Infant life jacket?

[mevers]

I am cruising Norwegian to Alaska with our children who will be 3 years old and 10 months old.

 

How do I get appropriate life jackets for them?

Are they issued shortly after boarding?

Do they even have "infant life jackets"?

 

Also, car seats for shore excursions. Anyone ever been turned away for not having a car seat (or mandated to bring one) on a shore excursion with transportation???

 

Thank you!

[FOURunderFOUR]

I am fairly certain that the ship is required to have appropriate sized life jackets for all kids. However, you may want to check with the specific line that you are sailing or your TA. We are sailing on MSC with our 4 month old and we were told that we would need to provide our own infant-sized coast guard approved life jacket as they would not have one small enough for her. They do have child sized ones though.

 

As for car seats, I can't offer any advice as this is our first time travelling outside the US with our kids. Inside the US, you HAVE to have car seats based on that particular states laws. For instance in NY, our law is 8 years and 80 pounds, so all 5 of our kids are still in 5pt harnassed car seats. in Florida, children older than 3 (i.e. 4 and 5yo) can use the car's own seat belts. However, we (my husband and I) are not comfortable with this so we are bringing seats for all of our kids. On excursions, if you take a bus, you don't need a car seat. If you take a taxi, it probably depends on that area's laws and your own comfort level.

 

J

[notentirelynormal]

On our Princess cruise - we have always brought the baby's life jacket. However, they provided one for the 2 YO and up. If its not in your cabin all you have to do is ask. We preferred not to take the chance that they would have one small enough. Our GD was 6 months old on her first cruise.

[crusinmama06]

Life Jackets - yes, they have infant ones in case of emergency. If you want one to use on the tender boats, then bring your own.

 

Car Seats - I kind of find it a little ironic that you are trying not to bring a car seat but want to make sure there is a life jacket. Odds are better that a car could crash than a ship could sink. ;)

[RENMama]

Im trying to get a visual picture in my head of more than 1 carseat in a cabin. Not much space.

 

I find it very odd that a cruiseline that will allow babies on board doesnt have appropriate emergency items for that age group.

[crusinmama06]

Im trying to get a visual picture in my head of more than 1 carseat in a cabin. Not much space.

 

You would be amazed at how much can fit in those closets. ;)

[RENMama]

You would be amazed at how much can fit in those closets. ;)

 

Sure but 4 carseats? Is she really bringing 4? Where else could you put clothes for 6 people?

[crusinmama06]

Sure but 4 carseats? Is she really bringing 4? Where else could you put clothes for 6 people?

 

Actually the OP (Mevers) only has two children.

 

FourUnderFour is the one with 4. And yes, she feels very strongly about having seats for all 4 kids or taking transportation that doesn't need them (like the Trolley she is thinking about taking in Key West)

 

If I had 6 people, then I would have a large family suite or at least 2 cabins. So yes, I could find room for 4 car seats if needed. Now, the real question is, could I find the patience that it would take for me to have 4 under 4...nope. :D FourUnder4 has my total admiration. :D

[dev33]

We have just returned from a NCL caribbean cruise with our 2 year old. If there is no child's life jacket in your room just ask your steward and they will provide you with one.

 

As for a car seat, this was my biggest dilemma. I am a nurse and all I think about is the safety of my child. We ultimately did not bring one. After talking to the shore excursion department thru NCL I was less informed than when I first called! They gave me no information but we found that you will not need it for excursions as most if not all use busses which do not have seat belts. I was very against not using a car seat, but we could not have used it anyway. We used the "c.a.r.e.s" harness for the plane.

 

If you do decide to bring a car seat, I did ask NCL before we left home if they would store it for us and I did get a "yes." If this was really true, I am not sure.

 

Hope you have a wonderful trip!:D

[thewolffs]

They do have infant life jackets. You have to ask your room steward for them. They look almost like a bag.