Car seats?

[Chris64]

Haven't been able to find a thread on this, so going to ask away.

We will be cruising with our DD, SIL and grandson in May. Grandson will be 9 months old. What do we do about a car seat in the taxi's in port? We will be visiting Cayman and Cozumel if that helps. We would like to go places, but strongly believe in using car seats, but as always want our cake and eat it too (don't want to carry our car seat from home).

Any idea's knowledge on this?

Thanks!

[cb at sea]

If you want to be sure of a carseat, bring it and hope to find a taxi with seatbelts!

 

If you use a bus, there is no way to attach a carseat, so none is needed or required.

[firefly333]

Many parents carry a portable car seat from home just for the reason cb mentioned .. not provided overseas.

[serene56]

In grand cayman you will be tendering into the port by the way of a smaller boat- no seatbelts there either.

[Lady_Jag]

Never be afraid to request a taxi with seat belts, even if it means you might have to wait a little longer to get a cab.

 

A good backup plan would be a wearable baby carrier that you can wear in front. (For water taxis and tenders.)

[Julienatul]

Mexico has taxi's with seatbelts just ask for one. If the first one doesnt pass it up for the next one. We have used our seats there. In Grand cayman, I am not sure because we took a bus tour and there were no seat belts we just held the kids on our lap.I am sure they have taxi's with seat belts there too. They are very industrialized.

[fdwt994]

Never be afraid to request a taxi with seat belts, even if it means you might have to wait a little longer to get a cab.

 

A good backup plan would be a wearable baby carrier that you can wear in front. (For water taxis and tenders.)

 

I don't understand what you mean about the wearable baby carrier. It won't make the child any safer, so why do you consider it a good backup plan? :confused:

 

(not challenging you, just trying to understand you better.) :)

[fdwt994]

Can anyone recommend a good portable child seat?

 

Is there a convenient place to store it in the cabin?

[lisaland15]

I don't understand what you mean about the wearable baby carrier. It won't make the child any safer, so why do you consider it a good backup plan? :confused:

 

(not challenging you, just trying to understand you better.) :)

 

She probably means (correct me if I'm wrong), if your baby is attached to you and there was an emergency/accident, you would potentially have 2 hands free to help vs. having to hold your baby and then trying to save/protect the both of you.

[laumicmah]

She said for the ferry ride...so I think she meant for it to keep baby safely attached to mom if boat is bumpy or rocky.

[audcc77]

I also have this concern. Not necessarily about car seats, but seatbelts. I read an article on MSN recently about Americans in auto accidents outside the US.

 

We used taxis in Cozumel and they were awful. Some had seatbelts but there was not enough for 4 people in any taxi we took. In fact, the taxis we were in looked to be held together via baling twine. One driver was even texting on his cell phone. More times than not, the speedometer didn’t work, so you couldn’t see how fast they were going. Maybe I’ve seen too much, but we have 10 & 18 yr old sons & I was a nervous wreck. At least if you go on Carnival’s excursions, you’ll probably take a bus. Perhaps you can leave a child seat on the bus, although I’m not certain it would be strapped in, but it may be the safest alternative. Either that, or try to get one of those long passenger van taxi’s, as they look newer & possibly may have seatbelts.

[kr8z]

She said for the ferry ride...so I think she meant for it to keep baby safely attached to mom if boat is bumpy or rocky.

 

Yep, probably. I wore my youngest on two of our cruises. It was the easiest thing ever. Even if you do take an infant seat it is still much easier to wear the baby while walking around rather than carrying them in the carrier. If you bring a stroller you'll have a difficult time navigating a full sized one to which you connect the carrier around the cabin halls and rooms. An umbrella stroller is very easy and of course very easily stored. We learned our lesson after taking the the first infant and his stroller/car seat combo on the Victory in 2007. The next cruise we took our daughter in an umbrella stroller when I wasn't wearing her. We did take a cab into town in one port, but we held her. I know it isn't safe, but bringing her full size seat and carrying it all around port wasn't at all practical. When our oldest was about 1-1.5 we bought this little portable fold down one that worked great. Still not as safe as a regular car seat, but better than nothing. At 9 months, however, they still need to be rear facing.

[fdwt994]

Yep, probably. I wore my youngest on two of our cruises. It was the easiest thing ever. Even if you do take an infant seat it is still much easier to wear the baby while walking around rather than carrying them in the carrier. If you bring a stroller you'll have a difficult time navigating a full sized one to which you connect the carrier around the cabin halls and rooms. An umbrella stroller is very easy and of course very easily stored. We learned our lesson after taking the the first infant and his stroller/car seat combo on the Victory in 2007. The next cruise we took our daughter in an umbrella stroller when I wasn't wearing her. We did take a cab into town in one port, but we held her. I know it isn't safe, but bringing her full size seat and carrying it all around port wasn't at all practical. When our oldest was about 1-1.5 we bought this little portable fold down one that worked great. Still not as safe as a regular car seat, but better than nothing. At 9 months, however, they still need to be rear facing.

 

Could you please give me more information about that? Perhaps a web link?

[Lady_Jag]

I don't understand what you mean about the wearable baby carrier. It won't make the child any safer, so why do you consider it a good backup plan? :confused:

 

(not challenging you, just trying to understand you better.) :)

 

I was thinking about tenders and water taxi's mainly, so that Baby doesn't become a projectile in rough waters, but also bus rides where there are no seatbelts. Maybe "backup plan" was a bad term - you are correct that wearable baby carriers are NOT replacements for car seats + seatbelts. :)

[gtalum]

If you want a car seat, you'll have to bring your own from home. There's still no guarantee you'll find seatbelts in any taxis.

[babyblue78]

We booked private excurions in both Grand Cayman (Stingraysailing.com) and Ocho Rios (Phil Lafayette), so we could make arrangements in advance for car seats since we are traveling with a 4yr- and 2yr-olds. I will not allow them to travel on roads without being in a car seat. You may want to check the ports-of-call board and contact local tour operators to ask about seat belts, etc. :)

[kr8z]

Could you please give me more information about that? Perhaps a web link?

 

I'll do a quick search and see if I can find it. We bought it at Walmart over 7 years ago for $20. It really came in handy for the plane (in case he got his own seat) and taxis.

[kr8z]

It was really similar to this, but of course cost way less.

 

http://www.amazon.com/RideSafer-Car-Seat-Travel-Vest/dp/B000KCV61U

[kr8z]

It was really similar to this, but of course cost way less.

 

http://www.amazon.com/RideSafer-Car-Seat-Travel-Vest/dp/B000KCV61U

 

Here is a whole page of them. They say "air travel." Definitely not a "replacement" for a car seat, but still better than nothing and more practical if you have an older baby/toddler.

 

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dbaby-products&field-keywords=car+seat+travel+vest&x=0&y=0

[elcuchio24]

I also have this concern. Not necessarily about car seats, but seatbelts. I read an article on MSN recently about Americans in auto accidents outside the US.

 

We used taxis in Cozumel and they were awful. Some had seatbelts but there was not enough for 4 people in any taxi we took. In fact, the taxis we were in looked to be held together via baling twine. One driver was even texting on his cell phone. More times than not, the speedometer didn’t work, so you couldn’t see how fast they were going. Maybe I’ve seen too much, but we have 10 & 18 yr old sons & I was a nervous wreck. At least if you go on Carnival’s excursions, you’ll probably take a bus. Perhaps you can leave a child seat on the bus, although I’m not certain it would be strapped in, but it may be the safest alternative. Either that, or try to get one of those long passenger van taxi’s, as they look newer & possibly may have seatbelts.

 

Ya, well, that sounds like a mexican taxi. I mean, it's Mexico, that's what you have to expect. If you're not comfortable with it, I suggest an excursion that provides a nice A/C tour bus.

[fdgarrett]

Do a search for Sit & Stroll ...

 

We used one on my sons 1st cruise at 11 months & it was a lifesaver! Car seat/stroller/booster seat in one! We didn't have to keep moving him from contraption to contraption & we used it all over the ship, Grand Cayman, Cozumel, etc. Seriously best investment we made! Sadly he has almost outgrown it at 3 years old but I so wish we could use it again for his next cruise at 4. Maybe he won't grow before then! :)

 

Cheers!

Felicia

[conchead]

Ya, well, that sounds like a mexican taxi. I mean, it's Mexico, that's what you have to expect. If you're not comfortable with it, I suggest an excursion that provides a nice A/C tour bus.

 

I am not about to say Mexico is behind the times with safety...but...

 

I did see a family of 4 on a scooter zipping through traffic in Coz.

Dad was driving, mom was on the back holding a baby on her left hip

and the little boy was standing between his dads legs.

[Violets Mommy]

What type of car seat does your child use now? If they are still small enough to use an infant bucket seat you could use the stroller as the travel system. With being 9 months old, more than likely he will possibly be able to still fit.