...And We're Back!

As you can probably guess from the title, we've survived our cruise and are back in Leipzig. It was a good trip and we got to see some pretty amazing things, like:

the waterways of Venice,

Oia village in Santorini,

and the Parthenon in Athens.

Throughout the course of our trip, we thought up some really good tips for traveling with a baby. The number one thing we realized was this:

A cruise is a great way to travel with a baby.

Some reasons:

• We never had to go for a long train, car, or bus ride to get to our next destination. It was like going back to the hotel room after a day of touring, then waking up to something brand new. 
• There were plenty of places, like lounges during the day, where Norah Grace could explore. 
• Exploring the ports, for the most part, lined up pretty well with Norah's schedule.
• Someone else did the cooking and cleaning.
• The ship rocked Norah Grace to sleep.
• Having our accommodations so close made nap times a bit easier. 
• Knowing that it was okay to leave a meal if Norah was acting up; we weren't out any money and could head out to eat again later. 
• Norah Grace cruised for free (some cruise lines offer free cruises for kids)

There were some downsides, but I imagine that some of these were particular to our cruise line, region, and itinerary.

• The ports of call were far apart, so we never had more than five or so hours on shore, which is not a lot, especially for a city like Athens, before we had to head off to the next destination. 
• Dinner didn't start until about seven and  was not a quick affair (at the restaurant, not the buffet)--not a good combination for a nine month old baby. 
• Make sure you're prepared--there's no way to get more formula, diapers, or baby food on the ship (Some cruise lines do offer some of these, contact them first).
• The downside to the ship rocking Norah Grace to sleep: we were worried the whole time she would get seasick (it was pretty rough). 

Overall, I'd really recommend cruising as an option for traveling with a baby.