Moving bases mid-trip with luggage and toddlers

Moving bases by boat with a toddler and luggage is possible, but it is the hardest day of the trip. Check-out times, boat schedules, naps and landings all have to line up, and any gap lands on you. For many families with a child under five, one base for the whole stay is the kinder choice.

If you are still weighing a split, read our guide on who benefits from a split island stay. For toddlers specifically, our guide on package length for toddlers helps you pick the right number of nights.

Why is a move day hard with a toddler?

A toddler has a rhythm of naps, meals and play, and a move day breaks all three. You pack, wait, board a boat, land, and check in, often while the child is tired.

The practical point is to treat the move as the main event of that day, and not to add a snorkel trip or a long walk. Keep the plan small.

What are the friction points?

Walk through the day in order:

1. Check-out: the resort may want the room back before your boat. Ask where to wait with luggage.
2. Luggage: bags need to reach the boat. Ask who carries them and whether it costs extra.
3. Boarding: a toddler and a stroller on a boat can be tricky. Our guide on boarding from a jetty with toddlers and strollers covers it.
4. The sail: sea conditions change comfort. Ask about life jackets in child sizes.
5. Landing: you may wade or step onto a jetty. See our guide on wading versus jetty landings.
6. Check-in: the new room may not be ready. Ask for the earliest check-in time.

Each of these can be eased with a single question.

How do you handle luggage?

Pack so that one adult can carry the bags needed for the move day, and keep the rest at the first resort if you can. Ask whether the resort will move the bags, and whether it charges.

Our guide on luggage handling and buggy carts on island resorts explains what to ask. A small day bag with water, snacks, a change of clothes and a comfort toy should stay with you.

What about life jackets and sea conditions?

We did not find the exact life-jacket rule for passenger boats. One source says the maritime enforcement agency advises operators to provide enough life jackets for all passengers and respect capacity ^[1].

Ask your operator whether child sizes are available. Check the day’s sea conditions before you set out, and be ready to delay the move if the sea is rough.

How do you fit around naps?

Plan the boat for a time when your child usually sleeps, if the schedule allows. A sleeping toddler in a carrier can make a boat trip easier. Our guide on a toddler’s nap schedule against boat times explores this.

If the move cannot fit around a nap, keep snacks and quiet toys close, and keep the day free afterwards.

Which questions should you ask?

• What time must we leave the first room, and where can we wait?
• Who carries luggage to the boat and to the new room?
• When is the earliest check-in at the second resort?
• Are child life jackets and a baby seat available?
• What happens if the sea is rough on the move day?

A better fit if…

Moving is a better fit if you have five or more nights, a child who travels well and light luggage. It is a lesser fit if you have a baby, a stroller and heavy bags, in which case one base is usually kinder.