Planning your first cruise with kids is exciting, but it can come with a lot of questions about what to expect. And once you start to pack, you’ll wonder what family travel essentials you really need on board a cruise ship.
Much of what you’ll need to pack will vary based on your kids’ ages, but there are a few items most any family will find helpful to have along for the voyage. When I took my first cruise with my school-aged kids, I found that some of these family cruise essentials are easy to overlook.
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To help you sail through your first family cruise vacation with minimal stress, here are four things you should make sure to bring on your first cruise with kids.
Cruise ships have different spaces for kids to play.
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1. All your required travel documentation including proof that you are your child’s parent
When taking your first cruise with kids, take extra care to ensure you have all the required travel documents for your children. For U.S. citizens, a passport is recommended, but not always required.
Depending on your cruise itinerary, you may be allowed to present an original or certified copy of your child’s state-issued birth certificate. However, the State Department recommends all cruise passengers travel with a passport in case of emergency or if you miss the ship in a foreign port of call.
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Even if you have a passport for your child, it’s a good idea to carry their birth certificate too. When we checked in for a recent cruise to the Bahamas and provided our passports, my husband and I were asked for additional documentation that proved that we were our kids’ parents. Their birth certificates came in handy for that.
If you’re cruising with your child without their other parent, it’s also recommended to bring a notarized letter signed by the absent parent that authorizes the child to travel with you.
2. Something to keep kids busy on embarkation day
From check-in at the cruise terminal and waiting to board to the muster drill safety briefing before you set sail, the first day of your cruise can include quite a bit of time when kids are likely to get bored. This is something I wished I had considered while waiting with two anxious kids for our cruise ship to be cleared for boarding.
You can help make the embarkation process less stressful for your family by packing some activities to keep your kids busy inside your cruise carry-on bag. Whether you bring electronics, books, travel games or other things to do, you’ll have a better start to your first cruise with kids if you have a plan for embarkation day entertainment.
3. Extra swimsuits and wet-dry bags to store them
If your kids are like mine, they’ll want to head straight to the pool as soon as they board the cruise ship. It can take a few hours for your luggage to arrive in your stateroom, so make sure to pack their swimsuits in your cruise carry-on if you want to take them to the pool on embarkation day.
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Packing multiple swimsuits is also a good idea on a cruise with kids. It can take a while for wet clothing to dry when you hang it in your stateroom shower and no one wants to put on a wet bathing suit.
You’ll also want to pack some wet-dry bags in case you need to put wet swimsuits or sandy clothing inside your luggage at the end of your cruise.
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4. The right shoes for the ship and shore excursions
Flip flops and slides may be sufficient for the pool deck and walking around the ship, but make sure to consider other activities on your cruise itinerary when packing shoes for your first cruise with kids. Keep in mind that you may want your kids to wear dressier shoes for dinner and closed-toed shoes may be required for some cruise activities and shore excursions.
If you plan to get off the ship in a port of call, you should make sure kids have comfortable walking shoes. Water shoes may also be a good idea if you plan to visit the beach or participate in water-based shore excursions.
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