Scooter or Wheelchair?

I am having some mobility issues and will need to purchase a wheelchair or a scooter to bring with me on a transatlantic cruise. I have asked for an accessible cabin but so far none are available so I may end up in the balcony cabin I booked. I am able to use a regular shower and to get on and off any tender. I will need to use the aid when having to walk any distance. Not sure which one would be the best for me. If I don't have an accessible cabin I am concerned about where to store the wheelchair or the scooter. I am flying from Ontario to Fort Lauderdale and returning from Copenhagen.

Thanks for any advice.

What are your ports of call as that could make a difference. I think there is already a similar thread on the Baltics Northern Europe Forum. You need to do a search.

What ship are you using? I have sailed Royal Caribbean with both wheelchair and scooter. There is still room to move around in the non -accessible cabin with a scooter in there. I have also done TA's. It takes a little more planning to do Europe with scooter or chair, but it is doable. Barb

What ship are you using? I have sailed Royal Caribbean with both wheelchair and scooter. There is still room to move around in the non -accessible cabin with a scooter in there. I have also done TA's. It takes a little more planning to do Europe with scooter or chair, but it is doable. Barb

We are on the Celebrity Infinity and the ports are: New York, Halifax, Cork, Harwich, Paris (Le Havre), Dublin, Liverpool, Belfast, Glasgow, Norway and Copenhagen.

In the past some ports required long walks to get to a taxi or bus and I will need to use the scooter or wheelchair for those occasions. Some ports I might just go to nearby places and not take any taxi or bus. Not sure which one would be the best to bring on the cruise. I would also like to use it on the ship to get around without pain.

If I bring a scooter then my husband could go off on tours and I could still get around by myself. It I bring a wheelchair then I would need him with me and it's hardly fair to him. I am concerned about bringing the scooter on the planes we have to take and going back and forth to airports with shuttle buses etc. (We are staying overnight in both Miami and Copenhagen before and after the cruise). We will have each one large suitcase and each a carry-on and worried we won't have space in a regular taxi for everything.

mexico8

With those ports of call I would be inclined to take a scooter. They are all accessible ports with proper pavements and dropped curbs. If you want to take a tour it will most likely be a coach or mini bus which would easily accommodate your scooter. I am presuming you will be taking a collapsible one? As you have already said, you can have more independence with a scooter.

I have taken a small scooter to various destinations and like the fact I can look at what I want to see. That also involves shopping.

You can rent a scooter and rent a small collapsible wheelchair as well. Scooters are wonderful in airports. You drive right to the airplane door. Staff take your scooter to the storage area, and when you land they bring your scooter back to the door again. Airports are huge, great help to ride. I never use wheelchair because I do not like to make travel more work for husband that it is already.

Celebrity will tell you which companies they have rental agreements with, I think. I hope you give a full report since I have looked at that transatlantic cruise as well.

You can rent a scooter and rent a small collapsible wheelchair as well. Scooters are wonderful in airports. You drive right to the airplane door. Staff take your scooter to the storage area, and when you land they bring your scooter back to the door again. Airports are huge, great help to ride. I never use wheelchair because I do not like to make travel more work for husband that it is already.

Celebrity will tell you which companies they have rental agreements with, I think. I hope you give a full report since I have looked at that transatlantic cruise as well.

:mad:Just got an e-mail from my TA and he says that there is an accessible cabin for the second half of our cruise (12 days) but in order to get it I have to pay an extra $440 (it is a different category than the one I booked). It is still oceanview but a higher category. I wonder if Celebrity would consider waiving the extra charge if I called them and explained my situation?

I saw an ad for a used GoGo Elite traveller plus Hd scooter for only $900. near where I live. That does seem like a bargain and I would probably pay nearly that much to rent a scooter a few times. It does weigh about 85 pounds and the battery is another 25 pounds if I remember correctly. I wonder if that's too heavy to travel with. I am not a small person so I thought it might be a good size for me.

:mad:Just got an e-mail from my TA and he says that there is an accessible cabin for the second half of our cruise (12 days) but in order to get it I have to pay an extra $440 (it is a different category than the one I booked). It is still oceanview but a higher category. I wonder if Celebrity would consider waiving the extra charge if I called them and explained my situation?

 

I saw an ad for a used GoGo Elite traveller plus Hd scooter for only $900. near where I live. That does seem like a bargain and I would probably pay nearly that much to rent a scooter a few times. It does weigh about 85 pounds and the battery is another 25 pounds if I remember correctly. I wonder if that's too heavy to travel with. I am not a small person so I thought it might be a good size for me.

Have you looked into a "TavelScoot", German built, they are a little pricey, but quite light, 30 Lbs, without the battery. The newer models have reverse gear, Can be collapsed to Approx. 12" diameter X 3.5-4' long, and fits in to a supplied duffel bag,

fort airline travel you have to remove the battery (s) and carry them with you as carry on baggage in a supplied case, which large enough to also carry, the basket (collapsed), not supplied, and any foot rest extensions you wish to buy, not supplied.

So far there is only one dealer in Canada, they are in Victoria BC.

The Website is "www.travelscoot..com" this will give you a lot of Info.

So you will need to deal by email.

Toll free # "1-877-339-7505"

If you wish, you can email me!

Cato <catolga28@shaw.ca>

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

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

Future & Hopeful Cruises !

( Already booked )

26th cruise - Royal Princess, 24 November - 01 December, 2013, Eastern Caribbean, Fo Lauderdale Ret.

27th cruise - Caribbean Princess, 29 March - 05 April 2014, 7 Day, Western Caribbean, Houston Ret(Canceled)

28th cruise - Regal Princess, 02 - 19 June, 2014 Venice - Barcelona - Venice, 17 Days

29 + 30th cruise - Royal Princess, 19Dec. 2014 - 08 Jan. 2015, Christmas & New Year, B2B, 20 Day, Fort Lauderdale Return.

The Go go is a pretty heavy scooter and not easy to break down at the Airport and on excursions in Europe, not to mention is taxis to from the airport in your home city, Lauderdale and Copenhagen.. We have do e 2 Euro cruises and are doing a Baltic in 2 weeks. If I were you I would rent a scooter on the ship and a manual wheelchair too. Use the scooter for the ship and any wheelchair accessible tours you can book. Just be aware the accessible excursions will cost more then they do for the same excursion that does not provide WCLAWYER transport. You could use the manual wheelchair for any small group excursions that you book and your wheelchair could be taken on the bus or van. Please be aware that it is pretty difficult to use a scooter or wheelchair in Euro cities because if the cobblestone streets. I use a scooter on the ship and bring a Rollator with seat for the excursions. If you don't require the heavy duty model of scooter for the ship it most likely fit in a regular cabin but it will be tight in the cabin.

The Go go is a pretty heavy scooter and not easy to break down at the Airport and on excursions in Europe, not to mention is taxis to from the airport in your home city, Lauderdale and Copenhagen.. We have do e 2 Euro cruises and are doing a Baltic in 2 weeks. If I were you I would rent a scooter on the ship and a manual wheelchair too. Use the scooter for the ship and any wheelchair accessible tours you can book. Just be aware the accessible excursions will cost more then they do for the same excursion that does not provide WCLAWYER transport. You could use the manual wheelchair for any small group excursions that you book and your wheelchair could be taken on the bus or van. Please be aware that it is pretty difficult to use a scooter or wheelchair in Euro cities because if the cobblestone streets. I use a scooter on the ship and bring a Rollator with seat for the excursions. If you don't require the heavy duty model of scooter for the ship it most likely fit in a regular cabin but it will be tight in the cabin.

Thank you for taking the time to offer this information. It's all new to me and you are certainly helping me to decide. I think I might buy the Travelscoot because it is smaller and lighter and easier to fold up and put in a car. I will probably also buy a folding wheelchair or a rollator so I can sit down when I am tired or have pain. We have another 25 day cruise in October so I will definitely be using these aids for that trip as well as at home for shopping etc.

We did the Baltic cruise some years ago and absolutely loved it. Our favourite city was St. Petersburg and we loved the Hermitage and Peterhof. Hope you enjoy it - I'm sure you will.

A full size scooter will not fit into a regular cabin on Infinity, and I have personal experience with that. Infinity is an older ship, and unless you remove the arm rests, it will not fit through the door, and even with the rests removed, it's a tight fit. And once you get inside the cabin, there's really no place to fit the scooter without blocking something----either the bathroom or the bed or balcony. And, you cannot keep the scooter in the hall or in any public area like elevator lobbies. So, the travel scoot is your best option as it can be folded to fit just about everywhere.

The travel scoot comes apart easily and can be loaded into the trunk of a taxi or van for any excursions you might want to take. I have one and love it.

:

The travel scoot comes apart easily and can be loaded into the trunk of a taxi or van for any excursions you might want to take. I have one and love it.

Thanks for the info. I am just on the verge of buying a Travelscoot and can hardly wait to use it on our travels. I can't tell you how often I was in agony walking in ports and nowhere to sit and no taxi in sight. We have two cruises booked this year (both 24 days) and I was concerned about getting around. The travelscoot is definitely the answer for me and thank goodness for cruise critic and all the good advice I have found on the topic.

Wendy :):)

I would like to ask an additional question that fits in this thread. I used a manual wheelchair on our recent Solstice cruise and found the process of being wheeled off down the often steep ramps very scary. How does that work with a scooter? I can't visualise being flanked by staff as I was in the manual one, yet I believe scooters don't have brakes? I am a large lady so will be purchasing quite a large scooter.

Any thoughts would be great fully accepted.

Jennie

Sent from my iPad using Forums

I would like to ask an additional question that fits in this thread. I used a manual wheelchair on our recent Solstice cruise and found the process of being wheeled off down the often steep ramps very scary. How does that work with a scooter? I can't visualise being flanked by staff as I was in the manual one, yet I believe scooters don't have brakes? I am a large lady so will be purchasing quite a large scooter.

 

Any thoughts would be great fully accepted.

 

Jennie

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Most scooters brake ( stop) by releasing the forward or reverse lever and it comes to a rolling stop . How much of a rolling stop is directly related to the speed at which the scooter was being driven. Low speed = shorter rolling stop. High speed = longer rolling stop.

As far as going down the ramp with a scooter it can be done several ways depending on the individual and or the scooter.

Travel scooters such as the Pride GoGo Elite Travel (which is the most commonly rented scooter) has a very low clearance resulting in it often getting hung up on the connecting joints of the gangway depending how steep the angle is. In this case it can be handled in one of two way:

• If the person is ambulatory and can walk down/up the gangway holding onto the handrails than the person often just walks down /up the gangway. The scooter is than placed in neutral so as not to damage the motor and staff than just rolls the scooter down/up the gangway to join up with the end user.
  

• If the person is not ambulatory the scooter will be placed in neutral and staff will be positioned in front and behind the scooter to assist in rolling the person down/up the ramp slight lifting the scooter over the connecting joints if needed.
  

• If the angle of the gangway is low enough in which the scooter will not get hung up on the connecting joints than the scooter can just be driven down/up the ramp by the actual user.
  

Full size scooters and Bariatric Scooters have a much larger clearance due to having much larger diameter tires.Therefore these types of scooter generally never get hung up on the gangway connecting joints so the it can just be driven down/up with no staff assistance.

Regardless of what type of scooter one is driving down/up the gangway it's recommended that the gangway be cleared of all passengers before proceeding so as not to run into anyone. Also use the lowest speed level possible that gives enough power. Slowest speed is best for going down and generally the mid speed level should be enough to get up the ramp in most circumstances. Most importantly remember that when releasing the control lever to stop that you MUST allow space /distance for it to come to complete stops as scooters do not top on a dime. Therefore a scooter should never be driven under any circumstances directly behind another individual.

If bringing you're own scooter onto the ship on embarkation day and driving it off on disembarkation day, the gangway's generally very long slow incline/decline that the scooter ( regardless of type) can be driven without staff assistance. The only exception to this would be where the gangway meets the ship which sometimes travel scooters can get hung up on.

Thank you so much for such a clear explanation. That helps me so much. I will be bringing my own scooter (full size or bariatric) which has not yet been purchased. I am pretty sure that, unless I am having a particularly bad day, I will probably be able to walk, slowly, up and down the ramp with someone else wheeling my scooter off, which sounds a lot less scary than driving it down a slope.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

xxoocruiser's advice was right on target. I used my Pride GoGo Elite Traveler Plus Mobility Scooter in February on a cruise from Baltimore. It was my first time using a scooter on a cruise. I was skeptical about going up/down the Gangway, but I made out fine. I didn't get hung up on the connecting joints at all, and left a good amount of space between myself and the passengers in front of me. I did get hung up going out on some of the decks. The doors had a tiny little ramp to get up, over and out to the deck, but the clearance on my scooter was still too low. I just went out to the pool deck of the ship, as the exit doorway was flat and the scooter couldn't get stuck.

Anyway, I was thrilled with how easy it was to navigate throughout the ship. I was also happy that my scooter made it into a standard balcony cabin by removing the arms. I could get around in the cabin with my cane, and the scooter was not in the way at all.

Have a wonderful time!!!

Happybos. Highly recommend Golden Technology's scooter. Golden Companion Ii. It.has a 350 lb. capacity. It is strong, handles well, has flat base,no hump for feet. Battery attached. They are in Pennsylvania, good service. Approx. $1,800 through Goodlifemedical. 20 miles on a charge, depends on weight and inclines, etc. Comes apart in 3 sections easily and fits in a Nissan Maxima Sport trunk. Strong and rugged, 3 wheel base. Does not tip. Good clearance, good turning radius, comfy seat. Love it. Vicki

Celebrity will have a staff person to guide you up and down the gangway at ports. Depending on the port, and the type of dock, the gangway can be very easy to negotiate, or a bit of a challenge because of steepness. There was one port, and I'm sorry I can't remember which, where the gangway was quite steep, and they had us, and those in wheelchairs, go down the gangway backwards. Celebrity will not allow you to get back on the ship without a staff member's assistance.

Happybos. Highly recommend Golden Technology's scooter. Golden Companion Ii. It.has a 350 lb. capacity. It is strong, handles well, has flat base,no hump for feet. Battery attached. They are in Pennsylvania, good service. Approx. $1,800 through Goodlifemedical. 20 miles on a charge, depends on weight and inclines, etc. Comes apart in 3 sections easily and fits in a Nissan Maxima Sport trunk. Strong and rugged, 3 wheel base. Does not tip. Good clearance, good turning radius, comfy seat. Love it. Vicki

Thank you for the recommendation. That sounds exactly what I am looking for. I have a Ford Escape which is a mid-size four wheel drive so it will fit easily into the trunk.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

I know on my Solstice cruise Auckland to Sydney sometimes the gangway was horribly steep and that was scary enough in a manual chair with strong men holding me! I know they will help me which is comforting :)

Sent from my iPad using Forums

I would like to ask an additional question that fits in this thread. I used a manual wheelchair on our recent Solstice cruise and found the process of being wheeled off down the often steep ramps very scary. How does that work with a scooter? I can't visualise being flanked by staff as I was in the manual one, yet I believe scooters don't have brakes? I am a large lady so will be purchasing quite a large scooter.

 

Any thoughts would be great fully accepted.

 

Jennie

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Hi Jennie,

It's good to research the various scooters on the market. I am going to purchase the Travelscoot. It's German made and light and easy to travel with (it does fold up and can fit in the trunk of a car). The weight limit is 330 pounds which is unbelievable for a scooter that weighs about 30 pounds.

Check out the web site: http://www.travelscoot.com (It's not cheap - costs about $2,500) but I will be able to handle it myself and can scoot right up to the plane with it.

Wendy

Wendy, agree that Travelscoot looks wonderful. To me, looks hard to get on and seat does not look too comfy for say staying on to see a show. And the ride on it? I guess all have some great pluses and minuses. Let us know. Vicki

Wendy, agree that Travelscoot looks wonderful. To me, looks hard to get on and seat does not look too comfy for say staying on to see a show. And the ride on it? I guess all have some great pluses and minuses. Let us know. Vicki

I have had a larger seat made, to my size, the seat board made by a carpenter and upholstered profetionally by an upholsterer, works great.:D

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.

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 Coastal

Future & Hopeful Cruises

( Already booked )

29th cruise - Crown Princess, 03 - 10 May, 2014, LA - Vancouver one way

30th cruise - Golden Princess, 09 - 16 August, 2014. Seattle - Skagway, round trip

31st cruise - Emerald Princess, 16 - 23 November, 2014 Houston round trip

32nd - 33rd cruise - Royal Princess 19 Dec. 14. - 08 Jan, 2015, 20 Day, B2B, Christmas/New Year, Fort Lauderdale Ret.

Thank you for taking the time to offer this information. It's all new to me and you are certainly helping me to decide. I think I might buy the Travelscoot because it is smaller and lighter and easier to fold up and put in a car. I will probably also buy a folding wheelchair or a rollator so I can sit down when I am tired or have pain. We have another 25 day cruise in October so I will definitely be using these aids for that trip as well as at home for shopping etc.

 

We did the Baltic cruise some years ago and absolutely loved it. Our favourite city was St. Petersburg and we loved the Hermitage and Peterhof. Hope you enjoy it - I'm sure you will.

My cruise on the Reflection in February was my first one with a scooter. I purchased a Tzora travelling scooter. It folds up similar to how a stroller folds. We kept it folded up in the cabin and sat it on the couch so it was out of the way. I didn't need it on the ship, but I needed it in the ports because just walking to the end of the pier was too far for me. The reason we went with a scooter is so that my DH doesn't have to push me in a wheelchair.