Problems with Carnival During Embarkation. Debarkation

Just returned from cruising on the Carnival Sunshine, and we ran into the same problems we had last fall on the Carnival Breeze, so I thought I would give a heads-up to other limited mobility cruisers. In both cases, my husband was provided a wheelchair during the embarkation process, and everything went smoothly until we reached the ship. Then on the Breeze, he was taken to a chair near the purser's desk on a lower floor mid-ship and left there. We asked if we could borrow the wheelchair to get him to our room in the aft of the ship on a higher floor where a mobility scooter was waiting for him. We were told that the wheelchairs were only for rentals during the cruise, and he could not borrow one. On the Sunshine, something similar happened. Once we reached the ship, the wheelchair pusher took him to the forward bank of elevators and ask if he could stand. When he did, the pusher simply took the wheelchair away and left him to ride the elevator up and then make his way across the ship to our aft cabin. I went ahead to the cabin to try to get his scooter and bring it back to him, but it was not there. After several hours and many calls back and forth to the rental company and the purser, we discovered that it had been placed in the wrong room--01 instead of 10.

Similar problems arose with debarkation. Each ship gave a location for wheelchair assist passengers to assemble. In both cases, there were a numbers of cruisers waiting, but few wheelchairs or pushers, so there was a very long wait--v-e-r-y l-o-n-g! In fact, we waited well over an hour on the Sunshine and in fact missed a flight because of it. Apparently most of the pushers were told to go to the wrong place, and I guess that after they had sat around for an hour or so, and no one appeared, they decided to check and see what the problem was. In the meantime, the passengers needing assistance sat and waited.

Another problem on the Sunshine was that the dining room was so crowded and the tables so close together that it was hard for my husband to maneuver around even though we specifically requested accessible seating.

I don't want to discourage limited mobility passengers from cruising Carnival; this last cruise was our 8th on Carnival, so obviously our experience wasn't that bad, but the beginning and the end were a challenge--and challenges that could easily be prevented with a little thought and effort on Carnival's part and that limited mobility passengers need to be prepared for until that happens...

I've never understood why we expect the cruise line to provide a wheelchair if there are mobility issues. Either you can walk short distances or you can't. I would not leave my well being in a service that is not guaranteed and is only a courtesy. If I can't walk the distance to the room from the entry I would either have my own transport with me or be prepared to have my husband or whoever I'm traveling with ready to get my scooter/chair for me. When traveling we often bring my walker along with my own personal scooter.

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I've never understood why we expect the cruise line to provide a wheelchair if there are mobility issues. Either you can walk short distances or you can't. I would not leave my well being in a service that is not guaranteed and is only a courtesy. If I can't walk the distance to the room from the entry I would either have my own transport with me or be prepared to have my husband or whoever I'm traveling with ready to get my scooter/chair for me. When traveling we often bring my walker along with my own personal scooter.

Thank you. If others would take care of their own problems, I believe they would be happier and find much more enjoyment.

Betty

Just returned from cruising on the Carnival Sunshine, and we ran into the same problems we had last fall on the Carnival Breeze, so I thought I would give a heads-up to other limited mobility cruisers. In both cases, my husband was provided a wheelchair during the embarkation process, and everything went smoothly until we reached the ship. Then on the Breeze, he was taken to a chair near the purser's desk on a lower floor mid-ship and left there. We asked if we could borrow the wheelchair to get him to our room in the aft of the ship on a higher floor where a mobility scooter was waiting for him. We were told that the wheelchairs were only for rentals during the cruise, and he could not borrow one. On the Sunshine, something similar happened. Once we reached the ship, the wheelchair pusher took him to the forward bank of elevators and ask if he could stand. When he did, the pusher simply took the wheelchair away and left him to ride the elevator up and then make his way across the ship to our aft cabin. I went ahead to the cabin to try to get his scooter and bring it back to him, but it was not there. After several hours and many calls back and forth to the rental company and the purser, we discovered that it had been placed in the wrong room--01 instead of 10.

Similar problems arose with debarkation. Each ship gave a location for wheelchair assist passengers to assemble. In both cases, there were a numbers of cruisers waiting, but few wheelchairs or pushers, so there was a very long wait--v-e-r-y l-o-n-g! In fact, we waited well over an hour on the Sunshine and in fact missed a flight because of it. Apparently most of the pushers were told to go to the wrong place, and I guess that after they had sat around for an hour or so, and no one appeared, they decided to check and see what the problem was. In the meantime, the passengers needing assistance sat and waited.

Another problem on the Sunshine was that the dining room was so crowded and the tables so close together that it was hard for my husband to maneuver around even though we specifically requested accessible seating.

I don't want to discourage limited mobility passengers from cruising Carnival; this last cruise was our 8th on Carnival, so obviously our experience wasn't that bad, but the beginning and the end were a challenge--and challenges that could easily be prevented with a little thought and effort on Carnival's part and that limited mobility passengers need to be prepared for until that happens...

It's published on each cruise lines website that wheelchair assistance is only provided at the time of embarkation and disembarkation.That if further assistance is required than the individual must make arrangements to either bring or rent the necessary mobility equipment . It's also typical for ALL cruise lines at the time of embarkation to only wheel the individual to a location such a one of the public venues and than request that the individual transfer to a chair so others needing wheelchair assistance during embarkation can be serviced. It's also typical that ALL cruise lines on disembarkation day require the individual to get themselves to the designated wheelchair assistance waiting area. All cruise lines have a limited number of wheelchair and a limited number of pushers for embarkation and disembarkation so waiting an hour is not at all unusual.

With regards to the Dining Room it is the responsibility of the individual to go to the dining to check the location of their table location in advance to determine if there is an accessbile path that they can safetly maneuver to get to the table. If not than the individual should than go to the Matre D' to have the table assignment changed. This generally done sometime after boarding the ship on embarkation day and prior to diner that first night. If you search through this forum you'll see that this has all been explained over and over again.

It never ceases to amaze me why individuals with mobility issues expect or believe they are entitle to more from the cruise lines provide as standard basic assistance. For the record I do require wheelchair assistance for embarkation and disembarkation , bring a walker with a seat so once on board I can move about until able to get to the room to pick up the scooter. What I don't do is expect that cruise line is responsible for managing my mobility issues once on board the ship.