Wheelchair help in NYC, want to go on the Breakaway

Our Friend would like to join us on the Breakaway next May from New York. She cannot stand for a long time at all. If she books and asks for wheelchair assistance getting on and off the ship how is this handled? Where would she obtain the wheelchair-is it after going up the elevator? Is there a handicapped line for checkin or would she have to wait in a regular line? She doesn't want to rent a wheelchair since she never gets off the ship in port. How about leaving the ship-is there a special place that handicapped people gather to be helped?

My first thought is that your friend should have a wheelchair with her. These ships are really large and it is exhausting trying to navigate them with limited mobility. She would really enjoy the trip much more if she weren't always worried about how far a walk something is and how long she will have to stand. There are lots of situations where standing around is what is happening.

Now, to answer your question, yes, there is a special line for the disabled and they will take you onboard in a wheelchair. I've never sailed on Norwegian but I assume that the wheelchair waiting area is close to the entrance. It is on other lines.

Yes, there will be an accessible waiting/check in area, and crew will be there with wheelchairs to embark you. At disembark, there will be a notice sent the night before as to where to meet to get assisted disembarkation.

I second the idea of having a chair onboard. If you rent through specialneedsatsea.com or carevacations.com, one or both have arrangements with NCL so that a wheelchair will be waiting in her cabin on embarkation, and you just leave it onboard when you disembark.

My husband has mobility issues - he has difficulty standing and walking. We sailed on the Breakaway in 2013 and on the Gem this past May, and rented scooters with Special Needs at Sea for both cruises. The Breakaway is such a large ship, that it would be difficult getting from one end to the other if your friend has mobility issues.

As for wheelchair embarkation, we typically go up in the elevator after dropping the bags at the curb and then there is special needs area to the left where people gather for wheelchair embarkation. You give your name to the representative there and then members of the ship's crew come in waves with wheelchairs and lead you through very quickly to board the ship. They take you through the bag xray, check in, picture etc all the way onto the ship. This past cruise, we rented the scooter which was in our cabin, but we also brought our own wheelchair because it was too difficult for my husband to walk from curb to the wheelchair area. The crew member pushed our wheelchair through to the ship.

The ship wheelchairs are are only available for embarkation/disembarkation so I would suggest renting or bringing from home. Remember also that a scooter allows for more freedom - no pushing of the chair. But you also need an accessible cabin to accomodate the scooter. It won't fit in a regular cabin.

Enjoy your cruise!!

My husband has mobility issues - he has difficulty standing and walking. We sailed on the Breakaway in 2013 and on the Gem this past May, and rented scooters with Special Needs at Sea for both cruises. The Breakaway is such a large ship, that it would be difficult getting from one end to the other if your friend has mobility issues.

 

As for wheelchair embarkation, we typically go up in the elevator after dropping the bags at the curb and then there is special needs area to the left where people gather for wheelchair embarkation. You give your name to the representative there and then members of the ship's crew come in waves with wheelchairs and lead you through very quickly to board the ship. They take you through the bag xray, check in, picture etc all the way onto the ship. This past cruise, we rented the scooter which was in our cabin, but we also brought our own wheelchair because it was too difficult for my husband to walk from curb to the wheelchair area. The crew member pushed our wheelchair through to the ship.

 

The ship wheelchairs are are only available for embarkation/disembarkation so I would suggest renting or bringing from home. Remember also that a scooter allows for more freedom - no pushing of the chair. But you also need an accessible cabin to accomodate the scooter. It won't fit in a regular cabin.

 

Enjoy your cruise!!

I totally agree with NCC1701,on all her info. however we rented a scooter for my DH, and it fit fine in a regular mid ship balcony, a little maneuvering and he backed it right into the room with no problem. Our next cruise we do have a HC room, so he won't have to maneuver at all. Hope you and your friend enjoy the Breakaway, we do!!

Neverthought