toddlers and car seats at ports

[MonkeyBiz]

We are thinking of going on a cruise with extended family and bringing our kid along with us, who at the time, will be about 3.5 years old. I've been on about 9 cruises but never with a kid. Many excursions require a taxi or transportation to get there. Do you bring a car seat? What if the car you are riding in doesnt have the capabilities to accommodate your car seat. Just throw caution to the wind and hope for the best on the ride? Just wondering how other people dealt with transporting a kid at each of the ports.

[Athankfulheart]

We are thinking of going on a cruise with extended family and bringing our kid along with us, who at the time, will be about 3.5 years old. I've been on about 9 cruises but never with a kid. Many excursions require a taxi or transportation to get there. Do you bring a car seat? What if the car you are riding in doesnt have the capabilities to accommodate your car seat. Just throw caution to the wind and hope for the best on the ride? Just wondering how other people dealt with transporting a kid at each of the ports.

 

You will find a WIDE range of opinions on this here at CC, especially on the family board. For me personally, I have never thrown caution to the wind with kids and vehicles. There have been times this has been a pain because I have 8 children with an age span of 14 years, so we are no strangers to seats of all kinds. The only time we were not allowed to use our seat was in a motorcoach in Hawaii. It made no sense to us at the time and rather than delay the entire excursion we acquiesced. Other than that, we have never had a problem with our seats, although at times it did require planning ahead.

 

We have used everything from a carseat/stroller hybrid to travel vests and cheap lightweight boosters. Depending upon the size of your 3.5yo, you may do well with a butt booster ($12 at walmart) or a Bubble Bum ( Inflatable booster which is sold online but I recently saw at walmart). That will put your child at a height that the shoulder belt will work safely but also be quick in/out of taxis. Otherwise I would use a travel vest or a cheap lightweight high back booster.

 

You will find plenty of people who don't use a seat at all on vacation. Its a decision you have to make on your own, but there are plenty of solutions available for easy travel if you decide to bring a seat.

[Smyles]

We are thinking of going on a cruise with extended family and bringing our kid along with us, who at the time, will be about 3.5 years old. I've been on about 9 cruises but never with a kid. Many excursions require a taxi or transportation to get there. Do you bring a car seat? What if the car you are riding in doesnt have the capabilities to accommodate your car seat. Just throw caution to the wind and hope for the best on the ride? Just wondering how other people dealt with transporting a kid at each of the ports.

 

We will cruise with our 3.5yr old in a few weeks. We are bringing our Diono Radian carseat on the airplane. We have always flown with it. It is heavy to carry (28lbs) but we have a luggage cart to strap it (and carry-on's onto). It works awesome on the plane keeping our busy daughter seated and allows use of the seat back tray. The car seat also 'folds' so to speak so we can slide it under the bed in the stateroom (space is limited enough without a bulky seat in the way all week).

 

We will use it in the taxi to the hotel and from hotel to the ship. We don't plan to do any excursions that require a car. She still naps 2+ hours a day so we don't plan to do much in ports other than a walk and swim where there is a beach in walking distance. While we are normally adventurous both with and without our child this trip the cruise ship IS the adventure and we are hanging low and exploring the ship to the fullest.

 

I would NOT be comfortable with our daughter in any car (van, small bus etc) on island stops without a car seat. She is just not safe without a 5pt harness. Therefore we work around it. If we did plan a lot of excursions I would be purchasing her a car seat vest (Rider Safer vest, I believe is the brand) that would work in place of a car seat and should be easily secured in most types of vehicles we'd encounter. This is easier to lug around and store but still provides a safe ride.

 

Will you be flying? Have you flown with your child before? My friends husband is a pilot. Recently he had to delay his plane by 1hr because a 3yr old was freaking out for having to sit in his seat buckled in. It was too overwhelming for the child and he was able to continuously unbuckle himself (flip buckles on planes are easy to undo). After an hour of trying and having many people (the child's father included) hold him down they had to remove the family from the plane so they could continue. My child is mellow and easy going but I LOVE having her in her car seat on the plane because she is comfortable in it and cannot climb out and run around the plane when she is overtired and overwhelmed!

[cb at sea]

If you use shuttle buses, there is no requirement for a car seat...and no way to attach one, anyway. That's what most will do if they aren't bringing the seat.

[OCruisers]

If you use shuttle buses, there is no requirement for a car seat...and no way to attach one, anyway. That's what most will do if they aren't bringing the seat.

 

Unfortunately, this is often true. :o

[zqvol]

Be aware that in many ports you will find a total lack of seat belts in all public transportation.