Excursions with Toddlers--HELP!!!

Suggestions and Info greatly appreciated!

My husband, 2.5 year old daughter, and myself will be cruising in December with ports of call in Belize, Mahogany Bay, Costa Maya, and Cozumel. The last time we cruised the little one was only 10 months old, and they were overly familiar ports of call (Freeport/Nassau) so we mostly just stayed on the ship. For this year, we have a couple excursions planned to all inclusive resorts for the day, but I planned them outside of the cruise line. They require that we catch a cab from the port. Excursions are on Viator, and well researched. How does the whole car seat thing work in this situation? Do we take one and drag it with us to the resort for the day?

You can ask on the Family Cruises Forum for more response.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=49

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I would google each of these to see if car seats are required. That's what we did when we took the grand children on a cruise.

With that said even if they are not required I would consider taking them for extra safety should an accident occur.

Keith

The majority of the cabs in the Caribbean do not have car seats in them.

In general I have never seen car seats in any cabs around the world.

Keith

We've not seen car seats in cabs around the Caribbean.

Have never seen taxi cabs equipped with car seats anywhere I have traveled, including the US.

I would take the car sear along, even if it meant someone in your party had to carry it.

Sometimes on the islands there aren't even cabs but those open air jeep things with no seat belts. The reason for car seats is for the safety of the child. It's up to you to decide.

We purchased an inflatable booster seat for our youngest on Amazon. It works pretty good and is fairly small when you deflate it. Since we travel so much and use Uber so much, it's great for us to have because it can fit in a backpack when we go place. We were in a wreck in Miami (someone hit us) and it was good in the accident.

Have never seen taxi cabs equipped with car seats anywhere I have traveled, including the US.

 

I would take the car sear along, even if it meant someone in your party had to carry it.

You have it right.

Keith

We take a Trunki Boostapak. It is a backpack that transfers very quickly into a stable car seat.

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Suggestions and Info greatly appreciated!

My husband, 2.5 year old daughter, and myself will be cruising in December with ports of call in Belize, Mahogany Bay, Costa Maya, and Cozumel. The last time we cruised the little one was only 10 months old, and they were overly familiar ports of call (Freeport/Nassau) so we mostly just stayed on the ship. For this year, we have a couple excursions planned to all inclusive resorts for the day, but I planned them outside of the cruise line. They require that we catch a cab from the port. Excursions are on Viator, and well researched. How does the whole car seat thing work in this situation? Do we take one and drag it with us to the resort for the day?

If you feel the need for a car seat you will have to take it yourself. Your issue is going to be finding a vehicle with seat belts to use to connect the seat. I have never seen a cab at any of those ports that had seat belts, and of course none of the shuttles have them.

If you feel the need for a car seat you will have to take it yourself. Your issue is going to be finding a vehicle with seat belts to use to connect the seat. I have never seen a cab at any of those ports that had seat belts, and of course none of the shuttles have them.

Shuttle buses and tour buses don't have seat belts, but never had a cab without seat belts. Many people may choose not to use them, just like cabs here, but the vehicles have them.

Shuttle buses and tour buses don't have seat belts, but never had a cab without seat belts. Many people may choose not to use them, just like cabs here, but the vehicles have them.

They may have them but they are crammed under the back seat and inaccessible unless you remove the back seat. IN 20 years of cruising I can count on one hand the number of times I have found seatbelts in cabs outside of the US and that is over 30 cruises.

The family forum is here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=49

I believe cruisers who regularly post in this forum can help you. In Mahogany Bay, I would rent a Cabana for the day. Expensive...yes, but you get the air conditioned cabana - perfect for the little ones.

You can also let your daughter spend the day at the kids club to enjoy some well deserved adult time.

I would suggest to let her spend a few hours there everyday so she gets more familiar with the counsellors.

They may have them but they are crammed under the back seat and inaccessible unless you remove the back seat. IN 20 years of cruising I can count on one hand the number of times I have found seatbelts in cabs outside of the US and that is over 30 cruises.

I guess we will just have to disagree on this one. I also have over 30 cruises and numerous land-based Carinbbean vacations.

I have used seat belts in cabs and rental cars. They are required by law in a lot of the islands. I know they are required in Barbados, St. Martin, Tortola, British Virgin Islands, to name a few. Includes all passengers in the vehicle.

Having said that - it's rarely enforced - but that is up to individual.

They may have them but they are crammed under the back seat and inaccessible unless you remove the back seat. IN 20 years of cruising I can count on one hand the number of times I have found seatbelts in cabs outside of the US and that is over 30 cruises.

While seatbelt use is very common in POVs in the US, very few people bother with them in the back seat of a cab. So it does beg the question: if the parents are going to apply different safety standards for themselves in cabs (when all it takes is digging inside the seat cushions to find the seat belts), does it make sense to schlep a car seat so the toddler could be the sole survivor of an unlikely tragic accident?

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Shuttle buses and tour buses don't have seat belts, but never had a cab without seat belts. Many people may choose not to use them, just like cabs here, but the vehicles have them.

I have done day tours in buses in Europe where they not only had seat belts but they reminded us to use them when we boarded the bus.

DON

I have never taken a cab, and this is all over the world, that didn't have seat belts. I never understand posters who insist cabs don't have seat belts.

If you are traveling in a vehicle that has seat belts, you need your car seat.

What's bigger hassle? Taking a car seat or having your child killed or seriously injured?

I have done day tours in buses in Europe where they not only had seat belts but they reminded us to use them when we boarded the bus.

 

DON

I agree. However, OP was asking about the Carinbbean. Have not seen them on buses in the Caribbean.