Car Seat at Ports?

I need some advice regarding whether we should take our 2 year old's car seat with us at Cozumel & Grand Cayman.

Cozumel - Going to Nachi Cocom & will need to take a taxi to & from. Are there even seat belts in the taxis?

Grand Cayman - Moby Tick stingray tour. Shuttle to & from and taxi back to ship.

Thanks for your help.

No, Cozumel at least isn't very far. All you need to do is promise the driver a big tip if he doesn't go over 20mph - it's much less hassle than carrying a car seat round with you.

I know there are some who will wrap their kids in bubble wrap to keep them safe and sound every single second of every single day.....

For those short trips, I wouldn't bother. See, we grew up with no carseats...or even, seatbelts, and guess what...we're still here! Alive and kicking!

The shuttle won't have seatbelts...it's a bus.

Unless you need it on a plane, I wouldn't bother.

That was my thought on those ports too. We're brining the car seat with us as we will need it for taxis to & from airport and hotel in Tampa. Don't need it for the plane as we have a CARES harness. We are taking a city tour in Roatan with Victor Bodden tours, so we are definitely taking it there.

See, we grew up with no carseats...or even, seatbelts, and guess what...we're still here! Alive and kicking!

That's because the one's that didn't make it can't post. Not a great argument.

It's like saying that because something worked 30 yrs ago that it's good enough now, despite evidence that there are better options.

To the original poster, there are many threads debating this topic and delineating both sides well. It is then up to you.

We're also going to Mexican ports, and yes our car seats are coming with us. To us it is part of travelling with small children.

Some silly posts never cease to amaze.

Of course you should bring the car seats. Yes, cabs have seat belts. If you run into one that doesn't, choose another cab. Driving slowly does not mean you won't be in an accident.

You wouldn't drive at home w/o using a child restraint system, would you? Why in the world would you consider not doing so because you are on vacation? Kids can be a PITA; hauling around a car seat is one of the easier things you'll have to deal with.

I know there are some who will wrap their kids in bubble wrap to keep them safe and sound every single second of every single day.....

For those short trips, I wouldn't bother. See, we grew up with no carseats...or even, seatbelts, and guess what...we're still here! Alive and kicking!

The shuttle won't have seatbelts...it's a bus.

Unless you need it on a plane, I wouldn't bother.

Well, the dead ones can't post about how they wished their parents had used car seats, can they? Not to get all overly dramatic, but I hate when people use that as an argument. It's totally non-sensical.

Really, it's up to you. We go to Cozumel for a week every spring. Taxis are plentiful and ALL have seat belts. Generally, I would not consider driving anywhere without a car seat but I'm a physician in a children's hospital and I see the results of unrestrained kids and babies in accidents and it's not pretty. I might for an EXCEPTIONALLY short trip on a bus make an exception, but not in a smaller regular car that doesn't have physics on its side in the even of a collision like a bus would

One more thing to consider, if you child does get injured or in a car accident, there are not ambulances or helicopters available to rapidly get them to a level 1 trauma center or major regional children's hospital and stabilize them. It's rather ironic that you're probably better off forgoing the car seat in the US than in Mexico or the Caribbean in that sense.

Yeah it sucks to lug a carseat around and you may regret bringing it if nothing happens, but should something happen I guarantee that you will not regret the extra effort. DS should still be able to use his infant seat when we cruise for his 1st birthday and if he can't I plan on buying a cheap lightweight seat to take with us. There is no way that I'm lugging our Britax around, but having seen the drivers in those ports we will definitely take something.

I like the way you think ;), we must have been posting at the same time.

There is something to be said for those of us who work in health care and see what happens when people (kids and adults) don't use restraints. No we're not crazy for insisting our kids wear helmets, use restraints in vehicles at all times etc. Like you, I've seen the results when these safety devices are not used, and I'd never want my child in that situation.

So I lug the car seats around the world. Our kids are worth it.

Well, the dead ones can't post about how they wished their parents had used car seats, can they? Not to get all overly dramatic, but I hate when people use that as an argument. It's totally non-sensical.

Heyyyy, that's my line. :p:D

I swear I get tired of typing it. So THANK YOU! CB will always give the same response. "We're still here!"

We'll DUH! LOL!!!! Thanks for the laugh of the day! I am glad there are others who think like me. With some common sense. ;):D

I know there are some who will wrap their kids in bubble wrap to keep them safe and sound every single second of every single day.....

For those short trips, I wouldn't bother. See, we grew up with no carseats...or even, seatbelts, and guess what...we're still here! Alive and kicking!

The shuttle won't have seatbelts...it's a bus.

Unless you need it on a plane, I wouldn't bother.

Yep, most of us are here. But if car seats had been readily available and required, maybe I wouldn't have a big scar running through my right eyebrow, wouldn't have nearly lost my eye at the age of 4, and wouldn't have--to this day--full recall of the pain of my injuries and the fright of having a doctor hover over me. Maybe I would, but I probably wouldn't.

There are some things that are quite logically the right thing to do. It's not wrapping a child in bubble wrap to use such a basic safety measure. Will something happen if they don't? Probably not. But I can't imagine having to live with the consequences if it does.

beachchick

I don't know why I struggled with the car seat issue. If something happened to my daughter...ESPECIALLY when we had a choice to use a car seat and didn't....I wouldn't be able to live with myself.

After having no luck finding a 'portable' car seat (any I considered were sold out all over the internet) I chose to buy a 'carrier' for the seat (we sit her facing forward in her stroller so she can check out everyone/everything). No...I don't want to lug around the seat, but with a 'carrier' (Gogobabyz) we won't have to, and our daughter will be in her car seat for every taxi ride.

Sandi

If something happened to my daughter...ESPECIALLY when we had a choice to use a car seat and didn't....I wouldn't be able to live with myself.

Yep, that's why we all do it. :) Good choice mama! :D

If you are looking for a lightweight car seat, we LOVE our Combi Cocorro. It's small and only has a 40lb weight limit, so it won't last as long as some other seats (like our Britax Marathon or Graco Nautilus), but the thing is so LIGHT that it's a breeze to carry. We love it for travel and I'll cry when my 3yo outgrows it.

We are cruising with our kids in August and will bring the Cocorro for the 3yo and a BubbleBum booster for our 6yo (who rides in a High Back Booster at home)

I don't know why I struggled with the car seat issue. If something happened to my daughter...ESPECIALLY when we had a choice to use a car seat and didn't....I wouldn't be able to live with myself.

 

After having no luck finding a 'portable' car seat (any I considered were sold out all over the internet) I chose to buy a 'carrier' for the seat (we sit her facing forward in her stroller so she can check out everyone/everything). No...I don't want to lug around the seat, but with a 'carrier' (Gogobabyz) we won't have to, and our daughter will be in her car seat for every taxi ride.

Sandi

Because you're human. We all have those moments.

beachchick

The cosco scenera is also another cheap option for travel though we actually use ours full time as well. Only about $60 and can be used rear or forward uo to 40 lbs. It conveniently comes in a plastic zipper bag with a carrier handle for travel.

Thank you all for your replies. I know this issue is hot topic, but my intention was to hear from those who have gone to the same ports &/or same excursions and hear how they handled the situation. I never think of my son as a PITA. Dragging the car seat is, but we're doing it. Just don't want to bring it if we won't be able to use it.

We did Moby Dick tours just this March(2011) The bus is an old school bus so there were no seat belts.

Thank you all for your replies. I know this issue is hot topic, but my intention was to hear from those who have gone to the same ports &/or same excursions and hear how they handled the situation. I never think of my son as a PITA. Dragging the car seat is, but we're doing it. Just don't want to bring it if we won't be able to use it.

Yes, Cozumel and Grand Caymen both have taxis with seatbelts. We've been to both. And used car seats in the taxis.

Some taxis have seats that convert to car seats and some taxis have the part that the kid sits on to ride higher and then use the regular sets belt. Depends on age of child and what is safe. Of course, some don't have either. I've drug our car seat all over so our son will be safe.

My mom needs a seat for her car. I think I'm going to get this one and use it for travel.

http://www.amazon.com/Sunshine-Kids-Radian65-Convertible-Seat/dp/B000G7YM0Q/ref=sr_1_4?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1310732666&sr=1-4

We cruise next summer and it looks like it will be less awkward even than the Scenera the Godparents have that I used on the plane last year.