Excursions and young children

[Cruise Girly 88]

For those of you who have taken younger children on excursions, did you bring a car seat with you? I called my cruise line to ask if we needed one for the shuttle bus (its a cruise line provided excursion) and they couldn't answer my question. Did you bring one with you or just held the child on your lap?

[1025cruise]

I've never been on an excursion vehicle (outside of taxis in Cozumel) that had the ability to hook in child seats.

[Cruise Girly 88]

Truly honest, I never even looked before having kids!

[kitkat343]

I did bring a car seat with me.  But my strongest recommendation after taking small children (ages 2,3 and 5) on several cruises through Europe and Latin America is to please avoid cruise line excursions whenever possible.  You will have an easier time controlling the itinerary on a private excursion, and it will be less expensive.  A private tour for just your family will probably cost less than a cruise line tour, and will let you customize your vacation to all the spots that are best for your kids.  I usually started by researching where the cruise line excursions travel to, and then looking on tripadisor or going to the destination forums of cruise critic to find independent tour operators.  Just check with them to ensure they have seatbelts and room for the baby - we wound up one seat short on an excursion in costa rica because they didn't realize we had a carseat and needed another seat.  They thought the two year old would sit on someone's lap.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

On 2/23/2022 at 11:43 AM, kitkat343 said:

But my strongest recommendation after taking small children (ages 2,3 and 5) on several cruises through Europe and Latin America is to please avoid cruise line excursions whenever possible.

they are unavoidable at most destinations during the pandemic...

 

@Cruise Girly 88, in the last 7 years since we've started cruising with our then 3 yo, we've never been in any vehicle that would accommodate a car seat on any cruise ship excursions. How old is your kid and what car seat do you have? 

 

Our latest was a big bus in St Kitts where we were packed like sardines (no seat belts), and this one in St Thomas: an open air bench-style bus.

 

 

[soozles]

I don’t think most excursions will be suitable for a car seat, usually on a bus. But I did order a couple of the Ride Safer travelers vests to avoid lugging car seats. You can just carry it in a small bag, so it’s easy. Planning to use them in the cab from the airport to the cruise terminal. 

[MinnieSconie16]

We travelled with compact booster seats and were able to get taxis with seat belts at every port. Occasionally there was push back and attempt to get us to use open air bus or taxi with non-functioning seatbelts but we stuck to request and said if it wasn’t possible, we would just return to ship, that usually resulted in them finding cab with seatbelts.  Never once was it not possible to get kids belted in just as we would at home. We didn’t do ship excursions and would typically get cab to beach or schedule private excursion as it’s easier to control your schedule when kids get tired. 

[Traveller20074]

ridiing on the lap?  especially in a foreign country?   😮

[mjkacmom]

10 hours ago, Traveller20074 said:

ridiing on the lap?  especially in a foreign country?   😮

I think most big tours have buses, similar to the buses at Disney, I’ve held many kids on my lab. Or car rental shuttles, there aren’t seat belts. City buses don’t have seatbelts.

[KeroTravel]

Many people many excursions in the Caribbean.  Does anyone have experience with car seats or additional harnesses for a 2-3 yo in Europe?  I'm looking for any advice on how to get around for excursions with an older toddler when in Europe (Italy, France, Spain).  Should be only looking for excursions that are on busses?  Pre baby, we would usually hire/book our own excursions with a private driver.  Guess everything will be car specific, but don't want to lug a seat all the way to Europe if I don't need to.    

[soozles]

19 hours ago, KeroTravel said:

Many people many excursions in the Caribbean.  Does anyone have experience with car seats or additional harnesses for a 2-3 yo in Europe?  I'm looking for any advice on how to get around for excursions with an older toddler when in Europe (Italy, France, Spain).  Should be only looking for excursions that are on busses?  Pre baby, we would usually hire/book our own excursions with a private driver.  Guess everything will be car specific, but don't want to lug a seat all the way to Europe if I don't need to.    

We just ordered the ride safer travel vest, they have an extra small now which is for 2-4 year olds, starting at 20 pounds. It’s not as ideal as a car seat, but for short trips may be what you need. It’s light, and comes with a little bag to carry it, or you can just stick it in your own bag. 

[KeroTravel]

21 minutes ago, soozles said:

We just ordered the ride safer travel vest, they have an extra small now which is for 2-4 year olds, starting at 20 pounds. It’s not as ideal as a car seat, but for short trips may be what you need. It’s light, and comes with a little bag to carry it, or you can just stick it in your own bag. 

Thanks!  I'll take a look into that.  

[Kerry's Girls]

On 4/27/2022 at 1:48 PM, KeroTravel said:

Many people many excursions in the Caribbean.  Does anyone have experience with car seats or additional harnesses for a 2-3 yo in Europe?  I'm looking for any advice on how to get around for excursions with an older toddler when in Europe (Italy, France, Spain).  Should be only looking for excursions that are on busses?  Pre baby, we would usually hire/book our own excursions with a private driver.  Guess everything will be car specific, but don't want to lug a seat all the way to Europe if I don't need to.    

My experience, though it was 10+ years ago now, was that drivers in Spain and Italy were strict about wanting you to bring a seat.  In my opinion, private tours are the only way to go with a little one.  A bus is a nightmare with all the shopping stops, long waits and people impatient with little kids.  The ride safer vest sounds like a great option.

[MamaWals]

Find out the car seat laws at your stops.  I have only taken my kids on cruises in the carribbean and I chose shore excursions that didn’t require car seats - buses or things within walking distance of the ship.  We’re doing our first Alaskan cruise next year specifically because all kids will be big enough for booster seats (youngest will be 6).  I used bubblebum boosters at Disney World this year and they were very easy to use and transport.

[KeroTravel]

Definitely, we're looking into all the laws for places we're planning to be in a car.  We've been considering one of the models of travel/backless boosters for Europe.  Since our little one will be almost 4 at the time, he'll still be too short (so we believe) for maximum safety of a seat belt with a booster, so between our two car seats, we're just going to lug the lightest one with us.  Will need to use at least 6 times over the course of a 10 day trip, so we would rather be safe than sorry.    

[Itchy&Scratchy]

22 hours ago, KeroTravel said:

Since our little one will be almost 4 at the time, he'll still be too short (so we believe) for maximum safety of a seat belt with a booster, so between our two car seats, we're just going to lug the lightest one with us.

what seats do you have? what airline are you flying?

 

Also check out this very helpful board: 

https://community.babycenter.com/groups/a10635/traveling_with_children

 

There are some European members on it, which helps. 🙂

[KeroTravel]

1 hour ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

what seats do you have? what airline are you flying?

 

Also check out this very helpful board: 

https://community.babycenter.com/groups/a10635/traveling_with_children

 

There are some European members on it, which helps. 🙂

We'll be on Air Canada.  We don't mind bringing the seat to and from the airports as we don't plan to use them onboard.  Will solely use for auto transportation for shore excursions for a few of the ports in Italy and France and obviously for Uber/Taxi rides from airports.  I currently use, in my own vehicle, an Evenflo Triumph (too big to bother even removing from the car), we also have an Evenflo Sport something or the other, which is significantly lighter (it's like a booster but with the harness straps).  

We'll figure it out, I still have about 348 days to stress about it 😂

[Itchy&Scratchy]

29 minutes ago, KeroTravel said:

We don't mind bringing the seat to and from the airports as we don't plan to use them onboard.

you cannot guarantee integrity and safety of the seat unless you use it onboard.

US airlines must let you use the car seat onboard, as long as it's FAA approved. Don't know about Air Canada, but someone on the other travel board will be able to answer it for you.

My friend's stroller which she gate checked on an international flight was mangled upon arrival. Thankfully, strollers aren't life saving devices... Car seats are very expensive in Canada, you don't want yours destroyed or compromised...

 

I would reevaluate the situation in a year - your kid may or may not be big enough to use a booster. I know mine was at 3y8m - on his first cruise. He was 43" and 42#, which exceeds the min limits for a no back booster use. He wasn't mature enough to be boostered at home on a regular basis until he was almost 7 (despite his taller and heavier body), but during travel we used a no back booster. This is how we lugged it through the airport and placed it in the overhead bin.

 

 

We flew with his harnessed seat only one (for a cruise) because we had a 3 hour rental car trip instead of a 15 minute ride from the airport to the port and back.

 

[KeroTravel]

On 5/13/2022 at 4:09 PM, Itchy&Scratchy said:

you cannot guarantee integrity and safety of the seat unless you use it onboard.

US airlines must let you use the car seat onboard, as long as it's FAA approved. Don't know about Air Canada, but someone on the other travel board will be able to answer it for you.

My friend's stroller which she gate checked on an international flight was mangled upon arrival. Thankfully, strollers aren't life saving devices... Car seats are very expensive in Canada, you don't want yours destroyed or compromised...

 

I would reevaluate the situation in a year - your kid may or may not be big enough to use a booster. I know mine was at 3y8m - on his first cruise. He was 43" and 42#, which exceeds the min limits for a no back booster use. He wasn't mature enough to be boostered at home on a regular basis until he was almost 7 (despite his taller and heavier body), but during travel we used a no back booster. This is how we lugged it through the airport and placed it in the overhead bin.

 

 

So many of my friends that have flown on Canadian airlines with their toddlers (the ones with smaller babies, haven't had issues) weren't permitted to bring the car seat onto the plane.  Some were even told 'yes, its permitted', 'yes, that seat meets plane standards' prior to arriving at the airport and then they get there, literally to the gate and have to check it.  Can't stand all the confusion, but yes, we will definitely re-evaluate the situation closer to departure.  

[Itchy&Scratchy]

2 hours ago, KeroTravel said:

literally to the gate and have to check it. 

if you must check it in, then doing so at the gate is safer than doing so with the rest of the luggage.

[oyme]

When my son was young I did not, I only did excursions on a bus in Mexico and I felt comfortable with that. The seats felt sort of like airplane seats, in a way, similar to those. I'm flying soon about to take my 2 year old on plane wasn't planning to use her car seat on the plane but am checking it at gate.

[oyme]

I would agree that a no-back booster is my preferred booster for travel. If my kid's only using a car 2-4 times and rides are short that's what I'll do next time as she'll be bigger. We're doing a land based trip this upcoming trip she'll be in a car a lot, thus for the land based trip using a normal full harness car seat.

Edited May 26, 2022 by oyme

[KeroTravel]

21 hours ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

if you must check it in, then doing so at the gate is safer than doing so with the rest of the luggage.

 

Definitely! "Protective" bag probably won't do much, but we're looking into those. 

 

17 hours ago, oyme said:

I would agree that a no-back booster is my preferred booster for travel. If my kid's only using a car 2-4 times and rides are short that's what I'll do next time as she'll be bigger. We're doing a land based trip this upcoming trip she'll be in a car a lot, thus for the land based trip using a normal full harness car seat.

 Also looking into these as well.  Would definitely prefer something compact and there's so much available on the market.  

[oyme]

My husband and I debated about the protective bag for our car seat and stroller for flying and we personally decided to not bother, lol. We don't think it'll help that much. A lot of the reviews weren't that great saying the bags didn't last through one trip. If our stuff gets damaged by the airline then I'm not opposed to pulling a Karen. Lemme speak to yo manager! lol. The squeaky wheel gets the grease! We'll take photos of our storller and car seat just before boarding. 🙂

[Itchy&Scratchy]

19 minutes ago, oyme said:

My husband and I debated about the protective bag for our car seat and stroller for flying and we personally decided to not bother, lol. We don't think it'll help that much. A lot of the reviews weren't that great saying the bags didn't last through one trip. If our stuff gets damaged by the airline then I'm not opposed to pulling a Karen. Lemme speak to yo manager! lol. The squeaky wheel gets the grease! We'll take photos of our storller and car seat just before boarding. 🙂

you may never know if the plastic is cracked somewhere inside the seat.

I personally prefer not to gamble with my kid's safety. If the kid is under 4, you are flying on a US airline, and have a harnessed seat with you - just use it on the plane. You got it to the gate - what's a few feet more to ensure safety?