Carseat for Ports

[Kaitebeck]

Good morning, we are cruising on a Christmas Cruise this December and our port of calls are CocoCay, Costa Maya, Roatan, and Cozumel. My daughter will be 16 months on this trip. We have found several "excursions" for her to attend on (such as a beach area, or a wildlife tour) but my question is car seats... she will be out of her carrier by then, do I need to lug around a convertible car seat? I mean those suckers are heavy and a pain to install and uninstall over and over. Wondering if there is something I am missing for her. Or if anyone can shed any light on this. 

 

Thank you

[Essiesmom]

There is a board here for Family Cruises, under Special Interest Cruising, and carseats is a topic that comes up frequently.  You might do a little reading there.  EM

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/28-family-cruises/

Edited May 3, 2019 by Essiesmom

[kerryincork]

If you are on a group excursions you will be in a van or bus, you might not be able to install a car seat.

 

We use travel booster seats, they are not too heavy and sort of collapse so are slightly easier to travel with.

[cb at sea]

Coco Cay  is essentially part of the ship..it's RCI's private island.  No transportation needed AT ALL there.  If you're doing a ship;'s excursion at any port, you will be in a bus....not private cars/vehicles.  No carseats needed.

 

If you google your ports and "public transportation", you can find out what modes there are.  Any place with buses should be fine without a seat.  That way, you can do your own thing, and not have to worry about it.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

6 hours ago, kerryincork said:

We use travel booster seats, they are not too heavy and sort of collapse so are slightly easier to travel with.

there aren't any booster seats that will accommodate a 16 month old....

 

to OP: you won't need any seats at Coco Cay like CB said, but if you are going on your own in Cozumel, Costa Maya or Roatan, you will take a regular taxi.

Cosco Scenera NEXT is a nice, light seat, great for travel, and only $40. However, your taxis are not guaranteed to even have seat belts (or latch anchors), and if they do, they may not lock the way they do in American cars.

Do visit the Family Cruising board - we've discussed it there many times.

 

Are you going on your own or purchasing excursions through the cruise?

 

 

Edited May 3, 2019 by Itchy&Scratchy

[Kaitebeck]

Thank you everyone for your response. I will look into the family cruise page. We have booked through individual persons for each port (save RCI Cocoa Bay). We are going to the Maya Chan beach on Christmas day and doing a wildlife tour in Rotoan. Nothing for Cozumel yet. 

[Itchy&Scratchy]

On 5/3/2019 at 9:14 AM, kerryincork said:

 

you will most likely need a locking clip for most seats you bring from the US. It's not expensive and it will serve you well in case the vehicle doesn't have locking seat belts or latch.

Edited July 8, 2019 by Itchy&Scratchy

[zqvol]

On 5/3/2019 at 9:06 AM, Kaitebeck said:

Good morning, we are cruising on a Christmas Cruise this December and our port of calls are CocoCay, Costa Maya, Roatan, and Cozumel. My daughter will be 16 months on this trip. We have found several "excursions" for her to attend on (such as a beach area, or a wildlife tour) but my question is car seats... she will be out of her carrier by then, do I need to lug around a convertible car seat? I mean those suckers are heavy and a pain to install and uninstall over and over. Wondering if there is something I am missing for her. Or if anyone can shed any light on this. 

 

Thank you

 

I know that you want to protect your child but don't waste your time with the car seat. You will be on buses, trams or maybe in cabs, but most cabs in those areas do not even have seat belts that work. Just hold on tight and hope there is no accident.

[Extra Kim]

Some people in this thread... 😳

 

If the cab doesn't have seat belts, just take another one. Sure the seats are heavy, but could you live with your self if the cab have an accident and your child is hurt just because you didn't bring a seat? 

[Bookish Angel]

I agree with Extra Kim.  I would never take the chance.

 

 

[ldubs]

8 hours ago, zqvol said:

Just hold on tight and hope there is no accident.

 

No, no, no.   

 

Life can change in an instant.  Proper precautions are not difficult. 

[Extra Kim]

Most infant seats are rated up to 13kg, and if they have out grown an infant seat I would assume that the baby weighs more then 13kg. 

If something weighs 10kg (22 LBS) and you crash in 50km/h (31 mph) it will have the moving mass of 400kg (882 LBS). Good luck trying to hold on to that. IF you could the childs neck wouldn't be able to carry the weight of the head.

3kg (6.6 LBS) would be 120kg (265 LBS). 

This is also the reason why children should be riding backwards until they are at least four years old.

Edited July 9, 2019 by Extra Kim

[zqvol]

19 hours ago, Extra Kim said:

Some people in this thread... 😳

 

If the cab doesn't have seat belts, just take another one. Sure the seats are heavy, but could you live with your self if the cab have an accident and your child is hurt just because you didn't bring a seat? 

 

Good luck finding a vehicle with seat belts in the ports  that the Op is visiting. Better advice is to simply stay on the ship.

[Extra Kim]

In Cozumel you will be able to find a cab with seat belts, we have done it...

 

In Costa Maya we just walked to the waterpark.

 

No need for seat belts on Coco Cay, since there's no cars there.

 

We have never been to Roatan.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

13 hours ago, Extra Kim said:

In Cozumel you will be able to find a cab with seat belts, we have done it...

 

In Costa Maya we just walked to the waterpark.

 

No need for seat belts on Coco Cay, since there's no cars there.

 

We have never been to Roatan.

we have been to all of these ports and took taxis in all of them. All the taxis had functioning seat belts. 

If a taxi doesn't, take another taxi. 

Bring a locking clip in case the seat belts do not lock like they do in the US and don't have latch.

[gymbomb]

I would never go in a cab or similar with my child without a car seat. The Cosco Scenera Next recommended above is our go-to travel seat until it is outgrown (average sized child will outgrow it about age 3, before reaching stated height/weight limits). I choose excursions that can be done with walking, boat, or bus transportation so I don't have to lug around a car seat in port. Another great option (which I did in Roatan recently with adults and could have easily done with a toddler -- highly recommend Bodden tours!) is to hire a private tour guide. Then you install the car seat once in the morning, do your thing for the day, and take the car seat out when you return to port. If you need to take a cab and the first one doesn't have working seatbelts, try another one. I've heard stories of people occasionally having to wait for another cab, but have never heard of someone who was unable to find a cab with seatbelts if they tried to.

Edit: But yes, as suggested above, get a locking clip and learn how to use it before the trip.

Edited July 11, 2019 by gymbomb

[CHRISandCHRIS]

On 7/8/2019 at 12:19 PM, Kaitebeck said:

Thank you everyone for your response. I will look into the family cruise page. We have booked through individual persons for each port (save RCI Cocoa Bay). We are going to the Maya Chan beach on Christmas day and doing a wildlife tour in Rotoan. Nothing for Cozumel yet. 

Is maya chan letting you use a carseat? I am trying to get ahold of them. They use taxis not buses and its a bumpy ride so I am hoping they answer me with a yes..

 

On 7/9/2019 at 8:00 PM, Extra Kim said:

In Cozumel you will be able to find a cab with seat belts, we have done it...

 

In Costa Maya we just walked to the waterpark.

If not I would like to know about the waterpark within walking distance.

 

And where are these locking clips found. I know my carrier has one but Cosco scenera doesn't.

[Extra Kim]

53 minutes ago, CHRISandCHRIS said:

If not I would like to know about the waterpark within walking distance.

According to Google, it's a 8 min walk. You will be able to see the waterslides from the ship.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

On 7/13/2019 at 10:30 AM, CHRISandCHRIS said:

And where are these locking clips found. I know my carrier has one but Cosco scenera doesn't.

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