Packing for our cruise

Packing for a trip is always stressful but packing for a flight with Ryanair (where you are restricted on luggage size and weight) and a cruise with a 18 month old in tow is really hard. Luckily, I have a bit of packing experience under my belt and have come up with a list of my favorite things for packing for a cruise.

1. Hand sanitizer
I am not a germaphobe but being surrounded by strangers in tight quarters makes me a little nervous for Rand. I found an amazing DIY hand sanitizing  recipe on pinterest. It not only does the job, but smells wonderful and leaves your hands nice and soft. If you do not want to make your own, here is a great alternative.

2. Toys
Rand is in love with these VTech Go Go Go Smart Wheels toys. They have tons of different ones that all make different noises and plays music. They are small enough to throw in your bag but provide lots of entertainment for your little one.

3. YumEarth Organic Lollipops
When my sister came to visit she gave Rand his first lollipop and it was this brand. He loved it and stayed quiet the rest of the tour we were on that day. These lollipops are yummy, organic and full of Vitamin C.

4. Deuter Kid Comfort III
Carrying Rand in the Ergo has started to be too much for me so we invested in the Deuter and have been so happy with our purchase. Rand is very comfortable in it and it has tons of storage. We specifically love this one because it has a canopy option that we can keep open to block out the sun or rain or zip it closed.

5. Longchamp bag
I am completely obsessed with my Longchamp bag. When we first moved to Europe I noticed lots of locals using this bag and just loved how simple it was. I finally got one and LOVE it! It has tons of room for diapers, snacks and other baby items and it very well made. I also love the zipper on top to help keep wandering fingers out.

6. Books
Rand loves books, specifically the Little Suzy's Zoo books. They were perfect to take with because they are durable, thin and light weight.

7. Rollers of EO
I am loving on essential oils and made a few for our trip, like Lavender to help us sleep and Rand Guard which is an amazing blend I found online through an EO forum I follow. Rand Guard is a great little blend to help boost the immune system. *I am not a doctor. Please consult a trained aromatherapist or your doctor before using any of the suggestions on this website, as the user's age and health conditions must be taken into account before using. The information contained in this website is for informational purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice.

8. Maclaren Volo
a Light weight stroller (like my Maclaren Volo) is great for traveling. It is lightweight but well made and has a nifty carrying strap for when you collapse it. This little stroller can take on a lot of weight. At one point of our trip when we were walking to the port with our luggage, we threw on all our bags and it did great!

9. iPad with Otterbox case
Rand only gets iPad time when we are on trips and we can no longer get him to sit still for meals or on long car rides. We have a few fun games and movies to help keep him entertained and we love the Otterbox case to help keep the iPad safe from breaking. We also downloaded a sound soother app to play at night to block out any noise from our neighbors.

*Another great item to bring is a small bottle of Dawn and laundry detergent to wash items in the sink in your room.