Alaska with back issuies

So it looks like i am going to have back surgery and or continued back problems by our Aug 29th departure on the Solstices. We are schedule to stop in Ketchican, Skagway, Juneau and Victoria. So its me and my lovely wife and her 60+yo parents. My self have two maybe three herniated disk in the lower back. I might have surgery before our trip, but regardless i am not going to be that nimble, but some what walking. So being able to walk maybe with a cane worse case a walker but not at a great speed,what i am i looking at making my way around the ship?, up and down the decks. Getting a shore. We have excursions plan but it looks pretty wakable even with a limp. Any info or past experince would be helpful.

Beg ,borrow or hire a scooter,depending on where your stateroom is it can be a long walk to the dining room/pool/bar etc.You will probably also tire quickly and be very grateful for some motorized transport.

LOL well right now i am hopeing not!, but the idea of a very scooter Is a very good idea. I might look into it, i wonder now much to rent??, and how accessible on and off the ship??

LOL well right now i am hopeing not!, but the idea of a very scooter Is a very good idea. I might look into it, i wonder now much to rent??, and how accessible on and off the ship??

If you want to rent a scooter that is delivered to and picked from the cabin , you have to use the cruise lines approved vendor.

For Carnival, Holland America, Royal Caribbean, Princess, Celebrity and Regent the approved vendors are http://www.CareVacations.com and http://www.Specialneedsatsea.com

For NCL - only http://www.Specialneedsatseas.com can be used

Cost is determined by several factors such as :

• Length of cruise
  
• Embarkation Port (Note if Embarkation and Disembarkation are different the cost increases)
  
• Disembarkation Port
  
• Weight Capacity of scooter needed based on weight of the user.
  
• If rental insurance if purchased
  

Cabins :

• If a Full size scooter is required you're going to need to have booked an accessible cabin as it generally will not fit through a standard cabin doorway.
  
• If you qualify based on weight capacity for Carevation's Light weight or Midsize scooter and Specialneedsatsea's Standard scooter will fit through the door of most standard cabins. However depending on the cabin category and room layout there may be limited room to walk around once the scooter is in the room.
  
• Per Maritime Law specifically SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) Regulations, and Coast Guard Regulations mobility scooter cannot be left in or stored out in the hallways. The mobility scooters MUST be stored in the cabin when not in use.
  

Regarding Ports:

• Tender Ports : Most cruise lines will not permit mobility scooters on the Tenders unless the tender has roll-on capability. Even with roll-on capabilities the Captain has full discretion to prohibit any one with a mobility scooter onto the tender if weather and or sea conditions present a safety issue.
  
• Non Tender Ports - Generally pose no problem with taking the scooter off/onto the ship. But be that not all stores, restaurants and places of interest will be accessible with a mobility scooter. Also Curb Cut-outs may be difficult to find. Once you have selected your cruise suggest that you come back and post the ports so that further accessible information can be provided.
  

Excursions:

• ADA Law does not apply outside the USA therefore tour excursion buses generally do not have lifts to accommodate a mobility scooter. Even within the USA not all tours buses have accessible lifts.
  
• You have to check with the cruise line excursion dept. or special needs dept. to find out if any accessible tours with lift vehicles are offered.
  
• You may have to search on-line for a private tour that can accommodate a mobility scooter.
  
• Carevacations Light Weight and Mid-Size scooter along with Specialneedsatseas Standard Scooter is are Pride GoGo Models that can be disessemble to fit into the trunk of taxi. The attached link so how to disassemble the scooter at the 0.54 sec. mark :
  
  

LOL well right now i am hopeing not!, but the idea of a very scooter Is a very good idea. I might look into it, i wonder now much to rent??, and how accessible on and off the ship??

My husband traveled with his scooter on our Alaska cruise. We did many excursions (rented a car drove up Yukon, took a private van tour, and went everywhere anyone else could). A scooter on ship is very helpful, easy and makes it way more comfortable for someone with walking issues.

You can rent from local scooter store and take with you OR rent from care vacations / special needs at sea. They will deliver right to your stateroom on the ship. If memory is correct it is around $500 ish for a week.

Good Luck and I hope all works out well for you. Either way enjoy your cruise!!!!!

My husband traveled with his scooter on our Alaska cruise. We did many excursions (rented a car drove up Yukon, took a private van tour, and went everywhere anyone else could). A scooter on ship is very helpful, easy and makes it way more comfortable for someone with walking issues.

 

You can rent from local scooter store and take with you OR rent from care vacations / special needs at sea. They will deliver right to your stateroom on the ship. If memory is correct it is around $500 ish for a week.

 

Good Luck and I hope all works out well for you. Either way enjoy your cruise!!!!!

Though the rental price you paid was around $500.00, it's important to to stress that prices can do vary based on the criteria previously posted. (refer to post # 4 of this thread) Prices also vary between rental providers.

The OP needs to check rental prices directly with the vendors. For example ... 3 years ago when I did an RCCL R/T 7 day Seattle Alaska Cruise the rental price for a CareVacations Mid-Size scooter without purchasing the insurance was $195.00.

Though the rental price you paid was around $500.00, it's important to to stress that prices can do vary based on the criteria previously posted. (refer to post # 4 of this thread) Prices also vary between rental providers.

 

The OP needs to check rental prices directly with the vendors. For example ... 3 years ago when I did an RCCL R/T 7 day Seattle Alaska Cruise the rental price for a CareVacations Mid-Size scooter without purchasing the insurance was $195.00.

You are correct & I agree with you. Your post is wonderful and I only was giving the OP thoughts of what we did. OP would definitely need to check pricing for scooter rental from home or ship.

WE ended up not renting at all and my husband took his own scooter from home.

Well I am going to get my MRI results and see where the surgeon go's. Thanks everyone with the feed back. I am hopeing for a 75% recovery, maybe just use a cane.

If not, 500.00 is a bit much. I will look around, maybe , worse case, do a wheel chair. If the recovery really go's bad or no surgery, OK then i will cough up the dollars for the scooter.

Well I am going to get my MRI results and see where the surgeon go's. Thanks everyone with the feed back. I am hopeing for a 75% recovery, maybe just use a cane.

If not, 500.00 is a bit much. I will look around, maybe , worse case, do a wheel chair. If the recovery really go's bad or no surgery, OK then i will cough up the dollars for the scooter.

A viable mid-choice is to rent a wheelchair, if you have someone to push it or can do it yourself. Cost is less, no overnight charging.

In Skagway, the White Pine train trip has a special car for handicapped people. It has a power lift to load you into the car and areas to park the scooters/wheelchairs. Also seats for anyone who accompanies you. Staff takes very good care of you in there.

Well I am going to get my MRI results and see where the surgeon go's. Thanks everyone with the feed back. I am hopeing for a 75% recovery, maybe just use a cane.

If not, 500.00 is a bit much. I will look around, maybe , worse case, do a wheel chair. If the recovery really go's bad or no surgery, OK then i will cough up the dollars for the scooter.

Hope for the best!!!!! Another choice would be to do a portable walker. It allows you the access to a walker / cane, but it has a seat & wheels. Easy to push, but if you need to sit & rest it works well for that also. You can push it, so no need for others to push you around. They are not that much. I know you can rent from one from a local medical shop in my area as well.

On the rental price for a scooter, as stated I thought it was ABOUT. Well after I looked it up last night and that price was HIGH. It was more like about $250 or something to rent for like 14 days.

If you want to rent a scooter that is delivered to and picked from the cabin , you have to use the cruise lines approved vendor.

 

For Carnival, Holland America, Royal Caribbean, Princess, Celebrity and Regent the approved vendors are www.CareVacations.com and www.Specialneedsatsea.com

 

For NCL - only www.Specialneedsatseas.com can be used

 

Cost is determined by several factors such as :

• Length of cruise
  
• Embarkation Port (Note if Embarkation and Disembarkation are different the cost increases)
  
• Disembarkation Port
  
• Weight Capacity of scooter needed based on weight of the user.
  
• If rental insurance if purchased
  

 

Cabins :

• If a Full size scooter is required you're going to need to have booked an accessible cabin as it generally will not fit through a standard cabin doorway.
  
• If you qualify based on weight capacity for Carevation's Light weight or Midsize scooter and Specialneedsatsea's Standard scooter will fit through the door of most standard cabins. However depending on the cabin category and room layout there may be limited room to walk around once the scooter is in the room.
  
• Per Maritime Law specifically SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) Regulations, and Coast Guard Regulations mobility scooter cannot be left in or stored out in the hallways. The mobility scooters MUST be stored in the cabin when not in use.
  

 

Regarding Ports:

• Tender Ports : Most cruise lines will not permit mobility scooters on the Tenders unless the tender has roll-on capability. Even with roll-on capabilities the Captain has full discretion to prohibit any one with a mobility scooter onto the tender if weather and or sea conditions present a safety issue.
  
• Non Tender Ports - Generally pose no problem with taking the scooter off/onto the ship. But be that not all stores, restaurants and places of interest will be accessible with a mobility scooter. Also Curb Cut-outs may be difficult to find. Once you have selected your cruise suggest that you come back and post the ports so that further accessible information can be provided.
  

 

Excursions:

• ADA Law does not apply outside the USA therefore tour excursion buses generally do not have lifts to accommodate a mobility scooter. Even within the USA not all tours buses have accessible lifts.
  
• You have to check with the cruise line excursion dept. or special needs dept. to find out if any accessible tours with lift vehicles are offered.
  
• You may have to search on-line for a private tour that can accommodate a mobility scooter.
  
• Carevacations Light Weight and Mid-Size scooter along with Specialneedsatseas Standard Scooter is are Pride GoGo Models that can be disessemble to fit into the trunk of taxi. The attached link so how to disassemble the scooter at the 0.54 sec. mark :
  
  

Thanks for the Info I really appreciate it

"If a Full size scooter is required you're going to need to have booked an accessible cabin as it generally will not fit through a standard cabin doorway". We did not book this size cabin, so the scooter will probally be a option. This was good to know.

Hope for the best!!!!! Another choice would be to do a portable walker. It allows you the access to a walker / cane, but it has a seat & wheels. Easy to push, but if you need to sit & rest it works well for that also. You can push it, so no need for others to push you around. They are not that much. I know you can rent from one from a local medical shop in my area as well.

 

On the rental price for a scooter, as stated I thought it was ABOUT. Well after I looked it up last night and that price was HIGH. It was more like about $250 or something to rent for like 14 days.

Thank you;), yep the walker with wheels and seat i might go with, if my back does not and or get better. I am really hopeing for the cane use.

So went to the Dr yesterday and as fear i have three budging disk and and bone on bone issues, and looking at major surgery. Good news i guess it looks like it will be after the cruise. Bad news i am not sure what kind of condition i will be in come cruise time. I am looking at renting a wheel chair, if my Dr prescibes one for rental can i bring it on board?.

So went to the Dr yesterday and as fear i have three budging disk and and bone on bone issues, and looking at major surgery. Good news i guess it looks like it will be after the cruise. Bad news i am not sure what kind of condition i will be in come cruise time. I am looking at renting a wheel chair, if my Dr prescibes one for rental can i bring it on board?.

Yes you can bring a wheelchair on board. It actually may be more cost productive to purchase a wheelchair rather the rent one . Following are a few things to consider :

• Transport chairs require someone to be available to push. The smaller wheels on a transport chair can make it difficult to push on the varying floor covering around the ship. Generally all Transport Chairs are collapsible
  
• Standard wheelchair over more independence if you are able to operate it yourself. It would be important to have a collapsible folding wheelchair as a non-collapsible wheelchair generally will not fit through a standard cabin doorway.
  
• Though more costly to rent a mobility scooter will provide the most independence on and off the ship.
  

You only need a RX from a doctor to rent a wheel chair if you are attempting to file an insurance claim. It's important that you are properly for a wheelchair as all are not equal. Additionally if flying with a wheelchair the wheelchair travels free of charge as it's a medical device.

yep the wheel chair is becoming a better idea everyday. Plus if i can use it as a walker if need be. Multi unerversl

yep the wheel chair is becoming a better idea everyday. Plus if i can use it as a walker if need be. Multi unerversl

Every back case could be different, but here's mine: I had a lower spinal issues, L3 to L5 and surgery was scheduled for just after a land vacation in Costa Rica. I took things pretty easy and used a cane for getting around and balance. Moderate use of non opiod pain meds.

I spent a good deal of time in the Arenal hot springs which turned out to be great therapy. Even made me feel good enough to go zip lining. I figured if it got worse, I'm due for surgery anyway. Nothing bad happened while zip lining and the fusion surgery after vacation was successful. That was maybe 8 years and many resorts and cruises ago.

Wish you well on your cruise and medical.