When kids need car seats to get to cruise?

[5Texans]

It's a short hop (2 hrs). She normally sleeps on plane rides. We're an aviation family, and we don't like to do infant in arms as it's not as safe as a car seat. We'll also need the car seat for around town as we have friends picking us up.

Sounds like you need it then...
Could you leave the seat with your friends? Do you need it on the cruise?

 

[5Texans]

None of my car seats would come close to fitting under a bed

 

[disneyholic family]

Car seats are safer than infant in arms. If they're in booster seats, a company makes really cool folding booster seats (sport but I can't remember the name of the company). Car seats are also nice places for them to sleep.

we're not doing infant in the arms.
even though one of them will be young enough to be lap held, i bought a ticket for her anyway..
i couldn't see being in the air for 16 hours without a separate seat for her....she'll be way too big to sit on our laps for that long..
she'll be just 2 months shy of 2 years (in other words, 22 months)...

what are the age/s of your child/ren?? I think that is the deciding factor. If they will sleep without it then I'd leave it.

If not, I'd probably a) find a place to leave it in port (car, locker etc) b)buy a small cheap one that I would basically treat as disposable. That is a LONG way to fight w a toddler if they are used to being in there seat and would sit nicely for big stretches.

If its a 3 yr old that would lay down in the seat and stay there without too much reminding- ridesafe or cares harness.

If you decide you need the seat, I'd just plan on checking it at port and bring some extra tips to have porters and airport workers help you lug it as much as possible and dump it when I get home. Don't be a hero.

the older one will be 3.5 by then
the younger one 22 months...
as i wrote above, they will both have their own airline seats...i paid for tickets for both of them..

what i can't picture in my head, is either one of them being able to sit in a car seat for 16 hours...
well...actually 13.5 hours on the transatlantic leg and then 2.5 hours from new york to orlando..

do kids really sit that long in a car seat?

and then shlepping the car seats and the kids and the carry ons etc etc through the airport when we change planes....
and hooking the seats into both planes and taking them out again...
geez...it seems monumental to me....

 

[hamm1207]

Sounds like you need it then...
Could you leave the seat with your friends? Do you need it on the cruise?

We'll just make room for it in the closet. Luggage will go under the bed. We'll make it work.

 

[hamm1207]

we're not doing infant in the arms.
even though one of them will be young enough to be lap held, i bought a ticket for her anyway..
i couldn't see being in the air for 16 hours without a separate seat for her....she'll be way too big to sit on our laps for that long..
she'll be just 2 months shy of 2 years (in other words, 22 months)...



the older one will be 3.5 by then
the younger one 22 months...
as i wrote above, they will both have their own airline seats...i paid for tickets for both of them..

what i can't picture in my head, is either one of them being able to sit in a car seat for 16 hours...
well...actually 13.5 hours on the transatlantic leg and then 2.5 hours from new york to orlando..

do kids really sit that long in a car seat?

and then shlepping the car seats and the kids and the carry ons etc etc through the airport when we change planes....
and hooking the seats into both planes and taking them out again...
geez...it seems monumental to me....

They make luggage straps to strap car seats onto rolling suitcases...these can also double as a stroller The car seats will need to go in window seats, because they block a person's ability to safely exit a row. The nice thing about flying is that you can get up and walk around. We fly 9 hours (roughly) from the east coast of the US to Alaska and I plan for lots of walking time at the airport and feel free to walk up and down the airplane aisle! Another fun thing is a new toy or two (still in the package) and let them try to get the package open.

 

[tinker&belle]

If you are not bringing a stroller(s) on this trip, but still want to bring your car seats and keep them with you when you board, you could buy a specially made belt for $15-$20 (or use a cheap bungee cord as a DIY method) to strap each carseat to a carryon you will take with you onboard. Or you could get something that really converts the carseat into a temporary stroller, allowing your child to stay seated in the carseat while you roll it, for $50-$80. Straps are sold by Traveling Toddler and GoGoKidz and the wheeled attachments are by Brica and also by GoGoKidz. Makes going through the airport easier too!

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We did this with a Cosco Scenara (our lightest car seat that was our extra).

We used a few carabiners and the straps from the car seat it self. She rode in seat around the airport and it was easy to pull around. It cost nothing since I had the carabiners already but they are pretty inexpensive.

 

[tinker&belle]

Here is an article with a similar idea. Read the link to the amazon comments. I think that is where I got the idea. http://parenthacks.com/2011/09/car-seat-luggage-strap.html

 

[Anchors Away 2016]

what i can't picture in my head, is either one of them being able to sit in a car seat for 16 hours...
well...actually 13.5 hours on the transatlantic leg and then 2.5 hours from new york to orlando..

do kids really sit that long in a car seat?

You will make it. It will be fine. You will do great. Years ago, my sons were almost exactly that age (mine were 3 weeks shy of 2 YO and 3.5 YO). We flew from New York to Maui, via Houston. Not QUITE as long as your flights, but close, and a change of planes in the middle.

What you have to remember is that THEY don't see it as a hassle. They see it as the most amazing adventure EVER. Plus they are probably excited about the destination too. This will earn you a lot of good mood/good will on their part. So keep up a big smile, and mostly they will too. Plus standard parenting "tricks": Snacks, games, toys, paper to draw on, movies and iPad (if you allow such things), and the occasional walk up the aisle. One good thing about the long flight is that you have a big plane, right? Ours had two aisles and several sections, so that helped keep things interesting.

Sure, there was some crying and some carrying and a bit of praying, but in the end, we made it, they thought it was wonderful, and to this day consider themselves world travelers because of that trip. I'm so glad we did it and I suspect you will be too.

 

[DisneyKeepsUsYoung]

we're not doing infant in the arms.
even though one of them will be young enough to be lap held, i bought a ticket for her anyway..
i couldn't see being in the air for 16 hours without a separate seat for her....she'll be way too big to sit on our laps for that long..
she'll be just 2 months shy of 2 years (in other words, 22 months)...



the older one will be 3.5 by then
the younger one 22 months...
as i wrote above, they will both have their own airline seats...i paid for tickets for both of them..

what i can't picture in my head, is either one of them being able to sit in a car seat for 16 hours...
well...actually 13.5 hours on the transatlantic leg and then 2.5 hours from new york to orlando..

do kids really sit that long in a car seat?

and then shlepping the car seats and the kids and the carry ons etc etc through the airport when we change planes....
and hooking the seats into both planes and taking them out again...
geez...it seems monumental to me....

Flying with car seats really isn't that bad. It seems daunting until you've done it but once you have its not too bad. Last time we flew we stacked the 2 car seats on the jogging stroller so it held them plus a carry on for us around the airport. An Ergo to wear a child was also priceless. With family pre-boarding you have plenty of time to install the seats. Plus they install much quicker with that lap belt than in a car. As long as your connecting flight isn't close we wait to get off to not fight the crowd with the seats and so that the stroller, checked plane side, will be waiting for us. My kids love their seats and nap well in them so the familiarity has always been nice for them. They don't have to be strapped in the whole time, only when the seat belt sign is on so they can still move around. I can doze off better knowing my kid is strapped in a car seat secure. Plus they are decent to lean against on a long flight for me to sleep. Longest flight I've done is 6 hours but having the seat was very nice for us.

 

[hamm1207]

We dropped out car seat with the porters (embarkation) and with our bags (debarkation) and it was fine. No damage! We stored it on our couch down by the pack n play

 

[disneyholic family]

we've decided to go without car seats...it's completely ridiculous to have a kid in a car seat for so many hours ..
we'll get that harness for take-offs/landings, but no car seats....they'll sleep on the seat lying down (yes, with their seat belts on)...
we did the same halfway around the world flight with our kids pretty much every year when they were growing up..
the grandkids will travel the same way...