The great car seat debate

[cryce]

I know this post will draw both helpful and not-so-helpful replies, but bear with me :o

 

My husband and I (along with his entire extended family!) are cruising on the Mariner Dec 20/09 to the Mexican Riviera with our baby, who will be almost 7-months old by then (I'm due ANY day now :). He/she will still be in an infant "bucket" style car seat - we have the Graco Safeseat - which says it can be used with or without the base. We do not have a travel system/stroller combo. We will not be paying for an extra seat on the plane trip down from Vancouver; it is very common for infants to ride on laps so please no comments on "endangering" my child in the air.

 

We are considering taking the RCI transfers from LAX to the pier, which I'm told uses motorcoaches and therefore car seats are unable to be secured. When in Port, we ideally would like to walk from the ship (ie no taxis) so no car seat needed there either. Given this info, what WOULD we need the car seat for? I'm all for bringing it, just unsure when we would actually need it.

 

Will we regret not having it at the ports? Do people REALLY haul carseats around while they sightsee? I'm curious to hear from those of you who have sailed with an infant on this itinerary - what is actually done and what is realistic? Also, for those who have brought infant carseats to use in shuttles, taxis, etc. how easy are they to secure? Do excursion shuttles and taxis in Mexico have proper seatbelts? An improperly secured carseat is as bad as no carseat, in my opinion. We would rather stay on the ship or sightsee on our own walking.

 

Oh, and this is quoted directly from RCI: "Depending on the specific excursion, infants within a range on/or about ages 0 to 3 years old (unless tour specifies differently) must sit on a parent's lap during transport".

 

Any advice greatly appreciated.

[venusjems]

I really cant comment for most of your questions, because i have never taken my children on a cruise until this september. I just wanted to say that my baby was out of that Infant carrier bucket seat thing when he was about 3 months old. He weighed 8lbs 13oz at birth (the scan said he was 7lbs 6 oz :eek: one week prior to being induced) and he is now just 8 months old and huge. I couldnt imagine carrying him around in one of those infant seats (which by the way, gave me callouses everytime i carried him in that).

 

If your 7 month old is anything like mine, he LOVES to be in a hip slinger or on daddy's back in the backpack thing. I love the hip slinger it doesnt hurt my back as much as the backpack.

 

I would just take an umbrella stroller for him/her that reclines for the port. I am not planning on taking a booster seat or car seat, the tours i am going on they are in busses and dont have seatbelts (i called and asked). If i was going to get in a taxi and drive on an interstate or somewhere where you go fast fast fast i would be more afraid of not having one.

 

Sorry if i rambled!

[cb at sea]

I, too, would forgo the carseat---for the short time you might be in ground transportation, the ODDS of anything happening are quite small....I know---all it takes is once, but I agree that lugging that around when you're NOT in a vehicle would be a total pain. Buses have no seat belts, nor do the tenders, or trolleys....taxis will, but whether they're even functioning....now that's the question!

[Kerry's Girls]

I've done the Mexican Riviera with my twins five times (from ages 13 months to almost 4 years) and never taken the car seats. To me, one of the joys of cruising the Mex Riviera is leaving the car seats at home. At the same time, I would not take my girls in a taxi or car transportation without the car seats, so we just make other plans. Just make sure your stroller has a large sun cover and your baby is well protected from the sun with clothing/hat, etc.

 

Puerto Vallarta - the Krystal Resort is an easy walk and is a wonderful way to spend the day. They have umbrellas at the pool and on the beach.

 

Mazatalan - you can walk to the ferry that takes you to Stone Island and enjoy a beach day there (most ship excursions in Mazatlan utilize local taxis, and I would NOT do this without a car seat). Though you will need a sun tent or something to protect the baby from the sun.

 

Cabo - Take one of the boat tours that leaves from the dock, or take a walk around the dock and into town.

 

Best,

Mia

[nothriver]

1) If there is an open seat on the plane, they will let you use it for your child/carseat. Aside from safely, you and your child will be much more comfortable with the baby in their own carseat in their own seat. The drawback of this is that if you can't use the carseat on the plane, it could be damaged by baggage handling. If you ever need to check a carseat, use the gate check where the handle it manually, instead of checking it at the counter where it will go through automated baggage mangleling machinies.:eek:

 

2) You need a carseat for any taxi ride. In a taxi, you need to be buckled in and so do your children. If you will be using any taxi, you'll need to take your carseat. If a taxi comes along that doesn't have seatbelts, wait for the next one.

 

3) Busses, however, are much safer than passanger vehicles. Research your destinations, can you get where you want to go on foot or on a bus? Are you willing to skip destinations that require the use of a taxi? If so, then leave the carseat at home.

 

If you don't need it, you don't need to take it. :)

 

IF you do decide to travel with a carseat, you don't have to take the bucket seat. I travel with a Costco Scenera, I got mine on sale for $40. It is a cheap lightweight seat. If it gets damaged, no problem. While it isn't super comfortable, it is lightweight and easy to carry through the airport. You can install it rear facing on the plane. It is pretty easy to install in taxis, too.

 

Hope that helps somewhat. Ultimately, only you can decide.

 

car-seat.org is a WONDERFUL resource for any and all information regarding carseats. You might want to bookmark it, if you don't need them now, you might need them in years to come. :)

[boilermaker98]

I'm very strict about car seat use and I wouldn't take it :)

 

Even if there is an empty seat on the plane, there is no garauntee it will be next to you and many airlines nowadays are not helpful in relocating seats for that. You can however call ahead and ask them to specially tag the seat as last fill.

[crusinmama06]

Nope, I wouldn't take it either. :) And I am usually the one around here telling parents to bring them. ;)

 

In this case, it seems like you have all of the details worked out. You are on bus transfers, so you are right, no car seat.

 

Mia gave you ways to get around the ports with no seats. So it sounds like you can do this. Enjoy your cruise. :D

[Ula]

And to add, many cabs in Mexico do not have Seat Belts so no way to secure the seat. This Mexico cruise you are on you really can walk around most ports. I think we have done it four times.

[bigpuma]

Cabo - Take one of the boat tours that leaves from the dock' date=' or take a walk around the dock and into town.

 

[/quote']

 

When we went to Cabo with my son who was 18 months at the time we just took a water taxi to The Office and let him play in the sand. I like your ideas and I wish I had known them when we went on this cruise.

[lmg1230]

We have travelled with and without car seats depending on whether we were going to need them at the other end. Just wanted to add that you need to take into consideration whether you need it to travel to the airport. We have found that some cities have airport limo companies that will provide a carseat. I remember, for example, that when flying Toronto to Vancouver for our Alaska cruise that we had a limo company in Vancouver pick us up at the airport with a carseat as we didn't need one for any of the excursions or the cruisetour that we did after the cruise.

Lisa

[Kingisacruiser]

I would bring it, if it is the type I think you are talking about (can be used with travel sysems, portable). Not for the normal purpose of securing the baby in transport but so that he can have somewhere to sit comfortably while on the cruise. For example, in the dining room, by the pool and even in the stateroom, unless the plan is to keep him in the crib while in the stateroom. But this is just my opinion.

[crusinmama06]

I would bring it. Not for the normal purpose of securing the baby in transport but so that he can have somewhere to sit comfortably while on the cruise. For example, in the dining room, by the pool and even in the stateroom, unless the plan is to keep him in the crib while in the stateroom. But this is just my opinion.

 

I do agree with this, if the OP isn't bringing a stroller. I have done both.

 

I liked having that carrier car seat with me so I could sit my daughter at dinner.

[Lady_Jag]

In your case, I think a good front baby carrier that straps to you might be your best bet. It is light and fits easily in a suitcase, and in areas where there are no vehicle seatbelts, or only lap belts, at least your baby is secured to you.

 

Do check the height and weight restrictions of them, though. My baby was always a teeny thing (5 pound, 6 ounces at birth), so she fit into a lot of infant things longer than most.

[lephysteria]

I just wanted to say that my baby was out of that Infant carrier bucket seat thing when he was about 3 months old. He weighed 8lbs 13oz at birth (the scan said he was 7lbs 6 oz :eek: one week prior to being induced) and he is now just 8 months old and huge. I couldnt imagine carrying him around in one of those infant seats (which by the way, gave me callouses everytime i carried him in that).

 

I would just take an umbrella stroller for him/her that reclines for the port. I am not planning on taking a booster seat or car seat, the tours i am going on they are in busses and dont have seatbelts (i called and asked).

 

I think venusjems and I had the same type of baby.

James was 8,1 at birth and at 9 months he's 23-25 lbs (no two scales say the same weight).

 

Anyhoo, we just got off the Splendor and I am SOOOOOOOOOO glad we didn't take his Graco base/travel system seat.

James is way heavy on his own, and to have to carry him in that seat, omg your arm falls off.

We did make one mistake ... we took our huge ass travel system stroller. That Graco Deco travel system stroller was too wide for the cabin doors, too wide for the closet, too tall to fit under the bed, and too big to store in the cabin! Ugh! We WISH we would have taken an umbrella stroller along. It would have made things much easier. If James ever DID nap while being carted around we could have just tilted the stroller back on its hind legs to "lay" him down flat ... ish.

 

But anyhow, we went on 1 tour in Victoria, on a huge motorcoach bus and james was fine to sleep in our arms the entire way there and back. There were also 4 other babies (under 1 year old) on the bus with us, and they all sat on their parents laps too. There were seat belts on the bus and while we wore ours, there was no seat belt for the baby, but actually James rested on Naren's arm, which was almost laying against the seatback in front of us, as there was almost NO legroom on that coach.

The strollers went underneath the bus for storage.

 

At dinnertime, James sat either in his highchair, or rested on our shoulder/lap until we left the dining room. he didn't cry, just fussed to be out of his seat and into our lap. If you have a baby bjorn and your baby likes to be carted around in that once you deliver (congratulations, btw) then I think that's a fantastic way to carry baby around.

 

I was pleased to learn that Carnival rents strollers for $20 at Camp Carnival for the entire voyage. So thats a good thing to know! :)

[kebhouse]

yeah- don't take the car seat. A bucket seat would NOT be fun to haul around and as long as you aren't taking a taxi or personal car, you have no need for it. You can't use it on a bus or shuttle (it would just become a flying torpedo in the event of an accident). And trust me, by that age, you don't want to be carrying it with your kid in it. My daughter outgrew her Graco long before 7 months. By that age, he/she will be able to sit up enough to use a regular stroller, and my daughter was using a high chair by then, though not all 7 month olds will be able to sit up enough for that by then.

[Nebr.cruiser]

In your situation, I probably wouldn't take one either.

 

Also, since you say the baby will be 7 months of age, just remember that babies vary drastically in how active they are at that age. One of our granddaughters, who did every thing early, was actually walking around things and trying out a few steps at that age. There is no way she would have been happy in a bucket-type carseat at dinner, in the cabin or at the pool, etc. You just may end up with an active baby like this, who won't sit for that long--there's no way to know. She would never have been happy in a baby sling or backpack either, at that age.

 

I'd bring an umbrella stroller for sure, though.

[MinnieGi]

As others have said your baby will NOT be in a bucket seat at 7 months. They outgrow them pretty fast. Even my first born who was only 6.5 lbs. at birth was out of it by 5-6 months. Its mostly b/c of height they outgrow them. And they get terribly cumbersome as they get heavier to tug around.

 

I suggest a front carrier like Baby Bjorn & a reclining umbrella stroller. My kids all loved the view from their Baby Bjorn. :) ALthough reclining umbrella strollers are hard to find they are great. Mine is compact but still has a storage basket underneath and reclines. While its not as plushy as the big travel system ones, it works great for small spaces and that storage basket is sooooo key!!! Mine is from Graco and has a Minnie/Mickey pattern on it, its quite a few years old but I'm sure they still make ones that are similiar.

[Julienatul]

I know this post will draw both helpful and not-so-helpful replies, but bear with me :o

 

My husband and I (along with his entire extended family!) are cruising on the Mariner Dec 20/09 to the Mexican Riviera with our baby, who will be almost 7-months old by then (I'm due ANY day now :). He/she will still be in an infant "bucket" style car seat - we have the Graco Safeseat - which says it can be used with or without the base. We do not have a travel system/stroller combo. We will not be paying for an extra seat on the plane trip down from Vancouver; it is very common for infants to ride on laps so please no comments on "endangering" my child in the air.

 

We are considering taking the RCI transfers from LAX to the pier, which I'm told uses motorcoaches and therefore car seats are unable to be secured. When in Port, we ideally would like to walk from the ship (ie no taxis) so no car seat needed there either. Given this info, what WOULD we need the car seat for? I'm all for bringing it, just unsure when we would actually need it.

 

Will we regret not having it at the ports? Do people REALLY haul carseats around while they sightsee? I'm curious to hear from those of you who have sailed with an infant on this itinerary - what is actually done and what is realistic? Also, for those who have brought infant carseats to use in shuttles, taxis, etc. how easy are they to secure? Do excursion shuttles and taxis in Mexico have proper seatbelts? An improperly secured carseat is as bad as no carseat, in my opinion. We would rather stay on the ship or sightsee on our own walking.

 

Oh, and this is quoted directly from RCI: "Depending on the specific excursion, infants within a range on/or about ages 0 to 3 years old (unless tour specifies differently) must sit on a parent's lap during transport".

 

Any advice greatly appreciated.

 

We started cruising with our DD at 7 months and we did take the bucket seat without the base but it was terrible to lug around and we hardly used it. It was too big to fit in the closet in the cabin and took up alot of space. We tried finding a taxi in mexico with seat belts and after 30-45min gave up because most either didnt have them or were broken. The rest of the port we just walked around so we didnt need it. When we sailed at 12mo, 18mo, 24mo and 27mo we didnt bother to bring it and have never missed it. Although I have to say, we rarely take taxi's. Its either a shuttle bus or just walking around in the ports. We are cruising with our new DS who will be 8mo this August and I can tell you we wont be bringing it. He is a huge baby too (already 16.5# at 4mo)! I can barely carry him now in the carseat so I know for sure he wont be in the infant seat when he is 8 mo. Do whatever you think is best. If you will be taking alot of taxi's bring it, if not dont worry about it.

[bigpuma]

As others have said your baby will NOT be in a bucket seat at 7 months.

 

Our son used his bucket seat until around his first birthday and our 9 month old daughter is still in hers so I don't think you can guarantee this. I agree though that the kid may be too big for it. That said I wouldn't bother travelling with it.

 

I suggest a front carrier like Baby Bjorn & a reclining umbrella stroller. My kids all loved the view from their Baby Bjorn. :) ALthough reclining umbrella strollers are hard to find they are great. Mine is compact but still has a storage basket underneath and reclines. While its not as plushy as the big travel system ones, it works great for small spaces and that storage basket is sooooo key!!! Mine is from Graco and has a Minnie/Mickey pattern on it, its quite a few years old but I'm sure they still make ones that are similiar.

 

Great Suggestions.

[dreaminofsun]

Our son used his bucket seat until around his first birthday and our 9 month old daughter is still in hers so I don't think you can guarantee this. I agree though that the kid may be too big for it. That said I wouldn't bother travelling with it.

 

You should check your manual because most bucket seats are only made for babies up to 26 inches long. A lot of people keep their babies in bucket seats longer than they should because they think their baby is still within the weight limit but if they are over 26 inches long then it doesn't matter how much they weigh, they are too big for the seat.

Also since we are talking about bucket seats I should also mention that they are meant for travelling only. Babies shouldn't be left in the seat to nap/eat etc. as their have been recent studies that link infant deaths to this.

[Splash85]

We went back and forth about taking a car seat for our 14 month old last month. I am so glad that we decided NOT to bring it. We took buses everywhere and it worked out just fine. We borrowed an ergo carrier from a friend and loved it so much that we ended up buying one when we got home. It fit in our carry on and you can barely feel the weight of the baby when wearing it (my son is 27 pounds). I know it could have been in my head but it felt safer too. He was generally strapped to my husband or me for any flights os bus rides.

 

Congratulations, parenthood rocks!