questions re ports on NE Cruise

We are taking a RCCL cruise RT from Boston. The stops are Portland, Rockland and Bar Harbor, ME, Halifax, Sydney & Charlottetown.

My mother has heart and mobility issues. What may be a short easy walk for me is not for her. We would like to make plans in some of the ports. We are also Ok with enjoying the ship as well. Our main concern is how difficult getting off the ship is in these ports and walking to the areas where there the meeting places for any shore excursions, or shops are located. She has difficulty walking any more than 5 minutes. (She refuses to use a wheelchair at this point)

Can anyone give me any advice

I hear you about your mother not wanting to use a wheelchair, but consider buying a lightweight collapsible "transport" chair like this - http://www.amazon.com/Medline-Deluxe-Transport-Lightweight-Wheelchair/dp/B000N0SOXW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1438633452&sr=8-2&keywords=transport+chair+lightweight+medline

I had one for my mother and it was great - the 12" rear wheels and hand brake are important. You can sell it to her perhaps as an adult stroller. It collapses and will fit in your trunk and you will find uses for it beyond the cruise.

If your mom has trouble walking for 5 minutes, she may have problems getting around the ship let alone the ports.

We are taking a RCCL cruise RT from Boston. The stops are Portland, Rockland and Bar Harbor, ME, Halifax, Sydney & Charlottetown.

 

My mother has heart and mobility issues. What may be a short easy walk for me is not for her. We would like to make plans in some of the ports. We are also Ok with enjoying the ship as well. Our main concern is how difficult getting off the ship is in these ports and walking to the areas where there the meeting places for any shore excursions, or shops are located. She has difficulty walking any more than 5 minutes. (She refuses to use a wheelchair at this point)

 

 

Can anyone give me any advice

I was at some of those ports last month. Bar Harbour was a tender port and you are dropped in an area where there are many shops within a 5 minute (uphill) walk. At Charlottetown there's a 100 yard walk to the cruise terminal with many shops, and another 100 yards to the area where you pick up cruise excursions and taxis. There's nothing to see at Sydney (except for the big fiddle) but many shops at the dockside. At Halifax the excursion departure points, and taxis and shops are at the cruise terminal, but there's not much to see within 5 minutes walk. All the best, Tony

5 years ago I took my mom (then 85) on the Celebrity Solstice. Although she didn't usually need a wheel chair , the size of the ship and the motion made it impossible for her to walk. The ship loaned a wheel chair to her for the duration of the cruise. They helped her on and off the ship with it - and we were able to use it in the ports.

Would your mother use a mobility scooter? It was a great help when I was having back issues. You can rent one for 7 days for (if I remember correctly) $125 and it is delivered to your room and at the end of the cruise, just leave it in your room. Your mother can take it off ship and buzz around the ports. Getting off the ship is easy, just go slowly down the ramp. Getting up the ramp, just disengage the wheels (there is a lever that does this) and crew will push her and the scooter up. I am not sure about tendering. I think if she can walk onto the tender and off the tender, crew will get the scooter on and off for her. You need to contact specialneedsatsea.com. You can also contact your ship's access desk so that she can have wheelchair assistance to get on the ship at embarkation and off the ship at the end of the cruise.

This is not like relying on someone to push her in a wheelchair and she feel a little more independent.

Would she be willing to consider a wheelchair or scooter just to add to her ease and enjoyment of the trip even though she doesn't need one at home? I'm thinking of all the people of all ages that have rental wheelchairs at Disney parks due to injuries, surgery, illness, etc. Maybe if it's presented that way it would help.

As I recall, Portland's shore excursions did leave right outside the ship. Bar Harbor does have the inclined walk as stated above plus you have to stand in a long line going downhill on the ramp to tender back to the ship. For Halifax you walk through a shopping area and shore excursions pick up on the street (may be dock dependent). I haven't been to the other ports.

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5 years ago I took my mom (then 85) on the Celebrity Solstice. Although she didn't usually need a wheel chair , the size of the ship and the motion made it impossible for her to walk. The ship loaned a wheel chair to her for the duration of the cruise. They helped her on and off the ship with it - and we were able to use it in the ports.

That won't work on RCCL. You can get wheelchair assistance getting on and off the ship, but they don't have loaners for use in the ports. If you contact special needs, they will tell you how to rent a wheelchair for the duration of the cruise.

My mother was actually very cooperative about using wheelchairs and transport chairs when traveling. I played the "safety" card. She had had a broken hip and, although recovered, was responsive to my insisting it was for her personal safety to use a wheelchair in unfamiliar and unpredictable travel situations. Honestly, I would have really pushed this point to the extreme of refusing to take her, but I didn't have to.

Don't forget it's your vacation too. You have to have the tools to be able to deal with your mother's potential mobility issues so you can relax and enjoy the trip as well.

Since your mom can walk, it's very easy. You push her between point A and point B (ie cabin to dining room, cabin to theater), park the chair, and she walks into the venue. It's just appropriate transportation.

I was at some of those ports last month. Bar Harbour was a tender port and you are dropped in an area where there are many shops within a 5 minute (uphill) walk. At Charlottetown there's a 100 yard walk to the cruise terminal with many shops, and another 100 yards to the area where you pick up cruise excursions and taxis. There's nothing to see at Sydney (except for the big fiddle) but many shops at the dockside. At Halifax the excursion departure points, and taxis and shops are at the cruise terminal, but there's not much to see within 5 minutes walk. All the best, Tony

Thanks this is the exact info I needed.

I am aware of all the options regarding wheelchairs, as my father needed them when we traveled before he passed. I wouldn't even need to rent them as I still have his regular wheelchair and travel wheelchair. We are travelling on the Brilliance and my mother can get along ok if we take it slow and rest. The main concern is getting off the ship in the ports. Sometimes the walk from the cruise terminal to the excursion departure points is too exhausting for her to enjoy the excursion.

Thanks this is the exact info I needed.

 

I am aware of all the options regarding wheelchairs, as my father needed them when we traveled before he passed. I wouldn't even need to rent them as I still have his regular wheelchair and travel wheelchair. We are travelling on the Brilliance and my mother can get along ok if we take it slow and rest. The main concern is getting off the ship in the ports. Sometimes the walk from the cruise terminal to the excursion departure points is too exhausting for her to enjoy the excursion.

In Portland, the walk to the excursion pick up is about 50 yards from the ship, but one thing about walking in Portland (and its a very walkable city) is that many of the sidewalks are brick or cobble (ballast) stone, and can be very uneven given the ravages of our winters. I believe the walks from the ship to the gate at the terminal is brick, though they try to keep this well maintained.

Thanks this is the exact info I needed.

 

I am aware of all the options regarding wheelchairs, as my father needed them when we traveled before he passed. I wouldn't even need to rent them as I still have his regular wheelchair and travel wheelchair. We are travelling on the Brilliance and my mother can get along ok if we take it slow and rest. The main concern is getting off the ship in the ports. Sometimes the walk from the cruise terminal to the excursion departure points is too exhausting for her to enjoy the excursion.

This was what I did at Bar Harbor. At the start it shows some Veendam tenders by the shore and the gentle slope up to Village Green, where we got on the Island Explorer, although it may well be possible to get on down by the tender dock. All the best, Tony

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This was what I did at Bar Harbor........ and the gentle slope up to Village Green, where we got on the Island Explorer, although it may well be possible to get on (the Island Explorer) down by the tender dock.

Great video!

Has the pickup of passengers at the tender dock something new? The tender dock is not listed as a stop on any of the schedules.

SBtS

Great video!

 

Has the pickup of passengers at the tender dock something new? The tender dock is not listed as a stop on any of the schedules.

 

 

SBtS

You're quite right, it doesn't stop down there. I must have imagined someone told it did. Sorry !

This was what I did at Bar Harbor. At the start it shows some Veendam tenders by the shore and the gentle slope up to Village Green, where we got on the Island Explorer. All the best, Tony

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At Halifax we did this after hiring taxi (3 hours/$180) at the port. All standard cruise-day stuff, of course. Cars can go close to the rocks at Peggy's Cove so your mother would be able to see the lighthouse as well as the village and the Fishermen's Monument. She could see the Titanic graves if she can walk 200 yards.

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At Sydney we did this - nothing ! There's shopping, wifi and a small (free) museum at the cruise pavilion but little else of interest unless you go on a tour. All the best, Tony

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