Labadee, Cozumel, and fall mouth on a scooter?

My father will be cruising with us in November on Allure of the Seas. He and my mother have a HC cabin.

He has a neuromuscular disorder that greatly limits his walking. He can go up and down bus stairs. He can walk for short distances but becomes quite tired so I would like to help him plan excursions where he can limit the walking.

His scooter does disassemble in a matter of minutes and fits in a car trunk.

In Cozumel would Chankanaab be a good option? What would be the best way to get there? It would be ideal if there were a shuttle with a lift so he could just ride it on and not have to hassle with assembling and disassembling the scooter over and over. Also how accessible is the park itself?

I am guessing no one has info on the Fallmouth port yet since it is not open... We vacationed at the Iberostar Grand Rose Hall with him a few years ago and he like it, so maybe we could do a day pass there.

Also, how accessible is Labadee? Will he be able to ride his scooter around, or are there lots of steps? Are the trams there able to accommodate a scooter? Are there some beaches that would be easier for him to enjoy? Proximity to the ocean, food, and bathrooms would be ideal.

Thanks for your time!

I have a travelscoot scooter and went to Chankanaab in a standard taxi. Of course the scooter had to be collapsed. On the way back to the ship we took a van taxi and the scooter went into the back and did not have to be collapsed. There is a lot of cobblestones at the park but I had no trouble with the scooter. They also offer a first come, first serve beach wheelchair if you wish to go into the water. There is an area without steps that leads into the water near the kiosk that rents snorkel gear. They have a dolphin swim but we did not go there. I've not been to Labedee or Jamaica.

I have a travelscoot scooter and went to Chankanaab in a standard taxi. Of course the scooter had to be collapsed. On the way back to the ship we took a van taxi and the scooter went into the back and did not have to be collapsed. There is a lot of cobblestones at the park but I had no trouble with the scooter. They also offer a first come, first serve beach wheelchair if you wish to go into the water. There is an area without steps that leads into the water near the kiosk that rents snorkel gear. They have a dolphin swim but we did not go there. I've not been to Labedee or Jamaica.

Thanks for the input katisdale! Both cruising, and managing my father's limited mobility are new experiences for us, and can be overwhelming sometimes so I like to have as much information as I can to make the most out of his trip!

Labadee has a pier now (no more tendering!!!) and hard paths....of course, it is a beach, so going into the sand might be difficult, but they've built this beach area up...there will be plenty to see and do for him there....and, he can come and go at will!

Labadee will be easy. Not only are there extensive paved paths, they have loads of beach wheelchairs with pushers available. One strange thing I found though was that they are not allowed to put these chairs in the water. Hmmm.

Cozumel has lots of accessible taxis with lifts. I go to the front of the taxi line (i know that seems rude but I do it because I need a lift taxi and not just any taxi). I tell the dispatcher that I need a lift taxi. I use hand motions for up and down and point to my wheelchair. They usually have you wait to the side until he can get one though I have never waited more then 10 minutes which is what you would have waited in the main taxi line.

Chankanaab has beach wheelchairs you can borrow. They are easy to push on the sand. You can leave your scooter with them or take it with you. They usually keep your something until you return the beach chair. There is no charge but I think I left some id though I can not remember for sure.

As others have said Labadee is full of paths now so no need to worry about the scooter.

Thanks so much to everyone who has helped! If we can get him to the beach then one or two of us can steady him and get him to a beach chair.

Great to know about the taxis with lifts in Cozumel. Has anyone ever pre-arranged a private taxi with a lift there? I work with several bilingual individuals so I will have them teach me to ask for a taxi with a wheelchair lift en espanol!

I think a big challenge will be convincing my dad to always use his scooter on the ship. His PLS causes him to easily lose his balance and I think the smallest list of the ship could send him tumbling and he is a tiny guy.

Is there a thread with general tips for people cruising with a scooter for the first time? This is only the second cruise he has evert been on and the first was more than 30 years ago so a lot has changed!

Labadee will be easy. Not only are there extensive paved paths, they have loads of beach wheelchairs with pushers available. One strange thing I found though was that they are not allowed to put these chairs in the water. Hmmm.

I found it disappointing that they could wheel you to a spot but not take you into the water.:mad:

Using the scooter on the ship will be great. However, once you get on shore you may find access problems. Like lack of ramps and curb cut outs and stairs.

I know my mom took her scooter on shore in Jamaica and it was awful we couldnt get anywhere because of lack of curb cutouts. However, the Jamaicans were wonderful carrying her heavy scooter up and down sidewalk curbs. :)

Remember too that the sand gets into all the little gears and places that you really don't want. Use the beach wheelchairs in Labadee. Jamacia isn't wheel chair or scooter friendly. The cabs in Cozamel will charge you an extra 20 buck for a lift cab but worth it. My husband after trying to navigate Labadee and Ocho RIos elects to get feet dry on the dock and then stay on the ship. We got caught in a downpour once and had the devil of a time getting back up the slippery ramp to get back on the boat. We were both soaked. GO and enjoy - we all know that folks with some limitiations are the best in the world at adapting.

I know it's been a while but I just wanted to report back on our experiences.

We found that Labadee was very scooter friendly. Lots of paved paths. Lunch was a little hectic and he did walk through the lunch line, but for those who can't do that, I would think they'd have to send someone to get their lunch for them. It was like a mob scene, even after we waited for a lot of the crowd to die down.

Falmouth was great with the scooter too. We found the new port to be very accessible and we booked a day at the Hilton Rose Hall and he had no troubles getting around there as well. One of the hotel staff took us down to the water park showing us the way to go to avoid stairs. They were very helpful!

Cozumel was no problem as well. We just took a taxi and disassembled the scooter. He did park the scooter and walk to the closest beach chair, and that was about as far as he would be able to comfortably walk, but it worked out for him. He was also to take his scooter out onto the pier for the dolphin swim so he had very little distance to walk there.

Overally we were really happy with how accessible these places were!

Thank you SO MUCH for taking the time to give us a report on your experiences!

I got stuck in sand a couple of times in Labadee when I learned the hard way that the paved surfaces are not all continuous!

We got drenched in Falmouth, and I bought a rain poncho that now lives in the pouch on the back of my scooter seat. Ever since the rain killed my first travel scooter in Cozumel, I have learned that water is not my friend!

Thanks again!

Thanks so much to everyone who has helped! If we can get him to the beach then one or two of us can steady him and get him to a beach chair.

 

Great to know about the taxis with lifts in Cozumel. Has anyone ever pre-arranged a private taxi with a lift there? I work with several bilingual individuals so I will have them teach me to ask for a taxi with a wheelchair lift en espanol!

 

I think a big challenge will be convincing my dad to always use his scooter on the ship. His PLS causes him to easily lose his balance and I think the smallest list of the ship could send him tumbling and he is a tiny guy.

 

Is there a thread with general tips for people cruising with a scooter for the first time? This is only the second cruise he has evert been on and the first was more than 30 years ago so a lot has changed!

Hi I use a scooter all the time (MS). There are ways of contacting tours in coz ahead of time but I no longer have the card. Falmouth is H/C accessible near the port. The Rose Hall thing is the best one. There is a free shuttle to Rose Hall Check in with on board services to see if it is H/C accessible.

Cozumel has lots of accessible taxis with lifts. I go to the front of the taxi line (i know that seems rude but I do it because I need a lift taxi and not just any taxi). I tell the dispatcher that I need a lift taxi. I use hand motions for up and down and point to my wheelchair. They usually have you wait to the side until he can get one though I have never waited more then 10 minutes which is what you would have waited in the main taxi line.

 

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Then what do you do with the accessible taxi? Wheere can you go? What can you see?

Hi I use a scooter all the time (MS). There are ways of contacting tours in coz ahead of time but I no longer have the card. Falmouth is H/C accessible near the port. The Rose Hall thing is the best one. There is a free shuttle to Rose Hall Check in with on board services to see if it is H/C accessible.

The free shuttle was not HC accessible when I was there November 2011.

Can you rent the beach wheelchairs in advance in Labadee? We are not going until August but I was wondering if there are plenty of beach wheelchairs?

My husband uses a scooter due to a stroke. He has always been resistant to using it until we took it on the Explorer in 2008. He could then zip around a bit on his own. Without the scooter, your Dad would be very limited due to the size of the ship and also the motion. My nephew has PLS. How is your Dad coping with this awful disease?