A small handicapped resource

I recently returned from a cruise with my eldelry mother to Alaska, and thought I'd share the site,since I wrote regarding some about the initial planning and resources, and then about the level of accessibility itself during the cruise. She used a manual wheelchair.

www.we2onthego.wordpress.com

Great info. Sorry about your charlie horse. That really puts a damper on enjoyment of just about anthing. I have one question. How would the trip have been different if your mom had been in a scooter instead of a wheelchair, other than the pushing issue. I have been considering a similar cruise and neet to know.

Well, she doesn't have enough mobility in both hands and one shoulder to run a scooter, so neither of us has much experience with them. I saw a number of passengers using them, and they didn't seem to have any problems. I didn't see any scooters on our excursions, or for that matter, off the ship (though I'm sure there were, I just didn't see them).

The cabin certainly wouldn't pose any problem, since it was spacious enough for maneuvering, as was the balcony.

Sorry if that's not much help, if there's anything more specific, I can try to help more!

Oh, dreamer320, you have quite a knack for writing! I giggled my way through your report, and your pictures..............looks like you had a great time overall, though.

I took my Mom several years ago, when she was 86, and other than Ketchikan (where we didn't have a drop of rain) she wouldn't go anywhere but the cabin and the dining room.

Nice to spend that time with Mom, though..........and she's still talking about it...as if we did TONS of stuff!

Thanks for posting your trip report. You made my day!

Oh, dreamer320, you have quite a knack for writing! I giggled my way through your report, and your pictures..............looks like you had a great time overall, though.

I took my Mom several years ago, when she was 86, and other than Ketchikan (where we didn't have a drop of rain) she wouldn't go anywhere but the cabin and the dining room.

Nice to spend that time with Mom, though..........and she's still talking about it...as if we did TONS of stuff!

Thanks for posting your trip report. You made my day!

Thanks!

Unfortunately your experience with the Airlines..and the one hotel..are all-too-typical. Those of us who use wheelchairs full time DO have to be persistant, DO have to know what questions to ask (how wide is the ramp? That's not wide enough -- I'll need an aisle chair; etc.), particularly if we cannot walk at all. And yes, not all "handicap accessible rooms" are equal in a hotel -- I went to GREAT lengths to book a handicap-accessible room in a hotel in Tennessee -- calling back several times to talk with different people to be sure I'd get what I needed -- only to arrive and find a room labeled "accessible" with a tub, no tub chair, no drop-down/hand-held shower, and a doorway into the bathroom barely large enough for my regular sized manual chair.

I see you did get a handicap accessible cabin, after all. Good move. At least that part of your trip was successful?

I didn't read your whole review all that thoroughly .. why was it that you didn't eat in the MDR? I never eat in the buffet for all the reasons you describe - -too crowded, having to carry dishes around (or wait for my spouse to do so), finding a table, etc....

uppitycats: The handicapped cabin was wonderful, and the whole trip was successful - it's just that some parts were more successful than others! My mother, thankfully, didn't get bothered by the accessibility screw-ups, and some she didn't know the extent of. It really was just so frustrating to me, since I had tried to do everything I could to make sure everything was taken care of in advance. I'm still surprised at the airline, since you'd think they'd know how to handle handicapped passengers.

We didn't eat in the MDR because the menu just usually didn't appeal to us. I'm a very picky eater, made more so now because I can't eat salads often (my usual standby when nothing else appeals) due to a medical issue, and we both prefer casual food. We checked out the menu every day, but the usual response was "eh, let's do the Lido." Plus, after a day filled with more activity than my mom usually has, and with me tired from handling the day, we frankly seldom felt like getting presentable-looking enough for the MDR!

I'm still surprised at the airline, since you'd think they'd know how to handle handicapped passengers. Yeah, you WOULD think so. Unfortunately, so not true! Once I was to board an airline in Canada (and it was Canada Air, not a US line). When I arrived (in my chair) at the gate, the attendant informed me that I'd have to climb stairs to get on to the plane. No way. Finally, after much discussion, they brought out their industrial cargo lift, demanded that I "wouldn't tell anyone!"..and used that to get me to the door of the plane. Not fun.

Now I spend hours on the phone trying to get all this straight before I go...and sometimes it's still wrong.

 

We didn't eat in the MDR because the menu just usually didn't appeal to us. I'm a very picky eater, made more so now because I can't eat salads often (my usual standby when nothing else appeals) due to a medical issue, and we both prefer casual food. We checked out the menu every day, but the usual response was "eh, let's do the Lido." Plus, after a day filled with more activity than my mom usually has, and with me tired from handling the day, we frankly seldom felt like getting presentable-looking enough for the MDR!

Yes, I do sympathize. I'm often wiped out by the end of the day. I've not been on your particular cruise line, but I have found that on most of them, eating in the main dining room does not mean I'm tied to that specific menu. Often I ask for something different ...a plain steak, a piece of broiled chicken, whatever..and they'll come up with it. Or order mac and cheese off the "kids menu"...or some other variant. I really can't bear the craziness of the buffet, and will avoid it at all costs. And if worst comes to worst, head to the smaller eating venues (I don't know if they have such on HAL) where I can get a burger, or check out the room service menu.

Anyway..glad you had a good cruise, overall!