Do we bring a car seat or not?

[kbset]

This with be our first cruise with our daughter (who will be 2 1/2 at the time of cruising). We are doing a Princess Cruise and are flying into Ft. Lauderdale from Detroit the day before the cruise. We will need to take some kind of transportation (cab, bus, van??) from the airport to the hotel and from the hotel to Port Everglades. So should we bring her car seat for those transfers? From what I've been told, on the island tours, they don't use car seats. I'm just hoping someone can steer me in the right direction on this whole car seat ordeal! Thank you!

[gymbomb]

I bring a car seat if we will need to ride in a cab, van, etc. at any point during the trip. I do not bring it if we will only be using busses, boats, trains, walking, etc. You need to do what you are comfortable in. In Florida it is illegal to ride in a cab with a child under 5 without a car seat (which you must provide). In the Caribbean it won't be illegal, but it also won't be safe to do so.

[cb at sea]

If you use the ship's shuttle, it will be a bus, with no carseat ability....same thing on most tours...it's a bus, not a car!

 

If you plan on using cabs or renting vehicles, then bring the seat....

[Smyles]

We always travel with our car seat. Our 3.5yr old rides in it on the plane. She is happy in her familiar seat and buckled in for the flight.

[JordanLovesCruisin]

We purchased an inexpensive, lightweight car seat specifically for traveling from Walmart. I believe $39.

 

Cosco Scenera

[kbset]

We purchased an inexpensive, lightweight car seat specifically for traveling from Walmart. I believe $39.

 

Cosco Scenera

 

Thinking we will bring her car seat just in case! Do you have any tips for cruising with a toddler? :D

[cruiselvr04]

Yes bring a car seat. Our daughter had a 12 month old and a just three year o,d on our family cruise. She purchased lightweight and expensive car seats I think from Costco and a backpack bag to put them them in. They packed together and while awkward not heavy and we carried them off and on the ship and at each port with no issues. Cabs will have seat belts and we used them in cabs also in Cozumel. In grand caymen we took a private excursion and used a shuttle with seat beats as well as Jamaica. I would feel okay not using them on a big excursion bus.

 

We saw an accident in Jamaica with a shuttle bus which could have have been deadly for an unrestrained child. Please don't take chances.

[A&Jfamily]

When my little guy was 2 and we were cruising, I did not bring a car seat. We used bus transportation to/from the ship and then if we were taking a shore excursion, we also chose for the most part bus/large vehicle based excursions.

 

Also, I am not a worrier about such things. Yes, my children rode in car seats til they were of a size and maturity to not need one. But there is a universe of difference between traveling the high speed and crazy drivers/roads at home, and a quite island where no one goes about 35 mph.

 

School buses don't have car seats, even though the kids riding on them are certainly of age to need one in a car. The reason is physics based - the bus is so large both in size and mass that it "wins" in any collision. The cost benefit analysis equates to no car seat needed.

[flhokie]

It really depends on what transportation you will be using in Ft. Lauderdale and what you plan to do in ports.

 

If the hotel shuttle is a bus or mini-bus, you may not be able to use the car seat. You could also arrange for a car service that will provide a car seat. If you want to rent a car or take a cab you would want to take it.

 

We cruised with DD when she was 2 1/2. We did not sail with a car seat. We drove to the port (3 hours from home), but did not take the seat onboard with us. We walked around near the ship, took a water taxi or used the day to enjoy the empty ship.

[pyropoodle]

Someone in these boards suggested the Ride Safe Travel vest

 

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_8?url=search-alias%3Dbaby-products&field-keywords=ride+safer+travel+vest&sprefix=ride+saf%2Cbaby-products%2C223

 

my son will be 2 1/2 when we cruise in January and we plan to buy one. it is a little bit pricey, but I think we will get a lot of use out of it as we travel more.

it can be used in nyc in the cab to/ from the airport, on the plane, in florida to from hotel/ cruise port and it isn't bulky like a car seat.

 

has anyone tried it? I'd like to hear your thoughts on it if you have. otherwise, I may report back after my cruise.

[JordanLovesCruisin]

Thinking we will bring her car seat just in case! Do you have any tips for cruising with a toddler? :D

 

 

Yes!

 

-stay on his/her schedule. My kid is super structured and really bad about sleeping on the go. Not ideal, but we planned shore excursions and tours around nap time so everyone could enjoy the day

 

-bribe with food. Maybe that's just my kid but I would sneak some cookies from the lunch buffet and kind of "bribe" him or rather, reward for good behavior at dinner and such. :)

 

-take one or two familiar things from home. Beckett needed his swaddle blanket and we brought one of his favorite toys. This time we are bringing those color wonder pads with the invisible ink pen. Good for dinner too!

 

-stroller for SURE. :)

 

Let me know if you need any thing else!

 

 

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