OT: Anybody ever taken a cruise with an infant?

Hey Gals!

We just booked a week long cruise on Carnival and are sailing to Key West, Fl, Freeport Bahamas, and Naussau Bahamas.
I am a little upset that we had to pay the same amount for the baby as we did for our older kids (over a thousand dollars). He will be 10 months old when we sail. I thought that there would be babysitting aboard the ship so that we could do excursions and such, but I guess I'm wrong. He'll be on baby food and formula when we leave so he won't be eating their food either. From what I understand they don't supply anything but a crib for the room. Is this correct? Am I missing something? Also, what did you take with you that you couldn't live without? With all of his clothes, food and milk I don't know how I am going to fit anything else in his luggage so I'm trying to be practical. Does anybody have any experience with this?

Thanks a bunch!!

We just cruised with Carnival this January with our then 11 month old. It was a 5 night cruise. We packed baby food, sippy cups/bottles and formula/cereal. He was eating a lot of table food too so he mostly ate with us (baby food for in between meals, just in case). We got fruit loops and cheerios at breakfast, put it in his diaper bag and let him have those as snacks as well. They supplied the crib and linen. They didn't charge us a gratuity, but paid one anyway considering they waited on him and took out his dirty diapers. I also recommend an inflatable bathtub to use in the shower (also can be used poolside to play in because he wasn't allowed in pool with a swim diaper). He tolerated the cruise really well (and the 15 hour drive). It was a great experience! Have fun, we also went to the Bahamas!

Awesome advise! I didn't think of an inflatable bathtub.... did you get it at Babies R Us? I'm not sure what set up our room has as far as the showering aspect. We are in a higher level balcony room on the Magic. It hasn't even sailed yet.
Did you do any excursions with your little guy? Would you do them again?
Thanks for the advise!

I think we actually bought it at Walmart. It was a Munchkin brand inflatable duck tub and was probably $13. We didn't do any excursions because we weren't sure how he would do. It was really a blast just playing in the ocean and sand on the beach.