Princess Partial Transit Excursions - some mobility issues

I have searched the forum, but can't find exactly what I'm looking for. We are going to do the partial transit in March. I'm going with my 85 year old adopted Mom. She still works part time, drives, does well. Occasionally, her knee hurts which slows her down more. However, usually she is pretty good. She walks slow, sometimes tires on a long walk, can do some steps if not too steep. For example, she could walk up 8-10 steps that are low, a few that are steep, but would not walk up to a second floor of a house. We plan to rent a collapsible wheelchair to use 'just in case' and for specific walking tours. She also has a collapsible hiking stick, if needed, for non-wheelchair times and extra balance over uneven ground. It's hard to determine if these tours will be doable because she is not confined to a wheelchair, so we don't need fully accessible tours.

 

PANAMA CITY - GATUN:

We are interested in the Princess tour to the colonial city of Panama, Miraflores Locks Center & Scenic Drive (PC1-115). Our thinking in this, and in Cartegena, is to take the wheelchair which she can push like a grocery cart and if she gets tired, I'll push her.

 

Questions:

1) Tendering: Are there steep steps going from ship to tender and will they take a fold-up wheelchair?

2) Can we take the wheelchair on the bus to Panama City and could I push her around on the tour, if needed? We would be willing to wait out anything that would be too complicated on the tour.

3) Princess says the Miraflores Visitors Center is not wheelchair accessible, but the Visitors Center website says all entrances are accessible. Anyone know what the actual situation is for people with some mobility issues?

 

ARUBA:

We plan to take the Island Highlights & Beach AUA-100. We don't plan to take the wheelchair on this tour because it seems that there is only limited walking. Any comments?

Question: At the final beach stop, is there some shade or umbrellas?

 

CARTEGENA:

We plan to take the Old City Walking Tour(CTG-380) -- everything is listed as wheelchair accessible, so I think we're good on this one.

 

PUERTO LIMON:

We are looking at the Tortuguero Canal/Banana Plantation tour (LIO-610). We are thinking to leave the wheelchair onboard in this one.

Question:

Is boat boarding easy for older people?

Is there significant walking at the banana plantation? (If so, would we have the same bus that takes us from the canals to the plantation and back to the ship so we could leave the wheelchair on the bus if we need it for the plantation? I'm hoping we don't need it at all here!

 

JAMAICA:

We are looking at Dunn's River Falls, Coyaba Gardens & Shopping -- which also has a wheelchair version, but it sounds like we should go on the regular bus since she is not confined to a wheelchair. Hope there is not too much shopping!

Question: Is there significant walking through the Gardens where we might need the wheelchair for longer walks?

 

I appreciate any comments from what you have experienced or observed! We are very excited about our trip and I just want to make sure we do things she can do and enjoy.

 

Dawn

PANAMA CITY - GATUN:

We are interested in the Princess tour to the colonial city of Panama, Miraflores Locks Center & Scenic Drive (PC1-115). Our thinking in this, and in Cartegena, is to take the wheelchair which she can push like a grocery cart and if she gets tired, I'll push her.

 

Questions:

1) Tendering: Are there steep steps going from ship to tender and will they take a fold-up wheelchair?

2) Can we take the wheelchair on the bus to Panama City and could I push her around on the tour, if needed? We would be willing to wait out anything that would be too complicated on the tour.

3) Princess says the Miraflores Visitors Center is not wheelchair accessible, but the Visitors Center website says all entrances are accessible. Anyone know what the actual situation is for people with some mobility issues?

I would definitely talk with the Princess tour people and rely on their advice, if necessary asking to speak with a supervisor, and noting their name. I suspect the problem is more with the tender and the bus. There are definitely steps to the tender. There is a difference between being wheelchair bound and needing to use a wheelchair some of the time. The ship and the tender can be moving in different directions at times and it is a challenge just to get guests who walk on and off safely. Many of the buses used for tours do not have any place underneath to store wheelchairs, even if you mom is not wheelchair bound.Some

times, as at Miraflores Center, the tour buses have to park and drop off at one place, while cars can use a different place. One may be wheelchair accessible and the other may not be.Accessibility is a rather new concept in much of the world, including Panama. We are just now beginning to see handicap parking spaces.On some of these stops there may be tour buses that have one or two spots for wheelchairs, but, again, you have to work closely and in advance with Shore Ex.Regards, Richard

Thank you for your quick reply, Richard. I've read many of your responses to other questions -- and the fact that many countries are not as prepared for accessibility.

 

I will indeed talk with Princess eventually, but I am concerned I will get someone who has never been there and is just reading out of a brochure or book! That's why I figured CruiseCritic members will give me a better picture of the real situation which I can then balance with what Princess tells me.

JuanL, When I was working a segment of the World Cruise a lady in a wheelchair told me about a Web site which is specifically designed for wheelchair travelers and has a wealth of information about what is available in different countries. It amazed me the things she came up with. I don't remember the site, and am not sure what, if any, outreach it has in Panama, but it would be worth spending some time on Google. In one case I remember the site connected her with volunteers in the country who volunteered to aid and assist her. Just a thought ... if you discover anything, be sure to post it.

 

I suppose you've already searched through the "disabled" cruise travel bulletin board on CC.

 

Regards, Richard

Thanks, Richard. I'll try to check that out further. How about the Embera Village? We were only considering the wheelchair for longer walking tours like Old Cartagena and Casco Viejo, but plan to do the Tortuguero Canals etc. with her just using her hiking stick -- and my arm as needed. She can use the stick on uneven ground.

 

I saw that you or someone said that even with bad knees, people can get up to the village and that they were used to having older people on the tours. She and I both are actually much more interested in that. We first balked when we read 'dugout canoes', but after seeing some photos online and a couple of videos, they seem quite doable.

 

The key might be the tendering. Do you know about how many steps from the ship to the tender -- more or less ?

Unfortunately, I'm not sure I'd recommend the Embera tour. Folks always ask similar questions which is why in my new book I included pics of people getting in the boats (walking down a slope which can be muddy), walking up ... sometimes with assistance ... from the river to the village, folks boarding the train, boarding the ferry boat, etc., believing that a picture is worth a thousand words.

 

Steps to the tender really depends on the ship. The crew will do everything possible to assist you in getting ashore. On many of the newer ships there is a small elevator that will take you down to near the tender platform. The crew is used to assisting people getting on and off the tender. Once you get ashore it is a walk to the bus. Wheelchair MAY work, but understand sometimes these passage ways aren't smooth paved concrete.

 

Another consideration is others on the tour. Every tour, unfortunately, is not for every body. While people may admire you and your mom's "can do" attitude, the time in Panama is short and there is a lot to see. If you do decide on the Embera tour, I'd check with Anne Gordon to see if she could do a private tour for you (obviously probably costing more than the ship tour). Good luck! It's unfortunate that for many people by the time they take those "dream," "lifetime" trips, they are physically unable to enjoy everything.

 

Regards, Richard

I would love to get your new book, Richard. Is it PANAMA CANAL DAY: AN ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO CRUISING THE PANAMA CANAL?

I would love to get your new book, Richard. Is it PANAMA CANAL DAY: AN ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO CRUISING THE PANAMA CANAL?

 

JuanL, Yes, that's it! I think you'll find it answers a lot of questions about tours and provides a lot of valuable information and history. For most people a trip through the Panama Canal isn't "just another cruise" but a special journey. The more you know about the Canal, it's history and place as "the crossroads of the world", the more you will get out of your Canal cruise.

 

Best wishes to you and your Mom. I know you'll enjoy the trip whatever you choose to do.

 

Regards, Richard