Another car seat question....

[beffiegirl]

I'm sure it's been asked,but I'm wondering if I should bring my car seat on board. (Were driving to florida) We are traveling to belize, costa maya, and cozumel? Do people really bring a car seat with them to the beach for a taxi. My youngest is 8 months old. My husband thinks we should...I think it's weird to take one to the beach plus It will take up room in the cabin.Has someone got a better solution.

[codypaints]

we have never taken car seat with us in the past. we are taking it this friday when we fly down to Port Canaveral. Will use on plane & rental car. Then haul onboard to (hopefully) store under bed (we got a Radian folding FF carseat, FFA approved, LOVE IT) till we return. Then back in rental car & on plane to go home.

 

We have no intentions of using it in port....but we cant survive without our stroller! LOL!:rolleyes:

[MNmomof4]

Your husband is fight. I wouldn't think of putting my children in a car without a car seat. There is room in the closet or under the bed to store a car seat. If you dont want the car seat, then plan excursions that dont involve a car. We are opting to walk everywhere with the double stroller and not have to worry about the safety issues.

[bmccarthy]

On our last cruise, we left the car seat in the rental car at the port. We either walked or took a water taxi, so the car seat wasn't needed. I don't know what ports you are going to, but I wouldn't count on the taxis to have seatbelts in the back. You would probably be better off having your child sit on your lap, just like you would on an airplane or rental car shuttle bus.

[imsulin]

Most of the taxis/vans on shore don't even have seat belts, so a car seat wouldn't be much good. Definitely take a stroller, though!

[cb at sea]

I wouldn't bother with a carseat, either...waaay too much trouble! (Of course, I come from a generation where WE had no seatbelts or carseats---and, yet, we live!!!)

[asylum575]

I wouldn't bother with a carseat, either...waaay too much trouble! (Of course, I come from a generation where WE had no seatbelts or carseats---and, yet, we live!!!)

 

 

Yikes, :eek::eek:

 

I think the safety police will be making a visit:rolleyes:

 

Get ready, it's coming.

[MNmomof4]

Would you really ride in a taxi here with your child on your lap? There shouldn't be a difference with car seats when you are home or on vacation. If you plan your ports properly, you might be able to avoid the car seats altogether.

[beffiegirl]

Thanks for your comments...I've never been to belize or costa maya...so it's hard to say whats in stroller distance, but just was gonna go to a beach for the kids( 9,5,and 8 mo). Has anyone been to either places. Any ideas with what we could do.(water taxi or bus)

[imsulin]

Thanks for your comments...I've never been to belize or costa maya...so it's hard to say whats in stroller distance, but just was gonna go to a beach for the kids( 9,5,and 8 mo). Has anyone been to either places. Any ideas with what we could do.(water taxi or bus)

 

You might want to try the Ports of Call Board to get more specific ideas of beaches within walking distance. Enjoy your cruise!

[boskel129]

We went on a similar cruise two years ago with my niece who was 8 months old. The only time we used the car seat was to get from the airport in Tampa to the hotel. In Belize we toured one of the ruins and were brought there in a bus. The other locations we went there were no places to buckle in the car seats in the vans. We would then just use the front carrier to place her in if needed. The car seat issue will depend on what excursions you plan on doing. We are going on a cruise in a couple of months with my daughter who will be 11 months. I am going to bring the car seat just to be on the safe side. We are still planning our excursions and some of the tour guides that I contacted say they have the means to use the car seat in their vehicle.

 

PS. In Belize there is nothing to look at beside a few shops at the terminal. If you are going to get off to explore you will have to book an excursion.

[green_paper]

Good question - I'm in the same boat (no pun intended) as you. First time going on a cruise with a toddler in April (he will be 2 yrs old). We're flying from Vancouver to LA and we bought him a seat on the plane, so he'll sit in his car seat. Then from the airport to cruise ship terminal, we're probably gonna use his car seat in a taxi. Looks like we'll have to find some place to store his car seat in the cabin... Scary thing is that it's a Britax Marathon (big) and we're in a standard inside cabin (small)!

[crusinmama06]

Yes, we know, we know, a couple of the posters in thread had kids 3 decades ago and they didn't use car seats and they were perfectly fine so why should we? Yes, yes, we all know.

 

 

Costa Maya - we stayed in the port and let the kids play in the pool there. We were one of the first ships there this year after the rebuild. So no one knew what to expect. It was very pretty and with little kids, we didn't need to go anywhere. They had a very big pool area. Squirting water play area for very tiny kids. And loungers were everywhere.

 

So we didn't need to lug a car seat at all into Costa Maya.

 

Belize - Which excursion? There is a city and zoo tour by boat. It was one we had considered. You might want to do a search for it. Many around here have done it. It was a way to avoid using a taxi and taking a car seat because it was traveling by a small boat.

 

Cozumel - We like Passion Island - but it depends on your cruise line. If you are sailing with Royal Caribbean - then you can go to Passion Island because they take a boat to Passion Island - like a small tender boat. If you are sailing with Carnival, Passion Island is not an option because they take the "Twister" - a high speed power boat - no small children allowed ;)

 

So for us, we didn't "need car seats" in those ports because we went on excursions that used water travel or we stayed in the port area. And you can try storing the car seat at the bottom of your closet - as with all things, depends on your cabin, the cruise line and if all else fails - ask your cabin attendant for help :)

 

Happy planning :D

[Citizen Jane]

We use a Ride Safer travel vest (the new model looks even easier to use) for our DD age 6 (almost 7), but I don't know what I would do for the infant. Tough call.

[A&Jfamily]

I'm sure it's been asked,but I'm wondering if I should bring my car seat on board. (Were driving to florida) We are traveling to belize, costa maya, and cozumel? Do people really bring a car seat with them to the beach for a taxi. My youngest is 8 months old. My husband thinks we should...I think it's weird to take one to the beach plus It will take up room in the cabin.Has someone got a better solution.

 

Really, there is no guarantee that you are going to be able to put a car seat in the taxis - Cozumel is very western, so there is a chance. But the problem is you are stuck lugging it around all day.

 

Don't get me wrong - I have used car seats for both my boys - the oldest came out when he turned 8 (he really, really disliked me when he was 7) and my DS 5 still uses his. But, I have never traveled with one in the Carribean. When he was 4, we took a cab ride to Chankanaab in Cozumel and just belted him in. I look at it this way - yes, we our kids are much safer with car seats, bike helmets and wrist pads. But did I have those as a kid? Did my parents? Nope. But, for the most part I have planned excursions that didn't call for one.

 

I agree with Cruisinmama that in Costa Maya, let the kids enjoy the pool and beach. We actually left my youngest on board for the morning and took my oldest on a tour of the ruins. It was great. When we came back in the afternoon, we picked him up and headed to the pool.

 

Belize is a tough one because there isn't much to the port and it appears rough outside the chain link fence. We did book a snorkel trip (boat picked us up right from the ship) to Goff's Caye and I thought that was perfect 'cause you could snorkel from the boat or shore. DH and I just took turn with the kids.

 

If you are going to shop in Cozumel, bring a stroller.

[PR Cruisers]

What about car seats on Miami taxis? They are required, or taxis accept infants w/o car seats?

[imsulin]

Just to clarify something from an older poster like myself. In the early 70's, when our first couple of kids came along, our two cars only had lap seat belts, which weren't retractable. You had to adjust them by hand. Many cars at that time didn't even have seat belts at all, and today's standard car seats hadn't even been invented yet. We used what was called a "bucket seat", which was rear-facing, was restrained only by a lap belt, and had no inside harness at all for the baby. We had to use rolled towels to prop a very young baby. This was a basically new device, and we were glad to have it. A lot of people used the flimsy, plastic "infant seat" and just put the lap belt over it. No shoulder straps or airbags. No seat belt or car seat laws. Please don't criticize those of us who could only use what was available at the time. We did our best with what we had, and reading comments like, "Yes, we know, we know....." is kind of insulting - at least to me. It's very good that there are now laws and car seats that are designed to protect young children! When I visit my grandkids (flying out tomorrow....yay!), I have to re-learn how to operate the two sets of car seats their parents have for each car. Just think - in 30+ years, your equipment will be completely outdated, and when you explain how things were "back then", I'm pretty sure you won't want to hear comments like, "Yes, we know, we know.....yes, we know, we know." Thanks.

[imsulin]

What about car seats on Miami taxis? They are required, or taxis accept infants w/o car seats?

 

They are required, and a taxi driver will not transport you without them.

[c-cruise]

Good question - I'm in the same boat (no pun intended) as you. First time going on a cruise with a toddler in April (he will be 2 yrs old). We're flying from Vancouver to LA and we bought him a seat on the plane, so he'll sit in his car seat. Then from the airport to cruise ship terminal, we're probably gonna use his car seat in a taxi. Looks like we'll have to find some place to store his car seat in the cabin... Scary thing is that it's a Britax Marathon (big) and we're in a standard inside cabin (small)!

 

Do yourself a favor and buy a cheap 2nd car seat and leave the big Britax at home. We did one trip with our Britax and that was quite enough. Went out and bought a cheapo Cosco Scenara with a travel case and have used it for every trip since. We have done 5 cruises with it and our daughter and have always been able to store it away in a cabin closet without issue.

[Jasonmom]

Just my opinion but I'd bring the carseat. I agree with earlier poster that I'd buy a light weight one (check out consumer reports - can get some light weight ones that don't cost much & are rated well).

 

I know in Cozumel we had a seat-belt for carseat

Took a bus without in St. Thomas but still put him in carseat (read somewhere it is safer)

Had seatbelts in Jamaica (stayed at FDR for a week)

Know there were seatbelts when we went to Costa Maya and used carseat

Had seatbelts in Grand Cayman with carseat

 

That is all I can remember for sure.....Terrible I can't remmember which all islands I've taken my now 3 1/2 year old DS with me to.

Do remember waving off atleast one cab somewhere that didn't have seatbelts, but the next one that came by 10 seconds later did have safty belts.

 

Couldn't tell ya much about the latch system in Carribian as our car seat was actually rated safer with seatbelts over the latch system.

 

I've worked in an ER for about 18 months. If you'd ever sean what I have you wouldn't ask this question.:(

 

But I think that people who ask, are looking for what is best for their family. Therefor I reccommend taking and using the car seat whenever possible