cruise excursions and carseats?

[snoopy5386]

We'll be taking a Caribbean cruise this fall with DD who will be 3.5 years old then. We'll be stopping at St. Thomas and St. Croix. We would like to do an excursion on St. Croix with DD. What do I do about a carseat? Obviously I can't use one in this situation......
I consider myself reasonable with regards to carseat safety. In our car DD rearfaces in a BLVD. On vacation we forward face her in scenera. We check that seat and use a CARES harness on the plane. What do others do when traveling in other countries, especially less developed ones?
Thanks!

PS We aren't planning on taking our carseat with us on this trip at all. We'll be using a CARES harness on the plane, and taking a charter bus to the port.I am thinking of picking up a backless booster just in case our transportation has seatbelts. I am trying to find out more info on what the transportation is like on St. Croix, but it is hard, cruise ships just returned there this month for the 1st time in 8 years.

[safeinthecar]

Never been to St Croix, but I've been to St Thomas. None of the taxis vans or buses I saw there even had working seat belts.

[Minniemouse]

My sister used to work for Carnival when dd was younger and we were able to cruise for DIRT cheap (it was actually cheaper for us to go on a cruise w/ her than stay home!).

So... dd cruised the Western Caribbean THREE times between 2 and 4 years old.

The first two cruises were B2B when dd was 2.5yo out of Miami and the third was out of New Orleans just before she turned 4yo.

We had her car seat w/ us for all of the cruises since the CARES harness didn't exist yet and we used it on the airplane. The first two cruises we stuck to excursions w/ buses or we just walked from the dock. The third cruise we took an excursion on Grand Cayman where they bused you to 7 Mile Beach (which is not seven miles) and you were responsible for getting yourself back to the ship (via taxi).

Now I'm all for putting dd in a seat whenever possible...but there was NO way I was dragging her car seat to the beach for the day for the ride back to the ship!

The taxi we took back was a mini van of some sort so we placed dd in the second row between dh and myself w/ the lap/shoulder belt on her (which did not fit well at all).. and hoped for the best.

It was the scariest part of our entire trip (and dh and I climed Dunn's River Falls that trip!)!!

The ride was only 10min and the driver must have picked up on my nervous vibes because he was excellent!

Not one of my favorite CPS moments, but I really didn't see any way around it. Dd spent a wonderful day in the gorgeous Grand Cayman surf w/ dh, myself and her aunt...so it was worth it.

FWIW, my sister thought I was "blowing it all out of proportion" but she still doesn't "get it".... although she does wear her seatbelt when she visits now. :thumbsup:

[codex57]

I've only done the W. Carib and Bahamas and I don't recall seatbelts either. I suppose you could actively search for transportation that would have it, but you may have to go a little out of your way to match the excursions you want with transportation that has seatbelts.

I know safety is all important, but I wouldn't go too nuts about it. I book excursions thru the ship cuz it's easier (I know it's more expensive sometimes) but the drivers they get all were calm cuz they were anxious to keep the cruise business.