Transportation with a scooter

I will be cruising out of FLL in November and CareVacations is bringing my scooter to my hotel the night before for my use in and around Lauderdale (I will also be doing the same thing in San Francisco in April, 2012). Does anyone know of a service that will come to my hotel, pick up me, my luggage and my scooter and take us to the pier in either city? Any help is truly appreciated. :confused:

Does the hotel you use in either city offer free transfers to the pier for able-bodied travelers? If they do then they have to provide you with the same service. If not you can reserve an accessible taxi.

To the best of my knowledge, there is no free transfers offered by either hotel. Is anyone aware of an accessible taxi service in either city?

Go to either the valet or concierge at the hotel in Ft Lauderdale. They will call the taxi company that will bring a van where you can pull the scooter into the van and it will take you to the port. We stayed at the Sheraton, and when we went to the parking valet, he called the taxi company and within 5 minutes an accessible van drove up, they lowered a ramp and I drove my scooter right into the van. It was great.

We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn and they had Ace Tours 954-369-7196 do their shuttles. To and from the pier had a fee. Pickup at FLL was no charge. We had two scooters.

I will be cruising out of FLL in November and CareVacations is bringing my scooter to my hotel the night before for my use in and around Lauderdale (I will also be doing the same thing in San Francisco in April, 2012). Does anyone know of a service that will come to my hotel, pick up me, my luggage and my scooter and take us to the pier in either city? Any help is truly appreciated. :confused:

Try a Google search on wheelchair taxi San Francisco. You will get several web sites to follow up. E.g.

http://www.yellowcabsf.com/our-service/wheelchair-accesible-vans/

For Fort Lauderdale try

http://abilitytrip.com/north_america/usa/florida/fort-lauderdale/fort-lauderdale-florida-usa/

Extract from Fort Lauderdale web site

TAXI

Yellow Cab: Yellow Cab provides wheelchair accessible transport to all of Broward County. There is a different phone number to call to order an accessible cab – 954 565-2800. We have used this service multiple times and have always been pleased with both the promptness and courtesy of the drivers. When we have an important appointment, we always call well in advance to book our travel to ensure the driver will be waiting at the right time.

The services are there - you should find the concierge helpful with booking - although if you are not arriving a day ahead, you may find it sensible to book ahead by email.

We had no trouble in Fort Lauderdale just asking the front desk to call us an accessible taxi (yellow cab) to get to the port. And when we returned from our cruise, we got the porter to flag down an accessible taxi for our return to the hotel to pick up our car.

Did you ask CareVacations if they can also provide you with transportation? They do have a CareBus Express that services the Central Florida area (cruises, airports, attractions, etc.) that was rumored to expand to the S. Florida cruise territory as well. Ask CareVacations about their CareBus transportation.

I didn't make myself completely clear and I apologize for that. I am a very large person (6'3" and 410 lbs). As such I do not ride a small, foldable scooter, but one of the gigantic, truck sized scooters. :) I believe that the "wheelchair taxis" want to fold the wheelchair or scooter up and put it in the trunk. That just won't work for me. I need something to take me, and a 125 pound scooter and luggage to the pier for the Oasis of the Seas in Lauderdale and the Star Princess in SFO.

I didn't know that CareVacations ran a shuttle bus. I definitely will check into that.

When we disembarked in Fort Lauderdale last March, we had not prearranged a taxi since my DH can transfer to a regular seat. When we left the ship, we were directed to a wheelchair accessible minivan cab that was already at the port. My DH wheeled right into the cab. There was plenty of room for our luggage. I'm sure your scooter would have fit in the cab.

The wheelchair accessible taxis are exactly that, wheelchair accessible. They have either a ramp or a lift and you ride right in. In Fort Lauderdale, the wheelchair accessible taxis will work for you. They have room for just the one wheelchair or scooter and some seated passengers, plus luggage.

I do not know about the taxis in San Francisco, however there is Super Shuttle there. Super Shuttle normally has wheelchair accessible vans. That you would have to verify.

Betty

You are going to LOVE the Oasis of the Seas ;)

You are going to LOVE the Oasis of the Seas ;)

I'm well aware of that I just have to get to the ship. :rolleyes: