Car Seat Dilemma

[Kaki321]

Hi! Cruising with our 2 and 5 year old boys in May. I worry about getting them from the airport to the pier (we are going taxi, I hate waiting on those big buses for the transports). I also worry about any shore excursions (taking taxi's mainly - - and on one island it might be fun to rent a jeep).

 

I just can't see us lugging two heavy full-sized car seats! But I also can't see us ignoring the safety issues and laws in Florida (even if it's a short taxi ride from the tampa airport to Carnival pier).

 

I found these car seats at babies r us and thought they might do the trick, and can probably fit in a large duffle bag - both boys are over 30 pounds

 

What do you think? How do you travel with your little ones when cruising?

 

thanks!

[pt in ct]

Those car seats travel well...we put them in a duffel bag and check them with our luggage. Is your 2 year old big enough for that kind though...I think most brands you need to be 30 or 40 lbs.

 

When we have gone to attractions via cab, we have checked the seats in at the front desk (of museum, etc) We have never had any problems!

 

Hope that helps! I'm with you on the safety concerns!

 

 

PS....if you rent a car, you can rent car seats, too. But that won't help you on a cruise with many different ports!:)

[crusinmama06]

On another board, we were just talking about these travel car seats from one step ahead....they are for kids 25lbs - 40lbs and fold up like a backpack.

 

I think I am going to try them for my next trip.

 

http://www.onestepahead.com/product/86218/313766/117.html

[Nebr.cruiser]

Do be aware that many taxis, jeeps, etc. at ports don't have seat belts at all. We've used the booster seat you sent a link for with our older grandkids and it works fine, but I doubt if it would work very well with a two-year-old, unless they are exceptionally tall.

[CruisinFinsUp]

Howdy,

 

There have been TONS of posts on here about exactly this issue. Do a search on "car seat" and you'll find them. There is no right answer - it comes down to what your are comfortable doing, given the size of your child and precisely where you are going and what excursions you are doing.

 

In a nutshell - from what I've read and personally experienced some of the larger cities (ie San Juan) will have taxi's with seatbelts. Most of the shore excursions on the islands will be in open air trucks with benches in the back with NO seatbelts, or trolley bus type vehicles, (in 2001 we held onto our 21 month old tightly and were ok), or air conditioned buses with NO seatbelts, there MAY be seatbelts in the rental jeep but maybe only lap belts, not shoulder belts in the rear, - I'd PHONE the LOCATION's rental co. to ask - don't rely on what your local company says as they likely won't know. So it is very likely you will carry but not be able to use the carseat on the cruise itself. If you carry the seat out (often on tender) to the shore excursion, and there are no seatbelts, where do you store the seat? There is no room on most of these transports for luggage.

 

In Florida: From what I understand, all private and rented cars / vans must use carseats. If you are in a TAXI or LIMO or SHUTTLE no carseats are REQUIRED by law. So legally you can get away with it. Not to say thats the best approach safety wise though. Does anyone know if taxi's in FLL have shoulder belts in the rear seat? Are the cars newer or older?

 

I see on the USA Cosco website http://www.coscojuvenile.com/product.asp?productID=35 that the seat is rated Ages 4-8 and 30-100 lbs. You might want to read the seat's instructions to see if there is a minimum HEIGHT also that helps clarify the ages 4-8, as your 2 year old may be too small for this seat - the booster raises them so the shoulder belt passes diagonally over the correct part of their shoulder. As far as I know that seat is not for lap belt only and if there is no shoulder belt then that seat cannot be used but I may be wrong or that may be a Canadian reg. only (Cdn regs are more strict) Read the instructions of the seat carefully.

I'd actually be curious to know if there is a height guideline on that Cosco seat (my 3 year old is huge) and if it can be used with lap belts only - If anyone has the instructions for that carseat and can post the answer, I'd appreciate it too!!! It may be an option for us to get two of them if they are inexpensive, just to use when we are in Florida - I hadn't realized that in the US they are rated 30lbs +!!!

 

We have 2 kids age 3 & 6 - one is under 40 lbs, the other is barely over. We use carseats at home and in fact Ontario has one of the strictest legislations around. BUT, we are not taking any of ours along. Our regulations use 40 lbs for the switch from 5 point harness to booster, and we use high backed boosters at home, so all our seats are huge. For FLL we are going to use Princess transfers FLL to hotel, and hotel to pier, so likely no seatbelts there either. We'll walk or use water taxi for our day in FLL and if we do need a taxi, we'll find one with belts and do our best. AFTER cruise we are renting van and appropriate carseats for our remainder of vacation in florida.

[luvmy3boys]

I have also been struggling with this. We are leaving on the Dream on 3/18. We probably won't bring a carseat since all we have are big ones and my son (2) is too small for the smaller boosters. I will probably hold him on my lap in the taxis. This of course scares me to death but last time we were in these ports the taxis did not have seatbelts or they didn't work!

[babytraveler]

I wonder if we can beat the seatbelt thing by calling for town car services? They usually have seatbelts, yes?

[mrleo33]

We use the backless boosters pictured above for our 3 and 5 year old when travelling too. It is so easy to handle, we carry them a few different ways depending on our needs at the time. Generally we check them with our baggage at the airport and they will tape the two carseats together and tag them and they'll come down the chute with the rest of your bags after the flight. We've also gate checked them and then they were waiting for us as we leave the plane. We also like to take umbrella strollers so we will sometimes attach the carseats to the handles of the strollers using a bunge cord or now that the kids are getting older and we don't use strollers as much anymore we just use a big rolling duffle bag and sit the carseats on top of the bag and put the armrests through the handles of the bag and fasten them together with the velcro thing with no problems. The other thing I have done is to remove the cushions from the seat and armrests, because otherwise they just get filthy and this way I can wipe them down easily and they stay a lot cleaner. Hope that helps.

[cilohtac3]

We had this question when we went on our first cruise with a 1-year-old. Based on what we read here, we purchased a Sit n' Stroll stroller. I haven't read this whole thread to see if someone's mentioned that, but in case they haven't, it's a carseat that has stroller wheels and handle folded into it and can be used as a stroller. WE LOVE IT! Just take it out of the car, fold out the wheels and go. We travelled for 3 years with that thing and recommended it to other parents who also loved theirs. We liked it so much we just kept using it as our regular car seat/stroller all the time. We bought it direct from the manufacturer at http://www.strolex.com/ (visit their website for photos, video, or to purchase). They have US and Canadian-approved versions. Shipping was very fast.

 

Also, it's approved for use on airlines, so we used it on the plane, in the airport, in the taxi, on the ship, on excursions, etc.

 

Search "sit n' stroll" on this board and you'll find more reviews of this great product.

[Nebr.cruiser]

You can request car seats from taxis or car services but may not get them. We reserved a limo to get 4 adults and 3 young kids and luggage from the Fort Lauderdale airport to our hotel in Miama and asked for car seats; none were available. I'm afraid throughout our cruise we just trusted to luck and didn't use car seats for our four (another joined us in Miami) pre-schoolers. No taxis or vans we were in had any and on the islands didn't even have seat belts.

 

Bye the way, the limo ended up costing no more than what two taxis would have cost us for seven people plus luggage and was lots more fun! Also very reliable--they were waiting at the airport when we arrived and were actually early picking us up at our hotel after the cruise for the ride back to the airport. This was last Jan. Cost was about $90 plus tip ($20) each way.

[Wendi&Max]

I have a very tall 4-1/2 year old. We travel fairly often, so I decided to try out a backless booster for him since it would be easier to lug around than a high backed booster. Well, my concern was validated when I strapped him in... the seatbelt went right across his neck. Not gonna work for him yet. I'm still using the larger one for travel, but have considered getting a folding booster (I think it may be called Compass??? Can't remember right now) they offer a travel case for it as well.

 

Before buying the boosters and taking them along, be sure to test them out with your kids to see how they fit. I'm glad I checked first.

[Kaki321]

The wealth of info and opinions you have all provided is incredible, thanks so much! I need to re-read all the threads closely and then make a decision.

 

Thank you all again so very much!

 

Kaki

[OntarioMom]

Kaki,

 

Hi, i have been in the same situation but today found (after calling) two limo sevices who will provide car seats. I need one for a 2 and a 4 yr old.

 

They are November Limosines http://www.novemberlimousine.com

and Alltrans executive Limo http://www.alltransexecutive.com

 

Doesn't really say anything online but they can get them they told me when i called. All trans hasn't given a quote yet - but November Limo said from Airport to Ybor City (where I am staying the night before cruise) is $50.

 

From my hotel to the peir I am planning to take the trolly in the AM to go to Aquarium - then sending DH back to Hotel late morning to get our bags and meet DD's and I at the Cruise Peir (Aquarium right there).

 

OntarioMom

[CruisinFinsUp]

Thanks OntarioMom,

Thats great - I'll have to bookmark them for the future!

 

There is also a few companies in Orlando (go figure!!) that have carseats in their limos. (just search orlando + limo + car seat)

 

Re FLL - anyone find one there? I called "Larrys Limos" which is a company well referred on these boards, but they do NOT provide any carseats.

[Kaki321]

Kaki,

 

Hi, i have been in the same situation but today found (after calling) two limo sevices who will provide car seats. I need one for a 2 and a 4 yr old.

 

They are November Limosines www.novemberlimousine.com

and Alltrans executive Limo www.alltransexecutive.com

 

Doesn't really say anything online but they can get them they told me when i called. All trans hasn't given a quote yet - but November Limo said from Airport to Ybor City (where I am staying the night before cruise) is $50.

 

From my hotel to the peir I am planning to take the trolly in the AM to go to Aquarium - then sending DH back to Hotel late morning to get our bags and meet DD's and I at the Cruise Peir (Aquarium right there).

 

OntarioMom

 

PERFECT!! I am going to do this for the ride from the pier to the ship.

 

I also checked with a tour company called Island Marketing who does the Jeep rental/Tour in the Caymans, and they provide car seats!

 

Looks like I can leave the carseats behind.