Britax B-Ready double stroller for cruise

[scarlett81]

Thoughts?

Anyone used a Britax B ready stroller for a cruise? This style is interesting bc its a double stroller, but the seats are above and below each other, making the size/footprint of the stroller the same as a standard size stroller. I like it bc it has those bigger size tires, to help cushion napping kids.

 

http://www.britaxusa.com/strollers/b-ready/image-gallery

 

I tried it out at the store and my 4.5 yr old comfortably fits in both the upper and lower seats! This stroller looks so cool for long trips. Its lighter than most doubles, but still packs in at 25 lbs. But fyi thats about the same weight as a simple double umbrella stroller.

 

So its either we take this, or we get 2 umbrella strollers. I really don't want the cheap kind though, bc I need some type of recline for my little guy (10 months). So all in all I'll still need to bring 2 approx 12 lb strollers.

 

Would I rather deal with the inconvenience of bringing the bigger Britax (folding/unfolding for taxis, lugging off the tender, carrying the bigger one up rocky stairs in Europe, etc) Or, the inconvenience of having to have 2 of us pushing strollers wherever we go??

 

fyi, Trying to think of a good comparison, but we recently stayed at Disney and I brought my huge all terrain double (35 lbs.). I was great bc the kids can really nap good in that beast. But we had to lug it off the buses 10 times a day, so I got a good taste of what that would be in Europe. We just dealt with it, whatever. It was a pain in the butt, but had its pluses.

 

Thoughts??

[6rugrats]

No, thankfully, my kids are long out of strollers. It looks much better than those awful side-by-side strollers, but seems very heavy. Carrying it up the stairs may be difficult.

 

Also, if you are planning on gate checking, note the weight requirements on airlines. AA, for example, will not gate check a stroller that weighs more than 20 pounds.

 

Have you considered a cheap umbrella stroller for the older child, and a backpack for the younger? Way easier to deal with.

[scarlett81]

No, thankfully, my kids are long out of strollers. It looks much better than those awful side-by-side strollers, but seems very heavy. Carrying it up the stairs may be difficult.

 

Also, if you are planning on gate checking, note the weight requirements on airlines. AA, for example, will not gate check a stroller that weighs more than 20 pounds.

 

Have you considered a cheap umbrella stroller for the older child, and a backpack for the younger? Way easier to deal with.

 

Thanks!

 

We use a backpack for our little guy sometimes. I have back issues, so carrying him in that for long periods gives me pain, but we'll have to use it a few times anyway. Ephesus, for example, it just looks like no stroller will be an option. So we'll see.

 

My daughter may have to put up with a cheap umbrella stroller. The problem is she's too tall for most of these little umbrella strollers. But, she still naps often in the double while we're out. In Disney she'd sleep 2 hours in our big double. So it was worth bringing it in that case.

Ugh its so annoying.

 

I'm leaning more and more towards 2 umbrella strollers that fold compactly...some have a strap so you can sling it, folded, over your shoulder. (good for on and off buses, trains, etc) Certain days we'll need 2 strollers (Rome) and others I think one stroller and the backpack carrier will be best. We went to Egypt (without the kids), which is the only place I can compare the ruins of Greece and Ephesus to (where we're cruising), and I can't imagine bringing a big stroller, or even 2 small ones through that.

[Kerry's Girls]

I took what sounds like about the same itinerary with my twins who turned 5 at the time. I brought a MacLaren side-by-side, which was light enough to carry up and down subway steps, but sturdy enough to handle the cobblestones of Rome and Barcelona. (I did not use it on the ship though.) I love strollers and have used lots of different ones in different capacities through the years, but I don't think ANY stroller will work for Ephesus or the Acropolis. I carried one of my girls on my shoulders when she needed a rest, but both were such fun walks, that it didn't happen much - the kids LOVED these places. We used private guides in each place, so we were able to keep the car seats and stroller with the car/van. The stroller was also very useful in airports.

 

My girls also would sleep in strollers at 4 years old. One of mine slept in the MacLaren all the way from the subway near the Staten Island Ferry to Grand Central station, through dinner in Grand Centra, and part of the way back to the hotel on busy NY streets. It's wonderful to be able to keep going when the kids are tired.

 

Best,

Mia

[scarlett81]

I took what sounds like about the same itinerary with my twins who turned 5 at the time. I brought a MacLaren side-by-side' date=' which was light enough to carry up and down subway steps, but sturdy enough to handle the cobblestones of Rome and Barcelona. (I did not use it on the ship though.) I love strollers and have used lots of different ones in different capacities through the years, but I don't think ANY stroller will work for Ephesus or the Acropolis. I carried one of my girls on my shoulders when she needed a rest, but both were such fun walks, that it didn't happen much - the kids LOVED these places. We used private guides in each place, so we were able to keep the car seats and stroller with the car/van. The stroller was also very useful in airports.

 

Best,

Mia[/quote']

 

OK, Mia...so as I've said before...you are my HERO. I love your photo.

 

Thats exactly what I figured about Ephesus and the Acropolis. So my private car/van can hold the stroller and/or car seat. But I am not sure what to do about those other times where I don't have a private car. We are beginning our trip 3 days early in Istanbul and ending it 2 days late in Barcelona. So no doubt we'll have lots of taxi time there, and I'm thinking the kids should have a car seat, at least the 1 yr old...my 5 yo is about 40 lbs so she'd probably be ok. (??sigh..you know)

What did you do for the times you didn't have a car to hold things?

I don't have a stroller to click the car seat into, but I might have to get one now.

This is trip is so complicated my head is spinning.

[ExpatKat]

Perhaps you might want to consider one of these for your older daughter: http://www.trunki.co.uk/EN/categories/boostapak_9. We are currently living in Europe without a car, and find this fabulous for those times we need a seat for our 6 year old! He carries it himself (mostly), and puts a book & a few little toys inside it. While Trunki themselves don't ship internationally, there are a few companies that will ship it outside of the UK.

 

Might be something to consider anyway...

 

Kat