Getting to the Ship with Babies

[agridealer]

Does anyone know what the laws are pertaining to getting from the airport to the hotel and pier with under 2 year-old children are? We are flying to Miami and staying overnight before departure on the cruise. Would prefer to not take the carseat if not absolutely necessary, as it will serve no purpose the majority of the cruise!

[SusieQT]

How are you getting to the hotel and pier? Rental car companies also rent car seats (you have to pay for them). If a big bus that the cruise lines use, there is no way to secure a car seat, so they are not needed.

 

I don't know about a taxi.

[Guest Time2gocruzn]

We are staying at a hotel in Tampa the night b4 that has a shuttle to the hotel in from the airport, to the port, and to the airport after the cruise. I called them and asked them what their policy was...I s/w the manager and he actually went and asked the van driver. He said that they do not require them in their shuttle van. I have no idea if that is a law or just their policy. I asked about taxis in tampa b4 I knew we were staying at this hotel and a TA told me.."don't worry about it somebody (meaning a taxi driver) will take your $$" but I was a little nervous to chance it and not be able to get a ride:eek: .

 

NOW the hotel I am staying at in KC, Mo b4 I fly to Tampa DOES require them in their van. We are parking in their long term parking and they told me I could use my seats for the ride to the airport and they would store them for me while I am gone, and just to be sure to tell them to throw em in for me when we call to be picked up.

[michelle10863]

Don't know how big your baby is, but One Step Ahead http://www.onestepahead.com has a small portable carseat. It is basically a backboard with a 5 point restraint, about the size of a notebook. It turns any seatbelt into a 5 point restraint. It is only forward facing so it won't work with a small infant. But it runs about $20 and might solve your problem. It's called the tote 'n go. I have also seen them on eBay for less.

 

If you use the bus transfers you can buy thru the cruiseline there are no seatbelts so no way to use a carseat. But with a taxi you might get stuck. I would rather spend the $20 and have something then to get stuck.

[katondeck]

Due to flight delays we ended up in Tampa for a night before the cruise and Fort Lauderdale for three extra days. I am not happy about it but none of the shuttles or taxi's we were in even mentioned a car seat. We all got home safe.

[agridealer]

Thanks for the tips!

 

Thanks Kat...Is there a post I've done that you haven't been able to help me with yet??? ;)

[Girlsnightout]

Taxi's, busses and shuttles are exempt from having to use car seats. If you're in NYC you never see a baby in a car seat in the back of a cab...

 

We've traveled all over with babies and toddlers and never brought a car seat. Sometimes you have to just go with the flow, heck, none of us ever sat in a carseat decades ago and we survived.;)

[AmyinVail]

When we took our then 9 mos old on the NCL Dawn, we took her stroller/carseat system. On the plane, we secured her seat to her chair, same in the car we had that picked us up from the airport (flew into FLL, private car to Miami-was actually less money). We used it in the cab to the pier, too. She loved to be rocked in her car seat, and we would just "snap" it into the stroller at port. I'm a little bit of a safety nut - so I wouldn't feel right without proper safety precautions for my little ones, whether the law required it or not. I am going to pick up that onestepahead portable seat someone mentioned here.....she's 2 now and going on HAL this April!! Thanks for the tip!

[savdoc2]

We have never used a car seat in any type of hotel shuttle van or bus. When we went to Miami this time we rented a Grand Caravan and it had the integrated car seat in it. But on all the shuttles to and from the airports (DD has flown 31 flights) all over the country, we have her in her stroller and just put the stroller and in the van/bus. We always set the brakes and hold on - probably not the safest in an accident I will admit, but that is what we do.

 

djklove - FYI, our home airport is Kansas City. I am not sure if you live in the area and are just using the hotel for their long term parking or are driving in from somewhere and need the room, but we have used Thrifty Car Rental Parking for long term parking in the past, but now the airport has a new long-term parking area that is wonderful. I think it is $5/day and we have never had a problem - we are there about once a month.