Last holiday season, we jumped on a cruise ship out of Los Angeles. We didn't want to fly anywhere during the winter storm mess, and we definitely did not want to stay home and cook or clean.
Cruising has always had a special place in my heart after working onboard most of the world's most famous cruise lines for several years. I know what cruising offers during the holiday season and how beautiful and stress-free it can be, especially for families.
This was Houston's first ocean cruise, and we delayed it until he turned three for a reason... we wanted him to be potty-trained so that he (and us) could enjoy the kids club. We'd be able to see the shows have a date night, and he'd have a ton of fun at Adventure ocean.
While I have some great tips and hacks for choosing a cruise line and booking your trip - I'll save that for a different day. Today I want to share seven things that Houston learned on his first cruise. These are experiences and lessons that any toddler can take away from a cruise. They may seem little, but I think they're pretty special for a three-year-old.
1. How to politely enter and exit the elevator greeting other guests - I know grown folk who don't do this correctly.
2. How to put his napkin in his lap and what meal courses are - table etiquette will never go out of fashion. This toddler nailed it!
3. How to make new friends and follow new rules (different from school) in the kids club - this was a little more challenging than we had assumed, but he did well. His Montessori is black and white to him, and the new kids club experience was different.
4. How different countries speak different languages - he knew when to switch between English and Spanish depending on our ports.
5. What patience is (being "happy to wait") - the lines weren’t long for anything other than Santa, but he doesn’t line up much as an only child. It was a laugh-cry moment when he told a grown adult to be "happy to wait because that's patience" in the cafe line!
6. How to treat the crew who did so much for him - with the most respect and using our best manners. He calls them all Sir and Mam and has lots of smiles and gratitude for them. He is not entitled to this service. He is lucky to be here, just like the rest of us.
7. How to choose other options in the cafe when the banana bread is gone, and it feels like the worst thing that could happen. 😜
⭐️ I see his development in leaps and bounds when we travel. ⭐️
Tell me… what do you remember teaching your toddlers when you traveled?
Would you like to travel more with your kids? If so, where? Check out this cool video of him boarding on his amazing new suitcase!