anyone boarded in New Orleans & neededwheelchair for boarding

[jeanarch]

we will be boarding in New Orleans & have done it many times but never needed wheelchair assistance. Will there be a wheelchair in the parking garage ...do we need to notify special needs. Once on board the rollator is all we need but embarkation & debarkation in NO & at ports will be needed. Please help...

[uppitycats]

we will be boarding in New Orleans & have done it many times but never needed wheelchair assistance. Will there be a wheelchair in the parking garage ...do we need to notify special needs. Once on board the rollator is all we need but embarkation & debarkation in NO & at ports will be needed. Please help...

 

Sorry, I can't speak specifically about New Orleans, but in general..

 

no, there won't be a wheelchair in the parking garage, nor assistance there. You'd best be dropped off right at the pier next to the ship. Usually what happens is the passenger needing assistance is dropped off there. You look for a representative from your cruise line (and yes, notifying special needs is a good idea..they'll watch for you, if you can give them a general time when you expect to arrive) and then they will get a wheelchair and assist you in boarding.

 

This will mean that your partner (who does not need the wheelchair) will have to park the car, and meet up with you later in the boarding area. It could well be that you'll already be on board, and they'll have to wait in line with everyone else, though!

 

Are you certain that all you'll need on board is the rollator? Obviously you've cruised before..the corridors can be very long, if you're having difficulty walking.

 

At any rate, once on board, then you need to go to the purser's desk when you want assistance getting on/off the ship in ports. They'll arrange to have a wheelchair there and someone to assist you.

[jeanarch]

thank you for the response. It is for my sister..I will notify special needs but maybe in New Orleans we might be able to park in the handicapped area of the garage(yes the do have that) and then go get the wheelchair for her. I have positioned us close to the main elevator on the ship & we will just take it easy...If you do not go directly into the garage when you get to the port area you have to go around half of NO to get back if you pass it up for the offload area. That could take forever..There is also an elevator next to the handicapped parking ...see you made me really start thinking....we could go downstairs on the elevator and get the chair there...We are also Platinum and do have early boarding. Thank you again for your help...

[uppitycats]

thank you for the response. It is for my sister..I will notify special needs but maybe in New Orleans we might be able to park in the handicapped area of the garage(yes the do have that) and then go get the wheelchair for her. I have positioned us close to the main elevator on the ship & we will just take it easy...If you do not go directly into the garage when you get to the port area you have to go around half of NO to get back if you pass it up for the offload area. That could take forever..There is also an elevator next to the handicapped parking ...see you made me really start thinking....we could go downstairs on the elevator and get the chair there...We are also Platinum and do have early boarding. Thank you again for your help...

 

Does she have a handicap placard for the parking area? If so, then your plan to go get the wheelchair will work. She can stay in the car while you get the chair.

[jeanarch]

yes she does...thanks again

[mistshar]

I don't know how NCL is but when we were there in April to sail on Carnival Triumph, they only had 5 wheelchairs. As soon as we went in the door we told them I needed a wheelchair and they said go through security first. We did that and then they pointed to a sign that said H/C. We went down there and stood. Needless to say I was getting pretty tired by then. Finally this man came over there and we told him I needed a wheelchair. He said come with me. He took us to the front of a line and some people got very upset. We finally got checked in and then he told us where to sit to wait for a wheelchair. We had to wait until nearly everyone else was on the ship before they got to me with the wheelchair. With only 5 wheelchairs they had to keep going back and forth. I was very tired after having to stand up all that time. I am hoping NCL won't be that way. Always before they put me in a wheelchair as soon as I went in the door. They just didn't act very concerned this time.