how to get child to hotel without a car seat

This may be a stupid question, but I cannot figure out how to get my baby to the hotel the night before the cruise if we don't have a car seat. We will be staying one night before boarding the ship. Has anyone traveled by taxi or shuttle in Florida without the car seat? He will be 17 months at the time of the trip.

Thanks in advance for any insight.

We have rented a car with a car seat and paid for a limo service with a car seat. Both worked well.

I hesitated to post this, as car seat safety is often a very touchy subject, but... The short (and blunt) answer is that you should never travel anywhere with an infant without a car seat. The safest solution is to purchase your child a full seat on the plane and bring your car seat onboard with you to safely secure your child for the flight (you can then use your own car seat in whatever taxi or rental car you use to get to your hotel and the cruise port). If you do decide to rent a car seat for the ride to your hotel, make sure to specify the age of the child so you don't end up with a toddler-sized booster and insist on removing the cover and closely inspecting the seat for damage prior to accepting it, because the rental companies almost never inspect the seats themselves. Check the expiration date printed on the side of the seat as well, and if you have a smartphone or some other means of accessing the Internet while you're at the rental desk, check for recalls on the seat they give you.

I highly recommend checking out Car Seats For the Littles, http://csftl.org/, for expert advice on all things car seat related. Specifically, you'll find several applicable articles athttp://csftl.org/resources/archives/travel-archive/.

I thought about this all night I kept going back and forth in my mind thinking about It. I'm sure there are people that don't bring that car seat and just hope for the best but in the long run it is his safety that's most important so an extra plane ticket it is that way he can have his own car seat for any taxi or Shuttle we're going to take. thank you for the tips I really appreciate.

There is no legal way you can take the child to the hotel in a rented car or a taxi without a car seat. I agree with the post about car seats being needed on the plane as well. IF there is an empty seat on the plane (rare these days), the airline will give it to you and allow you to place the child and car seat in it. The will reorganize seating to put you with the child. The safer way is to purchase a seat for the child. The car seat travels free. That way, you have a much calmer child who is in a seat they are familiar with. It always amazes me that parents who would never think of taking a child in a car without the car seat have no problem with holding the same child on their lap on a plane. Either one is totally safe IF NOTHING HAPPENS. And either can be deadly in an accident.

Budget at Cape Canaveral used to allow you to tag your car seat (and bag it if you choose) and they would store it for you provided you had a Budget rental at each end of your trip. This means you wouldn't have to take it on the ship with you. If you choose this, do call the local office and be sure this service is still available. Take a large bag in your carry on to the seat is kept clean while you are cruising.

You don't!!

It just isn't worth it to ignore the car seat...there is good advice here about getting where you need to be with a car seat. For sure this is a common concern that transportation providers have encountered many times, especially in and around the land of the Mouse

There is no legal way you can take the child to the hotel in a rented car or a taxi without a car seat.

Let's clear this up according to the laws in Florida.

If you rent or drive your own car in Florida, you must have an approved car seat for your child(ren).

If you hire a shuttle or taxi with a professional/paid driver, the law only requires parents to accept responsibility for the safety of their children. It does not require the use of a car seat.

Shuttle buses require no carseat...so that's the way to go.

Shuttle buses require no carseat...so that's the way to go.

True, shuttle buses don't require a car seat. Neither do planes. Which brings us back to the question as to whether a parent is interested in complying with the law or is concerned about the safety of the child.

For a long time, my daughter was convinced that the car wouldn't start until she was secured in her car seat. Note--I said "wouldn't," not "couldn't." Flip side...I'm old. I grew up in an era before most cars had seat belts and car seats were unheard of. And most of us survived.

Again--legal status vs. safety. Or both. Parents need to decide.

At most island ports, the vehicles do not have car seats and if you bring your own, it may not be able to be installed correctly.

This may be a stupid question, but I cannot figure out how to get my baby to the hotel the night before the cruise if we don't have a car seat. We will be staying one night before boarding the ship. Has anyone traveled by taxi or shuttle in Florida without the car seat? He will be 17 months at the time of the trip.

Thanks in advance for any insight.

OP - no lecture or unsolicited advice here - just an answer to your question. Do what I did: I hired a town car (limo) with a car seat inside. It was an extra 5$ or 10$ for the car seat. Or call a taxi service that provide car seats.

Private transportation usually carries it, I would contact whichever shuttle company you are considering and find out. But it would be best to bring your own car seat, especially if you plan on doing some excursions on the islands that require transportation as well.

Stay at the Hyatt Regency Orlando Airport and take DCL transportation. No car seats needed because you don't leave the airport.

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Would the Disney bus work? We are wanting to cruise next year when my daughter is 3. I definitely don't want to drag around a heavy car seat. I'm guessing that car seats aren't used in the buses?

Would the Disney bus work? We are wanting to cruise next year when my daughter is 3. I definitely don't want to drag around a heavy car seat. I'm guessing that car seats aren't used in the buses?

Correct, car seats are not required in buses.

Yes, this does seem to be a subject with passionate, emotional responses at times.

We now never travel without a grandchild in tow. They keep us young!

The car seat issue is a tough one. We never travel in a car without buckling the Littles in securely. When we travel, we will typically rent a car and car seats.

I always struggled with the inavailability of car seats in taxis (in some countries) and shuttles or buses. I read a cogent argument for the safety of taxis/shuttles/buses as opposed to cars that eased my mind. I can't remember all the detail, but here are some of the points:

• Taxis, shuttles, and buses employ professional drivers who are familiar with the area (this was the weakest point for me)
  
• Shuttles & Buses are quite a bit larger than other vehicles on the road and so less likely to sustain damage (to either vehicle or passengers) in the event of an accident
  
• Buses and shuttles tend to move slower than smaller vehicles on the road
  

None of the city buses - to my knowledge - and most of the school buses in my city come equipped with seat belts for all passengers. I suspect this is the case in most cities.

Whilst others have identified the legal aspect of this above, I'd also like to put your mind at rest about the safety aspect.

That said, when we travel, we always try to have a situation where the Littles are buckled in.

depending on the size of your child, you can use one of these safety vest type of devices. Ours was a petite 18 month old so we took her Graco carseat, but on later trips when she weighed more/was bigger we got this:

http://www.amazon.com/Safe-Traffic-System-Travel-Booster/dp/B00KBWZM3C?ie=UTF8&keywords=safe%20rider%20travel%20vest&qid=1465410291&ref_=sr_1_1_s_it&s=baby-products&sr=1-1

This may be a stupid question, but I cannot figure out how to get my baby to the hotel the night before the cruise if we don't have a car seat. We will be staying one night before boarding the ship. Has anyone traveled by taxi or shuttle in Florida without the car seat? He will be 17 months at the time of the trip.

Thanks in advance for any insight.

OP - For most of North America legally you don't need a car seat for an infant in a taxi. A quick Google of your destination will tell you that. However that won't protect your child. Yes, it's a pain in the ass the drag a car seat around. My family doesn't drive, we don't own a car. We do own a very expensive car seat with a travel case. We've used it four times. Only once in our own city! It's been dragged through airports, bus stations, on and off trains. You won't be the only parents you see dragging one along. This is a decision only you can make. There are lots of great alternatives on here for finding an in Florida solution. Good luck!!

Would the Disney bus work? We are wanting to cruise next year when my daughter is 3. I definitely don't want to drag around a heavy car seat. I'm guessing that car seats aren't used in the buses?

Aidansaunt2004 - If your DD is going to be 3 look into a car seat alternative called: Ride Safer Vest. She will need to meet the height and weight requirements for the vest but it is an alternative for kids 3 and over. As with my advice above it's a decision only you can make, but at least you can have another possibility to put on the table. We used one for our DD on our last cruise, and it worked out very well. Have fun!