Grandeur and access. (Scooter)

So my wife and I are tossing around the possibilty of taking my mom and dad on a cruise on the Granduer out of Baltimore toward the fall of 2017. We have cruised out of Baltimore before and on the grandeur. This would be for their 50th wedding anniversary.

Looks like we will just be considering a 5 night to Bermuda. This is for a couple of reasons but mainly because we're not sure if my parents will like it.

Any how. My questions surround my father. I would consider him mobility impaired. He has COPD and can only walk for very short distances without stopping. (Like 25-30 yards). He does not use any time of device right now like a scooter but I would imagine he would have to use one if he wants to enjoy this cruise. The distances are just too great for him to manage. I would probably make him using one a condition of me taking him.

My questions are: does a mobility scooter fit in a standard room OK or should I look art getting them a accessible room? Are their companies that rent scooters and drop them off and pick them up at the terminal? And what else do need to know about them that I'm not thinking about?

Also, he would have to travel with his CPAP and an oxygen concentrator. Both of which he would only need at night, so any kind of input on this would be greatly appreciated.

Contact the special needs department for complete information.

Not familiar with Baltimore, but in Florida you can arrange to rent a scooter or wheelchair and it will be waiting for you in your cabin. RC will assist with boarding and use of a wheelchair, but they just get you on board.

Would recommend a handicapped room. Scooters have to be stored in your room and not left in the hallway. Some may fit in a regular room, depending on the model, that's where rental company and special needs can help.

Special needs can also help with extension cord for CPAP.

Very few models will fit through the doorway. None will allow any real access , room or maneuver capability inside the cabin, even if you have furniture removed. Get a HA cabin.

You may ONLY use two companies, special needs at sea or care vacations. The ECV is left in the cabin, so getting from the entrance to the ship to the cabin is on you( cabins are not ready til 1 pm). You can use assistance in the terminal. It they just drop you off on that deck, usually in a public area just inside.

They may never be left in the hallways. Most areas on board are accessible, though and they will remove it from the DR while you are eating then bring it back when you are ready to leave.

Special needs will provide the extension cord and distilled water, no charge and no worries.

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Contact the special needs department for complete information.

 

 

 

Not familiar with Baltimore, but in Florida you can arrange to rent a scooter or wheelchair and it will be waiting for you in your cabin. RC will assist with boarding and use of a wheelchair, but they just get you on board.

 

 

 

Would recommend a handicapped room. Scooters have to be stored in your room and not left in the hallway. Some may fit in a regular room, depending on the model, that's where rental company and special needs can help.

 

 

 

Special needs can also help with extension cord for CPAP.

I've traveled with a CPAP for all of one of my cruises. (My original one died in Ft. Lauderdale.) I've never had a problem getting an extension cord. I just ask the stateroom attendant for it, plus a red sharps bucket for my lancets and injection needles, and they are always there when I come to the cabin later. I agree that an accessible cabin would be in order for your father, but as long as you can get him to the ship they will get him aboard and do their darnedest to make sure he has a great time

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Christmas of 2015

our family of 8 did that cruise. My husband uses a travel scoot. Unfortunately all handicap accessible rooms were booked. We cruise at least once a year and have no problem with that type of room. I would try to reserve an accessible cabin for them if possible. Since there wasn't an accessible available, we reserved a jr suite and found his scoot fit perfectly. My husband rented scooters through the ship prior to purchasing his own Travel Scoot 6 years ago. It is smaller,lighter,and easier to use. It folds up and fits in a bag that is about the size of a golf bag. After just 2 cruises we had saved the cost of buying. We would not have been able to travel had it not been for scooters. This past Oct we did a Transatlantic from Rome to Miami with our grandson. We did everything and just like our Christmas Cruise on the Grandeur, had a great time. I know your parents will too.

OP--just a little off topic here. You did not ask our opinion regarding the Bermuda trip from Baltimore, but I thought I would comment anyway. :rolleyes: I have sailed from Baltimore and Bayonne to Bermuda. The trip from NJ is far better. [since you live in PA both are convenient]

On the Grandeur 5 day cruise you do not arrive until 1 p on the first day and leave by 2:30 the next. That does not leave you much time to go anywhere on either day. This is especially true for someone that will need more time for mobility issues.

The same 5 day trip from Bayonne arrives at 9 am the first day and leaves at 5pm the next. That will make a huge difference. . . . now if you want this trip for them to just experience 5 days on the ship and you do not think they want to see much of Bermuda that might work out fine.

Also, I am not sure which cabin you want/can get--but, in October the Anthem is cheaper for some cabins than the Grandeur. . . . just saying!

Living in SW PA and having a wife that used a scooter. We have had to occasion to sail from Baltimore and Bayonne on Grandeur, Anthem, Explorer, Carnival Pride and NCL Breakaway. As far as the Port of Bermuda, it was my wife's favorite port as there was a lot to do within scooter distance. We actually sailed there on 5 different occasions. The only downfall, for her, was the cobblestone floor in the Clock Tower Mall. As far as Grandeur, we had some issues that were quickly resolved. The Handicapped cabins, and I strongly advise you get on as you have to with a scooter, have low beds and non-handicapped toilets. These issues are resolved with the crew providing you with stands for the bed and a raised toilet seat. The other issue was taking the scooter out to the promenade deck for the Muster drill. The door sill on the forward door was a bit high and the scooter got hung up. Again, go aft and there are no issues. Anthem of the Seas out of Bayonne has none of these issues but it is a much larger ship with more to do and holds more folks. Our favorite ship for this itinerary was Explorer but she no longer sails in North American waters, so sad.

Conclusion, Go for it, Contact RCI's Accessibility Office, get Dad a scooter from Special Needs at Sea, waiting in his accessible cabin, and have a great time on either ship. I will be back on Grandeur in September for a B2B Bermuda and New England/Canada. ENJOY YOUR CRUISE ! !

As far as drive times, if that is an issue, Pittsburgh to Bayonne ~6 hours, to Baltimore ~4hours.

We have sailed several times on Grandeur from Baltimore and have used a scooter. The scooter was rented from Special Needs At Sea and was there when we got to our cabin. Our standard ocean view room on deck 4 was quite small. The cruise worked out because we kept the scooter in a boardroom on the same floor(recharged nightly) or in a small bar area. Each time we talked with ship staff to make sure it was ok to leave the scooter. Generally the Centrum area on 4 emptied out by 11pm in the evening so leaving it was not a problem. As others mentioned if you can get an accessible room that would give you the most room.

Anyone with a scooter, PLEASE put them in your room.

We sailed in Fall 14 on Grandeur and a number of scooters were parking in the hallway.

Annoying for most of us, but they father, on the cruise, uses a walker, and could not easily get around the parked scooters.