Using airport shuttle NO CAR SEAT???

My friend does this--let's them play in the front seat while she installs the car seats. Middle seat first and baby goes in there. Then the next youngest, and the booster seat last. With the keys in her pocket she figures the worst thing that could happen is she turns the car on and the radio blasts and wipers turn on.

You'd be surprised. Off goes the parking break and shifts into neutral......

Voice of Experience. At least the road was flat.:eek:

For our upcoming cruise, I will book our own transportation. That will either provide car seats or be the larger mini-bus type. In ports, I have planned activities that we don't have to drive/ride anywhere. On the one day that we will, I plan to leave her with her grandparents on the ship. I was thinking about the Hop on, Hop off in Key West though hmmm........

If you're willing to let your daughter ride in a car on the freeway with a seat belt, there's no reason to stop her riding in an urban bus. With the size of a bus and its low speed, it's quite a lot safer than riding by fast car, even without a seat belt.

I just came back from our cruise vacation and as I stated in my previous post I did not bring a car seat for my DS. So I wanted to let you know that, the shuttle at the airport let us on with no problem, just like the hotel told me, and the shuttle to the cruise port was the same. We did book a shuttle to take us from the cruise port to the airport and they provided a car seat with was the wrong one, and the driver said you can use it or hold him its up to you. I just wanted to let you know my experience. I do not care what people think of my parenting skills, he was safe on my lap on both shuttle rides, he was also a lap child on the airplane, I did not bring a carseat because I did not plan on taking him in any vehicles on the islands we visited. Hope this helps.

It seems that there are a lot of opinionated individuals here...so I will ask here instead of hunting or starting a new thread.

My DD will be 2 when we leave out of Miami. I believe my carseat would be too big for a plane seat. How do I find out?

Also, I have seen three types or carseat carriers (backpack, tether to your rolling suitcase, or one that looks like a luggage rack). Which would you suggest? :confused:

Cruising will be so different as a "family".

It seems that there are a lot of opinionated individuals here...so I will ask here instead of hunting or starting a new thread.

 

My DD will be 2 when we leave out of Miami. I believe my carseat would be too big for a plane seat. How do I find out?

 

Also, I have seen three types or carseat carriers (backpack, tether to your rolling suitcase, or one that looks like a luggage rack). Which would you suggest? :confused:

 

Cruising will be so different as a "family".

I am likely one of those opinionated individuals, so I'll give my $0.02!

I all depends on what time of aircraft you will use. You can find out through the carrier what plane will be used. Then you can either look up the seat width online, or go to car-seat.org to see if anyone has first hand experience using the seat onboard. You will want to compare the car seat width at the base to the aircraft's seat width.

You might be surprised at how well a large seat fits on an airplane. We used our Britax Marathon (known as a larger seat) extensively on a variety of aircraft and never had a problem in Air Canada, US Air and West Jet. A lot depends on how wide the seat is at the base rather than at the child's shoulders.

As for how to transport the car seat, we always attached it to an umbrella stroller or attached a strap to the UAS bars so DH could carry it on his back. If I would have found out about the rolling carry on option when we started travelling, I likely would have bought that. DS2 isn't a big stroller kid, so the device that turns the car seat into a stroller didn't appeal to us, but I know others give it great reviews, especially if you can find it used.

I love travelling with seats that have built in lock offs. As you likely know, UAS/LATCH isn't widely available in the Caribbean and Mexico, so a built in lock off makes a seatbelt installation much easier and faster. The why we travelled with our Marathon, although we did have a Radian/Diono which is also popular due to folding and small size.

I'm a Canadian car seat tech, work in health care and have a master's degree in neurophysiology, so I have pretty strong views about car seat use and avoiding the use of health care in foreign countries.

we just did a cruise with a 6 and 8 yr old of Miami and did not bring anything with us. We did a taxi to hotel and zip lined 300 feet in the air both without boosters.

Florida does require car seats in all shuttles. So you might be denied boarding. The best alternate would be to hire a car service that will provide car seats for transport to the ship and back. Yes, more expensive but nice and easy. If you aren't doing any excursions that need car seats then I wouldn't bring one either. However, if you are doing excursions in taxis or vans with seatbelts, then I might rethink my decision.

We did Hawaii twice with my son when he was 2 and 3 - once, no car seat, once with. We had the limo from/to the airport supply the car seat in Honolulu and that was fine, and then we rented a car with a seat for a couple days. It was perfect and we did ride in taxis without a car seat short distances. It made me nervous though. The trip to Big Island, we brought the seat and we're glad we did as we just did taxis instead of car services. And we stayed on the resort or took a big bus when we went anywhere else which would not have accommodated the seat anyway so we just kept it in the closet, but it was good to have. It just really depends on your plans as to whether you really need it or not.

Have a great trip!

I just googled the FL statute on child restraints...

" 6. The child restraint requirements imposed by this section do not apply to a chauffeur-driven taxi, limousine, sedan, van, bus, motor coach, or other passenger vehicle if the operator and the motor vehicle are hired and used for the transportation of persons for compensation. It is the obligation and responsibility of the parent, guardian, or other person responsible for a child’s welfare, as defined in s. 39.01(47), to comply with the requirements of this section."

Case closed.

I just googled the FL statute on child restraints...

 

" 6. The child restraint requirements imposed by this section do not apply to a chauffeur-driven taxi, limousine, sedan, van, bus, motor coach, or other passenger vehicle if the operator and the motor vehicle are hired and used for the transportation of persons for compensation. It is the obligation and responsibility of the parent, guardian, or other person responsible for a child’s welfare, as defined in s. 39.01(47), to comply with the requirements of this section."

 

Case closed.

Yeah if your case is - "It is the obligation and responsibility of the parent, guardian, or other person responsible for a child’s welfare, as defined in s. 39.01(47), to comply with the requirements of this section."

Which means "Parents need to bring a car seat" - taxi drivers and limo divers are exempt and are not held liable under the law.

I was stopped by the transportation desk at the Miami airport before they would call a taxi for me and asked where my car seat was. And we had one.

Yeah if your case is - "It is the obligation and responsibility of the parent, guardian, or other person responsible for a child’s welfare, as defined in s. 39.01(47), to comply with the requirements of this section."

 

Which means "Parents need to bring a car seat" - taxi drivers and limo divers are exempt and are not held liable under the law.

 

I was stopped by the transportation desk at the Miami airport before they would call a taxi for me and asked where my car seat was. And we had one.

Well said. That's exactly what I was thinking.

I'm not disagreeing with you regarding parents responsibility, it just looks to me that the "rules" don't apply to taxis, vans, etc. We've had experiences where the taxi service made sure we had a car seat, and then a shuttle van that told us to stow it with the luggage. After reading this thread, so many people have had different experiences, but I just don't see it written that the child restraint laws applies to taxis, shuttles, etc...

Michelle, I just reread your post. I think I was reading it the wrong way. I was reading the statute that the child restraint laws didnt apply in taxis, etc. But I think you've got it - that the driver is not held accountable, the parent is...

Oh, well, I give up

Not to troll, but zOMG the pearl clutching over child seat laws in Florida (which is where I assume most people will be cruising from) is pretty hilarious, given that Florida has the most lax child seat laws in the US.

Here's the law: http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0300-0399/0316/Sections/0316.613.html

(1)(a) Every operator of a motor vehicle as defined in this section, while transporting a child in a motor vehicle operated on the roadways, streets, or highways of this state, shall, if the child is 5 years of age or younger, provide for protection of the child by properly using a crash-tested, federally approved child restraint device. For children aged through 3 years, such restraint device must be a separate carrier or a vehicle manufacturer’s integrated child seat. For children aged 4 through 5 years, a separate carrier, an integrated child seat, or a seat belt may be used.

Here's the comparison to other states: http://www.ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/laws/childsafety_laws.html

Essentially this says, if your kid is younger than three you need a car seat of some sort. 4 and above you can use the seat belt. We were just in Florida with a 4 and 7 year old, we brought a booster for the 4 year old just for our own piece of mind even though Florida law said he'd be okay with just the seat belt.

Michelle, I just reread your post. I think I was reading it the wrong way. I was reading the statute that the child restraint laws didnt apply in taxis, etc. But I think you've got it - that the driver is not held accountable, the parent is...

 

Oh, well, I give up

No - you got it :)

The parents are liable.

And I totally agree with the next poster who said that Florida has some of the most lax car seat laws around.

Where I live - my 9 year old still needs a booster. I keep joking with her that she will be driving with it. ;)

UPDATE:

Just called our Miami area hotel and their shuttle is not compatible for installation of a toddler car seat. They said the child can ride the 1 MILE to the hotel on a lap and they will be happy to stow the seat for us. Glad I wasn't planning on taking it anyway! As far as transfers from hotel to the port and back to airport...our reserved shuttle service will provide a car seat for us, and we've booked excursions not requiring one. And...GO!!

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UPDATE:

Just called our Miami area hotel and their shuttle is not compatible for installation of a toddler car seat. They said the child can ride the 1 MILE to the hotel on a lap and they will be happy to stow the seat for us. Glad I wasn't planning on taking it anyway! As far as transfers from hotel to the port and back to airport...our reserved shuttle service will provide a car seat for us, and we've booked excursions not requiring one. And...GO!!

 

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Can you tell me the hotel and shuttle names. I'm booked at the Ramada Inn Miami North for pre-cruise, but need something for a one night stay between our (almost) back-to-back cruise. Any recommendations?

Can you tell me the hotel and shuttle names. I'm booked at the Ramada Inn Miami North for pre-cruise, but need something for a one night stay between our (almost) back-to-back cruise. Any recommendations?

Are you trying to get info related to having/not having your kids car seat? We're at the LaQuinta Inn MIA East and using Super Shuttle.

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UPDATE:

Just called our Miami area hotel and their shuttle is not compatible for installation of a toddler car seat. They said the child can ride the 1 MILE to the hotel on a lap and they will be happy to stow the seat for us. Glad I wasn't planning on taking it anyway! As far as transfers from hotel to the port and back to airport...our reserved shuttle service will provide a car seat for us, and we've booked excursions not requiring one. And...GO!!

 

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Would you mind sharing which shuttle service you chose? I plan to do the same as you and leave the car seat at home as long as we can get a service with a car seat from the airport to the ship. Thanks!

Eta: Somehow I missed your last post. I see the name now. Hope you had fun on your cruise.

Yikes :eek:..Most of you posters are probably the kids/grandkids of us older generation..Amazing you made it this far..considering the limited knowledge we all grew up having..I remember the plastic infant seats, hook over carseats and carbeds..Sorry all of you couldn't resist. :D

Success!!! Just back from Carnival Liberty. Wonderful trip and NO CARSEAT was lugged along. The review I promised is on the way;) I'm sure other fellow "bad parents" will be interested ;)

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Success!!! Just back from Carnival Liberty. Wonderful trip and NO CARSEAT was lugged along. The review I promised is on the way;) I'm sure other fellow "bad parents" will be interested ;)

 

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Looking forward to the review. Glad you had a great trip.

Success!!! Just back from Carnival Liberty. Wonderful trip and NO CARSEAT was lugged along. The review I promised is on the way;) I'm sure other fellow "bad parents" will be interested ;)

 

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Did u need a carseat in the ports if u take a taxi we are going Eastern and in quite worried about that.

Not to troll, but zOMG the pearl clutching over child seat laws in Florida (which is where I assume most people will be cruising from) is pretty hilarious, given that Florida has the most lax child seat laws in the US.

 

Here's the law: http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0300-0399/0316/Sections/0316.613.html

 

 

 

Here's the comparison to other states: http://www.ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/laws/childsafety_laws.html

 

Essentially this says, if your kid is younger than three you need a car seat of some sort. 4 and above you can use the seat belt. We were just in Florida with a 4 and 7 year old, we brought a booster for the 4 year old just for our own piece of mind even though Florida law said he'd be okay with just the seat belt.

Not sure where you got the idea that in FL they don't need a car seat/booster seat after the age of 3. They must be restrained in one of the above until the age of 5. Also the driver is held responsible for all not restrained in a seatbelt until the age of 16 and after that anyone in the front seat over the age of 16 not wearing a seat-belt is a chargeable offence.

What you are missing is that it is referring to an integrated device (one that is built into some vehicles vs a device that is seat-belted in (as in most booster seats). Up to age 3 you must use devices that use the various anchor techniques that are build into cars and not just a car-seat that uses a seat belt to hold it down. As an example my son's car seat used a seat-belt along with anchors between the back cushion and seat cushion and the forward facing one used anchors on the back dash in addition. After age 3 you may switch to a booster seat that is just seat-belted in.

Also chauffeured taxi and taxi aren't the same thing. The former being a limousine service paid by the hour or something similar (like type of trip) the latter being a yellow cab type paid by the mile.

Yikes :eek:..Most of you posters are probably the kids/grandkids of us older generation..Amazing you made it this far..considering the limited knowledge we all grew up having..I remember the plastic infant seats, hook over carseats and carbeds..Sorry all of you couldn't resist. :D

Yep - barely. I was in a low speed accident when I was a child. I remember it clearly. One minute I was laying across the backseat of my parents' Blazer coming back from a day at the lake. The next minute I was flying up to the front seat over my parents' heads. Someone crossed the center line and hit us head on. If my father had been speeding we wouldn't be having this conversation.

Did u need a carseat in the ports if u take a taxi we are going Eastern and in quite worried about that.

Again - would YOU drive around your city without a car seat. If the answer is NO - then bring a car seat. And the bigger question - would you allow a stranger in another country to drive YOUR child without being properly restrained????

The OP did not want to inconvenience HERSELF!

There is no gray area here. It's pretty black and white. How much risk are YOU willing to take?