Our recent Caribbean cruise on Crown Princess ship with our 10 month old daughter was fantastic. We enjoyed it so much that we are starting to plan for another cruise in about a year.

Planning for your trip is essential. There are so many things to consder and travel with a baby means that you need to pack more than you would without a baby. Here are the things that we thing you absolutely have to have when going on a cruise with a young baby.

1. Probably the most important thing for the cruise is taking a comfortable stroller that is foldable. Having a stroller makes it easy to get around on the ship and in the airport when travelling to the cruise. We used the stroller for morning walks on the ship, for taking our daughter to meals on the ship, and in the evening we bathed her, put her in pyjamas and then put her in the stroller as we enjoyed the excitement of walking around the ship in the evening. She fell asleep every evening in her stroller.

2. Diapers. Make sure that you pack enough disposable diapers. The way that I figured out how many to take was to the week before our trip I kept track of how many diapers our girl went through each day to get an idea of how many diapers are needed per day. Based on that calculate how many are required during the vacation. We didn’t purchase the diapers at home. We had time between our flight arrival in Ft Lauderdale and the time to board the ship so we took a cab to a Target store and purchased them and some other supplies before getting another taxi to the ship. That way we didn’t have to carry them onto our airplane.

Catamaran sailing is not something you can learn on the regular sailing programs, this is so because most navigation practice is carried out on monohulls. The reason for such measures is the higher difficulty to operated multihulls as it is the case with the catamaran. Sailing experience combined with personal enthusiasm will eventually help one sail a catamaran, and enjoy the stability, the speed and the challenge of such a boat.

What elements are there to consider for one ready to invest in sailing gear? First of all, gloves and special foot wear like dinghy boots for instance, are first on the list. Then, there is the life jacket and the foul weather sailing gear. The latter includes both pants and jacket that keep off humidity. And last but not least, there are the wet and dry suits that should not miss from the sailor’s wardrobe; they keep you warm even in water or on very cold weather.

The most common mistake people make on their first sailing vacations is to pack way too much. Casual is the word to describe life on an island, so you won’t be needing fancy clothes and all sorts of gadgets. Sailing vessels impose restrictions in terms of storage space, and hard-sided luggage are surely not a good idea to take with you. Go for canvas or duffel bags that can be folded into occupying less room. Small baggage that can be taken with you on the plane also save you the trouble of having to deal with lost luggage when you arrive on the island.

For years, tourists have been enjoying northwest Australia’s Kimberley Region, as well as the almost a thousand islands just off the coast. They offer secluded beaches, beautiful bays, mangroves and rainforests, and they’re best seen by boat.

This is why a cruise in this area is an excellent choice, with options available for interests from beach combing, birdwatching and photography to hiking and fishing. Take a longer trip to enjoy swimming in waters filled with beautiful wildlife and some island exploration, too.

See whales, sharks, birds and saltwater crocodiles from a distance, check out Strickland Bay’s amazing eroded rocks, Hidden Island’s fantastic pure white beach, and Kooland Island’s iron mine.

You’ll also have the chance to see Aboriginal art, waterfalls and pearl farms and to collect oysters or fish near the coral reef. Some cruises offer the day’s catch as a meal choice to anglers.

Check out the Horizontal Falls at Talbot Bay – a real horizontal waterfall that’s caused by the way the tide goes through a passage in the cliffs. The gap is so narrow that the water builds up faster on one side than it can pass through, making a difference of four to six meters in the water level, and causing a waterfall to flow between the bays.

Described as one of the world’s greatest natural wonders, these falls should be seen under safe circumstances, such as a cruise. Rough and extreme water conditions in this part of the world have caused many fatalities over the years among sailors and pearl divers.