Ports & Taxi's with little ones

[flcruisechick16]

Hey everyone, we are taking our first cruise since having children. We are taking the Disney Fantasy Western Caribbean Oct 12. Our kids are young, 3 1/2 and 20 months. My concern is what do you do in ports when you have little ones. I know most things in our ports of call suggest taxi rides, but I didn't think we would be able to bring the carseats along. Do people usually do that? Any port ideas for toddlers in Cozumel, Grand Cayman, or Costa Maya? We love the beach, just not sure how to handle transportation. I also posted on the port of call thread, just thought I would check with fellow families. Thanks again

 

Caroline

[Mom2B&Z]

Hey everyone, we are taking our first cruise since having children. We are taking the Disney Fantasy Western Caribbean Oct 12. Our kids are young, 3 1/2 and 20 months. My concern is what do you do in ports when you have little ones. I know most things in our ports of call suggest taxi rides, but I didn't think we would be able to bring the carseats along. Do people usually do that? Any port ideas for toddlers in Cozumel, Grand Cayman, or Costa Maya? We love the beach, just not sure how to handle transportation. I also posted on the port of call thread, just thought I would check with fellow families. Thanks again

 

Caroline

 

We have been to Cozumel and Costa Maya with our boys. We just walked around Cozumel, but in Costa Maya we used a booster and car seat to go to Tropicante. They kept the seats inside the restaurant while we used their beach facilities, and helped us get a taxi with seat belts for the way back. It did take a few minutes to find a taxi with seatbelts, but they can be found. I know recently someone on this forum made arrangements with a beach location in Cozumel where they are also going to store their car seat, hopefully that person also replies to this thread.

You will get two types of replies to your question. One will be from others like me, who take car seats and boosters on vacation and use transportation that either does not require car seats (like a bus), or find transportation that allows them to use their restraints. Others will tell you it's not the law so you don't have to bring them. My own position is that it is a relatively small inconvenience to know I'm keeping my kids as safe as I can while we enjoy our vacation, and I don't want to find out what the local trauma unit looks like after they are ejected from a vehicle due to inadequate restraints. I work in health care, specifically with people who have brain injuries, so I see what happens in some of these types of "accidents". I also volunteer as a car seat technician and can (and have!) installed car seats all over the world.

[flcruisechick16]

Thanks, I was worried about that too. I know the way taxi drivers drive and it scares me to think about the kids not being restrained. Are there buses around Costa Maya? Do you think that would be a safer route if so?

[sd1029]

When my kids were young we took a Sit and Stroll. It is a car seat that turns into a stroller. In the other countries they do not care about your kid not being in a car seat. Last time I was in Nassau I saw locals driving around with young kids not restrained.

[dsrdsrdsr]

If you really want to go a short distance and a taxi is the only option, offer the driver a really big tip if he doesn't go over 25 mph. Because unless he falls asleep at the wheel, he's not likely to do any serious damage at that speed. Remember that sitting in an bus unrestrained is safer than sitting in a taxi unrestrained, and sitting in a taxi unrestrained is safer than walking by the roadside unrestrained. It's all to do with relative weight of the vehicle you're in.

 

Given that you only use a modern taxi with seat belts fitted, the older child can use a lap section of the belt like on a plane. Make him wear a cycle helmet if you want extra protection.

[Mom2B&Z]

Thanks, I was worried about that too. I know the way taxi drivers drive and it scares me to think about the kids not being restrained. Are there buses around Costa Maya? Do you think that would be a safer route if so?

 

We didn't see any buses, but there were taxi vans. I had a very interesting conversation with the taxi driver (in French...it was the second language for both of us!) and he told me that many taxi drivers cut the seatbelt buckles off because they can fit more people in that way :eek: