Do I need a carseat for my 1 year old in Charleston, Key West, Freeport or Nassau?

[Cruisin Suzy]

http://www.amazon.com/Bundle-RideSafer-Take-Along-Travels-Guidebook/dp/B005PGDTIE/ref=pd_cp_ba_3

 

Not sure if this link will work but this might be a better option for you. I would still check and see if you can find a taxi in Charleston that has car seats...a reputable company should provide one that is in good condition. I don't fin bringing one difficult but it is where to put it. In the hotel and cabin no issue...but u take a taxi downtown to walk around and someone has to carry it around...I would only do this if I brought the stroller the infant seat attaches to...

 

Here is another option...my friend takes hers everywhere...kind of strange looking but works!

 

http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=6805

 

Great ideas- thanks so much! I am also looking at a carseat backpack that we can put the seat in when we are out and about. Not ideal, but would work. Not taking the travel system as the stroller is way to bulky for travelling (although sure can hold a lot of stuff!!!)

[PDXJAS]

I know here in Portland Oregon the taxi's do not provide car seats. They need to room in the trunk for luggage ect. But a child must be in a car seat to ride in the taxi and the driver will not put it in.

[bobsfamily]

I had stated earlier that I had only seen the car seat once in Freeport/Nassau but I'm sure others have used one... if you feel that it is necessary then by all means take it with you but be prepared to pay more either in the form of a "personal" taxi or because you are taking up an extra seat in the van... this is more for Freeport than Nassau. How long is the Fantasy docked at Freeport?

[kbmeow]

What about the car seat that has a handle so you can hold the baby in it. Might be easier to carry. Also I have been told it is easier to have the baby in the car seat on the plane that holding them. Car seats to fly free as gate check on most airlines and I have also seen bags that you can put the car seat in to make it a backpack.

[Cruisin Suzy]

I had stated earlier that I had only seen the car seat once in Freeport/Nassau but I'm sure others have used one... if you feel that it is necessary then by all means take it with you but be prepared to pay more either in the form of a "personal" taxi or because you are taking up an extra seat in the van... this is more for Freeport than Nassau. How long is the Fantasy docked at Freeport?

 

1 day

 

What about the car seat that has a handle so you can hold the baby in it. Might be easier to carry. Also I have been told it is easier to have the baby in the car seat on the plane that holding them. Car seats to fly free as gate check on most airlines and I have also seen bags that you can put the car seat in to make it a backpack.

 

There is no way we can carry my daughter around in her carseat (although she is still in the infant seat with a handle). The seat is over 10 lbs and she is 22 (1 year old). She doesn't have her own seat on the plane so she can't use her carseat there (although there are 6 adults to pass her around to and entertain her and she has done well on flights before with me). I am looking into one of those backpacks though- many people seem to be recommending them!

[cruzinlisa]

I would bring my own carseat, if not for during the cruise but the pre-cruise part. If you are flying, I believe most airlines will let you gate check a carseat and stroller without cost. We did that when we went to Florida and we actually used it quite a bit. I second what someone else said about the infant type of seats being less bulky than the convertible. I have a 13 month old and when we cruise in 2 months I don't know whether I will bring a carseat onto the ship or not. I don't plan on getting into any kind of vehicles at our ports (Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Jamaica) so the only time we would use it would be the shuttle from the hotel to the port, which may not even have seatbelts in it. We will probably play it by ear and if there is no way of using them on the shuttle to the ship, it will stay in our car.

[bobsfamily]

1 day

 

 

 

There is no way we can carry my daughter around in her carseat (although she is still in the infant seat with a handle). The seat is over 10 lbs and she is 22 (1 year old). She doesn't have her own seat on the plane so she can't use her carseat there (although there are 6 adults to pass her around to and entertain her and she has done well on flights before with me). I am looking into one of those backpacks though- many people seem to be recommending them!

Completely understand... the only place you would really need the seat is in Charleston... After some more checking I believe taxis are exempt for the car seat rule in SC. Depending on the amount of travel you are doing it might be better to get the "backpack"

Bob

[Athankfulheart]

We've owned the Graco Snugride and wouldn't consider that an inconvenience to tote around. Leave the base at home and use it without the base so that you have less bulk to deal with. We use Britax seats here and also keep our children rear facing until 2 years old, so I can relate to your level of concern for your baby's safety. Britax seats are probably the LEAST portable seat you could imagine. The Graco is a dream in comparison :D

 

 

For one of our cruises we brought this carseat for our 18 month old. Its called the "Sit n stroll". After we came back from vacation, I sold it on ebay and recouped most of the money that I had spent on it. It served as a car seat, stroller and booster seat at restaurants all rolled into one. It wasn't heavy and since it is collapsible, it didn't take an inordinate amount of space in our cabin.

 

I'd definitely say take your own seat. You know its safety status as well as its cleanliness. Your baby will feel at home in her own seat and that might go a LONG way with a tired baby.

 

Ps. I forgot to mention that it is approved for airline use. Also, I am a small woman and I was able to lift the seat from the car myself, with my 20(some) pound child inside and spring the stroller opened all by myself.

[tracyanns]

Isn't it amazing all of the rules and laws of car seats now a days...do any of you ever remember being in a car seat...that is because when we were little there were no car seat laws. I still remember my babysitters stationwagon that had a seat in the VERY back that opened up and you could ride looking out the back window...no seatbelts...and we all survived!

 

Don't get me wrong, I would never ride around without my kids in them when they were still in them, but I survived just fine without them. I actually had a conversation with my mom and asked her what she did with us when were were babies...once we could sit up we went into a seatbelt and when we were infants she said it was like a little bassinet that you carseated into the car so we could lie down and not have to be held...but you weren't strapped into that...

 

I can only imagine what our the kids in 20-30 years will be using...I am thinking giant car bubbles!

[Smithkids5521]

The law in the Bahamas is that it is illegal for children under the age of five to travel in a taxi without a car or booster seat, and taxis will not provide them for passengers with small children. That is the law- however it does not seem to be enforced at all... :(

Buses are exempt from the car seat rule...just likes buses and school buses here in the US do not usually provide seat belts so no car seats are required (I have always thought that was just the dumbest thing ever!! Glad my kids are walkers since we live close to their school...)

 

For your time spent around Charleston- if you call the taxi services ahead of time and make a reservation, most will provide you taxi that has a car seat (as others have mentioned- how safe those seats will be is a whole other subject...). Here is one to possibly look into...

http://charlestongreentaxi.com/rate/index.html

 

Or look into riding the Carta (public bus) http://www.ridecarta.com/riding-carta/routesmapsschedules/carta-dash-trolley-map-times...they even have a free bus line called the Dash Trolley- it seems to hit all the tourist spots in Charleston...

 

I like the idea that someone mentioned- see if your hotel will store your car seat for you until after your cruise- this was you will have it for travelling around Charleston (maybe you can rent a car for your 4 days...)

 

Enjoy your cruise!!

[N.FL Cruisers]

Hi Everyone,

Just wondering if anyone has any opinions about bringing a car seat for our daughter on our trip.

 

We will be in Charleston for 4 days before- how easy it is to get a taxi from the airport late at night with a carseat? Also, how easy is it to get a taxi with a carseat to get around for the couple of days we are there?

 

In Keywest our excursion boat leaves from beside the cruise ship terminal so no motor vehicle transportation = no carseat needed there.

 

In Freeport, we are potentially doing Pat and Diane's Snorkel Tour- does the shuttle into Lucaya have seatbeats and would I need my carseat?

 

In Nassau we are doing all walking so no car seat needed there.

 

So really, just wondering for Charleston and Freeport. TIA!

 

We bought a car seat once when we went on an overseas trip in which we were staying 5 days when we got there at a store then passed it forward to another couple needing one. Try emailing the snorkle tour to see if they have one w/ your tour date. They might have one.

[NurseBPS]

I am hoping that the car seats a taxi company would provide would be up to standards. Not only if they are in a wreck should you get a new car seat but car seats now have expiration dates on them due to wear and tear from being in the sun day in and day out. If a taxi company is willing to provide it their butt is on the line if any thing happens. Its risky for them to provide the car seat so I would hope they would keep them in good standards. If they do not the carseat manufacturer will not guarantee the carseat.