Traveling with 1 year old and car seat

[hamm1207]

We're cruising with our daughter (1 year old) and I'm wondering what you've done with a car seat on the cruise. When arriving at the port, did you get an extra luggage tag and drop it off for them to deliver to your stateroom? If so, did you pack it in a trash bag? Is the closet the best place to store it throughout the cruise? Thanks!

 

[Quellman]

Doesn't sound like you are using a car, so yes your options are different. I would recommend putting some sort of bag around the seat. I would use a luggage tag on the seat itself and another on the bag you use, in case it gets ripped. The ports at the port will always have extra tags for you. It chould be able to fit sideways under the bed, which will give you some closet space. Don't forget another trashbag to pack your car seat up for disembarkation.

 

[lanejudy]

Honestly, I'd be wary of leaving a car seat with checked luggage at the port. It is not handled gracefully. I'm sure someone will post a picture of the luggage literally piled in heaps as it's brought to the stateroom floors. Your baby's car seat could be on the bottom of the pile. There are car seat bags that can be attached to a carry-on sized suitcase; that might be my preferred option if I had to bring one.

As to storage in the stateroom -- the closet or it may fit under the bed, another spot is under the desk if you have space to pull the desk chair out. I've also read of people storing them in the shower when not in use.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We're cruising with our daughter (1 year old) and I'm wondering what you've done with a car seat on the cruise. When arriving at the port, did you get an extra luggage tag and drop it off for them to deliver to your stateroom? If so, did you pack it in a trash bag? Is the closet the best place to store it throughout the cruise? Thanks!

While you certainly can put a luggage tag on the car seat for delivery to your room, I wouldn't suggest it. They are not particularly gentle with the handling of luggage. This is one of the baggage holding areas on the Fantasy, and yes, the bags are basically thrown on the pile until sorted out for delivery.

 

[Chemist]

Do you NEED to bring your carseat?

We used Disney transfers to get to the port. At the end of the trip we rented a car and just had faith that the rented carseat would be okay. (Only done it once before, and it was fine both times.)

This was our first time in eight years of heavy family travel to NOT bring a carseat. It was kind of nice not having to deal with it.

 

[hamm1207]

Do you NEED to bring your carseat?

We used Disney transfers to get to the port. At the end of the trip we rented a car and just had faith that the rented carseat would be okay. (Only done it once before, and it was fine both times.)

This was our first time in eight years of heavy family travel to NOT bring a carseat. It was kind of nice not having to deal with it.

Our daughter has her own seat on the plane and we're using alternate transportation (possibly friends in the Houston area), so her taking her carseat is a must.

 

[hamm1207]

While you certainly can put a luggage tag on the car seat for delivery to your room, I wouldn't suggest it. They are not particularly gentle with the handling of luggage. This is one of the baggage holding areas on the Fantasy, and yes, the bags are basically thrown on the pile until sorted out for delivery.
View attachment 180027

Looks like the same treatment the airlines give luggage Unfortunately the thing weighs about 25lbs, so lugging it around all day is not an option.

 

[AndreAggie]

You might consider arriving at the port after 1:30. That way, you still have to lug it on to ship, but you can go directly to your state room and store the carseat. You might want to get one of the luggage carts with wheels and strap the carseat to that to make transporting it a little easier.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Since you're taking your car seat anyway, have you thought about buying one of those car seat bases that make it into a stroller? It's not that you need a stroller on the trip, but since you have the car seat anyway, it might be handy in the airport, cruise terminal and on embarkation day.

http://www.toysrus.com/products/stroller-frames-strollers-category-C12574022.jsp

 

[coloradocutie]

All our cruises have been with two car seats- each mammoths at 20-25 lb each. We get a car seat bag with wheels, like the Britax car seat bag (https://www.amazon.com/Britax-Car-S...467932715&sr=8-1&keywords=britax+car+seat+bag) - we have used the Childress bag but they ripped on the first use- don't waste your money. Our Britax bags have endured overseas travel and lugging around all over airports (as we only gate check the seats- never with our bags). We have done both options- we let the cruise take them with our bags- then we saw a photo like Princess Shmoo posted and since then we've opted for arriving late and bringing them on ourselves. (We also carry our car seats off and not put them out the night prior to disembarkation so that we are sure that we have them.) We have stored them in the closets as well as under the bed (that was a high back booster that went under the bed....) You could always store them in the shower as well, when not being used !
The Britax bags are our saving grace and you can just pull them around and lug them anywhere you want so you are not stuck physically carrying a 25 lb car seat.

Enjoy your cruise!!!

 

[KalamityJane]

You could look into a Scenara Next - a 1yo should fit well into it. It's SUPER lightweight and a great travel seat and only costs about 45 bucks at Walmart.

 

[KalamityJane]

Oh, and it's very compact

 

[MinnieMouse64]

If you didn't have to have a friend drive you, you could use what we did for our grandson. We used the cares harness, it was awesome to use. All you had to do is fold up the straps afterwards and place them in the bag that comes with it, then I placed it in our carry on bag. Here is the link http://kidsflysafe.com

 

[MinnieMouse64]

If you didn't have to have a friend drive you, you could use what we did for our grandson. We used the cares harness, it was awesome to use. All you had to do is fold up the straps afterwards and place them in the bag that comes with it, then I placed it in our carry on bag. Here is the link http://kidsflysafe.com

I purchased ours at Buy Buy Baby

 

[5Texans]

Our daughter has her own seat on the plane and we're using alternate transportation (possibly friends in the Houston area), so her taking her carseat is a must.

Could you leave the car seat with your friend? Or rent one? I have 3 still in car seats and I've been planning like a mad woman NOT to bring those suckers. Last time I did it on property at WDW was horrible.

 

[CesD]

we also put car seats in bags.
now that your youngest is in a booster, we use this which folds nice and small

https://www.amazon.com/Harmony-Transformer-Booster-Discontinued-Manufacturer/dp/B00I4YHRNW

 

[Imedley200]

I second the recommendation of the Cosco Scenera Next car seat. We use it for our travel seat because it's lightweight. All car seats have to pass the same safety tests but this one is kind of like the base model, nothing fancy. I learned about it from the Baby Bargains book. Walmart even carries a Mickey print =) We'll be taking ours on its first cruise in September. We'll use it on the airplane, car and then carry it on the ship. We're going to bungy cord it to a rolling carry on bag and store it in the closet

 

[hamm1207]

Since you're taking your car seat anyway, have you thought about buying one of those car seat bases that make it into a stroller? It's not that you need a stroller on the trip, but since you have the car seat anyway, it might be handy in the airport, cruise terminal and on embarkation day.

http://www.toysrus.com/products/stroller-frames-strollers-category-C12574022.jsp

We currently have a stroller with the car seat adapter and what not, but she'll be out of that car seat by the time of the cruise. By then she'll be in one of those ever so fun bulky ones that stays in the car.

 

[hamm1207]

I second the recommendation of the Cosco Scenera Next car seat. We use it for our travel seat because it's lightweight. All car seats have to pass the same safety tests but this one is kind of like the base model, nothing fancy. I learned about it from the Baby Bargains book. Walmart even carries a Mickey print =) We'll be taking ours on its first cruise in September. We'll use it on the airplane, car and then carry it on the ship. We're going to bungy cord it to a rolling carry on bag and store it in the closet

I might have to look into this and have it as a traveling car seat. Can it be used on an airplane? Thanks!

 

[dhardawa]

I might have to look into this and have it as a traveling car seat. Can it be used on an airplane? Thanks!

Yes, it absolutely can.

When my son was little, I just carried his seat or used the Go Go Kids Travelmate which was a dream.

Also, good for you for buying a seat on the plane and traveling safely!