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22 month old...Car Seat or No Car Seat??


CruisinCutsie

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DH and I are taking our 1st cruise as new parents. Our DS will be 22 months at sailing time. We plan to have him on a lap during our Wyoming to Florida flight, and therefore are not sure whether we'll need his car seat or not during this vacation. I realize if we're on a "bus" shuttle they aren't really required but taxi's...etc...confused!! :confused:

 

Car Seat advise please!! Pros/Cons?

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DH and I are taking our 1st cruise as new parents. Our DS will be 22 months at sailing time. We plan to have him on a lap during our Wyoming to Florida flight, and therefore are not sure whether we'll need his car seat or not during this vacation. I realize if we're on a "bus" shuttle they aren't really required but taxi's...etc...confused!! :confused:

 

Car Seat advise please!! Pros/Cons?

 

Welcome to cruising -- it's a great way to travel for a family. Please use the search function to read the endless debate, um, discussion about this topic and to make the decision that is right for your family. In the meantime if a discussion actually starts up on this thread I'll make popcorn while you go get flame repellent. :D

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I'm sure there will be plenty of people who say "YOU MUST TAKE IT".

 

Honestly, not sure how "they" do it. Patience and unlimited time? Better morals, perhaps?

 

Who knows--

 

I will tell you this... Our twins have been on 6 cruises and they are 4. They started at 10 months. We brought the car seats once- and it was a huge pain the rear. Did we even use them? Nope... they sat in the cabin taking up needed space. We took them out of the car and took a shuttle to the airport. Flew on the plane, got out, took a taxi to the hotel. Took a taxi from hotel to ship... shuttles in port.

 

I really don't know how "they" realistically installed their car seats in the shuttles or taxis.... or how they convienced the other cruisers, sans children, to wait 20 mins while they installed and then put their kids in.

 

What we did take is a stroller. You will need this.

 

In the end it's "your" decision. What do you feel most comfortable with? Don't let the opinions of others decide for you.

 

If you don't think you will need it then don't take it.

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We are taking our baby on her first cruise in january. She will be 21 months. We will be taking our carseat and we will be using it. We are flying down to FL from NH, and she will be in our lap, but the airline will check our carseat for free. When we take a taxi to the hotel that evening and then another taxi to the cruise port in the morning, we will be using her car seat. It doesn't take me 20 minutes to put her carseat in, takes 5, maybe. Also, when we get to the islands, we will be taking taxis to different beaches, and I will be using her carseat there as well. It is all a personal choice, and my choice is to use it. I would rather take an extra 5 minutes installing and know that my child is more safe than if she was in my arms. Chances are nothing will happen anywhere, but I like to know that I am doing everything in my power to keep my child safe. Yes, it will take up room in my stateroom, and will be a pain to carry now and then, but is it worth it? To me, yes.

 

The other side of that, its your family, your choice, and I will NOT sit here and say you are doing anything wrong if you decide not to bring the carseat. I may be very sure that I am going to use the carseat, but I don't think you are doing anything wrong if you dont :) So please dont think I am "flaming" you or whatever they call it haha. I just thought I would let you know I AM bringing mine :) Whatever is best for your family, you should do :)

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I grew up with no carseats or seatbelts...here I am! It's up to you. Some folks will bubble-wrap their kids...some let them be. It's up to you. If you plan to use private cars..bring the carseat. If you'll be using a bus...there are no seatbelts, so no way to attach a seat.

Life is a toss of the dice....you never know what's going to happen, and you can't protect yourself or your loved ones from life and it's circumstances entirely.

I would take the chance....but it's up to you!

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There are ways to set up transportation so that you don't have to have a car seat. For example, going on a bus or shuttle, getting a car service that can provide a car seat, or using boats or walking. If you think you can comfortably set this up for your family throughout your trip, then by all means leave the seats home. Just want to make sure you know that outside the US there are many places where cars have no seat belts (or rarely have them), so it is not possible to attach a car seat. Or the main mode of transport is an open air jitney. You might want to do some researching, or maybe figure out alternate transportation those places. There are people who feel comfortable taking risks and going without car seats in those places, and you will need to use your own judgment to decide whether or not that is a risk you would want to take. Good luck with your planning.

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I'm sure there will be plenty of people who say "YOU MUST TAKE IT".

 

Honestly, not sure how "they" do it. Patience and unlimited time? Better morals, perhaps?

 

Who knows--

 

I will tell you this... Our twins have been on 6 cruises and they are 4. They started at 10 months. We brought the car seats once- and it was a huge pain the rear. Did we even use them? Nope... they sat in the cabin taking up needed space. We took them out of the car and took a shuttle to the airport. Flew on the plane, got out, took a taxi to the hotel. Took a taxi from hotel to ship... shuttles in port.

 

I really don't know how "they" realistically installed their car seats in the shuttles or taxis.... or how they convienced the other cruisers, sans children, to wait 20 mins while they installed and then put their kids in.

 

What we did take is a stroller. You will need this.

 

In the end it's "your" decision. What do you feel most comfortable with? Don't let the opinions of others decide for you.

 

If you don't think you will need it then don't take it.

I am one of "them" who travels with car seats and boosters.

I would not travel without them, however I volunteer as a car seat technician, work as a regulated health care professional with people with brain injuries, and have a masters degree in neurophysiology.

We started travelling with our boys when they were 26 months and 4.5 yrs. On the first trip we used a car seat in the airplane for the baby, then buses for transfers. Second trip was a cruise with one booster and one car seat, both were stored easily in the cabin's closet and used on private transfers or taxis in port. No one waited on us, except taxi drivers who were tipped accordingly. Our last trip was a similar experience, also with flights with transfers through unfamiliar airports. Or next trip is in 31 days, we are bringing boosters with us just in case we decide to do something spontaneous in port. It is possible to travel with car and booster seas and we don't consider it an inconvenience. There are many tricks and gadgets to make travelling with car seats easier.

I don't want to find out about the trauma unit capabilities in Mexico or a Caribbean island because my child was injured because I find travelling with car seats inconvenient. I do tell others why I feel this way and how we as a family have found ways of incorporating car seat use into our travel plans. Others disagree.

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OP - it is against the law to transport your child in Florida in a taxi without a car seat. You don't name your ports, so I can't address the laws there. In many countries, car seats are legally required, and do not believe posters who tell you will not be able to find taxis with working seat belts.

 

Personally, I have enough things to worry about, and would not enjoy a life time of "if onlys" because I was too lazy to bring a car seat. Children are a huge hassle at times. Accept that and bring the seat if you will be riding in cars.

 

Also, I fail to understand posters who like to write silly things like "Some folks will bubble-wrap their kids.." or who think that a quick ride with a child on your lap is o.k. because of the short distance.

 

One of my children recently totalled my car. All the airbags were deployed. It was in my driveway. You can't get a much shorter ride than that. A child on someone's lap would have been crushed. He walked away unhurt because he was wearing his seat belt.

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We will be cruising in Feb and have three toddlers. We have plan on taking the hotel shuttle from the airport and o the ship so we will not be in a taxi. Can you imagine my husband and me juggling three toddlers, three car seats and all our luggage... Storage isn't so much an issue since we have two cabins. And for people who suggest we are lazy, far from it.

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OP - it is against the law to transport your child in Florida in a taxi without a car seat. You don't name your ports, so I can't address the laws there. In many countries, car seats are legally required, and do not believe posters who tell you will not be able to find taxis with working seat belts.

 

Personally, I have enough things to worry about, and would not enjoy a life time of "if onlys" because I was too lazy to bring a car seat. Children are a huge hassle at times. Accept that and bring the seat if you will be riding in cars.

 

Also, I fail to understand posters who like to write silly things like "Some folks will bubble-wrap their kids.." or who think that a quick ride with a child on your lap is o.k. because of the short distance.

 

One of my children recently totalled my car. All the airbags were deployed. It was in my driveway. You can't get a much shorter ride than that. A child on someone's lap would have been crushed. He walked away unhurt because he was wearing his seat belt.

They totaled your car while in the drive way? and the air bags deployed .... how fast were they going ? That has to take some very special driving skills.:eek:

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We are also one of "them". We cruised when my youngest was 3 and brought the car seat. We didn't use it at all once we were on the ship, we only did excursions that provided bus transportation.

 

We'll be cruising again soon with our 2 year old and now 6 year old and we'll be hauling along the car seat and booster.

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They totaled your car while in the drive way? and the air bags deployed .... how fast were they going ? That has to take some very special driving skills.:eek:

We have a long, steep drive lined with trees, one of which he plowed into. He must have been only about 60 feet up. The car was sideways in the drive and the right front end totally smashed. No idea how fast he was going, but the airbags in this particular car have several variables that can affect when they deploy, and speed is just one of them. He could actually have been traveling at a fairly low rate of speed, but there's no way to know. I am just glad he was wearing a seat belt, and the airbags worked.

 

The example is just meant to show that you can totally wreck a car in a trip of just a few feet.

 

To the other poster; I agree, there's no need to bring car seats if you aren't riding in any cars. Most shuttles, etc. have no seat belts.

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DH and I are taking our 1st cruise as new parents. Our DS will be 22 months at sailing time. We plan to have him on a lap during our Wyoming to Florida flight, and therefore are not sure whether we'll need his car seat or not during this vacation. I realize if we're on a "bus" shuttle they aren't really required but taxi's...etc...confused!! :confused:

 

Car Seat advise please!! Pros/Cons?

 

We are cruising in July from Port Canavaral, so we will be driving from Orlando airport. I know we will be renting a car from Enterprise and they also rent car seats and we need two of them. As for excursions, I haven't even begun to plan that aspect, yet. But I wlll look into excursions with either busses/shuttles.

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I only took one cruise with my kids when they were little, but we didn't take car seats and never needed them. The kids were 2, 5 and 8 at the time, and we cruised to Alaska. At the time (2001) carseat laws were much less strict, and I think only the 2 year old would have been required to use a carseat. We never once were in a passenger vehicle where it would have been needed, only tour buses and shuttle buses. If I thought we might be using taxis or renting cars, I'd have taken the carseat, but I had planned in advance and knew we would only be on buses.

 

My recommendation would be to look carefully at what you plan to do in each port and decide if there is any chance you will be in taxis or cars where you would need the car seat, or only on buses. If there's any chance you'll need it, take it!

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If you ride on a bus, bear in mind that the danger to a child is similar to a child not strapped in in a car - ie. the vehicle stops suddenly, the child jerks forward and hits its head somewhere. Of course, the bus is heavier and has more momentum, which makes it less likely to stop sharply.

 

If you want a compromise, then don't take a car seat, but take a cycle helmet. It gives a good deal of protection in a bus or in a car (not as much as a car seat, I know) and can also be used when walking about - it will look odd, I know, and the child may hate it, but traditionally children have always been much safer inside a car than outside - so really it should be outside where precautions are taken.

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We are cruising in July from Port Canavaral, so we will be driving from Orlando airport. I know we will be renting a car from Enterprise and they also rent car seats and we need two of them. As for excursions, I haven't even begun to plan that aspect, yet. But I wlll look into excursions with either busses/shuttles.

 

If it was me, I would bring my own car seats. You will have no idea of the accident history of those rented car seats. The road from Orlando airport to Cape Canaveral is a highway with lots of traffic and lots of accidents. What if you arrive at the car rental place and they don't have the seats that you need? You can check the car seats on the flight, and they will fit fine in the bottom of your closet once on board.

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If it was me, I would bring my own car seats. You will have no idea of the accident history of those rented car seats. The road from Orlando airport to Cape Canaveral is a highway with lots of traffic and lots of accidents. What if you arrive at the car rental place and they don't have the seats that you need? You can check the car seats on the flight, and they will fit fine in the bottom of your closet once on board.

 

Ditto. I have been at rental car check in counters (yes, I have seen this on several occasions) where people were aghast at the fact there were no car seats, seats that were dirty/expired or unsuitable for their child's needs. Plus the fact that most people can't install a car seat properly without reading the manual, and now you're doing it in a car you don't know, while your children and partner wait.

I would agree that the highway between Orlando and Port Canaveral is unique, we did the trip in a shuttle and I was so grateful than my children were safely secured while the driver was weaving in and out of traffic while talking on her ll phone driving 80mph!

I wouldn't check a car seat, not even at the gate, as again I've seen them fall off conveyor belts etc and they are considered damaged and needing replacement if dropped from waist height. My seats come on board the aircraft, booster as a carry on and the car seat installed on the plane. Aircraft installations are very easy, just ask for a belt extender and you are set.

Bring a seat you know and rent a car that is familiar to you. It will make the installation much quicker and keep everyone safe and happy.

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I am one of "them" who travels with car seats and boosters.

I would not travel without them' date=' however I volunteer as a car seat technician, work as a regulated health care professional with people with brain injuries, and have a masters degree in neurophysiology.

We started travelling with our boys when they were 26 months and 4.5 yrs. On the first trip we used a car seat in the airplane for the baby, then buses for transfers. Second trip was a cruise with one booster and one car seat, both were stored easily in the cabin's closet and used on private transfers or taxis in port. No one waited on us, except taxi drivers who were tipped accordingly. Our last trip was a similar experience, also with flights with transfers through unfamiliar airports. Or next trip is in 31 days, we are bringing boosters with us just in case we decide to do something spontaneous in port. It is possible to travel with car and booster seas and we don't consider it an inconvenience. There are many tricks and gadgets to make travelling with car seats easier.

I don't want to find out about the trauma unit capabilities in Mexico or a Caribbean island because my child was injured because I find travelling with car seats inconvenient. I do tell others why I feel this way and how we as a family have found ways of incorporating car seat use into our travel plans. Others disagree.[/quote']

 

Not to hijack the thread, but we are traveling with a 7 and 5 year old who are still in Britax seats in our cars....do you have any recommendations for the BubbleBum seat? it seems to meet all safety reqs an sure looks easy to transport??!!

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Not to hijack the thread, but we are traveling with a 7 and 5 year old who are still in Britax seats in our cars....do you have any recommendations for the BubbleBum seat? it seems to meet all safety reqs an sure looks easy to transport??!!

 

Can't a 7 year old use a standard seat belt ?

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We will be sailing with DD next year (2 1/2 years). Since we will be driving to the port (3 hour drive from home) she'll be in her car seat to the port, but we will not be taking it on the ship with us. We don't plan on using taxis in any port (either a water taxi or bus tour from ship).

 

If we had to fly we'd be using the Cares Harness on the plane (she'll be too old to fly as a lap child) and doing the same with the ship.

 

If we planned to use any taxis we'd be taking the car seat with us, but we've been to all the ports before and are going more for the cruise than the ports (may not even get off in some ports).

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It is definitely a personal choice. On our last cruise I planned on taking it and at the last minute (I mean getting onto the shuttle bus from the hotel to the port) I decided against it. The transportation we ended up using there was not a chance of using the carseat, except maybe on the way home (but even so, since this van was super full, we would have had to wait for the next one, after waiting hours already). the ride to the port was an old school bus. Our carseat (rear facing infant) would not fit in the seats. The taxi in Cozumel did not have seatbelts, I looked. Maybe we could have gotten another one. GC- did a tour on a bus which was packed, she had to sit on lap, and the seats were fold up style (did not see any seatbelts). Jamaica, shuttle bus, no seatbelts in sight. We did not plan on going long distances either. Personally I hated the idea, but I definitely would not have been able to use the seat.

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Yes I am one of THOSE parents who somehow managed to miraculously find a seatbelt in every taxi we have ever traveled in and spent almost 7 years carrying car seats for 2 kids.

 

And rugrats loves me for this - pssst - it's easier to drag a car seat than a tiny coffin.

 

JUST got back from the Caribbean - one major accident in St. Thomas right ahead of us - closed down the road to the port (ya know that mountainous death-defying my God we are taking our lives in our own hands for even considering being in this car - road)

 

BOTH taxis we hailed were 13 passenger vans with guess what? OMG - seatbelts! How clever!

 

And funny enough the first thing I did when I climbed in and saw them - I told my husband "don't put that on yet - let me take a picture for the family board!" Yeah he knows I'm nuts

 

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I keep hearing about these "open air safari taxis with bench seating" but guess what folks - just say no ;)

 

If you wouldn't stick your child in YOUR car in the back seat and drive 30 miles down a killer mountainous road then why on Earth would you stick your child in a stranger's car and do the same thing?

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Yes I am one of THOSE parents who somehow managed to miraculously find a seatbelt in every taxi we have ever traveled in and spent almost 7 years carrying car seats for 2 kids.

 

And rugrats loves me for this - pssst - it's easier to drag a car seat than a tiny coffin.

 

JUST got back from the Caribbean - one major accident in St. Thomas right ahead of us - closed down the road to the port (ya know that mountainous death-defying my God we are taking our lives in our own hands for even considering being in this car - road)

 

BOTH taxis we hailed were 13 passenger vans with guess what? OMG - seatbelts! How clever!

 

And funny enough the first thing I did when I climbed in and saw them - I told my husband "don't put that on yet - let me take a picture for the family board!" Yeah he knows I'm nuts

I keep hearing about these "open air safari taxis with bench seating" but guess what folks - just say no ;)

 

If you wouldn't stick your child in YOUR car in the back seat and drive 30 miles down a killer mountainous road then why on Earth would you stick your child in a stranger's car and do the same thing?

Michelle, I love how you think!

I bet we could come up with a great thread of pictures of seatbelts in various places ;). My 'claim to fame' is a photo of my youngest sleeping in his car seat on a West Jet aircraft with the Canadian certification emblem clearly showing, it is now being used for tech training in Canada ;)

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And rugrats loves me for this - pssst - it's easier to drag a car seat than a tiny coffin.

 

I believe the exact quote was:

 

Yes, I take the car seats. I bet its easier than lugging a coffin home -- just saying.

 

And I do love it: the older you get in life, the more you realize that we have no idea what our day holds. Most people don't get up in the morning thinking, "this is the day I'm going to be in an accident".

 

If you wouldn't stick your child in YOUR car in the back seat and drive 30 miles down a killer mountainous road then why on Earth would you stick your child in a stranger's car and do the same thing?

Because nothing ever happens when you are on a vacation? Because hauling those seats around is a pain?

 

One of the ironies in life is that parents are worried because there is not whole milk on the ship, yet they won't take a car seat.

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