Wheelchair Access

[Flopthis25]

I booked our cruise in January 2011. We sail March 2012. I am sailing with my DH, kids (7,9), and in-laws.

 

I have had several unexpected surgeries in the past 10 months. I get fatigued fairly easy (after walking about 7-10 minutes). I'm very concerned that I'm not going to be able to do all that I want to do (very frustrating). So that brings me to my question-

If I need assistance or a wheelchair, would RCCL provide it? And is the staff accommidating? Other cruisers?

[jackretired]

I booked our cruise in January 2011. We sail March 2012. I am sailing with my DH, kids (7,9), and in-laws.

 

I have had several unexpected surgeries in the past 10 months. I get fatigued fairly easy (after walking about 7-10 minutes). I'm very concerned that I'm not going to be able to do all that I want to do (very frustrating). So that brings me to my question-

If I need assistance or a wheelchair, would RCCL provide it? And is the staff accommidating? Other cruisers?

 

1. Visit the Disabled Cruise Travel board here on CC.

2. RC will provide wheelchair for embarkation and disembarkation, but not during cruise (most of the time). Some times a long wait because of a limited number of wheelchairs.

3. Buy or rent a wheelchair. Get one that will fold for going through cabin door and easy storage in cabin. You can rent on from an approved vender and it will be in your cabin, but how will you get to your cabin. I think you are best to narrive with your own wheelchair. You will get priority boarding. You will not have a problem getting from Windjammer to cabin.

4. you can find used wheelchairs cheap, just make sure it folds.

5. the staff is accommodating.

6. Be aware of excursions. Your choices are limited. Do NOT believe the excursion descriptions (they may say 7 steps but fail to mention the half mile walk up hill to the tour bus. Check with the excursion desk first thing.

7. Check your table in MDR, to see if you can get to it with your wheelchair. Are at least cloe enough to park and walk in.

 

Depending where I am going, I switch between my power chair and a cane.

On Enchantment I can get a cabin on same deck as the MDR and walk. No standing & waiting for elevators.

[MedicKen]

If you rent, buy or borrow a wheelchair do yourself a huge favor and make sure it is a "regular" chair and NOT a "Transport" chair. The difference is in the wheels. Transport chairs have 4 small wheels and are only good on smooth non-carpeted surfaces thus not much good at all, in my opinion.

Wheelchairs can be rented from specialneedsatsea.com or carevacations.com Both of these companies are "approved" by most all cruise lines and will have the equipment waiting in your stateroom for you.

[xxoocruiser]

I booked our cruise in January 2011. We sail March 2012. I am sailing with my DH, kids (7,9), and in-laws.

 

I have had several unexpected surgeries in the past 10 months. I get fatigued fairly easy (after walking about 7-10 minutes). I'm very concerned that I'm not going to be able to do all that I want to do (very frustrating). So that brings me to my question-

If I need assistance or a wheelchair, would RCCL provide it? And is the staff accommidating? Other cruisers?

 

• As the previous poster stated RCCL will only provide wheelchair assistance with embarkation and debarkation. You are on your own for the reminder of the time on board.
  
• You can rent a wheelchair through the following RCCL approved vendors. It will be delivered to your stateroom waiting for you on the day of embarkation. You than leave it in the room the day of debarkation. CareVacations http://www.carevacations.com/cruiseshipassist/mobility-equipment/ or Special Needs at Sea http://www.specialneedsatsea.com/reserve-equipment/wheelchair-rentals/
  
• Please note that depending on the rental cost it might actually be cheaper to rent a chair locally before you leave home and bring it with you. Or purchase one to bring.
  
• Also important to note that a transport chair requires you to always have a travel companion able to push it for you ( RCCL DOES NOT PROVIDE THAT SERVICE). Though transport chairs are cheaper to purchase and rent they are also harder to push , especially on the carpeted areas throughout the ship. A standard wheelchair with large wheels is recommended and it offers you some independence as you can operate it yourself.
  
• The waitstaff in all dining rooms will offer assistance. In the Main Dining Room and Specialty Restaurants they will store the wheelcahir for you after transferring to a chair and will return it when you're done dining.
  
• In the WindJammer Buffet they will assist you in carrying your tray to the table.
  
• If the ship has any tender ports the wheelchair can be loaded onto the tender provided it's collapsable and you are able to walkdown the few steps to board the tender.
  
• The cruise staff will also assist you getting off/on the gangway when in a wheelchair.
  
• As one of the previous posters stated make certain to carefarelly access all excursions. Even if it sounds like it's reasonable double check. Remember the excursions are designed for the masses and not neccessarily for those with limitations. If you have a collapsable wheelchair you will also have the option of just taking a taxi to the sights you wish to experience.
  
• What ever you choose to rent, suggest you take one of your RCCL luggage tags to place on the wheelchair. There will be many wheelchairs on board so you need to identify it as yours. The RCCL luggage tag works well for this purpose as it has your cabin number in addition to your name.
  
• If you have a booked a standard cabin, the wheelchair will not fit through the cabin door. You will need to walk through the doorway and collapse the wheelchair to enter the cabin.
  
• If you have booked a standard cabin, you can request a shower chair from the Special Needs Department at no charge to be delivered to your cabin. Since you fatique easily this would be a good thing to have when showering.
  

[xxoocruiser]

I booked our cruise in January 2011. We sail March 2012. I am sailing with my DH, kids (7,9), and in-laws.

 

I have had several unexpected surgeries in the past 10 months. I get fatigued fairly easy (after walking about 7-10 minutes). I'm very concerned that I'm not going to be able to do all that I want to do (very frustrating). So that brings me to my question-

If I need assistance or a wheelchair, would RCCL provide it? And is the staff accommidating? Other cruisers?

 

• As the previous poster stated RCCL will only provide wheelchair assistance with embarkation and debarkation. You are own your own for the reminder of the time on board.
  
• You can rent a wheelchair through the following RCCL approved vendors. It will be delivered to your stateroom waiting for you on the day of embarkation. You than leave it in the room the day of debarkation. CareVacations http://www.carevacations.com/cruiseshipassist/mobility-equipment/ or Special Needs at Sea http://www.specialneedsatsea.com/reserve-equipment/wheelchair-rentals/
  
• Please note that depending on the rental cost it mightactually be cheaper to rent a chair locally before you leave home and bring it with you. Or purchase one to bring.
  
• Also important to note that a transport chair requires you to always have a travel companion able to push it for you ( RCCL DOES NOT PROVIDE THAT SERVICE). Though transport chairs are cheaper to purchase and rent they are also harder to push , especially on the carpeted areas throughout the ship. A standard wheelchair with large wheels is recommended and it offers you some independence as you can operate it yourself.
  
• The waitstaff in all dining rooms will offer assistance. In the Main Dining Room and Specialty Restaurants they will store the wheelcahir for you after transferring to a chair and will return it when you're done dining.
  
• In the WindJammer Buffet they will assist you in carrying your tray to the table.
  
• If the ship has any tender ports the wheelchair can be loaded onto the tender provided it's collapsable and you are able to walkdown the few steps to board the tender.
  
• The cruise staff will also assist you getting off/on the gangway when in a wheelchair.
  
• What ever you choose to rent, suggest you take one of your RCCL luggage tags to place on the wheelchair. There will be many wheelchairs on board so you need to identify it as yours. The RCCL luggage tag works well for this purpose as it has your cabin number in addition to your name.
  
• If you have a booked a standard cabin, the wheelchair will not fit through the cabin door. You will need to walk through the doorway and collapse the wheelchair to enter the cabin.
  
• If you have booked a standard cabin, you can request a shower chair from the Special Needs Department at no charge to be delivered to your cabin. Since you fatique easily this would be a good thing to have when showering.
  

[Sequim88]

If you have a booked a standard cabin, the wheelchair will not fit through the cabin door. You will need to walk through the doorway and collapse the wheelchair to enter the cabin.

 

Found this out the hard way. Even my wife's junior size chair would not go through the door. And in cabin, where she could wald leaning on walls, even when the wheelchair was folded it blocked moving around in the cabin unless we parked it by the door. Our cabin attendant was really good about assisting with the chair when we came out into the hallway. We had booked an accessible inside then saw balcony gauranty for very little more so we switched. Balcony was nice but cabin was a little bit if a hassle. We did request shower stool and that was very helpful.

 

As noted MDR and Windjammer they are very good about providing assistance - especially putting items on plate from stations that are too high to see.

 

On last cruise we rented a wheelchair (from one of the RCI suggested sites noted above) for my Mom who tires easily due to a lung problem. It was delivered to her cabin and waiting when we got there. Boarding and disembarking she used port chair.

 

All in all we have been very happy with RCI's helpfulness and accomodations for wheelchair users. Only hitch we ever had was almost missing an excursion due to their seperating us from the group to take the other tender that had wheelchair lift. We ended up running(& rolling) for the bus to Paris as it was about to pull away. :eek:

[DEL67]

All of the above is good advice. I would add that it is good to notify the RCCL special needs department ahead of time to ensure you are seated in a wheelchair accessible part of the dining room, have a shower chair, etc. Also, if you are buying transfers from RCCL, let them know that you will need handicap transfers unless you can climb onto a bus.

 

To answer your other questions. Yes, the RCCL staff is usually accomodating. Other passengers usually are, but not always.