Car seats/child restraints

[tinykygal]

Daughter, DH and 1 yr old will be on NCL Dawn and want to take excursions. DD has called NCL 2X to ask about transportation from ship to excursions and child restraints. She doesn't receive concrete info., just something like "lap baby". She is very careful about traveling and car seats. What do you do? I know someone has experienced this before.

Thanks for your help!

[kitty9]

Tour buses do not have seat belts, so there's no way to tether a child seat. You MIGHT have a little luck in private cars, but you can't depend on those because many of them don't have seat belts either.

[dosi]

I have taken many excursions, both ship sponsored and private....I highly doubt you will find seatbelts on any type of bus or van either in Mexico or the Caribbean. They aren't required. Additionally, there may not be a charge for the baby, hence the lap baby reference. Just like on airplanes, if they are under two and you hold them in your lap, you don't pay, AND you don't get a seatbelt (if there even was one to start with).:o

[hooked-on-travel]

If you do your own thing you can take a car seat and hire a taxi with seat belts. We took a car seat ($5 at the neighbor's garage sale...we didn't intend to take it home) for our long car day in Roatan. Our driver had seat belts, we stapped it in, at the end of the day we left it with Freddie so he could hire himself out later saying "Hey, I have a car seat."

 

(We didn't need the car seat to and from ship b/c we drove and kept our actual car seat in the car parking lot in Galveston.)

[crusinmama06]

I just posted about this in another thread but I can't find that one, so I'll try to repost it here. :)

 

On excursion buses there are no seatbelts so they don't allow you to use carseats (they will stow them underneath the bus in storage if you try to bring one on). So on buses, the child will be held on the lap.

 

In taxis/vans...when flying into the airport and taking one to the port (in the US), you will need a carseat.

 

You can hire a private car (or a rental) and have a car seat waiting for you, no lugging the thing around.

 

We bought a travel car seat called an Eddie Bauer Travel Seat. It folds flat into our luggage. Then we pull it out and use it in the taxis. And it's lightweight. The child must be between 22 and 44lbs (or something like that)

http://www.amazon.com/Eddie-Bauer-Portable-Bryant-Collection/dp/B000K53TFI/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-8668555-4269416?ie=UTF8&s=baby-products&qid=1189138635&sr=8-1

 

In other countries, I haven't had a problem finding vans/taxis with seatbelts. We've used this in St.Thomas/StMartin/Jamaica/Bahamas/Grand Caymen/Mexico and had seatbelts in all.

[Court3502]

We bought a travel car seat called an Eddie Bauer Travel Seat. It folds flat into our luggage. Then we pull it out and use it in the taxis. And it's lightweight. The child must be between 22 and 44lbs (or something like that)

http://www.amazon.com/Eddie-Bauer-Portable-Bryant-Collection/dp/B000K53TFI/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-8668555-4269416?ie=UTF8&s=baby-products&qid=1189138635&sr=8-1

 

 

This wouldn't work on an airplane right? I will be flying to port with my 2 1/2 year old in March, so I figure I'm going to have no choice but to lug around her heavy carseat.

 

Courtney

[boulders]

Quote:

Originally Posted by crusinmama06

We bought a travel car seat called an Eddie Bauer Travel Seat. It folds flat into our luggage. Then we pull it out and use it in the taxis. And it's lightweight. The child must be between 22 and 44lbs (or something like that)

http://www.amazon.com/Eddie-Bauer-Po...9138635&sr=8-1

This wouldn't work on an airplane right? I will be flying to port with my 2 1/2 year old in March, so I figure I'm going to have no choice but to lug around her heavy carseat.

 

2 1/2 year olds don't require a carseat on an airplane. They can sit in the seat with the regular seatbelt. I have a 2 year old and he just kicks (and kicks and kicks) the seat in front of him anyway if he's in his carseat. :p

 

The Eddie Bauer seat that cruisinmama posted is not FAA approved. They won't let you use it on a plane.

 

I'm taking the Eddie Bauer on our upcoming cruises. I'll leave the heavy carseat home.

[crusinmama06]

This wouldn't work on an airplane right? I will be flying to port with my 2 1/2 year old in March, so I figure I'm going to have no choice but to lug around her heavy carseat.

 

Courtney

 

Nope, like boulders said, it has to be FAA approved to be able to fly. And I do like boulders does, I strap her in with the plane's seat belt.

 

I don't take a car seat onboard the plane.

[bmgaritty]

There is a new child restraint for flying on the market. It is a harness type restraint for plane seats.

 

http://store.kidsflysafe.com/product/show/5027

 

A standard belt on a plane can injure a child's internal organs in heavy turbulence or hard landings (or God forbid anything else!).

 

The harness distributes weight over the bony structures of a child's body (ribs, sternum and shoulders). The only negative in my opnion is that it does not have a crotch strap - a child may slide down.

 

Have a great day!

[Eclipsepearl]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but that's correct. Two year olds are not safe in adult seatbelts (just like in a car-no difference!) but like lap babies, there's little chance of anything happening. Commercial air travel is safe.

 

The CARES harness is FAA approved but not as good as a carseat and at 1 years old, she barely meets the minimum. Also, for the price, you could almost buy two carseats! If you got say, a cheap Scenera, a seat which actually gets good reviews from Carseat Techs. It would be only about $40-50 and probably lighter than the one you have. It would then be useful on your excursions and back home as a second seat for grandparents, babysitters, etc. The CARES harness can only be used for airplanes.

 

The Eddie Bauer seat is not loved by carseat techs but probably better than nothing. When she gets a little older, you might want to look into one of these;

 

http://www.familyonboard.com/Ride_Safer_Vest.html

 

Great option for cruising kids as it can easily be stowed in the cabin and used for excursions, in cabs, etc. It's not useful on the airplanes but the child can sit in a normal seat by the age they fit it anyway.

 

Be careful of any seats provided by rental or excursion companies. Make sure they're properly installed and NOT expired. Generally, that means over 6 years old. It's usually not recommended to use any seat that you don't know the history. I had a bad experience myself with a rental company. Bring your own locking clip. Easy to pack!

 

Only seats with hard backs are approved for aircraft because airplane seatbacks collapse (in case of an emergency evacuation) so boosters, etc. don't cut it. I find that my children kick less when they're in their seats. Children often kick the soft part of the seat in front of them and the seat lifts them out of the "danger zone" that makes you unpopular with your neighbors. Of course, getting a bulkhead solves that! I also had fewer complaints from passengers about children in their own seats. It's both safer and more comfortable for everyone!!

 

If your one year-old doesn't have a place of her own, you can still try to secure an empty seat if available. I go into more detail in this (totally non-commercial) article on flying;

http://flyingwithchildren.blogspot.com

 

I also have tips on how to get it through the airport! I managed a 25lbs seat alone with three children so it can be done.

 

At the end of the day, you're the parent and you decide what risks you want to take. I just want you to know your options and make informed decisions for both excusions and flights.

 

Have a great cruise.

[Court3502]

2 1/2 year olds don't require a carseat on an airplane. They can sit in the seat with the regular seatbelt.

 

I'm not really concerned if they are required or not. I'm concerned with 2 things, 1. Her Safety and 2. Keeping her confined. She would take an airplane seatbelt off in about 2.5 seconds. She would not be safe or confined. I'd rather lug my Britax with me. We've done it before, and we'll do it again.

 

Courtney

[Kerry's Girls]

What about the CARES harness?

 

If you are going to fly with a Britax and an older toddler, you may want to check with the airline if you can pay extra to sit in the bulkhead section.

 

Best,

Mia

[Court3502]

What about the CARES harness?

 

If you are going to fly with a Britax and an older toddler' date=' you may want to check with the airline if you can pay extra to sit in the bulkhead section.

 

Best,

Mia[/quote']

 

It looks like a great idea, but I'm just not willing to spend the $75 :eek: I just can't justify it when we don't fly all that often.

 

Courtney

[Eclipsepearl]

For the moment, it's only approved on U.S. carriers too.

[Branwen]

RE: The Eddie Bauer Portable Car Seat.

 

Does anyone know if this car seat is available in Canada? We're travelling with DS in Feburary and this would be ideal.

 

If it isn't available up here, how can I get one delivered over the border? ;)

 

Thanks!

[crusinmama06]

RE: The Eddie Bauer Portable Car Seat.

 

Does anyone know if this car seat is available in Canada? We're travelling with DS in Feburary and this would be ideal.

 

If it isn't available up here, how can I get one delivered over the border? ;)

 

Thanks!

 

Oh that's right. We've spent the past two weekends at Niagara falls and I was talking to some parents who said that Amazon won't ship to Canada. That's crazy.

 

I checked and it's also available at comfort first. Do they ship to Canada?

 

http://comfortfirst.com/m-2846-eddie-bauer.aspx

[momofmn00]

I am a big Ebay junkie so check on there...Heck! If you can't find one on there, I will purchase it and sell it back to you...I SHIP TO CANADA!!!!!:rolleyes:

[Branwen]

I am a big Ebay junkie so check on there...Heck! If you can't find one on there, I will purchase it and sell it back to you...I SHIP TO CANADA!!!!!:rolleyes:

 

You are very, very kind. I'll see what I can do and if not, I will send you a message. :D

 

We have to order from Amazon.ca and they don't sell them. From what I have read, it is illegal for them to be sold as they haven't been approved by Transport Canada and therefore doesn't meet our safety requirements. :rolleyes:

 

Since I won't be using it in Canada, I figure all is good. :D

[momofmn00]

You are very, very kind. I'll see what I can do and if not, I will send you a message. :D

 

We have to order from Amazon.ca and they don't sell them. From what I have read, it is illegal for them to be sold as they haven't been approved by Transport Canada and therefore doesn't meet our safety requirements. :rolleyes:

 

Since I won't be using it in Canada, I figure all is good. :D

Humm...well...Canada muct have strict laws...Anyway check around, and then feel free to message me back on this thread if you want us to work our something...I have an ebay store and have 100% positive feedback...and realy I don't need to make anything ($)off of it...Just let me know!!!

[KimiSoo]

I got this strap that uses the LATCH hooks on the carseat and wraps it around your carry-on. It's not tippy at all. We have only tried it out in the driveway, but will be using it in Nov. I've seen them for sale on Ebay but I just had my Dad make one. 3 D-rings and some nylon straps, pretty simple design! She can either ride in or we can just use it to transport her big seat and she can use the umbrella stroller.

[ryanic]

YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING!!!! You would actually haul your child around like a piece of luggage. OMG! ANYONE could harm her from the back as you are pulling her from the front. OR anything could fly up and hit her in the face. That is not very safe. It is certainly not very responsibel on your part. If you can't carry your child or put her in something in front of you that you CAN see, then perhaps you shouldn't take her along. Your child IS your responsibility and that THING is not responsible!

[Kerry's Girls]

I never thought about someone harming a child in an airport while the parent pulls them along - by accident or on purpose? What would be flying up and hitting the child in the face that couldn't happen in a stroller or walking along? OMG! Seems like the most responsible parent would just leave their child at home.

 

Anyway, Kimisoo - I've seen those used in airports without molestation or mutilation, they seem like a good solution to me, and not exactly a reason to call child protective services. Have a great time - let us know how it goes.

 

Best,

Mia

[Eclipsepearl]

YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING!!!! You would actually haul your child around like a piece of luggage. OMG! ANYONE could harm her from the back as you are pulling her from the front. OR anything could fly up and hit her in the face. That is not very safe. It is certainly not very responsibel on your part. If you can't carry your child or put her in something in front of you that you CAN see, then perhaps you shouldn't take her along. Your child IS your responsibility and that THING is not responsible!

 

We did this on our last flight and it worked out fine. Believe me, after seeing bucket-style infant seats perched precariously on shopping carts countless times, this is hardly anything to get into a ruffle over... Safety was my job for 13 years...

 

There isn't too much risk of someone running up behind you to attack your child while you're pulling them along. You can feel and hear anything and it's not like you don't take a few peeks over your shoulder. In my case, I had two older children pointing and laughing (not sure if that was truly helping...)

 

Actually, if other passengers see a parent with small kids, they steer away automatically, not coming up close behind them. Not that much happens in airports because...there are a lot of witnesses. When you're carting babies and all their gear, you're not going too fast. No one voluntarily slogs behind you, if they can help it!

 

I fly a lot with my kids, about every six months between Europe and California and the only time one of my kids was ever hurt in an airport is when my toddler decided she was too big for the stoller and insisted on walking through Frankfurt Airport during the World Cup. Some guy's briefcase hit her face but it wasn't serious and I felt worse for the frazzled businessman than my headstrong dd (headstrong in both senses lol!)

 

The bottom line is that taking the carseat IS a responsible thing to do and how you get the carseat to the gate is a detail. It's actually quite clever and bungee cords are quite strong.

[SueKayL]

Ryonic: Where do you get off calling MY daughter irresponsible?:eek:

because she chooses to take her daughter on a family vacation? OR becasue she figured out a way to tote that HUGE AND HEAVY carseat so the baby can be secure in an airline seat purchased for HER to fly down to Florida when she is still under TWO and COULD fly free on a lap???? For you to respond to my daughter's post like that was very unkind. Being strapped into a carseat, securely fastened to the carry on, with both parents toting her through the airport is hardly dangerous! Haven't you seen folks toting toddlers in carts behind bikes or jogging with them????? I suppose THEY are irresponsible too! Flying debris in an airport???? Huh?

 

I encouraged my daughter to get on CruiseCritic for helpful ideas and advice from other parents as this is her first time cruising with the baby...and it's too bad that there are folks on here who attack other loving and caring parents because they personally have a problem with something!

 

MIA: Thank you for your support...I have read lots of posts by you, Michelle, and other regular posters who have been very helpful to us preparing for this trip. Thank you all.:)

 

Grammy Sue

[crusinmama06]

YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING!!!! You would actually haul your child around like a piece of luggage. OMG! ANYONE could harm her from the back as you are pulling her from the front. OR anything could fly up and hit her in the face. That is not very safe. It is certainly not very responsibel on your part. If you can't carry your child or put her in something in front of you that you CAN see, then perhaps you shouldn't take her along. Your child IS your responsibility and that THING is not responsible!

 

Actually that "THING" is exactly like the "Sit N Stroll" that thousands of parents are paying hundreds of dollars for to travel with their kids. I think it's great that someone was able to come up with an alternative to the $300 Sit N Stroll. Irresponsible? No way! Ingenious is more like it! :)