kokopelli-az

He can drive the scooter right up to your table if he wants. So make sure you have a table that has plenty of space around it so it's easy for the scooter to navigate in and out if he wants to drive to the table. If the scooter is at the table, the waiters will take it and park it out by where you enter the restaurant. There will be plenty of other mobility devices parked there, too. When he's ready to leave the restaurant, the waiter will go get the scooter and bring it back to the table. We have done this many, many times. If he can walk a little, he can leave the scooter himself near the entrance to the restaurant and walk to the table. They will tell him where to park it. While technically there may not be scooter parking locations around the ship, there are lots of places to stow a scooter out of the way (like up next to a wall). My husband takes his scooter say, to the casino, gets to his machine and then I drive the scooter to a safe spot and park it. The theater may have designed spots for scooters and other mobility devices. I don't know how big Dad's scooter is, but do you need/have an accessible stateroom? Scooters must be parked inside your stateroom when you're there and not left in the hall. Check to be sure his scooter will fit through your stateroom door if you don't have an accessible room. Make sure Princess knows Dad will be bringing a scooter. They have mobility forms on-line that he will need to complete and submit. Let us know if you need a link for the form. There are lots of threads in this forum on the topic of scooters (especially scooters vs elevators). You will find lots of information if you do a search on scooters.

If you read the fine print on the rental agreements from both scooter rental companies, they offer very little protection to the renter. We never take the rental insurance. Here's an excerpt from the Scootaround agreement regarding cancellation (from Nov 2024): 1. If seven (7) or more days’ notice is provided before the scheduled delivery date, the Customer may cancel and receive a partial credit for a future rental. Scootaround will hold a $60 cancellation fee for motorized equipment and $35 cancellation fee for non-motorized equipment, per item, plus applicable sales tax. This includes either full or partial cancellations. 2. If less than seven (7) days’ notice is provided, but before the scheduled delivery date, the Customer may cancel and receive a partial credit on the order. Scootaround will hold a $110 cancellation fee for motorized equipment and $60 cancellation fee for non-motorized equipment per item, plus applicable sales tax. 3. Any cancellation on or after the delivery date is non-refundable and no credit will be issued. 4. “Credits” are placed on file with Scootaround and are not eligible to be refunded for any reason. They can be applied to any type of rental and do not expire

Here is an interesting (although not recent) post about this subject. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2378032-asl-interpreters-on-cruises-ie-disappointed-with-holland-america/

The Princess website states: The goal of Princess Cruises is to provide a safe comfortable cruise experience for all passengers. If you will be using a mobility device during your sailing we strongly recommend you travel with a person physically fit to assist with your needs both onboard and ashore. Embarking and disembarking can be challenging for those with limited mobility. Many major ports of call provide easy access for wheelchairs and scooters. However due to various conditions; steepness of the gangway, weather, shore-side facilities, tidal and sea conditions, passengers using mobility devices may be required to transfer to a stair climber or be precluded from going ashore. Princess staff will make every effort to assist but are not allowed to individually physically lift more than 50 pounds (22 kg). Some ports of call require the ship to anchor off shore. Passengers are then taken to shore by small boats or tenders. When tendering is required, passengers using mobility devices will not be transferred into or out of the tender, if lifting in excess of the above limitation is required. Many tender ports do not provide wheelchair access so even if the passenger can board the tender they may not be able to disembark ashore. Again the shore-side facilities, movement of the tender, weather and tidal conditions can also preclude tendering. The decision to allow any passenger to board a tender or disembark the vessel will be made by the Captain on the basis of the safety and welfare of all involved and is final. If passengers are unable to tender or disembark because of circumstances outlined above there will be no refund or credit for missed ports. While Princess recognizes your disappointment the safety of both passengers and crew takes precedence.

hmmm. We have never been on a ship or with a cruise line that did not have accessible balcony staterooms. And they've all been very nice. But if they are sold out, they may not be showing on websites since they would not be available. If you are on the cruise line's website, be sure when you do your search that you check the box next to "I need an accessible stateroom" (or something similar). If there is no box to select for accessible staterooms, you may need to contact the cruise line directly.

Yes ! Thanks so much for taking the time to check these out and for the photos. (I don't know about those Ten Play, though ...)

They don't. And somehow I think that Royal is one of the cruise lines that doesn't have them on every ship. Just want to verify one way or the other specifically about the Freedom of the Seas.

For anyone currently on the Freedom or who has been recently been on it, are there video poker machines in the casino? Will be sailing on the Freedom in September and I am going to be bummed if there are no video poker machines 😕

Book now if the prices work for you and then keep checking their website to see if any sales come up with better prices. If you see a lower price, cancel the more expensive one already booked and then rebook with the new, lower price. Check pricing frequently, but especially around holidays.

Isn't that the truth. Sometimes when we have been waiting forever for an elevator, I semi-block the elevator door when it opens (of course this only works if we are next to an empty or near-empty elevator that opens) and politely ask those trying to get on to please allow the wheelchair (or scooter or walker) to board. People always step back and kindly allow us to board. Many people are truly oblivious to those using mobility devices. Typically the passengers most aware of mobility issues in others are those who themselves or those who have been with loved ones who need extra assistance. They have much more awareness.

In the event you book a cruise on Royal Caribbean, this is direct from their website: We offer boarding and departure assistance to guests in wheelchairs or with mobility disabilities. To request assistance at the pier, contact us 30 days prior to your cruise so that we may prioritize your assistance to go onboard. Wheelchair assistance for boarding is available from the terminal check-in, to the ship. During peak times there may be a wait for assistance. This is pretty much what all the cruise lines request. I am assuming since you are in Oregon that you will depart from PDX and fly to LAX (for example)? Your cruise line will have transfers you can purchase from your California airport to the cruise ship. This might be an idea for you if you are traveling alone. If you arrive the day before and stay overnight in a hotel, you will have to make arrangements to either get back to the airport to catch the cruise line transportation or take other transportation to the pier (many hotels offer this). The cruise line transportation will probably be a large tour bus. If you go with a rollator, they can stow it below the bus along with the luggage. Personally, I would take an early flight from PDX (hopefully direct) and go to the ship the same day. (We leave out of PDX all the time.) When you get to your pier, ask the first employee (of the cruise line or even one of the port employees loading luggage) where wheelchair assistance is located. Once you narrow it down which cruise line and which port you will be leaving out of in California, let us know. People on this board can help with more specifics. PS: There will be many, many passengers on your ship with mobility issues using canes, walkers, wheelchairs, scooters and rollators. The cruise lines are set up very well for assisting passengers with mobility issues.

For anyone shopping for a rollator, I highly recommend this one (the Drive Nitro series). Very stable, larger wheels (which makes going over bumps easier) and it comes in different sizes depending on how big the user is. A handy dandy little zippered bag, too. https://www.amazon.com/Drive-Medical-Foldable-Rollator-Lightweight/dp/B0BZWVR6QM/ (Double-check Amazon's Warehouse to see if any are available there = less expensive)

Consider requesting wheelchair assistance for embarkation and disembarking. The ship's employees (or sometimes a port employee) can push you (using the ship's wheelchair) from getting into the terminal to any public area in the ship (or your stateroom if it is ready). There are many threads about this. Search this forum for "wheelchair" and "assistance". The same for when you disembark. There will be a special area for wheelchair assistance passengers to wait and then a wheelchair pusher will come get you and push you off the ship, through the terminal (again, sometimes you will have two pushers - the ship's pusher and a port employee pusher) and outside to your transportation. Also, the suggestion about a rollator with a seat is good. You can sit down when you need to and you will have more stability using a rollator than with a cane. What cruise line are you considering? They will have a special section on their website about passengers with mobility disabilities. You will love cruising.

Check out the Wedge-it device (Amazon has them). I've never used one but if you're interested you might post a new question on this board asking if anyone has used one for their stateroom door. Or any other tricks passengers have used to prop open their door to get their mobility device through. https://www.amazon.com/Wedge-WEDGE-Ultimate-Door-Green/dp/B00N4M2UCM/

Can she get up enough to lean over and push the elevator button? If there are other passengers on the elevator, ask someone to push the floor number she wants. We don't typically do this if other passengers are on the elevator (unless there are just 2-3 others on the elevator), but it's handier to back onto the elevator because of easier access to the buttons and easier to get out when she gets to her floor (because she can see if anyone waiting for the elevator is in her way). If there are too many other people on the elevator so safely back in, just wait for another one. Another idea is an elevator button pushing stick. Here's one that can be made for her: https://www.instructables.com/The-Incredible-Amazing-Stick-For-elevator-buttons/

We have rented from both Scootaround and Special Needs. They basically rent the identical scooters. We have never had any issue with either of these companies. Do a dummy booking on each website for the same type of scooter and rent from the one that is less expensive. Be sure you are comparing apples to apples as I know that Scootaround adds in extras like insurance (which we've never bought) so you want to be comparing the same thing. And like others have said, be sure to check your cruise line's website to be sure they accept scooters from whichever company you choose to rent from. Also on your cruise line's website, there will be a form to complete where you let them know you will have a scooter. If you need help with links, post which cruise line you will be on and people on this board can help.

We have been on both ships and both are excellent for wheelchairs or any mobility device. I actually can't speak as to the top deck since we typically don't go up there so maybe someone else can chime in about it. You also could check on the Celebrity board and ask if anyone is currently on board either of these ships with a wheelchair who has been to the top deck or would be willing to go up there to take a look and report back to you.

You should hop over to the Disabled Cruise Travel forum. There are many, many people on that board who use assistive devices and can offer in put. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/114-disabled-cruise-travel/ But in any event, take a look at Royal's accessibility link. Many of your questions will be answered there. And you will want to complete the Special Needs Form. The reason for completing this form is to let Royal know there is someone in the stateroom who needs assistance in the event of an emergency. https://www.royalcaribbean.com/experience/accessible-cruising And as many have said, take advantage of the wheelchair pushers for embarking and disembarking. The ramps are long and often steep. Depending on your Mom's abilities, you might consider renting a wheelchair for her to use (with someone else pushing her) when she gets tired walking (you can rent one and it will be in your stateroom when you arrive). There is nothing close when you have mobility issues: the ships are huge, the docks at port stops are often very long and then there's walking around the port on top of all the walking just to get there.

What cruise line are you going to be on? They all have specific guidelines for bringing oxygen on board. If you will be flying, check with your airline for their oxygen rules.

One thing to note is that if you're staying at a hotel and want to take the cruise line ADA transfer, you will probably have to go back to the airport to catch it. Most cruise line transfers (ADA or otherwise) offer transfers from the airport to the cruise port and vice versa, not to hotels.

I'm in a very similar situation as yours. Cruises have been a God send. We almost always take cruises that leave from Florida (Fort Lauderdale in particular). However, other ports in the United States would no doubt be much the same as Fort Lauderdale but that's where we like to cruise from. We take 4-5 cruises a year and have been to practically every Caribbean island. We were lucky that we began cruising in 1990 when my husband was mobile because we went everywhere on the islands. Now, mostly, we stay on the ship at port stops. We don't miss getting off the ship; however, we usually get off at least on one or two of the stops that we know are easy and have things to see or do close to the ship. We aren't the only ones staying on the ship at port stops; there are quite a few people on board while everyone else has gone ashore. My husband uses a walker around the house. He cannot walk or stand very long. He also has a transport chair he uses for anywhere he has to walk very far (like a doctor's appointment). We take the transport chair to the airport and the "pushers" at the airport will push him from the ticket counter all the way to the door of the plane. We then gate check (leave it outside the door to the plane) his transport chair and it is brought back to us at either our connecting flight or final destination. Since he has a transport chair, I'm the one who does the pushing most of the rest of the time. On the ship, now, this is a different story. He rents a mobility scooter that is waiting in our stateroom for him. He is like a free bird as soon as he gets on the scooter. I think that's his main reason for cruising! He has so much freedom and it frees me up to not have to push him around the ship. Ships are huge and if you get off at a port, there are often docks that are very, very long. If you want to take a shore excursion, look for ones that are for wheelchair users. There usually aren't that many of these excursions offered but it's worth a look. And there are private excursions, also, that can offer a vehicle he can get into (no steps). Even taxis offer tours. The other part of this is that you have to get from the ship to where the vehicle is for the tour. At the bare minimum maybe your husband could try out a rollator (for starters). And consider a wheelchair/transport chair for longer journeys. Or a scooter (they can be rented for the cruise). River cruises are not recommended for people with mobility issues. Oh, you can tell your cruise line that he will be needing wheelchair assistance (it is for embarkation and debarkation only). The ship will have wheelchair pushers (their employees) specifically for this purpose. You use the ship's wheelchairs (unless you have your own but you can still have one of the pushers push your personal wheelchair). The pusher will take you from where you enter the terminal (tell the first employee you see that you need a wheelchair - they will tell you where to go) all the way to any public area inside the ship (or your room, if it is available). Once the pusher gets you to where you want to go inside the ship, they will leave with the wheelchair. You might look for cruises that do not have tender ports (where you board a boat to take you from the ship to the dock). If there are tender ports, you can make a decision to stay on board at these stops. Also you might consider an accessible stateroom. They have lots of grab bars in the bathroom and a walk-in shower (with a shower chair). These staterooms go fast. Report back on which cruise line or ship you are considering. Many folks on this board are in the same situation and will have plenty of feedback about your itinerary and port stops. Each cruise line has a section on their website addressing accessibility and mobility issues. You will learn what works for your situation but for the most part, cruise ships are perfect for those with mobility issues.

Whether the wheelchair is foldable is important because it may be able to be folded up and put on an excursion bus (underneath where the luggage is). This would give you more excursion options. If you are looking for a excursion that will accommodate wheeling (or driving) a wheelchair up a ramp onto the vehicle, they are harder to find. Especially through the cruise line shore excursions. Plan B may be to look into private accessible shore excursions at your port stops. If you are interested in private excursions, list your port stops because people on this board may be able to give some recommendations.

Is the wheelchair a foldable one? Can the wheelchair person transfer or take a few steps? Or do you need an accessible vehicle where the wheelchair would be rolled/driven onto the vehicle?

OK, here is the response from Royal about not being able to submit the Special Needs form : In the meantime, you may email us at special_needs@rccl.com and kindly send your booking details, the name of the guest who will be needing the accommodations, and the list of accommodations so we can note the reservation. There's no need to fill out the form. Just compose an email with above details and please send it to the email address above.

The online form will not submit for me either. And I tried two different browsers. I emailed Royal today and told them about this issue and asked them to send me a link with a special needs form where not only could you complete it on line, but you could also submit it on line.