This is a major decision when you have a toddler and this is going to be your first family cruise. The Caribbean is a safe and fun option, and the trip can included family favorites such as beautiful Caribbean beaches, great food, and a kiddie splash pool area! Read on for my tips on how to make cruising with your toddler a breeze.

Whether your family is small or large, you can choose from multi-room Suites or interconnecting staterooms. Most ships have Family Mini-Suites, Balconies, Oceanviews and Inside staterooms and many ships have 2-Bedroom Family Suites conveniently located near the kids' area. Your little ones don't have to go far to play.

In addition many cruise lines, in trying to attract families, offer a nanny system. What this is a way for you to know where and what your child is doing when they are out of your sight. At the beginning of the cruise you and your kids each get a bracelet that will allow you and your child to keep in touch. The parent waves their bracelet near one of the many readers all over the ship and it will locate your child/children by showing their bracelet on the screen. You can add things like a nanny cam to see your child and what they are doing. The bracelet will allow them to get into the cabin without a key, and buy things like ice cream and have it charged to your shipboard account. You can limit the amount your kid can spend per day along with many other options. Now this is still in the testing stage and there has been many bugs that need to be worked on before all the ships have this service. I would give it a year or two and you will see it being offered.

• (6 months - under 3 years) Guppies Hosted Activities: Fleet wide for parents and babies. Guppies Open Play: Fleet wide for parents and babies. NEW Guppies Nursery: Only on the Escape. Fee based drop off nursery
• (Ages 3 - 12) When your little ones are having a great time, you're having a great time. Sign them up for our complimentary youth program where they can enjoy creative play, sports and more. From theme night activities to cool parties, our youth staff has a knack for this stuff.
• (Ages 13 - 17) Run off and play while your teenagers hang out in a place filled with video games, movies, arts, music, sports and people their own age. From the coolest lounge at sea to the hippest dance clubs at night, there's always something going on at our teen centers. Best of all, it's all complementary and supervised.

WHAT TO BRING WHEN CRUISING WITH TODDLERS The success of this trip will require a great deal of research and preparation. Those of you who have toddlers understand why. Needless to say, packing well before hand is key. Here are some items that you can bring on a 7-day cruise that were very helpful:

• Two outfits per cruise day and a couple of dressier ones for picture time.
• Three or four swimsuits with sun proof shirts, sunscreen, and sunglasses.
• A pair of sneakers, dress shoes, crocs, and swim shoes.
• Large and small zip-lock bags to keep everything organized and separated, and plastic bags for wet or sandy clothes.
• One or two large garbage bags for all your dirty laundry; or you can designate a dirty laundry suitcase. If you are still traveling after your cruise or if you simply don't want to take dirty laundry home, use the onboard laundry service. Prices will be posted in your stateroom but many sailings will offer deals.
• Children's Dramamine; Make sure to check with your doctor first.
• Ear drops, small baby shampoo, aloe gel, lotion, acetaminophen, probiotics or whatever will aid your child with digestion.
• Bring your iPad and download your toddler's favorite movies on it. Do not rely on Wi-Fi. Remember to bring your headphones.
• Toys; that includes small pool/beach toys and little toys he can play with in the room and at the dinner table.
• A comfortable and lightweight stroller. This will come in handy during port days.
• A non-spill cup - in fact I recommend this for the entire family. Keep in mind that you cannot refill directly at the water station.

WHERE TODDLERS CAN PLAY
Parents can bring their toddlers to play and grow in a kids area where they can engage in games, messy play, and music and movement.

Other toddler activities are things like the Kid's Aqua Park (which includes a slide if your child is over 40 inches tall), the toddler ropes course, the mini golf course, and the arcade. If you plan to partake in water activities with your toddler make sure they are potty trained, as swim diapers are not allowed in most the Kid's Public Aqua Park. Try your best to do this by the time you cruise.

EVEN WHEN ON A CRUISE, STICK TO YOUR TODDLER'S SCHEDULE
I know you are on vacation, but if your child thrives on a schedule, keep it. This will help avoid tantrums and will keep everyone relaxed and rested. What really helped with our family cruise was pre-scheduling dinners. If your child eats at a designated time, make sure you plan ahead. Early dinner times usually sell out first, so if you need to eat early, log into the cruise line's and make your dinner reservations prior to sailing. If you can't keep the time, you can always call and reschedule once onboard or just head over to the grab and go cruise buffet. This will help you work in a nice dinner around your toddler's normal routine. I would also advise bringing a stroller. After a long day of activities your kid can fall asleep a few times at dinner.

TIP: Avoid a cover charge at the specialty restaurants by ordering for your child from the complimentary kids menu (0-12 years old).

One of the greatest things about taking a cruise vacation is the fact that there's something for every person in your group, regardless of age or taste. Cruising is one of the most convenient ways to please everyone's proverbial palette while not having to compromise your own plans. Spa day at sea while the kids play at the arcade? Sure thing! Mini golf on deck while your teens conquer an on-board scavenger hunt? Totally do-able. Family night and then a nightcap with your honey? That, too. That's the beauty of having it all in one place - everyone can truly vacation their way. If you're thinking about your next getaway, a cruise vacation may be the solution to your inevitably varied family plans.

Spacious Accommodations: spacious family accommodations offer multi-room suites or interconnecting staterooms, with most ships offering two-bedroom family suites and all ships offering family mini-suites, balconies and ocean view staterooms near kids' areas.

Family Meals: Before breaking off into everyone's activities, plan to meet for breakfast, lunch or dinner in one of the Main Dining Rooms for a complimentary four-course menu that's sure to satisfy every picky palate. If you're in the mood for Specialty Dining, many options are offer large portions that are perfect for family style dining, so everyone can get a taste of the delicious offerings. And for those who want to enjoy their meal with a bit of flair, try the authentic Japanese Hibachi restaurant, complete with flying shrimp, twirling knives, and onion volcanoes. Outdoor Activities: With pools, water slides, and a sports complex on deck, this fleet has options for every member of the family. Choose to flex your muscles on an outdoor adventure or simply lounge poolside. Shore Excursions: This is the time to make memories and nothing could be more memorable than setting up a shore excursion for the whole family, like swimming with the dolphins in the Caribbean, dog sledding in Alaska, or even exploring the Mayan ruins. Plan your shore excursions ahead of time for the best chance at booking your top selections.

Whether you're 8 or 80, there's no reason not to have fun on your getaway at sea. Each ship has a variety of fun activities for the whole family, so be sure to check your ship before you cruise to view what's available. And if you're in need of a babysitter for the night, supervised group babysitting is available on most cruise lines for kids ages 3 - 12 by certified youth staff. So a romantic night is totally on-the-books even if the kids are on-board.

The most kid-friendly cruise lines go above and beyond for families (in my opinion)

Disney Cruise Line
Voted by both Travel + Leisure and U.S. News & World Report as the best cruise line for families, Disney Cruise Line stands alone in its singular focus on the family market. I agree but it is the most exspensive cruise line. Disneys' four ships are elegant throwbacks to 1920s ocean liners, yet they offer truly creative kids clubs, exceptional family entertainment, cutting-edge interactive experiences, loads of top-deck water fun (like cruisings first water coaster), and also plenty of grown-up spaces for adults to love.

Carnival Cruise Lines
The world's largest cruise line lives up to its "fun ship" reputation with cruises that exude a high-energy, party-loving, flashy vibe. All about delivering big experiences at a low price, Carnival is a good-value brand that attracts a wide cross-section of cruisers, from singles and couples to families and seniors.

For families with younger kids, Carnival has launched "Seuss at Sea" programming that integrates favorite Dr. Seuss stories and characters into the onboard fun. Also this cruise line offers some of the biggest family cabins.

MSC Cruises
Those kids-sail-free offers sure are tempting for budget-minded families. The MSC Divina offers year-round sailings from Miami to the Caribbean. Kids ages 3 to 11 sail at no cost, while teens ages 12 to 17 sail at a reduced fare. The kids' club is complimentary. If this cruise line looks good for your family, please talk to a travel agent or someone who has traveled with them. Destinations is important, because some of the places they travel have no kids programs. Holland America Line

This understated, stately line can be a great choice for multi-generational family trips, though kids may miss the raft of exciting options found on other cruise lines. For kids ages 3 to 7 and 8 to 12, there's Club HAL and pizza-making, arts and crafts, sundae parties, scavenger hunts, and more. Meanwhile, the Loft and The Oasis clubhouses offer activities for teens ages 13 to 17. There is no babysitting service available for children under age 3. This cruise line's grand tours are mostly for adults only.

Norwegian Cruise Line
Known for its innovative freestyle dining and high-quality onboard entertainment, Norwegian also offers an abundance of unique recreational options for families. The newest ships offer fabulous water parks and fun sports options, from bungee trampoline, climbing frames, and ropes courses. This lines ships are getting older and the upkeep is not the best, but not the worst either. Just be mindful of which ship you choose.