thinking about Alaska...my guy in wheelchair

We're thinking of joining friends for a RCL cruise4 to Alaska on the Seranade (spelling?) in May. I looked at the port tours and wondered if any were assessible? Has anyone done this? Wonderfing if we will be able to get off the ship and see the ports.

Alaska is a great choice for a first time disabled cruiser. You will find more accessible tours here than any other destination. Be sure you speak directly to the Excursions office PRIOR to booking tours to be sure that the specific tours you are interested in can offer a lift equipped van or bus, and what you will actually be able to see from a wheelchair. The ADA applies in Alaska, so you really should have a wheelchair option for all tours, but sadly this is not the case.

Tender ports are a little bit of a gamble. If it is very rough, and he cannot stand or walk at all, he may be restricted to the ship. Have a back-up plan. In the case this occurs, if your tours are booked through the ship, you will be able to get a refund. For ports where you are at dock, just keep in mind that tides can be significant in most of Alaska, and it may be a VERY steep ramp, but the crew will help push the wheelchair in this case.

The train up the Whitehorse Pass in Skagway is accessible...I would recommend that trip as a must.

I found that the tour people at RCI don't have a clue about what is really accessible. I called them and supposedly talked to their "specialist" for accessible tours, but when I actually got there--2 that I had booked were not accessible--1 was. Of course, I was refunded, but disappointed.

All I can say is research, research, research!

I appreciate your posts. I never book tours through the cruise line, but I will for Alaska as you both recommend.

The train tour was on my list.............We usually see the world out of a window, but the key here, is that we still keep traveling. My brother insists we come, says it wouldn't be the same without us. Not everyone shies away from the disabled.

Again, thanks .:D

Princess provided us accessible tours (with MUCH prodding!!!) in Juneau (City tour and Mendenhall Glacier) and in Sitka (city tour). Tell them you must have a lift-equipped bus. Speak to a supervisor at the Excursions Office, and then again with the excursion staff as soon as you board the ship. That is really all they need to know, otherwise you will be told "sure it is accessible...only 2-3 steps up into the van or bus!". I have been unsuccessful in finding accessible tours NOT booked through the ship in Alaska. Anyone else who has, it would be great to post information here.

While the cable car in Juneau is technically accessible, it is a bust as a trip as the windows are too high to see out from a wheelchair. The shopping area right near the ship is pretty accessible, as is the Alaska State Museum, which is a good option and close enough to walk to.

Don't hesitate to mention the ADA. The tour companies in American ports are required to meet these standards, and failure to do so can open both the cruise line (as their agent for these tours) and the tour company itself to DOT ADA complaints or suits. Don't start out with this, but keep it in your armory!

My wife (who is confined to a wheelchair) and I went to Alaska last May on the Celebrity Infinity. We arranged our own tours in Juneau and Ketchikan. Not sure if you are going to both. In Juneau, Orca Enterprises and Capt. Larry now have an accessible boat for whale watching. They didn't have that boat in May, but still easily got my wife on the boat and we had a great time. Also we took the train ride in Skagway, totally accessible and lovely ride and scenery. In Ketchikan we booked a flightseeing trip with Michele with Island Wings. Though the plane (seats 6) is too small to be wheelchair accessible, she won't let that hamper anyone. Two very able bodied guys who work for her lifted my wife up and into the plane. We had a great time and landed on a lake where you could hear a pin drop it was so quiet. I highly recommend Michele. She made sure she told my wife how proud she was of her to take the trip in the plane. I won't let my wife say no she can't do something if it's possible for me to help get it done for her. I say enjoy Alaska. Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway and Sitka (tender port) are all easy walking cities for somebody in a wheechair and a companion. Any other questions, just ask. Have a great time. I know you said you were thinking about booking RCL, but I will put in a plug for Celebrity. They treat my wife like a queen, many times coming up to push her (like into the dining room, out of the dining room and at the buffet; they insist). Have a great trip!

Dan & Linda

Thank you both for this new information. I'll check out Celebrity. It was one of the lines my brother was checking out.

Do you have the info as how to reach these tour groups you mentioned in your post. Also, I am a petite lady, it's my husband in the chair. Sad to say I don't have the mussles you guys have. But I have plenty of spunk.

We're traveled extensively when he useed a cane. We did a Princess 21 day cruise from Vancouver through the Panama canal finally docking in florida. We had a ball!!!!!!!!

Lately, I've been staying on familiar ground. Doing the carribean, mexico the most. My brother really would like us to join him in May, we don't want to miss the fun. We also are very independent...........no wall flowers here. Just checking to see if its possible.:D

You can reach Orca Enterprises in Juneau at http://www.orcaenterprises.com and you can reach Michelle in Ketchikan at http://www.islandwings.com. For the train ride in Skagway, it's best to book it with the cruise line. They pull up right in front of the ship instead of you having to go to the railroad office in town.

Also since you are petite you will appreciate that Celebrity pushed my wife up and down anytime we were in port, and believe you me, some of the walkways were pretty steep but they did it with no problem.

Dan & Linda

Thanks for the info. Am continuing to check out options. Looks better each day. I'm just waiting for my brother to select the ship,:)

I booked all our tours in Alaska myself. We did dog sledding, helicopter tours, michelle at islandwings, panning for gold and a trolly tour

I have a list of accessible tours that I put together. If you are interested send me an email and I will send it to you. Rtravel@aol.com

Jean

I've kinda been looking at Alaska, too. Husband is in w/c. It'll be our second cruise. We went to Panama in Dec. 05 on Galaxy. Long story!!! Maybe I'll tell it later.

Anyway, I'm finding this thread very informative, especially about shore excursion accessibility.

My partner is in a chair. We were on a 9/2004 Sapphire Princess cruise to Alaska. Princess was wonderful. They have good descriptions of the shore escursions that state how accessible they are.

In Ketchikan booked a shore excursion to Klinket (sp?) clan house and the totem poles. Princess had a lift van waiting on us. The driving took us on a driving tour of the town and then on to our destination.

Skagway was a breeze. The White Pass Youkon Railroad backs the cars right on the dock. They have two or three cars that have lifts on each train. It is a wonderful trip.

The steep gangways is an issue. Ken did not like it. He did them with the help of several Princess staff, but it was scary.

We are going back to Alaska in September on Celebrity Summit. We are really looking forward to it.