Cruising with a Toddler

[CRGReen77]

We will be doing the 7 day cruise on the Dream in January and taking our 4 year old daughter with us. Ports are Mahogany Bay, Belize and Cozumel.

Plan to stay on ship for Cozumel since seeing reports of it not being safe these days. (We have been many times so not really missing out)

But needing ideas for kid friendly activities. I am anal about transportation of my child. I can't just jump on a bus without her being properly restrained.

Can anyone give me some advise?

I would prefer to go by boat and just take her life jacket. That gives me less anxiety or at least travel with our car seat and using transportation that has properly working seatbelts.

Also considering taking the loss and just canceled this cruise.

Help this momma out, please!

[capriccio]

Have you taken a look at and posted your questions on the Family Cruises Board: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=49? Our daughter found it very useful when taking her then 11 month old on a cruise.

[Hlitner]

We hear your cries....having a newborn Grandchild in our family. You can certainly bring along your own child restraint/seat....and try to use vehicles where you can properly mount the seat. This would mean either renting cars of finding a taxi with working seat belts (not always easy). Otherwise, you might consider leaving your child with a loving Grandparent :). As an aside, we would have little safety concern about visiting Cozumel during the daytime.

 

Hank

[6rugrats]

Many posters in the Family Forum don't feel car seats are necessary while on a cruise, and this topic has been discussed there hundreds of times.

Consider bringing a BubbleBum as they work great for travel. You can book private excursions where you may be assured the vehicle has working seat belts. Though, I've never been anywhere where I couldn't find a taxi that didn't.

[mjkacmom]

Well, since she is an older preschooler, pack a bubblebum.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

remember, she has to be 40#+ to use bubblebum. It may or may not provide a correct seat belt fit at 4, especially if she is not on a taller side.

https://csftl.org/bubblebum-review/

 

Besides the Family subforum on CC, check out Traveling with Children forum on babycenter.com. And, maybe, the Car Seat Board as well.

 

Remember that if you bring your own US seat without build in lock-offs and a foreign car doesn't have isofix/locking seatbelts, you will have to use a locking clip. May need to buy that in advance and practice installing a seat in a car. A great travel seat for kids that age (assuming that she is not close to 50# yet) is Evenflo Maestro.

 

P.S. She is not a toddler. She is a preschooler. :)