Accessible transportation from Miami airport to port

Hi everyone,

we have are very close into booking RCCL Voyager of the Seas for Feb. (Eastern Caribbean). This is our 4th cruise but the 1st one we're bringing our 2 children on. Due to my muscular dystrophy I use a wheelchair. We think this is a good bet for easy accessibilty for me and lots of things to do for the kids. Here's a few questions for you wonderful experts out there:

We're flying down the night before and are looking for a hotel close to the port as well as an accessible way to get to the hotel from Miami's airport, hotel to port and then port back to airport.

Any suggestions for a hotel and/or transportation (lift needed) that can accomodate the 4 of us, luggage and my wheelchair?

Here are our ports: Nassau, St.Thomas, San Juan and Labadee. Any ideas of accessible things we can do at these ports?

I know I've asked alot of questions. We're just really excited!! :D :D

Any advice would be so greatly appreciated!!

Christine

We have not been on the Voyager, but I seem to remember several posts with concerns about aits ccessibility so I would do a search of this board before you book.

I can not recommend accessible hotels in Miami because we always stay near my sister's home in the Kendall section. However, if you book a hotel that provides airport and/or port shuttles to AB guests, they should provide you with accessible transportation. I say should because I had an issue with the Hampton Inn in Fort Lauderdale who refused to do so. Another transportation option would be the SuperShuttle. They have minibuses with lifts so 4 people with luggage is not an issue, but check their rates, they charge by the person so it can be expensive. Note: If you want to use SuperShuttle, you should call and reserve ahead of time.

Ports:

Nassau: There supposedly is a handicap van taxi, but it is used for other things so it can be difficult to get. If not, downtown Nassau is close to where you dock and there is an accessible Pirate Museum there. Its small, but the kids might enjoy it. My memory is that many of the shops are accessible. However, I would not try to go through the straw market. The aisles are too narrow and crowded for wheelchairs.

St.Thomas: There is limited accessible transportation there which also is not always available. Check other posts on this board for more information. If you can arrange for accessible transportation, a tour of the island is nice and Coral World is supposed to be about 80% accessible (we have not been there.)

San Juan: Being part of the US, accessible transportation is available in San Juan. Last time we were there we did a tour of the city and went ton the Bicardi factory tour which was accessible. Our tour also visited one of the forts in Old San Juan which had some, but limited accessibility,

Labadee: The tender transfer was very easy in Labadee (no steps), so I had high hopes, but it did not work out for us. When we got ashore there were beach wheelchairs which my husband transferred to. However, we were told that we were only able to use it long enough to get my husband to a sitting area where they expected him to transfer to a lounge chair. Since he is over 6' tall so we never would have gotten him out of the lounge if we did. So I went back and got his wheelchair. Then the man who pushed the beachchair was rude when I only gave him $2 for pushing it for a couple of minuteds As a result, I refused to use him again and dragged my husband's chair backwards across the sand to the dock. However, I did notice a woman with a scooter who was able to ride it across the sand. Note: Although it has also limited accessibility, HAL's Half Moon Cay is at least accessible to the main sitting area where there are a couple shops and a bar with a band playing.

One suggestion. I assume you use some sort of power chair. Power chairs are great aboard ship, but I would suggest that you also take a manual chair for use on shore. That way you have the flexibility of getting up curbs if there is no curb cut and entrances to stores that have a step.

Here's a link to the accessible taxi companies in Miami

http://www.miamibeachfl.gov/visitor/asp/ada_cabs.htm

And here's a link to an access guide of Miami hotels (scroll down to hotels). You have to download it and print it -- otherwise it's pretty hard to read.

http://www.miamibeachfl.gov/visitor/asp/adainfo.asp

Candy

Thank you both for your replies. I have done alot of research and from what I've found it seems the VOS is should be easily accessible. Maybe my info. is incorrect. I will look into it some more. The info. on the ports will be very useful - thank you for being so detailed!! :D

If anyone else out there has any additional info. I would love to hear it.

Voyager of the Seas is accessible. But check where they have you for dinner. I found up on the first balcony was best for sights and easy access. You can see the ice show as there is an area for wheelchairs (some of your family will have to be somewhere else (small area only). Suggest for the lifeboat drill that you get your jackets early, locate where you have to be then stay on that floor until the drill (there is a bar not far away). After go back to the bar for 20 minutes then return to your room to get rid of jeackets.

We did the same ininerary last August and it was fairly accessible. We stayed at a Holiday Inn, and I will get the exact address if I can for you soon, if you want it. From what I understand, several hotels used the same transportation system and they do have at least one van with a lift. You need to tell them like the night before and keep reminding them to get it there for you. But it is free and accessible. The Holiday Inn we stayed at was the absolute most accessible hotel I have ever stayed in. We loved it. It was just a few minutes drive from what I rememeber. It was not a really fancy motel but it was very clean and like I said, extremely accessible. We had myself, my husband and 2 teenage daughters and they hardly ever have accessible rooms at any hotel for 4 people (2 beds). They had one.

We did learn to do our own excursions rather than go with the cruiseline. At the last minute, they cancelled the only "accessible" tour, so we ended up doing things on our own, save a lot of money and had more fun.

Most tours we just looked for "island tours" and it gave us a good all around sightseeing tour. We did have to get into vans most of the time which was not always easy.Like I said, if you are interested you are more than welcome to email me personally and I will get the info. for you and help you in anyway I can.

Trina