in the caribbean)

rash guard shirts

sand toys

water wings or floats if your little ones need them

Johnson's or Huggies wash cloths (the ones with the soap already in them)

wipes, wipes and more wipes

diapers or pull ups or both

sneakers (for excursions that require walking)

rain panchos (Dollar Tree - 2 for a $1)

thermometer

granola bars

fruit snacks (these help the ears during take off and landing)

capris suns or juice boxes or both (these need to be in checked luggage and are for the beach or on excursions)

 

and ALL of the clothing you would normally take on any other trip (Kid's clothing doesn't weigh much and doing laundry on the ship is a pain. My DH and I still argue over this one after 6 cruises, but I'm right. :))

 

I know this sounds extreme, but to me it's worth paying for an extra piece of luggage to have everything I might need and be able to enjoy every minute of the cruise.

[ncmomof2]

I seem to be in the minority, but for a 10-day cruise, I pack enough of the above for 2-3 days and then plan on paying the cruise line to wash it for me 3-4 times. While I wouldn't want to spend time doing laundry on a cruise, the cost of the laundry service (some sort of all you can stuff in a bag deal) is about the same or even less than the cost of the extra luggage and I don't have a mountain of laundry to do when I come home -- which has always seemed like punishment for having had the nerve to go on a nice vacation...!!! :p We got an all-you-can-stuff-in-a-bag-everyday-for-the-entire-cruise deal on Carnival 1 1/2 years ago where we fit most of 8 people's (4 kids & 4 adults) clothes for a day in the bag -- I think it was about $40 for 5 days. And next month, I'm planning on using HAL's stuff a bag for $12/bag deal which I've heard can be stuffed with 2-3 days-worth of clothes for 4 people (especially if 2 are kids).

 

My plan for outfits/day is about the same as mentioned above, just my number of days will be 2-3 instead of the full 11 we'll be gone...

 

Extras mentioned all sound like awesome suggestions!! Thanks!

[mactrio]

plugs for ears, ear drops if prone to ear infections

ambesol or oragel

desitin clear (does not stain)

wipes

swim diapers for beach

diapers/pull ups

sunblock/aloe vera gel, lipbalm, hat, sunglasses, cover up, 2/3 swimsuits

Band Aids/Neosporin/wound wash

Benadryl (helps w/ seasickness)

a decongestant

tylenol or motrin

water shoes, flip flops, crocs

q-tips/cotton balls

nail clippers/tweezers/tiny scissors

favorite blanket/toy/book

pacifiers/bottles/sippy cup

Formula/bottled water/juice

Pedialite (small bottles)

zip lock bags for dirty, wet or soiled clothing

BUG SPRAY/WIPES/CREAM

ANTI ITCH CREAM

 

and for the adults

 

pain reliever (advil, tylenol, bayer...)

Pepto/immodium

tums/mylanta/rolaids

benedryl

seasickness meds (bonine, ginger...)

 

as for clothing, I'd pack enough for 5 or 6 days then have it washed and wear again. Good luck, have fun and try not to stress.....

 

 

[mactrio]

When Liam (son) was a baby, those items stayed packed in a bag. We traveled alot, just never on a cruise. The only things that rotated out were the swim/beach items depending on where we went.

 

If I were you, I'd bring a small umbrella stroller or 2 as well. With 5kids under age 6, they will get tired while in port.

 

I forgot to add BIBSTERS, I guess they still make them. Disposable bibs are a must. They saved many, many outfits.

[FOURunderFOUR]

thanks guys! Keep the ideas coming. I am really appreciating them.

 

We are planning on bringing at least one stroller, which is our phil and teds e3 double. We may bring another 1-2 umbrellas too. I am worried about storing all of this stuff in our cabin, as we will also have at LEAST 3 car seats, incl the infant seat, and probably 2 additional booster seats. Here in NY all kids have to be in car seats until 8 years or 80 pounds, so even though Florida's laws are less restrictive, I am not sure I am comfortable with my 4 and 5yo in just a seat belt. I understand in the Caribbean we may not have a choice, although in Cozumel we have booked Mr. Sanchos, and I am still planning on bringing the car seats wtih us and praying for seat belts in the taxi vans. In Key west, we are hoping to be able to go to Mass, so we will need 2-3 taxis (and car seats) for that too. We may make do without the boosters that day as it will be hard enough to get into church with the strollers and 3 car seats we definitely can't do without. God wouldn't allow us to get in a car accident on the way to church, would He??

 

We are going on MSC and I have not seen anything about laundry. I'll have to check again, but I don't want to rely on that unless necessary. I like the idea of 1 outfit/day plus two. That sounds reasonable. ANd of course I will have a stain stick! As for diapers, I still have THREE in them so yes, I will probablly have an entire suitcase devoted to diapers and wipes. My POOR cabin steward! For those of you have who cruised with little ones in dipes, did you just throw them away in your room and let the stewards take care of them? Should I bring some extra plastic bags to tie off and contain the smelly ones? YIKES! I shudder at the thought of returning to our cabin after being out all day to get ready for dinner and walking into that tiny room with stinky diaper stench!

 

J

[boulders]

For smelly diapers, I brought the blue diaper disposal bags. They really do a great job at containing the smell.

[mactrio]

thanks guys! Keep the ideas coming. I am really appreciating them.

 

We are planning on bringing at least one stroller, which is our phil and teds e3 double. We may bring another 1-2 umbrellas too. I am worried about storing all of this stuff in our cabin, as we will also have at LEAST 3 car seats, incl the infant seat, and probably 2 additional booster seats. Here in NY all kids have to be in car seats until 8 years or 80 pounds, so even though Florida's laws are less restrictive, I am not sure I am comfortable with my 4 and 5yo in just a seat belt. I understand in the Caribbean we may not have a choice, although in Cozumel we have booked Mr. Sanchos, and I am still planning on bringing the car seats wtih us and praying for seat belts in the taxi vans. In Key west, we are hoping to be able to go to Mass, so we will need 2-3 taxis (and car seats) for that too. We may make do without the boosters that day as it will be hard enough to get into church with the strollers and 3 car seats we definitely can't do without. God wouldn't allow us to get in a car accident on the way to church, would He??

 

We are going on MSC and I have not seen anything about laundry. I'll have to check again, but I don't want to rely on that unless necessary. I like the idea of 1 outfit/day plus two. That sounds reasonable. ANd of course I will have a stain stick! As for diapers, I still have THREE in them so yes, I will probablly have an entire suitcase devoted to diapers and wipes. My POOR cabin steward! For those of you have who cruised with little ones in dipes, did you just throw them away in your room and let the stewards take care of them? Should I bring some extra plastic bags to tie off and contain the smelly ones? YIKES! I shudder at the thought of returning to our cabin after being out all day to get ready for dinner and walking into that tiny room with stinky diaper stench!

 

J

 

 

Have you considered renting the car seats, boosters, & strollers? I have a friend with 7 children and she rents all the time when they go to Disney World.

http://www.thenewparentsguide.com/baby-equipment-rentals-florida.htm

 

In KEY WEST http://www.babychicksrental.com/pages/items.html

 

In KEY WEST http://www.holidaybabykw.com/equipment.htm

 

 

I can't imagine how you will be able to store everything, 7 people, at least 10 suitcases plus strollers, car seats, booster seats.....WOW.

[CruisnKs]

FOURunderFOUR,

 

Where do you live upstate? We lived in Oswego for 2 years and my DH is from Oneonta. Just think of it this way, no matter how crazy things get on the cruise, it will be warm and sunny. :)

 

I don't know about MSC, but on DCL and RCL backless boosters and umbrella strollers fit under the bed. Do you have any of those huge duffle bags. We usually pack backless boosters in a huge duffle bag with diapers/pull ups, meds, and whatever clothes will fit in it. I keep a scale downstairs and weigh every bag to make sure it doesn't exceed 50 lbs just before we leave for the airport. I also take luggage that will collapse or fits inside another piece of luggage so we can consolidate empty bags once unpacked.

 

I don't know what airline you are flying, but Continental lets any bag with boosters, car seats or strollers fly free. :D Southwest counts them as a piece of luggage, but 2 bags per paying passenger are free on SWA.

 

I think it's awesome that you are traveling with all of the kids. We have 8 kids ranging in age from 6 to 25 along with 4 grandchildren. We all went to Disney World and on a DCL cruise in September and had a blast. I will admit, there were a few stressful moments, but the memories are priceless.

 

Don't worry, you're going to have a great time!

[FOURunderFOUR]

CruisnKs - we are in a suburb of Rochester. I went to high school in Horseheads, and we competed against Oswego I think!

 

Thanks for your comments. ANY weather will be a welcome change from what we are having currently - several inches of snow and well-below freezing temps! My kids (the older 4 at least - the baby has no clue) are so excited. We printed out a calendar and drew a plane on our travel day and a ship on our sailing day. Each morning, one of the kids crosses off another day. We leave this Friday!

 

We are sailing on MSC - which has not received the greatest reviews lately. They are new to the US market. I am going with a positive outlook though, and refuse to let some negative reviews ruin my vacation. We paid around $1000 for all seven of us to cruise, so for that price, it would have to be pretty miserable for me to complain.

 

To the rest of you, thanks for the comments and suggestions. I probably would have thought of most of the stuff (although there were a few things that are great ideas that I didn't think of), but it is much nicer to have a printed list so I can be sure I won't forget anything. My mind is mush right now!

 

Thanks again!

J

[ncmomof2]

We are going on MSC and I have not seen anything about laundry. I'll have to check again, but I don't want to rely on that unless necessary.

 

Just FYI, I found this on the MSC website (about 1/3 of the way down the page):

Q: Are laundry services available onboard the ship? A: Yes, laundry services are available onboard for a nominal fee.

[OnTheBrink]

We paid around $1000 for all seven of us to cruise, so for that price,

 

Wow! That's really inexpensive! Is that typical?

[FOURunderFOUR]

Wow! That's really inexpensive! Is that typical?

 

 

I am not really sure what typical is. I think there is a wide range of prices, but I have only cruised on RCCL previously. This time we are on MSC. They offer a "kids sail free" promo, where you just pay gov't taxes (I think it was around $40/kid) for up to two kids per two paying adults. We actually have 5 kids, so two are rooming with my mom and dad (who are paying their own way), and the 5th, our 4 mos old, is with us and the other two. They allowed the 3rd child to still be on the promo since she is an infant. We also found an online promo that our TA was able to match that gave us an OV cabin for an interior price. I think the adult pp price was around $389, plus fuel charges and taxes. Our fuel charges are supposedly being reimbursed as OBC. Compare this with our cruise last year on RCCL - it was one day shorter but similar ports. We paid $1200 for a balcony cabin for just the two of us. I recall reading somewhere that if you can get a cruise for under $100pp per day you are doing well. Although I know people here have told of deals around $40, but I am sure those are rare. However, with the kids in this case, we are around $20 per day (if I did the math correctly). For that price, we can't even get a hotel room, let alone food and entertainment! So even though the reviews of MSC have not been super promising, it will have to be absolutely horrible for me to complain too much :)

 

J