First Time with scooter onboard

My DH will be using a scooter on our next cruise, this will be the first time he has used one on a ship. He is able to walk, but not more than a hundred or so feet at a time.

We have figured out how he can get in our cabin on the scooter with little effort but is there an easy way to get out of the cabin with the scooter if he is by himself? We will have a handicapped cabin on the Pride of America.

Any other hints for easy use would be most helpful.

Thanks!

DW usually pulls up to the door, unlatches it and backs up, holds the door with one hand and slowly pulls into the hall. OR, the preferred method, I hold it for her while avoiding getting my toes run over. If he is by himself, I suggest he ride through the doorway (as above) rather than walking the scooter out.

My DH will be using a scooter on our next cruise' date=' this will be the first time he has used one on a ship. He is able to walk, but not more than a hundred or so feet at a time.[/color']

We have figured out how he can get in our cabin on the scooter with little effort but is there an easy way to get out of the cabin with the scooter if he is by himself? We will have a handicapped cabin on the Pride of America.

Any other hints for easy use would be most helpful.

Thanks!

Last time we cruised I rented a scooter from Care Vacations. We had a HC cabin so, I had no problem at all getting in and out of the cabin myself. You said your husband could walk a few steps which will make it much easier. What I did to get in is pull up next to the door, push the door open all the way(it should stay open by itself))and just drive in. To get out because I am able to walk a few steps, I open the door first the same way if you open the door all the way it should stay open. I slowly ride the scooter out, get back up and shut the door. Then I'm good to go. If he can't walk a few steps he may not be able to do this himself. Good luck and have a great cruise.

It looks like you'll be cruising RCCL. Not sure if this is true of their whole fleet but I've experienced 3 ships. For handicapped cabins there is a button inside and outside the room that you push to open the door. To enter we just roll up to the door, slide our Sea Pass and push the button. The opening is timed to give you enough time to roll out/in without any effort.

Thanks everyone for your answers! I guess we were thinking about this too hard when in fact the solutions you have provided seem easy.

Happy Cruising!

We have only sailed on the newer "S" class ships of Celebrity since my DH has needed to use a Mobility Scooter. Celebrity "S" class ships handicapped staterooms all have electric doors, my DH is easily able to use all of facilities in the stateroom by himself. Celebrity is WONDERFUL to us!!:)

It looks like you'll be cruising RCCL.

Actually OP stated they are on the Pride of America which is NCL.

I suggest a call to Customer Relations -- they should be able to answer with more information. Care Vacations is a great company to use -- just wish their prices were cheaper.

My DH will be using a scooter on our next cruise' date=' this will be the first time he has used one on a ship. He is able to walk, but not more than a hundred or so feet at a time.[/color']

We have figured out how he can get in our cabin on the scooter with little effort but is there an easy way to get out of the cabin with the scooter if he is by himself? We will have a handicapped cabin on the Pride of America.

Any other hints for easy use would be most helpful.

Thanks!

I am a very independent wheelchair/scooter user!! Hubby goes his way on the ship and I go mine (married 40+ years:D)

That being said, when I first get to my stateroom I find the Steward and ask for a Door Stop. That way I am able to get near the door on my scooter, get off and open the door, placing the door stop in place and then re-board the scooter, go out the door and then grab the door stop and put it in my pocket for re-entry:)

I think our next cruise in 118 days, I will be bringing one of my own though, as the last cruise it took me 10 minutes to find our steward.

Joanie

I purchased a rubber door stop, drilled a hole through it and looped a long cord through it. If needed, I can use door stop to keep door open, pass through then yank door stop out with cord without getting off my scooter. I can usually catch the door before it shuts and hang the doorstop on the inside door handle where it is ready next time it is needed.

Sometimes, in close quarters, I cannot hold onto the door while backing my scooter away from it because my arms are not long enough. I have a cord that I can loop around most door handles to extend the length of my arm. The cord is doubled with handhold loops knotted in it. I can reel the cord in until I can hold the door with my hand.

DH is on coumidin (sp?) and tends to get those nice purple blotches after bumping into things. So the doorstop may be the perfect answer, will keep his arms out of harms way. Thanks for another great solution.

Ialso luv the doorstop idea thanks!

You have gotten so much good advice that mine may not be necessary, but if the steward or assistant see you anywhere near they will come help you open and close door as a courtesy. I do still try to do it myself as much as possible and there are some great tips here.

GC

We have cruised 6 times with Harry's scooter and I agree with the advice about the doorstopper and that leaving your cabin in the morning will generally be easier when cabin staff are working the corridoors. Most wheelchair accessible cabins do not have balconies but if you do please remember to shut the balcony door - otherwise it will be almost impossible to open the cabin door safely while seated on a scooter - let alone shut it.

On our last two cruises we also took advantage of on board available manual wheelchairs so we could manage difficult terrain on shore visits or excusrions - scooters are not always happy on steep gradients or mushy / sandy / stony paths and sometimes local transport does not have space for them but can manage a wheelchair. I research via Cruise Critic Boards or others to help us decide how we will manage on shore if we are planning to go independent. I also check out the web sites of likely places to visit to check out accessability and email if there is not enough information on the web site.

We also organise where we can park the scooter in the MDR on the first evening so OHS issues are not a problem - Harry rides the scooter to the table and either I ride it to the designated parking place or one of the waiters offers to ride it. One MD issued us a parking ticket as a joke.

The battery on ours is removalble so we find it easier to take it l\out and put it and the charger on the table / desk near the power point rather then try and park the whole scooter at the point itself as we do at home.

Enjoy!

 

We also organize where we can park the scooter in the MDR on the first evening so OHS issues are not a problem - Harry rides the scooter to the table and either I ride it to the designated parking place or one of the waiters offers to ride it. One MD issued us a parking ticket as a joke.

 

 

Enjoy!

We have found the wait staff jumping at the chance to drive the scooter. We were in the WJ and our MTD waiter was there as well. DW was using her "stick", rather than the scooter, to get some food and I allowed the waiter to "take a spin" I don't know who was more surprised, DW or him, when he met her rounding the corner. That night, at dinner, we gave him his own scooter key as a memento. (We never leave home without at least 4 keys as they can get lost or broken)

I've also been know to give children a ride when I go retrieve the scooter for DW. I don't know who gets a bigger thrill; the child, their parents, or me when I do this. I ALWAYS ask parental permission first, don't want to be accused of "hinkey-stuff".