Do you carry a bag?

[Princess_K]

We’re cruising for the first time in a few months and will have a 3yo with us, and I’m trying to figure out what kind of bag I’ll need to carry around the ship. Do parents of littles carry a bag with snacks, a travel potty seat, etc. Or is the room so close you don’t really need to?

 

[Snowwhyt]

It’s been a few weeks since I’ve had a little one so I’m not going to be your best resource. As for snacks. You should be able to eat from upper deck area. Maybe deconstructing a sandwich or the fruit plate.
I’ve never seen a travel potty seat on the ship but maybe they make compact ones now. My DD is 23 now. But bathroom’s are on every deck except cabin-only decks because you will use your own bathroom I assume.
What other things are you concerned about needing to bring?

 

[Princess_K]

It’s been a few weeks since I’ve had a little one so I’m not going to be your best resource. As for snacks. You should be able to eat from upper deck area. Maybe deconstructing a sandwich or the fruit plate.
I’ve never seen a travel potty seat on the ship but maybe they make compact ones now. My DD is 23 now. But bathroom’s are on every deck except cabin-only decks because you will use your own bathroom I assume.
What other things are you concerned about needing to bring?

Thanks! i was also thinking things like sunscreen and our water bottles. Im an overpacker and am used to the parks. Just didn’t want to be lugging around a backpack if it’s not necessary.

Re: the seat, we have a little travel potty seat that folds up and you can put it on top of regular toilets to make it easier for the little ones.

 

[CamColt]

It’s been a few weeks since I’ve had a little one so I’m not going to be your best resource. As for snacks. You should be able to eat from upper deck area. Maybe deconstructing a sandwich or the fruit plate.
I’ve never seen a travel potty seat on the ship but maybe they make compact ones now. My DD is 23 now. But bathroom’s are on every deck except cabin-only decks because you will use your own bathroom I assume.
What other things are you concerned about needing to bring?

I wasn't going to answer since my littles have now gotten the beer mug (times change) but I agree with this. Thinking back to my first Disney Cruise, I had a newly potty trained DS and never had a need for any potty assistance. I also never had a need for bringing our own snacks as we had plenty of food on the ship.

I do bring a small beach bag when I go to the pool for sunscreen, my phone, a couple water bottles...typical beach stuff. When we go to dinner and out for the night I bring a small purse for typical essentials, like I would going out to dinner anywhere. In general though your room is most likely a few minutes away if you forgot something important. It's nothing like being in a WDW theme park and realizing you forgot something.

 

[Snowwhyt]

Thanks! i was also thinking things like sunscreen and our water bottles. Im an overpacker and am used to the parks. Just didn’t want to be lugging around a backpack if it’s not necessary.

Re: the seat, we have a little travel potty seat that folds up and you can put it on top of regular toilets to make it easier for the little ones.

You definitely want stuff-from-home prices on sun screens and medicine. Also bring a small assortment of head and stomach medicine for occasional problems. Probably can get a few common things on ship but not things like MiraLAX or OTC migraine medication. The area of medicine is so small at the ships store it makes a gas station look like pharmacy!
As for sunscreen try two trial sizes so you can throw out one to use space for souvenirs.
You could also consider a few pieces of clothing/shoes for yourself for the children that are may be a little small, or have minimal damage to them that you could throw away (nice but well worn shoes)or gift to charity when you leave the ship. Great space saver and gives you the ability to fit more souvenirs. Ship has a laundry and nobody uses it on the last night.

 

[unrequited23]

I would think a small bag that could hold an insulated locking straw cup, a preferred snack, a quiet toy/fidget, handwipes and a sunscreen stick along with your own phone and KTTW/lanyard would be useful. Something the size of a vera bradley mini hipster.

Honestly, your room is pretty close to run to if you need anything.

I did take a beach bag to CC with our wetbag, goggles, sunglasses, sunscreen, water bottles, phones, lanyards, and small sand toys. If I had a younger kid, I would have grabbed a few sealed boxes of cereal from Cabanas in case I needed snacks before lunch opened.

 

[AnnaS]

I always bring a "beach bag". I like to have it when we are by the pool. Sunscreen, phone (for pictures, sunglasses, reading glasses, something to read, wipes, etc. etc. Might have a hair clip/towel clip.

Evening - small purse - for tissues, reading glasses (sometimes), phone (for pictures), wipe/s (always have one or two even before COVID), hair clip.

During the day - it all depends what the plans are. Cooking class, Mixology (sp?), Bingo, shops, etc. I hav a small cross body bag.

There are not many times I don't have some sort of small bag with me. Unless running out for a minute and will hand over my phone to my DH. But many times we go in and out so might need sunglasses (can't be out without them more than a minute or two), might need reading glasses, always have phone handy for a picture, always need a tissue or two.

Not knowing what to expect for our first cruise, I brought some snacks. They were definitely not needed unless for your little one he might be a picky eater and/or have some special treat. You will always need wipes, water cup? but you are not too far away from anything.

I would pack something small, if you feel you don't need it, you can leave in the the cabin.

 

[rochmom4]

I bring a small tote bag to carry an extra sweatshirt for those venues that are too cold, wipes, small purell, etc. I also use a small crossbody bag to hold my phone, tissues, etc

 

[Princess_K]

Thank you all so much for the advice. I really appreciate it!

 

[Chemist]

Older parent advice. Train your child to use a real toilet asap! They can learn to balance pretty quickly. That way you don't have emergencies where your child HAS to go potty but is afraid to use the big toilet. And you don't have to haul a potty seat around the country. (I did it for child #1. Child #2, who ironically is a lot smaller had a potty seat at home, but nowhere else.)

 

[nancipants]

Older parent advice. Train your child to use a real toilet asap! They can learn to balance pretty quickly. That way you don't have emergencies where your child HAS to go potty but is afraid to use the big toilet. And you don't have to haul a potty seat around the country. (I did it for child #1. Child #2, who ironically is a lot smaller had a potty seat at home, but nowhere else.)

Our son learned using a small potty but used a regular toilet at daycare (although toddler sized). When we went on our cruise last month, we conveniently “left” the potty back home. (We actually brought it with us in case of an emergency where he refused to use the big toilet, but didn’t expect him to need it.) He was fine and used the regular toilets with no problem! When we got home, the potty went away for good.

OP, warn your kid now that the toilets are really noisy. They flush like airplane toilets and we told my son many many times beforehand. Every time he flushed he’d say “real loud!” And still jump every time.

As far as bags go, I brought one with a fold up potty seat (but ended up not needing it), a sweatshirt for him at dinner (he was actually cold, which is unusual), phones, water bottles, and sunscreen.

 

[Doberge]

I always have a backpack in parks and will have on our cruise. My son is a picky eater so I carry some go-to foods if we strike out elsewhere. It's a little easier on a ship because I can go through multiple things without feeling like I'm wasting money cycling through options (like anywhere else). I carry our water bottles and a few small toys and books to entertain, and a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen. Park bag version has some other stuff I am able to easier leave in the ship room.

 

[Jhondy]

I plan to carry a bag with me. DD has been potty trained for a few months now. She still has an accident every once in awhile at daycare. She has never had an accident when we are out and about at home. But I still always carry a change of clothes with me just in case. So I will carry that on the ship, along with both of our insulated water bottles to fill with soda, some sunscreen, and maybe something to keep her entertained at dinner if it is dinner time. Even though rooms are close generally, I’m treating leaving the room just like if we were going to the store at home.

 

[IcedCoffee52]

I carry a mesh beach bag to the pool with me with sunscreen, water bottles, our cards, phone, etc. Most of the rest of the time, including to dinner, I carry a cross body with me that just includes our cards, my phone, sometimes a water bottle, etc.

 

[DisneyPiPhi]

My daughter is older now (10) and I just carry a small clutch around the ship with essentials. She carries her own Loungefly bag with her phone, sunglasses, etc. But when she was little, I did use a small bag around the ship for things like her autograph book. You honestly don't need to carry much - and your room is always close. A larger bag (tote or backpack) is nice for pool items like sunscreen.