Tips for travelling on a ferry with 9 month old

[bristols]

We're off to France on the ferry next week with DS who's 9 months old. Have never done it before. It's an overnight crossing on the way and daytime on the return. The trip is about ten hours long.

Any tips on what we should do/take, or just general tips on surviving the crossing? To be honest, I'm dreading it. I get terribly sea sick and I'm hoping that DS doesn't take after me.

TIA

You've probably made the best choice in having an overnight crossing IMO.

I get seasick and find lying down is the best way of dealing with it, hence a cabin and overnight crossing is best.

Just make sure you take more than enough clothes, food etc for DS from the car to your cabin. Also any favourite toys, familiar blanket etc.

Have you booked a travel cot for the cabin?

get a cabin...
take lots of snacky food and drinks for ds
Be prepared to walk around and around the ferry, taking rides in lifts etc over and over
scraps of paper and pen/crayon
(took ds on ferry to france at about same age...doing it agin in a few weeks, this time with fully mobile ds )

taken mine several times on overnight ferry
hope you have a cabin - if you do, its a doddle - just put to bed

coming back, keep food simple & find the children's area - has soft play area & films

Oh, meant to add get your DH/DP to take your DS for a long crawl up and down the corridors to wear him out before bed. We found the corridors by the cabins were better for this than the areas in the main part of the boat as they were quieter.

Thanks for that. Yes, we have a cabin with a cot. Also have booked a cabin for the return journey. Although its in the day, it will give us somewhere to go for DS's naps etc.

Glad to hear your success stories. Feel much more confident about it all now.

Betty - do you take any pills for the sickness? If so, what do you recommend?

I get terrible seasickness - have you tried those wrist bands from Boots?
they work
or just general sea sickness tablets

to be honest my kids have been fine - just me

you'll be fine with a cabin - dont worry

I use the wristbands too. I think, in the past I've also taken SeaLegs tablets but not the last few times.

And, like MM, the children are fine, its just me that goes a bit

We've always gone on that crossing as it's fab for the kids!! We tend to get to Portsmouth early and let them play on the beach, swings etc then go for dinner before getting the ferry so they're nice n tired!!! We always take a portable dvd player with us and once they've rampaged round the ferry (even more tired) - had to try the 'mini disco' (as they call it) - really the live ban entrtainment for 30 mins or so, theygo to bed watching a dvd (ecourages them to actually go to bed!!). Then wake up, off ferry and stop for croissants in St malo!

DD suffers from car sickness but has always been fine on this crossing. The cabina nd having a proper bed helps I think.

bristols, i swear by Stugeron tablets for seasickness.

If you decide to try tablets, read the instructions properly to check if it says to take them BEFORE going on the ship. I spent a summer working on a cross-channel ferry and a surprising number of the crew suffered from seasickness, but were okay because they used medication properly. On the other hand, passengers tended to get on board, feel dodgy, buy tablets from the shop - but they didn't work because they didn't have TIME to work.