car seats and excursions

[thiscloud]

did anyone (try to) insist on a carseat for small kids (under 4) wherever they went (excursion-wise), and did they meet any resistance with the "natives"? we're trying to figure out what excursions we can do with our 3 year old dd if they involve driving.

 

[aprilgail2]

The trouble is many of the taxis do not even have seat belts to fasten your car seat in with. In St. Thomas the open air taxi things they put you in didn't have any belts. The bus we went in in Grand Cayman didn't have blets either.

 

[goofy4wdw59]

For our Nov. cruise, we were thinking about what we should do about excursions, car seats, etc. We have 3 kids--ages 8, 6, & 3. Our active 3yo would be better off in a booster 5-point harness.
We considered renting a car and doing our own touring (possibly bringing along our booster seat?), but we weren't sure we wanted to do this.
(After this cruise, we'll probably rent a car on a future cruise because we'll be more familiar with the roads & attractions, and, the kids will be older too!)
So, after considering everything, I booked a personal tour in St. Maarten and I requested a car seat. The tour person is going to provide a car seat and will meet us at the dock in St. Maarten. She will do the driving, provide info/ basic tour & recommend family beaches, etc. We can adjust the tour according to how the kids are doing.
I think this will be the best option for us. When we get back from our cruise, I can post our experiences.

 

[aprilgail2]

For our Nov. cruise, we were thinking about what we should do about excursions, car seats, etc. We have 3 kids--ages 8, 6, & 3. Our active 3yo would be better off in a booster 5-point harness.
We considered renting a car and doing our own touring (possibly bringing along our booster seat?), but we weren't sure we wanted to do this.
(After this cruise, we'll probably rent a car on a future cruise because we'll be more familiar with the roads & attractions, and, the kids will be older too!)
So, after considering everything, I booked a personal tour in St. Maarten and I requested a car seat. The tour person is going to provide a car seat and will meet us at the dock in St. Maarten. She will do the driving, provide info/ basic tour & recommend family beaches, etc. We can adjust the tour according to how the kids are doing.
I think this will be the best option for us. When we get back from our cruise, I can post our experiences.

Thats a good idea...are they supplying boosters for all the kids?? I know here in NY all three would have to be in some type of car seat, the older 2 in at least a booster seat. My almost 6 year old is still in a 5 point harness seat, in St Marteen we ended up just going to a beach near the tender dock...in St Thomas we went in a open air taxi and I was a nervous wreck with her just sitting next to us- I had one arm behind her and one in front (like that would do any good in an accident!) and going up to Megans Bay you are on these roads that you could just drive right off-they don't have guardrails or anything there! I don't think I would do that again, it made me to nervous!

 

[JennsBabySky]

I find it a tough situation. I am a huge car seat advocate and a disney cruise addict (we've gone on 3 and are planning a couple more). Some taxis will have seat belts and some won't. We've even tried multiple taxis in port. If there are no seat belts, then you need to make a parental decision on whether or not you will still do an excursion in port. It is tough because part of the reason we go on the cruises is to give our children (and us) a chance to see and visit new cultures and communities. We've brought everything from carseats, boosters, and a really bad tote n go collapsible car seat (it is small but terrible to install).

If you do bring your seat, make sure you can install it and use it correctly. It sounds so simple, but aproximately 90% of people use their carseats incorrectly. Harness needs to be tight, clip at chest level, when forward facing the straps should be at or above the shoulders (at or below for rear facing), rear facing until at least age 1, but usually in a convertible seat before this (the infant buckets will rarely last much beyond 6 to 8 months, either because of height or weight). Also, boosters need a shoulder belt to be used properly which may be more difficult to find in port (however much easier to carry). If you have a combination seat which has an integrated carseat in the form of a 5 point harness, this can be installed with a lap or lap/shoulder belt and can usually be installed on airplanes.

To the original poster, I'm sure that you are probably doing all of these things correctly, but I posted them because many more people see these threads and I don't think that information can be said often enough (at least until 100% of carseats are used correctly).

Personally, I do as many Disney excursions as possible and hope they are in a large bus. Buses keep occupants safe by different means than carseats, but they are usually actually safer than carseats/cars. However, by buses I mean LARGE busses, 10 passenger van/buses are terribly unsafe. If you do use a bus, don't keep your child on your lap, they then become your airbag (of course with an infant, you don't have much choice). Also, avoid the front rows, you need the seat in front of you to help keep you safe.

 

[4Smilee]

Personally, I do as many Disney excursions as possible and hope they are in a large bus.

Do you know which ones are on buses?