My son is 9 months old and does not have any teeth yet. My question is what do I feed him while traveling on a cruise ship. We are going on a cruise in three weeks and I am trying to pack light. I have thought about a food mill but have never used one before and also I don't know if there will be enough nutritious food available to depend on a food mill only. I am breast feeding and he eats a wide variety of foods now, so to those of you who have been on a cruise what can I expect (food wise)?
I would take along a number of jarred food for emergencies and a food mill (or mini processor). At that age my daughter started eating everything that we had, just run through a processor (there are no food allergies in my family, so we did not worry about that).
You give the cruise line a call about baby food, if the cruise is marketed towards families, they will probably have some on board.
Have fun!
You could contact the cruise line to ask if they have baby food on board if requested. Like others have said, there is much than can be chewed with those toothless gums if he's ready for chewing and swallowing. I haven't seen bananas mentioned and those are good at that age. Don't give him eggs. Babies under a year (sometimes 2 years) should not be given eggs (particularly the yolks) since it's a highly allergic food like peanuts.
Have a great trip!
We have been on a cruise, but not with baby yet. One piece of advice, unless you KNOW you are going to partake in the goodies in the fridge located in your room - UPON BOARDING, find your room steward and have them EMPTY it and keep it unlocked. They will probably put the 'stuff' in another part of the room, however this frees up the frig for YOU to use for YOUR stuff :). That way you won't be inadvertantly charged. Remember, have your ROOM STEWARD do this so you are not charged.
Even though your son does not have any teeth his gums are very strong. You might be surprised at what he can actually chew!!
i've been looking into this and from what i've read cruise lines vary a great deal. i think he will be old enough to work with a lot of things you can dice/soften/mash but if you are still worried, check w/ your cruise line about your ship.
i looked into this last summer and googled 'babies cruise lines' and there were a lot of articles, i also looked at some of the cruise lines websites, and everything from ages allowed, food prep, babysitting, stroller/crib rentals varied by line and even by ship. i would definitly check w/ the cruise line you are on about your ship if you want to know the specifics.
I guarantee there will be more food on that ship than you have seen in your home the entire 9 months that baby has been alive. I have only been on one cruise but there was food 24/7 and there was everything imaginable. I really don't think that you will have a problem. Just do as you do at home.
We just got back from a cruise with our 8 month old! We actually took some pre-made organic food, but there were tons of things he could eat on there. Lots of fruits, scrambled eggs, warm cereals, almost any type of bread you could want, mashed potatoes or some type of potatoes always, and lots of cooked veggies you could mash. My baby is still mainly just on milk so he was fine. Let me know if there's anything specific you can think of and I'll tell you if I saw it! Have a great time!
I think you might be surprised how much good you will find to use in the food mill. On our cruise there was such a variety of food that it made your head spin. There was always fruit, veggies, and breads available. If you can pack some back up baby food that would be a good idea and probably a time saver!
I went on a cruise this summer with my then 9 month old. We were in your exact same boat, no pun intended, until I found written somewhere in the cruiser info that they provide baby food. (This was with Princess Cruises but I bet most cruise lines will do this.) There was a number to call and I had to fill out a form with how many veggies and so on that I needed, and I simply emailed it to them. They requested to receive the info like two weeks ahead of time or something but I sent it in with less than a week to go and they still accommodated me fine. When we boarded the ship, we told our stateroom "maid" about our baby food request and they tracked down the kitchen people. They wanted us to make daily requests for food but I asked for them to bring the entire week's supply the first day to our room so that we could carry food with us on excursions and things. It worked out great! Plus, your server will have them blend up food at dinner if you want. Your paying for that baby (food included) so you should get your moneys' worth!
Call the customer service department for your cruise line - I know that the Holland America Line chefs will custom-make baby food for your little one based on your requests -- other cruise lines may do the same.
Hi A.,...
I have not been on a cruise,.. but have traveled with my sons quite a bit.
For the most part,. I have often over-packed for the baby.
Bring a box of his favorite infant cereal. and only a few baby jars of food you know you baby will eat. This is not the time to test new things.
You mention bringing a mini processor.. but do you really want to have your baby sit thru your meal - just to go back to the cabin and feed him... I don't know if you meant you bring the mini-processor to the table in the dining room.
my advice is to keep it basic,. to the things he likes and I'm sure there will be plenty of things for him. Rice,. bread,. fruit,. oatmeal,. like the other posters already mentioned from what's available on the cruise. It's only for a short while - he won't get bored of it.
I would also suggest you bring your own baby spoons and some small plastic bowls.
Email ahead to the cooking staff. I am sure they will be glad to help you.
There is plenty of food healthy or otherwise. For breakfast you should be able to give him oatmeal, eggs, bananas, watermelon, and other soft fruits. I've never used a food mill, but I can imagine that there will be plenty of food that will go in it nicely. At Babies R Us there are packets of food that look like Capri Sun packages that are fruits and veggies. They are lighter than jar food and will be easier to pack. Good luck, and I wouldn't worry about food availability on a cruise. That's what cruise ships are known for. Have fun.
I did not have a small baby on either of the cruises I have taken, but I do know that there is FOOD GALORE! and they are very helpful about getting you whatever you desire. I think the cruise line you chose will also make a difference on how much guest service you get, but all of them should be fine in the food aspect. Call in advance and ask.
My husband and I went on a cruise when our son was 11 months and the food at the buffet was pretty decent. There was a lot of fruit, lunch meat, cheese, bread, etc., for him to eat. However, he ate french fries and macaroni and cheese every night for dinner in the dining room. The rest of the food really wasn't appropriate for him. We did bring baby food and had to feed him that at dinner too for some nutrition. I would recommend brining some baby food. We went on a Royal Caribbean cruise so I can only speak to the food on that cruise line. Also, make sure to bring a bunch of toys, we spent a lot of time in our room because it was hot outside for our son and pretty loud by the pool. You will need stuff to entertain him. Hope you have lots of fun :)
From the one cruise I was on I noticed that there was TONS of food! I think the food mill will be just fine- there is such a huge buffet w/ everything from fruit to salad to a wide variety of veggies. Also some really nice choices for protein and starches. :)
Enjoy, and have a blast! :)
