Family Bag to carry around the ship

This is our first cruise with kids, it will be a short 3 nighter but we will plan to eat on ship and stay on board during one port day.

With 3 small kids what bag do you typically carry around to store their needs. What do you carry around when leaving the room? We may spend some time on the pool deck, but since the little one can't go in the pools, we anticipate we will spend a lot of time inside the ship wondering and eating.

- 1 or 2 Diapers and Wipes

- Refillable water bottle for each child

- Lanyard with pass

- Sunscreen

- Wallet with extra cash for tips at the bar

- Zip lock bag to take any snacks

- Towels?

This basically turns into our diaper bag! A beach tote I'm afraid things would get lost in, maybe a backpack would be easier?

You really don't need to carry water around the ship..you can get water from ANY bar or eating venue....no charge...just ask!

Don't need cash, either....you can sign for any extra tips.

Towels (provided by the ship) if you're going to the pool...but not elsewhere on the ship!

I don’t think I’ve seen changing stations in the restrooms. The great thing about cruising is that you are always close to your cabin. We put our towels on a couple of loungers (on a deck or two above the pool deck, were we can easily find vacant loungers at any time and not be packed in like sardines), might have our Yetis for drinks, sea pass goes in a pocket with some singles, we sunscreen on our balcony.

You really don't need to carry water around the ship..you can get water from ANY bar or eating venue....no charge...just ask!

My concern with places like lunch at the WJ and such is that carrying food while herding 3 small kids can a nightmare. Plus cups at those tables wont have lids. My husband and I will probably plan to carry around our Yeti or something similar so I just assumed the kids would do the same (hopefully something with a closed lid so I could throw them all in a bag).

Just an FYI - do take covered cups for the kids if you need to but don't fill them directly from the dispenser, it's a no no. It's a process but I use 2 cups of tea to fill my travel mug.

Enjoy the cruise.

My concern with places like lunch at the WJ and such is that carrying food while herding 3 small kids can a nightmare. Plus cups at those tables wont have lids. My husband and I will probably plan to carry around our Yeti or something similar so I just assumed the kids would do the same (hopefully something with a closed lid so I could throw them all in a bag).

If it’s a sea day, suggest you have lunch in the MDR - so much easier than juggling plates, drinks, etc. in the buffet.

Hats for everyone, daily program, a pen, tissues, camera (or phone),

Just an FYI - do take covered cups for the kids if you need to but don't fill them directly from the dispenser, it's a no no. It's a process but I use 2 cups of tea to fill my travel mug.

 

Enjoy the cruise.

Thank you. I have read this and it shouldn't be a problem.

I wouldn’t carry a full wallet or worry about snacks over much, unless you have picky or special needs kids. There is a lot of food available basically all of the time on the ship. If someone needs food Right Now, you can just go get some. (The buffets with cheese cubes and cut fruit and often yogurt were awesome with my kiddo.)

Unless you’re on a giant ship, you’re really not far from your room at any point, this is less like being on safari, and more like going to a neighborhood park.

We handled the buffet by putting one adult with children at a table, and the other adult went and fetched. For big meals we would prefer the MDR, but for grazing and snacks it worked fine.

I’d take closed top water bottles or cups for everyone, refilling often.

i carry, at most, a small crossbody bag while wandering the ship. i personally wouldn't bother with more than one water bottle (I'd make my kids share) and i don't carry around snacks since there's always something to eat. I basically carry a small wallet and my key card and that's about it - everything else, it's easy to get back to the room for.

Towels, books/kindles, goggles, sunblock, phones, snacks... backpack!

Our kids are 8 and I still typically take a backpack when leaving the cabin to swim. It's just easier to carry everything, and since I'm the one who always ends up going back when something is missed...

As others have said, we don't carry snacks since the food is usually available. However, there are times (switch over times) when it is nothing but pizza and the line is 20 minutes long. When the kids were small, we'd snag a couple boxes of cheerios early in the week and have those on hand for finger foods. Now it seems most ships have the bulk cereal, but baggies solve that nicely.

There is no need to carry cash, unless you want to pre-tip a bartender to try to get better drinks. Or if you have AI and want to tip a bit as you go. Lock your wallet and cash in the safe when you get on board.

Towels, books/kindles, goggles, sunblock, phones, snacks... backpack!

 

Our kids are 8 and I still typically take a backpack when leaving the cabin to swim. It's just easier to carry everything, and since I'm the one who always ends up going back when something is missed...

 

As others have said, we don't carry snacks since the food is usually available. However, there are times (switch over times) when it is nothing but pizza and the line is 20 minutes long. When the kids were small, we'd snag a couple boxes of cheerios early in the week and have those on hand for finger foods. Now it seems most ships have the bulk cereal, but baggies solve that nicely.

 

There is no need to carry cash, unless you want to pre-tip a bartender to try to get better drinks. Or if you have AI and want to tip a bit as you go. Lock your wallet and cash in the safe when you get on board.

Thanks! I should have noted that our youngest will be just shy of 2. So there will still be a need for some snacks for her. And like you said, with three kids, its not fun/easy to "run back to the room". It leaves one parents solo on a pool deck with three small kids and the other parent missing the fun. Id rather just try to bring a small bag to carry stuff. I will have to look at our backpacks to see what might work.