Baltic cruise - Tender and wheelchair questions

We are going on a Regal Princess Baltic cruise. My husband has MS and will be renting a portable mobility scooter. He can walk very short distances with a cane/forearm crutch and climb several stairs. I'm trying to convince him that we should also bring or rent a folding wheelchair for back-up in the various ports, but he thinks it will just be an unnecessary expense/burden. What do you all think? (Since he can only walk for brief time periods, a walker wouldn't help.) For Stockholm, we will be docking at Nynashamn, a tender port, rather than close to the city. Looks like we can't take the assembled scooter into the tender, but I'm wondering if staff would help carry the pieces of the disassembled scooter onto the tender. Princess says "Princess staff will make every effort to assist but are not allowed to individually physically lift more than 50 pounds." Each piece of the scooter is under that weight limit - do you think staff would help? Or, would a folding wheelchair make more sense? (He's thinking that if we can't board with a scooter, we could still get around the city without any mobility aids, via taxi, borrowing wheelchairs at museums, and spending time sitting in cafes/restaurants, etc.) I"m not so sure, and are there other ports where a folding wheelchair would be helpful? Also, would staff forbid him from boarding the tender if he walks slowly with the crutch? Thanks!!

If the sea is even just a little bit bumpy, they can prohibit those with mobility issues from boarding the tender.

We always brought a folding wheelchair for my husband, and many times it was a godsend.

We are going on a Regal Princess Baltic cruise. My husband has MS and will be renting a portable mobility scooter. He can walk very short distances with a cane/forearm crutch and climb several stairs. I'm trying to convince him that we should also bring or rent a folding wheelchair for back-up in the various ports, but he thinks it will just be an unnecessary expense/burden. What do you all think? (Since he can only walk for brief time periods, a walker wouldn't help.) For Stockholm, we will be docking at Nynashamn, a tender port, rather than close to the city. Looks like we can't take the assembled scooter into the tender, but I'm wondering if staff would help carry the pieces of the disassembled scooter onto the tender. Princess says "Princess staff will make every effort to assist but are not allowed to individually physically lift more than 50 pounds." Each piece of the scooter is under that weight limit - do you think staff would help? Or, would a folding wheelchair make more sense? (He's thinking that if we can't board with a scooter, we could still get around the city without any mobility aids, via taxi, borrowing wheelchairs at museums, and spending time sitting in cafes/restaurants, etc.) I"m not so sure, and are there other ports where a folding wheelchair would be helpful? Also, would staff forbid him from boarding the tender if he walks slowly with the crutch? Thanks!!

Regardless what anyone may post based on their past experiences with Princess the only information which is pertinent is that which you are told by y the ship's personnel on the actual day of tendering. Therefore it's always best not to pre-book any excursions and proceed with your plans based on the fact the scooter will not be permitted to be loaded on the tender. Though bringing a folding wheelchair under the 50 lb .weight limit improves the chances of tendering , the Captain always has the final in the matter and can/will prohibit boarding of such items due to weather conditions and safety concerns.

We are going on a Regal Princess Baltic cruise. My husband has MS and will be renting a portable mobility scooter. He can walk very short distances with a cane/forearm crutch and climb several stairs. I'm trying to convince him that we should also bring or rent a folding wheelchair for back-up in the various ports, but he thinks it will just be an unnecessary expense/burden. What do you all think? (Since he can only walk for brief time periods, a walker wouldn't help.) For Stockholm, we will be docking at Nynashamn, a tender port, rather than close to the city. Looks like we can't take the assembled scooter into the tender, but I'm wondering if staff would help carry the pieces of the disassembled scooter onto the tender. Princess says "Princess staff will make every effort to assist but are not allowed to individually physically lift more than 50 pounds." Each piece of the scooter is under that weight limit - do you think staff would help? Or, would a folding wheelchair make more sense? (He's thinking that if we can't board with a scooter, we could still get around the city without any mobility aids, via taxi, borrowing wheelchairs at museums, and spending time sitting in cafes/restaurants, etc.) I"m not so sure, and are there other ports where a folding wheelchair would be helpful? Also, would staff forbid him from boarding the tender if he walks slowly with the crutch? Thanks!!

Of course, I don't know how much time you have to do any planning, but from my own experience, I use a "TravelScoot II", it's light weight (35 lbs).

I use it for just about everything, shopping, traveling by air, cruising.

if you have the time, and want to look into it, Google "Tavelscoot.com", and you'll find all the information you'd want, including where the dealers close to you may be found. ;)

Cato :)

Completed Cruises !

Pre-cruise Days - The Big Red Boat, 1993 ??

1st cruise - Coral Princess, 19 November 2008, 10 day Panama Canal, FLL to ACA

2nd cruise - Coral Princess, 15 May 2009, 3 day Repositioning, Los Angeles to Vancouver.

3rd cruise - Sapphire Princess, 25 November 2009? 7 day Mexican Riviera.

4th cruise - Golden Princes, 12 June 2010, 7 day Alaska. (Golden Anniversary Cruise)

5th Cruise - Island Princess, 04 October 2010, Vancouver - Los Angeles, Repositioning

6th cruise - Sapphire Princess, 05 January 2011, 10 day Mexican Riviera. LA to LA.

7th cruise - Golden Princess, 11 May 2011, 3 day, LA to Vancouver, Repositioning

8th cruise - Sapphire Princess, 14 May 2011, 1 day, Vancouver to Seattle, Repositioning

9th cruise - Coral Princess 19 May 2011 2 day, San Francisco to Vancouver, Repositioning

10th & 11th cruises - Coral Princess 02 July to 16 July 2011, round trip Vancouver - Whittier Alaska, B2B

12th & 13th cruises - Sapphire Princess, x2, Cabins, 18 Sep. 2011, 1 day, Seattle to Vancouver, Repositioning

14th & 15th cruises - Golden Princess, x2, Cabins, 24 Sep. 2011, 1 day, Seattle to Vancouver, Repositioning.

We have now reached Elite status with Princess Cruise Lines:D

16th cruise - Oasis of the Seas, 26 Nov. 2011, 7 day, Western Caribbean, Ft. Lauderdale, Ret.

17th & 18th cruises - Crown Princess B2B, 03 - 10 Dec & 10 - 17 Dec 2011, 14 Days, South & western Caribbean

19th cruise - Grand Princess, 31 Mar. - 07 April 2012, 7 Days, Eastern Caribbean, FLL - FLL

20th cruise - Island Princess, 06-16 June 2012, 10 day cruisetour Vancouver - Wittier

21th cruise - Emerald Princess, 16 day, 10 - 26 Sep. 2012, TA, Copenhagen - New York

22nd cruise - Carnival Ecstasy 10 - 14 January, 2013, 4 Day Bahamas, Port Canaveral Ret.

23rd cruise - Sapphire Princess 30 March - 06 April, 2013, 7 Day Coastal LA - LA

24th cruise - Coral Princess, 19 May - 22 May, 2013, 3 Day Repositioning Cruise, LA - Vancouver

25th cruise - Royal Princess 16 June - 05 July, 2013, 19 Day Inaugural cruise, Southampton - Venice.

26th cruise - Emerald Princess, 06 - 16 October, 2013, 10 Day Canada - New England, Quebexc city to New York

27th cruise - Royal Princess, 24 November - 01 December, 2013, 7 Day,Eastern Caribbean, Fort Lauderdale Ret.

28th cruise - Sapphire Princess, 20 - 24 Jan, 2014, 4 Days, California

29th cruise - Crown Princess, 03 - 10 May 2014, 7 Day, LA to Vancouver.

30th cruise - Pacific Princess, 05 - 12 Aug. 2014, 7 Days, Vancouver RT, Alaska

31st cruise - Golden Princess, 13 - 17 Oct. 2014, 4 Days, LA - Mexican Riv, RT,

Thanks! I've heard good things about the travelscoot. If we end up with a larger take-apart scooter, I'm wondering if staff would help carry the separate pieces of a disassembled scooter aboard a tender (assuming the weather is OK and my husband can walk on with a crutch). Or if they would only help carry a folding wheelchair, or not help at all.

Thanks! I've heard good things about the travelscoot. If we end up with a larger take-apart scooter, I'm wondering if staff would help carry the separate pieces of a disassembled scooter aboard a tender (assuming the weather is OK and my husband can walk on with a crutch). Or if they would only help carry a folding wheelchair, or not help at all.

As I previously stated in post #3 of this thread regardless what others experiences were with Princess in the past the only thing that's pertinent is what you're told by the crew on the actual day of tendering. Therefore it's always best not to pre-book any excursions and proceed with your plans based on the fact the scooter will not be permitted to be loaded on the tender. Though bringing a folding wheelchair under the 50 lb .weight limit improves the chances of tendering , the Captain always has the final in the matter and can/will prohibit boarding of such items due to weather conditions and safety concerns.

You also have to consider that as stated on Princess' website "Many tender ports do not provide wheelchair access so even if the guest can board the tender they may not be able to disembark ashore".

As an FYI I regularly cruise with RCCL and use a Pride GoGo which disassembles. RCCL will NOT allow the scooter on even if dissembled unless the tender has roll-on capabilities.. Have found the same to be true when I've cruised Holland America. Additionally generally all cruise line's policies state that mobility scooters will not be allowed on the tender unless the tender has roll-on capabilities.

Bottom line no one on this forum can give you a definitive answer to your questions. The only answer that means anything is that which the cruiseline personnel will tell you on the actual port day.